That's something I'm glad about but not really proud of.
SC,agreed.
The US has a very poor record at fighting battles\wars.
Consider:
The Second World War: she entered only at half time though admittedly, she made a telling impact with her considerable bulk up front.
Korea before my time but I recall seeing pictures of General McArthur wreathed, not as victor ludorum but rather as a guy who'd "had to do what he had to do" but on this occasion the referees declared: "we just had to give the Oscar to Bing Crosby."
Vietnam Still a lot of sore heads here and of course, Scorcese's films keep us aware of the hopelessness of going to fight on foreign soil. Not an auspicious homecoming for anyone on this occassion and it has, therefore, to be declared a home win.
A fairly quiet period from 1975 until the boredom of a stab at the Grenadese who frankly couldn't give a damm but it gave the troops a chance to test their waterproofs and new Raybans in a climate they'd practised for up in the confusing terrain of Montana where sand shoes seemed somehow out of place.
Another home win.
So we come to the latter part of the 20th Century.
She takes a stab at the Balkans and a slap at Iraq where the only smoking gun was an integral part of the Bill\Monica thang.
Her superior weaponry is out on trial and she has the chance, at last, to test her technology against the guys who hide under the rocks and whose chief threat is the old lady who shreaks loudly at the CNN cameras in front of the whole world.
At best; a draw.
Iraq 2003 is a mighty display of weaponry but a piss-poor display of soldiery.
I keep thinking to myself that if the American troops hadn't been able to see the Brits down in Basra out of the corner of their eye then they might well have written history quite differently and most troops would have been home before Jessica Lynch.
Some of those guys flying the ballistic machinery would do well to take more time at training school and less time watching Tom Cruise.
Still playing extra time here....
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open wide...
Consider:
The Second World War: she entered only at half time though admittedly, she made a telling impact with her considerable bulk up front.
Korea before my time but I recall seeing pictures of General McArthur wreathed, not as victor ludorum but rather as a guy who'd "had to do what he had to do" but on this occasion the referees declared: "we just had to give the Oscar to Bing Crosby."
Vietnam Still a lot of sore heads here and of course, Scorcese's films keep us aware of the hopelessness of going to fight on foreign soil. Not an auspicious homecoming for anyone on this occassion and it has, therefore, to be declared a home win.
A fairly quiet period from 1975 until the boredom of a stab at the Grenadese who frankly couldn't give a damm but it gave the troops a chance to test their waterproofs and new Raybans in a climate they'd practised for up in the confusing terrain of Montana where sand shoes seemed somehow out of place.
Another home win.
So we come to the latter part of the 20th Century.
She takes a stab at the Balkans and a slap at Iraq where the only smoking gun was an integral part of the Bill\Monica thang.
Her superior weaponry is out on trial and she has the chance, at last, to test her technology against the guys who hide under the rocks and whose chief threat is the old lady who shreaks loudly at the CNN cameras in front of the whole world.
At best; a draw.
Iraq 2003 is a mighty display of weaponry but a piss-poor display of soldiery.
I keep thinking to myself that if the American troops hadn't been able to see the Brits down in Basra out of the corner of their eye then they might well have written history quite differently and most troops would have been home before Jessica Lynch.
Some of those guys flying the ballistic machinery would do well to take more time at training school and less time watching Tom Cruise.
Still playing extra time here....
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open wide...
My flippancy regarding the US war record was just me playing devil's advocate and should really have been tempered by a rather more serious rider.
To wit: The hard work in any conflict is not the physical aspect of subduing the enemy but running parallel to this is the battle for hearts and minds that we see so much and so often in the press.
Well, it seems clear to me that if you can win over the people you can win over the country and nowhere more pertinent than in this present conflict where it has been crucial to provide the people of Iraq with a picture that would not only compete with the man in the street's version of the truth but vital to present him with something that could even begin to break down his ingrained perceptions. Tough task when throughout his life he's only had one source of "truth".
This task, I'm afraid to say, is not an American strong point.
While I may confess to loving that "in your face I-just-want-to-be-loved" stance that typifies many Americans, it almost certainly represents a threat to peoples of other cultures.
Americans always give me the impression that they're riding the covered wagon westward and every small step is a victory to be celebrated with a "yahoo" and high fives. But victory must be celebrated modestly. With humility. And with diplomacy.
Again, not an American strong point. And that brings me round to history.
Say what you will about "old Europe": these countries have tuned diplomacy to a fine art. They're very good at it and I don't believe we can survive without them. We most certainly will have to bring the French and the Germans back into the warmth again for I don't believe we can do it all alone.
I always remember what Winston Churchill said about winning and losing: lose with dignity but win with magnamanity.
He was good at that old hearts and minds thing but it takes hundreds of years to learn and America needs those nations that are good at it.
For what it's worth, gamblingislife: I gave 8 years to Queen and country in varying environments though I'd be the last to insist that it gives me any more right than the next man to pontificate. I just try to watch, listen and learn.
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open wide...
To wit: The hard work in any conflict is not the physical aspect of subduing the enemy but running parallel to this is the battle for hearts and minds that we see so much and so often in the press.
Well, it seems clear to me that if you can win over the people you can win over the country and nowhere more pertinent than in this present conflict where it has been crucial to provide the people of Iraq with a picture that would not only compete with the man in the street's version of the truth but vital to present him with something that could even begin to break down his ingrained perceptions. Tough task when throughout his life he's only had one source of "truth".
This task, I'm afraid to say, is not an American strong point.
While I may confess to loving that "in your face I-just-want-to-be-loved" stance that typifies many Americans, it almost certainly represents a threat to peoples of other cultures.
Americans always give me the impression that they're riding the covered wagon westward and every small step is a victory to be celebrated with a "yahoo" and high fives. But victory must be celebrated modestly. With humility. And with diplomacy.
Again, not an American strong point. And that brings me round to history.
Say what you will about "old Europe": these countries have tuned diplomacy to a fine art. They're very good at it and I don't believe we can survive without them. We most certainly will have to bring the French and the Germans back into the warmth again for I don't believe we can do it all alone.
I always remember what Winston Churchill said about winning and losing: lose with dignity but win with magnamanity.
He was good at that old hearts and minds thing but it takes hundreds of years to learn and America needs those nations that are good at it.
For what it's worth, gamblingislife: I gave 8 years to Queen and country in varying environments though I'd be the last to insist that it gives me any more right than the next man to pontificate. I just try to watch, listen and learn.
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open wide...
