Replaying Vietnam
January 8, 2007 by Laura | Trackback URI
After a few news stories yesterday saying that there was a good possibility that the Democrat led Congress would deny funds for the Iraq war, it began to seem inevitable that Iraq would in fact turn out just like Vietnam. No props for being correct to those on the left who made the prediction, since they have been assiduously working to make it so. However, this article gives some hope that common sense may yet prevail.
It’s difficult to know whether the much vaunted “surge” is the best way to go, but it’s bound to be better than an ignominious retreat.
Over at Scrappleface, the full text of Bush’s leaked upcoming speech has been posted. The fact that this could be written as parody is sad. It ought to be the actual speech.
Folks, we’re not at war with the average Iraqi citizen. We’re fighting proxies — deployed, armed and funded by Iran and al Qaeda — who are taking advantage of the Iraqi government’s chaotic infancy to advance their vision of a global Muslim caliphate. This is not a neo-con nightmare fantasy, it’s the enemy’s stated goal.
You’ve probably heard from the news media that the Iraqi insurgency is stoked by high unemployment. Well, if folks can’t pay their bills or buy groceries, where do you think they get the money to make bombs and to buy guns? Do you know how much lamb and falafel you can buy for the cost of one AK-47? The lack of money is not the problem. The people supplying the money are the problem.
As a wise man once said, ‘Civil war isn’t breaking out in Iraq, it’s breaking in.’
Some tell me that the American public doesn’t understand the stakes…that you’re too stupid to comprehend the cost of failure in Iraq, or the benefit of victory. I don’t believe that.
But just in case there’s a journalist or a politician out there who doesn’t understand why we fight, and why we must win, let me make it plain.
In every country where radical Islam takes over, the first people to fall under the sword are journalists and politicians. There is no free press under Sharia law, and no room for politicians who would advance the rights of women and homosexuals or the freedom to choose an abortion. There is no debate on these issues, because people who would speak out against Sharia law never speak again. Incidentally, there’s no debate about the death penalty either, although the appeals process for the convicted can sometimes drag on for minutes on end.
If you think America should back away from this fight, think about this:
Picture a future where the number two (Iran) and number three (Iraq) oil reserves in the world are in the hands of our sworn enemies. How long do you think it would take them to expand their regime to Kuwait, Yemen, Dubai and Saudi Arabia? Which non-Muslim nations might be the first to capitulate to whatever demands these petroleum-rich whack-jobs might make? Who would stand in the way? The United Nations, perhaps?And let me paraphrase the late John Lennon…
Imagine there’s no Israel.
It’s easy if you try.
Just give Iraq to Ahmadinejad.
Jerusalem, bye-bye.A lot of well-meaning Americans seem to think that there are a lot of well-meaning radical Islamists, who want only justice for their cause, and then they would settle down and live in harmony with their infidel brothers…that’s you and me.
Do you think the Islamic warlord Moktada al-Sadr would like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony?
No, he’d like to teach the world chant in bland monotony, he’d like to put a bloody end to Christianity. He’s the real thing, and so is Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Sheik Hassan Nasrallah and dozens of other radical Islamic leaders who are willing to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the destruction and demise of liberty and its primary champion, the United States of America.
Let’s face the facts. Iran declared war on the U.S. in 1979. Al Qaeda declared war on the U.S. in 1998. No truce or ceasefire has been signed. Iran and al Qaeda remain at war with us, whether we acknowledge it or not.
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I would...
Like an aging monument, democracy itself is crumbling.
There are good points in your article. I would like to supplement them with some information:
I am a 2 tour Vietnam Veteran who recently retired after 36 years of working in the Defense Industrial Complex on many of the weapons systems being used by our forces as we speak.
If you are interested in a view of the inside of the Pentagon procurement process from Vietnam to Iraq please check the posting at my blog entitled, “Odyssey of Armaments”
http://rosecoveredglasses.blogspot.com/2006/11/odyssey-of-armaments.html
The Pentagon is a giant, incredibly complex establishment, budgeted in excess of $500B per year. The Rumsfelds, the Administrations and the Congressmen come and go but the real machinery of policy and procurement keeps grinding away, presenting the politicos who arrive with detail and alternatives slanted to perpetuate itself.
How can any newcomer, be he a President, a Congressman or even the new Sec. Def.Mr. Gates, understand such complexity, particularly if heretofore he has not had the clearance to get the full details?
Answer- he can’t. Therefore he accepts the alternatives provided by the career establishment that never goes away and he hopes he makes the right choices. Or he is influenced by a lobbyist or two representing companies in his district or special interest groups.
From a practical standpoint, policy and war decisions are made far below the levels of the talking heads who take the heat or the credit for the results.
This situation is unfortunate but it is absolute fact. Take it from one who has been to war and worked in the establishment.
This giant policy making and war machine will eventually come apart and have to be put back together to operate smaller, leaner and on less fuel. But that won’t happen until it hits a brick wall at high speed.
We will then have to run a Volkswagen instead of a Caddy and get along somehow. We better start practicing now and get off our high horse. Our golden aura in the world is beginning to dull from arrogance.
As far as “smaller, leaner and on less fuel” – it was my understanding that Rumsfeld was doing just that, and the generals were kicking and screaming because he was dismantling their little fiefdoms. But thanks to careful leaking and a leftist press, Rummy got axed.
I will give your blog a careful read – what I’ve seen so far looks very interesting. My family that isn’t computers tends to be military or state dept. weenies, so I’m glad for some insight into the Pentagon.
Laura,
For some reason I did not get this trackback ping.
I will add it to my open trackback post and send a ping momentarily…
Thanks