Posted on 11/24/2006 6:46:08 PM PST by kristinn
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. Some claim to have military experience, some claim to be patriotic Americans and some claim to be smarter than the rest.
These posters are joining the Murtha-Rangel-McDermott treason caucus. Oh, they say they love the troops, but their decision to abandon them in the field speaks otherwise.
Three years ago, the United States led an international coalition to rid the world of one of the worst regimes on the planet. Saddam Hussein was an international terrorist: He financed terrorism, he trained terrorists and he harbored terrorists. He waged war on Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Israel. He waged war on the people of Iraq, including genocidal campaigns against the Kurds in the north and the marsh Arabs in the south.
Saddam successfully subverted the Oil-for-Food program and was wearing down support for continuing the sanctions keeping him in check.
He had numerous contacts with al Qaeda over the years. He tried to assassinate a former U.S. president. He maintained research capabilities to implement nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as soon as the sanctions were lifted. There is evidence that some of these programs would have been operational within a year even with the sanctions in place.
The decision to remove Saddam and his regime as part of the Global War on Terror was correct.
Three-and-a-half years after Iraq and the world were liberated from Saddam and his terrorist regime, there are those on Free Republic who are clamoring to give up, surrender, cut and run, stab the troops in the back, betray the Iraqis, betray our allies in the GWOT, spit on the graves of our fallen heroes and join Cindy Sheehan, Medea Benjamin and Ramsey Clark in bringing about America's defeat in the GWOT.
It's only been three-and-a-half years--only six months since the freely elected government in Iraq was formed. In that time, what has been called a mini-Marshall Plan of construction and reconstruction has come to fruition. The Iraqis have held three national elections, they have held numerous local elections, fourteen out of eighteen Iraq provinces are relatively peaceful and stable.
Six months ago, when the Iraqi government was formed, the experts said the war would be taken to Baghdad because our enemies in the region could not abide the example of a free, democratic society in the Middle East. For once, the experts were right. The battle of Baghdad has been a prolonged Tet Offensive style operation of headline-grabbing attacks intended to sap the morale of Americans and Iraqis alike.
From what I've been reading on Free Republic lately, a lot of Freepers have fallen for the enemy's ploy and are howling like barking moonbats for our immediate withdrawal from Iraq. Some of that talk is couched in talk of 'we're fighting a PC war like Vietnam!' The soldiers I met in Iraq recently told Debra Argel Bastian to pass on a message to the Vietnam vets criticizing the war: With all due respect to your service, this is not Vietnam. It is not being fought like Vietnam. Please let us finish our mission.
But our enemy is playing the Vietnam ploy to great benefit. They know they can count on the American and world media to broadcast their propaganda. They work with leftist Americans to sabotage the war effort at home. They know these leftist Americans have allies in the Democratic party. They know they do not need a military victory--only political and psychological victories are needed to defeat America.
You guys are playing right in to their hands. Congratulations.
There are those who argue that murder and dictatorship is the mindset of the Middle East and that will not be changed by our actions. Funny how those who smugly denigrate the Arab peoples' capacity for freedom forget the wholesale slaughter of millions of Westerners by Westerners at the hands of Western dictatorships just a few generations past.
I hear complaints that the Iraqis aren't standing up. Yet, to use one common example, when police recruits are slaughtered in bombings, Iraqis line up the next day at the same recruiting center. The insurgency is small in number, but they are able to do enough damage on a daily basis to stretch out the time it will take to secure the whole of Iraq.
At this time of our testing, the American people are starting to go wobbly. Sadly, many Freepers are too. Our troops and their Commander-in-Chief are not, thank God. It's only been three-and-a-half years. The progress made has been phenomonal. Throw in the towel now, and you'll just have the terrorists follow us home. Everyone knows that, including you. I'm not willing to pay that price, not now, not ever, but you are.
Let me close by offering similar sentiments recently offered by two men 'in the know' on the situation in Iraq who are not giving up. First, Kurdish Regional Government Prime Minister Barzani: "When I was in the United States recently and read the negative news in the Washington Post, New York Times and in the network TV broadcasts, I even wondered if things had gotten so bad since I had left that I shouldn't return."
