That Dang Pesky War in Iraq

Three years. Sigh.

I have been watching the coverage of the 3rd anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. I’m already weary of the Democrats pummeling away that “72% of the soldiers think the troops should come home.” That’s really a misleading statement and the numbers are wrong. 100% of the soldiers think we should leave Iraq. And 100% of the wives, parents and friends of those that serve whether they are in Iraq now, have been there, might be going there, or will never serve in Iraq. We all -- they all -- want the soldiers home.

I have said it many times before and in many forums: There is no one that wants our soldiers home more or wants them home sooner than I (and soldiers’ wives, girlfriends, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors and friends) do. Those soldiers cannot come home soon enough or fast enough for the military community and those that support it. It's only the timing that's open for debate. And I often wonder if those people that think that our soldiers are dying for "nothing" ever stop to think that what they are saying is that they think themselves so above the plight of the Iraqis that the Iraqis are worth nothing? And that it would be OK to leave Iraq now and leave the country vulnerable to attack by all enemies foreign and domestic? THAT would make it all for nothing. There is a job to do and the soldiers will be home when it is done.

Do I want us to be in Iraq? No.
Do I think US troops will be coming home? Yes.
Do I think that is now? No.

Do I think it should be now? No.
Do I think the Iraqis need to get their act together? Emphatically.

Do I think that day is coming? Absolutely. I’m sure most Iraqis know that, too.

It’s just that I think there are those (including most Democrats) that can’t seem to accept that it will happen and those that do accept that the day is coming are way crazy that they don’t have control over that date. More to the point, they HATE that George W. controls that date because they hate all things Bush. I say, whatever that date is, it cannot come soon enough for me. And the sooner the better. I never want my son or any other American soldier to have to go back. Ever.

And to Charles Barkley, stick to talking basketball for you know nothing of war. American soldiers stepped up and did something you have never done: they put their lives on the line every day to defend this country. Keep your pity. Don't feel sorry for us (the military families). And after your little anti-Bush rant, you didn't even have the decency to THANK the soldiers for defending your right to be wrong and for the right of brainless twits like you to shoot their mouths off. American soldiers have not died needlessly, although I will agree that Iraqis have died needlessly -- at the hands of terrorists and at the hands of Saddam. Do you think dying for freedom is needless, Charles? Shut up, Charles, you pompous ass. Your ignorance is showing.

Then there are those that keep vomiting up that “We were misled on WMD”. So here are just a few of my favorite quotes (note all are from BEFORE the war):

December 8, 2002: "We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." - Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL)

January 23. 2003: "Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..." - Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA)

February 5, 2003: “Iraq both poses a continuing threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security in the Persian Gulf region and remains in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations by, among other things, continuing to possess and develop a significant chemical and biological weapons capability, actively seeking a nuclear weapons capability, and supporting and harboring terrorist organizations.” -Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)

As for slanting the interpretation of the intelligence, the membership of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence as of February 2001 and throughout the period through 2003 consisted of 7 Republicans and 7 Democrats.

As for those that claim President Bush somehow bypassed the checks and balances of our form of government in sending our troops to Iraq, it is good to remind those who espouse such poppycock that in 1998 (that would be before George W. was elected!) the entire Congress passed “The Iraq Liberation Act” (P.L. 105–338) which states, “It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime.”

In 2002, the House (296-133) and the Senate (77-23) overwhelmingly passed a House Joint Resolution, “Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002” (H.J.Res. 114) which states, “The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to… defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq…” That would be a total of 373 votes in favor and 156 votes against.

And finally the ultimate check and balance is that not only was the President elected by the people before we went to Iraq, he was re-elected by 2.6 million votes after our country was at war in Iraq. So much for the President bypassing the checks and balances of our government.

So, I urge those reviewing the "history” of this war to review it well and resist the urge to revise it to suit your political persuasions.

And I can't let the "anniversary" pass without noting the progress. And there is progress. There is good happening. For the good our military is doing in Iraq, go read “Things You'll Never Hear the Mainstream Media Say” at Confessions of a Military Recruiter.

As I said at the start, our redployment from Iraq cannot come soon enough for me. I never want my son or any other American soldier to have to go back. Ever.

Copyright 2006. All rights reserved.