DanMargarita.com

The New York Times ran a recent news report that Rear Adm. John Stufflebeem said that he had underestimated the tenacity of the Afghan troops because he had not understood that the Taliban "don't see the world the same way we do," or automatically accept American "inevitability."

The best thing about writing this column is that is gives me a public forum to make editorial commentary, and so to Rear Adm. Stufflebeem's comments I would like to take this opportunity to publicly reply with a "DUH!!!"

Clearly, Rear Adm. Stufflebeem (I just like writing his name) doesn't seem to have learned from history. If he had, he would have realized that the British and the Soviets both found themselves hopelessly caught in a quagmire in Afghanistan.

One has to wonder that if the British and the Soviets couldn't win there, what are our chances? We've sent elite Special Forces over there and though they've yet to hit the ground, they may do just fine.

It occurred to me that there is one group of individuals who may have the best chance of winning.

The New York Yankees.

Having seen them pull one miracle victory after another out of their proverbial hats, I think that the three in a row major league champions may be our best shot. OK, so the Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series. Had it not been for three errors in the seventh game, including one by their usually indomitable closer, Mariano Rivera, the Yanks would likely have won their fourth consecutive title.

I've never seen a team full of players with such paltry batting averages that scare the hell out of me when batting an a clutch situation.

I don't know if there are two other guys that I'd rather have in a foxhole with me than Tino Martinez, and Scott Brosius.

"Brosius, cover the left flank! Martinez, take out that machine gun nest!"

Sure, Osama bin Laden has found himself a loyal group of follwers, but how would he react if Roger Clemens buzzed him high and tight with a fastball?

This has put me in mind of some other historical match-ups that I'd like to see:

The 1927 Yankees versus the Third Reich.

On September 1, 1939, Hitler's troops invade Poland, but they prove to be no match for "Murderers Row" when Babe Ruth steps up, points to the Rheinland and "calls his shot." With one mighty swing, the Babe knocks the Nazis back into their own territory. Lou Gherig follows up with a smash that destroys the stormtroopers once and for all.

The 1968-69 Super Bowl New York Jets versus the Soviet Union. Nikita Krushchev scares the American public when he tells the U.S. "We will bury you."

This doesn't phase the Jets brash young quarterback, "Broadway Joe" Namath, who boldly predicts, "The Jets will win. I guarantee it." Sure enough, the Iron Curtain and Soviet communism eventually fall.

At this point, I would now like to take this opportunity to apologize to Rear Adm. Stufflebeem for making light of his name. With a name like Margarita, who am I to make fun of someone else's name?

However, I usually like to end with something funny whenever possible, so here goes:

Rear Adm. Stufflebeem.