As I remember we have about 150k troops in Iraq and under 3,000 of them died in 3.5 years. This means a death rate of about 0.66% per year, which makes military work seem a lot less risky than popularly perceived.
That's a pretty impressive monument to the effectiveness of today's military and it's something we should be proud of.
Do you have similar figues for Vietnam? I think the death rate was a lot lower than in the Civil war but still much higher than the Iraq conflict.
You know, I was musing that we defeated the Nazis and that worked out better than the Iraq war but then I realized it may be little different since the Europeans are pretty bitter towards us too.
Maybe that's what happens whenever a nation is rescued.
You realize, this whole Bin Laden thing started when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the Saudis asked for US help. Osama, who was not previously resentful of America, offered to help Saudi Arabia defeat Saddam's armies without the help of America. Apparently he wanted to keep the "Two Holy Places" under Saudi control without American involvement.
The Saudis basically laughed him out of the room, considering his proposals absurd. Osama's actual experience in Afghanistan was minimal at best and his swelled ego made him think he could defeat an attacking army. (He actually did defeat the Russian army when it was retreating. They retreated, he counted it as a major victory.)
It seems strange to our minds that he would not be happy to see America help Saudi Arabia kick the Iraqis out of Kuwait. After all, he says he did hate Saddam, and since Americans did it, Saudis didn't die on the battlefield. If I were a Saudi, quite honestly I would consider that the optimal approach!
But Osama wanted glory - and, perhaps, martyrdom. The Saudi Princes had something to live for and so they didn't like his plan at all.
So they let the Americans in, an the Americans did the job and left Osama with a simmering hatred of America. All the rest - the Palastinians, the Iraqi sanctions, etc were just attempts to expand his appeal. His personal grudge is based on that moment.
I'm still trying to figure out why on earth that would make him so angry as to devote his life to Jihad, which really seems like a career option with precious little postiive to recommend it.
Thoughts?
D
"Do you have similar figues for Vietnam?"
Sorry I don't, but I'm sure they are out there.
"You know, I was musing that we defeated the Nazis and that worked out better than the Iraq war"
That was a conventional war, this is an unconventional war. While they are both wars, in the way you fight it's apples and oranges. (IMO) a better war to look at is the way the British fought the "Malaysian emergency" in th 50's.
"I'm still trying to figure out why on earth that would make him so angry as to devote his life to Jihad, which really seems like a career option with precious little postiive to recommend it."
Yeah but you pretty much get to set your own hours.
Osama's Inter-Cave Memo
From: Bin Laden, Osama
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2001 8:17 AM
To: Cavemates
Subject: The Cave
Hi guys. We've all been putting in long hours but we've really come together as a group and I love that. Big thanks to Omar for putting up the poster that says "There is no I in team" as well as the one that says
"Hang In There, Baby." That cat is hilarious. However, while we are fighting a jihad, we can't forget to take care of the cave. And frankly I have a few concerns.
First of all, while it's good to be concerned about cruise missiles, we should be even more concerned about the scorpions in our cave. Hey, you don't want to be stung and neither do I so we need to sweep the cave daily.
I've posted a sign up sheet near the main cave opening.
Second, it's not often I make a video address but when I do, I'm trying to scare the most powerful country on earth, okay? That means that while we're taping, please do not ride your razor scooter in the background. Just while we're taping. Thanks.
Third point, and this is a touchy one. As you know, by edict, we're not supposed to shave our beards. But I need everyone to just think hygiene, especially after mealtime. We're all in this together.
Fourth: food. I bought a box of Cheez-Its recently, clearly wrote "Osama" on the front, and put it on the top shelf. Today, my Cheez-Its were gone.
Consideration. That's all I'm saying.
Finally, we've heard that there may be American soldiers in disguise trying to infiltrate our ranks. I want to set up patrols to look for them. First patrol will be Omar, Muhammed, Abdul, Akbar, and Richard.
Death to infidels,
Osama
______________________________________
As to the why, I highly recommend "The Looming Tower" by Lawrence Wright. I hate it when someone tells me this is a MUST READ, so I'll just say you'll learn a cople of things + the guy can write, it's a real page turner.