What’s the Rush?
I’m astounded by the pace of the war. I have to say that I’m more than a little surprised that US tanks are already cruising through Bagdad.
I really thought we’d leave our ground troops in Kuwait for a month and pound Iraq into submission from the air. It certainly worked last time. I expected history to repeat itself. But that wasn’t and isn’t the plan.
Instead we’ve dashed into Iraq, overwhelming their military and meeting relatively small pockets of resistance in our rush to Bagdad. The army and marines are on duty and have been very busy for the past couple of weeks. I can’t argue with their success but I might argue that our mad rush may have put more US lives at risk than I originally thought necessary so early in the war.
To be fair, the circumstances are very different. The Iraqi military isn’t spread as thin now as it was in 1991. The bombing of the last two weeks can’t cut their supply lines as effectively as it did then, starving their troops of both food and ammunition. In 1991, many Iraqi soldiers were glad to see coalition forces. There was a chance that one of them had a hamburger. In 2003, we’ve found it more difficult to coax the fox from their hole.
This time around Shock and Awe replaced the need for a drawn out bombing campaign. It did its damage, both in the mind and body of the Iraqi army. However, I’m not convinced it can really match two months of constant barrage.
Still, there’s little to complain about. The press may be unhappy about the pace of the war. I am not.
Dennis Miller told Jay Leno that he’s never been more proud to be an American. I have to agree. Our troops are doing us proud. And it’s not just their recent success. Their selection of targets and concern for the innocent is unprecedented. Iraqi troops fire from sacred mosques. Our troops respond with patience and precision. They win battles on the field and gain victory through their mercy.
They travel the streets of Bagdad now. The easy part is over. Heaven help them. The war is far from won.
