The Invaders

The Arab world is viewing our presence in Iraq as an invasion, which I suppose that, technically, it is. But if that’s so, we’re not the only ones. If this article is correct, there is another set of foreign invaders–thousands of Islamic fundamentalist terrorists–from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, perhaps the West Bank and Gaza, similar to the ones who colonized Afghanistan with the help of the home-grown Taliban.

Of course, there’s a distinction. Our invasion is to throw off a tyranny, after which we’ll leave, at least if we’re not asked to stay (as we were in Germany and Japan, and Korea). Theirs is to preserve one, or install another, and they have no intention of ever relinquishing power.

If it does come down to urban warfare in Baghdad, I suspect that these foreign invaders will hold out to the end, an end that may be brutally bitter. And the biggest fear that I have is not major US casualties (though there will be some), but massive Iraqi civilian casualties perpetrated by the kind of people who are not just indifferent to the loss of human life but, as we saw a year and a half ago, revel in it.

It’s All Relative

I hereby take the pledge to never again (not that I’ve been in the habit of it) modify the phrase “Republican Guard” with the adjective “elite.” I wish that the rest of the media would stop doing so. It’s either redundant, or pointless, because the only sense in which they are “elite” is in relation to half-starving conscripts with guns in their back. Our non-coms are more elite than their officers, in terms of weaponry, motivation and fighting ability.

It’s All Relative

I hereby take the pledge to never again (not that I’ve been in the habit of it) modify the phrase “Republican Guard” with the adjective “elite.” I wish that the rest of the media would stop doing so. It’s either redundant, or pointless, because the only sense in which they are “elite” is in relation to half-starving conscripts with guns in their back. Our non-coms are more elite than their officers, in terms of weaponry, motivation and fighting ability.

It’s All Relative

I hereby take the pledge to never again (not that I’ve been in the habit of it) modify the phrase “Republican Guard” with the adjective “elite.” I wish that the rest of the media would stop doing so. It’s either redundant, or pointless, because the only sense in which they are “elite” is in relation to half-starving conscripts with guns in their back. Our non-coms are more elite than their officers, in terms of weaponry, motivation and fighting ability.

No, We Just Want To Make Iraq A Little More Like America

Some of the surrendering Iraqis are expecting (and hoping) to be taken to America.

Apparently, some Iraqi civilians are rushing to surrender to American troops under the false impression that they will be taken to the United States.

“We had a group like that a few days ago,” says Medley. “One guy wanted to go to America, bad. He wasn’t a soldier. He wanted a baseball cap. When we put him on a helicopter, he thought he was going to America ? he was smiling the whole time.”

The whole piece is worth a read.

[via The Corner]

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!