2dogs
March 28, 2003, 06:43 AM
http://www.sierratimes.com/03/03/27/jjjohnson.htm
Rules of Engagement: Making Up The Rules As You Go
War Analysis By J.J. Johnson
Published 03. 26. 03 at 18:04 Sierra Time
xxx All right, everyone. I did say I'd support the troops once the war started, and I do wish them well. Nevada even lost one of our own. Here's my problem: Understanding that 'truth' is always the first casualty of war, it is always better to take propaganda for what its worth. We understand this while watching Al Jazzerra or Iraqi TV. In most cases, we can all see right through it. But as much as I can't stand Jihad propaganda, American propaganda bothers me even more.
Let's go over a few:
We'll start with this pesky little "resistance" problem. Perhaps this writer has a different perspective on this war because I've been a chess player most of my life. When developing strategy and analyzing the game, one must look at the whole position from both sides - not just one. For a country that has virtually no air force and crippled leadership, they sure are offering a hefty amount of resistance - even if it is futile. This resistance has been labeled with such terms as:
Iraqi Irregulars
Saddam's Martyrs
Saddam Loyalists
Pockets of Resistance
Iraqi military who changed into civilian clothes
Al Queada sympathizers.
The Fayhadeen
What you'll never hear them called are "armed civilians". This author recalls taking a lot of heat when we reported that Iraqi civilians were buying guns before the war started (how dare they?). We got loads of feedback saying we were either falling for or spreading Middle-East or leftist propaganda. You see, refusing to call them what most of them really are (armed civilians), points the suspicion of 'spreading propaganda' towards our side - much more than the enemy.
Of course, anyone having a problem with things like this are quickly dismissed, and thrown into the category with the Michael Moores of the world. No, I'm not one of those people - just analyzing some of the propaganda.
Violating the Rules of War.
Yes, that's what we're actually saying. Among the accusations: using women and children has human shields; wearing civilian clothes to ambush troops; antiaircraft missiles deployed around civilian areas; operating from hospitals, faking surrenders, etc. I've heard more than a few 'war experts' say, "They're not fighting fair."
This, after hearing one Pentagon spokesman come right out and say, "we don't believe in fighting fair - we want the advantage."
Reality Check: We have B2's F-117's, CIA operatives in civilian clothes, and we're in THEIR airspace, and on THEIR soil. Look at it from the other side of the chess board: If it were your country being invaded, what would you do? Would you 'fight fair'?
No matter how you feel about this war, you have to admit that before and after it started, we pretty much made up the rules as we went along. We're making the rules now. When it's over, we'll probably make up more rules as we go. Perhaps the 'resistance' is following suit - no matter how horrifying it looks on Al Jazzera. This is war - war gets ugly.
It goes back to the concept of "Operation Iraqi Freedom". Is it just me, or am I the only person getting the growing impression that some Iraqi's don't want 'our freedom' delivered to them?
Oh, it's just a 'desperate element of the regime', you say? Then what the heck have we been bombing? We've been duly slaughtering troops that don't surrender correctly (with few casualties that we are aware of) , leaving only these pesky civilians. Why won't they just surrender since they have NO CHANCE of winning? I believe there is a reason, but we'll address that later.
3000 Chemical Suits Found in Hospital
Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks said Wednesday the discovery of 3,000 chemical suits in a central Iraqi hospital that had been used as an Iraqi base raised concern that Saddam Hussein's regime was prepared to use chemical weapons.
You've got to be kidding.
In addition to the chemical suits, the Central Command reported earlier that Marines found and confiscated gas masks and nerve gas antidote injectors in the hospital near An Nasiriyah.
Okay, before you start on my case with 'how dare you question the military authority while we're are war!", let me run this by you: Does the phrase 'first responders' ring a bell? It should, one died recently apparently from a smallpox vaccine. With all the first responders getting inoculated, does it mean the United States will be using smallpox as a weapon soon?
Of course, not. Just as chemical masks, suits and antidote injectors do not indicated that anyone plans on using chemical weapons. If it does, then we'd have some explaining to do - since every U.S. infantry person in the field in Iraq has been issued similar gear.
I strongly suggest the media quit peddling the 'chemical gear found at hospital'. No smoking gun here, sorry.
