So today is the 3rd anniversary of the war in Iraq, and the President gave a speech today regarding our mission. Today's post is about the war, what it means and what's at stake.
While I agree that much in the war has not gone as planned, I do believe that this war is crucial. Some things could have been done better, but none of that changes the necessity for victory. All other things aside, at the very least this war has created a 'front' upon which we can confront our enemies face-to-face. Before this, we were chasing ghosts and relying on special forces units for the majority of operations. But now, the enemy is drawn out to meet us on the battlefields of Iraq, which may have been part of the plan all along.
I truly believe success or failure in Iraq will define the 'war on terror'. Iraq is this war's Gettysburg, Saratoga, and Normandy all rolled into one. If we achieve victory, then it will ultimately lead to victory over tyranny in many other parts of the world, including Iran and North Korea. But if we do NOT achieve victory, then the US will never recover (in fact, we are still reeling from the defeat in Vietnam). We will be seen as a paper tiger, unwilling to commit ourselves to achieving a mission goal. Our power will be limited, and it will open the door for many tyrants and dictators to challenge us. Indeed, this war will measure the strength of our resolve to protect and defend the freedoms we hold so dear. One wonders how we are measuring up now?
Yes, the war is frustrating. Progress seems to be slow. The people of Iraq don't seem willing to embrace democracy. The nation is on the verge of civil war. American troops are still dying daily. Oil prices continue to climb. Iran and North Korea are growing as threats. We have a long way to go. But in my mind, victory is the only option, whether it takes 3 years or 30 years, we must succeed. The alternative has consequences that are catastrophic for our future.
30 years ago America showed the world that democracy may be precious, but it's not worth more than 50,000 lives. We left Vietnam with our tails tucked between our legs, and those 50,000 died in vain. And now, the world has asked the question again: How many lives is democracy worth? Some have already decided that 2,000 is too many. What will your answer be?
1 comment:
I agree with much of what you've said here...but I think we need to concentrate on bringing a more complete sense of humanity to the region before we can show much progress to the political side of the problem.
Unless the Iraqis are willing to live peacefully amongst themselves, anything political put in place is either a sham or a house of cards. The fact that it appears the the value of human life is so cheap in the Middle East, is a huge hurdle to overcome. The intentional targeting of women, children, and police/security forces seems unthinkable. For the Iraqi resistance, just a means to an end.
See you on the high ground!
MajorDad1984
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