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 am a conservative across the board.....in ALL areas of politics, morality and living. And that's why I have serious problems with people who lie because they feel like it and to make an impression on an anyonymous internet forum, as you do.
You can keep this argument up, but you will always lose, because you aren't telling the truth.
One example.....yesterday on a thread about Iraq, a poster openly mocked the success of our troops in training the Iraqi army and police.
He was scoffing at what our soldiers have been doing.
That was on a thread where multiple people said the Iraq mission was a failure and that we should leave immediately.
I know this is tuff for you, but do try and stay on topic. Where are all the post denigrating our troops. Anything else you have to bloviate is so much blather for your own consumption. Point to the post, or should I resort to calling you a liar, as you so well do to others who don't share your libview of things? Blackbird.
Thanks for possting this Kristinn,
To quote from "oh Brother, Where Art Thou", "I'm with you fellers."
Thanks for the well-reasoned explanation as to why we should stay the course and provide security for the Shiite killers of US Marines, Navy, and Army personnel. After I peruse the links that have been provided and do a little more research, I may come around to deciding that it is so much better to expend ten years of effort to win the hearts and minds of Hezbullah Shiite murderers at the expense of marginalizing Sunni AQ murderers.
Way to stimulate open and civil discourse within the conservative body politic.
Anybody who is still in the state of denial about George Bush is beyond therapy DEARY
There have been two battles. The first, to topple Saddam, was accomplished quickly. The second, which is obviously more difficult, is to destroy the terrorists who have infiltrated the country of Iraq so that it can be stabilized and the independent nation of Iraq firmly established.
After decades of brutality and oppression, it is obviously not easy.
Yes, they can....remember "bunkering down?" Layin low? IOW, not doing your job? Giving up in spirit translates into hesitation and waiting it out. If our troops become dispirited, that extra-effort may not come...I hope not.
Why is your understanding of what the administration calls victory so vague?
From whitehouse.gov:
Short term, Iraq is making steady progress in fighting terrorists, meeting political milestones and building democratic institutions and standing up security forces.
Medium term,Iraq is in the lead defeating terrorists and providing its own security with a fully constitutional govenment in place, and on its way to achieving its economic potential.
Longer term, Iraq is peaceful, united, stable and secure, weel integrated into thi international community and full partner in the war on terror.
Sadly, stupidity is not confined to the left.
But thanks for insulting me. It IS an honor, and proof I'm on the right track.
You mean your kind of denial? You've always been there, bobby.
Time for me to leave......
Let me help you ohioWfan. Could the following thread be the one you are referring to: Shiites burn six Sunni worshippers alive
Seattle Post Intelligencer ^ | November 24, 2006 | QAIS AL-BASHIR Posted on 11/24/2006 10:59:59 AM CST by TexKat Edited on 11/24/2006 11:04:22 AM CST by Admin Moderator. [history]
The Iraqi's themselves should resolve their own internal civil differences. That is the plan.
We have removed a dictator. The Iraqi's have established their own Constitution and elections. We are training their security forces. When the security forces are ready to go, the troops will come home. The plan has been stated numerous times.
I think that's the fault of the politicians, not the military, BTW.
The politician CIC is responsible for the plan, not "politicians" plural, and not the military.
bttt
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