Re: "This was a new lesson from the resistance"

["Walter Lippmann" <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

(Bush explained last week how Washington is
measuring its progressive successes in Iraq:

"the more progress we make on the ground, the
more free the Iraqis become, the more electricity
is available, the more jobs are available, the more
kids that are going to school, the more desperate
these killers become, because they can't stand the
thought of a free society. They hate freedom.
They love terror. They love to try to create fear
and chaos. And what we're determined in this
administration is not to be intimidated by these killers."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/iraq/20031027-1.html

Meanwhile, the US occupation manager called
it "a tough week".

All this reminded me of Pete Seeger's descriptive
song about Vietnam, which applies fully to Iraq:

WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY
by Pete Seeger (1967)

      It was back in nineteen forty-two,
      I was part of a good platoon.
      We were on manoeuvers in Louisiana,
      One night by the light of the moon.
      The captain said, "We've got to ford the river",
      That's where it all began.
      We were knee deep in the Big Muddy,
      And the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

      The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,
      This is the way back to the base?"
      "Sergeant, I once crossed this river
      Not a mile above this place.
      It'll be a little soggy but we'll keep slogging.
      We'll soon be on dry ground."
      We were waist deep in the Big Muddy
      And the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

      "Captain, sir, with all this gear
      No man'll be able to swim."
      "Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie,"
      The Captain said to him.
      "All we need is a little determination;
      Follow me, I'll lead on."
      We were neck deep in the Big Muddy
      And the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

      All of a sudden, the moon clouded over,
      All we heard was a gurgling cry.
      A second later, the captain's helmet
      Was all that floated by.
      The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!
      I'm in charge from now on."
      And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
      With the captain dead and gone.


      We stripped and dived and found his body
      Stuck in the old quicksand.
      I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
      Than the place where he'd once been.
      For another stream had joined the Muddy
      A half mile from where we'd gone.
      We were lucky to get out of the Big Muddy
      When the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

      Well, you might not want to draw conclusions
      I'll leave that to yourself
      Maybe you're still walking, maybe you're still talking
      Maybe you've still got your health.
      But every time I hear the news
      That old feeling comes back on;
      We're waist deep in the Big Muddy
      And the damn fools kept yelling to push on.

      Knee deep in the Big Muddy
      And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
      Waist deep in the Big Muddy
      And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
      Waist deep! Neck deep! we'll be drowning before too long
      We're neck deep in the Big Muddy
      And the damn fools keep yelling to push on

      TRO © 1967 Melody Trails, Inc. New York, NY




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