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."
Very well said, kristinn. This should be reposted every day to remind anone who needs it what the WOT is all about and how dedicated our troops are.
A I dreaming or did I not hear President Bush say several times in speaches between 9/11 and the initial attack on Iraq that Americans needed to understand that the WOT is an unusual war like none we have ever fought before, that it could take 10 years to wage and that we needed to be patient but that ultimately we would pervail.
I have a recollection of the "ten year" phrase but cannot remember when it was said. IIRC, we are only 5+ years past 9/11 and yet we have forgotten GWB's warnings.
Please thank your son, on behalf of my family and me, for his decision to serve.
BTW, your tagline is perfect!
Violence is not advocated by the religion of non-muslim Americans. It's not our culture to solve problems with violence. Our entire Contstituion is written with that in mind - (domestic tranquility) to create a peaceful venue for working out our problems, and countering faction against faction in a way that will seem fair enough to most to not turn to the sword. We see that method as interfering with pursuing our own individual happiness, and liberty, which is more important to us. Our happiness is compatible with domestic tranquility.
A substantial number of Iraqis don't object to violence as a solution, the way we do. It seems to actually make a lot of them happy.
When shall we be witness to the walking on water?
Suffice it to say, there is no desire for America to wage a permanent war for democratic revolution on a worldwide basis. That is foolishness and an ignorant misreading of what the bolsheviks were intent on achieving. Spend a few years studying M-Lism and come back when you're sufficiently able to discuss it. Your desire to align yourself with the Leftists in cutting and running makes ole Vladimir Ilych's maxim about "useful idiots" starkly clear. Once attacked and having the enemy commit to destroying you and all you stand for, one must rise to the challenge or sit on his haunches and wait for the enemy to come for them, in line and due time, for submission to the enemy or execution as a threat to their new order.
Your rabid rhetoric regarding the inability for men (and women) to change and grow is absurd. By your logic, all born again Christians are liars. Since Satan works his evil deeds through treachery, there can be no "seeing of the Light" of Christ. Once formed, no man of evil addiction is salvageable, eh.
Whatever.
The Christ knows my heart and His word and salvation is emminently superior to yours.
As for the dismissal of "foreigners'" words of wisdom, what ca be said. The Founders were all "British subjects" before they became American citizens. Their views were formed in the light of the era in which they lived and the nations from which they came. Isolationists have their views, as you have yours. When better men die to keep your bunker safe, their names will be honored.
In the end, when our troops' gandchildren ask what they did when the muslim hordes threatened Western Culture, they can proudly say they fought the good fight and didn't shovel crap in loozianna. (paraphrase Gen. Patton)
Please thank your grandson, on behalf of my family and me, for his service.
"5+ years ...we have forgotten GWB's warnings."
We forgot them after Operation Anaconda, in some respects. We hadn't kicked the living (ess h I tee) out of the taleban the way we should have when we wound down in Afgahnistan.
Welcome back, Kristinn. And thank you, for your strong, much-needed words.
I have.
There has not been a legitimate propaganda effort by this administration to win the hearts and minds of the American populace.
You shouldn't need to read about the good things happening in Iraq on Freerepublic.com.
If the degenerate socialist crooks in the press and Donkeycrat party are determined to lose the war they should be fought as hard and as viciously by GOP propagandists at least as hard as our troops fight the ragheads.
The troops deserve nothing less.
&&&&&&&&
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Thank you for posting this.
I don't think Bush et al lied to us about WMDs. I believe they were told what they wanted to hear by Chalabi and his INC gang. I wonder what we heard from the Israelis and others in the ME who would benefit from the overthrow of Saddam. My BS meter pegged when, shortly before the war began, there were stories about Saddam's WMDs being transported to Syria. What a perfect cover story for not finding WMDs in Iraq.
It's always been my opinion that our troops should have turned 90° and taken Tehran. That's the capitol of worldwide terror, not Baghdad.
Sleeper Troll Yanked. Good work, Mods! :)
Between Go Big, Go Long, and Get Out, I'm an enthusiastic supporter of Go Big. Really Big.
But if Mr. Bush finds it impossible to Go Big (whether for his own reasons, or for the fact that a Democrat Congress might not give him the means), then we have other questions that arise.
I appreciate you thinking of me... but, I've NEVER wavered on my support of the Iraq war and our need to finish the job. I've always been a solid conservative, so would appreciate an example or two of how I fit in here... Not upset by any means, just curious as to what, specifically, you're referring to. There's also a NYRepublican on FR... Are you referring to him/her, perhaps?
WOW! Go RINO's! This is a Conservative Forum, in case you missed that when you signed up. You just can't make this stuff up. Blackbird.
They had NO IDEA what their vote really meant
***
I agree. Unfortunately, W has continued to do the right thing without considering the fact that the average American needs to be told over and over again why a particular decision was the right one. I think he overestimates the attention span of the average American and underestimates the power of the MSM.
God bless you kristinn for having and speaking with clarity to some who woould cry "uncle."
What'd he get banned for?
Define Victory...is it the first Iraqi Baseball Team to field? You know, like the Japanese? Blackbird.
I believe your response to me was ... "What the h*** would anyone from NYC know about conservatism? Is Guiliani what passes for a "conservative" in the Big Rotten Apple? Or Bloomberg? If so, spare me your "conservatism". Either learn the lesson of this election, or don't...I couldn't care less. Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1737276/posts#94
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