[lit-ideas] Re: Iraqi problems caused by Iran (1)

Well if that is his definition of "cakewalk" it wasn't far wrong.  The
Saddam Army was defeated fairly readily.  We didn't get into any serious
trouble and the trouble we did get into was designedly so.  We didn't
demolish things like mosques even when we were being shot at from them in
order to reduce casualties and avoiding giving offense.  

What the analysis is missing is that our tactics weren't the same as in the
first war. We chose not to use our total strength.  We intended to be
surgical even on the ground, which took a little longer.

Lawrence

-----Original Message-----
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Robert Paul
Sent: Sunday, February 05, 2006 7:11 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Iraqi problems caused by Iran (1)

"I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq 
would be a cakewalk. Let me give simple, responsible reasons: (1) It was 
a cakewalk last time; (2) they've become much weaker; (3) we've become 
much stronger; and (4) now we're playing for keeps."

[and]

"Gordon and O'Hanlon say we must not "assume that Hussein will quickly 
fall." I think that's just what is likely to happen. How would it be 
accomplished? By knocking out all his headquarters, communications, air 
defenses and fixed military facilities through precision bombing. By 
establishing military "no-drive zones" wherever Iraqi forces try to 
move. By arming the Kurds in the north, Shiites in the south and his 
many opponents everywhere. By using U.S. special forces and some U.S. 
ground forces with protective gear against chemical and biological 
weapons. By stationing theater missile defenses, to guard against any 
Iraqi Scuds still in existence. And by announcing loudly that any Iraqi, 
of any rank, who handles Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, in any 
form, will be severely punished after the war."

[Ken Adelman, Washington Post, February 13 2002. Full article at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A1996-2002Feb12?language=printer

Adelman, along with Karl Rove, William Kristol, and others, is a member 
of Project for the New American Century, the group which was beating the 
drums for an invasion of Iraq as early as 1998. Their letter to Clinton 
on this subject is at

http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm

(Adelman did not sign this letter. I don't know if he was a member of 
PNAC then.)

Robert Paul
Reed College
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