2/21    Whether you are for or against an Iraq War: What do you think
        is going to happen militarily?  Lots of Iraqi casualties, very
        little for the Americans?  A cakewalk for the Americans?  A
        political victory for the Iraqis?
        \_ If we go in with a UN mandate, everyone will surrender.
        \_ war in iraq will mean the end of america.  the jihad is already
           primed after the unjust war in afghanistan, and a war in iraq
           will just unleash the rage of muslims everywhere.  it will mean
           military defeat in iraq without, and uprising and reprisals in
           america within.  american streets will run red with blood as
           we once and for all cleanse the world of these infidels.  this
           is the will of allah.
           \_ I've seen the Will of Allah. All I get the Original Star Trek
              Commemorative plate and a free wings coupon from Hooters.
              \_ Hey, where's the nearest Hooters?  I feel like a road trip.
        \_ Militarily, Iraq will be defeated. They can't defend themselves
           effectively in the desert environment against the well trained, well
           equiped coalition ground forces that are supported by the
           unchallenged air forces dropping precision munitions on the Iraqis.
           Remember the "Desert Storm".  Iraqis' only hope of slightly changing
           the odds in their favor is to entrench themselves in the large
           sites.  Baghdad is a large city with a population of over 4 mln
           people.  It will sure be somewhat hard to take it and the US troops
           might suffer heavier than usual casualties there. But, IMHO, if it
           gets to the point that Baghdad is under a siege, surrounded by a
           couple of hundred thousand coalition troops, I am sure the US won't
           stop there and try to take over it at any cost (be it time or human
           lives). Eventually, the game will be over. Saddam knows that.  I
           suspect that his strategy of moving the warfare into the cities is
           nothing more but a PR move to persuade the US and UK that this war
           will be longer and bloodier than they expect. If the war really gets
           to that stage, either Saddam will likely try to flee to a third
           country or he'll be removed from power by an internal coup/unrest.
           \_ I agree that there won't be some big final street to bloody
              street battle.  SH isn't going to stick around to get his ass
              shot off.  If he does, it's over.  If he doesn't there'll be
              mass surrender in the first 48 hours and the rest will surrender
              within a week to ten days.
           \_ I think the US will crush Iraq with less than 1000 casualties.
              Then we will have to occupy the country for the next 10 years
              with 2 divisions of troops. Whether this is a good thing or not
              depends on your feelings about empire.
           \_ Saddam can drag the diplomatic game on and on until warm weather
              comes.  Then the US soldiers will faint of the intense heat
              inside their anti-chemical-biological protective suits.  Also, if
              the battle goes into the cities, is it going to be another
              Somalia?