This compares favorably with pre-war levels from before the First Gulf War and is a level only reached after the First Gulf War in 1997.
Posted on 01/15/2005 7:10:37 PM PST by churchillbuff
YORK In his latest column for Knight Ridder newspapers, famed war correspondent Joseph L. Galloway, a Bronze Star winner, calls for the United States, following Iraqi elections on Jan. 30, to "declare victory and begin leaving."
He joins the rather small band of commentators or editorialists advocating withdrawal.
Last month, in a USA Today column, founder Al Neuharth called for the United States to leave Iraq "sooner rather than later."
Galloway, co-author of "We Were Soldiers Once... and Young," won a Bronze Star in Vietnam after saving the lives of several soldiers and has covered nearly every major conflict since, including the current one.
In his current column he writes that if we stay the course in Iraq "we're likely doomed to an even bloodier and more costly defeat in a country divided along ethnic and religious fault lines and headed toward civil war. ...
"The problem is that there is no way we can win -- defeat the insurgents and install a stable, democratic, friendly government -- and bad things are going to happen anyway. There is no way Americans are willing to pay the price even of stalemate, never mind an unattainable victory. ...
"Why can't we win? Because we charged in with false premises and bogus assumptions. Because for every insurgent we kill, two or three more join the cause. Because even our advertised victories -- like Fallujah, where we apparently had to destroy the city in order to save it, or Samarra or Ramadi -- only turned the entire Sunni population against the United States and its Iraqi allies. ...
"If we learned nothing else from the bitter history of Vietnam it should be that there are places and people who won't accept change and won't quit fighting until even the most powerful nation and army in the world wearies of the killing and dying. ...
"As we approach the second anniversary of our invasion of Iraq we need to be discussing and debating what we are gaining, if anything, from this war and what we are losing."
Troops enjoy killing.
Halliburton.
War for Oil.
"MR" Bush
Who do you think you are kidding? LOL
Pray for W and Our Troops
This compares favorably with pre-war levels from before the First Gulf War and is a level only reached after the First Gulf War in 1997.
Aloha Ronnie! Amen!
I'm afraid Joe has lost perspective.
It may be true that we will be a long time setting up a stable government in Iraq. However, we cannot just "cut and run" like he advocates. We made that mistake in Vietnam in 1973 signing a phoney peace deal. In 1975 the deal was broken.
Also, we were attempting to contain communism in Vietnam - in hindsight it appears that "capitalism" defeated communisn, even in Vietnam; maybe the American dead weren't necessary - I'd rather not think that way though. Oh, as a matter of fact, no one from Vietnam ever attacked American soil.
In Iraq, even if the tie is dubious to some, they had some connection with the scum that brought down the Twin Towers-a direct assault on the USA. Removing Saddam was a logical move that I feel was justified. We just need to do it more agressively. If it requires us leveling every town in every Islamic country even remotely supportive of Islamic terrorism, then I think we need to do it. It will be costly, no doubt. However, as the old commercial said, "you can pay me now, or pay me later." We have already been paying now. We can't stop without having to pay more later.
This current military age generation has a great responsibility placed upon them. I would say it is almost as great as that of the WWII generation. I pray they are up to it.
Yes he was.
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BARRY PEPPER = JOE GALLOWAY
http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com
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WE've been answering the defeatist whiners in this thread tonight:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1321670/posts
Anyway, get some fortification on the issue:
http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com
You were ill-informed. I've gone to the trouble to include actual LINKS to my sources. You've got no excuse for being uninformed in the future.
Go here for a better persepective on Iraq
Liberating Iraq -
http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com
"If you disagree, maybe you should take your blinders off and study the history of Iraq"
I have.
Claiming that Iraq is heading for civil war is simply not correct. Iraq is heading towards democracy, starting this January 30th.
"The part where he is wrong though, is when we leave, nothing should be left alive in the entire country."
Great, so you favor the genocide of 25 million people, 5 times more than the number of Jews Hitler killed. Great. Can we sign you up as candidate for History's Greatest Villian?
