Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Funny Thing About Insurgencies

Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.

In 2003 the United States military toppled the government of Saddam Hussein and his Ba'ath Party in Iraq. At the time it seemed to many to be a rational decision to remove all Ba'ath Party members from government and military positions. Since then, it has been argued by many, that this decision was the single biggest blunder in the aftermath of the invasion.

While I am not defending any of the tactics employed by the Ba'ath Party while in power, it is undeniable that they were able to do a much better job at keeping basic government functions operable while maintaining law and order than the coalition and later the new Iraqi government.

The United States shortsightedness led to a civil war which rages still today.

In Iraq, to be educated and work for the government meant being a Ba'ath Party member. Many were Ba'athist out of necessity rather than being true believers of Saddam. When these people were removed from government and military posts it created a vacuum that needed to be quickly filled by mostly uneducated and inexperienced Iraqis.

On the other hand, it drove the casual Ba'athist to join the growing insurgency even if it meant dealing with former religious and political enemies against their new common enemy- the United States.

As with all insurgencies, time is on their side. Only a true believer in his cause will fight for decades to see victory. The side that seeks a quick victory for a cause, even a noble one, is doomed to fail against a determined enemy. While the feats of the American military are laudable, it is clear that the American people and the assembled multi-national coalition did not see the value in a prolonged war in Iraq while the insurgents did.

History repeats itself at all levels for those that choose not to learn from other peoples' mistakes.

That's my two cents.




15 comments:

  1. Aaaaaaah, I see a point developing that certain Brooklyn Republicans should heed. Very good, grasshopper.

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  2. I agree completely, even with what ISN'T written here! Buckle up cuz the ride may get bumpy!

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  3. I also agree. I get where you're going with this and I also think that people should "buckle up."

    I never particularly liked Senator Golden and I certainly don't want a RINO leading the party in Brooklyn.

    The only sad thing is that even if the party runs someone against him in a primary I am sure there is a deal already in place with the democrats to give Golden a free pass next year.

    I think one of you guys should run in 2014!

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  4. I think you guys should stay tune to your telephones, radio, television and just watch what happens next and always remember G-d loves all of you more than 70 times more then your mother ever will!!!!!

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  5. That's pretty deep I am Jewish and my mother loves me to death and worries about me all the time and your telling us G-d loves us 70 times more then our mothers ever will.

    All I can say is Wow

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  6. Are you tired.
    Tired of reading about the so many different groups of Republican's here in Brooklyn?
    I am!!
    To me it is simple.
    People on all sides in this war should call Marty Golden and tell him they understand.
    Marty is getting old and Marty should realize he is saying and doing things that are hurting a lot of people's feelings and Marty should be told by all of you to give it up for The Republican Party and if he is a True Republican Marty would understand and resign his position as State Senator.
    Then what do we all do?

    Throw Marty a big Party at the El Caribe and forgive him for he is getting old and always remember one day each and everyone one of you will be old and maybe then you will understand what I am writing, forgive Marty for he does not know what he is doing anymore and I know Craig Eaton will forgive him and all the rest of you for he is a humble man.

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  7. Captain America

    Who cares about Marty, your a fool he that writes to forgive.

    How can Craig forgive a man that put a knife in his back and all of you their at 17th Avenue.

    How can he!

    Never because in the end Marty Golden will die like we all die, but Marty will go to Hell this is for sure and I know this for sure!

    Marty is sick like the person above wrote and this I will agree with and he is very sick.

    Throw him a party are you for real, NEVER!!!!

    The United States Government should do everyone in Brooklyn a favor and cart him a way to a place where he can think of what he did to his one time best friend and to the people's of his district as a State Senator.

    No friend does what he did to Craig, a man that is humble and has compassion for everyone.

    A man that is a real man and who cares about everyone and I know this for a fact.

    You that read this who are on Marty's team you are playing on the wrong side.
    Remember the wrong side!
    Remember the wrong side!
    Remember the wrong side!
    Doe anybody want to challenge Captain America.

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  8. We Interrupt this blog and please forgive us here at CBS and we are writing on this blog and all of our staff is using the net to protest what Time-Warner is doing to us and do remember all of the Great Television we have giving you New York since the late 1940's.

    You as true New Yorkers should get on the telephones or text them or better yet do not bye anything Time-Warner and all of you should protest against them for remember we are

    The All Seeing Eye.

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  9. Give it up guys you guys don't stand a chance against Joe Lhota

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  10. Captain America

    Joe Lhota your not for real are you.

    Nice man a real gentleman

    He did not have a clue how to run the trains and buses and you all want him to run the Greatest City in The World.

    I don't think he is right for this job, myself I would like him to be very high in the City like the future Mayors right hand man.

    Good luck Joe I do like you a lot

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  11. Captain America

    Nobody and I mean nobody fools around with my friends.
    You people in The Young Republican's are TRUE Republican's and Abe Lincoln would have been proud of you all.

    I know he is seated in the front row in heaven watching this unfold.

    Seated to the right of him are all the Republican Presidents from Grant all the way down to Reagan.

    Seated to the left are JFK, his brother, Martin Luther King, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt.

    Now inside of hell which is your current Sun is all of the people that had no compassion for their follow man.

    As I write Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Martin Bohmann to name a few are hanging off of racks in hell which is our current Sun and their feet are 4 inches from the ground and demons poke them as I speak.

    They never sleep for to sleep would spoil all the fun the demons are having with them and the Devil walks around laughing and telling them you should have had compassion and you should have listened to my Brother for he gave you his son Jesus.

    It's all about compassion and nothing else.

    Captain America tells all The Young Republicans on 17th Avenue stand tall and be proud of what this small group of really true Republican's is doing and try to always think positive.



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  12. Really.

    This is for Russ I never never left them behind because most of us came back and welcome home Russ.

    Smile

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  13. A poem titled The Coin

    A golden coin I found on the street.

    I think, I wonder?

    Am I rich, I think?

    I flip it and wonder?

    Over and over I flip it?

    Do you understand I wonder?

    This Golden coin is nothing to me.

    It is pure trash this coin.

    I flip it again and think

    I miss it.

    It falls in the sewer with all the rest of the trash that is here.

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  14. A Poem titled America

    America the land of Immigrants.

    We are all immigrants are we not?

    This land I love.

    It has faults don't we all

    This place called America I love.

    This place called America saved my life.

    Not once, then twice and yet again.

    America the land I love.

    How can I ever pay you back?

    I can't it's impossible!

    One, two, three times a winner like the old song says.

    I am a winner now.

    Thanks America I Love You!




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