On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 21:02:31 -0500, "Kevin Brooks"
wrote:

"British timidity"? Just how many reservists was the US mobilising for a
ground offensive into Kosovo? I seem to recall the option being
categorically ruled out in the US... but we were getting ready to sign
Queen's Orders.

Personally, I could care less what Hackworth has to say about anything--IMO
he is a bit like James Dunnigan and Tom Clancy, in that he apparently
enamored with the sound of his own voice and impresses himself if nobody
else. But Paul, you do need to go back and check your facts--while Clinton &
Company had indeed ruled out the ground option early on (rating as one of
his administration's bigger military mistakes--it was stupid to give
Milosevich the additional breathing room it afforded him), they did
subsequently revisit the issue, and they *did* announce that it was back
into play (that latter cite is one that even you folks in the UK should have
heard of at the time).

Agreed, but then this change was a direct result of a change in
context which included *British* pressure to reconsider the use of
ground troops. When it comes down to it, the British were pushing
earlier for committing a force on the ground if necessary, and were
putting their money where their mouth was. I should know, I was
getting prepped for mobilisation at exactly that time, and I knew
where I'd be going. So, while I take your point, talking about
"British timidity" over Kosovo is, frankly, ********. When it came
down to it, the British goverment were displaying more nerve and
willingness to do the business than the US adminsitration.

As for Pristina airport, I would like to know precisely how many dead
Russian soldiers killed in the defence of their sacred Slavic brethren
the US hawks would have actually demanded as the price of stilling
their criticism. If they couldn't see the radical change of
cost-benefit analysis involved in that escalation of posturing, they
should read a little more about the defensive Slavic pretensions of
the Russians and little events like World War One.

[snip Hackworth; every retired Colonel has more opinions than sense]

Gavin Bailey