•••

Thanks, good article..

The score is 7000 to 19, not a good time for a quarterback sneak. Snows coming in more ways than one.

It took seven months to mount a strike after Pearl Harbour. Desert Storm took six months to prepare. It may very well be spring before we are ready for a big move on Afghanistan.

So9

It's going to be more like the War on Drugs. Long, drawn out, fought on many fronts, a sort of perpetual war.

It also takes time to move troops somewhere. Armed Forces don't travel light (they are not tourists.) Supplies, weapons, etc. are needed. In addition, it takes about 6 months to really get used to high altitudes. Some of the Afghan highlands are around 12,000 feet above sea level. The lower plains are around 2000 feet. I don't know how many US Armed Forces personnel are trained and acclimated to work at 12,000 feet.

How many more attacks on the US should we take??

30 tanks, 20 fighters, 45000 troops with old guns, and a few thousand terrorists to kill. Seems like we have enough in place to do something.

I didn't do well at 11,600 ft on a recent trip thru the Rockys, but my 19 year old did fine.

The problem isn't just living at altitude, but doing strenuous work. Of course, the military has young guys (better eyesight, more stamina, etc.) doing things. Even experienced mountain climbers have some trouble at these altitudes. I don't know where the Afghan Campaign will be waged, perhaps at the 2000ft altitude of the big plains.

I hope this lays to rest those posts where people rant, "Why aren't we nuking them now? Why is GWB taking so long? Is this Colin Powell, calling for peace?" Simply put, we've got have patience. Bombing fast and easy was the Clinton way, and look how far it got us.

"When I take action, it's going to be decisive. I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt."
~President Bush

"It undoubtedly will prove to be a lot more like a cold war than a hot war,'' Rumsfeld said in an interview from his Cairo hotel room. "In the Cold War it took 50 years, plus or minus. It did not involve major battles. It involved continuous pressure."

It is downright scary when Rumsfeld says stuff like this. This war is very simple. OBL and Saddam. Their emphatic elimination triggers the downfall of all the rest. W appears to lack the historical sense to see this, altho he might have more than he projects.

Re Rumsfeld indicating this may be more of a cold war than a hot war -- and could take 50 years... Very interesting! -- Conversely, GWB makes it sound as if we may strike imminently; Rumsfeld cautions against missiles and verbally warns that we are possibly more likely to achieve our goals by squeezing OBL and his Taliban protectors economically. What are we to believe? Well, I think GWB, Rumsfeld, Powell, etc., etc., have done masterful jobs thus far of keeping the enemy on pins and needles. There is likely COMPLETE agreement among those in our govt. (and Blair's) as to how to proceed, but it's smarter not to tip ones' hand. In addition, we must get enough personnel trained and in place before we can successfully respond militarily. News from Afghanistan sounds to me like the Taliban are getting pretty nervous over there about what's to come. Today they offered up the eight visiting Christians if we would back off of our threats. GWB said NO DEAL. Excellent! We cannot negotiate with terrorists. If THEY believe they are all about to be killed by US, they may eventually cave in and turn over bin Laden. At least we and other coalition members have time in the interim to adequately train and get our people in place. If the Taliban does not cave, well, bombs away!

This battle is not going to be won by using conventional weapons against the main targets. The odour of too much PC is in the air.

But, when will we start seeing results. It's all well and good to put pressure on them, but when will we arrive at a time when we may be forced to admit that those who did this to us, will have gotten away with it?

If this is akin to the war on drugs , this country is in big trouble. That war has been frought with too many failures, too many useless expenditures of money and man power, and too many lies to the American public.

I agree. I recall my psych professor asking, what is it that an adult can do that a child can't? The answer is: wait.

Quote of the Day by EggsAckley

The more I read about that hell hole, the more I think of one word -- NUKE.

klinton used up most of the cruise missiles ...

I agree Klin-tong used our military as toilet tissue.
But ISTR most of the cruise missiles have been replaced...

What's taking so long?

I am not an armchair military strategist nor is the media skilled in in such matters. I wish they would just shut up and let real quarterbacks do their thing. Seems like every damn network has it's "Expert" telling us what the military should be doing or not doing. They certainly are not helping matters at all.

I would not be the least bit dissapointed if the folks in the Pentagon shut down all communication between themselves and the media. Boy, wouldn't the Rathers and the Jennings' have conniptions if that happened?

I can just picture all the media worms running around peeing their jeans waiting for that one bit of news that will put them in contention for the Pulitzer.....