Bending the Third Rail
Because We Should, We Can, We Do
Monday, January 29, 2007
Hype
In the last week, I'm noticing more and more of these stories:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - In its first full statement on what Iraqi officials called a major battle with a messianic cult south of Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Monday that 100 militants were captured in the operation.
Well, it's been like Vietnam in other ways so why not this too?

First to the story. The reports of a "messanic" cult doing the fighting are shall we say, "questionable". This was a well-planned, well organized frontal attack firefight, not a hostage situation. The reports are mixed on what really happened, so who knows.

Second, like during Vietnam, we would be showered with daily reports of hundreds of Vietcong killed. It was, of course, later revealed that the numbers were inflated to prove success in the war. Up until recently, we've not heard much about body counts in Iraq. But now, suddenly, daily, there are stories of hundreds of insurgents being killed. Me thinks the Bushies are trying to Vietnam the situation, proving success in the escalation.

The funny thing is. Whenever I see these headlines I don't think of success. Rather, it merely conjures up images of chaos, death and carnage. I don't think the goal of the U.S. is anarchy, but security. Security would mean no headlines, not the Pentagon trumpeting the huge body counts they seem to come up with these days.
Written at 1:15 PM by Greyhair.
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