Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

I am starting to think going to Iraq was a mistake
MMI | 4/30/04 | MDP

Posted on 04/30/2004 9:16:18 AM PDT by Check_Your_Premises

As an avid supporter of the President's Iraq policies, the last few days have been difficult for me. The number of casualties seemed to reach a "critical mass" for me. I found myself simply not caring to sacrifice anymore of our brave soldiers for Iraqi independence and democracy. Screw 'em.

I was not sure why I began to feel this way. As I said I am an avid supporter of the plan to bring an oasis of freedom and liberty to the 12th century toilet that is the middle east. It seemed to me that if we are to end terrorism we have to destroy the sources, which are the failed states and ideology of that region.

Why not? We have succeeded at such things in the past. We transformed post war Germany and Japan into thriving and peaceful democracies. Unfortunately, we have also failed at such things in the past. Of course, I am speaking of the war that Teddy Kennedy's brother got us into.

The one problem I had with liberating Iraq from Saddam's clutches is that we were removing one of the most important steps to the forming of a successful democracy. The successful overthrow of tyranny is a process that produces the type of leaders that are required to bring the successful transition from tyranny to liberal democracy. By liberating Iraq, for the Iraqis we were not allowing their "Founding Fathers" to become. It is of course worth noting that such leaders may never have been produced.

It seems to me now that the war in Iraq suffers from the same fatal flaw as the war in Vietnam. I may be speculating here, but it seems we simply cared more than the South Vietnamese, that their nation remain free. No American should be expected to die defending the home of another not willing to do the same. In the same sense we seem to care more about the freedom of the Iraqi people than they do themselves. This is why I don't really care anymore. If they truly cared or understood their fate, they would be dying ten to our one. And in that case I think the American people would support them steadfastly. God knows I would.

So what was different about our success stories, Japan and Germany. Well we basically bombed the entire nation back into the stone age. I think their civilians were probably so glad that we weren't going to execute our own "final solution" to the "Japanese and German question", that they were willing to do whatever we said. It is also worth noting that in annhilating their armies we effectively removed any person who would be opposed to our efforts. As George Will put it recently, they "knew they were defeated".

So the question is if:
1) we care more about the freedom of the Iraqi people than they do (something we could only have known in hindsight), and
2)we are not willing to wage total war until all opposition is removed,

than how can we possibly win there?

Well I think you see where I am getting at. General Sherman would probably agree with me. However since we do not have the will to fight this way, it is clear that we cannot win until that fact changes. What could bring such a change of will about? Unfortunately, I think we are victims of our own success in preventing further terrorist attacks. Until every man, woman, child, and leftist acutely feels that they are in grave danger of death at the hands of these murderers, America will not be ready to do what she must to win this war.

Until we are ready, maybe we should hold off on any further "imperialist" adventures in the world's excretory regions.

Semper Fidelis

MDP


TOPICS: War on Terror; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: dnctalkingpoints; drsmith; imperialism; iraq; iraqaftermath; ohwoeisme; quackmire; quagmire; weakkneed; weredoomedisay
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340341-354 next last
Comment #321 Removed by Moderator

To: churchillbuff
Actually..this is all far from being a worthless venture.

Iran has been trying to build nuclear weapons....Iran has proxy terror orgs all over the mideast and beyond.
Sleazy House of Saud is hanging by a thread..nearly 80% of their population are for Osamma and company.

Kurds were soon to break away from Iraq..here the reality would have undone the Turks...and that would have meant what to the Caspain oil/gas flow....the pipleines to the *Stans..the oil/gas to China.

England has vast holdings via BP Oil in the Gulf.
England has antied in with America...Brothers against fascim and communism since WW-2.

The Gulf states do not have a fluid/cohesive military that has been tried in Battle..even though they posesses modern technology..they would collapse against Aggressor Iraq with no help from America,England and other coalition forces.

Oil is the lubricant of the fiscal machinery of our world...this alone dictates that Iraq cannot be left to Saddams scheming..terror orgs..or to Iran.

It was only a matter of time before Iran subterfuged Iraq..had Saddam killed..and set up Lebanon on the Euphrates.

322 posted on 04/30/2004 7:01:09 PM PDT by Light Speed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 317 | View Replies]

To: Atlantic Friend
the general publics acceptance of war casualties that's changed.

As callous as this may sound, I think the American public puts far to much emphasis on human death. People die. Everyone dies. Its just a matter of when and where. Death is guaranteed.

This country has lost its stomach for real death, yet seems to possess an insatiable appetite for death in fantasy. As a culture we cannot get enough of it in print, film, and music.

We appear to have become a culture that prefers fantasy at the expense of reality. It is as if we are culture in denial.

This is now the alternative reality...the parallel universe we live in.

Hollywood stars and producers peddle a never ending stream of death and misery, yet these same peddlers are the most vociferous opponents to the war; real death.

The contemptuous comments of Sgt Barnes in the Oliver Stones 'Platoon' sums it up with delicious irony: "Death? What do you guys know about it?".

Look around you...look at the youth of this country...our future leaders. The only thing they know of death is that its not real; its a fantasy.

When I look at WWII and its enormous cost in terms of human life, I can reconcile the tragedy knowing that death is part of life.

We as a nation have gone soft, and have forgotten that sometimes people have to die, so that others may live, and though tragic as it is, its normal.

323 posted on 04/30/2004 7:34:06 PM PDT by antaresequity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Check_Your_Premises
See Post #323

324 posted on 04/30/2004 7:36:41 PM PDT by antaresequity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 323 | View Replies]

Comment #325 Removed by Moderator

To: Alberta's Child
Thanks for the great reply. I'm unable to find your source for the Administration saying there's no Al Qaeda link though. Please post a URL if you have one, I'd like to read that.

