Dugger is right in saying that our enemies take comfort, to some degree, in criticism against the Bush Administration. But I bet they take comfort in the Bush Administration’s bungling as well. The insurgents probably understand that if the Bush Administration had done well, the chirping from war critics would have no real effect on the middle of the country. And it’s the middle of the country that will decide the war policy, ultimately. But considering the well-publicized failures of the Bush Administration in Iraq, the claims of war critics carry greater weight. But that’s democracy. Get the job done right, or get out of the way.

A parallel is the 1864 Presidential election, when the Democrats blasted Lincoln for incompetence for months while Union troops stalled outside Atlanta and Petersburg. Confederates openly encouraged this war criticism at the North, knowing that a propaganda battle was afoot. But the only way Lincoln was able to break through against his war critics was to sieze Atlanta on September 1, 1864. That military victory made it apparent that Lincoln was going to win, and the war critics moved back to the margins. Lincoln coasted to re-election in November, when it seemed likely that he would lose to McLellan in August.

So what would be the breakthrough in Iraq that would render US war critics irrelevant? Who knows? It’s guerrilla war, so it’s hard to highlight any major front. The problem is political. My guess is that if there are several months – or even a year – without any major newsworthy events out of Iraq, the public will sense that things are going well. The innards of Iraqi politics probably don’t captivate the American imagination the way a major terrorist attack does, or the death of large numbers of US troops in one day. So no news will probably mean good news. But that might take a while to reach.

I believe the body armor referred to is the type which covers the side
of the torso as opposed to front and rear only. I don’t know how
the enemy would alter it’s attacks based on that info. I tend to think
it would not matter.

I only make the point because it is typical for those who don’t want info
to reach the public, to issue blanket statements for the sake of safety.
I just think sometimes the security precautions have more to do
with CYA than they do the safety of soldiers as in the example posted
above. To your point, it is not a direct quote, but HC’s rebuttal
indicates that context.

You war supporters want to change history? Voting for the resolution in the first place was a mistake. Bush lied about its purpose and believing him was that mistake. Right up until Hussein tried to capitulate to all demands, Bush said he hadn’t made up his mind to invade. Does anyone believe that? Anyone?

OWs Sea of Nattering Nabobity

Invoking Sprio?

That’s telling.

And actually, as a soldier, I would like the enemy to assume that I and all of my troops have body armor. Or if the cat is already out of the bag, I wouldn’t want them to know when I would have it. So I could understand their reluctance to provide specifics – if that is the case.

Re body armor, please understand it is the services that acquire this – for themselves. They have funds and contracting capability – something unforeseen (as is typical) probably occurred in the acquistion process. A less expensive contractor probably said I gurantee can give you 10,000 suits (or whatever) in 90 days and then was only able to provide 3,000 in 6 months. That happens all the time and it is very hard to fix it – without going sole source to the high bidder – which then brings bitter partisan attacks of waste and favoritism (ala Halliburton).

Dugger (Sorry for the boring rant – old job memories)

From a purely practical, and tactical standpoint, the one which would concern the military most in my opinion, public discussions of our weaknesses aides the enemy. Perhaps thats the angle from which your quote comes, not from the political angle.

eg; the body armor issue.

“The Defense Department and Army said that they needed more time to acquire the armor and that publicly discussing issues of body armor
aided the enemy.”

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=1489733

Dugger, The Island of Sanity in OWs Sea of Nattering Nabobity

http://www.thinkprogress.org/abramoff

Furthermore, members of Congress who knew about telephone surveillance of American citizens in violation of the law should have done something then and not waited until the NYT went public over GWB’s objections. They could have addressed this in secret session. To hell with VP Cheney!

Here’s the link for above opinion

http://www.GFYS

You get a vote of “disbelief” from. One American.

LOL

Your bag of tricks would be empty, if you had a bag.