Next, 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."
So far, it's been awfully successful at turning FReeper against FReeper and causing a lot of hard feelings.
I think the war is a complex thing, and I think there is room for disagreement on how to best accomplish the goals at hand.
I think there have been mistakes made, and possibly those mistakes are causing some of the problems we're seeing today. Whether and how we can fix those, and indeed whether the national will is there to fix them, both with Americans and with Iraqis, is another question.
I don't think that another FReeper Civil War is all that productive, however.
It is I who tire of you, since you offend my conservative principles and ethics.
Now leave me alone.
Thanks kristinn ~ great job, you make a difference!
Be Ever Vigilant!
I think there are a few determined trolls trying to make us think that way.
But,...I have benefited a lot from fellow FReepers that shared their knowledge and experience with me.
So I try to pass on a little to the newbies and throw an occasional brick at a troll.
I think there are a few determined trolls trying to make us think that way.
But,...I have benefited a lot from fellow FReepers that shared their knowledge and experience with me.
So I try to pass on a little to the newbies and throw an occasional brick at a troll.
FLEEpers, Grampa Dave.
No, but Mohammed Atta did on the morning of Sept 11th 2001 he was less than 1 mile from where I type this to you getting on the plane that flew into one of the twin towers only two hours later.
You posted this to me.
I didn't call you any names.
If you would like to respond to what I said, by all means.
Beautiful. You found the words I could not.
this is one of the most bald-faced lies I've ever heard a politician speak; so much so , I wonder whether Lugar is demented. Bush has been for SIX PARTY talks in Korea from the get-go. As a matter of fact, two weeks before the election, Lugar on MTP implicitly criticized Bush's stubborness on the point by stating "at the end of the day" we'd have to sit down bilaterally. It was disgusting to see a senior Republican stab Bush in the back, and of course it was reported as his breaking with Bush. To his credit, John Warner disputed his colleague, stating Bush had been "exactly right" on Korea. WITHIN DAYS, Bush was VINDICATED when NK AGREED to RETURN to SIX PARTY TALKs. PLEASE note the value of "STAYING THE COURSE" in spite of the betrayal by supposedly close friends.
That is a big concern. It certainly would put a halt to the plan. If you have any reports of such a thing happening, please add it.
I love your point, AB...
I have read this thread in amazement....because I truly think that a hugh percentage of Freepers are for winning the war...
But, to get into arguments over why we are there is a WASTE of time...and complaining about the way it has been run up until now, is a WASTE of time...
I tend to be frustrated myself with somethings..but not nearly enough to sit on this site and complain...I am NOT doing the heavy lifting.
Those that are..or have loved ones that are...I want to hear from...and if they aren't complaining...why should I??
Discussing different ways to go forward could be an instructive post..with the military experience of so many freepers, I know I like hearing their opinions...but, to bash President Bush as this point is unproductive, IMHO>
...or in other words, DU trolls, most of which have already been zotted.
>>very smart freeper I know...read some of this thread last night...and renamed some of the posters, FLEEpers.
I won't give his/her name, in case they want to stay anonymous...but, I thought it was an apropos name...LOL<<
FLeepers??? Good one!!! Works for me! ;>)
wow, that thought must have caused you some cold sweats through the years.
Lugar is NOT President Bush.
hehe 99% of those calling Freeper DU trolls are the open border crowd. I've been watching it since the La Raza Protests and before.
The other 1% are using Satire to mock republcans and probably DU trolls. Remember, if you ever want to know what democrats really stand for just listen to what they accuse the republicans of. They're great at projection.
Well, there was a report of Shia policemen serving as mere bystanders, doing nothing, while some Sunnis were being doused with gasoline, and then put to the torch as human pyres. The government has twarted US troops going after perps in Sadr City. From what I can tell, US relations with the Iraqi government are deteriorating rapidly, and I think this issue is the primary reason.
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