Posted on 05/18/2004 5:31:30 AM PDT by OESY
Edited on 05/18/2004 5:43:03 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
John F. Kennedy in his presidential inauguration speech in January 1961 declared, "We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship" to assure the survival of liberty. Those were inspiring words, but they could not stand up to the harsh realities of the Cold War. Years after the Kennedy assassination, it would become evident to President Richard Nixon that Americans had no stomach for continuing to pay the price of Vietnam. South Vietnam would fall to communist tyranny.
George W. Bush displayed leadership and resolve comparable to that of JFK in launching the war against terrorists after the 9/11 attacks. But, again, political realities have intruded and the solidarity he was able to forge in 2001 is beginning to crack.
Since the Abu Ghraib disclosures, the president's natural enemies in America have been emboldened. He is again beset by partisan claims that taking the war to the terrorists by invading Iraq was a grievous mistake. The chattering classes of the left, along with a few on the right, are reviving the memory of the "Vietnam quagmire."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
We had won the war. Yet, for some reason, we gave up the struggle. Millions died as a result of that decision.
Why did we do it? Leftist media (Dan Rather, Walter Cronkite, etc.) and Leftist Activists (John Kerry, Jane Fonda, etc.) We need to come to grips with the fact that there is a Fifth Column in this country and it has been trying (since the days of Joe McCarthy) to undermine our standing in the world. If the voters in this country can absorb that message, we will weather the storm and go on to win the War against Terrorism.
I hope Bush has the cajones to frame the 2004 election in those terms.
Brief excerpts only please.
The left would rather we try stern language, or maybe put a demerit in the terrorists permanent file.
There are too many folks in this country who are not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to fight this war. It will only be when we are hit again by terrorists at home that they will get off their collective butts and take a stand. Right now they can't be bothered. They are too concerned with who the next "American Idol" will be.
I agree. Their editorials are too long, except when they're not, and they should be held to account.
Also, this auto-excerpt snipped after the last word, so I broke the piece in two.
WSJ is excerpt-only. That goes for downthread. Thanks.
Terrorism has a name; it is “Moslem terrorism”! It comes from fanatical Islamic preaching, and media. If the Bush administrations, along with the US public/media in general are not ready to work on that source of Islamic terror, then Islamic terrorism will never go away.
Just ask yourself; what did the US do to reduce the venomous preaching of hate in the madrasas, mosques, and Arab media? What did the US do to stop the flow of funds from Saudi Arabia, and Iran to the terrorist organizations? What did the US do to improve its image in the eyes of hate filled Moslems?
Termite infestation cannot be overcome by killing one termite at a time. You have to kill the queen, and prevent moist wood from becoming a source for a new colony.
Maybe it is me, but I don't view terrorism to be the problem. I view Socialism as the problem that gave terrorists the incentive to strike out at what they see as a decadent society in a downward spiral.
Drugs, homosexuality, weak on crime, abortion are all products of a moral and value system gone awry. Religion and faith hold America together as well as most of the Arab world. Once that faith is breached and reinforced by a secularist court system instead of the will of the people, then we as a nation are in trouble.
The Arab world despises our decadent way of life because we seek to impose our values on their culture. When you look at it objectively you see the following:
Americas left wing is responsible for the decadence that has infused itself in society.
Americas left wing has destroyed the court system.
Americas left wing has made abortion a key issue in society.
Americas left wing has created an inferior education system.
Americas left wing has come out for gay and lesbian marriage.
Americas left wing is directly responsible for the grand social experiment that failed.
Americas left wing has protected through the ACLU and other organizations, illegal foreign interests in this country at the expense of Americans.
This is what Arab countries portay us as and want no part of it. Their radicalism, while not justifiable to us in terms of murdering infidels, is justifiable in their eyes. Which pretty much explains why the mullahs, both radical and moderate aren't complaining about this jihad.
So how does Americas left propose to fix this? They blame Bush for it.
And that is why the Arab world hates us.
Stupid leftists think they can appease the terrorists and understand them and deal with them.... All the while the terrorists are planning their next mass attack/murder of us.
EXCELLENT COMMENTS!!!!!!
Which is exactly the reason that they'd love Kerry to win in November.
Termite infestation is also not solved by imprisoning termites, giving them legal rights then trying to 'rehabilitate' them.
Termites are termites; it's in their nature to destroy your house, and no amount of kindness to them will change their nature.
You simply call the exterminator.
But there's not a thing wrong with posting a summary or a critique with quotes used to illustrate a point.
For example, it's fair to note that the article compares the spread of Muslim fanaticism to the spread of cancer in an organism, and that like antibodies, moderate Muslims are being aided in combating the cancer, but that the recent furor over Abu Ghraib misdeeds have dealt this effort a setback.
Further, the article argues that we don't help ourselves in this war by trying to wish away the terrorists.
I recently read Bernard Lewis's "The Crisis of Islam," and he points out that the Islamists believed America was morally corrupt and degenerate as long ago as the 40's and early 50's, an era which many conservatives regard as the days of Mom and Apple Pie. So their hatred of us pre-dated many of the social trends which you cite as cause for their contempt for us. Of course, the things you mention only serve to reinforce their beliefs, but we need to understand how far-reaching their critique is; it goes way beyond the critique that a traditional Christian might apply.
I am willing to bet it started during the womens rights movement.
FYI
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