The Iraq War in the light of history

[sailaway21]

The historian Victor Davis Hanson writes a long, but fascinating, article on the conduct of the Iraq war and how the US has conducted war since our nation's inception. Much of the boondoggles he cites were either new to me or long forgotten due to the passage of years. This is not a polemic on the inevitability of American military success. In fact, it's quite the opposite in that it reveals how success was achieved almost in spite of ourselves.

Anyone with an interest in military history or the seeming mess in current Iraq will enjoy the reading. I look forward to your impressions.

http://www.claremont.org/publication...cle_detail.asp

[Stillraining]

But what I did read I agree with..As The Book says ..There is nothing new under the sun...

[chucklesR]

I'm somewhat read in my military history, so much of this I am at least familiar with, including the back story that is the politics and boneheaded leadership portions. I think that my later posts in the dem's vs rep's thread pretty indicate my belief that war hasn't changed - it's always been a brutal affair - we have.

We try to make believe that it's an organized bit of gang violence and that if we have properly trained troops and the right equipment that no collateral damage or injuries to U.S. Servicemen will result. Never seems to work out that way does it? Politics and or politicians play a far bigger role than the rifleman on the ground or the general officer calling the shots.

Interesting things that were left out - the rescue mission to free the Iranian hostages (the single dumbest military mission I am aware of) and the entire Somalia lack-of-mission mission.
A few side issues such as Desert Storm, Panama, Grenada, a couple years playing with Bosnia, a few sneaky missions to Central Africa, a drop in on Haiti and a few supply missions to central america and the entire concept of mutally assured destruction pretty much round out my 'lived it' version of history. Not bad for a 22 year stint without a declared war. Sucks being the tool of the president when the president himself is a tool and a fool. Being the pointy end of the stick always sucks.

[sailaway21]

One of my criticisms of current US policy is the lack of declaration's of war. In my opinion, war's are being undersold by it's absence, implying no sacrifice by the American citizen will be required.

In fact, I see absolutely no reason why we have not declared war on Iran to date. There has been no normal diplomacy for almost thirty years and our interests are obviously inimicable. We do not have to take any military action after declaring war. We are merely stating the obvious divergence of interests and our seriousness about that divergence. It's not like Iran has not been the single most destabilizing force in the world for those last thirty years. And, if military action becomes necessary, as in the recent encounter in the strait or the capture of British sailors and marines, it's just a matter of pulling the trigger.

There would be no doubt as to the seriousness of our purposes, in any event.

[Stillraining]

Declaration of war part..