Memorial Day was celebrated this past weekend and it occurred to me that we should not only respect the sacrifices of yesterday, but those that are happening today. Time seems to neatly put things in perspective, and though only a minority of Americans actually supported our own Revolution, today we all take pride in those sacrifices that won our Independence from Great Britain. Two generations after the Patriots’ sacrifice came the great struggle for Union and an end to the horrors of slavery. This too was a divided affair, but no one today makes a serious claim that the Confederacy and Slavery was truly a better way.
We look back upon these sacrifices with respect, but it’s instructive to realize that these life and death struggles for Independence and freedom were not always universally supported. Today we hear those who say they support the troops in Iraq but oppose the war. I wonder how many of our American Continental Soldiers, Union Infantrymen, WWI Doughboys, or other veterans would feel about that kind of self-serving equivocation? What does it mean? It would be like saying you support the individual members of a ball team but not their mission of actually winning any games. Thanks, but no thanks. Presumably, their “support” would stop just short of actually cheering for the other team!
This last week the House Democrats, in an effort to stifle the good news coming out of Iraq, passed a Defense bill that included a prohibition against “concerted efforts to propagandize” the war. This begs the question: just what have THEY been doing these past few years? Democrat “leaders” have been saying the war is lost, that it is a civil war quagmire akin to Vietnam, that US troops are terrorizing innocent Iraqis in the dead of night and murdering people in cold blood, etc. If this isn’t propaganda, then what is? How can they be so irresponsible in their comments, while simultaneously criminalizing other opinions? Whose side are they really on? Apparently, only negative propaganda is allowed.
The fact is, the Democrats so own defeat now that they can’t let it be known that victory is imminent. They simply can’t afford the inconvenient prospect of voters finding out the truth and discovering how wrong they’ve been. They’ve been politicizing this war all along to win back the White House, so nothing is going to stop them now with the election so close. They’re maintaining the Jack Murtha claim that “the war is over” and America lost despite all indications that victory is at hand. To put it mildly, their lust for power has seriously clouded their judgement. “Al Qaeda’s network in the country has NEVER been closer to defeat,” says ambassador Ryan Crocker. The Iraqi forces trained by our military have done an incredible job cracking down on al Qaeda militants in Mosul and decimating Shiite militants in Basra and Sadr City. Cries of a hopeless civil war don’t compute either with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki forming a consensus agreement between Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish factions. The Sunnis have returned to the coalition parliament and are now ready to participate in the coming elections. Al Sadr has moved out of Iraq and his army is weakening. So, regardless of what the Left would have you believe- reconciliation is definitely taking place in Iraq under the Rule of Law.
Gen. David Petraeus (“Betray Us” to the Liberals) is expecting to draw down troops this autumn and predicts a continued redeployment out of Iraq over the next five years. But, because of all the defeatist “propaganda” on the Left dominating the Democrat Party, folks like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (hopefuls in the race to “lead” our military) can’t afford to admit the truth and give any respect to Gen. Petraeus and our military! This is what happens when you politicize a war. Is it any wonder that Hamas has endorsed Obama? The chief political advisor to the Prime Minister of Hamas, Ahmed Yousef, recently said, “we like Obama and we hope he will win the election. He has a vision to change America.” Maybe they see the chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with the hopeful changes brought about by an Obama administration? The fact remains, progress is happening. According to a Canadian Human Security Report, terror attacks worldwide are down 40% since 2001. Al Qaeda support in the Arab world has “collapsed.” Remember the claims of how our engagement was increasing recruitment for terrorists? Not so. It would help the Democrats to realize that their brand of appeasement only encourages our enemies, while strong, effective engagement serves the cause of winning. This was the whole lesson of the Surge.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Harkin, (D) IA, insists that McCain’s military viewpoint is “pretty dangerous” to America. Call me crazy, but I’m thinking McCain’s point of view would be pretty dangerous to America’s enemies. If McCain’s plea for more troops would have been listened to earlier, we could have enjoyed success in Iraq much sooner. The Reagan Doctrine says it best, “Peace Through Strength.” Whether it’s a war for Independence, freedom, or simply victory over the forces of evil- the best way to memorialize our American legacy is through an authentic respect for the difficult work of patriotic duty.
In time, the Iraq War will take its place alongside our other wars in future Memorial Day observances. The question remains: who are the real supporters and who are the mere pretenders? (send comments to: WFC83197@aol.com, or mail to POB 114, Jacksboro, TN 37757)
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