Michael Barone: We're Not Leaving

TownHall.com ^ | Saturday, July 12, 2008 | Michael Barone

[JohnHuang2]

Michael Barone MEGA PING!

[TnGOP]

Great read and reminder. Ping

[goldstategop]

The American people loved "Give Em Hell" Harry. He always did what he thought was right and buck the State and Defense Departments to do it. He stood up to the Soviets when every one around him told him it was a lost cause. He was behind in the polls but he never gave a damn about them. He always put the country first and wasn't afraid to drop The Bomb on Japan to save American lives.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[srmorton]

Great article! Michael Barone is brilliant, as always. No matter what GWB has done to irritate conservatives, he has been single-minded and steadfast on the issue of the war in Iraq. Because of him, what looked like a possible defeat is going to be a victory that will be a tribute to the skills and the ingenuity of the US military.

[goldstategop]

America's best days are not behind her. America's best days are yet to come.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Diogenesis]

"Tunner imposed brute efficiencies so that a plane landed and took off every 90 seconds,
and the pilots working under him devised ingenious ways to increase payloads
and gain favor from Berliners by dropping handkerchiefs full of candy
to the children lining the runways at Tempelhof Airport. ....
There are lessons aplenty in this story for us today.
One is that the kindness of American soldiers -- the candy bombers --
can be a national asset. ....
Another is that presidential determination to avoid defeat and retreat can prevail against the advice of experts."

[canuck_conservative]

General William Tunner:

“After the Burma Road was cut by the advancing Japanese in early 1942, he organized the Allied logistical airlift from India in to China over the Hump to support Chiang Kai-Shek’s Chinese forces and the Flying Tigers until the opening of the Ledo Road.

After the war, he was the organizer of the Berlin Airlift (1948–49), and took a direct hand when the early efforts bogged down. Under his hand, the operation amassed more than 250,000 flights, cycled a plane every ninety seconds, and broke the will of the Soviet Union with the so-called ‘Easter Parade’, delivering nearly 13,000 tons of supplies in a single 24 hour period. In addition, when Tunner learned of pilot Gail Halvorsen’s initiative of airdropping candy for the children of Berlin, he ordered that idea expanded into Operation Little Vittles which saw tons of candy dropped for a major propaganda success.

As a general in the new United States Air Force, he was head of Military Air Transport Service in the darkest days of the Korean war, and instrumental in reinforcing the nearly conquered south, and in post-Inchon operations while the United Nations Forces had yet to join the perimeters and secure the south. In the rough Korean terrain the air supply by parachute techniques he pioneered in the Burma theater kept the UN forces supplied and healthy throughout the campaign despite medieval roads, and brutal winters.’

>> Wikipedia

[healy61]

As a child, I recall the Berlin airlift discussed in class. I had no idea it was a plane every 90 seconds, 8 million pounds a day. Demorats would not vote for a Truman today.

[Proud_texan]

"Demorats would not vote for a Truman today."

With the majority of republicans seemingly left of Truman I'm not sure many republicans would either.

[Uncle Ralph]

See related The Last Cold War Casualty: The heroic story of Major Nicholson.

[Recovering_Democrat]

I love Mr. Barone, but there is a difference between 60 years ago and today. 60 years ago, even some Democrats...like Harry...had a PAIR.

Today, we're lucky to find REPUBLICANS with a pair...Democrats who have them are booted (see: Joe Lieberman).

Leadership is on the wane and is being replaced with "let's get along with the world community" bs.

[Uncle Ralph]

[LibLieSlayer]

osamabama would call that unilateral cowboy foreign policy... until his handlers pointed out that a rat was the President that made that decision... then he would lie and spin it as a compliment! I despise barry the muzzie-commie weasel!

LLS

[Salvey]

America's best days are not behind her. America's best days are yet to come.

Agreed. I only wish I were younger, so that I would still be walking around on this planet to be part of those best days.

[Cacique]

btt

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[wardaddy]

With the majority of republicans seemingly left of Truman I'm not sure many republicans would either.

No doubt, many folks today especially if under 40 and not instructed good or diligently self taught, have no clue that many Democrats used to be more socially conservative and willing to fight wars even more so than their then GOP contemporaries.

So many youngsters and northern GOP today like to think Republicans always good and Democrats always bad from the beginning.

The history of party affiliation with conservatism is much more convoluted and complicated.

As is I suppose the history of conservatism and events specific to that specific time.

[Zevonismymuse]

Just as Truman's Pentagon opposed the airlift, so George W. Bush's Pentagon mostly opposed the surge strategy in Iraq. In late 2006 and early 2007, the advice from experts, notably the Baker-Hamilton Commission, was the same as that Marshall and Bradley gave Truman: get out with whatever fig leaf you can.

This article gets me so pumped. Every word rings true. Barrone is the man. And he always plays it straight, telling both sides. I hope the folks in our military are aware of how the great job they are doing is still leaking out despite the Obama Camp's best efforts to misrepresent the status in Iraq.

[Zevonismymuse]

GWB has done to irritate conservatives, he has been single-minded and steadfast on the issue of the war in Iraq.

That is why, despite all the things we don't like about McCain, we need to do everything we can to make sure Obama does not become our next President. The only thing I trust McCain on is supporting the troops and seeing that we are victorious in Iraq.