It's also worth pointing out how stupid the plan is too. Again and again we've learned that terrorizing populations into submission galvanizes resistance and bolsters support for regimes that may have otherwise been facing internal pressures due to incompetence or material conditions. One might forgive a 19th century general for confusing this, but after the blitz, strategic air command, Afghanistan (UK), Vietnam (France), Vietnam (America), The Troubles, Afghanistan (USSR), Afghanistan (America), Iraq, and the continued failure to trigger a regime change in Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran, you would think eventually our leaders would learn that this strategy is a consistent losing one. But alas, we are led by people with worse memories than gold fish.
It's particularly galling because brave and stalwart resistance in the face of these exact conditions are part of the cultural identity of some of the western nations! The Brits are very proud of their "Blitz Spirit", but cannot seem to learn (or convince the Americans) that the takeaway from the Blitz is that trying to bomb and terrorize civilian populations into submission is not a winning strategy. But I guess the takeaway that most of these fools have is nothing more sophisticated and interesting than "Churchill tough man".
It's also worth pointing out how stupid the plan is too. Again and again we've learned that terrorizing populations into submission galvanizes resistance and bolsters support for regimes that may have otherwise been facing internal pressures due to incompetence or material conditions. One might forgive a 19th century general for confusing this, but after the blitz, strategic air command, Afghanistan (UK), Vietnam (France), Vietnam (America), The Troubles, Afghanistan (USSR), Afghanistan (America), Iraq, and the continued failure to trigger a regime change in Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran, you would think eventually our leaders would learn that this strategy is a consistent losing one. But alas, we are led by people with worse memories than gold fish.
It's particularly galling because brave and stalwart resistance in the face of these exact conditions are part of the cultural identity of some of the western nations! The Brits are very proud of their "Blitz Spirit", but cannot seem to learn (or convince the Americans) that the takeaway from the Blitz is that trying to bomb and terrorize civilian populations into submission is not a winning strategy. But I guess the takeaway that most of these fools have is nothing more sophisticated and interesting than "Churchill tough man".
The unending cruelty is just relentless.