A Message to All the Cut and Run Freepers Currently Polluting Free Republic

Friday, November 24, 2006 | Kristinn

[starbase]

Oh, they say they love the troops, but their decision to abandon them in the field speaks otherwise.

This little bit of hyperbole doesn't strengthen the piece IMO. No one, of course, has "decided to leave soldiers in the field" in Iraq. Leaving Iraq means putting all our soldiers on planes back to the US.

Please don't conflate not giving a soldier whatever policy objective they want with actually betraying that soldier.

[GoldwaterChick]

Thank you for your post, kristinn, you are right on. All these reports of Sunni/Shite violence suddenly sound like desperation measures to me. Let's immolate a few people in public--shades of the Buddist monk's immolation in Vietman--horrify people even more. And the ignoramuses on the left attacking our President WHILE WE ARE AT WAR are giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Not only is he being attacked by foreign enemies, but also these scummy politicians, the liberal press--the new Fifth Column--and the ACLU.

It will be too late when their daughters and grandaughters have all the "rights" of Islamic women and all gays and lesbians have been slaughtered by muslim terrorists for their "unclean" lives, in the name of Allah. I hope and pray they will all wake up before it's too late. That's not the future we choose for our loved ones and for all Americans.

I saw Debra Argel Bastian on Neal Cavuto the other day--what an amazing woman. No doubt she wasn't in big demand by the MSM. I treasure my e-mails from your group while in Iraq. Bless you for all you do in the name of freedom.

[Trteamer]

BTTT

[NapkinUser]

I do have real questions about this war as well. I know they are not really popular here, but I can't help but think them.

1. The Iraq war is probably the single biggest reason the republicans lost in 2006. Is Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the house worth it? After she and her cohorts raise the minimum wage, press liberal social causes, block Bush's judicial nominees, put Rangel is a real seat of power, let the tax cuts expire, pass an amnesty for illegals and God only knows what else, will it still be worth this war that is costing republican's support and votes?
2. Some conservative group (don't ask me which, I only passingly heard it on Brit Hume about a month ago) said that it's time to start thinking about getting out. Why? Because the goals have been met, and staying in Iraq now only costs more American soldiers and more money. Think about it. Saddam Hussein is gone. The WMD, which was a real threat, has been cleared. "Freeing the Iraqis" was never a goal, never was establishing a democracy.
3. The way this war is being fought leaves much to be desired. Instead of going door-to-door and costing American soldiers, why not use the air force to blow up whatever section of a city is a safe haven for terrorists? Stop fighting this PC, Vietnam-style war. Go all in or get out. "War is hell. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is the sooner it's over." -William T. Sherman.
4. I always was iffy about the "nation building" angle. That's never been a conservative position, and I don't think September 11, 2001 changed that.

It's getting time to just do what some generals, some politicians and Michael Savage suggest: partition Iraq. Make it so it's three countries. Iraq is not a sacred country with meaningful borders or anything, it's just been recently created. Give the Shites a section, the Kurds one and the Sunnis one and be done with it. They're never going to get along together.

[Professional Engineer]

bttt

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The actual invasion did what it was supposed to do-overthrow Saddam.

What has happened since then is a steep slide into incompetence on the part of the Administration and an unwillingness or inability on the part of the Iraqi people to stop slaughtering each other and anybody else who happens to get in their way. The whole point of reasonable Bush critics is that the mess that the occupation has turned into didn't have to happen.

If the Iraqis can't get their act together then we should leave. We can go to de facto Kurdistan; they love us there. It is not our job to keep holding the Iraqis' hands if they can't learn to act like civilized human beings.

Suggesting workable alternatives for what is clearly a failed occupation policy is not defeatism or cowardice. It DOES NOT MEAN "Cut and run". It is being realistic in accepting that hey, maybe the way the Bush administration was running this thing before isn't working out so great after our troops have had to put up with three years of this BS because of Bush's shortsightedness and stubborness. To deny otherwise is to be either delusional, or stupid-and I know most Freepers aren't stupid.

[AKA Elena]

I join in a huge Thank You to one of our own who has been there.

These are among the Freepers who missed our early years and grew up in our intimate knowledge of the wrongs and never became infused with our true resolve, kristinn.

Your post hits on our most critical weakness, but the constant sliming and blurring of the messages and slamming of the character/s of our political allies here at home (whether it be politcians or media on our side) is becoming or has become a FR everyday thing any more.

