Re: <nettime> A miniature city waiting for attack (military urbanism)

[Michael H Goldhaber <mgoldh@well.com>]

Hi all,

Before the Iraq war I noted that conquering resisting cities or
fighting in them is impossible for most modern armies, unless they are
willing to destroy the cities, as Berlin was block by block in 1945, or
Hue all at once in 1968. Otherwise the death toll for the attackers is
too high.

Baghdad, a city of 5 million, remains basically unconquered, while
Falluja was pretty much destroyed in order to "pacify" it. Unless the
Pentagon is willing to build an entire metropolis and people it with
fanatically dedicated and wily opponents, its efforts a these war games
appear to be just as misconceived as the idea that Iraqi nosegays would
await "our boys and girls" in '03.

"Three small buildings"? A joke. The danger is that these nitwits will
take their wargames there to be a realistic exercise and plunge the
world into future Iraqs. We only aid that by taking this seriously.

Best,
Michael

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