How Iran would retaliate if it comes to war

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So you're saying the massive bombing we did didn't accomplish the objective of pacifying Iraq?

Won the war, didn't we? "Mission accomplished" and all that, in May 2003?

What followed was the inevitable result of the prolonged occupation - something we're not very good at.

Splitting the hair might fine there - as you can't really go into a country like that and start a war without the inevitable consequence of dealing with the resulting occupation.

We can make a semantic distinction - sure. But that's really all it is.

That's how we won the war in Afghanistan.

You don't think you can win a war without securing the peace (or occupying the country, for that matter)?

Not in terms of long-term strategy, no.

I'm saying that for all intents and purposes the public doesn't recognise the distinction you're making.

[HAL 9000 96]

So you're saying the massive bombing we did didn't accomplish the objective of pacifying Iraq?

Won the war, didn't we? "Mission accomplished" and all that, in May 2003?

What followed was the inevitable result of the prolonged occupation - something we're not very good at.

Splitting the hair might fine there - as you can't really go into a country like that and start a war without the inevitable consequence of dealing with the resulting occupation.

We can make a semantic distinction - sure. But that's really all it is.

That's how we won the war in Afghanistan.

You don't think you can win a war without securing the peace (or occupying the country, for that matter)?

Hey if we won already then perhaps we can pull out and still claim we're winners.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Soviet Union won the war in Afghanistan as well...

They just couldn't hold onto it.

[mawilson 2,133]

The Soviet Union won the war in Afghanistan as well...

They just couldn't hold onto it.

The Soviet Union wanted to occupy Afghanistan. We didn't.

Hey if we won already then perhaps we can pull out and still claim we're winners.

Might have worked in May 2003 -- too late now.

[HAL 9000 96]

The Soviet Union won the war in Afghanistan as well...

They just couldn't hold onto it.

The Soviet Union wanted to occupy Afghanistan. We didn't.

Hey if we won already then perhaps we can pull out and still claim we're winners.

Might have worked in May 2003 -- too late now.

Yeah back then we still had enough people asleep with the whole WMDs nonsense.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Soviet Union won the war in Afghanistan as well...

They just couldn't hold onto it.

The Soviet Union wanted to occupy Afghanistan. We didn't.

Are you saying that the current military occupation of Iraq wasn't part of the original plan?

Whether the Soviet Union planned to occupy the country permanently or not - there isn't really a whole lot of difference as we're still facing the same challenge. We knew (or should have known) that knocking over The Taliban (and Saddam over in Iraq) would require some sort of occupation (transitionary or otherwise). We also knew (or should have) that there would very likely be some sort of guerila resistance and tribal warfare.

Edited June 20, 2008 by Number 6

[mawilson 2,133]

The Soviet Union won the war in Afghanistan as well...

They just couldn't hold onto it.

The Soviet Union wanted to occupy Afghanistan. We didn't.

Are you saying that the current military occupation of Iraq wasn't part of the original plan?

No, I was talking about Afghanistan. We won so easily in Afghanistan because occupation wasn't part of the plan.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The Soviet Union won the war in Afghanistan as well...

They just couldn't hold onto it.

The Soviet Union wanted to occupy Afghanistan. We didn't.

Are you saying that the current military occupation of Iraq wasn't part of the original plan?

No, I was talking about Afghanistan. We won so easily in Afghanistan because occupation wasn't part of the plan.

Did we win there though...?

Its still going on isn't it?

[mawilson 2,133]

Did we win there though...?

Its still going on isn't it?

The mission in Afghanistan was to destroy the Taliban and al-Qaeda and their

leaders and get out. That mission was successfully accomplished.

If we were to attack Iran, it would be to destroy their military bases and nuclear

installations. It would be primarily by air, no ground forces would be used.

That's it. We're certainly not going to invade Iran and fight a protracted and

growing insurgency.

[HAL 9000 96]

As a government, perhaps. But the Taliban are still there. Causing plenty of havok.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Did we win there though...?

Its still going on isn't it?

The mission in Afghanistan was to destroy the Taliban and al-Qaeda and their

leaders and get out. That mission was successfully accomplished.

There's still fighting going on there. Against the Taliban.

As a government, perhaps. But the Taliban are still there. Causing plenty of havok.

They had a bit of a resurgence over the last few years - which is why there have been calls to send more troops back into Afghanistan.

[mawilson 2,133]

As a government, perhaps. But the Taliban are still there. Causing plenty of havok.

They had a bit of a resurgence over the last few years - which is why there have been calls to send more troops back into Afghanistan.

Resurgence, yes. Not gonna be a problem in Iran -- if we completely destroy

their underground nuclear facilities, it would take them more than a couple of

years to rebuild.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As a government, perhaps. But the Taliban are still there. Causing plenty of havok.

They had a bit of a resurgence over the last few years - which is why there have been calls to send more troops back into Afghanistan.

Resurgence, yes. Not gonna be a problem in Iran -- if we completely destroy

their underground nuclear facilities, it would take them more than a couple of

years to rebuild.

Well speculating about these things is one thing - but I doubt very much that it will do a whole lot of us, given our current entanglements in Iraq.

[HAL 9000 96]

And I doubt that you could destroy the will of the Iranian people to fight back. Something most military operations tend to ignore in conventional warfare.

[GaryC 7]

And I doubt that you could destroy the will of the Iranian people to fight back. Something most military operations tend to ignore in conventional warfare.

There wouldn't be anyone to fight back against. We would bomb the sh!t out of them from the air and leave them to it. They wouldn't have anyone to shoot at.