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To: KQQL
20-20 hindsight.
7 posted on 03/26/2003 8:11:13 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
20-20 hindasssight.
82 posted on 03/26/2003 8:41:19 PM PST by Beck_isright (V is for VICTORY....I love the smell of napalm in the morning..or an E-bomb)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Wasn't hindsight, it was foresight. Not Clark's, Franks' -the guy who planned the operation and is conducting it. This will all clear up when follow on forces reach the theater, and air power has had more time to reduce Iraqi ground strength, and the Iraqis start running low on ammo. But 4 army heavy divisions at the word "go" and a counter-force strategy for the air (going after fielded forces, not just government buildings and the command net) might well have done it faster and cheaper.

These are legitimate disputes among professional military men, all of whom know we are going to win the war and do so lopsidedly. The press, defeatists, and peaceniks glom onto those discussions and try to blow them out of proportion. And some noticing that think there is no real discussion or reason for the criticism. Both are wrong.

There was method A and method B of getting the job done, and B was riskier but might have been feasible with half the ground force. They tried B with A as the fall back plan. Some said all along they'd need A, and they were probably right (we will know mroe clearly in 3-7 more days). It was and is a legitimate professional military dispute, and not political carping or alarmism or defeatism. The only thing at stake in it is how fast and how clean the win will be. But worrying about that is their job.

The Turkish problem is what made it a serious issue. (The early 101 blow up also did not help). If the 4th Mech were already in country, things would already be a lot farther along. As it is they will be there reasonably quickly, and 2 more heavy divisions are on stand by, if needed. I think it would be prudent to plan on sending them and get that geared up. Better safe than sorry, at this point.

211 posted on 03/26/2003 10:30:03 PM PST by JasonC
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