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."
I might but he wouldn't like what I have to say. He wouldn't be the first Congresscritter I've called or spoken to on the street.
Actually, it's an impossible nut to crack.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
"Qadir Aziz, a representative of Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Mas'ud Barzani, stressed that Kurds are the majority in Kirkuk "
From my head:
The Kurds consider Kirkuk the capital of the ever elusive Kurdistan.
Yes, but as I said in a previous post, a draft would be the end of the war.
Sorry, I read "majority" as "minority," in your post. Another neuronal malfunction. You are correct, although I suspect at this juncture it is more like 60%. The Kurds have been "voting" with their feet.
For all the pretentions of this pack of poseurs it fails to recognize and acknowledge the agency of the regimes of Iran and Syria.
While our forces are constrained by surreal roe's, jailed on the accusations of the enemy, and confined to pointless patrol, the enemy is allowed sanctuary at large, and every privilege of treatment and legal defense when detained.
For all the talk of war, the current operation is conducted in a constrained, apologetic fashion.
You've been here since '99 and I'm just seeing you. Where the hell ya been????? I admire your attitude.
The two go hand in hand. Freedom breeds freedom. Freedom brings allies to America. America becomes a bit safer because of it. Reagan knew it, Bush knows it. Why all of us haven't learned it is beyond me though.
You bet! The answer implies "Do whatever it takes to win - - to include reinstating the draft." (Which I happen to agree with.)
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
How so not?
If I put on a clown suit I expect to be called a clown.
He was a total ass and should expect to be categorized as one.
He does great work, I respect that.
The fact remains that I will always remember his misbehavior in Texas.
Sue me. ;-)
LOL good one. Now look at the numbers The forces needed are ground.
1998 authorization for end strength active duty
Army 495,000
Navy 390,802
Marines 174,000
Air Force 371,577
The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2004, as follows:
(1) The Army, 482,400.
(2) The Navy, 373,800. currently Active Duty: 381,135
(3) The Marine Corps, 175,000.
(4) The Air Force, 359,300
163,000 more Army makes a third. 57,420 Marines makes a third more. Grand total roughly 222,000. Well I'll tell you what on 9/12/01 we could have gotten them. But not one single time has congress raised the End Troop Strength Levels since 9/11 to even try. The Navy and Aif Force can get by. But the troops we have in the Army and Marines deserve better than to be ran ragged while congress sits on it's thumbs spending away money that could have been used by our troops. Had congress reaised the numbers at 9/12 many good soldiers would have started getting more realistic deployments.
Congress in both parties is on a spending spree with a POTUS who on Social Spending is LBJ reborn. No of course we won't get more troops.
Yes, which is why Congress has not passed legislation to expand the Army and Marine Corps. Sad state of affairs? I guess.
Yes, which is why Congress has not passed legislation to expand the Army and Marine Corps. Sad state of affairs? I guess.
Every once in awhile someone here posts a comment which cuts to the heart of the matter. We may have to stay and see this mess through to a conclusion advantageous to us, but we should be under no illusion as to what kind of people, and government, we are dealing with.
Isn't it expected, that when you take use a FReepers name, that you should ping that person? I know you didn't in this post, but you did in the previous ones.
BTTT
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