“On my signal, unleash hell.”

[Montagnard]

March 14, 2003, in a final huddle with commanders before the start of the Iraq invasion, General Tommy Franks in a dim command center started the proceeding with the opening scenes of Russell Crowe in the Gladiator.

In the movie, for those you who have not seen it, Crowe as Marcus Aurelius’s favorite general starts the battle against the Germanic tribe, who failed to surrender to the Rome, with the words “On my signal, unleash hell.”

Franks was attempting to instill the warrior spirit in his commanders. But, he, it seems, was very prescient. The conquering of the Germanic tribes with its cost to Rome contributed to the demise of the Roman Empire. It could prove the same for US, which is now at half a trillion dollars of borrowed money into paying for the aftermath of another historic blunder in empire building.

(Information on Franks final command meeting from COBRA II)

[Terran1212]

1. The FUCK is wrong with some of these people?

That's all I want to know.

[SoCalDem]

4. They are all "play-acting"..It's a big game to them

They play monopoly..with real money and real dead bodies.

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Why don't these clowns stick to video games to get their jollies?

[Terran1212]

8. But then we'd have sane people running our military and government!

Not a bunch of over-testosteroned children.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Sanity would be nice for a change. I forget what it's like, though.

[Montagnard]

12. You express my feelings completely

My mental health is shot after five years of alternative-reality.

[MadMaddie]

2. History is prophetic isn't it.....

Sigh....this is exactly what is wrong with the * cabal....they have no true understanding of why and how history played out as it did....Rome, Nazi Germany, Russia....

Sigh....

[unblock]

3. of course, conquering iraq isn't what's so costly

what's so costly is using the military as cover for funneling money to your friends' businesses and so on.

but i suppose rome had its share of that sort of thing, too....

[Jigarotta]

5. Frank 'n wieny is now retired, yes?

you have a link sausage? to this?

[Montagnard]

7. Sorry from the book COBRA II

page 164

[Jigarotta]

10. k, thanks.

I'm a Soleari (that Mozart thing,but no I'm not even mozarts cow bell) in many respects.
Too Many Notes!

[pk_du]

9. Heres one - quoting same passge from Cobra II

http://www.tnr.com/blog/theplank?pid=11942