← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Happy Hacker
Thread ID: 15303 | Posts: 26 | Started: 2004-10-13
2004-10-13 20:32 | User Profile
I was right before the war to notice that we didn't have any reason to believe that Weapons of Mass Destruction would be found in Iraq. I was right that even if Bush were telling the truth, this does not justify attacking Iraq. I was right that the US occupation would not be welcome. But, I totally underestimated the ability of the Iraqis to resist the US.
Saddam, it seems, did little to nothing to help Iraqis resist an occupation.
The Iraqi resistance to the early occupation was very weak and now the resistance depends on improvised bombs and suicide attacks. Saddam did see to it that the population was well armed with basic rifles. But, he could have trained thousands of troops and citizens in the art of guerrilla warfare. But, I know of nothing like this that was significant. He could have devoted his military research to creating weapons of anti-occupation. But, I don't see that he did this.
Saddam didn't even think about himself. He was caught without even so little as a fake ID. Certainly, he couldn't have thought that the Iraqi army could have prevented the occupation or that complying with UN resolutions would keep Bush from attacking?
I see today's Fox News reporting that six G.I.s have been killed. Given the current death rate of US troops, this is not a surprise. And, oil prices are at record highs, in part because of the difficulty of getting oil out of Iraq.
For the US, raw power and money is not a problem. The world's best weapons. Dare I say the world's best intelligence. Enough money and power to buy collaboration among many Iraqis. The US has a very easy goal, letting the Iraqis govern themselves in a sham democracy. The US even controls the Iraqi media wich can go a long way to controlling people's minds.
Every day, members of the Iraqi resistance are killed. Some days scores of them are killed. After every major US offensive, I think to myself that maybe this is enough to break the back of the resistance. But, they keep on, without weakening. The resistance does this without an clear support from any other nation while the US has by hook or crook gained a number of allies. Yet, the US is making no real progress in spite of nominal accomplishments.
Amazing.
2004-10-13 20:51 | User Profile
HH I agree, it's amazing to behold the 'david and goliath' analogies in Iraq. The whole episode is mind-boggling and certainly a lesson to the US and the world about the power of nationalism, or blood and soil, if you will. I happen to think that it's so mind-boggling that I think the resistance will win out in the end. 6 US dead today, more tomorrow, and all for what?? The American people are not suited to accept deaths like these. Iraqis in the resistance have nothing to lose. They have the truth on their side while the US has nothing but false slogans and illegitmacy on their side. Who's winning?
Personally, my manhood is humbled somewhat seeing the Iraqi resistance fighting tooth and nail and without abandon nor fear and no organization against the behemoth of the Israeli-USA New World Order. These are hard people and they stun me with their refusal to live on their knees and accept foreign subjugation.
Meanwhile, my neighborhood keeps getting filled with spics and Third Worlders each day. Meanwhile, my country is being invaded and our leaders are openly corrupt, yet our hands are tied behind our backs from defending ourselves and our property. Tied by those who are alien to me and my values.
Amazing, indeed.
2004-10-13 21:16 | User Profile
In order to conquer the people of a foreign nation you must first conquer their minds and for every Iraqui rebel that the US kills 20 more will take his place for you will be fighting his friend, brother, cousin and so on.
To the American everyone in the world is like them and that's wrong, you cannot exchange injustice with injustice.
As you know the Jews and the US are getting ready to invade Iran but first the US must have people from other nations take their places in Iraq and that wont happen, the US and the Jews want all the oil so others are telling the US to fight alone for what they want.
The people in Iraq should concentrate in finding the Jews and mercenaries who are among them as spys and trouble makers, there are many of them.
2004-10-14 02:43 | User Profile
In my post, I questioned if Saddam really thought a US invasion could be avoided, because he failed to prepare Iraq for occupation. I just ran across this [URL=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=3&u=/latimests/20041012/ts_latimes/throughhusseinslookingglass]article[/URL]
And when he destroyed all his weapons of mass destruction after that war, Hussein was sure the CIA knew it [The CIA and Bush did know it]... In Hussein's view, Washington and Baghdad should have been close allies. He could have helped curb Iran's nuclear ambitions, and solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He offered to become America's "best friend in the region, bar none." He was certain U.S. forces would never invade.
