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/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:01:19 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification [Editor's note: This post will remain up top for today, and maybe tomorrow, because it *is* a homework assignment, and Hugh Hewitt linked to the webpage, not a specific post (because it didn't exist yet) and people are coming from Hewitt's to the top of the blog. Sooo, until Hugh gets a link up to the post proper, new content will come in below this. New visitors - welcome, and feel free to poke around!] Once again, I had to open my mouth and call Hugh Hewitt while listening to his conversation with Tom Oliphant of the Boston Glob (no,... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html Sun, 10 Jul 2005 23:29:47 -0600 Excellent! Thanks for the comprehensive work! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28903 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28903 Tue, 12 Jul 2005 00:51:06 -0600 Sorry about the F bombs.. I was kind of ticked. Welcome to redact them if you want. I'll keep it to a minimum in the future. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28901 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28901 Mon, 11 Jul 2005 20:40:43 -0600 Very thoughtful and articulate--thanks, shipmates! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28882 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28882 Mon, 11 Jul 2005 10:22:10 -0600 MCart, tut-tut, no need for the "F" word! Net Nanny will ban us (and the AF's system is pretty sensitive to it, heh). Other than that, tell us how you *really* feel, eh? Barb, nice snark. Juliette - good point - just because we don't cover your face in frothy spittle from a rabid response doesn't mean we lost the argument on it's merits, merely on it's WWF Entertainment Value Score. Which, sadly, the people on the extremes of an argument/discussion seem to consider the most important measure. Passion trumps substance... heh. *Where* have I seen that before? However, in this instance of Hewitt's show, it looks like the passion is coming from the audience, because as far as I can tell from the transcript (we don't get Hewitt here) everybody was pretty polite. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28870 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28870 Mon, 11 Jul 2005 06:04:36 -0600 truck: It is you who...um...missed the point, as does Mr. Oliphant: all of Mr. Oliphant's assertions are either historically wrong or out of historical context (for example the WWII timeline comparison). That Mr. Hewitt is civil to his guest does not constitute a "punking." That's how adults *can* behave at will. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28869 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28869 Mon, 11 Jul 2005 00:06:28 -0600 That's the kind of crap I got last time I tried to talk to the barking moonbats over at DU. 'You're so wrong I don't even know where to begin' (stop). No rational argument. No proof. Really not even a coherent thought. Nothing. "You're wrong, read a history book or five" end of argument. Didn't even give me a goddamn ISBN number of these mysterious history books that supposedly hold different data than the 18 or so I can see from where i'm sitting now. 6 or so deal specifically with the Middle East, and 3 on both military and law enforcement aspects of Terrorism. But *I* need to go read some more books, end of argument. People like him, particularly people like him in POWER are going to get us fucking killed folks. People that think we armed Saddam, and people who think that since Al-Qaeda wasn't HOUSED in Iraq, that Iraq had nothing to do with September 11th. Saddam is indirectly responsible for September 11th. He didn't pull the trigger, he didn't harbor, fund, or train the Terrorists that pulled it off, but his policies of expansionism in the Middle East are directly responsible. Go back through Osama Bin Laden's rhetoric on why America is the 'Great Satan'. The prime centerpiece of his argument, and a powerful recruitment tool he has drawn upon is the American Military presence in Saudi Arabia. WHY were we there? Because of Saddam. The left is right, for the wrong reasons. This is a war about oil. But not in the way they think. They think we are going to tap wells, and pump it out ourselves, and not pay the Iraqi's a red cent. Couldn't be further from the truth. We get most of our oil on right here, in North and South America, as well as West Africa. A rather small percentage comes from the Middle East. But We ARE interested in a stable worldwide oil market. And that means protecting Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, and even to an extent, a balance of power between Iran and Iraq. Because of a tinpot shitheel dictator, that through economics forced a American Military presence in Saudi Arabian holy land, military aid and funding to Israel, giving Osama a target and all the radical muslim political clout needed to take action against us. Saddams dreams of a Pax Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, all under his flag resulted, however indirectly, in September 11th. Payback is a medivac. If we free an oppressed, terrorized nation in the process, so much the better. If the end result is a politically stable middle east, and a stable worldwide oil market, even better. Think of it like Felony Murder charges on a national scale. Saddam tried to rob a convienience store, and someone died of a heart attack. Intentional or not, Saddam and Co are now fucked and it was totally justified. Finish the job. Enough comparing WW2 and Iraq, or Vietnam and Iraq. You might as well compare the edible properties of Apples, and chrome plated Lug Nuts. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28867 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28867 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 22:31:35 -0600 Nice take down of a sanctimonious bow tied Twit. Buddy of JFK who fought in Vietnam! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28864 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28864 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 21:44:22 -0600 Guess 'Truck' isn't coming back to provide us with his deep insight and wisdom. Too bad, I was gonna make popcorn and sell tickets. