12 Myths of 21st Century War
Ralph Peters in the November 2007 edition of American Legion Magazine - 12 Myths of 21st Century War. Visit the link for Peters' reasoning behind each myth.
Quote:
Myth No. 1: War doesn't change anything.
Myth No. 2: Victory is impossible today.
Myth No. 3: Insurgencies can never be defeated.
Myth No. 4: There's no military solution; only negotiations can solve our problems.
Myth No. 5: When we fight back, we only provoke our enemies.
Myth No. 6: Killing terrorists only turns them into martyrs.
Myth No. 7: If we fight as fiercely as our enemies, we're no better than them.
Myth No. 8: The United States is more hated today than ever before.
Myth No. 9: Our invasion of Iraq created our terrorist problems.
Myth No. 10: If we just leave, the Iraqis will patch up their differences on their own.
Myth No. 11: It's all Israel's fault. Or the popular Washington corollary: "The Saudis are our friends."
Myth No. 12: The Middle East's problems are all America's fault.
Steve, I agree with you IF
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SteveMetz
Well, I don't have any research to back it, but I'd bet my bippy that those positions are only held by a tiny minority of Americans.
you add the words "who in some cases hold positions in the media, academia and politics and thus have some influence over what the rest of America may be inclined to think."
Ol' Ralph may be into hyperbole and invective but his basic positions are at least occasionally if not generally accurate and I've seen and heard everyone of those myths (to use his word); they are in various combinations the position of some and I've had arguments or discussions about most of them with a number of people That indicates to me they are not strawmen at all -- just uncomfortable for some. ;)
Depends on who you talk to and where, I suppose...
I've heard it both ways. I agree the majority of nay sayers are in the pot with you and Steve Metz -- but I also think my contention on who constitutes a part of that minority that corroborate Peters' myths is equally correct.
In any event, not much meat for a food fight, IMO... :)