2004-10-14 15:45 | User Profile
When you think about it, it is quite amazing. The world's strongest military superpower, with a trillion dollar's worth of ungodly weapons versus some untrained neighborhood kids with Ak-47s, RPGs, and explosives rigged with cell phone or RC triggers. And these neighborhood kids have killed over a thousand American soldiers, in heavy armor, with air support, in a defensive posture ("force protection"). It is kind of like your out-of-shape, unathletic buddy saying he could go a few rounds with Lennox Lewis and you summarily dismiss his comments, and he gets in the ring and survives the first round, the second round, and he not only takes bone-jarring punches from Lewis but counterpunches and starts opening up cuts on Lewis's face.
I see the strategy to going to war with the U.S. as being a lot like fighting Mike Tyson, that is, merely survive the onslaught of the first few rounds and you can expect to take it the distance with at least a draw.
If you think about the numbers, it is even more impressive. In Vietnam there was a 50+ to 1 kill ratio (for every American killed it would take 50 Vietnamese). In Afghanistan the Soviets had a 150 to 1 kill ratio. But in Iraq, since most of the American deaths have come from bombs, and not bullets, the kill ratio is low (even Iraqis involved in ambushes are firing and fleeing, often without taking too many casualties). Now, without exacting a heavy toll on Iraqi attackers, how long do you think this fight can go on? We know that in Vietnam where we were exacting a heavy toll on the enemy there was no let up in ten years.
Many thought the Vietnam scenario couldn't work for Iraqi resistance because of no organized military structure, no logistical and weapons support from a neighboring country, no foliage, and no widespread support among the civilian population. One year into this thing they have killed 1,100 U.S. soldiers and horribly wounded (loss of limbs, burns, spinal/head trauma) 6000-7000. If this fight were called off today I'd have to call it a draw, at best.
2004-10-14 16:29 | User Profile
As you guys know I am from Cuba and I have seen some of the hidding spots where Castro has some war machines hidden away. About a click from my dad's home there is a bunker with about 25 tanks and a small ammo bunker and all you have to do is to multiply this spot by about 500 and then add about another 2,000 places with rockets, ammo etc etc and you will know what Castro is up to.
If the American were to invade Cuba he would let them come in and then, like in Iraq, the real fight would start.
A flea is much smaller than a dog and yet the dog is always scratching himself and never wins.
"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day",,,,, Mao
2004-10-14 16:50 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Ponce]As you guys know I am from Cuba and I have seen some of the hidding spots where Castro has some war machines hidden away. About a click from my dad's home there is a bunker with about 25 tanks and a small ammo bunker and all you have to do is to multiply this spot by about 500 and then add about another 2,000 places with rockets, ammo etc etc and you will know what Castro is up to.
If the American were to invade Cuba he would let them come in and then, like in Iraq, the real fight would start.
A flea is much smaller than a dog and yet the dog is always scratching himself and never wins.
"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day",,,,, Mao[/QUOTE] I'm sure there are alot of countries around the world watching and taking notes on the how the rag-tag Iraqi resistance is able to take on a military superpower and cause significant bleeding.
Isn't it funny how it's always the rag-tag bunch who steps up under tremendous odds? One thinks of the Nathan Bedford Forrests.
2004-10-14 17:46 | User Profile
The Iraqi resistance reminds me of a quote that's used here once and awhile....'the little guy beats the big guy everytime, if he keeps coming at him and he knows he's in the right'.
What's sad is that the US troops in Iraq, of course overwhelmingly White, are forced to go out on patrols and door-to-door seek and destroy missions. WTF? I saw this on ABC news yesterday, with an embedded reporter. "Tell her that if her husband comes back here, we're gonna get him take him to jail" he barked at the interpreter. What? That reeked of such monumental arrogance and illegitamacy that I almost puked. Who made you cop?? They went onto look for weapons in the bush and found an IED. "Well, that's one, but there's hundreds more out there" barked the sergeant. As they were all standing around, mortars started flying a few clicks away, and they decided to move out.
That says it all to me. Bush & Zion Co. have stuck their dicks in a hornet's nest and the main vein is bleeding bad; the soldiers blood, of course.
2004-10-15 02:29 | User Profile
[QUOTE=xmetalhead]What's sad is that the US troops in Iraq, of course overwhelmingly White, are forced to go out on patrols and door-to-door seek and destroy missions. [/QUOTE]Does it make it less bothersome that the vast majority of soldiers serving in Iraq support Bush/Cheney? And this after it has been proven that Bush and Co. lied about WMD and all the rest? Frankly I feel more sorry for the lower-class blacks who go over there and get blown apart. You know they aren't: 1) dittohead, neo-con cheerleaders, 2) the sons of dittohead, neo-con cheerleaders, and 3) thrilled about being in Iraq.
2004-10-15 03:49 | User Profile
Jack,
I know that the conventional wisdom has it that the "vast majority" of troops are Republicans... all the neo-con media outlets are relentless in pounding this point home.
I can tell you, it's much more accurate to say, the "vast majority" of the troops are apolitical. By and large they are very young, relatively low on education, and thus care little for politics. So, it's only a half-truth... those that do follow current events and are politically involved tilt solidly Republican, but these only represent a handful of the total.
Clinton was certainly no friend of the military, putting troops in harm's way for his own selfish ends, and still I knew hardly any of my comrades who bothered to give voice to their resentment by voting.
2004-10-15 04:24 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Jack Cassidy]Does it make it less bothersome that the vast majority of soldiers serving in Iraq support Bush/Cheney? And this after it has been proven that Bush and Co. lied about WMD and all the rest? [/QUOTE]
What EDUMAKATEDMOFO said. Most of those white boys are just young, apolitical pawns who don't know what's really going on. Like those poor blacks, many of them joined for financial reasons.
2004-10-15 04:30 | User Profile
[QUOTE=EDUMAKATEDMOFO]Jack,
I know that the conventional wisdom has it that the "vast majority" of troops are Republicans... all the neo-con media outlets are relentless in pounding this point home.
I can tell you, it's much more accurate to say, the "vast majority" of the troops are apolitical. By and large they are very young, relatively low on education, and thus care little for politics. So, it's only a half-truth... those that do follow current events and are politically involved tilt solidly Republican, but these only represent a handful of the total.
Clinton was certainly no friend of the military, putting troops in harm's way for his own selfish ends, and still I knew hardly any of my comrades who bothered to give voice to their resentment by voting.[/QUOTE] But I think I disagree with xmetalhead's contention that they are overwhelmingly white. I have looked over the list of KIAs (at The Washington Post page and others) and have seen many blacks among the KIAs and many, many hispanics among the KIAs. And, in response to what you say, a very large number of middle-aged KIA soldiers (Nat'l Guard). But I don't hold it against any soldier over there saying they are Republican or supporting Bush/Cheney, I'd probably be no different (I certainly wouldn't have been reading OD or The American Conservative over in Iraq-- and I'm not sure I'm a freethinker).
2004-10-15 04:35 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Happy Hacker]What EDUMAKATEDMOFO said. Most of those white boys are just young, apolitical pawns who don't know what's really going on. Like those poor blacks, many of them joined for financial reasons.[/QUOTE] Yeah, well, I think you're right, but it is a whole lot more bothersome to recognize this when you read daily wire reports of KIAs.
2004-10-15 04:36 | User Profile
I heard a new propaganda whopper this evening on the news. CNN was interviewing some US army spokesman, and he kept referring to the Iraqi insurgents as 'anti-Iraqi forces.' So, the people who are trying to drive a foreign invader from their homeland are 'anti-Iraqi forces.' Mr Orwell, call your office.
2004-10-15 12:55 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Jack Cassidy]But I think I disagree with xmetalhead's contention that they are overwhelmingly white. I have looked over the list of KIAs (at The Washington Post page and others) and have seen many blacks among the KIAs and many, many hispanics among the KIAs. And, in response to what you say, a very large number of middle-aged KIA soldiers (Nat'l Guard). But I don't hold it against any soldier over there saying they are Republican or supporting Bush/Cheney, I'd probably be no different (I certainly wouldn't have been reading OD or The American Conservative over in Iraq-- and I'm not sure I'm a freethinker).[/QUOTE]
I don't have any official figures on enlisted soldiers' breakdown by race, but I was just noticing that on the news, it's overwhelmingly White soldiers that I'm seeing in action, interviewed, etc. On the Jim Lehrer News Hour, his roll call of KIA's, is mostly White men. I'm not taking anything away from the coloreds who serve or are killed, but I'm just noticing my own perception that I'm seeing alot of Whites taking most of the casualties. But I guess Whites are still a majority in the US, so it's more likely they'll be higher percentages of casualties for them. Maybe I'm completely wrong so I welcome anyone else with more insight in this matter.
I noticed on the official Iraqi casualty website [url]http://icasualties.org/oif[/url], there's no function to break down casualties by race at all.
I think White troops' support for Bush/Cheney is waning. I had read that the hottest new DVD on the US bases in Iraq is "Faranheit 9/11".
2004-10-15 16:39 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Quantrill]I heard a new propaganda whopper this evening on the news. CNN was interviewing some US army spokesman, and he kept referring to the Iraqi insurgents as 'anti-Iraqi forces.' So, the people who are trying to drive a foreign invader from their homeland are 'anti-Iraqi forces.' Mr Orwell, call your office.[/QUOTE]
Calling the resistance insurgents was the start of that line of propaganda. An insurgent revolts against legitimate civil authority. The French Resistance were no more insurgents than the Iraqis.
It seems that public communication has degenerated into little more than propaganda. Not just concerning Iraq. A coward is someone who is willing to give his life or risk life in prison, attempting a suicide attack for "their side" while the brave is anyone on "our side" in a uniform just doing his job, and often doing jobs that they see little danger in (e.g. none of the firemen who died in the WTC thought the building would fall, they weren't evacuating it).
On the liberal side, their whole language is one of propaganda. On the neocon side, lies are used whenever the truth doesn't promote their agenda.
2004-10-15 17:40 | User Profile
Happy? now you know why I am on the side of the Palestinian people, what is going on in Iraq is the same thing that has been going on in Palestine for the past FIFTY years. I wonder if this means that we will be in Iraq for the next fifty years,,,,,,,, as you know we are now using the same tactics that the Zionists are using on the Palestinians, kill everyone and let God sort them out.
2004-10-15 19:38 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Ponce]Happy? now you know why I am on the side of the Palestinian people, what is going on in Iraq is the same thing that has been going on in Palestine for the past FIFTY years. I wonder if this means that we will be in Iraq for the next fifty years,,,,,,,, as you know we are now using the same tactics that the Zionists are using on the Palestinians, kill everyone and let God sort them out.[/QUOTE]
At least the US plans to let the Iraqis have their own state, even they will be required to tolerate a permanent US military presence and to be friendly with Israel.
For an Iraq/Palestine analogy to be complete, the US would have to privately take the position that the US has a divine right to all of Iraq and to publicly say that we support the peace process (notice, zionists never say to what end) but we can't have that as long as there is continued violence against US forces (peace, a prerequisite of the peace process). We'd also have to make sure that Iraq stayed free of any Iraqi government by continually assasinating all Iraqi leaders, save for one token who is kept in virtual house arrest year-after-year under and under constant threat of assasination. And, should the Iraqis start getting too peaceful, a nice military incursion, resulting in lots of dead Palestinians and demolished homes, will rile them up again so that we can't continue the peace process until they are peaceful.
Even taking orders from Israel, the US has no ability to be anywhere near as evil as Israel.
2004-10-17 00:54 | User Profile
[QUOTE=xmetalhead]I don't have any official figures on enlisted soldiers' breakdown by race, but I was just noticing that on the news, it's overwhelmingly White soldiers that I'm seeing in action, interviewed, etc. On the Jim Lehrer News Hour, his roll call of KIA's, is mostly White men. I'm not taking anything away from the coloreds who serve or are killed, but I'm just noticing my own perception that I'm seeing alot of Whites taking most of the casualties. But I guess Whites are still a majority in the US, so it's more likely they'll be higher percentages of casualties for them. Maybe I'm completely wrong so I welcome anyone else with more insight in this matter.
