Lest anyone get the impression from "My Inaugural Address" that I'm ready to pull all the troops out of Iraq, let me be very specific: There's not a military commander with any sense that would advocate any immediate withdrawal of troops. There's been too much progress made to cut and run now.
For those of you who find this war, or any war, immoral, I can understand your position - I used to feel that way. The real question now is this: Do we stand by the Iraqi's until they're ready to stand on their own, or do we prepare the script for Vietnam II?
If you'll click on the title of this piece you'll be taken to an op-ed piece from the Wall Street Journal of May 1, 2008. I couldn't have said it any better myself.
STUFF
My thanks to Dave for the link, and also for all of the following. Let's just say that Dave and I have known each other for a long time and share similar philosophies - plus he's as cracked as I am, as you will see:
There are less than eight months until the general election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans. To show our solidarity as Americans, let's all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice.
It's time that we all came together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support Obama or Hillary, please drive with your headlights off at night.
MORE STUFF
In my never ending quest to promote civilized dialogue (heh-heh-heh), here's a picture that is perfectly capable of offending both sides of the aisle (This one's not Dave's fault):
..and that's the way it is, Monday, May 5th, 2008...Blessings & Miracles to all.
For those of you who find this war, or any war, immoral, I can understand your position - I used to feel that way. The real question now is this: Do we stand by the Iraqi's until they're ready to stand on their own, or do we prepare the script for Vietnam II?
If you'll click on the title of this piece you'll be taken to an op-ed piece from the Wall Street Journal of May 1, 2008. I couldn't have said it any better myself.
STUFF
My thanks to Dave for the link, and also for all of the following. Let's just say that Dave and I have known each other for a long time and share similar philosophies - plus he's as cracked as I am, as you will see:
There are less than eight months until the general election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans. To show our solidarity as Americans, let's all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice.
It's time that we all came together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support Obama or Hillary, please drive with your headlights off at night.
MORE STUFF
In my never ending quest to promote civilized dialogue (heh-heh-heh), here's a picture that is perfectly capable of offending both sides of the aisle (This one's not Dave's fault):
..and that's the way it is, Monday, May 5th, 2008...Blessings & Miracles to all.
6 comments:
A couple of months ago I was standing on a corner protesting the continued occupation of Iraq with about 50 other concerned citizens.
Many cars honked and gave thumbs-up or other encouraging signals. A very few gave a one finger salute or other signs of disapproval.
One man came up and said: "It's easy to just say get out of Iraq, but just tell me one thing". "How can we get out?"
I told him I couldn't answer that question, but asked him one in return. "How can we stay"
What is the war costing us?
Soldiers Dead: 4,071 Wounded 29,978
Iraq casualty count: http://icasualties.org/oif/
Iraqis Dead: 7,798 wounded 20,000
http://www.counterpunch.org/dardagan08072003.html
According to congressional analysts, the eventual total cost of the Iraq war and the occupation could be as high as $ 1.3 trillion
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111600865.html
$2 billion a week
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/09/28/cost_of_iraq_war_nearly_2b_a_week/
The reasons we invaded Iraq were based on lies and misinformation.
The reasons we are staying are based on lies and misinformation.
That's the point. Until the US starts withdrawing troops (one can argue about the speed), the Iraqis will NEVER be ready to stand on their own.
Right now, there is a dependency culture in Iraq. And until the Iraqis feel some pressure to get their s**t together and figure out how to make their country work, they won't bother.
Right now, it's American troops who are risking their lives. It's American tax dollars that are rebuilding their country. What's their incentive to make the hard decisions necessary?
Yes, I know our Aggression destroyed their country and have an obligation to rebuild it. But that obligation can not last ad infinitum.
We need to start withdrawing troops now to send a message that the dependency culture is over.
Liberals continue to claim, and will always claim, that we were lied to. It is your choice to believe yourself lied to because it fits into your paradigm. You are of course referencing WMD. Apparently the use of gas on the Kurds was another right wing conspiracy story. Now, instead of working together to try and bring continued progress in Iraq, liberals just want to quit - again.
If you took the time to read the editorial I referenced in the Wall Street Journal, the comparisons drawn are incredibly valid. Do we need to put pressure on the Iraqi government to get off their asses? You bet we do. Should we draw down the troops to deliver that message? That's a decision that this President and/or the next President will have to make based upon the best information available from the military and the State Department. I would trust Sen. Clinton a lot more than I ever would trust Sen. Obama, because as President, he'd probably ignore all of the advice and just go ahead and yank everyone out. If you think that's the best course of action, you are dangerously naive, and that's not a quality I would prefer in my President.
Watson,
We were told by the Bush Administration that there were WMD in Iraq.
There were not.
We were told that Sadam was buying yellow cake uranium.
He was not.
We were told that Sadam Hussein was plotting with Alkida.
He was not.
We were told that Sadam had chemical weapons factories.
He did not.
(Sadam killed 5,000 Kurds in 1988 during the Iraq/Iran war, with chemical weapons supplied by the United States. He disposed of those weapons under the supervision of the UN. )
We were told Iraqi oil would pay for the (liberation) war.
It is not.
We were told the purpose of the war was to free the Iraqi people.
We invaded Iraq:
1) to get their oil.
2) to control the oil of the Middle East
3) to impress Daddy
We were told it would be “a cake walk”.
Over 4,000 soldiers dead and they’re still dying.
We were told “Mission Accomplished”.
Not even close.
Historians will fill volumes with Bush’s lies.
I know it is hard for some Republicans who had confidence in him and believed he was doing the right thing to admit to themselves they were lied to, but the evidence is overwhelming and unavoidable.
Face it Watson.
You were betrayed, deluded, double-crossed, duped, fooled, hoodwinked, mislead, taken in, tricked and LIED TO.
We came, we saw, we conquered.
We found no WMD
We capture and killed Saddam
We gave them their vote
OK now lets go home and secure the borders where real terrorist can mix in with the locals and walk across with no problem no matter if it is Canada or Mexico.
NCL - if we went for the oil, why are the prices so high? Collusion between big oil and W? I'm sure that's your answer.
To impress Daddy - you have issues.
WMD - had 'em, used 'em and only you and your fellow ostriches chose to keep your heads in the sand. With all the desert in Iraq maybe you'll find one of the caches.
Mission accomplished - the rush for Baghdad was complete, that was the mission accomplished. You guys are pissed because he looked good in a flight suit - get over it.
Who was it that said the Iraqi oil would pay for the war? Making things up again are we?
It is truly amazing how the Liberal Democrat Party is ready to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. That is the primary reason that John McCain will be elected our next President.
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