Originally posted by tiv:
Originally posted by Davo:


After Serbia, the 1st Iraq war, and after the really spectacular Afghan campaign the US military had the image of a kind of invincibility.
This image was smashed with the pictures of ragtag insurgents victory-marching on the streets of Najaf and Fallujah after forcing the US army to leave their cities.

The Iraq war has proved that the US military power can be resisted, even without the backing of another superpower. (like in Vietnam)

Are you sure this is what you want to see ? Are you sure this is what you want the world to see ?

T.



This is the opposite of correct...yes, what we are doing is PRECISELY what I want the world to see.
US Military before Bush as it relates to middle east...
1) Lebanon, 1983...US Marine barraks destroyed 200+ killed (some my friends off USS Independence). Al Quead opener. We retreated.
2) Gulf war I...good start but Bush listens to UN and fails to deliver death blow. Sadam begins 12 years of open defiance, swindles billions with Frances help, shoots at US warplanes and attempts to kill Bush 41. Response...RETORIC and a few cruise missiles.
3) WTC 1993..let the courts handle it. AlQueda 2..US 0
4) Somolia..AlQueda 3...we haul ass again
5) 1998..US/UN inspectors kicked out of Iraq. We stand around with thumb up ass as middlest laughs at us.
6) Khobar Towers..you know the drill. We do nothing.
Al Queda openly laughing.
7) African Embassy bombings...same AlQueada operatives that later would fly planes into WTC involved. No response...terrorist laughter, boldness, confidence increasing
8) 2000..USS COLE blown up by AlQueda...no response. Now, AlQueda is confident they will get away with 9/11 unchecked, and SAID SO. Sadam, still shooting at warplanes & giving us the finger.
9)...9/11.

BUSH...
Builds coalition, attacks Afganistan. Evicts Taliban, kills/captures 2/3 Al Queda. New elections in a month. Fighting continues but we NEVER run from it.

US fleet closes on Iraq...weapons inspectors back in...Sadam fails to account for WMD that he itemized in 1991. France blocks UN coalition formation as they are making billions from oil for food scam, assures Sadam we will not invade. WE INVADE ANYWAY...find no WMD but more mass graves than expected, expose oil corruption, flatten Salmon pac and Ansar Al Islam terror training camps, capture Sadam and 43 of 55 henchmen, install interim government.

Pakistan gives up AQ Khan nuke program..

Libya folds nuke program..

Saudis come on board and round up/kill hundreds of AlQueda

UN runs after a bombing..

Spain runs after a bombing..

US/UK/Austrailia stand ground and attack again.

....forcing US forces to leave my ass. Our troups went toe to toe, everytime and place. Najaf was a truce...TODAY they are holding anti-Al Sadr demonstrations in Najaf. Fallujia was negotiated by AlAwai....maybe not a tactical victory I grant you but it is not over, we killed 50 goons there a few days ago. For the first time in 2 decades...the middle east knows the US means buisiness. We earned our crediblity with the lives of over a thousand soldiers. It is THIS credibilty that will allow us to deal with the likes of Iran, Syria, N.Korea with a higher likelyhood of success and MAY avoid bloodshead in these countries that would have laughed in our face 3 years ago based on our "old" reputation. Do those coutries hate us more than 3 years ago...maybe a little but not much (they pretty much hated us before). Do they now know we are not screwing around...YES.
So, to the thousand that have died...I salute you.

PS..Do the French dislike us more, since we margialized the already marginal UN, exposed their corruption, and made fun of their accents...SURE! But, who cares!



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