March 20, 2003
IS THERE ANYONE LEFT TO SURRENDER?:
THE BEST LAID PLANS: Light Motif (Gregg Easterbrook, 03.20.03, New Republic)Why are the lights on in Baghdad? Check your CNN images--the city is now being bombarded from the air, and yet street lights and building lights glisten. Traditionally, cities being bombed turn off all their lights. In World War II, air-raid wardens walked the streets of London, pounding on the doors of anyone with a light visible or whose windows were not covered by black-out curtains. Yet Baghdad tonight is alight.Maybe nobody's running the show; early indicators are that Iraqi leadership is already collapsing. Or maybe this is devilishly clever.
As significant as no one being in command to shut them off is the fact that we aren't taking out the electricity generating sites via bombing. Apparently "Shock and Awe" has been shelved because it isn't needed--the war is already over so why punish the people and wreck stuff you'll be trying to get going again in a couple days. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 20, 2003 8:39 PM
Easterbrook thinks it's still 1945. Yes, bombers in WWII would know where and when to release their bombs if they could see the city lights below them. None of the weapons -- mostly missles -- that are striking targets in Baghdad are depending on any lights to zero in. All of the targets are well-known and programmable. Whether the lights are on or off in Baghdad makes no difference whatsoever. Enforce a blackout if you want. Sit in the dark; you're still a goner. Also, there are almost no aircraft flying over Baghad today "dropping" bombs, and any that are fly at an altitude of over 10,000 feet (Night Hawks, for example.) The significant observation is Orrin's - the electricity still works: that's grand.
I've been silently praying for months for what I call an "unwar." A war in which, since everyone knows what's going to happen (that they're going to get decimated), then it doesn't have to happen, and therefore, doesn't happen. A weird little awkward dance takes place (remember your first date, first kiss?) and then suddenly we're administrating Iraq and hardly anyone was hurt. I still pray for that tonight.
That's a perfect term--I may steal it if that's okay?--we may be able to win an "unwar" having decapitated the leadership and scared the bejeezus out of the rest.
Posted by: oj at March 20, 2003 9:55 PM"Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field. "
- Sun Tzu, _The Art of War_
mike:
Nothing ever changes. I count on that.
Alternatively, this could also be seen as demonstration that the Left's cynical parody of American military strategy (bomb and then ask questions) is complete hogwash. The enemy knows, and acts accordingly, that population centers are treated like wildlife sanctuaries.
Posted by: MG at March 21, 2003 3:04 AMBy all means, steal "unwar," just don't credit "D. Rosier."
(Donald Rosier was the lead guitarist for the Blue Oyster Cult.)
Easterbrook is multitalented. He doesn't know anything about global climate, either. What a dope.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at March 21, 2003 1:54 PM