We are going to undermine those who give us their all and those who sing in concert for our causes.

It is truly frightening.

Thanks again, kristinn!

[Tribune7]

bump

[The Old Hoosier]

I'm reading an astonishing number of comments on Free Republic these days by posters who have joined the ranks of the anti-American left in calling for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

I suppose next we'll all be arrested for "defeatist comments?"

Republicans lost in this last election for just two reasons. One is corruption, and we all agree that's bad. But the other is Iraq, which has gotten so bad and so out of control that ordinary, real people -- not just the left-wing kooks -- were worried enough about it that they changed the Congress on November 7.

You don't have to be an America-Hating commie traitor to want us out of Iraq at this point. Many of us who voted for Bush in 2000 thought we were getting a president who would not use the military for "nation-building," and who explicitly said so over and over again as a criticism of Clinton. We feel a bit ripped off now -- even those of us who supported him again in 2004 because the alternative was just too horrible.

The American people do not agree with your views on Iraq, that is the message of November 7. It only makes sense that a lot of conservatives would feel the same way.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

There is no cut-and-run FReepers here, Kristinn.

I appreciate the work you do here on FR but you're wrong on this. Hence, my "Lalala" remark.

[ryan71]

Nice job. Support the mission, support the military.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thank you, Kristinn. I'm 'bout ready to crack a few heads myself, though in reality, it's easier to ignore whiners of any political stripe and to just 'Keep The Main Thing the Main Thing.'

God Bless You for all that you do! :)

[fight_truth_decay]

My eyes filled with tears the day our troops entered Baghdad. I saw that very large Iraqi take a sledge hammer to the statue of Saddam

I also remember a lesser media-played visual of our military guys standing before a large painted billboard composed of Saddam standing proudly before the towers as the plane hit.

I always question when that was painted....

That's what has always stuck in my mind.

[guinnessman]

Thanks for posting this.

It's discouraging to hear conservative friends who are now talking about retreeat and falure. Three years of DBM propaganda has worn them down.

Thanks for the pep talk.

[21stCenturion]

...

[The Old Hoosier]

Thanks, finally some clear thinking on this thread.

[Mr. Mojo]

We spent our blood and treasure to give them liberty, and the spit in our face and plot our death. ....I'm beginning to doubt that liberty means anything to Muslims.

Those ingrates wouldn't know what liberty was if it hit them in the face (and it has). The chances of us "winning Muslim hearts and minds" and watching as democracy spreads throughout their barbaric world is essentially zero. They respond only to the harshest of measures, and there's little doubt it'll eventually come to that. On and immediately following 9/11 most Americans understood that. Nowadays, few do.

[sschaloc]

Nailed it!

It's difficult to use an Army, made to break things and kill people, as a police force. You use the tools you have and do the best you can. We need a bunch of local cops - who know the neighborhood (and speak the language(s)). Our Army does the best it can.

Now, we're butting up on Iraqi politics. It's going to take a while... Personally, I think Muki Sadar (sp?) should cash in and get his 72 raisins! Notice they cleared each neighborhood in Baghdad, until they hit Muki's area - this is local politics...

Personally, I didn't enjoy being an IED detector - on the other hand, I can't say thanks enough for up-armored Hummers!! (oops, I forgot, Rummy didn't deliver... (NOT!!!))

If anyone out there knows anyone who designed/made/approved/delivered/ or was in any way associated with getting 1114's out there - especially the glass - give them my THANKS! I owe them my life, several times over!

I started thinking "Kill them all. Let God sort them out"...
Sorry, Lotsa good folks in that country, especially the Kurds. Most of them just want to live and raise up the kids.
Guess we have to do it the hard way, even if nukes are a lot easier!

Thanks again for a breath of fresh air.

[RobbyS]

Gen. Abizaid: "When I come to Washington, I feel despair. When I'm in Iraq with my commanders, when I talk to our soldiers, when I talk to the Iraqi leadership, they are not despairing." I, too, was truck by this comment. I know about a wounded soldier, one who had his leg blown off in October. He is now recovering and delighted to know that his old commander has offered him a job as platoon sergeant. Whern I compare men like this with the weak-kneed politicians in Washington, I am gratified that we have such men in the field. They haven't quit: they look at the ivory-tower advise of Kissinger abd the like and what what he is talking about.

[tapatio]

They were having serious questions herehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1743438/posts