That's the title of a WSJ Editorial today.
In real warfare, of course, killing the enemy means there are fewer enemies to kill. And in one week in Fallujah, and at the cost of some 40 American soldiers' lives and several Iraqi ones, about 1,200 insurgents were killed and another 1,000 taken prisoner. The insurgents have been denied their principal sanctuary. Their torture chambers--a stark indication of what they intend for all of Iraq if they're allowed to prevail--lie exposed.More important is the demonstration effect: Ordinary Iraqis can take heart that the Allawi government and the U.S. mean business, something that had been put into doubt by the failure to take Fallujah back in April. The sooner and more aggressively the fight is taken to other insurgent strongholds, the better the chances that January's scheduled elections can be held on time, in conditions of relative security, and with Iraq's Sunni minority committed (or resigned) to pursuing their options at the ballot box.
NED Bless all the brave men and women who wear our nation's uniform -- even if they do smoke!
One is left wondering if loosing the military from diplomatic apron strings immediately after the US election was really Allawi's doing or Rove's. And if the latter, why in NED's name didn't he realize that kicking ass and taking prisoners would HELP his boss's reelection effort? How many beheadings might have been avoided?
This is all speculation, of course.
Posted by: johngalt at November 17, 2004 12:58 PM