Posted on 12/02/2005 6:24:31 AM PST by Semper Paratus
The Left now risks losing its self-proclaimed moral appeal. It had trashed the efforts in Iraq for months on end, demanded a withdrawal only recently to learn from polls that an unhappy public may also be unhappy with it for advocating fleeing while American soldiers are in harms way.
Iraq will reverse Vietnam. In the 1960's, the Conservatives said "We are winning. If we walk away, millions will die and millions will be enslaved." The Left said "We're the bad guys. Let's be moral and withdraw."
The Left got their way last time. And millions died and millions were enslaved.
This time, the Conservatives will win and the Middle East will begin to enter a modern age, with freedom and Democracy.
And when the left says "But we're the moral ones", people will laugh at them.
I caught Schummer on Imus this morning. Here we are, a week before an historic election of a unified Iraq -- and Schummer is saying HIS plan is to abandon the attempt, and instead make three autonomous regions in Iraq, one for the Kurds, Sunnis, and Shiites.
The problems with that solution are many. Turkey will never allow an "indepdendent" Kurdistan. If the Shiites were left to their own devices, they would likely become an Iranian-like state. The Sunnis wouldn't accept it, because over time the other two regions would grow powerful and would renege on thier oil deal (the sunnis don't have much oil).
Eventually the north or south would grow strong enough to fight a war to "unify" the country again, much like happens around the world when countries are arbitrarily broken up.
Of course, the constitution of Iraq already offers a bit of autonomy, and a somewhat "federalized" system. But it seems a curious time to call the existing plan a failure -- it's almost like Schummer hopes to encourage the minority in Iraq who don't like the current constitution to not show up for the election.
pingeroono
Last year we came within one state of having Schummer, and his ilk, run foreign policy.
It still gives me chills.
I'm a big fan of VDH, but calling Lieberman a "New Jersey Senator" is a bonehead lapse.
This woulod appear too optimistic. I think the continetnal Europeans' capacity for self-delusion and anti-American hatred is limitless. They have an appeasement mentality toward the Moslem radicals, just as the French did in the face of Hitler.
Whoa!
I was reading along quickly, and missed that.
Still, the remarkable Hanson might be forgiven an absent-minded-professor moment.
It's also been corrected at NRO.
Agreed.
VDH is a classic writer and a national treasure (I have a couple of his books). Probably a distracted copy editor.
Let me know if you want in or out.
Links: FR Index of his articles: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson
His website: http://victorhanson.com/ NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp
VDH: The moral onus should have always been on the critics of the war.
"A group of professionals, after all, who cannot even be professional in their own sphere, surely have no credibility in lecturing the U.S. military about what they think went wrong in Iraq."
"...have no credibility." That says it all.
"Madrid, London, Paris, and Amsterdam have taught Europeans..."
You really think Europeans have learned anything?
If anybody understands war and its meaning, it's Hanson. For juxtaposition of the Peloponnesian War and the contemporary geopolitical situation, A War Like No Other is very good.
They have LOST consistently since 1994, so why not CUT & RUN? Put your money where your mouth is...STEP DOWN NOW, DUMOCRATS!
Of course, it is crazy to think that war strategy should be made by politicians on TV. Maybe they are stuck on stupid, because they cannot say, "It's the economy stupid." So the proper response to their hairbrained ideas should be, 10 consecutive quarters of economic growth etc.
If the Shiites were left to their own devices, they would likely become an Iranian-like state.
I don't think so. Remember there is a longstanding thought in Shia Islam for the seperation of Mosque and State (for obvious reasons), the Mullahs in Tehran are in the minority of Shia religous/political thought.
I agree with you about the Kurds and Turkey.
"Our military realizes that it can trump its brilliant victories in removing the Taliban and Saddam Hussein by birthing democracy in Iraq or risk losing that impressive reputation by having a new Lebanon blow up in its face. China, Japan, India, Russia, Korea, Iran, and other key countries are all watching Iraq ready to calibrate American deterrence by the efficacy of the U.S. military in the Sunni Triangle. Our armed forces have already accomplished what the British and the Soviets could never do in Afghanistan; what the Russians failed to accomplish in Chechnya; and what we came so close to finishing in Vietnam. They wont falter now when they are so close to winning an almost impossibly difficult war, one that will be recognized by friends and enemies as beyond the capability of any other military in the world."
When I read this paragraph I felt myself choke up.
I have a friend who is a soldier.
He was at church on sunday visiting his mother for thansgiving. He has served in Iraq twice now, and is going back for a third time on December 27th. The rock hard determination and clarity of this person, his willingness to put himself in harms way and the courage you can feel pulsing out from him is an amazing thing to behold.
I gave him the biggest hug possible and thanked him for his service. He knows what he believes. He knows what is important. He knows when a cause is worth fighting for, and it is an honor for me to call him my friend.
Jenny
When I read this paragraph I felt myself choke up.
I have a friend who is a soldier.
He was at church on sunday visiting his mother for thansgiving. He has served in Iraq twice now, and is going back for a third time on December 27th. The rock hard determination and clarity of this person, his willingness to put himself in harms way and the courage you can feel pulsing out from him is an amazing thing to behold.
I gave him the biggest hug possible and thanked him for his service. He knows what he believes. He knows what is important. He knows when a cause is worth fighting for, and it is an honor for me to call him my friend.
Jenny
----
I agree with you 100%. What a remarkible age we live in that we have a voluntary force of so many Living, Walking, and Talking heroes in our midst. When I saw a similiar VDH post earlier, I left my computer and distributed USO $25 care package sign-ups (Christmas calling cards and sundries) to all of my staff, telling them I would match them dollar for dollar in their name. Every single person generously gave (of course w/ the exception of the one Leftist -- how perfect that was). These people will be the role models for generation X (me) and Y (them) when they return home. I cannot think of any better way to spread the meaning of Christmas, than by giving to comfort these Heroes while abroad, and hugging them when they return. And when these folks return from abroad, they may very well tip the balance with their moral clarity and we may yet save America.
What will the Marxists do when all of the "malaise" and fantasies of failure from Vietnam are finally squashed like a over-ripe melon, and our homeland is infused with 150K living heroes? They don't know themselves, but are frightened enough to do anything to prevent victory. Sorry Charlie, but the gig is up.
People like him give me optimism for our country.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.