[/QUOTE] [url="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/casualties/facesofthefallen.htm"]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/casualties/facesofthefallen.htm[/url]
2004-10-25 06:17 | User Profile
Anyway, the Iraqi resistance WILL be ASSIMILATED. That's a FACT. They will get tired of dying. They will get tired of having no water, food, electricity and constant fear of death, especially " death from above ". It wwill happen. The coming assault on Al-Falluja is going to ring some serious bells, as the United States becomes increasingly fore-fisted in its approach to " subdue " the " terrorists " like " Al-Zarquawi ". 14 military bases, all permanent, are being constructed in Iraq. The United States and it's NWO controllers have no intention of ever losing the foothold in the region they have gained. The vast technologies and superiorities are such that it is not even remotely possible that a guerilla resistance can have any effect whatsoever. Couple that with the CIA/Mossad/International Crime Rings which control and stage the major " events " and the perception thereof, they create their own " reality " outside of any smaller realities which are not perceived by the populaces of the comfortable West, and the disinterested East cares not either way. The only wild card would be an invasion of Iran. To do so would be incredibly foolish on the part of the International NeoCon NWO cabal. Iran will fight back and cause tens of thousands of casualties. In truth, right now Iran alone has the military capacity to kill ALL " coalition " troops in Iraq AND Kuwait. Here's some info about Iran's capacities. [url]http://joevialls.altermedia.info/iraq/carrierstrike.html[/url] This is why the US has no plans to sttrike Iran. It cannot do so without signing the death warrant of MINIMUM 100,000 American soldiers. Those who Lord over us are smarter than that. They know that by sticking to Iraq, they can create the foothold in the region which will in 10 years be the true launching pad for influencing elections, economics, and culture, all to the advantage of the Zionists, Freemasons, Crime Families, Drug Lords, Pornographers, and other Men of the World.
2004-10-25 16:21 | User Profile
Are you saying that the Iraqi resistance will get tired of fighting the aggresors and will be "asimilated" the same as the Palestinians?, upsssssss sorry my mistake, the Palestinian people are still fighting the invading Zionists from Europe after 55 years,,,,,and the same way the Iraqi will fight the invading army of the west.
The west is not fighting only the Iraqi freedom fighters, now or in the future, but all Arabs who are or will unite as one against a common agressor.
I hope that when the US is invaded we act the same way.
2004-10-26 14:07 | User Profile
The Iraqi resistance has a chance now that they've negated U.S. air power by fighting a diffused and fuzzy conflict. The resistance has no concentrations of men and material to bomb into oblivion. The modern U.S. military has absolutely no idea how to procede without leaveraging air supremacy. Not only that, they've also managed to completely seize the initiative and the Army is largely fighting a loser's war of response. Contrary to what the neocons might fantasize, America has finite resources. The resistance need only make the war too expensive for the American politicians to wage.
2004-10-27 02:55 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Oklahomaman]The Iraqi resistance has a chance now that they've negated U.S. air power by fighting a diffused and fuzzy conflict. The resistance has no concentrations of men and material to bomb into oblivion. The modern U.S. military has absolutely no idea how to procede without leaveraging air supremacy. Not only that, they've also managed to completely seize the initiative and the Army is largely fighting a loser's war of response. Contrary to what the neocons might fantasize, America has finite resources. The resistance need only make the war too expensive for the American politicians to wage.[/QUOTE]
What a joke.
I abhor the American foray into Iraq deeply, but it will be successful and it will be PERMANENT.
2004-10-27 04:23 | User Profile
The US will one of this days get the heck out of Iraq like they did in Nam, no choice,,,,,,otherwise will have to cover every mile of border in Iraq and bring in about 200,000 more troops for in city fighting.
The difference between what the Jews are doing to the Palestinians and what the Americans are doint to the Iraqis is that the Iraqis have a hell of a lot more weapons and they know their land better than the Americans.
2004-10-27 05:53 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Oklahomaman] The modern U.S. military has absolutely no idea how to procede without leaveraging air supremacy.[/QUOTE]
In order to win a guerrilla war like this, you have to have a willingness to take casualties, and you have to have a motivated, courageous force taking said casualties. One of our courageous soldiers would tend to be unmotivated, as he likely sees no reason to expend his life for the Bush/Cheney campaign lies, the profits of a multinational corporate gangster class that won't give his wife back home decent health insurance, or more than $8 or so an hour for the service sectior job she's been forced to take in order to help feed his kids, and, if he's unusually sharp, Zionism and Jewish Supremacy across the Middle East (and beyond). The lower class soldiers (not talking socio-economic status here, although many of them are from the so-called underclass, as this group includes most of our Black soldiers) are incapable of courage, as they don't understand what it is, and would tend to equate it with acting like a bully (many of the White soldiers in this class are probably big fans of Sean Hannity).
2004-10-27 15:51 | User Profile
The long-term prospects for Iraq is to be an pseudo-democratic version of Saudi Arabia. Eventually, the US will fully withdraw to its military bases and Iraq will fade from the news.