As far as evidence linking Al Qaeda to the Spain bombings, the Al Qaeda link to the Madrid bombing was reinforced today: http://www.iht.com/articles/517862.html

Also, from Newsmax: "Al-Zarqawi ... has been linked to a series of terrorist plots, including the attack in Madrid last month, the bombing of the U.N. compound in Baghdad last summer, and the 2002 killing of an American diplomat in Jordan." -- http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/4/27/164917.shtml

"Excerpts from the WMD conspirator's confession broadcast by ABC's "Nightline" late Monday show that the WMD plot was planned and trained for in Iraq more than a year before the U.S. invasion, with the terror suspect admitting, "After the fall of Afghanistan, I met Zarqawi again in Iraq.""

I've yet to hear any solid denials that Al Qaeda was involved in the Madrid bombing, and people have confessed to Al Qaeda's involvement through arrests or police shoot-outs (bombings) in Spain. Why wouldn't they say something if they weren't involved?

326 posted on 04/30/2004 8:21:31 PM PDT by anonymous_user (Telling the truth means you never have to change your story.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 190 | View Replies]

To: WhiteGuy
If true, the fight should be focused within the borders of the 48 contiguous states, IMO.
WRONG. The best place to fight them is over there.

That battle is not going our way.</i?
Could you name the last terroist attack that happened inside Amerca?

327 posted on 04/30/2004 8:24:06 PM PDT by Valin (Hating people is like burning down your house to kill a rat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 153 | View Replies]

To: Valin
That battle is not going our way.?
Could you name the last terroist attack that happened inside Amerca?

Memo to self: Close your tags you moron!

328 posted on 04/30/2004 8:25:35 PM PDT by Valin (Hating people is like burning down your house to kill a rat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 327 | View Replies]

To: Check_Your_Premises
I knew it was a mistake from Day One - but few listen to ol' Pardek.
329 posted on 04/30/2004 8:29:44 PM PDT by Senator Pardek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Check_Your_Premises
My advice?

Quit watching CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, and MSNBC. Get your news from a more reliable source. They portray the whole country as a war zone... in all reality it's only several cities!!

Have Faith!
330 posted on 04/30/2004 8:31:04 PM PDT by gunnut78 (Live to hunt, hunt to live. No person can remove God-given rights! "...shall not be infringed.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Check_Your_Premises
As I said I am an avid supporter of the plan to bring an oasis of freedom and liberty to the 12th century toilet that is the middle east.

I'm an avid supporter of doing everything possible to make sure that despots and terrorists from that region can't hurt us ever again. If we somehow manage to successfully impose democracy on them, so much the better.

331 posted on 04/30/2004 8:59:34 PM PDT by NYC GOP Chick ("If I could shoot like that, I would still be in the NBA" -- Bill Clinton, circa 1995)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYC GOP Chick
If we somehow manage to successfully impose democracy on them, so much the better.

We can't impose democracy on them. All we can do is give them a shot at it. Even that is going to take a while, BUT if we are successful....it's a whole new ballgame in the mideast.
332 posted on 04/30/2004 9:20:53 PM PDT by Valin (Hating people is like burning down your house to kill a rat)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 331 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Wow, you just demonstrated how far behind the curve you are on this subject, both factually and analytically.

I guess Saddam just dropped leaflets on the Kurds, huh?

Evidence is mounting that the biggest reason we haven't found more in the way of WMDs is that while the UN was playing their delaying game so as to not lose their backhanded income, Saddam had plenty of opportunity to hide them real well and send them across the border into Syria. But then, you'll have to actually keep up with the news to realize this, which you obviously haven't.

333 posted on 05/01/2004 12:00:11 AM PDT by william clark
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 317 | View Replies]

Comment #334 Removed by Moderator

To: Lunatic Fringe
The old regime is dead.

Oops! One of the old regime's generals was just resurrected and we have turned Fallujah over to him!

335 posted on 05/01/2004 4:44:05 AM PDT by iconoclast (Shame on the armchair warriors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: RinaseaofDs
Madras' ?????
336 posted on 05/01/2004 4:53:25 AM PDT by iconoclast (Shame on the armchair warriors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 234 | View Replies]

To: Valin
I think you might have missed my point.

I was referring to this definition of "terrorism"

"Terrorism, being any efforts against US freedom"

My point was, quite simply, that our rights and freedoms are under attack right here in the USA.

The war is being waged upon US by the very people we hire to run our governments.

And we're losing.

If a true war on terror is to be waged, based on this definition, it must be won HERE.
337 posted on 05/01/2004 5:19:59 AM PDT by WhiteGuy (Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 327 | View Replies]

To: ladyinred
I don't believe the Iraqi people as a whole don't want freedom

These barbarians have no more conception of freedom than of the taste of a ham sandwich.

If their oil disappeared tomorrow they'd be back to defecating in the sand and fighting with the tribe at the next oasis.

338 posted on 05/01/2004 5:30:36 AM PDT by iconoclast (Shame on the armchair warriors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 310 | View Replies]

To: churchillbuff
Bingo!

That's it in a nutshell.

339 posted on 05/01/2004 5:36:20 AM PDT by iconoclast (Shame on the armchair warriors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 317 | View Replies]

To: TheRedSoxWinThePennant
if freedom takes root there its over for tehran, ryiahd and damascus.

Uh huh. That's about as likely as an olive tree taking root in my backyard.

340 posted on 05/01/2004 5:40:21 AM PDT by iconoclast (Shame on the armchair warriors)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 320 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 281-300301-320321-340341-354 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson