One week

So we’re just over a week into this adventure we call the war in Iraq. The media is talking doom and gloom and the coming of Armageddon. Iraq is, of course, putting out propaganda the likes of which haven’t been seen in a long, long time. But most importantly, what do I think? Here are my quick thoughts before bed:

1.) To be within 100 klicks of Baghdad within 5 days of having started the ground drive – that’s nothing short of incredible.
2.) We have dropped an incredible amount of ordinance on Iraq with almost no civilian casualties – even as Saddam tries to get us to kill his people.
3.) I don’t think we’ve seen shock and awe yet. Soon we will unleash a combined arms attack on a major Iraqi military formation. The combined power of all four branches of the military unleashed at once – that will be shock and awe.
4.) I think that only shock so far has been the Iraqis trying to figure out how we’re already on the outskirts of Baghdad.
5.) The ground war has already gone longer the Gulf War I, and we have less than half the casualties.
6.) The media is by and large bound and determined to downplay our successes as they might vindicate our decision to go to war. The mainstream media will report this as another Vietnam unless we are so decisive in our achievement that they would have to out and out lie (and then they still might).

The US military (and the coalition forces also) have really proven just how professional and skilled they are. We’re annihilating the military, yet taking the time to carry a wounded boy to medical attention. We’re bringing in food and water along with more tanks and personnel carriers. We’re fighting fair, even as our enemy does not. We have comported ourselves in a most excellent manner. Our men and women in uniform have done much to make us proud of them. And we are proud of them.

To paraphrase David Glasgow Farragut: Damn the media, full speed ahead!