Major Frank DeCarlo, attached to the 1st Infantry Division, hands out candy and coloring books to local Iraqi children in the town of Tikrit on Dec 10, 2005. The 1st ID is in Iraq Supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by specialist Algernon E. Crawley Jr. 050110-A-5702C-004
Sergeant Major David Brinkman of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Division, passes out coloring books and candy to local Iraqi children in the town of Tikrit on Dec 10, 2005. The 1st ID is in Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by specialist Algernon E. Crawley Jr. 050110-A-5702C-017
Dental Officer Navy Lt Rasha Hanna interacts with children during a Civil Affairs mission to the Primary School in Abu Tiban on Jan 5, 2005. The Mission included Marine and Navy personnel from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Forward Deployed Preventative Medicine Unit, 4th Civil Affairs Group, and Public Affairs Office. The 31st MEU is supporting the 1st Marine Division in support of Security and Stabilization Operations (SASO) during Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Al Anbar Providence of Iraq. USMC Photo by GySgt Kevin W Williams 050105-M-9015-0
Marines from the 4th Civil Affairs Group (CAG) and Army soldiers from the 507th Medical Air Ambulance Company, at Al Asad Air Base move boxes of school supplies, beanie babies, books, and various toys and snacks on Jan 8, 2005. The 507th donated these things to the CAG to distribute to the citizens of Iraq. This is part of a humanitarian aid mission in support of the stability of Iraq. USMC photo by Cpl Theresa M. Medina 050108-M-2583M-013
Filipino soldiers give out school supplies to local Iraqi children during a Medical Civil Assistance Program (MEDCAP) in Al Hillah, Iraq, May 16, 2004. Philippine troops setup MEDCAPs in their area of responsibility as part of Multinational Division Center-South effort to help Iraqi civilians with food, medical and other needs in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jose M. Hernandez) (Released)., Official Photo by: SGT JOSE M. HERNANDEZ, 55TH SIGNAL COMPANY (COMCAM) , CAMP BABYLON, Alabama HILLAH , Iraq
An Iraqi doctor does a regular check-up on an Iraqi child during a Medical Civil Assistance Program (MEDCAP) in a medical center in Al Hillah, Iraq, May 16, 2004. MEDCAPs are conducted in their area of responsibility as part of Multinational Division Center-South to help Iraqi civilians with food, medical and other needs in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jose M. Hernandez) (Released), Official Photo by: SGT JOSE M. HERNANDEZ, 55TH SIGNAL COMPANY (COMCAM) , CAMP BABYLON, Alabama HILLAH , Iraq
Staff Sgt. Rodney L. Pfeifer, a motor transportation mechanic, speaks to an Iraqi child during a visit to a village near Fallujah in the Al Anbar province of Iraq April 22, 2004. Members of the battalion made the visit to the village to provide the children shoes and school supplies, as well as give them basic medical check-ups. The shoes and school supplies were donated by friends and family members of the battalion's Marines and sailors. The battalion provides security for the 1st Force Service Support Group at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, and has conducted several visits to surrounding communities in hopes of building a positive rapport with the local population.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Stanley M. Duing, gives a check-up to an Iraqi child, who is complaining of a sore throat, during a visit to a village near Fallujah in the Al Anbar province of Iraq April 22, 2004. Members of the battalion made the visit to the village to provide the children shoes and school supplies, as well as give them basic medical check-ups. The shoes and school supplies were donated by friends and family members of the battalion's Marines and sailors. The battalion provides security for the 1st Force Service Support Group at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, and has conducted several visits to surrounding communities in hopes of building a positive rapport with the local population
An Iraqi child waves to soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, after receiving shoes from them near the White Gold projects in Baghdad, Iraq, April 21, 2004. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Ricky A. Bloom, U.S. Air Force.
We've got Iran surrounded, and we can apply heavy pressure on them from our position in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hopefully, another war can be avoided through diplomacy and our military presence on Iran's borders. But if Iran proceeds on their current path, we're going to have to go in and destroy their WMD capabilities ourselves.
Nuclear weapons proliferation is the #1 threat to the U.S. - and Galloway did not take that into account in his call for a premature withdrawal.
Many thanks for the ping! :-)
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By your Command:
Pictures of a vietnamese Re-Education Camp
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1308949/posts
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I believe they are.
My son is one of those now in uniform. He has completed one deployment to Afghanistan. I expect he'll be going back, either to Afghanistan or to Iraq or to wherever he's needed.
From among the young men and women who serve with him, that I've met, I've not detected anything in their character or resolve to cause me the slightest concern they might falter -- not one little bit. Quite the opposite.
I'm more concerned about the others who might let them down.
bttt
Do you think we should have done the same thing in Japan and Germany? What about Nam? Should the North have killed every single person and animal in the South in 1865? You forgot about salting the earth....LOL
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A Personal Vietnam War Journey:
'WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...& YOUNG'...4 FREEDOM
http://www.Freerepublic.com/forum/a39626542519c.htm
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