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How Technology Failed in Iraq
synthespian writes "US troops in Iraq were supposed to have a clear superiority in the battlefield because of sensors and networking devices such as aircraft- and satellite-mounted motion sensors, heat detectors, as well as image and communications eavesdroppers. On April 3, 2003, the task to take over a key Euphrates River bridge about 30 kilometers southwest of Baghdad turned into a bloody hell as 'between 25 and 30 tanks, plus 70 to 80 armored personnel carriers, artillery, and between 5,000 and 10,000 Iraqi soldiers coming from three directions. This mass of firepower and soldiers attacked a U.S. force of 1,000 soldiers supported by just 30 tanks and 14 Bradley fighting vehicles. (...) "'We got nothing until they slammed into us"''(...). Read more about this story and the troubles and challenges the US military is experiencing in networking troops from Technology Review."
the technology review pasted this flash ad right in the middle of the page --
"See How IBM Middleware connects people, processes and information.
Middleware is Everywhere. Can You See It?"
sheesh.
What about:
"Abort earth destruction, ABORT!"
"Abort??... sh*t... I knew I forgot to declare some subroutine!"
Perversely, in three cases, U.S. vehicles were actually attacked while they stopped to receive intelligence data on enemy positions.
Oh great. All that money and all we get is someone yelling "BEHIND YOU!!!"
A decentralized P2P network would never work. The troops would just use it to trade MP3's and DVD rips, and then the MPAA and the RIAA would join forces with the (non pirating) Iraqi insurgents to bring down this great threat to America[n corporate profits].
In Fahrenheit 9/11, it showed that the tank crews listened to Audio CD's while shooting up the city. I wonder if all of those CD's were purchased through the proper channels? I smell some court martials!
Our troops are doing a great job. Not their fault they're stuck fighting Vietnam II, "Desert of Doom."
omgzergrush
is that Bush had a plan to get out of Viet Nam.
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
Were this a different war with a draft in the US things would be different but it's not. Were some foreign power invading a sovereign nation I would support the volunteer troops of the nation which was invaded. Seems to me that the insurgents in Iraq are doing just that, volunteering to fight against a foreign invader.
But any talk of supporting US troops overseas reminds me of a different comedy quote from Monty Python:
Colonel: Come in, what do you want?
(Private Watkins enters and salutes.)
Watkins: I'd like to leave the army please, sir.
Colonel: Good heavens man, why?
Watkins: It's dangerous.
Colonel: What?
Watkins: There are people with guns out there, sir.
Colonel: What?
Watkins: Real guns, sir. Not toy ones, sir. Proper ones, sir. They've all got 'em. All of 'em, sir. And some of 'em have got tanks.
Colonel: Watkins, they are on our side.
Watkins: And grenades, sir. And machine guns, sir. So I'd like to leave, sir, before I get killed, please.
Colonel: Watkins, you've only been in the army a day.
Watkins: I know sir but people get killed, properly dead, sir, no barley cross fingers, sir. A bloke was telling me, if you're in the army and there's a war you have to go and fight.
Colonel: That's true.
Watkins: Well I mean, blimey, I mean if it was a big war somebody could be hurt.
Colonel: Watkins why did you join the army?
Watkins: For the water-skiing and for the travel, sir. And not for the killing, sir. I asked them to put it on my form, sir - no killing.
Colonel: Watkins are you a pacifist?
Watkins: No sir, l'm not a pacifist, sir. I'm a coward.
We do NOT make other countries in our own image. The desire for freedom is the natural goal of the human existence. In fact, I would say the behavor is almost genetic. Yet, it's clueless minded people like you who go off and spout how "Imperialistic" America is. This notion is utter BS! Just look at Japan, Germany, South Korea to name a few. They have freedoms as a direct resault of America having a helping hand. However, they still have their own cuture and even their own constitution. To say otherwise is pure insanity.
But hey, I guess you would rather have Saddam in power filling up mass graves and finding other places to hide the bodies in que. And N. Korea is ok too. I mean, Kim is such a NICE guy.
People like you are so ignorant is terrifies me! I don't hate you...I'm scared shitless of you with your level of thinking!
Life is not for the lazy.
ightly armed and lightly armored guys carrying PDA's.
Hey, it worked for the Marine in Doom 3.....
Monstar L
When China develops a Death Star, they'll just use it on their own civilians. No worry for the Americans.
My money says the 14 million Jews will win this one, hands down.