Wednesday, November 10, 2004

History Lesson

Do people not know that soldiers and even civilians die in war? As soon as anyone gets hurt the cries and howls for withdrawal come. This morning all NPR could talk about was that we don't really know the casualty count, and all the "intense" pressure and criticism of Alawi for authorizing the assault on the terrorists (oops, I mean "insurgents") in Fallujah. Terrorists have kindapped a cousin of Alawi's and the cousin's daughter-in-law and say they will behead them in 48 hours if Alawi does not call of the assault.

NPR does not go on to speculate on why withdrawal isn't really an option. It's as if the bad, bad U.S. Military and its evil "puppet" government are being so mean to the poor, poor terrorists, whose idea of just military tactics is to cause outrage at the government and the US by kidnapping and beheading innocent people.

The press does a lot to avoid the obvious disconnect of culpability between the beheaders and the U.S. and Iraqi governments. They don't go quite so far as to say it, but they allow the idea that the blame for the highly publicized and grizzly deaths lies not with the belligerent outlaws, but with the Governments.

Well what the fuh?

The last time we tried to take down the terrorists in Fallujah (in April), reports of casualties (oh my God, we were actually KILLING people... in a WAR!!!! ... against people who cut innocent people's heads off for their own political ends!!!!) we were pressured into stopping the assault, pulling back, and sending in poorly trained and poorly motivated Iraqi troops who immediately deserted.

So terrorist intimidation and propaganda worked.

Why did they kidnap Alawi's relatives? Because the outrage they cause (oddly not at themselves but at Alawi and the US) WORKS. Maybe not all of the time, but enough for them to keep trying.

And if the pressure leads to a pullout of US troops?

It will have worked again.

People will stick with what works. Which is why we can never give in to terrorist demands, no matter how much it hurts.

For all the negative stuff I'm hearing, it sounds like the operation is going about as well as can be expected. But you have to listen to what's not being said to figure that out.

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