Freepers playing right into enemy hands. Congratulations, indeed!
The mission is noble and just and we are WINNING!!!
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."
Not you. The guy you've been bantering with.
Europe was still nominally Christian and accepted Judeo-Christian values. And while pagan, Japan had a strong sense of order and work ethic. Culture matters - that is the real lesson of conservatism. You can't make chicken salad out of chickens***, and you can't make democracies out of Islam. Sheer partisanship is the only explanation I can think for why otherwise right-thinking conservatives would feel that you can.
The stories I could tell ya'. :)
That THEY get it is not in question. That their rules of engagement (ROE) are not suitable for the task is the fault of politicians. It is my opinion that to do the job they have been asked to do, they must be led by bold leaders who aren't afraid to make decisions that risk their careers. They also need more money. I suggest a pay-raise of 50% for Infantry soldiers/Marines.
It's not about reenlistment as a whole, it's about the four percent (that's 4%) of the Armed forces who take eighty percent (that's 80%) of the casualties.
I would suggest that EVERY Freeper who cares about the troops and the success of the wars we are now fighting read Major General (retired) Bob Scales essay in the current edition of The American Legion Magazine. It is an excellent depiction of what the Infantry soldiers and Marines are up against. My son, an Iraq veteran and career Infantryman told me that the best and most experienced Infantry soldiers are leaving the service. Reenlistment totals do not tell the WHOLE tale.
Again, PLEASE, everybody take the time to get a copy of the article and read it. There are concrete things we can do to help these superb Americans to get the job done!
It's too bad. I didn't see him breaking any rules.
Post the article. Sounds worth reading.
God bless you, kristinn!!
Last evening I battled over whether or not to leave Free Republic permanently because of the mission bashing, and even troop mocking going on on a thread about Iraq (I almost pinged you there, but know how busy you are).
When my son was deployed, this place was a refuge. There was support and patriotism, and none of this cut and run nonsense going on now.
Where is the strength and commitment? Where is the support of this noble mission??
I have not yet decided as to whether or not this place has gone over to the dark side regarding Iraq...........(from some of the comments here, it may well have).........but your post has given me HOPE...........and I need it.
So thank you from the bottom of my military mom's heart.
FYI - on Fox yesterday, Charles Krauthammer stated that he believes the recent surge in violence in Iraq is directly linked to the US mid-term elections. The terrorists figure we are about to cut-and-run, so they are fighting for a chance to fill the vacuum they believe we will leave when we high-tail it out of there. That's what cut-and-run will get you.
Victory is defeating the jihadists in an Arab land. Handing them their figurative heads on a platter. Forcing them to import their fanatical adherents to Iraq where they can be kept busy so they don't have a full compliment for domestic shenanigans. Keeping Iran and Syria occupied in a similar fashion. Allowing the Iraqis, themselves, an opportunity to form some sort of relatively stable government so they can keep the minority fanatics from seizing control and establishing an islamic type "republic".
I would, but unfortunately, they don't publish it on the internet. It's really worth taking the trouble to find a copy and read. If you know any American Legionaire, I'm sure he/she would gladly give you a copy to read.
;-)
Freepers playing right into enemy hands. Congratulations, indeed!
The mission is noble and just and we are WINNING!!!
If we're just going to take out anyone we consider a "threat" who can be taken out, I can't support that policy.
And by the way, nice rhetorical trick, telling anyone who disagrees with your failed policy that they're just an armchair quarterback. I don't have to run for office, thank goodness. I elect other people to office so that I am free to pursue other things.
Speaking of which, I used to feel like the House and Senate had my back, so I was safe to do as I pleased. But now Dubya has pissed away the Congress thanks to his lack of foresight in Iraq and his unwillingness, right through the election, to adapt to the situation there.
Exactly
The Harriet Myers nomination should have wised him up to the fact he was out of touch with his base and the nation in general
Pathetic
Anyone have a plan on how to Win this mess? I have not seen one. If there is no plan, how can you have Victory? How can you win a War with no plan for Victory?
How will we WIN this war? I want to know so I can support it.
Don't waste your time. Anyone who considers drawing a parallel between the American Civil War and what's going on in Iraq doesn't have the basic knowledge of history necessary to formulate a coherent foreign policy.
There was even mockery of our troops' success in the mission.
THIS THREAD IS MUCH NEEDED!!!
(Sorry for shouting).
I read your tagline and can't imagine how difficult this must be. "Mixed feelings" has to be an understatement.
The Simpletons are awake, I see.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.