COMensarations
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
VodkaAngst
Sometimes, angst is not a good mixer.
Stephen ”VodkaPundit” Green is having a serious bout of angst. I think he needs some ‘help’.
Therefore, I’m going to administer some ‘tough love’ help to get him over this particular hurdle in his geo-political life.
Plenty of well-meaning people on the right, the left, and in the center all agree that the 1991 Gulf War was an example of how to wage war right. In the particulars, all those folks on the money. We went in with the UN Seal of Approval™ (look for sticker with the smiling Kofi!*). We had an international coalition of something like eighty bajillion countries. We even gave Saddam one last Gorby-brokered chance before unleashing the storm. And then the whole thing was over, nice and neat, long before May Sweeps started. The Gulf War was even a winner in the little details, like when Israel didn’t shoot back.
It was a good way to fight that particular war. As anyone really familiar with the military and/or history will tell you, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Some ways are better than others
For GWI, with the circumstances imposed upon the US, it was the best way to do it.
On the other hand, the many particulars don’t matter much when the whole thing turned out to be one big disaster.
It was hardly a ‘disaster’.
As I said, considering the circumstances, it was the only effective way to fight the war to liberate Kuwait.
The alternatives, if you’d care to provide some examples of how we might have fought GWI instead, would be VERY interesting to see.
Got anything to offer?
Before we get to the meat, let’s not debate whether or not then-President Bush should have “pushed on to Baghdad” in 1991. That’s an argument for another day, especially given that my own opinion usually depends on my mood, and/or cocktail consumption. With that out of the way, let’s continue.
You cannot AVOID that question. Much as you like. It is part and parcel of the circumstances in which GWI was fought.
Quite unintentionally, the way we “ended” the Gulf War demonstrated to the world that the status quo in the Middle East, no matter how illiberal, was just dandy with us. Insane dictator? Not our problem. Oil-soaked sheiks lost their homes? We’ll co-sign the mortgage with blood. All this in a region full of lopsided applecarts, all waiting for a good push.
I can understand your angst over the way GWI was fought. However, I’ve yet to see you describe a way it could have been done better.
To be fair, seeking UN approval probably wasn’t such a bad thing. But out choice of allies was akin to George Washington getting a lapdance from Mao Tse-Tung. I mean, really – was it wise to demonstrate solidarity with Syria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia? Was “we’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder with your oppressors!” the right message to send to the people of the Middle East? Liberals and conservatives alike marveled at GHW Bush’s Rolodex, and his ability to call in favors from despots near and far. Fifteen years later, we’re still paying for his long distance bill.
Seeking approval of the UN is STILL a good idea. For the time being. However, as the UN becomes more corrupt, it is less and less likely to reach a good consensus. I’m confident that as things digress, the UN will become less and less important. Just as it’s predecessor, the League of Nations, did.
Having left Saddam in power, we were also forced to leave troops behind in Saudi Arabia. For that reason, Osama bin Laden declared war on us for Despoiling the Holy Places, or Loitering on the Sacred Loam, or something. That one sure came back to bite us on the ass. In all fairness though, Osama is a clever fellow and undoubtedly would have eventually found some reason to smite us. That new Gillette Fusion, for example, is allowing millions of dhimmi to keep their faces infidel-smooth, and in record time. Nevertheless, our decisions back then handed Osama a loaded gun. In retrospect, it’s no surprise he fired it at us.
So....tell US....how were we to remove Saddam without the “push on to Baghdad” that you said you didn’t want to address? Assassination? Clinton still held that Executive Order against that sort of thing open. So had Bush the Elder.
I eagerly await hearing your answer to that question.
It’s said that our military’s history-making victory cured us of Vietnam Syndrome – the idea that any American use-of-force was doomed to failure abroad and division at home. First off, that’s just plain wrong. After President Bush presented his ultimatum to the Taliban in October, 2001, Senator Harry Reid asked what “our exit strategy” would be. I dunno, Harry – retreat from Manhattan? Vietnam Syndrome isn’t gone; it’s infecting probably 20% of our population and at least a third of Congress. In addition, Gulf War I seems to have left us with a new disease, which I’ve creatively named “Gulf War Syndrome.”
GWI did do a lot to remove that mental block.
As for ‘exit strategies’....if you get into a war, there is only ONE acceptable ‘exit strategy’; Victory. All the others lead to disaster.
But Harry Reid is (1) a politician and (2) a Democrat. That is one of the worst combinations I can imagine. But not THE worst. All he needs do to become THE worst is take the pledge to Islam....which I have little doubt he’d do if he thought he could gain the White House by doing so. But that’s just my personal opinion of the man; he’s an opportunist. Just like Hillary. And please don’t get me started there.....
Gulf War Syndrome manifests itself in delusions that all wars can be fought quickly, cleanly, and with a minimum of fuss. Additional symptoms include feverish reliance on the Smiling Kofi, nervous trembling at the thought of a sustained effort, and in extreme cases, a partisan form of Tourette’s Syndrome.
I think I’ve mentioned T.R. Fahrenbach’s military masterpiece, This Kind of War. I recommend you at LEAST read all of Chapter 25, Proud Legions. It will make a lot of things fall into place, vis-a-vis GWI v. GWII.
I don’t mean to say that we didn’t achieve what we set out to do in 1991. With the benefit of hindsight, however, it’s fair to question both our goals and our methods. In fact, the First Gulf War disillusioned most of the liberal reformers in the Middle East, set bad precedents for future conflicts, gave cause to an international terrorist, and empowered a new generation of starry-eyed peaceniks.
Actually, you are right AND wrong here. We meant to eliminate Saddam Hussein. However the ‘circumstances of the situation’ would not allow US to do that. So we settled for what we could get and tried [and failed] to do was necessary.
And, as with WWI, the League of Nations and WWII, we failed, until the second test of arms.....less the League of Nations.
History has, as usual, repeated itself.
Another victory like Gulf War I will have Pyrrhus laughing at us from the grave.
Hardly. We slaughtered close to 100,000 of the enemy. We lost VERY few. Pyrrhus’ complaint was that he was losing too many soldiers. Not that he was losing politically.
However, US could lose politically. Especially if we lack the necessary will and faith to overcome our enemy.
Your angst is recognizable. However, it is only the first step in solving the problem; recognizing that there is a problem.
The second step to recovery is identifying the problem.
There are a number of other steps to the process. But too complex to address all at once.
Take hope. Your angst is helping you to recognize that a problem exists. You must take the next step.
*At the time of the Gulf War, Kofi Annan, of course, was not the Secretary-General of the UN. In 1991, Annan served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Very Nice Motorboats.
Big deal. As I’ve intimated (above), the UN is a dead horse. It just hasn’t stopped ‘kicking’ just yet.
In the end, it looks like you’re taking less of a ‘libertarian’ position on how to manage international affairs. Indeed, you look like you’re becoming more of an ‘imperialist’. But that’s just my personal opinion, based on what I know of the alternatives to how we fought GWI.
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