"A real analysis of our military situation in Iraq... "

http://www.buzzflash.com/mailbag/04/05/mai04119.html

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Dear BuzzFlash,
A real analysis of our military situation in Iraq...

http://www.g2mil.com/May2004.htm

... The main problem in Iraq today is the massive logistics effort required to sustain US Forces at over a hundred dispersed camps. Over 95% of supplies arrive by ship, and the closest major seaport is in Kuwait. This means everything must be hauled hundreds of miles over war torn roads among hostile natives. This is far more difficult than Vietnam, which had a long coastline where supplies could be dropped off. A recent article by Tom Ricks of the Washington Post noted that most convoys are attacked, and that soldiers must stop to check each bridge for explosives because there is not enough manpower to guard them. Other reporters tell of recently destroyed bridges, forcing convoys to travel on secondary roads which doubles their travel time. In addition, many civilian truck drivers have refused to drive and many foreign logistics contractors have left Iraq.

Many reports tell of ammunition rationing. The US military was not expecting a prolonged conflict, and drawing and transporting dangerous ammo from limited worldwide stockpiles is a challenge. Senior Army officials told the House Armed Services Committee last month that nearly all the wartime stockpiles in Southwest Asia and on the island of Diego Garcia have been issued, as well as equipment stashed in Europe--a total of 10,000 tanks, personnel carriers, trucks, and other vehicles. Only the Army's equipment for one brigade in Korea and the Marines' brigade stock in Guam remain untouched. In addition, the desert sand and heavy use of helicopters and equipment is wearing them out many times faster than usual. This demands many more spare parts and shortages have developed. Ammunition and most military spare parts cannot be purchased on the commercial market. Assuming the military supply and contracting bureaucracy can quickly identify needs and place orders, it takes months to boost production. Meanwhile, Generals must juggle budget allocations with semi-legal account shifts since the Bush administration has announced that it will not ask Congress for supplemental funding until January, after the presidential election. ...

Jim P.
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seems like things are about to fall apart

We are on the verge of a strategic catastrophe in Iraq.

although that was my exact same thought on Decemeber 13, 2000.

day to day basis when it doesn't fit their version of world events. I can't help but wonder just how stubborn they will be when a collapse is imminent.

"...Bush styles himself a "CEO president," but the world is full to bursting with CEOs who have goals they would dearly love to attain but who lack either the skill or the fortitude to make them happen. They assign tasks to subordinates without making sure the subordinates are capable of doing them — but then consider the job done anyway because they've "delegated" it. They insist they want a realistic plan, but they're unwilling to do the hard work of creating one — all those market research reports are just a bunch of ivory tower nonsense anyway. They work hard — but only on subjects in their comfort zone. If they like dealing with people they can't bring themselves to read all those tedious analyst's reports, and if they like numbers they can't bring themselves to spend time chattering with distributors about their latest prospect.

And most important of all, weak CEOs are unwilling to recognize bad news and perform unpleasant tasks to fix it — tasks like like confronting poorly performing subordinates or firing people. Good CEOs suck in their guts and do it anyway.

George Bush is, fundamentally, a mediocre CEO, the kind of insulated leader who's convinced that his instincts are all he needs. Unfortunately, like many failed CEOs before him, he's about to learn that being sure you're right isn't the same thing as actually being right...."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2004_05/003829.php

(including the USA) I would burst out laughing. The situation is like a humongous comedy of evil and STUPIDITY OF THE AMERICAN CITIZENS.

How bad is the damage being done? Is it worse than
VietNam? What sort of combat readiness do we have left
for a real war?

They just called for 47,000 more troops to go back to Iraq.
How many will show up?

There are long standing and obvious weakness in the defense
procurement process and the sort of product that it produces
being exposed here, what happens to Northrop Grumman and the
like as a result of this?

Hmmm.

How many careers are being destroyed?
There appear to be breakdowns and failures in command structure.
Who will be held accountable for that?

How many new terrorists are we creating? How safe will it be for our citizens to travel abroad? Could this misadventure ultimately send us the way of the USSR?

The world deserves much better leadership. Any leadership at all is a good place to start.

In addition to the logistics problems, the US forces are understaffed to police and control a country the size of Iraq. Bush was repeatedly told that it would take a force of 250,000 or more to control Iraq and ignored that advice.