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/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:05:39 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification This missive is written by a young specialist in the Army, a cav soldier. I checked the name on AKO, he's real. Heh. What a difference perspective makes. Following the article I sent about Bush's national address and troop increase, I thought it was a good idea to let you all know what the perspective is over here. I'm tired of hearing the media's skewed version, the politicians squabbling over what they read in a report, and the average ill-informed American ranting about things he knows NOTHING about. I've been over here a couple of months now, and I've learned... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html Thu, 18 Jan 2007 09:27:06 -0600 test test poke poke http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55238 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55238 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:15:14 -0600 Well..there is that. Sadr's Shia followers are really superstitious so maybe they see the "horse people" as part of the apocolyptic four horsemen that bring the final judgement? i believe that Islam has this in common with the other two abramic religions: a belief in the resurrection and the apocolypse for the rest of us sinners. Do I hear 'Die Vulkyrie' in the background? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55231 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55231 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:54:50 -0600 well, there's that... but the good news is that they fear the Horse People. so we got that going for us. which is nice. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55229 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55229 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:42:29 -0600 Okay, it's interesting, but I do have one nitpick: The Kurds are not "Christian". They do have some of the largest Christian enclaves in Kurdistan because that is where they are protected. That includes Kurds, Arabs and Turkomen Christians. The Kurds are a mix of Sunni and Shia, thought largely Sunni with a few odd "religions" thrown in, like Zoarastians. (Most folks should recall the Sunni Islamic Army that was largely Kurdish Sunni Islamist who aligned themselves with Zarqawi pre-invasion. This same group actually sent fighters to Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002 at the behest of Al qaeda recruiters). The differences, really, between the Kurds and the rest of Iraq is that: a) they see themselves as "Kurds" first (for the most part) and are interested in protecting "Kurdistan" and their autonomy rather than controlling Iraq as a whole. b) Kurdistan has it's own natural resources to insure their own wealth and economy (although, this is part of the contention over Kirkuk and Mosul where other oil, natural gas and natural resources lie and that were once predominantly "Kurdish") c) The Kurds still long for independence which means that they don't see ruling Iraq as a long term goal. Secondly, not a nitpick so much as an addition, on what Iran wants: In the short run, having access to "thousands of radical Shia" is not so much about having "terrorists" to attack US interests or citizens directly, but to give them political influence in Iraq. They want this influence for a number of reasons: a) Because they are looking to add to the Iran/Syria block to oppose Saudi and Gulf Arab domination of regional politics (which is invariably tempered by their relationship with the United States) as well as Saudi domination of OPEC, leading to... b) A voting block in OPEC consisting of Iran, Iraq and Venezuela. Hoping that Iraq is politically and economically tied to Iran and makes them more amenable to the Iranian position on decreases in oil production and other measures that would increase the price of oil and thus revenues to support the Iranian government (which exists on an economy that is between 50% to 70% of their revenues depending on the "expert"). c) iranian influence in Iraq means Iraq might be less amenable to their country, resources and borders being used to send money, guns and political antagonist into Iran that may destabilize their regime and cause an internal "revolution". Or, just as bad, crash their economy with black market influx of American or other country goods along with cutting their oil revenues by a third thru certain activities artificially inflating oil prices and then dumping the futures just enough to cut of over 13 billion in estimated profit/revenue for 2007 (that just happened). That's with Iran carrying a huge deficit and 11% unemployment with almost 30% of it's population employed by government agencies or nationalized businesses (like oil). d) Insure that Iraq is not amenable to the US using it's soil for a direct military attack on Iran. so, I suppose in short, it is not necessarily American military forces or direct combat/terrorist attacks on American interestes Iran is interested in in the long run so much as staving off what they see as a major military, political and economic security risk with the potential outcome (should they succeed in forcing us out) that Iran has military, political and economic hegemony in the region. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55220 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55220 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 13:48:13 -0600 "they fear the Horse People..." ..and rightly so. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55218 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55218 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:48:15 -0600 If this was an example of our losers who are in the military, could we get some more, please!! This guy is really something and I hope he starts to blog and keeps on with the comments. Also hope he decides to run for office in DC. We need more people who can analyze a situation and make decisions on what they really find there, what the reality is. I don't know where we are coming up with these young people but I will be so glad when the Boomers are gone and these young people take over. That should be a golden age for the US. Hope I am still around to see it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55215 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55215 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:53:29 -0600 Whoa!! Not your typical Specialist - what a breath of fresh air. Our "Polits" and many of our analysts should read and heed. Good on ya', young Specialist. Charlie Mike!! ML http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55214 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/01/a_cav_trooper_s.html#comment-55214 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:19:47 -0600