Why Iraq Will End as Vietnam Did
That, of course, was precisely the problem. In private life, an adult who keeps beating down on a five year old ? even such a one as originally attacked him with a knife ? will be perceived as committing a crime; therefore he will lose the support of bystanders and end up by being arrested, tried and convicted. In international life, an armed force that keeps beating down on a weaker opponent will be seen as committing a series of crimes; therefore it will end up by losing the support of its allies, its own people, and its own troops. Depending on the quality of the forces ? whether they are draftees or professionals, the effectiveness of the propaganda machine, the nature of the political process, and so on ? things may happen quickly or take a long time to mature. However, the outcome is always the same. He (or she) who does not understand this does not understand anything about war; or, indeed, human nature.
In other words, he who fights against the weak ? and the rag-tag Iraqi militias are very weak indeed ? and loses, loses. He who fights against the weak and wins also loses. To kill an opponent who is much weaker than yourself is unnecessary and therefore cruel; to let that opponent kill you is unnecessary and therefore foolish.
Foolish, weak, and losers… yep, that pretty much sums up this administration.
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