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EVERYBODY CAN TAKE IT EASY, WE GOT THE TOYMAN. Michael Goldfarb notes the killing of reputed al-Qaeda car-bomb specialist Abu Yaqub al-Masri, and links to this wonderful post that I think perfectly captures the deliriously triumphal macho-geek essence of the species warblogger:
"Important that we don't understate how important of a kill this was... if Al-Qa'ida Iraq was structured like the Legion of Doom, this clown would be sitting somewhere between Bizzaro Superman and the Black Manta. I bid a fond farewell to all terrorists, but for this guy I'd be willing to break out the champagne and party poppers, and hire a band to belt out the Axl Rose version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"..... all while steely eyed soldiers usher him along to meet Allah."
Yeah, remember when the we got AQI's Lex Luthor, and then the Iraq war was over? That was awesome.
It's great that we've gotten rid of a guy who was blowing up civilians. It's tragic that we created a situation where he could practice and perfect his craft, and teach it to others. Before popping the corks over the death of the Toyman, we should consider that he's created dozens of other Toymen, who will in turn create dozens more.
--Matthew Duss
COMMENTS (7)
i mean, we know most warbloggers are (in the immortal words of bugs bunny) maroooooooons, but still, it amazes when they make it clear that their world view is shaped by comic books....
Posted by: howard | September 21, 2007 11:06 AM
I think it's amazing that Goldfarb linked to this post in an approving way, rather than as the object of ridicule. But I guess self-awareness isn't terribly strong among this crowd. It does serve to drive home the point that not only many of these bloggers socially retarded geeks, but they really don't consider war to be any different than a comic book game. Which is more tragic than it is amusing -- particularly since our president shares that outlook.
Posted by: Fred App | September 21, 2007 12:58 PM
Whomever that guy was, I'd have a ton more respect for him if he put it in terms of beating a sports team instead of taking out a comic book character. I'd give him double respect points if he put it in terms akin to "it's not like taking out the Brazilian women's soccer team, but more like taking out the Norwegian women's squad." That would show some evidence of getting fresh air.
Posted by: American Citizen | September 21, 2007 4:32 PM
That's funny -- wasn't Goldfarb's rag just recently whining about the infantilization of corporate America?
I guess cartoon references by milbloggers don't count at a magazine that likes to think of its readers as being the only "adults" in America...
Posted by: Jb | September 21, 2007 5:34 PM
Ah, the simplistic thinking of both sides.
No, killing a bombmaker or leader or "#3 guy" doesn't often bring the war any closer to victory. But leaders also don't reproduce at the rate you think they do. Israel devastated Hamas' ability to wage war by taking out leaders and bombmakers with ruthless efficiency. Hamas won't be able to wage war with the kind of intensity they did from 2000-2003 for at least a decade, if ever.
Anyone who has even a passing familiarity with military history knows that you don't just take one skilled operator or leader and create twenty more through recruitment. When the Confederacy lost Stonewall Jackson and the Japanese lost Admiral Yamamoto, that hurt. A lot. When the Japanese lost a large portion of their best pilots at the Battles of Midway and Coral Sea, that hurt. The Japanese didn't just look at their population of over 60 million, with no shortage of enthusiastic recruits, and voila! skilled pilots and admirals sprang forth.
Obviously, the war in Iraq was a huge strategic blunder that is allowing the enemy to recuirt, and train on a battlefield that is not all that uncomfortable for them due to our shortage of boots on the ground. But once we pull out of Iraq and concentrate on eliminating Al Qaeda, taking out those leaders and skilled operators is going to become very significant.
Posted by: Adam Herman | September 22, 2007 9:53 AM
The war in Iraq also allowed us to recruit and train the Iraqi army. Iraq is a good place to fight the jihadis; we have local arabic-speaking allies. We have to fight these guys somewhere. let's win in Iraq.
Posted by: buck smith | September 22, 2007 10:14 PM
Iraq is too fractious and Al Qaeda can't exist there anyway, whether we are there or not. It's just as much a quagmire for them as it is for us.
Posted by: Adam Herman | September 23, 2007 8:37 AM