Cakewalk
I am watching News Hour tonight, and Senator Byron Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota, says, "we had some neocons early on saying this would be a cakewalk; it is not and will not be ...".
The problem is that the "neocon" in question was Ken Adelman in the Washington Post last February, who said it in a specific context, and gave his own definition of the term:
The U.S. forces had fewer deaths in 2003 (129) vs. 1991 (148) and won in much less time: it took 25 days until the last major city, Tikrit, was "liberated,"in 2003, and in 1991 it took 40 days until Kuwait was declared "liberated."
Now, it depends on what you mean by "cakewalk," but Adelman told us what he means: he means that the first time around it was a cakewalk. That's a part of his definition of the word. By that definition, the mission -- demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq [from Hussein's power] -- was a cakewalk.
Dorgan wouldn't like you to know these things. He would like you to think that because people died it therefore cannot be a "cakewalk" (ignoring the context and standard being used in the use of the word), and that the "neocons" were really talking about the entire Iraq mission, not just the initial part of it. That way it's easier for him to make the "neocons" look bad. But now you know better, and knowing is half the battle!
The problem is that the "neocon" in question was Ken Adelman in the Washington Post last February, who said it in a specific context, and gave his own definition of the term:
I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. Let me give simple, responsible reasons: (1) It was a cakewalk last time; (2) they've become much weaker; (3) we've become much stronger; and (4) now we're playing for keeps.
The U.S. forces had fewer deaths in 2003 (129) vs. 1991 (148) and won in much less time: it took 25 days until the last major city, Tikrit, was "liberated,"in 2003, and in 1991 it took 40 days until Kuwait was declared "liberated."
Now, it depends on what you mean by "cakewalk," but Adelman told us what he means: he means that the first time around it was a cakewalk. That's a part of his definition of the word. By that definition, the mission -- demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq [from Hussein's power] -- was a cakewalk.
Dorgan wouldn't like you to know these things. He would like you to think that because people died it therefore cannot be a "cakewalk" (ignoring the context and standard being used in the use of the word), and that the "neocons" were really talking about the entire Iraq mission, not just the initial part of it. That way it's easier for him to make the "neocons" look bad. But now you know better, and knowing is half the battle!
"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."
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