[thechat] name of Operation Infinite Justice to be changed

[Martin]

Bill Haenel wrote on 21/9/01 6:12 pm

>What's changed in 50 years is that about 30 years ago, we went to Vietnam.
>At that time, large numbers of Americans stood up and said WAR SUCKS, WE
>DON'T WANT WAR. Have Americans changed their minds since then? Or will we
>hold true to those ideals that so many spoke out for during our presence in
>Vietnam.

But is that because
a) War which kills people we know is an inconvenient thing
b) War which kills people we know is a non-ethical thing

Robert Macnamara wrote a book apologising for the US war in
IndoChina. But the apology was to the American people because
a lot of Americans got killed.

>We've seen wars that require a small percentage
>of our volunteers only. 

The thing is, this war will not be a Gulf War, or a Falklands War, a
"Roll up, Roll in, Roll Over" kind of a war where it's all concluded
quickly and easily, without much in the way of (our) casualties.

It's going to be much closer to Vietnam:
*) Difficult Terrain (actually more so, because there's nothing
    to defoliate or burn to make it easier)
*) An (at best) indifferent population
*) A dedicated, experienced enemy, difficult to distinguish from the
    rest of the population



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