does anyone else think it strange

[Blue_Tires]

that the Iraqis 'civilians' are putting up such a strong fight now when their trained, heavily armed armies went down faster than a drunken prom date??

[Bertha Venation]

1. I don't

I get the impression that they're like the VC.

[rinsd]

2. Well...

I think alot of the insurgents were in the Iraqi army. It was foolish to disolve it completely. You essentially turned loose thousands of trained combat troops without jobs. Short sighted by Bremer.

[DenverDem]

3. We paid off the Iraqi commanders to throw the war.

The Iraqi people have a lot more guts than their soft "leaders".

[PATRICK]

7. Never annihilated the military

No one on one decisive victory. They have melted into their own chosen battleground waiting for popular support and weaknesses to show. No invading nation can rest easy in a conquered nation without massive repression on a barbaric scale. Even then you would likely lose. That is why some moved entire populations thousands of miles to another land.

In modern times the speed of disintegration of old mistakes increases exponentially even as military advances tout greater power. History and the rush of these events hamstrings hardware and hardwired stupidity. The so called America century and Empire is already sunsetting. The more Bush continues, the faster and more completely we will lose bases, economic and political influence.

Part of his legacy, but his real historical footnote should be read at the Hague.

[caledesi]

8. Has the sun set on the American Empire? Patrick - I was just

discussing this very same thing w/ a friend of mine two days ago. guess 'great minds ...' Good post.

[Minstrel Boy]

4. That was then, this is now.

Last year, they may have thought they were fighting for Saddam, and weren't so crazy about it.

Now, to borrow a hackneyed phrase, it's personal. A year after "liberation", and the US troops still number more than 100,000, and are building permanent installations. They want their country back.

[MnFats]

5. They took a page from Muhammad Ali:"Rope a Dope"

bounce around the ring, play dead, let your opponent get overconfident and tired, then lower the boom.

i am very sad that this is happening...one tiny community in Minn. lost TWO in Iraq this week and the whole state is grieving.

....but I would like to know who the hell told Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld that this would be a cakewalk. Damn them all to hell.

[Trajan]

6. One year ago ...

It didnt pay for an iraqi to confront an invading army ...

Easy: take off the uniform ... put away the weapons (not too far), and walk back outside: wearing civilian clothes, and whistling while you wave hello to the passing US tanks ....

ALL smiles ....

Those soldiers went underground, and are biding their time ....

It's no surprise ....

[CaptainClark23]

9. further

Many of their officers have the experience of the Iran - Iraq war to draw from.

While many of our troops are reservists who have the experience of Playstation 2.

On the ground experience counts, and far outweighs technology or logistics.

[PfcHammer]

10. it's one thing to get paid to fight, it's another to have

your home fugged with. what does a person have
without a home or a country ? they have little
choice, but to fight.