RANGER AGAINST WAR: Like Water for Chocolate <

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Like Water for Chocolate



Understand

Were fighting a war we can't win
They hate us--we hate them
We can't win--no way
--Police Story, Black Flag


''No question the enemy has tried to spread sectarian violence.
They use violence as a tool to do that.''
--GWB
___________


As for Black Flag's lyrics, more specifically, all hate all, and the U.S. military machine is not the Kofi Annan to effect a conciliation between the warring factions. And what is it we were going to win again? And just what is it this president understands?

MSM often presents reports which may seem cheerier than they actually are, presenting the latest statistics as signifying positive trends. What underlies the behavior is often predictable, and not so hopeful.


''Raids Quell Copter Attacks'' tells us, ''Coalition forces have broken up a network of insurgents behind a string of deadly attacks on U.S. helicopters this winter, the Army's top aviation officer in Iraq said.''

Simply killing enemy personnel does not mean that the network has been broken up; that is wishful thinking.


The fighters killed represent the tip of the spear. Trust Ranger when he says the organization is not compromised. The events of the last five years indicate the veracity of this statement.


The resistance fighters have all the advantages, and they don't need helicopters. They have interior lines of communication, they control the local population either through fear or loyalty, and they have no evident recruitment problems. Their losses are are absorbed through new membership.


Killing is not the correct yardstick with which to measure progress in this war, and the military should know this. So why brag about killing less than 100 people?
''The raids came as the United States boosted troop levels in Iraq. However, violence has not declined.

''Coalition forces have increased the use of helicopters to reduce the number of ground convoys, which are vulnerable to roadside bombs.''

Consider the cost of using helicopters for supply purposes. If they are carrying beans and bullets, then they are not being tactically employed. This indicates that U.S. forces have lost the initiative.

If you can not drive supply vehicles safely in the area of operations, which is Baghdad, then the area is not secured. A statement like this is about as trenchant as some made by GWB this past Thursday in the Rose Garden. So why does MSM hail these failures as success?

A historical analogy comes to mind--the air supply effort to the Nazi Sixth Army at Stalingrad. Of course, it is not snowing in Baghdad. But armies in contact with the enemy can not be supplied or sustained totally via air assets.

Why would America want to expend resources doing this?

The security of Baghdad is not the mission of the U.S. military, nor is the political capital of the U.S. there for GWB to expend.

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank God i am not the only Ranger who sees the stupidity this war has wrought...Keep up the good work!

William Hazen B 2/75 Ranger
1979-82 14-80

Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 8:51:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

Welcome. Some things just make my day; we're very glad to have you.

Happy Memorial Day.

Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 10:03:00 PM GMT-5  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ranger and Lisa,


Excellent post.

If you grant me permission, I may want to cut and paste this elsewhere in the future (perhaps ThinkProgress) to help educate those who think this war (and war in general) is like a John Wayne war movie. You know, if you hang around long enough, the movie ends and our side wins.

And by copy to William Hazen - with your pewrmission - I'd like to post your response as well.

If, however, you guys just want to keep the post for those who visit the site directly - I understand.

Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 9:19:00 AM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

KW,

It would be a great honor to have your help in disseminating the message [too bad you're not a ''Sperm Whale''. . .sorry, we etymologists have a sick sense of humor. . .]

In all seriously, everything here is open source, for use by all. It would be super to have the word out to the thinking community.

Thanks again.

As always,

Best wishes,

Lisa and Jim

Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 10:09:00 AM GMT-5  
Blogger aelkus said...

I've noticed too that the aerial supply is a problem, especially given the still-evolving insurgent anti-air capability. If we stay longer, they will perfect it. By the end of Afghanistan, the jihadis were pros at downing Soviet aircraft.

Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 1:00:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

a.e.,

Right--we need only look to the Soviet's experience in Afghanistan to see the learning curve.

They are cutting their teeth, and the threat will evolve.

Jim is back next week and may have more to add,

Lisa

Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 10:38:00 PM GMT-5  

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