Posted on 06/28/2006 4:56:45 PM PDT by B4Ranch
What does this have to do with news? It's an opinion. One I could easily counter.
army.....business as usual.
As we begin to draw down and let Iraqi troops handle their nation's security, reports like this are going to look very silly.
Then have at it. Let loose with both barrels. Just don't expect me to get upset with your mumbling because I didn't write the article and I wasn't there to say it did or didn't happen as written.
I ,too, cringe at the concept of a "PC" war. And it only seems to have gotten worse.
It's amazing how someone who spent so much time focusing on the conditions over there doesn't seem to grasp that the one way to guarantee those conditions improve is by establishing the nation's economy. The occupying force has the responsibility to do this, or else how is it going to happen?
For if this war was about human rights, why were we not in Rwanda? If our mission was about bringing democracy to a region, then why were we not in Cuba? And if the intelligence leading up to this war was merely faulty, why was no one fired?
We could have asked the same questions in any foreign war, at any time, in our history. The answer is that this situation is about multiple reasons. This tidy conclusing paragraph oddly enough doesn't touch on terrorism, or the proven WMD situation in Iraq, or that Rwanda truly IS a quagmire which no military force from the US could put together again (if only for its unbelievable infrastructure situation). "...why aren't we in Cuba"? OK, why aren't we in China? Cuba, as far as we know, hasn't been violating every element of a cease-fire agreement it had with the US, or shooting at US planes damned-near every day for 12 years. As for the intelligence leading to no one being fired, why is that the answer to mountains of intelligence from multiple and international sources?
I honor this soldier's service. period, end of statment.
I also think he hasn't thought through his position, or has merely soaked up attitudes he feels comfortable with from the guilt-based liberals who are polluting our dialogue on what it means to be an American, and our place in this world. Our intervention in Iraq is an honorable one, and nothing he or anyone else says, no matter how "based in having been there" it may be, changes that.
Sometimes the news isn't what we want to hear.
Agreed. But sometimes what we hear isn't "news" but op-ed malarkey.
Do you actually think that we are teaching integrity during our stay over there? They are used to corruption in government the same way Lousiana voters are. It won't change.
We are there so they can vote in the corrupt leaders that they want to, (the same way we do) not bring on a higher level of ethics.
Sounds like he is preparing to run for congress.
What's wrong with giving Iraqis a shot at democracy and helping to save western civilization at the same time? It's a lot more complicated than just oil...but that's in the mix, too.
Is it op-ed malarkey or disappointment in our leaders?
No probably not, I think his standards are too high.
But keep making yourself feel better while pretending to be just a "concerned American."
Sometimes my "news" isn't what you wanna hear, huh? :-D
Op-ed malarkey, as I've pointed out in my examination of his summing-up.
Just because it reflects your particular point of view doesn't make it any less an opinion piece. Just because you like it doesn't make it a "fact".
It's his point of view based on his experiences there. That's fine; I can't argue about his real experiences.
But his conclusions based on those experiences reflect a bizarre disconnect from the situation as we know it, even as HE knows it. I've said what I wanted to say in my previous post: His point seems to be, why aren't we in Rwanda and Cuba?
By that logic, the police should never try to stop a crime, because there are other crimes in other places they didn't stop.
The US has interests--yes, sorry to blow your mind, but keeping oil flowing so the world and the US, too, can keep existing as a civilized place as opposed to descending into Rwanda-style anarchy, IS an important interest (unless old people freezing to death in their homes because there's no fuel oil available and no one can drive anywhere to live their lives, thus sending the economy into the crapper unlike we've ever even dreamed, and the resulting deaths of millions ISN'T a priority). Saddam DID have WMD programs, no matter how one wants to claim he didn't. Saddam WAS coddling terrorists, including Al Qaeda.
So, yes, this article IS op-ed malarkey.
Precisely what I thought. Preparing to run for Congress as a Democrat.
I believe that most people, if given the chance, would strive to live under a government that sought to provide fair governance to it's inhabitants. It appears to me that the government in Iraq is doing it's best to provide reasoned representation to all factions. I'm not sure what this individual wants, but the majority of our troops seem to have high moral and want to stay until the job is done. Does that sound like they agree with this guy? It certainly doesn't to me.
Bravo.
Agreed. I could have written just such an article after my tour in Somolia. All kinds of "problems" I saw that higher ups seemd to ignore.
Doesn't mean we weren't doing the right thing though.
I'm going to refrigerate and re-read the article. I get lots of good intel from all the milblogs. No reason why I can't weigh a negative outlook/opinion against that.
That's the truth of it. The author is clearly a Leftist/Democrat. Almost certainly was before he went to Iraq, despite his protestations to the contrary. So he filtered his experience through his world view. He may or may not be telling the truth in this piece, BTW. Just because I have no way of knowing, doesn't mean I can't be skeptical of his motives and what he writes.
Either we control the flow of oil and protect the routes, or the chicoms will. President Bush is way ahead of most, as this is one more place the chicom want us out from.
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