Allah has video coming of the President's speech. As for the Democrat response, it might have been helpful if someone had told Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) to lose the hey, it's my 15 minutes smirk he displayed at the close of his remarks. As for the actual speech, did he remind anyone else of Elmer Fudd? Apparently, Instapundit didn't think much of it, either.
Without jumping down into the political and numerical back and forth of our future in Iraq just now, can anyone name one instance in history where a Nation and its military came away stronger and more secure after a humiliating, non-strategic retreat? I can't think of one. And that is precisely the myth the Democrats are selling. This Nation was beaten and demoralized post-Vietnam. And there is no reason to believe the same thing wouldn't happen, again - assuming we bid a too hasty retreat from Iraq. Running from Afghanistan didn't exactly do the former Soviet Empire much good, now did it?
Until portions of the Middle East modernize politically and economically - read democracy and capitalism - there will forever remain a disenfranchised population ripe for exploitation at the hands of radical Islamists. Ultimately, as regards our long term security and strategic fortunes, there is only one answer to the question of what to do about Iraq: Win, dammit, Win!
"Actually, I may steal this."
Please do :)
I am increasingly frustrated at our tendency to lose sight of the bare facts at the bottom of all of this, which in my view are quite simple.
1. Islamists are at war with all non-Islamists in every part of the world where Islamists are either a majority or a sizeable minority.
2. They want to destroy us and our way of life, and establish a worldwide Caliphate. Whether or not "we" believe this goal is realistic or achievable, they believe it is, and are proceeding as such.
3. They will continue attacking, killing, and subjugating until "we" have put them down with sufficient brutality and finality that they know better than to continue. We can not claim to have "won" unless this has happened. We can not claim to be "winning" just because in one area they may have lost strength, if in another area they are attacking at the same level or at an increased level.
4. The above "put down" may need to be repeated indefinitely. With the passing of time, they will most likely forget their lesson and try again.
Posted by: dumbblonde | Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 02:57 PM