|
| 阅读上一个主题 :: 阅读下一个主题 |
| 作者 |
 ZT:Victory in Iraq goes beyond battlefield success |
 |
tree
[博客]
[个人文集]
游客
|
|
|
作者：Anonymous 在 罕见奇谈 发贴, 来自 http://www.hjclub.org
Victory in Iraq goes beyond battlefield success
Tue Mar 18, 6:48 AM ET Add Op/Ed - USA TODAY to My Yahoo!
Wesley K. Clark
As a military effort, the pending war with Iraq (news - web sites) should be a total mismatch, with a U.S. force two or three times more capable than a decade ago going against an Iraqi force perhaps a third of its former effectiveness. Decisive defeat of Iraq's military, swift occupation of the country and the end of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime seem almost certain.
?/td> Order beautiful photos by USA TODAY photographers
?/td> Travel Tools: Check fares, book a ticket, and more!
?/td> Today in the Sky: Real-time airport weather, delays, and travel news
?/td> Travel deals, news, and features straight to your inbox. Click here to sign up!
But these military achievements alone won't make us winners. What constitutes victory? This question is important because if we can think clearly about what we hope to achieve in the conflict, then we know how to plan it, fight it and follow through afterward. We're all in support of our troops, but this war is about so much more than simply defeating Saddam's military. The United States will have to measure its success by whether it really has done what it is setting out to do:
* Reduce the threat of weapons proliferation.
* Restore the integrity of the United Nations (news - web sites) and NATO (news - web sites).
* Move ahead in winning the war on terror.
* Ultimately, achieve the promise of a peaceful, democratic Middle East.
In the run-up to war, much seems at risk. First, the danger of nuclear proliferation. While we are watching Iraq, North Korea (news - web sites) is apparently preparing to reprocess spent nuclear fuel to create weapons-grade nuclear material; it could create its own nuclear deterrent or begin selling bomb materials to the highest bidder within a few months. The U.N. has trembled under U.S. pressure to approve action against Saddam, and relationships with NATO allies France and Germany have ripped apart.
Additionally, hundreds of thousands of angry Muslims are demonstrating against the prospect of war -- threatening a new wave of al-Qaeda recruiting, even as we've arrested one of their top leaders. And, while fighting continues between Israel and the Palestinians, our best friends in the region, such as Egypt, are still expressing profound reservations about the long-term impact of the war. However trying the run-up to conflict, ultimate success isn't out of reach -- if we address these issues soon.
North Korea is competing for the United States' attention before we have disposed of the first member of the axis of evil. If it is seeking to begin developing nuclear materials, surely this is its best opportunity, when we are distracted and committed in Iraq. We can still rein in North Korea's nuclear program, but we must act now to rebuild our relations with the South and to talk directly to the North.
We should act immediately to mend the breaches within the U.N. and NATO. More important than whether we secured a second U.N. resolution is how we leave the atmospherics in both organizations. There likely will need to be personal fence mending all around, as well as a vow to stop predicting the demise of the U.N. or NATO if they don't always agree with us.
Let's hope we'll be able to initiate U.N. and NATO preparations for assistance in Iraq in the aftermath of war, including both institutions in our plans and engaging them in critical postwar roles. And after the conflict with Saddam is finished, we'll still need these vital international institutions to pursue many other American interests.
As for international opinion, the conduct of the war itself will be the defining factor. If we finish the fight quickly, and avoid significant unintended casualties among the Iraqi populace, then the current outrage probably will subside. With our overwhelming power and resolve -- and the help of the Iraqis themselves -- we ought to be able to finish off even a Stalingrad-like defense relatively quickly.
Gaining control of the chemical and biological weapons, nuclear potential, production facilities and scientists probably won't be as easy. We'll need an intensive effort to interrogate key personnel, search files and track concealed weapons. Then we'll use special teams to capture the weapons. It will be a race against other parties; a bag of anthrax spores could be as valuable as gold. If we aren't successful here, then much of this huge military effort will have been for naught.
As for Saddam, he is relatively unimportant. Deprived of his capital and stooges, he'll not survive long anywhere even if he manages a temporary escape.
Finally, we'll have to transition to Iraqi self-government without letting a new conflict emerge or allowing Iraq to become a recruiting base for a supercharged al-Qaeda. Make no mistake: U.S. actions will stir long-term resentment.
Northern Iraq is already shaping up as a particular problem. Kurdish, Iranian-supported and militant Islamist elements are contending for power while Turkey waits anxiously nearby. Additionally, we know that there are strong Shiite political organizations in southern Iraq as well. Trying to juggle these centrifugal forces while relying on the existing Sunni-dominated remnants of Saddam's power structure for stability will be a daily challenge. We also will have to contend with various Islamic charities, some of which undoubtedly will continue to be recruiting channels for al-Qaeda.
The struggle for Iraq will continue long after the shooting stops -- and it is this longer struggle that will be the decisive one.
Our men and women in uniform are first-rate -- probably the finest armed forces any government has ever assembled and certainly the most powerful and capable. We should be able to take enormous pride in their superiority on the battlefield.
But in this fight, we cannot be satisfied with battlefield success alone. We need a full victory in every phase of the campaign.
Wesley K. Clark, a retired U.S. Army general, commanded NATO forces in Europe and is the author of Waging Modern War.
作者：Anonymous 在 罕见奇谈 发贴, 来自 http://www.hjclub.org |
|
|
| 返回顶端 |
|
 |
| |
|
|
您不能在本论坛发表新主题
您不能在本论坛回复主题
您不能在本论坛编辑自己的文章
您不能在本论坛删除自己的文章
您不能在本论坛发表投票
您不能在这个论坛添加附件
您不能在这个论坛下载文件
|
based on phpbb, All rights reserved.
|
