Equipment list

[Ken White]

No, you didn't get it at all...Don't tell me destroying a regime, destroying its state and hunting the former dictator down and hang him doesn't qualify as 'beat up' in the political arena.

In my view, that would depend on how well one did the job or was allowed to do it. We did a lousy job of it in part because we weren't allowed / did not choose / to do better. I understood what you meant, just don't fully agree.

Concerning stubbornness; compare the qty of ordnance which rained on Germany in 1940-1945 with the qty which rained on North Vietnam...

A marginal comparison on several levels IMO. Regardless the amounts were broadly ineffective in both cases.

Stubbornness wasn't just a contribution - that's vast understatement - it was the indispensable component.

I would say stupidity (ours) was the indispensible component in view of the effort and the result. There's no question that the stubbornness effectively used that stupidity for their aims but lacking our idiocy stubbornness wouldn't have occurred or had an effect. Can't say that about our foolishness...

We're quibbling over little and really are broadly in agreement.

[ganulv]

I wrote a piece for my online writing gig a few weeks back which was published (is correct to say that something born-digital was published? ) yesterday. Ken White's fingerprints are on it here and there! The piece is civilian- and winter-specific, but possibly of interest to those contributing to and following this thread. Corrections and/or addenda are welcomed and in fact encouraged!

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Planning for the worst: the list | Snowshoe Magazine

Hope for the best but always plan for the worst. This attitude is especially important during winter outdoor activities. After an unplanned summer’s night spent miles from the trailhead will leave you will may be hungry and mosquito-bitten, but after and unplanned winter’s night twenty-five feet from the shelter you couldn’t see you may not be at all. Ergo the following list.