Also from that FARK thread...

"Initiating preflight check..."

1. Cabal of oldsters who won't listen to outside advice? Check.
2. No understanding of ethnicities of the many locals? Check.
3. National boundaries drawn in Europe, not by the locals? Check.
4. Unshakable faith in our superior technology? Check.
5. France secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
6. Russia secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
7. China secretly hoping we fall on our asses? Check.
8. SecDef pushing a conflict the JCS never wanted? Check.
9. Fear we'll look bad if we back down now? Check.
10. Texan in the WH? Check.
11. Land war in Asia? Check.
12. Rightists unhappy with outcome of previous war? Check.
13. Enemy easily moves in/out of neighboring countries? Check.
14. Soldiers about to be dosed with our own chemicals? Check.
15. Friendly fire problem ignored instead of solved? Check.
16. Anti-Americanism up sharply in Europe? Check.
17. B-52 bombers? Check.
18. Helicopters that clog up on the local dust? Check.
19. Infighting among the branches of the military? Check.
20. Locals that cheer us by day, hate us by night? Check.
21. Local experts ignored? Check.
22. Local politicians ignored? Check.
23. Local conflicts since before the USA has been a country? Check.
24. Against advice, Prez won't raise taxes to pay for war? Check.
25. Blue water navy ships operating in brown water? Check.
26. Use of nukes hinted at if things don't go our way? Check.
27. Unpopular war? Check.

"Vietnam II, you are cleared to taxi."

¤ ¤ credit: robyn | 03.30.03 at 03:54 AM | link--this ¤ ¤

ooh ooh ooh! will we get jumping humvees and machine guns that sound like dixie! and female soldiers in cut offs! i would so watch that war!

¤ ¤ credit: the mighty jimbo | 03.30.03 at 04:52 AM | link--this ¤ ¤

what is that a good website

¤ ¤ credit: http://www.meki.tk/ | 03.30.03 at 05:38 AM | link--this ¤ ¤

Would someone shoot this meki person for me, please?

¤ ¤ credit: Sekimori | 03.30.03 at 08:57 AM | link--this ¤ ¤

Shooting might be a bit harsh. Let's try a strategy of sanctions, inspections, and containment. It's been shown to be highly effective in... um... ira..no wait..north ko...no wait... someone's imagination.

¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.30.03 at 09:42 AM | link--this ¤ ¤

Every day as this goes on, it's sounding more and more like Vietnam. You'd think they would have learned that lesson.

¤ ¤ credit: Kathy | 03.30.03 at 10:51 AM | link--this ¤ ¤

Kathy-

It's only been nine days. It's a bit premature to be making those kinds of comparisons. Wars have historically taken months and years, not days or weeks. Despite the bleak picture the media is trying so desperately to paint, this war is not going badly for us at all. Yes, there are ups and downs and an unexpected bump in the road now and then. But military success does not hinge on the perfect anticipation of every possible contingency, but rather on the ability to quickly adapt, adjust, and continue towards the ultimate goal. We're doing that.

¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.30.03 at 12:20 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Love. dave.

¤ ¤ credit: Sekimori | 03.30.03 at 12:38 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Er, yeah -- I seem to remember Vietnam lasting for several years. Come back in five years or so and if we are in the same situation then as we are now then I guess you can start making the Vietnam comparisons.

¤ ¤ credit: Andrea Harris | 03.30.03 at 02:18 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Hmmm ... Looks like people are really pining away for some reruns of the Duke boys (the originals, not the clones) Even south park had a little tribute last week ...

This is Cooter comin' at ya come back!

¤ ¤ credit: Kitty | 03.30.03 at 04:55 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

Dave,

I know that wars last for years. I have the feeling that this one will, too. I meant, that with what we do know about the Vietnam War and what went wrong with that, now in the year 2003, someone would avoid repeating the same things again and not try to micromanage things. But from the beginning of this, before the fighting even started, I've had this feeling that this is another Vietnam war about to happen. That's just my gut feeling on this. I hope I'm wrong, though.

¤ ¤ credit: Kathy | 03.30.03 at 10:26 PM | link--this ¤ ¤

The problem with Viet Nam is one I believe the president addressed when he said this would not be a war of "half measures". That is, if you're going to go to war (whether the war itself is right or not), you go to win. You can't let your military be hamstrung by domestic political gamesmanship or second guessing. I think that's the track we're on in Iraq.

All this recent armchair quarterbacking about our war strategy is being done by a) the president's detractors who have a political interest in seeing this go bad, and b) a basically bored media trying desperately to find new things to talk about 24 hours a day, so whenever the slightest thing goes wrong, they try to suggest that the plan is flawed.

I don't see the war itself turning into Viet Nam. We should take Baghdad within a few weeks, and the bulk of the combat will be over. The part that could turn into a quagmire is policing the country in the aftermath, until the new government can stand on its own. If we're smart, we'll let the UN handle most of that.

¤ ¤ credit: dave | 03.31.03 at 08:25 AM | link--this ¤ ¤