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Thursday, September 28, 2024
By Steven L. Taylor

This quote from a WaPo piece (’06 Cuts In Iraq Troops Unlikely) is a couple of days old, but I just came across it:

Asked point-blank whether the United States is winning in Iraq, Abizaid replied: “Given unlimited time and unlimited support, we’re winning the war.”

Yep, and I hear tell that an infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters could produce the complete works of Shakespeare.

What a remarkable thing to say, and not at a positive one, despite the attempt to make it sound positive. (Indeed, when I first saw the statement quoted apart from the WaPo story I thought it was someone’s attempt at a glib recapitulation of something Abizaid had said).

h/t: Peter at Duck of Minerva

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4 Responses to “A Remarkable Piece of Military Spin”

  • el
  • pt
    1. Peter Bakke Says:

      Sounds like something Rummy would say

    2. Peter Bakke Says:

      Senator Arlen Specter said something intriguing the other day when asked what recommendations he would make for improving Senate procedures. He suggested, sotto voce, that Senators should work longer. By his account, Senators start their week mid-dayTuesday with luncheon meetings and by Thursday afternoon they are itching to get back to their home states. By Friday most of them have fled the Capital City for Reagan Airport. To backup this plaint, the offical numbers are now in: The Senate met for a meager 126 days during the past legislative year; the House met for a paltry 93 days. We shan’t say this is a “Do Nothing” Congress reminiscent of President Truman’s complaint made years ago. But it seems true indeed that legislators have been presiding over a “Do little” Congress.

    3. Adam Herman Says:

      It’s pretty clear: if Americans give the mission their support for an unlimited amount of time, w we will eventually win. We can’t be beaten on the battlefield. Only in the press and public opinion.

    4. Dr. Steven Taylor Says:

      Adam,

      A major problem with the formulation is that that isn’t unlimited time nor is there unlimited support.

      Further: a major part of your interpretation is that this isn’t just a battlefield issue. If it was, we would, in fact, be winning.

      S


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