Posted on 12/09/2007 10:14:51 AM PST by smoothsailing
December 09, 2007
Anti-War General Flip Flops on the Surge
Rick Moran
One of the Iraq War's harshest military critics, retired General John Batiste, has changed his mind and come out in support of the new counterinsurgency strategy.
In a joint Op-Ed in the Washington Post with Pete Hegseth, executive director of Vets for Freedom, Batiste, who was a board member of the anti-war group Votevets.org, gives some of his reasons for the change of heart:
First, the United States must be successful in the fight against worldwide Islamic extremism. We have seen this ruthless enemy firsthand, and its global ambitions are undeniable. This struggle, the Long War, will probably take decades to prosecute. Failure is not an option.
Second, whether or not we like it, Iraq is central to that fight. We cannot walk away from our strategic interests in the region. Iraq cannot become a staging ground for Islamic extremism or be dominated by other powers in the region, such as Iran and Syria. A premature or precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, without the requisite stability and security, is likely to cause the violence there -- which has decreased substantially but is still present -- to cascade into an even larger humanitarian crisis.
Third, the counterinsurgency campaign led by Gen. David Petraeus is the correct approach in Iraq. It is showing promise of success and, if continued, will provide the Iraqi government the opportunities it desperately needs to stabilize its country.
Michael Goldfarb sums up the significance of the switch: There are two stories here: 1) A formerly anti-war general flips on supporting the war, and now believes Petraeus has the right strategy; and 2) Batiste has left VoteVets.org, and the antiwar movement, and joined up with the pro-troop, pro-surge, pro-victory Vets for Freedom.
The antiwar movement has lost one of its most powerful voices today, and it will be interesting to see whether they turn on one of their own, or come around to the view, supported by a preponderance of evidence, that the surge is working.
It is doubtful that Batiste's former colleagues at VoteVets will change their positions given that they are based on wild conspiracy theories on why we are fighting the war and a healthy dose of Bush hatred. Nevertheless, the defection of one of their highest profile military officers is extremely significant.
Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/12/antiwar_general_flip_flops_on.html at December 09, 2007 - 01:04:12 PM EST
And Col. Chesty Puller was correct. I have a friend who is a survivor of the Chosin and just this morning I stumbled on an article about another survivor in a small town paper in Eastern Oregon.
Something that no one brings up - is the Speech that President Bush gave right after 9/11.
Something to the affect that it will not be an easy quick fix, we won’t be told what is happening and we should keep the faith.
We have a lazy lazy media. Young people that have been handed everything from birth that is so used to instant gratification has also fallen for the Clinton liberal ploy.
On Friday afternoon the Clintons give stories to the media that allows the reporters to quickly file something so they can leave for the weekend.
This also allows the media to pay less and therefore get less. In order to make a profit they have removed the incentive of true investigative reporting.
Because most of them are liberals at heart, they don’t want to know the truth if it means going against their ideology. The front page of the Washington Post, LA Times and New York Times is like a running advertisment for the liberals.
Are there any investigate reporters left?
God bless America and her troops.
Evidently Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are intent on being parents of an orphan.
That so many Democrats, Democrat presidental candidates included, join them has the potential of a national disaster of unthinkable proportions.
Exactly.
Thanks and bookmark for later head explosive action
lol
General Batiste, we want to - have to - win this war. We are pleased to have you back.
Muck Furtha!!
One of the Iraq War’s harshest military critics, retired General John Batiste, has changed his mind and come out in support of the new counterinsurgency strategy.
Zinni was one of the harshest Iraq war critics the libs adored.
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Thank you very much for your kindness, Allegra.
.
Praise GOD that...
President BUSH has promised...
Freedom’s return to:
Communist Vietnam
Communist North Korea
Communist Cuba
..as well as..
Freedom’s arrival to:
All the countries of the Middle East
...as America’s own best self-protection against future terrorist attacks here at home.
* Quoting President BUSH in a signed letter read aloud to over 1,000 Little Saigon Vietnamese Americans demonstrating in loving support for his bringing Freedom to the people of Iraq & Afghanistan - April 2003
.
Signed:..”ALOHA RONNIE” Guyer, an in-person witness
.
NEVER FORGET
.
.
MEL’s -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts
.
I was just thinking about them yesterday...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1936649/posts?page=30#30
I sure hate for you to miss this link on jaz’s Post #41.
Memories from one of the Chosin Frozen.
“Muck Furtha!!”
uh..Gunnie, do I feel a note of contempt in your post?!/s
Thanks for your service, Marine, and your sons too!!
As Chesty said, “Men we are surrounded.....now we can fire in any direction!”.
Good night Chesty, where ever you are!
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