We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:05:44 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification I love reading CounterColumn (aside from John of Argghhh!, of course). Here's what he wrote: Another reader emails: [Casualties in Fallujah have been]Remarkably low for a week of urban fighting. Any idea what is going on? Low numbers of enemy? All the urban combat training paying off? Massive firepower? Corpsmen in the right place at the right time? What do you think? It's a variety of things, although "low" casualties is always a relative term. Casualties can be above or below your expectations, and above or below what you planned for. But if it's you bleeding out...or worse yet, one... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html Tue, 16 Nov 2004 20:47:53 -0600 I remember stories about the Soviet experience in Afghanistan, saying that a Soviet unit would group around the officer and die like Custer. In comparison, an ambushed American unit in Vietnam would flank and counterattack. The reason? American car culture ensured that just about everyone in the unit could read a map, while if the Soviet officer gets it, nobody's going home because nobody else was trained to find home. Not exactly the metric going on here, but I'm sure there's a lot the marines bring with them into the Corps that's helping them. God bless 'em. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html#comment-8759 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html#comment-8759 Wed, 17 Nov 2004 10:38:21 -0600 There's a reason I still wear my Werewolf and Scorpion belt buckles. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html#comment-8749 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html#comment-8749 Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:41:52 -0600 Regarding the 'marksmanship' of the terrorists in Iraq-did you see that clip FoxNews was showing of the guy with the PKM? The gun had no stock, and the guy was firing it standing up, holding the pistol grip and the carrying handle, spraying out what looked like a 100 round belt in the general direction of our guys. Excellent way to draw attention to yourself without actually hitting anytyhing. And on the use of CAS: article in this week's Army times-F-16s dropped 2,000 lb JDAMs within 300 meters of friendly troops who were in a scrape. You read that right-2,000 lb JDAM, dropped within 300 meters of friendlies (B Co, 5-20 IN). On purpose. Then the F-16s came back and strafed the bad guys for good measure. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html#comment-8747 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2004/11/random_thoughts_while_holding_at_the_cp.html#comment-8747 Wed, 17 Nov 2004 08:08:54 -0600