Quote:
Originally posted by Skunk:
It's called provocation. They WANT the battle to continue. They are not so foolish to believe that they can win the physical battle against the world's greatest military machine - but they can win the propaganda war.
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I'm not so sure that is true.
I think they believe they can win the propaganda war
and force us to withdraw thereby winning the battle, and not just the battle in this city, but the greater battle for Iraq. After all, the insurgents aren't just fighting for the coalition to leave Fallujah, they are fighting for the coalition to leave all of Iraq.
Just as you've said, not all battles are won through might, some are won through maneuver. That IS true, and it works both ways.
Iraq is already the place foreign jihadists go to get their shot (literally) at the US, and every victory for insurgents will just inspire more. We agree, they don't care if they kill innocents who are only trying to help their own people, in fact those are the ones they prefer to take hostage and call mercenaries, and when their own people are killed because of their insurgency, they can blame the coalition.
In fact, the only drawback to their position is that they may be killed by the coalition, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to me that we make that drawback one that is 'all too real' to ignore. It seems to me the insurgents and their politics are given too much consideration.
EDIT - Added a few more thoughts since the weekends here are slow, and since no one has yet responded.
[ 04-11-2004, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]