Our goal should only be to do what is best for the United States’ strategic national interest in Iraq and not for the politicians in Washington, DC. The Administration’s “new way forward” continues to be undermined by Democrats, aided and abetted by some Republicans, before the strategy is even given a chance to succeed. This must stop.
The Vietnam War was won by the military, but lost by liberal politicians in Washington because of their weakness and restrictions placed on certain strategic actions by the congress; such as stopping the bombing of enemy supply routes in adjacent countries. This ultimately resulted in a political failure for the Nixon and Ford Administrations because they were left holding the bag after Kennedy got us into the war and Johnson keep sending more troops to build it to the highest number of troops since the Korean non-war. The United States won the military war, but the U.S. lost the political war. That made the liberals very happy.
Now, the same thing seems to be happening all over again in Iraq.
The “hate Bush” crowd seems more intent on handing Bush a humiliating loss, rather than defeating our enemy on the battlefield.
For more than four years liberals have been criticizing President Bush for not sending enough troops. Now they are criticizing him for finally sending more troops. The only common denominator seems to be Bush. The liberals’ attitude towards Bush seems to be: We hate if you don’t send more troops and we hate you when you do send more troops. Bottom line: we hate you and you want you to fail.
But that political strategy and animus may not be what is right for the country.
The liberal-enemy alliance that we saw in Vietnam had the same goals as the liberal-enemy alliance opposing Iraq war; to defeat the opposing administration in power. On that they have found a common ground.
If the United States leaves now Iran and Syria will take over. Is there any doubt in anyone’s mind that they won’t?
Al-Qaeda will setup its headquarters in Baghdad for their envisioned Islamic caliphate that they have planned for so long. From there the Islamists will spread their poison to the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa. Their stated goal is world domination and infidels who do not convert to Islam will be beheaded.
But there is a better way…..
We must give President Bush’s new strategy a chance to succeed if we are to be victorious. So far the threat of a build-up has done three things:
- All al-Qaeda members in Baghdad were told by Abu Ayyub al Masri, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq to withdraw to, Diyala province, north and east of Baghdad
- 400 members of the Mahdi army including its number two man were arrested by Iraqi government forces and are still being held.
- Radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr, whose Iranian-subsidized militia, the Mahdi army, is responsible for most of the assaults on Sunni civilians in Iraq, is cooling his rhetoric and lowering his profile. Al Sadr has fled to Iran, his sponsor.
These are very positive developments and should be welcomed by all true Americans. We should support the new Bush policy and give it a chance to work. The alternative is too grim. The Islamists do not intend to just go away whether they win or lose. They must be confronted in the Middle East and rather than the U.S. or in the countries of our allies.