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."
Well written Kristinn, very eloquent.
Wow, what a post! AAAAAAAAA+ for that one, Publius
Yea I remember it well. I was active duty and saw the Hollow Military that was there before Jimmy took over. Not that he did any better though he didn't.
Follow me close here. One poster blasted a sizable portion of this forum for cut and run. No it isn't cut and run. Many understand what war is. Many others support it simply because Bush says to. The ones who scream woe unto you cut and runners need to pull the plank from their eyes about war and stare it's horrid reality in the face before they demand we go there. A reality I tried to describe. The Bible has the most graphic definition to it. I used that definition.
Some see the lack of will of our congress and most of the American people and see that as a nation they are not ready for war nor obviously is our current civilian leadership. As such it is not moral to send troops to die because of that. It doesn't make them anti-war or cut and runners but rather once who not wish to repeat the same mistakes over and over. Listen to what they are saying they have valid reasoning.
Then open up your shirt pocket and let it fly. It was George W Bush who said plain as day that He and Mr Gore were not that far apart on most issues.
Members of the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team wait to be dismissed at Fort Richardson, Alaska, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2006, after arriving back from a 16-month tour of duty in Iraq. The remainder of the 700-man battalion and the 3,800-man Stryker brigade will be returning over the next 10 days. (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
Yes, we are at war but it is not all-out war. I agree with your assessment that "While it may make no difference which instrument we use to go to war, we have to establish ground rules. Unfortunately, thanks to a failure of foresight, we are operating under Vietnam Rules. Unless we change this, we are going to lose."
Mexico and Canada are a lot closer to us than Afghanistan. Until that wall is built it's all pr and sound bites.
First, we're working with political and religious leaders across Iraq, urging them to take steps to restrain their followers and stop sectarian violence.
I can just see our generals of yesterday doing something like that as the bullets are still flying?
Fight a war like it's supposed to be fought. Crush your ememies and bend them to your will and keep killing them till those alive realize they've lost.
I always supported Bush on Iraq, I want him to fight this war to win and bring our dear military home. It can't just keep going on and on and on with no end in sight.
The way to succeed in Iraq is to help Iraq's government grow in strength and assume more control over its country as quickly as possible.
I was reading the Iraqi blog today. According to someone there, our government and the Iraqi government are at odds with each other.
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Not really.
I believe we took custody of the operation's mastermind al-Nashiri after he was sentenced by a Yemeni judge. It was al-Badawi who imprisoned in Yeman and who then escaped.
Also we got the operation planner Ahmed Hijazi with a Hellfire missile shot from a Predator. Hihazi was driving in a car in Yemen when he was killed by the missile.
#1,466. thanks for the great pics and story.
God Bless our Troops!!!!
:-)
D2
They do that, and their demise will come quickly. Americans won't stand for them blowing our children up. To some, 9-11 payback will come.
al-Badawi had 5 more with him didn't he? But my point was Yemen has been as much a terrorist haven as Iraq. Our lack of initial response first within 72 hour and then none in 6 months pretty well sent a wrong message.
if keyster is wrong, 'kiester' is wronger (potassium iodide ester??)
There are many variations.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=keister&defid=1379015
al-Badawi had 5 more with him didn't he? But my point was Yemen has been as much a terrorist haven as Iraq. Our lack of initial response first within 72 hour and then none in 6 months pretty well sent a wrong message.
I think there were more than 5 Cole Bombing prisoners who escaped with al-Badawi.
Yes, the initial reaction was slow. But the November, '02 Hellfire missile killing al-Harithi and the U.S. taking custody of al-Badawi in September, of '04 were certainly good messages.
Time for our side to change the rules.
Rule #1. Trash the epicenter of our enemies.
processing please hold some of us understand that more than others. I too have a son that has already served 2 tours in Iraq April 2003 to March 2004, Janurary 2005 to Janurary 2006 . Survived a suicide bombing during his second tour. Lost a few of his men during the 2nd tour. And now they presently have orders for their upcoming 3rd tour.
Nothing would delight my heart more than to know that he was safe and sound at home with his wife and child and the unborn one that is due right around his Iraq departure time.
However I am the mother of a son who loves what he does. He tells me mom, I am a soldier's soldier, a career soldier.
So I pray and bare it.
I was reading the Iraqi blog today. According to someone there, our government and the Iraqi government are at odds with each other.
For myself, from what I have read and listened to on news reports and the talking heads I would not trust Maliki even if he was in eyesight.
it was as a way to say he was good for something...
You could that....but at a terrible cost.
1,477. God Bless You and Yours, TeKat!
D2
If you want to debate, do so legitimately. Only a fool would engage in a debate with someone who looks at them with utter disdain.......and despite your hostile view of me, I'm no fool.
Just stop making things up about what I do and don't think. I'm an honest and serious conservative, and I only debate others who are the same......and right now, that's not you.
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