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 harm’s 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
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.
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!
"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 won’t 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
Many good talking points to justify our efforts in Iraq.
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Every Congressman and Senator should be forced to read this aloud - in front of an audience.