Volume I No. 61
 03-22-03
 Shock And Awe
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2003

 Remember the date. March 21st, 2003. That's the day that a new
 phrase was officially emblazoned upon the English language 
 lexicon. "Shock and Awe" was indeed inflicted upon the Iraqi 
 people as dozens of cruise missles and GPS-guided bombs rained 
 down upon the ancient city of Baghdad. In the space of only 30 
 minutes or so, more of this expensive high-tech weaponry was 
 loosed upon the Iraqi capital than during the entire Gulf War.

 The show was spectacular. The precision bombs exploded with 
 tremendous force. Bright orange flashes colored the sky, followed 
 by heavy rumbles that echoed across the cityscape. As if the 
 sounds were some powerful natural force and not the result of 
 man-made chaos. 

 The Iraqi government buildings were quickly aflame, as towering 
 columns of white smoke lifted themselves up, and were silhouetted
 against the sky. Alive briefly, in the momentary pause before the 
 next obscuring eruption. Ephemeral wraiths of paper, ash, and fine 
 cement dust.

 This "Shock and Awe" campaign was every bit as spectacular 
 as promised. And this was real. Not some Hollywood farce. Little
 did it matter that some of the targeted buildings were not in use.
 Long since abandoned, as the threat of the war loomed ever larger. 

 Yet, the message delivered was as advertised. 

 "Shock and Awe!"

 It is only to wonder about the cowering youngsters of Baghdad,
 and their families, who had to endure this horrific bombardment.
 But the fault is not with leaders of the "International Coalition of
 The Willing." But with the mad tyrant who refused to leave Iraq 
 and accept exhile. And thus placed his welfare and prestige, above 
 the safety of his own people.

 The outcome of this conflagration is not in doubt.

 But war does not need terms such as "Shock and Awe."  Those
 unnecessary words are an ugly excess. The horror of human military 
 conflict does not need to be highlighted in yellow.

 { the term "Shock and Awe" was originally coined by military
   authors James P. Wade and Harlan Ullman in 1996 }
 

 ReadingPost.Com
 © Copyright 2003

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