Here Goes Nothing ...

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Sorry, I was a bit out of it when I posted. What I was trying to convey is that they are reported, they just aren't front page reports. Firstdown, a majority of Americans don't read and watch the news for what, 30 minutes a day? There's not really enough time. If you really want me to dig through The Washington Post, NY Times, etc, etc I will. They aren't front page stories, but they are there.

You will have a hard time finding one I searched and had no luck.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I think one problem with the press and the public perception of the war is that the Bush administration made unreasonably rosy projections about how smoothly the post-Saddam Iraq would run. Had the administration been prepared for the insurgency and told the public that it is going to be a long hard road in Iraq, we are going to face tough Al Qaeda types, etc. before and after we went in, I think public support for the war would be higher right now. The Administration did a great PR job in getting us to go to war, but they did a horrible PR job of preparing us for what the war would entail and how long it would last.

It's kinda sad, but the Administration's handling of the PR situation is very reminiscient of the Iraq Information Minister's handling of our invasion. Remember how he used to say, "everything is under control, the Americans will be slaughtered like pigs in the streets of Baghdad," while U.S. tanks rolled right past his position? Instead of constantly telling the public that the insurgency amounted to little more than "Saddam dead-enders" and "Mission Accomplished," they should have been bracing us for the worst and hoping for the best.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I think one problem with the press and the public perception of the war is that the Bush administration made unreasonably rosy projections about how smoothly the post-Saddam Iraq would run. Had the administration been prepared for the insurgency and told the public that it is going to be a long hard road in Iraq, we are going to face tough Al Qaeda types, etc. before and after we went in, I think public support for the war would be higher right now. The Administration did a great PR job in getting us to go to war, but they did a horrible PR job of preparing us for what the war would entail and how long it would last.

It's kinda sad, but the Administration's handling of the PR situation is very reminiscient of the Iraq Information Minister's handling of our invasion. Remember how he used to say, "everything is under control, the Americans will be slaughtered like pigs in the streets of Baghdad," while U.S. tanks rolled right past his position? Instead of constantly telling the public that the insurgency amounted to little more than "Saddam dead-enders" and "Mission Accomplished," they should have been bracing us for the worst and hoping for the best.

I'd have to disagree as Bush has said all allong that it was not going to be easy. I think that we saw in the first Desert Storm and in the beging of the 2nd. we could do what we wanted as far as the war went. We then get there and things slow down and we are not use to this. I would also say that I don't think many thought that these people would flood in there to fight as they have done. I know ther are people saying that they warned of this but the only warnings I remember is of the thousands of Americans that would die in the first stages of the war. Then that didn't happen so now they are saying they warned of this. I will agree that the Mission Accomplished was not a good idea but that also tells me that our Generals did not expect this insurgancy after we took hold in Iraq. I do remember that Information Minister doing that press conference as the tanks where rolling in and the press guys telling him that we had tanks just over the hill behind him but he just keep on talking.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by firstdown

I'd have to disagree as Bush has said all allong that it was not going to be easy. I think that we saw in the first Desert Storm and in the beging of the 2nd. we could do what we wanted as far as the war went. We then get there and things slow down and we are not use to this. I would also say that I don't think many thought that these people would flood in there to fight as they have done. I know ther are people saying that they warned of this but the only warnings I remember is of the thousands of Americans that would die in the first stages of the war. Then that didn't happen so now they are saying they warned of this. I will agree that the Mission Accomplished was not a good idea but that also tells me that our Generals did not expect this insurgancy after we took hold in Iraq. I do remember that Information Minister doing that press conference as the tanks where rolling in and the press guys telling him that we had tanks just over the hill behind him but he just keep on talking.

I don't think I said Bush said Iraq would be incredibly easy, what I said (or meant to say) was that he didn't adequately prepare the public for what the Iraq invasion and occupation would entail. Various Bush officials repeatedly said that they didn't expect such a resilient and large insurgency. The Administration's total beat-down of General Shinseke for saying that an occupation would require far more than 150,000 is a good illustration of how they underestimated what it would take to "win" Iraq.

I just refuse to believe that our military leaders were dumb enough to actually think that a massive U.S. invasion of an Arab state wouldn't produce an insurgency. I think my 8-y.o. nephew could have figured that one out.

[Hog1]

Maybe America is fat, spoiled, and "I" oriented. We would like our wars to get wrapped up in a long holiday weekend. We expect results as in "Desert Storm One", with very few allied casualities, and tremendous losses from the opposition.
We are unaccustomed to shedding the blood, war demands.
It has been many years since this country has experienced the kind of loss from the Great War, Guadalcanal, D-Day, Chosin Reservoir, or even Vietnam. While this by no means compares to those, we don't like it. It doesn't run on a schedule. It's not over until it's over.
I believe 9-11 brought us to a new reality. We will fight the terrorist factions, either on their home ground or our own! Maybe both................maybe forever.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Hog1

Maybe America is fat, spoiled, and "I" oriented. We would like our wars to get wrapped up in a long holiday weekend. We expect results as in "Desert Storm One", with very few allied casualities, and tremendous losses from the opposition.
We are unaccustomed to shedding the blood, war demands.
It has been many years since this country has experienced the kind of loss from the Great War, Guadalcanal, D-Day, Chosen Reservoir, or even Vietnam. While this by no means compares to those, we don't like it. It doesn't run on a schedule. It's not over until it's over.
I believe 9-11 brought us to a new reality. We will fight the terrorist factions, either on their home ground or our own! Maybe both................maybe forever.

I'm not sure about forever but I think we will be fighting terrorism for the rest of my life span. Its a shame that is what things have come to but maybe I could be wrong and I'd be more than happy to say I was wrong about this.

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by firstdown

I'm not sure about forever but I think we will be fighting terrorism for the rest of my life span. Its a shame that is what things have come to but maybe I could be wrong and I'd be more than happy to say I was wrong about this.

I could not agree more