There’s a War Still Going On...

National Review Online ^ | May 16, 2007 | Victor Davis Hanson

[neverdem]

May 16, 2007, 1:57 a.m.

There’s a War Still Going On...

By Victor Davis Hanson

They didn’t ask necessarily for this war; but nevertheless our soldiers and officer corps brilliantly defeated Saddam Hussein in three weeks under the strict parameters set by political leaders. Then they were asked to jump start consensual government in the heart of the ancient caliphate, while ensuring that enemies like Syria and Iran, and “friends” such as Saudi Arabia and Jordan did not destroy the tenuous democracy through proxy wars — although the emergence of a successful free society threatened all four neighbors in varying ways.

Then that effort morphed still again as Middle Eastern players all upped the ante, Iraq becoming a new battlefield, where al Qaeda has staked its all, and Islamists of various stripes realized that their
very existence was in the balance.

And now here we are, after four years of hard, and often tragic fighting, characterized by mistake, response, fresh challenge, and more knowledgeable response still.

The present Army, in its make-up, tactics, expertise, and the manner is which it is led, is as different from the one that invaded in March 2003 as the army of the West in 1865 was from that of 1861, or the U.S. army that crossed the Rhine in 1945 was from what landed in North Africa in late 1942. All armies change in wars; the victorious ones for the better — and ours under Petraeus has as well.

Given the regional stakes that ripple far beyond Iraq (and range from the source of a considerable part of the fuel that powers the world economy, to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, to the security of the United States and its regional allies, to the future of Islam in the modern world), surely we owe Gen. Petraeus the necessary window of support, so that the full effect of his strategy can be assessed — realizing that while al Qaeda cannot defeat the U.S. military, it seeks to kidnap, behead, and poison in such a horrific and publicized manner to demoralize enough of us to circumvent a fair and full assessment of Petraeus’s efforts.

For some of us who had doubts that increased numbers at this late date, without radical changes in strategy and rules of engagement, were the answers, and might only increase Iraqi dependency, we must be proven quite wrong, as the surge, both the numbers and new tactics, are found to be the proper winning formula. In any case, the general and our troops need our full support at this critical summer and autumn as things in Iraq and the wider region seem to be coming to a climax.

[neverdem]

VDH

[flynmudd]

Amen.

[Son House]

” the general and our troops need our full support “

Can Military Officers speak out about how the elected Democrats
embolden the enemy and endanger the Troops?

[Girlene]

For some of us who had doubts that increased numbers at this late date, without radical changes in strategy and rules of engagement, were the answers, and might only increase Iraqi dependency, we must be proven quite wrong,...

I agree wholeheartedly with Victor Davis Hanson! I wish we'd made it easier for our troops to win this war with revised ROE, but regardless, we must support them.

[Tolik]

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[RC2]

I am fast reaching the opinion that we should give the Democrats what they want. Pull all of our troops out of the Middle East. Let happens what happens. When our troops come home, let all of our officers resign their commissions. Let the Democrats handle what comes next. When the world blows up, the people here can take back our government and the PC crowd can go to hell. I’m really getting tired of the BS in Congress. Our men and women are fighting a war damit. Our military should just tell Congress to “Grow up or we will come home and you can kiss our ass”. These money hungry candy asses are going to ruin this country. Our military will back their Commander in Chief, not whimps in Congress.....this includes Republicans and Democrats. The interesting thing about this is that there is nothing that Congress can do about it. Let the President pull our troops out and Congress can suck hind tit.

[Girlene]

Let happens what happens.

It is very frustrating, for sure. And the Democrats are acting like children. But, some of us have to be the sdults and do what's right for the future of this country. We will stand strong with our troops because they stand for us.

[RC2]

Yep.....but what I see happening in Congress is that we are standing strong for our troops and not funding them unless Congress gets their pork and cut off dates. These are fools living in a fools world. I guess they don’t study history.....mainly Roman history when the Legions revolted against the Senate and buried them. History has a tendancy to repeat itself if it’s not payed attention to. Reality is tough, and Congress best start listening.

[motomojo]

http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2007/05/2635198

[Christian4Bush]

vdh bump

[maica]

Let the Democrats handle what comes next.

^^^^^

Just look at the cities where dems have ruled for generations. They NEVER take responsibility for ruining peoples’ lives. They keep on emoting about “wanting to help...” while cities like Baltimore, Detroit, St Louis, New Orleans, turn to crud.

We have to be the adults in this political scenario; even though it would “feel good” to say ‘OK, now it’s your problem” we would be commiting suicide.

[Valin]

There’s a War Still Going On

Ya know I read something about that in the paper the other day. Of course what with all the trouble Paris Hilton is in, and following “American Idol”, I couldn’t be bothered with reading about it. After all one must have ones priorities straight.

[Valin]

I understand your frustration, but the problem is those we are fighting in Iraq are the same people we’re fighting all over the world, and they’d follow us home. It really is a very very small world.
According to Lt Col John Nagl (one of the co-authors of the new army counter-insurgenct manual) it take about ten years to fight and defeat a guerilla army.