The Really Big Question About Iraq That You Haven't Heard

[Marxist]

By Arianna Huffington For Salon.com

Oct. 7, 2002 | Sitting on a desk somewhere in the Pentagon is a computer printout listing projected American casualties for a range of Iraq invasion scenarios. Unfortunately, these vital figures are the only numbers that haven't been part of the war debate.

We've heard all kinds of estimates about how much the war is going to cost -- including Ari Fleischer's ultramacho Bullet to Saddam's Head discount special -- how many troops will be deployed, how much the price of oil may go up, and the over-under on how long our forces will have to remain in Iraq. We've been given head counts of Iraq's fractious Kurds and Shiites, reference numbers for security council resolutions defied, and been frequently reminded that Saddam has remained in power for 34 years, 11 of them since the last time we tried to send him and his mustache packing.


But no one in the Bush administration is talking about how many of our soldiers will be sent home in body bags. And not a single reporter has stood up at a press conference -- or at one of the president's countless fundraising appearances -- and asked, "Mr. President, how many young Americans are going to die?"


continued here on Salon.com







For me, I'm terrified of going to war with Iraq without firm proof. I have a lot of friends in the military and some of them are Special Forces. Yeah, I know they know what they signed on for but a life sacrificed is a life sacrificed. I just would like to think it wouldn't be in vain.

 

[The Squid King]

The Answer:

too many.

 

[Guest]

 

[Tap-Out]

My two cents

Wars suck.

 

[CJinMA]

This wouldn't be another Vietnam. Too much technology. Remember what happened with his troops the last time? They all gave up. I don't think it will come down to us going in. I think our Gov't has the people inside Iraq already to go through with a coup or assisnation.

 

[Guest]

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

I've heard it asked. I've heard reporters and talking heads ask Rumsfeld, and I've heard Congressman ask it on the floor. What sort of answer is Huffington looking for? "More than ten?"

 

[The Squid King]

One is too many, and if I get drafted, I'm going to Rio.

 

[Guest]

 

[zipman]

The reality of war

Is that there are casualties. We were lucky in Desert Storm but the reality is that we will have casualties. If not, it wouldn't be war. That is what makes war so horrible, and that reality is what makes us need to be sure that war is the answer.

I believe it is the answer with Iraq. Ecomonic sanctions only hurt the general population but did nothing about the problem - Saddam Hussein.

He needs to be removed from power. We will lose our countrymen in doing so. It is unfortunate, it is sad, I wish there was another way. But I have yet to hear one poster who is against the war come up with a viable alternative.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

We were lucky in Desert Storm

I don't think we were lucky at all. I think we brilliantly played the fourth largest army in the world by pounding them massively with air cover until they surrendered by the thousands.

The Iraqi army is no longer the fourth largest army in the world. (That would be the Ohio State Troopers.)

 

[miles]

If it comes to war I just can't see the rank and file Iraqi soldiers fighting to the last man to defend Saddam. While I dont think it will be a rerun of the Gulf War, don't expect much resistance.

What would you choose? Saddam or Levis and McDonald's?

 

[Tap-Out]

Re: The reality of war

But I have yet to hear one poster who is against the war come up with a viable alternative.

I'm not educated enough in such political matters to come up with an alternative, so I refrain from giving some half assed lame solution that would be laughed at and not be taken seriously. It's easy to sit in the stands and bitch and complain about the people on the field (in this case the politicians) but it's a completly different thing to be out on the field.

 

[The Squid King]

Pussy

I'm be straight in there

Knock yourself out, better yet, get yourself killed.

I'll watch on TV in Brazil.

 

[Guest]

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Oh give it up Hanns, we're not biting. We know you're just a big sweetie huggy-bear. Kiss him girls! He's all yours.

 

[Aquila]

The campaign will be primarily an air power campaign again.. he who controls the air controls the battefield.

The boys with the big engines strapped to their backs will roll canister after canister of HE, thus preparing the battlefield for troops.

One of the greatest advantages in war is to be on the "Shock troop" mentality. Hit Hard, Hit Fast, and be everywhere at once. (or at least on that particular battlefield).

If the political watchdogs open the field to full, all out combat, I'm sorry. Iraq doesnt stand a chance against us.

 

[zipman]

I don't think we were lucky at all. I think we brilliantly played the fourth largest army in the world by pounding them massively with air cover until they surrendered by the thousands.

The Iraqi army is no longer the fourth largest army in the world. (That would be the Ohio State Troopers.)

We were lucky that we were able to go in with just air power. If the Iraqi army digs into cities, we will not be able to just carpet bomb them because world opinion will drop with every civilian casualty. There will be no Dresden in Iraq.

 

[Guest]

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

But that's the point -- the army is NOT going to dig in in the cities. They're going to walk out of the cities with their hands up.

We don't need to take every city to force Saddam from power. Once he's gone, everything changes. We're not trying to obliterate the Iraqi army. We don't have to fight street to street all the way across the country.

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

But that's the point -- the army is NOT going to dig in in the cities. They're going to walk out of the cities with their hands up.

We don't need to take every city to force Saddam from power. Once he's gone, everything changes. We're not trying to obliterate the Iraqi army. We don't have to fight street to street all the way across the country.

But where's the fun in that?

 

[Guest]

 

[Aquila]

Hey nig, I don't recall giving you any aknowledgment or the right to address me

Thats Okay Honkey, Ill just just have to bitchslap that red neck of yours.

 

[Marxist]

Memories for Dixon.

 

[Marxist]

I've heard it asked. I've heard reporters and talking heads ask Rumsfeld, and I've heard Congressman ask it on the floor. What sort of answer is Huffington looking for? "More than ten?"

So you yourself admit to hearing the drum beat of war in what, October of 2002?