The survivors of "Blackhawk Down" agree.

Post #48,438 by a6l6e6x 8/6/02 4:09:49 PM Reply	The survivors of "Blackhawk Down" agree. Saw the cable History Channel recently on that event and these guys wanted to stay and get Aideed and avenge their mutilated buddies. Running like that has consequences. Alex "Television: chewing gum for the eyes." -- Frank Lloyd Wright
Post #48,445 by Brandioch 8/6/02 4:51:00 PM Reply	Power vacuum. Getting someone because some of your buddies died because you agressed his position is nothing more than bully tactics. If we were going after him for something else, we needed to have a plan to deal with the power vacuum that would create. Something I keep harping on. If we're going into a country with the intent of killing their leader or overthrowing their government, we need to be ready to spend LOTS of years and money and lives there. Otherwise, we're just setting up future generations with another problem.
Post #48,460 by Ashton 8/6/02 5:58:31 PM Reply	In that regard, Bush I at least demonstrated an awareness of this fact. Perhaps a too keen awareness - even that foolish consistency which is the hobgoblin of small minds, one might say: especially when we disgraced ourselves re the Kurds. We promised to aid their (Any!) revolution as began... We utterly betrayed those promises - as we gave Saddam permission! to fly helicopter gunships, as our jets photographed his massacres on the ground, as we.. became Bush-league. And now for a Second time. Conclusion? We ARE Bush-league. Ashton
Post #48,469 by a6l6e6x 8/6/02 7:23:54 PM Reply	In this case, there was no central government, ... only feuding war lords making the feeding of a starving people impossible to international relief agencies. Alex "Television: chewing gum for the eyes." -- Frank Lloyd Wright
Post #48,472 by Brandioch 8/6/02 7:46:30 PM Reply	Yup. And if we killed one warlord, another would take his place. But until we stabilize the situation, the food will be taken by the various gangs to feed their troops instead of the general population. We did not deal with the original situation correctly. We did not withdraw correctly. It was one massive cluster fuck. And we lost troops because of it.
Post #48,475 by a6l6e6x 8/6/02 7:59:02 PM Reply	Can't disagree with that conclusion. Alex "Television: chewing gum for the eyes." -- Frank Lloyd Wright

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