July 01, 2004, 9:05 a.m. Iraq, and America, at a Turning Point 16 months, in perspective.

By Karl Zinsmeister

We are now 16 months into the Iraq war. At a similar stage in earlier American wars, how were our forces faring?

Well, at about this point in the French and Indian Wars George Washington had been defeated and forced to surrender at Fort Necessity (he was released after being disarmed), and then disastrously beaten in a fight where his unit of 1,400 men took 900 casualties and ended up running away. (Washington himself was not injured but had two horses shot from under him, and took four bullets through his coat.)

Washington's next experience of war, in the American Revolution, began with equal tribulation. Sixteen months into his command, the American army was suffering through a series of traumatic defeats. They'd lost every single battle since the Declaration of Independence, and had depleted 90 percent of their military strength in heavy fighting. Most of the remaining soldiers declared they were going to go home when their enlistments expired, and in many parts of the new nation citizens were pledging fresh oaths of allegiance to the tyrant King George.

Sixteen months into the Civil War, a permanent breakaway of the southern states looked like imminent reality. The Union army that marched on Richmond had been beaten with tens of thousands of casualties. Robert E. Lee had launched an invasion of the north, and Washington, D.C. was on the brink of being overrun.

Sixteen months into U.S. involvement in World War II, the Japanese had taken control of all of the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Our British allies had suffered the most catastrophic defeat in their history when they lost 130,000 fighting men in Singapore. The Japanese had just as thumpingly ejected the U.S. from the Philippines, and were actually in their tenth month of occupying American soil in Alaska. It would take 1,000 American dead (far more than our total losses in Iraq to date) merely to eject the enemy from this Aleutian Island foothold over the course of a few days in the seventeenth month of the war.

At month 16 of the war in Europe, meanwhile, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Yugoslavia, and other countries had all been lost. German submarines were in the process of wiping out Atlantic shipping. And death camps like Treblinka had been opened and were in the process of killing millions. By the end of that year, 40 percent of the world's Jews, for instance, would be dead.

* * * We have had some tough moments in Iraq this year. But we must remember that every war has tough stages and low points that victorious nations must grind through. The difference between civilizations that triumph and civilizations that surrender is often simply a matter of keeping your determination and fighting spirit intact through the down days. I've spent months embedded with combat troops in Iraq over the last year, so I realize there is nothing easy about any of this. But there some challenges in life that simply cannot be evaded.

It took years for the U.S. to launch humane democracy in Germany and Japan after World War II. In just 16 months in Iraq we have made great progress — as I report at length in a new book built on detailed firsthand observation of the counterinsurgency and reconstruction. The Shiite middle that is going to dominate Iraq has stuck with us through many travails. An encouraging interim government is beginning to take responsibility for the country's fate, with wide support from everyday Iraqis. An economic bloom is unfolding. There is a surge of new information, freedom, and opportunity never before seen in Iraq. These plants will bear previously unseen fruit in the parched sands of greater Arabia, and ultimately make America safer.

Has the price been too high? The casualty rate in Iraq, Max Boot has noted, has been 1.5 percent of all troops serving in the theater. That compares to 6.2 percent in Vietnam, and 6.5 percent in World War II. The terrorists, though, believe modern Westerners have lost the fortitude needed to sustain a nasty fight. "One thing is for sure: the extremists have faith in our weakness," noted Tony Blair recently. "And the weaker we are, the more they will come after us."

The late Michael Kelly, who observed humans at their cruelest in the Balkans, Iraq, and elsewhere, particularly urged American opponents of war to never forget that "accepting death is indispensable to defeating death." If our public and our political class will exhibit that same wisdom and courage, then this is a fight America can win.

Karl Zinsmeister, editor in chief of The American Enterprise has just published Dawn Over Baghdad: How the U.S. Military is Using Bullets and Ballots to Remake Iraq, the first book about Iraq's guerilla war and reconstruction. His earlier book about the 2003 hot war in Iraq is entitled Boots on the Ground: A Month With the 82nd Airborne in the Battle for Iraq.

The point?

Since we're talking about perspective, let's not overlook the armor, weaponery, air superiority, logistical support, methods of intelligence, digital communications infastructure, and tactical knowledge as the advantages we have over our enemy in Iraq. If the playing field were indeed level I shudder to think what the percentage of Americans killed would be.

"The difference between civilizations that triumph and civilizations that surrender ..."
Is that what's going on over there now, an erradication of their civilization? Sounds like imperialism to me.

"An economic bloom is unfolding."

At who's expense? A teacher's salary has gone from $3/month to over $200/month. Where do you think that money's coming from? Yep, from the same conservative tax payers that can't stand giving charity to their own fellow Americans.

For the glass half full crowd "the point is" keep the faith these things have a way of working out for the best . For the glass half empty crowd the sky is falling run!

