Instead of the wisdom of Sun Tzu we get platitudes from clowns:

"You go to war with the military you have..."


When the tested-by-centuries sort of wisdom like that espoused by Sun Tzu gets supplanted by inane inaccuracies of Rumsfeld, our military has got trouble. Sun Tzu says all kinds of things should be done prior to committing to combat. We did none.

For instance, each time the administration has predicted a 'spike' in violence because of this election or that constitutional progress, they should have taken steps to reduce the effect of that spike, most likely by increasing the number of troops on the scene or at least by securing our troops behind some perimeter. They did not. If they predicted an increase in violence and my child suffered an injury after such a prediction, I'd take some action to ensure that is becomes commonly known that the folks in charge did nothing to ameliorate that predicted increase in violence.

I have trouble imagining how the invasion could have been conducted any worse. Seems like Cheney and the rest of the dicks were calling the shots, not the generals.

(politicians who somehow managed never to serve, by the way), instead of the mlitary running the war.

But Fuckstick likes to think he's a little general, so it's not surprising that he wouldn't let the military be in charge.

The cynical part of me also thinks that their intention was to fail; to create a total awful quagmire, create an enemy that didn't exist, in order that we could be perpetually at war, and thus start granting special powers to the "president" and his people, such as searches without warrant and eventually martial law so they can consolidate as much power as possible and play the role of Emperor.

It really is Star Wars happening here.

At a time when 'Peak Oil' is being openly discussed, the US has boots on the ground where the stuff is.

BTW, I agree about Star Wars, as well. The 'Evil Empire' WAS the so-called legitimate government. They didn't become 'Evil' overnight. I just hope we aren't the frogs in the pot, oblivious to the slowly increasing temperatures (of fascism) until it becomes too late!

Any fighting force is only as effective as their ability to do the job they are sent to do. Mainly, show up, eliminate your opponent's ability to wage war, and then leave. Leave the peacekeeping and relief to peacekeeping and relief agencies.


Oh, yeah, Bush alienated them early on, so they all hate us now.

Andrew Jackson? Oliver Cromwell? Both of them are kind of longshots to connect to today's conservatives.

Franco--okay, but he didn't have much of a fight to win.

Most of the big right-wing dictators have been pencil pushing wimps. Even Bismarck, with his fancy helmets, never saw active service. Hitler rose to the prestigious rank of lance corporal and got out of WWI after taking shrapnel to the rump (I think).

The great generals of history--Caesar, Napoleon, Mao--have been revolutionaries, all. This is because conservatism is the exact mentality that loses battles. ("Success is assured" "Just follow your field manual")

a year to plan it, and unlimited monitary resources to outfit our military, right? Oh wait, it is!