[Congressman Billybob]

This will also be published on John's campaign website, and on Billybob's website.

Those who haven't already are cordially invited to visit the campaign website. Click here.

[TheDon]

BUMP

[bvw]

Bravo and Yowsa!

[WOSG]

Thanks for a great read; yes, we need folks like you running the country! :-) You ought to get this published more widely too.

A few Questions/comments:
A big deal is made of the casualties "since May 1, when major military operations were declared over" ... Can you speak of the overall casualty rate in 1945-1946 due to sabotage etc. and how it compares?

Second, you indicate that maybe we should be treating the fedayeen-type attackers as POWs, or are they just to be lined up and shot? The thing that is unclear to me is whether CENTCOM is (stupidly) releasing people "detained"; I guess not, since brave soliders were just killed guarding a prison. So, how they they treating these militants?

IMHO, what Iraq really needs is to see some of these terrorists caught, tried publicly, then jailed or executed. Treat them as the criminals that they are.

[Gritty]

Excellent work.

It's work the Media should have done long ago. It may be laziness or incompetence, but more likely they just don't want to make any parallels and thereby sabotage the phony arguments of those they support for President.

[Starrgaizr]

This is worthy of a mega-ping.

[JustPiper]

Wish I could vote for you ;( But you are in my homeschooling modern history class!

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Early on, the official policy of America was to "do nothing concerning the reconstruction" of Germany's economy and society. This was to be left only to the Germans themselves, regardless of their lack of money, equipment, homes, factories or shops. It took two years for the United States to recognize that its own self interest demanded a functional Germany back on its feet as a bulwark against the Soviet buildup in Eastern Europe. And the American policy was changed to helping the Germans reconstruct their nation, effectively and quickly.

Early on, the policy of FDR--that the Soviet Union should dominate Europe (see The New Dealers' War by Flemming)--was followed. It was only after the 1946 election put the fear of electoral defeat into HST (see Treason by Coulter) that any effort was made at containment of the Soviet Union. Before that, American troops were shipping refugees from Stalin back into Soviet hands.

[olliemb]

Great read. Thanks. Any mention in your readings of the Werewolves--read somewhere that the post war saboteurs were organized and named werewolves. Is this correct?

[steveegg]

Outstanding.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for setting the record straight, Congressman!

You know the left treats the subject of post-Hitler Germany as powerful pro-war symbolism - in need of burying at any cost - as they did with PFC Lynch, the USS Lincoln landing, Todd Beamer (it was the hijackers who intentionally crashed, they'll say), and even by trying to seduce the fireman who stood atop the WTC rubble with the President's arm around him into attending the SOTU address as a guest of the Democrats. Thus, some of the confusion surrounding the history. The press is spinning stories to confuse and deceive - as usual.

In short, the major drawbacks to the American occupation in Iraq are not in Iraq. Compared to the one close example, Germany, the major defects of the Iraqi occupation are only in the pages of the American press and in the stump speeches of assorted badly-informed American candidates for President.

 Thanks, Tonkin!

If you want on or off my PRO-coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days). All links are added to my homepage, link above.

[tet68]

Reporters, bump and raise!

[CGVet58]

This is an outstanding piece of work!!! To which, I add the following Link:

http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/summer2003/nation1.html

The above is a thoughtful and objective study on nation-building done by the RAND Corporation. Among the comparisons and conclusions - also using Germany & Japan - is the belief by the writer that there exists a higher likelihood of a messier Iraqi occupation because the active combat phase was so relatively bloodless for the enemy. Highly recommended reading, all

Juan

[Carolinamom]

Outstanding. Any chance of your sending copies to receptive reporters, members of Congress, New Republic, Byron York, Brit Hume, etc.?

[jokar]

This is a wonderful article John. First rate. Now if the journalists will just read it.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Early on, the official policy of America was to "do nothing concerning the reconstruction" of Germany's economy and society. This was to be left only to the Germans themselves, regardless of their lack of money, equipment, homes, factories or shops. It took two years for the United States to recognize that its own self interest demanded a functional Germany back on its feet as a bulwark against the Soviet buildup in Eastern Europe. And the American policy was changed to helping the Germans reconstruct their nation, effectively and quickly.

. . . The reconstruction of Germany back to a fully functional society – both economic and political --. . . was not largely completed in Germany for four years, whereas in Iraq it should take about two years.

Would you say that West Germany was in better shape after two years of not-so-benign neglect than Iraq is now? Politically, perhaps it was--2 years of deNazification following less than 15 years of Nazi rule, compared to Iraq's few months of deBaathification following dozens of years of Baath rule.

Economically, tho, I'll bet it was worse. If so the economic reconstruction of Germany only took two years of U.S. help. I don't see that Iraq should take continued US government investments (I hope the term may be used in the non-Clintonesque sense) for more than a year. I certainly hope that by then Iraq has a rule of law in place which will allow private enterprise to undertake the rest of the reconstruction more efficiently than the government can.

[buzzsaw6]

Hey John!
When you get a bank account set up for contributions to your congressional campaign, I'll send you a donation. I'd like a bumper sticker. Major Jamie Myers, USAF

[eureka!]

Oh, to have an honest press. Wonderfully done, as per usual...

[Mr. Silverback]

Bump!

[Norse]

ping for later

[kylaka]

Six of those eight were hanged; two were convicted and their sentences carried out even though they claimed to be American citizens (one clearly was an American, born in Chicago.)

It was pointed out in my local newspaper that apprehension, trial and execuition for these individuals took 36 days. And the liberals complain about civil rights abuses to the prisioners in Gitmo. FDR makes Bush and Ashcroft look like pikers.