"accepting death is indispensable to defeating death." . . . that seems remarkably analogous to the Viet Nam era phrase about "f#cking for chastity."

What has happened to greatness? In earlier times, kings, lords of the land, and other high officials actually particpated in war and battle - note the references to George Washington, who, although a member of the landed gentry, did not lead from afar. Why don't Bush's daughters enlist? Why is it that only one member of Congress has an offspring in active military service? When it's your own blood on the line, only an imbicile wouldn't choose his wars and battles carefully.

If the invasion of Iraq is so crucial to the interests of the U.S., all the cyber-space cheerleaders here should be the first to the front lines. Put your blood where your mouth is. That will earn you the credibility your rantings here will never achieve.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Salmo,

With your logic why would we need police force? Just defend yourself. Only males of a certain age group would ever have a say in policy womenaand the elderly would mean nothing.

"A matriarchal/matrilineal society is fully capable of creating and administering policy"

Lots of examples of those social systems in the world today. They did not even work in hippy communes.

It seems to work pretty well for Elephants and Hyenas though king. I guess one could argue that matriarchal/matrilineal societies have a certain measure of evolutionary inevitability.

TK - Most of Polynesia is run by a very Matriachral society. They seem to get along just fine. Certainly no Superpower, but there are many different ways to judge an effective society.

Would you choose to be an elephant or an Islander?

I keep bees the girls rule that world. They kill most the males just before winter so more workers live. The guys serve one purpose to fertilze the queen. Not a bad gig if you can get it :p

REALLY depends on how hot the queen is though...

:D Marsha, you finaly found something we can agree on 100%
Please call my wife and convince her that I should begin imediately.

TK,

Let me rephrase. Males capable of serving who cheerlead this war should be the first to the front lines. Nothing like enthusiasm for getting a job done. At least that way, the casualties of the war wouldn't be missed much, and perhaps more importantly, they wouldn't be here on the home front annoying the rest of us.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

Wasn't the hero GW a Cheerleader?

I can just see him now.... Give me an V.....Give me an I.......Give me an E........ Give me a T! What, that spell? VIETNAM! Now go fight em boys. Rah , Rah Rah!

As a decorated, diabled veteran I will never not support our troops, wherever they may be, But I will never support bad policy and an egomainiac that is running the show. This war, while doing some good, has the potential of producing thousands more "Jihadists" before we finish with it. As anyone with any business training understands, the very first thing you have Before you start the business, is have an EXIT plan.
Would George W. have even been heard of if not for his Daddy? I think not.................Fishy.........

And another perspective.
Having a leader that is not a "wh@re" for large corporations. Having a commander in chief that actually has experience as a soldier, or maybe a leader that would be president even without the name recognition from his father.
After this party is over, the hangover will last for years, and some of our children (surely not bush's or cheney's ) will have to serve this country, defending it from all of the jihadists that have come from this administrations bad policy choices.
Put a blind man into the drivers seat and wonder why the country is out of control.
Fishy...........

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Somethingsmellsfishy:

And another perspective.
Having a leader that is not a "wh@re" for large corporations. Having a commander in chief that actually has experience as a soldier, or maybe a leader that would be president even without the name recognition from his father.--Somethingsmellsfishy


Perhaps you should consider relocating to Cuba.

Castro seems to fit your parameters of what makes a good president perfectly.

Why is it that when someone says something some of you righties disagree with that you automatically use the "commie" BS or something worse?
So SCOWAK Since your avatar tells everyone that you profess to be a man of faith I'm wondering if you think the Lord would be pleased with your last post?
WWJD???? I doubt he would resort to hateful name calling

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Stew:

So SCOWAK Since your avatar tells everyone that you profess to be a man of faith I'm wondering if you think the Lord would be pleased with your last post?
WWJD????--Stew


I don't profess to know what Jesus would do about anything (Proverbs-chapter 3 verses 5 and 6).

Besides, the internet wasn't around when Jesus walked the earth as a man--Al Gore hadn't invented it yet.

I guess I thought that there would be an intelligent response, after all one of such a superior enlightenment should be able to debate with some that has a different perspective and still be intellectual about it.
Perhaps maybe Cuba would be better suited to your tastes, as you have shown that if someone does not agree with you, they should atomatically be cast out!
If I were a christian I would pray for you, not throw stones........................Fishy.....

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Somethingsmellsfishy:

If I were a christian I would pray for you, not throw stones--Somethingsmellsfishy

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I sincerely hope you do become a Christian by believing in your heart and publicly professing with your mouth that Jesus Christ is your personal Lord and Savior and accepting the cleansing that comes by allowing the blood he shed at Calvary to wash away your sins (John chapter 3 verse 16).

If you've humbled youreself before God and have already done that or plan to do that soon--Please do pray for me--I need all the prayers I can get.

Then someday we can sit together at the right hand of God at what will be the biggest gathering of "fishermen" the world has ever seen (Matthew chapter 4 verse 19).