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March 16, 2006
Come on people. . . these are dots . . . you connect them . . . and you get a picture. . .
Much hay is being made about the largest air assault since the invasion going on in Iraq right now. Lefties are saying (WARNING: Link takes you to DU, and those peeps are crazy) that the assault is proof that things are getting worse in Iraq, the media is harping on and on about how this is somehow an "escalation" or a "response to a looming civil war" (hasn't that "civil war" thing been looming for a while now??? where exactly is it again???).
The operation is called SWARMER and yes it's a big deal but lets put it into just a small bit of perspective.
We're supposed to be over there "training up" the Iraq military. We're supposed to teach them tactics and logistics and develop their ability to govern their country in accordance with their Constitution, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING.
Back in February, the Iraqi military got their hands back on military helicopters, Mil Mi-17's from Poland to be exact. In February the first 10 of the machines were delivered, and here we are, half a month later, and the Iraqi's are using their new toys in conjunction with the 101st Airborne and other coalitiion partners to move troops around Iraq.
This is NOT the big deal that the media is trying to play up, it's not an escalation in the violence, it's an ESCALATION OF TRAINING AND OPERATIONS on the Iraqi's part.
This is a good thing people!!!!
--Jason
UPDATE: Here's a picture of a Mi-17 in case you're not familiar with the aircraft.
UPDATE 2: Welcome to the Slate readers stopping by, please take a look around and enjoy yourself. I talk about this and that and the other, with some more of this and a bit more of that.
UPDATE 3: This morning everyone was aflutter thinking that operation SWARMER was something that it wasn't. People who didn't know any better (most of the major media I might add) thought that "air assault" meant "aerial bombing". Now that that has been (reluctantly) cleared up by the big media, and relevant corrections issued, the chorus is changing.
Now people are trying to say this is some Wag the Dog operation designed by the administration to divert attention from this or that.
I can't help but point out that this isn't a story that was put out there by the Administration. The MSM picked up on Centcoms briefings this morning and then ran away with it thinking that we were in round 2 of Shock and Awe. They got the entire story wrong from start to finish and rather than report the truth of the event, they have to remake the remade story into something else that they can sell as controversy.
If anyone was wagging anything, it was the MSM trying to make a sensational story about events that they didn't know anything about.
So, what is this whole thing???? It's great news for both sides of the aisle. On one right hand side it's taking the fight to the enemy, going after him quickly, in sufficient force, using the tools of the trade available and giving the enemy no ground to go to and also showing that the Iraqis have a new trick up their sleeve, airborne assault. For those on the left, they should be cheering the Iraqis for being able to pull this off. It's their intel, they're flying their helicopters and they are leading their mission with U.S. support.
This is a shining example that REAL and CONCRETE progress is being made in training the Iraqis and getting them to a point where they can wield real power and then project that power into any region of their country. This is what the left has been screaming for since day one for the new Iraqi army. Training, progress and operational independence. We've been working on the training, we're seeing progress, now we just have to continue to work on that operational independence.
Pulling off a heliborne assault is a difficult task for any military. It's not the most difficult task, but it's a complicated undertaking nonetheless. Everyone should be happy about this. It's a good thing people. It's a sign of progress.
It's CERTAINLY a helluva lot more progress than Germany or Japan or even Korea had made two and half years after their militaries were beat down.
I for one, give props to Iraqi military for coming this far, this fast.
--JC
Posted by JasonColeman at March 16, 2006 9:57 AM
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Not sure why trackback didn't work:
Posted by: deb at March 16, 2006 12:57 PM
