Cobra II is an extremely informative and thought-provoking book that will greatly enhance your ability to look at the Iraq War beyond the fog of talk shows and the flurry of accusations being traded right now. That it is also an extremely interesting read is a bonus.
Note: You can read the points that I wrote down while reading this book here. The notes include some quotes from the book that I referred to while writing this review.
Article comments
1 - Bliffle
What a sad story this administration has become. It's obvious that GWB himself has lost interest in this war, just as he lost interest in his oil companies and his TANG obligation. He just doesn't have what it takes to be in a position of responsibility and see a project through.
2 - Deano
It is interesting to note however that Rumsfeld was highly prescient on the advent of a lean, fast-moving, high impact force, supported by air power.
The US forces won the war in an astonishing short and well-executed campaign, despite a number of difficulties. The war itself was a remarkable feat. All the more remarkable given the entrenched resistance within the military itself to changing the strategic doctrine...most of the studies tend to agree that the significant, entirely forseeable failure lay with not having an effective force level to maintain order and security within the country in the post-Saddam power vacuum. Rumsfeld and the adminsitration were actively resistant to the concept of increasing troop levels or any activity that smacked of "nation-building", despite hearing from both the military, the State Dept., and many others that a post-invasion strategy needed to be implemented.
In the long run, the administration manifestly shot themselves in the foot due to short-term thinking, blinkered ideology and a reluctance to admit their own entirely preventable mistakes.
3 - John Spivey
With reference to Bliffle's comment, I spent a number of years teaching junior high kids. A significant number of them had learning differences. Whenever I see Bush speak I see one of these LD junior high boys. It appears to me that he has ADHD based on his kinetic activity and his short attention span and addictions. He might also have a bit of dyslexia based on his avoidance of reading and his seeming inability to really decode complex info. I am not demeaning those with these learning issues. I have seen many kids thrive when they learn the proper strategies. Bush seems to have learned to smile and glad hand as his way of coping. I don't think he really has learned the tools to see a complex task through till its successful end and we are all paying for it.
4 - Vikas Chowdhry
Deano:
The US forces won the war in an astonishing short and well-executed campaign, despite a number of difficulties.
Never mind that the war was against a third rate power, already depleted with years of Iran-Iraq war, the first gulf war and years of sanctions after that. This swift victory did not prove anything about the efficacy of a lean and mean army as espoused by Mr. Rumsfield.
5 - Deano
Vikas, Actually it does, despite your scoffing.
Was Iraq a third rate power - hell yes! This was no major victory over an intractable foe, The results were guaranteed due to the disparity in forces, weaponry, training and resources but that doesn't change the fact that the war represented a long-fought internal battle within the Pentagon over the strategic direction of US forces - moving from a massive monolithic force designed to meet Cold War threats (i.e. tanks in the Germany) to meeting the urban, low-intensity, evolving and rapidly changing mobile battlefields of the 21st century (i.e. lots of frequent, scattered low intensity conflicts). You may not think it is important but I guarantee you that military academies around the world sat up and took note.