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 we had a civilized conversation, so, let’s keep it that way and don't cross the line!
I'm not talking about Islam; I'm talking about the Muslim terrorists and radicals. Painting all Muslims with the same brush is radical. I'll come back to this below
What do we do with Iran once we take it? Make sure it doesn’t go back into the hands of Islam.
So, you want to occupy all Muslim countries and keep their lands forever. Hmmm..You need a 2 billion-man army to accomplish your goal, and of course, you never quoted my question because you didn't have an answer for it: What do you do with the inhabitants? Could you please answer my question while you're at it? Thank you in advance
”It's (Massive bombing on Iraq and Syria) the only way given the shortage of time.”
Hey Buddy, don't put words in my mouth, in parenthesis or otherwise. I didn't say or mean that, I was talking about Iran NOT Iraq and Syria. Period. I thought that geography was rather obvious to most FReepers. Your apology and correction shall be accepted when received. That makes your paragraph about Nixon, Viet Nam and the rest a moot point, eh? I didn't copy it because there is no need to.
I still believe we have to reset the clock and the only way to do that is to get a bloody face.
You can pray for that if you want. I will pray for the exact opposite. As the saying goes: to each his own.
:-)
Nancee
I prefer the old way of waging war, to setal a line----"To crush my enemy, to see him driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of the women." They just don't fight wars like that anymore.
steal
Another source of frustration: Pursuit in mosques is forbidden without the presence of Iraqi Army units. Marines say some of Fallujah's 76 mosques are used to hide weaponry. Some broadcast messages such as, "God help us defeat the Americans."Source: Christian Science Monitor, "Under fire, US marines hand off battered Fallujah", November 24, 2006.
I'll wait and see, thanks...I'm an aussie, wouldn't know what a neocon was if I fell over one...
Iraqi Sunnis vow to support unity govt
Daily Times ^ | November 27 2006
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1744511/posts
The troops don't make the decisions.
Just as in mfg. business, the workers who keep the clocks running and, doing all the heavy work are the least of these.
The soldier who is doing the bleeding, sweating, crying, and dying, is all that is holding the army together. While in DC the political hacks crow like cocks at all the fine work they are doing themselves.
What the arrogant political bastards are doing to our fighting men and, women is shameful.
The military of the United States has the power to end this war by killing the enemy.
We have never won any war without totally killing all the enemy.
If top leaders of the Iraq government doesn't want collateral
deaths kill their a** first and, show these murdering pigs we mean to win this war, or get the he** out of Iraq.
The great majority of Islam is of number 2 which can easily swing against us given a reason to do so. This propagandizing has to stop one way or another.
Syria is attacking us in Iraq as well; we need to deal with them as well. When I said Iraq I meant Iran that was a mistake on my part and I am sorry for my error.
” I will pray for the exact opposite (a bloody face).”
As we all should. Doesn’t mean it will not happen because we all know it will it is just a matter of when.
You state:
"Iran and Syria arrogance must be broken, they must be humiliated."
You believe we can brake the leadership in Iran and Syria through an air campaign? Radical Islam doesn't fear death so I find that hard to believe, at least I don't think they do.
Stay the course is NOT an option but you "stay the course" FReepers tend to think the only other option is "cut and run" Well, there IS a third option...an option we will not have forever and that's KILL THE ENEMY.
Becareful with the name calling as I have seen some of you judge the "KILL THE ENEMY" crowd as "cut and runners" simply because "stay the course" is not preferred.
If we want to give Iraq's silent - and terrified - majority a last chance, we would have to accept the world's condemnation for killing the killers. If we are unwilling to do that, Iraq's finished.
Great post thank you.
Apology accepted.
Just for the record, I said nothing about bombing Syria either. We'll put this to rest here and now, ok?
Another correction of your parenthesis: adding "of" means I won't be praying for what you call a bloody face.
” I will pray for the exact opposite OF (a bloody face).” I think that will do it.
You're not answering my question in the previous post because you can't. You are fixated on bloody faces, occupying ALL Muslim lands, etc..I'm not going to beat on a dead horse.
Have a good evening and be careful of the wrong parenthesis! LOL
Some are saying an air campaign on Iran and Syria. Is that what you have in mind? and/or should we change policy’s in Iraq to fight a more aggressive war in Iraq?
bttt
I already said. Stop the propagandizing of hate they are receiving on a daily bases. What do you want?
Good night...
Thank you for posting this. You did a much better job at defending our position in the GWOT than ANY Republican pol, and that includes W. This post otta be sent to every paper and network. Great, great job.
" ...doubt is beginning to trickle in, as far as the administration's commitment to not cutting and running themselves. I would feel much better if this was negated and laid to rest."
This is just a guess: Bush has been trying to get either China or Russia to back US against Iran before we make a further move in Iraq; I believe that Afganistan and Iraq, hemming in Iran as they do, were "stepping stones" to pressure Iran. But we can't go it alone, and it's back to the old 3-power balancing act. Recently, Putin shows he's backing Iran. And that means we have to get China to go with us. IMHO. And of course, with the help of the Leftist Dems and their fellowtravelers in the media, Russia and China see they can bide their time and gain concessions from W, b/c they see W as losing power in Congress. Our stoopid Republican Congresspeople just piled on, with their foes, the Dems during the last election cycle, and that left W isolated, with few choices. It might be that the Clintons (ugh) may be a bridge for US to the Chinese; it's not my ideal but look for that development.
If we drop a few Dasie cutters and, kill about half of them I guarantee you it would put fear into them.
If it worked for Sad-dam it would work for us. But, first we would have to get rid of over half of our present congress.
I think the word is "brainwashed"
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."
repeat, repeat, repeat
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