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 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:59:19 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification [Armorer's note: Denizen Ry originally had this in the H&I post, but since he was getting all wordy and intellectual and stuff, ruining the general low standards set for that item, I moved him out here all on his own.] The view out there of Afghanistan, GWOT, and Iraq is changing. And, importantly, not just in our own media. Global opinion can matter you know. John Robb would recognize the flavor of this story about a resurgent Taliban presence in Waziristan. Looks like systems disruption. That isn't good. This story claims that the mission was flawed from the beginning because... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:40:29 -0600 "Humble Man of the Year Award goes to..... RY! Of the Castle ARGGHHH!" Oh, come on. Be fair. If John or Bill actually told us everything they did in a year that they've hidden from us because they don't like tooting their own horns I'd be seen as the piker I really am. Or Dusty, or Boq, or JTG, or JMH..... We're surrounded by trully humble and remarkable men here at Argghhh!. I just try to follow the trails they've blazed. "At least he spelled "Waziristan" properly." I wouldn't be so sure. John did touch this up a little bit. He may have corrected the spelling of Waziristan for me. I'm not sure. Boss? "Or Gollum's pretension to lofty discourse?" Pretension. Definitely pretension. More seriously. Does ObL matter all that much? Stopping the anarchy seems far more important. That'll win over more people to the Kabhul gov't than killing ObL will, at least that's how I see it. ObL would be huge for GWOT here, but I'm not sure that killing or capturing him would change much on the ground over there. The impression I've gotten is that, vice Patton, he can't do jobs (like operational planning) below the grand strategy level. Taking out FDR after the US commited to Op Overlord wouldn't have changed things much. Before hand would have. ObL seems to be in the post commitment category. As was Z-man. Victories for sure, but not earth shattering. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46476 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46476 Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:56:36 -0600 At least he spelled "Waziristan" properly. Of course, he could have been more specific, 'cuz the bookies are giving pretty good odds that Ossie bin Hidin' is tucked away in *South* Waziristan, despite all the action in *North* Waziristan... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46475 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46475 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 23:29:55 -0600 Well, that depends. Is the question regarding my use of vernacular... Or Gollum's pretension to lofty discourse? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46468 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46468 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 16:07:55 -0600 Just exactly what is with the "all intellectual" stuff? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46467 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46467 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:36:37 -0600 The Humble Man of the Year Award goes to..... RY! Of the Castle ARGGHHH! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46464 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46464 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:59:47 -0600 Oh, this is where it went. Errors in spelling and punctuation and all. You went to the trouble of italicizing the word can after all. And stop trying to make me look sorta-kinda like I have a worthwhile opinion. You don't want to give gollum a fat head. Trust me. My scrawny neck couldn't handle it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46462 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/winning_the_battles_losing_the_infowar.html#comment-46462 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:25:44 -0600