Happy Thanksgiving for all you folks going through the blogs on turkey day (are we that interesting or are you getting away from the family?---you don’t have to answer that). I’m thankful for the sacrifice, determination and professionalism of our troops who truly do us proud.
As we have just gone through another round of apoplexy concerning troop deployment in Iraq (Google “Murtha” for a taste of a different kind of turkey), I thought about the old phrase, “What did you do during the war?” The modern version might well turn out to be “What did you think of the war?” I suspect that after Iraq gets its democratic sea legs, sees an improving economy and is examined in comparison to its neighbors, the conventional wisdom will likely treat the outcome as always a foregone conclusion. The doom and gloom will be “forgotten” or minimized, although the Internet has a long memory (unless we turn it over to the UN; then all bets are off). I believe that the big picture will largely determine how the current events are viewed. Eventual success will have many fathers.
12 comments:
Welcome, Barry.
A good, thought provoking first post.
Those of us who enlisted in the Roger's Rangers Auxiliary of the 101st Fighting Keyboarders for the duration have our views permanently cached somewhere in the blogosphere.
Since my DD214 is older than the average age of those actually carrying on the crucial battles, all that I shall ever be able to offer in response to the question of "What did you do in the war, granpa?" is to say that I supported our troops, their mission and the continuance of the battle until victory was in hand.
Iraq is one battle - the war is not over. Someone on another comment board asked the other day what "victory" would look like - rather derisively as is common in the question coming from the Copperhead seditionists.
My reply was that victory in this war will look like the elimination of slave trading in the early 19th century or the almost complete eradication of piracy in the same period. The British Royal Navy carried out both those tasks over a period of many years and not inconsiderable cost. The US chipped in from time to time but the British carried the brunt of the fight.
Another way to look at victory is to examine the end of the Cold War - the USSR never signed a cease fire agreement, an armistice or a piece treaty. It never surrendered - it simply ceased to exist.
There will be no signing of a surrender on the fantail of the Missouri for this war. It will be won however and Islamofascism will be tossed on the same heap as Nazism and Communism. They should all rot very uncomfortably in hell together.
War bonds, Rick. Tell'em about war bonds.
Happy thanksgiving everybody.
We already ate. And since my feller does not like turkey and dressing etc we had ham, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, lima beans and angel food cake.
Who says I am a follower.
What did I do in the war? Well one of the reasons I am not with my family is because I don't want to spoil Tahnksgiving by talking politcs with my yellow dog Democrat brother.
A small sacrifice.
I support the troops and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power. I am glad the food for oil scam has been found out and while some may mourn the loss of the terrorist regime of Saddam Hussein and his psycho sons I am not among them.
I always ask those folks if they want to put him back in power. Few really do. It is easy to sit back and preach it is something else entirely to change history.
Yes, you are right. Many who naysayed will take credit. The other thing they will do is deny that the changes had anything to do with American policy.
After all, that's what they have done with Reagan's successes.
Ask any leftist what happened to the Soviet Union. You will never hear a reference to Reagan.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
I'm thankful for much--I'm in awe how much I have to be thankful for.
Not least of which is this blog and all the great bloggers and commenters here. Great job guys.
It is a reflection of just how successful they've been in peddling their narrative that we can talk about Iraq as The War, rather than what I believe, pessimist that I am, is a campaign in a much larger war.
What I've done in this war? All I have done in this wider war is to type at a keyboard.
Piracy and slavery are good comparisons. Incidently, both battles being still fought. However, thanks to many a long yellowed pamphlet, forgotten letters to a newspaper, or even a distant argument in a pub, they're battles being fought with little criticism these days.
So, which ever way the wind blows, I'm proud to call myself an Abolishionist on this matter.
Happy Thanksgiving, all.
I just have a little word of caution. One of the (many) reasons we went to Iraq was to concentrate al Qaeda's effort there because it was in the heart of their world.
What I'm beginning to sense (I have no hard data to back this up) is that as Iraq more and more seems like a hopeless cause for them, their attention is becoming more diffuse and their eyes are turning elsewhere.
There has been all through the Iraq process a steady background noise of terrorist attacks around the world, I think this may now increase.
I have heard reports that al Qaeda is planning to cause more mayhem in Afghanistan, for example.
I believe quite strongly we will win our long term battle..the transformation of the M.E...and the Iraq success is a huge part of that.
But the parallel war may be heating up a bit.
Maybe I'm being too pessimistic. I don't know. Just a feeling and I know how much weight that carries. :)
For what it's worth, Syl, I think you are absolutely correct.
right back at you peter - from one limey to another.
(and to all my other fellow commenters)
It's all right for you lot,you're not in an oven wrapped in foil with your head up your asses,makes me feel like a liberal.
A.Turkey
Rick
I think your suggestion about this being analgous to elimination of slave trading and eradication of piracy is quite on target. You should write that down somehwere----oh, you already have.
ex--I figured you for a Englicher--it's the way you type your "a"s.
Rick, if 'victory' is difficult to visualize, 'defeat' isn't. Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and metropolitan France are right here for the looking.
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