Iraq Is Just Test Of Will For America (Mark Steyn Slams Baker Study Group "Realism" Alert)

Chicago Sun Times ^ | 12/03/2006 | Mark Steyn

[PghBaldy]

I just like the ref to Miss St John., I don't know about her IQ, but the point he was making is she is no longer an A list star, just as the members of the ISQ - they were big once. You are right about our military. I have been mad at our State Dept for 5 years now. There is something about that place.

[nathanbedford]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/04/AR2006120401347.html

[Interesting Times]

As usual, Steyn gets it...

[Dan Cooper]

I saw a post earlier about this article but did not read it. Thank you for pointing it out. Although it starts out painting a rather dire picture, it ends with less of a dark outlook. The key part is this:

Responding to urgent requests from the Army and Marine Corps, Congress approved an extra $23.8 billion in October to replace worn-out equipment in fiscal 2007. With the money, the Army plans to double the workload at its depots, which will repair and upgrade 130,000 pieces in 2007, up from 63,000 last year. This will include a quadrupling of the number of tanks, Bradleys and other tracked vehicles overhauled, from 1,000 to 4,000.

Indicating that the money to ramp up the repair depot is already committed.

Also this stands out:

Workers at Anniston take pride in patching, rebuilding and testing the broken-down gear and returning it to like-new condition. Often, they must innovate by taking parts from wrecked vehicles if new parts do not exist or have not been ordered in time.

Gear is wearing out nine times faster in actual combat than during peacetime use. The military is adjusting. It cost a pile of money, but hey it's only our civilization that is a stake.

[Dr.Deth]

Nah. The foreign nationals and agents provacateur coming to Iraq to fight are and have been routed, as was planned. Of course we could have stopped them at the border rather than kill them in the Sunni Triangle but that isn't the point. These cockroaches can only skulk the shadows, and (as has been loudly proclaimed) in a span of time longer than WWII have managed to pick off, what, 3000 enemy combatants? While hundreds of thousands of their own have been eliminated, captured, or otherwise neutralized. The US-soldier-to-enemy-combatant kill ratio would make Alexander blush. In reality, the US versus Iraq is an historic domination save for the seditious Fifth Column press and it's unrelenting effort to make Iraq into the Vietnam they've desperately sought for over 30 years.

[RightWhale]

National Will--there is no such thing. It is inappropriate to assume that individual psychology transcends the individual.

[Dr.Deth]

Mark Steyn is a genius, and as usual his analysis is spot-on, but hey... leave the Doobie Brothers alone. They rock.

Even Michael McDonald?

[zot]

As usual, Steyn gets it...

Yes. The Baker Commission is loaded against us. America lost its credibility as a world power on 7 November 2006.

[lowbridge]

Pelosi: Baker Report Proves Bush Has Failed

[lowbridge]

James Baker's "Iraq Study Group" seems to have been cast on the same basis as Liza Minnelli's last wedding. A stellar lineup: Donna Summer, Mickey Rooney, the Doobie Brothers, Gina Lollobrigida, Michael Jackson, Mia Farrow, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Jill St. John. That's Liza's wedding, not the Baker Commission. But at both gatherings everyone who was anyone was there, no matter how long ago it was they were anyone. So the fabulous Baker boy was accompanied by Clinton officials Leon Panetta and Bill Perry, Clinton golfing buddy Vernon Jordan, Clinton's fellow sex fiend Chuck Robb, the quintessential ''moderate'' Republican Alan Simpson, Supreme Court swing vote par excellence Sandra Day O'Connor . . . God, I can't go on. I'd rather watch Mia Farrow making out with Mickey Rooney to a Doobie Brothers LP. As its piece de resistance, the Baker Commission concluded its deliberations by inviting testimony from -- drumroll, please -- Sen. John F. Kerry. If you're one of those dummies who goofs off in school, you wind up in Iraq. But, if you're sophisticated and nuanced, you wind up on a commission about Iraq. Rounding it all out -- playing David Gest to Jim Baker's Liza -- is, inevitably, co-chairman Lee Hamilton, former congressman from Indiana. As you'll recall, he also co-chaired the 9/11 Commission, in accordance with Article II Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution, which states: "Ye monopoly of wisdom on ye foreign policy, national security and other weighty affairs shall be vested in a retired Representative from the 9th District in Indiana, if he be sufficiently venerable of mien. In the event that he becomes incapacitated, his place shall be taken by Jill St. John."

Now THAT'S funny! :-)

[nathanbedford]

Are we ready to invade Iran with this stuff?

Remember the contrived indignation from the left because our Humvees were not uparmoured?

[nutmeg]

bookmark

[nathanbedford]

http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2006/issue4/jv10no4a1.html

[Dan Cooper]

Are we ready to invade Iran with this stuff?

Remember the contrived indignation from the left because our Humvees were not uparmoured?

There is a big difference between invading and patrolling. No amount of armor guarantees safety. If we were to invade I would hope that we wouldn't just roll over the border with tank columns. I'm sure that the real strategists have plenty of plans for winning a war with Iran or Syria if needed.

[nathanbedford]

Somebody forgot to send the freshly baptized Secretary of Defense that memo.

[syriacus]

Steyn is consistently clear-headed. Does anyone know what he eats, drinks and reads?

South Korea would be as dark as North Korea if there had been a Korea Surrender Group by the time 3,000 Americans had died there.

• On June 29, 1950, Truman said he was sending our troops to Korea to fight "bandits" in a "police action."
• In July 1950, 2849 Americans gave their lives for Korean freedom.
• In August 1950, 1754 Americans gave their lives for Korean freedom.

In other words, in the first two 2 months of Truman's "police action" 4603 Americans died.

In the 2 1/2 years of Korean "police action" during Truman's presidency, 30,000 Americans died.

[GOPJ]

God, I can't go on. I'd rather watch Mia Farrow making out with Mickey Rooney to a Doobie Brothers LP. As its piece de resistance, the Baker Commission concluded its deliberations by inviting testimony from -- drumroll, please -- Sen. John F. Kerry.

LOL

[2ThumbsUp]

I heard Mark Steyn on with Hugh Hewitt early this evening. He was a breath of fresh air!

And, the caller following that interview with Hewitt and Steyn made an interesting observation: We are winning the war in Iraq...in every battle but the media front.