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Who's the Boss?

4.21.04 @ 12:01AM

NO MORE MR. NICE GUY
Re: Jed Babbin's Numbers:

Secretary Babbin made some excellent points regarding the need to use sufficient forces to crush the insurgencies in Iraq. The sad part is that he needed to articulate the points at all. It is so obvious that our unwillingness to aggressively punish the insurgents is emboldening them. This attitude by the Coalition authorities is simply unacceptable.

As to the need for more troops, a more robust use of air forces may very well negate the need for additional ground personnel. Like Mr. Babbin I would give the same ultimatum to Fallujah. But instead of attacking the town from the ground and risking the lives of our soldiers and Marines I would simply level it with a few BLU-82 high explosive concussion bombs from C-130s. Another alternative would be B-52's with 2,000 pound iron bombs. I wouldn't waste time trying to be "surgical" with smart weapons launched by fighters. We did that during the fight against Saddam Hussein's forces last year, and it did not earn us very much good will. It's time for the big stuff. Let's take of the kid gloves and get serious. If necessary we can deal with hurt feelings later.

Is the course of action I describe harsh? Of course, but it is imperative that we force the general population of Iraq and its leaders, including the religious figures, to acknowledge that they are a defeated country. And we also need to send a strong message to the troublemakers in Damascus and Tehran.

Oderint dum metuant.
-- Paul M. DeSisto, USAF (Ret.)
Cedar Grove, New Jersey

Last night, I was startled to read that, at the end of WWII, the U.S. Army had burned all the Shinto Shrines built by the Japanese in Korea. Now, that was clarity.

If America is to accomplish anything in Iraq, I believe that we must stop pretending that we respect Iraq's primitive culture. We must stop treating mullahs with deference. Mosques should enjoy no special status in combat operations.

We need to let the Iraqis know exactly what we think of their backward culture. Razing the mosques and destroying anyone who objects is a place to start.

It turns my stomach to see the Marines negotiating with the butchers of Americans in Fallujah. In addition to a lack of clarity, President Bush lacks the stomach for the measures required to win this war.

Though I will have to vote for Mr. Bush next November, it will be a very unenthusiastic vote. He is weak.
-- Joe Wood

P.S. No, Bush should have no draft. He has not spent the lives of his volunteers wisely.

I am surprised that as informed a person as Mr. Babbin is he continues to get his numbers and his advice wrong. Currently assigned to Europe are two incomplete Army divisions (each missing 1/3 of their ground combat units). Of that force one division is already in Iraq with the other to follow. It should also be remembered that Mr. Babbin (and many others) disparaged Gen. Eric K. Shinseki and others in the Army for suggesting that the war in Iraq would not be as easy as they predicted and that an occupying force of, "Something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers are probably, you know, a figure that would be required," General Shinseki told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We're talking about post-hostilities control over a piece of geography that's fairly significant, with the kinds of ethnic tensions that could lead to other problems." General Shinseki continued, "It takes a significant ground force presence to maintain a safe and secure environment, to ensure that people are fed, that water is disturbed, all the normal responsibilities that go along with administering a situation like this." So now with our forces overextended, our political will stressed, Mr. Babbin advocates what? Invade who, with what forces, and this will reduce the fighting where?

We do not need "a much more aggressive approach against the Iraqi insurgents" nor do we need to invade Iran or Syria. We do need to continue the irresistible course of disciplined action that we have been following. Our opponents would love to see us appear to use overwhelming force irresponsibly but we must not stumble into that trap. The Marines and Soldiers bearing the brunt of the current fighting are up to the task. They will be reinforced and they will succeed in restoring order.

We also need a realistic assessment of our long term force requirements. Our commitment in Iraq will last at least 10 years. During that time other challenges will arise and we will need the force to deal with them. The military in general and the US Army particularly, need to be enlarged to meet this obvious future. How much, what organization (light vs. heavy, war fighters vs. peace keepers) are all issues that should be discussed, but right now we need to start building. I remind all concerned that it takes longer to create a combat ready division than it does to build an aircraft carrier. Some may have thought prior to this that there was a no risk, low cost, magic way of waging war. They were wrong. War means overwhelming force and sometimes (most times) that means a soldier with a bayonet going door to door. Right now the real fix to the problem Mr. Babbin describes is to grow the force. It will not be quick and it will not be easy but it is the correct solution.
-- Hil Evers
LTC US Army

FRIENDLY PERSUASION
Re: Doug Bandow's Friends Like These:

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Bill Clinton, Islam, Environment, Constitution, Military, Iraq, Iran, Israel