Seriously, glaring gaffs like this hurt our credibility. And you know how much credibility we have with the rest of the world now?
The fact is, the pressure is on our forces in the area - not just to take Baghdad, but to find Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). That's the reason we're doing this (so we are told)- to disarm Saddam Hussein from those WMD's no one has yet found. But it's only been a week.
Sidebar note: When some pundit was asked, "why haven't we found any weapons of mass destruction yet?", the Fox News talking head stated that a dictator like Saddam will probably keep such weapons close to him - like in Central Baghdad. "We'll find them once we get there". Sorry, but even the craziest nut wouldn't store stockpiles of such poisons in a major city - especially if bombs are falling all over the place.
Still, most of the propaganda is targeted on the resistance - those folks (civilians) we are told are loyal to Saddam Hussein, who just refuse to surrender in the face of sure defeat or welcome their American liberators. They are part of that regime, right?
Again - look from the other side of the chess board.
Fact is, opinions are floating in the Muslim world that the most of those (armed) citizens aren't necessarily loyal to that regime, but they are loyal to their homes and their families. And shame on them, they don't like some superpower coming in dictating terms how they should live, govern themselves, and demanding they get rid of WMD's when the only WMD's most of them have seen are the one's that were delivered by our military in the last week. Remember this when you hear of this armed resistance 'not playing fair' by wearing civilian clothes, and mingling in with civilians while fighting back. Despite what we hear, there's probably a good reason: They ARE civilians.
No, don't accuse me of 'not supporting the troops' as seems to be the knee-jerk reaction to anything but frantic flag waving. In my opinion, our troops are - once again - out there fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. This writer is merely explaining what we're up against. Unless we are ready to lay siege to the major cities in Iraq (and yes - that'll get ugly real fast), and wait a few months until they finally run out of everything, we'll have to go street by street - house by house - sewer by sewer. Fine, we say - we have the best military force in the world. But let it be known that this author predicts most of those 'pockets of resistance' are people fighting with whatever they have because, in their minds, it's not about liberation - but occupation.
And if it goes house to house (we could simply declare a whole area hostile and carpet bomb), the name "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is going start looking more and more like an oxymoron, and we're gonna have a lot more flag draped coffins coming home before this is over.
Rules of Engagement: Making Up The Rules As You Go
War Analysis By J.J. Johnson
Published 03. 26. 03 at 18:04 Sierra Time
xxx All right, everyone. I did say I'd support the troops once the war started, and I do wish them well. Nevada even lost one of our own. Here's my problem: Understanding that 'truth' is always the first casualty of war, it is always better to take propaganda for what its worth. We understand this while watching Al Jazzerra or Iraqi TV. In most cases, we can all see right through it. But as much as I can't stand Jihad propaganda, American propaganda bothers me even more.
Let's go over a few:
We'll start with this pesky little "resistance" problem. Perhaps this writer has a different perspective on this war because I've been a chess player most of my life. When developing strategy and analyzing the game, one must look at the whole position from both sides - not just one. For a country that has virtually no air force and crippled leadership, they sure are offering a hefty amount of resistance - even if it is futile. This resistance has been labeled with such terms as:
Iraqi Irregulars
Saddam's Martyrs
Saddam Loyalists
Pockets of Resistance
Iraqi military who changed into civilian clothes
Al Queada sympathizers.
The Fayhadeen
What you'll never hear them called are "armed civilians". This author recalls taking a lot of heat when we reported that Iraqi civilians were buying guns before the war started (how dare they?). We got loads of feedback saying we were either falling for or spreading Middle-East or leftist propaganda. You see, refusing to call them what most of them really are (armed civilians), points the suspicion of 'spreading propaganda' towards our side - much more than the enemy.
Of course, anyone having a problem with things like this are quickly dismissed, and thrown into the category with the Michael Moores of the world. No, I'm not one of those people - just analyzing some of the propaganda.
Violating the Rules of War.
Yes, that's what we're actually saying. Among the accusations: using women and children has human shields; wearing civilian clothes to ambush troops; antiaircraft missiles deployed around civilian areas; operating from hospitals, faking surrenders, etc. I've heard more than a few 'war experts' say, "They're not fighting fair."
This, after hearing one Pentagon spokesman come right out and say, "we don't believe in fighting fair - we want the advantage."