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28863 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28863 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 20:46:02 -0600 "you're not that bright...or informed." Truck, Laddie... the irony just floors me... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28859 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28859 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 19:11:35 -0600 If that's the best you got to offer truck, go offer it somewhere else. I don't mind alternate viewpoints, but all that comment represents is pissing on the porch. Back up the assertion, or just move on. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28855 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28855 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 17:11:32 -0600 Boy, you sure spent a lot of effort demonstrating that you're not that bright...or informed. Oliphant punked Hugh. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28853 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28853 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 15:58:28 -0600 Echoing the Echo Chamber - ECHO - ECho - echo. Now that's what I call a SMACK-DOWN, Dusty. Well Done. Call me simple minded, but The Left's inability to grasp simple concepts as that of self defense and self preservation boggles my pea-sized, taco brain. I would only add the following, and my apologies if I seem to have my pointy little tin hat constraining the blood flow to my brain, a bit. The administrations of our 42nd and 43rd Presidents either have not / did not make the strong connection between Saddam and International Terrorism, (as in his sponsorship of the '93 WTC Bombing, '95 Okla. City Bombing, Failed Project-Bojinka, or 9/11), or outright obfuscated the source of other strikes (i.e. TWA800, AA587). When it came time to take this monster out, we went in with WMD's as THE Casus Belli. This in my opinion, is not the main reason, but only an ancillary one. As a result of this vacuum of information, we have left ourselves opened to spurious criticism from the Left. Thus, we are paying the price of having the likes of Mr. Oliphant's spread their intellectual feebleness to the general public. I'll duff my Pointy Little Tin-hat now... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28847 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28847 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 11:26:35 -0600 Oh - and 5000 troops would be two brigade-equivalents... and since we really need to put that in combat arms troop numbers, more like a division (-). That gives a troop density of what, 14 per mile? Not sufficient, even with current surveillance ability. I'm not consulting a map here, to take into account the terrain aspects (close terrain/urban=more people, open terrain=less) but there is another aspect Mr. Oliphant is missing - smuggling and infiltrating are 24/7 jobs. 5000 troops will be inadequate to maintain a credible presence 24/7. That doesn't mean you need the same level of effort in a 24 hour period. Day light puts psych pressure on the infiltrators to stay low in the open areas, but are more mobile in populated areas, and night time in some respects *enhances* our surveillance ability but I suspect the number is far closer to two, or even three division-equivalents to maintain even a ghost of a chance to *seal* the border, and they'd have to be spread all over to allow quick response (yes, even *with* helos) which of course, means supply convoys running all over - with all that entails in terms of increased exposure to retail attacks. That's on the nature of 20-30K troops, depending on logistics efficiencies. In other words, there's a reason we haven't tried to do it already. Now, if NATO were willing to throw some troops at this... or even the Turks.... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28846 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28846 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 10:33:31 -0600 Heh, brief takedowns are better than my book-length ones, Dude. I couldn't have written this - there would have been a detailed analysis of the difference between WWII and the GWOT... even *I* know that's not supportable on a blog! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28844 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28844 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 10:18:37 -0600 "What's really revolting is the mad scramble to uncover that thing that diverts the American peoples' attention from the successes we are enjoying on a daily basis." Amen, brother. The Usual Suspects are continuing the strategy they used to such tragic effect thirty-plus years ago and, if they're successful, will indignantly chastize us for the consequences of their success--"re-education" camps for the farmers and the Killing Fields for everyone else...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28843 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28843 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 07:24:35 -0600 We are engaged in a war on terror; Our adversaries are living their chosen lifestyle. Different criteria of success apply. They get to live - and die - as jihadi defenders of the faith. Success to them means the war goes on. Terror attacks will be defined down as time goes on and al queda is ground down. In Bagdhad they are reduced to shooting barbers and throwing acid at women without veils. Makes for a long war that ends finally when they can't get any recruits anywhere in the world. Very difficult success critera for winning the war on terror. Will we come to eventually accept some low level of attacks and perpetual war as just the way the world works? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28841 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28841 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 02:07:16 -0600 'There's always the "But" ' Reminds me of Laura Ingram and her bit on 'But Monkeys'. Whenever some twit starts off sounding like they are agreeing with something, then begin the next sentence with "But", she plays the sound of a monkey shrieking ... *grin* ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28840 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/07/my_homework_assignment.html#comment-28840 Sun, 10 Jul 2005 01:00:31 -0600