“...and 4000 who will have died in vain”
How DARE you say that their sacrifice will have been in vain, regardless of what happens in November. How dare you!
Europe is a socialist hole fast going dhimmi, so does that mean the sacrifice of men in WWII was in vain? Korea is still half communist, so did the men who died in Korea die in vain? Did the men in Vietnam die in vain? No! No! And no! The sacrifice of any military man or woman is to be honored for all time, reagardless of how the conflict eventually turns out, and I’m sick and tired of people saying that if foreign nations can’t hold things together in perpetuity, the sacrifices made on their behalf are worthless. That’s mindless sophistry of the worst kind.
If, in five, ten or fifty years Iraq is just another typical Middle Eastern craphole, as it probably will be, it will be due to the failure of IRAQIS, not the failure of the troops or the failure of any political party or ideological group. It’s their country, and ultimately their responsibility.
Outside of the far right, the war is unpopular. The next President, whoever he/she is, is either going to withdraw from Iraq or lose the ‘12 election. That includes McCain. Get used to the idea, and stop blaming the American voters or American fighting men and women for the failure of foreigners to establish and maintain functioning representative government.
Our military men and women in Iraq have killed terrorists, lots and lots of terrorists wishing to do us harm. If nothing else comes of the war in Iraq, that will be more than enough to honor their bravery, patriotism and sacrifice for all time!
Spare me the indignation obviously intended to make you and all the other petulant children who refuse to support the candidate who supports the troops feel better about yourselves.
If we don’t finish the job, it will be like a patient who does not complete a course of anti-biotics: The infection will come back, stronger than before.
We don’t change the world for the better by losing wars. I don’t know about you, but that’s not why I raised my hand and took the oath three times. We change the world by winning wars. We’re winning this one, but let Clinton or Obama get in the White House and see what happens.
If our net security is no better than it was before, because we’ve left the job half done, they will have died in vain - and it will be the fault of all of us who know better and should be standing up for what is right, right now.