Age-old-wartime-debate: Experience vs. Technology

Pertaining to the latest 'tiff' between Thailand and Cambodia over a temple on their border, the following article claims that Khmer (pronounced Khmai) (Cambodian) soldiers are itching for the fight, believing they have the edge over the Thais due to their experience as Khmer Rouge soldiers under the most brutal Poly Potty regime. Sure the Thais have more modern weaponry and are better equipped but the Khmer are 'battle-hardened' and 'know the terrain'.

Head here to read the article and see pictures of the soldiers all excited and preparing for glorious defense of the Khmer motherland.

Now, I hope and I know that it is very unlikely that there will not be a war between the two countries over one stupid temple. Yes it is stupid, because its making everyone behave like children. If it comes to war, then maybe we can have a third party like XXX come and bomb it to pieces and then there would be nothing to fight over. I' m not saying it's stupid because I'm not a Buddhist. Even if it was church, well blow it up anyway. If it's a mosque, same thing. Deliver the air-mail. No temple,church, mosque is worth killing each other over.

Anyway, back to the point. Although war seems unlikely, the over-inflated egos of the Cambodians just makes me wish that there would be war so that the Thais could go in and wipe them off the face off the earth. (the arrogant soldiers I mean, not mass genocide on all Khmer everywhere)

Let's put this debate into perspective shall we. The Thais will bury them. Why?

1. Khmer Rouge soldiers have a lot of experience killing... innocent Cambodian civillians. Armed thai soldiers are a different thing.

2.In the later years, the Khmer Rouge got fed-up killing defenseless civillians and were spoiling for a bigger challenge. So they started to pick fights with neighbouring Vietham over some border villagaes. This ended up with the Vietnamese army coming in full scale to put and end to the Polly Potty regime. So yes, they were excellent at killing unarmed civillians, but could not give the same performance when faced with armed soldiers. Mind you, the Vietnamese army was not only technologically superior, possessing Soviet planes and tanks, but they were also THE most battle hardened troops in SEA,fresh from fighting the Americans just years earlier.

3. The Thai soldiers do not have much experience true, but the Thai nation's history has a lot. Countless wars with Burma. And don't forget the Thais are the only people to be independent of any foreign Western power in SEA. Plus, they are excellent at performing bloodless coups. As it is said, the best warrior is the one who doesnt even have to draw his weapon.

4. Experience is SO over-rated. The Taliban in 2001: "We will (expletives) the Americans, just like we (expletives) the British and the (expletives) Soviets before! Afghanistan will be their grave! bla bla bla. " Two months later, they've been chased to the mountains and have been hiding there ever since. Still playing the same old message like a broken tape recorder.

And now I leave you with this cute politcal cartoon, courtesy of BUN HEANG UNG
OK I lied, I'll leave you with more than one. Here's another good one about the Temple standoff from the same artist.