The War on Terror

"The War on Terror
June 20, 2005: It’s difficult to keep track of who’s winning the war on terror when so many other issues are getting mixed up with an already complicated situation. “Winning the war” takes on new meanings when it comes to the war on terror. A more conventional war also presents rather murky scorecards at times. While looking at a map, and noting whose forces are advancing, gives you an idea of how the war is going, it’s not over until it’s over. And as we discovered in Korea, where the front line didn't move for over two years, everyone eventually declared it a draw. In Vietnam, the U.S. declared victory and went home. That “victory” lasted for several years until the other side decided that guerilla war wasn’t working, and just came across the border with tanks and divisions of infantry. They did that twice. First time (1972), it didn’t work. Second time (1975), it did. People kept saying the U.S. lost that war, but American troops were long gone by 1975. Even during World War II, when it was obvious that Japan was defeated, they still would not surrender. Their fleet was sunk, their cities were bombed to rubble, but they would not surrender. Two atomic bombs, and Russians charging into Japanese occupied China finally changed their minds. But by then, it was still something of a surprise. It seemed that the Japanese would require a massive invasion of their home islands, and would keep fighting to the end, as they had done on the smaller Japanese island of Okinawa. It's not over until it's over, but you can often see how it's going to end, when it eventually does."
RantBurg