Inside Iraq

Time ^ | Aug. 09, 2007 | William Kristol

[neverdem]

I spent a week in Iraq recently, and here's what impressed me most: the Americans. In particular, the quality and character of the American soldiers and Marines who are fighting there and trying to help rebuild the nation. I don't mean to slight, in some ethnocentric way, the steadfastness and courage of the Iraqi people. But it was meeting and watching the American soldiers at work that I found most interesting.

I've served in government, and I'm familiar with Washington, and I'm not an uncritical cheerleader for the American military. Indeed, I'd say that some of our general officers--until this past year, when General David Petraeus and Lieut. General Ray Odierno took over--haven't particularly distinguished themselves. But the brigade and battalion commanders and the company and platoon leaders I saw in Iraq are really impressive.

Before going to Iraq, I didn't fully appreciate all the things our military leaders are doing there. Obviously, they're fighting--and doing so more discriminately and effectively than they did in 2003 or 2004. But that's just the beginning. Now that Petraeus and Odierno are pursuing a real counterinsurgency strategy, their subordinate commanders and officers are spending a lot...

--snip--

Barnett attended the commissioning of a Marine Corps lieutenant who had just graduated from Harvard. After the ceremony, the young man returned to his dorm room in full dress uniform and received a spontaneous round of applause from classmates. A campus police officer took him aside to shake his hand. The young man's father observed, "It was like something out of a movie."

Out of a World War II--era movie, to be precise. Whatever the other ways in which one can try to compare Iraq to Vietnam, in this important respect, here at home, the Vietnam era is over. The post-9/11 era is well under way.

[neverdem]

Harvard? Keep hope alive!

[Jack Black]

Another great hope of our nation, Justice Roberts, is a Harvard graduate.

[kellynla]

“here at home, the Vietnam era is over?”

Far be it for me, a Viet Nam Marine Corps combat veteran to disagree with Billy Boy, BUT as long as the U.S. government continues to imprison Marines for killing the enemy;
I find it disingenuous and inaccurate for anyone to say that the “Viet Nam era is over.The post-9/11 era is well under way.”

But I am glad to hear that Kristol found that the war is going better than it had. Although, I feel that once we captured Saddam Hussein; we should have let the UN take over.
Marines are trained to kill not pacify.

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[freema]

I agree, kelly.

(But first I’m going to chew you out for not reporting in after the earthquake~ making me worry about you!)

In addition to the reason you posted as disingenuous and inaccurate in saying that the Vietnam era is over is the still repeated reaction by leftists when I identify myself. It’s all over them. They just bite their tongue in a one on one situation, for some reason : )

[kellynla]

earthquake?
what earthquake...LOL
we CA natives don’t even mention the word unless it hits a six on the Richter scale. :-] anything smaller is just a tremor...

[freema]

It worried me! Didn’t know if you’d gotten mad and stomped your foot a bit too hard ; ) Glad you’re ok : )

[kellynla]

Thanks for thinking of me.

Safe assumption...no news is good news. LOL

Semper Fi,
Kelly