Comments on: War in Iraq: History Repeats Itself

By: Dunc

Dunc — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:35:01 +0000

The only thing we ever learn from history is that nobody ever learns anything from history. People can always find some reason to believe that this time, it's going to be different.

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:47:59 +0000

Funny, I thought we were fighting terrorists and anti-government forces in Iraq. Iranian (and Syrian) supported forces, but largely Iraqi insurgents with a few extra-national volunteers. Furthermore, an enemy who really isn’t that active and more prone to sabotage and ambush than open conflict. I don’t think that’s what Justinian the Apostate faced in his expedition.

By: Philip H.

Philip H. — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:14:46 +0000

I’m not surprised we repeat history – we don’t reaslly teach it as an analytical, critical thinking subject in America. Instead, we recite facts from rote, we “infuse” some marginal history in other subjects, but don’t really get into the meet of it – the why, the how, the end result. As a consequence, the college freshmen in my dad’s Western Civilizations history class at LSU can’t even tell what the historical names of Iraq are, much less where it is in the world.Why do we do this? Simple really – its easier to turn out a “product” from schools – students wiht diplomas – if we don’t bother to take time to teach them how to think. If we did, there woul dhave been tens of thousands in the streets of Washington DC this week protesting the war, instead of the hundreds who showed up.

By: _Arthur

_Arthur — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:05:46 +0000

I Disagee wit Dr. Sampson: Mark Anthony also tried to take the Persian Empire head on, and his (mostly egyptian) armies were soundly defeated.Octavian and his right hand Agrippa were able to whack Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, because of the weakened state of their army, a direct consequence of their “persian” defeat.