re: #361 kirkspencer

OK, I understand the sentiment but, why are people so stupid?

If one of our bases were firebombed, would it demoralize our soldiers or strengthen their resolve?

Yeah. So why do we think that soldiers (more or less trained and expecting attack) in a culture that overly prides itself on machismo (not merely brave, but staunch in the face of threat) are going to act differently?

Eventually yes, they break. But it takes more than one attack.

It demoralizes in the short term. Long term, it might increase resolve, but napalm attacks on armored vehicles proved such a terror in Vietnam and Desert Storm that crews of other vehicles often dismounted and ran instead of facing the possibility of being burned alive.

It’s not just Arabs; All human beings still retain an instinctive fear of uncontrolled fire.

(Edited for clarity.)