Like chess, Iraq has an opening phase, a middle phase,
and an end game phase.
The opening phase has been played out. We invaded in a 21 day ground war.
The middle phase is currently and tragically being played out. We are
increasingly seen as occupiers instead of liberators.
But what is the end game? No one can tell me.
And, just like in chess, to 'win', you've got to play strong opening,
middle, and end games. We won the opening phase, we're playing the
middle game now, and doing badly. And, the end game strategy isn't even
known yet.
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Is Rummy actually saying "Since we can't know the future, we should not
plan for it?" In the past, he certainly followed this strategy. He even
went so far as to order people to officially ignore the 'Future of Iraq'
project, publications at the Army War College, and, as well, the Marine
'Small Wars Manual'.
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Bush seems to feel the current troubles are due to a few 'terrorists'
and 'thugs' running around. Does he think that by just 'adding troops',
it'll solve the problem?
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Getting back to the game of chess, at any given point, you've got to
have a realistic knowledge of where you and your opponent are, and,
you've got the think ahead 20 or so moves. If you don't, you get your
army chewed up and destroyed and you end up loosing.
Unfortunately, the Bush administration has not applied any of this game
theory knowledge to Iraq. Our death tole mounts, and we are loosing the
'hearts and minds' of the Iraqis daily by killing innocent women and
children.
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