The internet and cable news shows are atwitter with the news that
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. The liberal blogs are happy, the conservative blogs are unhappy that the liberal blogs aren't more happy, and cable news is just thrilled they have something to fill all of their empty hours. So, what does it all mean?
- The world is better off without him.
- It will make as much difference as the capture of Saddam Hussein did. (ie. none)
Two 500-pound bombs are not nearly as destructive as I thought. I would have thought that much fire power would have left just a few red stains on the rubble. Check out the official Pentagon picture. You can see a zit on his cheek but not a scratch on his face. He looks like he's sleeping.
The slime mold reference in the headline refers to the fatal flaw in American anti-insurgency efforts. The US military believes, as an article of faith, in decapitation as a battle strategy. They believe that if you "cut off the head, the snake will die." Asymmetrical warfare is more like slime mold. Slime mild is a small cell, amorphus blob that grows to massive proportions if it is in the proper, nurturing environment. You can hack away at perceived
heads all you want and it will do no damage. The best way to control it is to discourage its growth.
Slime mold can be pretty, though.
tags: zarqawi, Iraq
2 comments:
The liberal blogs are happy...
OK...me too...I'm happy a monster is dead, but al Zarqawi's death is a cautionary tale about how we got to this point, and about that...I'm definitely not happy.
Hi KinghErrant, great post and analogy.
According to Rush Limbaugh Zarqawi's death was "a Glorious Day for America, and a Depressing Day for Democrats"
Regarding our military, I truly believe our troops could put down the insurgency if they were allowed to do so ie commanded in an effective way that actually targeted the source rather than just keep cutting off the heads.
The Bush Administraiton has no interest in ending the insurgency whatsoever.
If we truly had an interest in stabilizing Iraq we would keep the electricity on, the water flowing, the trash picked up, and stimulate employment.
We wouldn't hire private contractors to rebuild Iraq, we'd hire Iraqis to do it.
And we wouldn't be building a giant fortress in Baghdad. Can you imagine what the Iraqis think when they see this?
Imagine if some foreing country invaded the US and build a big ass fortress...Don't you think Americans would rebel?
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