Reality Check: We have B2's F-117's, CIA operatives in civilian clothes, and we're in THEIR airspace, and on THEIR soil. Look at it from the other side of the chess board: If it were your country being invaded, what would you do? Would you 'fight fair'?
No matter how you feel about this war, you have to admit that before and after it started, we pretty much made up the rules as we went along. We're making the rules now. When it's over, we'll probably make up more rules as we go. Perhaps the 'resistance' is following suit - no matter how horrifying it looks on Al Jazzera. This is war - war gets ugly.
It goes back to the concept of "Operation Iraqi Freedom". Is it just me, or am I the only person getting the growing impression that some Iraqi's don't want 'our freedom' delivered to them?
Oh, it's just a 'desperate element of the regime', you say? Then what the heck have we been bombing? We've been duly slaughtering troops that don't surrender correctly (with few casualties that we are aware of) , leaving only these pesky civilians. Why won't they just surrender since they have NO CHANCE of winning? I believe there is a reason, but we'll address that later.
3000 Chemical Suits Found in Hospital
Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks said Wednesday the discovery of 3,000 chemical suits in a central Iraqi hospital that had been used as an Iraqi base raised concern that Saddam Hussein's regime was prepared to use chemical weapons.
You've got to be kidding.
In addition to the chemical suits, the Central Command reported earlier that Marines found and confiscated gas masks and nerve gas antidote injectors in the hospital near An Nasiriyah.
Okay, before you start on my case with 'how dare you question the military authority while we're are war!", let me run this by you: Does the phrase 'first responders' ring a bell? It should, one died recently apparently from a smallpox vaccine. With all the first responders getting inoculated, does it mean the United States will be using smallpox as a weapon soon?
Of course, not. Just as chemical masks, suits and antidote injectors do not indicated that anyone plans on using chemical weapons. If it does, then we'd have some explaining to do - since every U.S. infantry person in the field in Iraq has been issued similar gear.
I strongly suggest the media quit peddling the 'chemical gear found at hospital'. No smoking gun here, sorry.
Seriously, glaring gaffs like this hurt our credibility. And you know how much credibility we have with the rest of the world now?
The fact is, the pressure is on our forces in the area - not just to take Baghdad, but to find Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). That's the reason we're doing this (so we are told)- to disarm Saddam Hussein from those WMD's no one has yet found. But it's only been a week.
Sidebar note: When some pundit was asked, "why haven't we found any weapons of mass destruction yet?", the Fox News talking head stated that a dictator like Saddam will probably keep such weapons close to him - like in Central Baghdad. "We'll find them once we get there". Sorry, but even the craziest nut wouldn't store stockpiles of such poisons in a major city - especially if bombs are falling all over the place.
Still, most of the propaganda is targeted on the resistance - those folks (civilians) we are told are loyal to Saddam Hussein, who just refuse to surrender in the face of sure defeat or welcome their American liberators. They are part of that regime, right?
Again - look from the other side of the chess board.
Fact is, opinions are floating in the Muslim world that the most of those (armed) citizens aren't necessarily loyal to that regime, but they are loyal to their homes and their families. And shame on them, they don't like some superpower coming in dictating terms how they should live, govern themselves, and demanding they get rid of WMD's when the only WMD's most of them have seen are the one's that were delivered by our military in the last week. Remember this when you hear of this armed resistance 'not playing fair' by wearing civilian clothes, and mingling in with civilians while fighting back. Despite what we hear, there's probably a good reason: They ARE civilians.
No, don't accuse me of 'not supporting the troops' as seems to be the knee-jerk reaction to anything but frantic flag waving. In my opinion, our troops are - once again - out there fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. This writer is merely explaining what we're up against. Unless we are ready to lay siege to the major cities in Iraq (and yes - that'll get ugly real fast), and wait a few months until they finally run out of everything, we'll have to go street by street - house by house - sewer by sewer. Fine, we say - we have the best military force in the world. But let it be known that this author predicts most of those 'pockets of resistance' are people fighting with whatever they have because, in their minds, it's not about liberation - but occupation.
And if it goes house to house (we could simply declare a whole area hostile and carpet bomb), the name "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is going start looking more and more like an oxymoron, and we're gonna have a lot more flag draped coffins coming home before this is over.