Lessons From the Killing of Uday and Qusay

[UpInArms]

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=29422&d=27&m=7&y=2003

Last week, US forces surrounded and killed the sons of president Saddam Hussein.

I have never been a supporter of Saddam Hussein or his regime. Nor do I wish them well today. However, the way that Uday and Qusay were killed needs to be examined carefully so as to derive useful lessons.

<snip>

We must learn from this that US military strategy, doctrine, tactics and whatever else you can think of have reached a point of total bankruptcy. They are simply incapable of fighting real battles against real people who do not roll over and play dead on cue.

Therefore it is incumbent on us to avoid being influenced by their bankrupt military thinking and to start using our own common sense and to learn from people who have a proven track record of success in modern warfare.

...more...

[Abe Linkman]

1. What makes you so sure they're dead?

If mr. bush is willing to lie to the whole world about anything that serves his interest, what makes you think he wouldn't lie about this?
After all, like the self-inlicted 9/11 attacks, this most recent killing serves his interest, too. I'm very skeptical that it was the real Uday and Qusay who died the other day. You aren't?

[UpInArms]

3. whether I believe that the

men who died were SH's sons and grandson is not relevant - what is relevant is the resulting backlash against our country by fanatics that will have ever more reasons to destroy anyone and anything "American".

The cavalier manner in which our country was taken into two wars - regardless of the conflicting information that was and is available to anyone who pays attention - is more concerning than anything else.

Our fellow citizens have meekly allowed themselves to be led into more danger and disruption than even I can imagine.

It is the chaos and potential for overwhelming political oppression that may descend upon this country that needs to be examined.

Do not get caught in the details - there are far to many to argue - look instead at the larger picture, get a feel for the whole fabric, if you attempt to disprove each and every action you may be unable to stay ahead of the fires that will consume us all.

[Catholic Sensation]

6. self inflicted eh?

So... America is responsible for more than a dozen SAUDI'S, paid by the SAUDI royalty, and led by a SAUDI exile who attacked and killed thousdands of innocent Americans?

Hmm... it seems like the 9/11 attacks were Saudi inflicted attacks to me...

[ima_sinnic]

2. ouch, that is scathing

<snip>

It took a 50:1 ratio (I am ignoring the helicopters, etc.) of crack (at least that’s what the Americans call them) troops five hours to kill the three men and a boy who were hiding not in a heavily fortified bunker but in a simple villa.

What a disgrace!

In addition, they were not even trying to capture them alive. If they had been, maybe it would have taken them a week. Had these been Saudi troops I would have urged that they be court-martialed for sheer colossal incompetence and cowardice. . . .

. . .

As for you, the American people, you must start to worry that the performance of your military does not start to give ideas to your southern neighbors. If they continue to perform like they are doing in Iraq, then I for one believe the Mexican Army is a serious threat to your national integrity.

[bemildred]

4. Not quite right.

Indeed the emperor has no clothes, but the lesson is that
the effectiveness of military force to achieve aggressive
political ends is not much these days. The peasants are all
armed and they know how to resist. Both China (in VietNam) and
VietNam (in Cambodia) had to learn that lesson the hard way too.

But, indeed, most of that $450 billion a year might as well be
thrown down a rathole for all the good it will do us, and the
computer game weenies are running things in the Pentagon, and
they do not know shit.

[Catholic Sensation]

5. Christ

It's not like they sent in some Special Operations people and methodically killed these two. American troops were being shot at, and they (the troops) responded with fire. Jesus, not everything America does is some kind of horrible act.

[bemildred]

7. The criticism was that it was an incompetent performance.