> We are going to get squeezed from the North and the South.... If the
> weather prevents air support, it is going to be horrendous. Of course,
> if US air support comes in, it will be devastating for the Iraqi's.
Don't be so worried about 'your' army. 'You' are not getting squeezed, certainly not from the south, which is mostly empty desert where the highly mobile US forces have a decisive maneuvering advantage. There is a harassment campaign, which means that places like Umm Qasar are not really safe for civilians, the US has a very long supply line, which is liable to incur losses, but they have near hegemony in the desert and complete hegemony in the air. So, I am afraid that they won't be liquidated. Far from it.
As for the on going debate about the desirability of US military losses, it seems to me obvious that if there are serious US casualties, the USG is not as likely to pursue this sort of thing again in even more heavily armed and easily defensible countries like Iran or Syria. It's not pretty but Iraqis have a right to kill US troops, who are the aggressors in this. The more effective they are at that, the more the cost to be an aggressor. (Assuming that Bush and Co. are rational, which might be a stretch.) If you are not happy about that - I am not - let's work towards putting the bastards who sent these people over there in jail. Save your compassion for the gallows.
Thiago
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