VDH - the man who makes Fridays worth waiting for. Outside of his admiration for William T. Sherman I am in awe of his historical analysis.

Ping:
Back after I read the whole thing.

One of these days the gloves will come off.

Instead of writing a column once a week, VDH should get to be Guest Commander In Chief every Friday!

War on Terror would be won within two months.

OT:
What else from Rabbi (self-proclaimed) Michael Lerner, but moral equivocation:

[Link: www.informationclearinghouse.info...]

Lerner is a broken record in human form.

VDH has got the grand style, don't see much of that today.

Camel Prophet

Pay no attention to the Kapo Jew Michael Lerner. Even his left wing colleagues and the Arabs whose camel asses he licks hold him in contempt.

OT:

i just heard on Fox that Iran and the US might have some deal in the works (under the table) to capture Bin Laden, based on recent diplomatic happenings and the recent assertion that we'll "get him in the next year".

anybody else see that?

/lurk mode on

War is the answer.

Remember that Musharraf?s sudden investigation of Pakistani nuclear scientists, Libya?s unexpected admission of nuclear proliferation, the removal of troops from Saudi Arabia, the growing Saudi dissident movements, and renewed Iranian unrest did not happen in a vacuum ? and will cease the moment we return to the old way of appeasement and neglect.

Right on! VDH is a breath of fresh air.

Thank the Lord for VDH and his brilliant analysis. I hope a lot of people will read him.

I think that VDH is actually quite depressed about Bush's passivity on Syria and Iran, when you consider that Syria is likely holding Iraq's WMDs (see the Syrian reporter's letter to the Dutch newspaper earlier this month for locations), and Iran is about to come into its own nuclear arsenal.

This week's intelligence debacle on Iraqi WMD's may well be a supersubtle set-up by Bush to put the Syrians to sleep in order to get our troops into position for a surprise attack.

But Bush is "risk averse," and the Democrats aren't even willing to use military action.

Rough times ahead.

Rice/Hansen -- '08.

Pakistan Adopting a Tough Old Tactic to Flush Out Qaeda

If 72 men wanted for sheltering Al Qaeda were not produced, they said, the Pakistani Army would punish the tribe as a group, demolishing houses, withdrawing funds and even detaining tribe members.

Several days later, several thousand tribal elders held a jirga, or council, and agreed to raise a force of their own to find the wanted men. In the last two weeks, the tribes have handed over 42 of them. Tribal members bulldozed and dynamited the homes of eight men who refused to surrender.

Whatever works, use it.

You can hear VDH's frustration with the White House in this:

Surely someone in the administration should have been explaining to the American people daily the historical nature of our victory, the critical issues now in play worldwide, and the humane nature of our sacrifice — if only to offer some counterweight to the monotonous negativism of National Public Radio, Nightline, the New York Times, and the Democratic contenders. Instead we have had mostly silence — reticence seen not as Olympian magnanimity, but rather as a sign of weakness that only emboldened critics and fueled the hysteria.

It's a frustration all of us who supported Iraqi Freedom must feel. The attacks have grown ever more tiresome, ever more unconscionable, as though a reversal of fortunes that brought about the end of a horrendous tyranny is desirable. As though shouting about international law and codified justifications would mean much to victims of a living nightmare oppression. As though the Marsh Arabs should drain their swamp again, return to hovels and begging, and the 20 year hole-dwellers hiding from Baath summary execution should secret themselves again. As though the children should return to their jail cells.
"False pretenses," they shout, false pretenses they desperately want to believe. The hideousness of torture and rape within a bureacratic career track should scream to them the lunacy of ever acquiescing to a system which requires treaties and UN resolutions in order to do something to end them. International law is only for the liberators, not the despots.
It is not Bush that they hate because of the war, it is the war they hate, and its ultimate endowment-- IRAQI FREEDOM-- because of Bush.

And yes, this is a moral test for this nation.

Yes, a show of force (I would prefer mega-death) works on the primitive cultists. So we , the electorate, are torn between Kerry who thinks a good Irish cop could fix terrorism (even though he is apparently of Jewish stock), and Bush who would open the borders to every crimminal sponsored by other crimminals in the world. Screw both of them.

OT:
Newest hero in Froggystan is the crybaby who spent a couple of weeks in jail for joking about planting a bomb on an American Airlines jet. Not satisfied to present him as a victim, the Frog press also made him a spokesman on the Gitmo Bay internees (in French):

[Link: fr.news.yahoo.com...]

#15  
Bleeding heart conservative (Brian) 

dude, that was awesome

We shouldn't have troops on the ground over there, exposed to danger created by those third world animals. Open the hatches, open the bomb bay doors - why the hell do we have billions of dollars in military hardware if we're still fighting the way we did in the 19th century!! Create a few square miles of plate glass as a warning to all who harbor any illusion of screwing with the Great Satan!!

#19 ketam

We shouldn't have troops on the ground over there, exposed to danger created by those third world animals

I'm not trying to be rude, really, but you obviously have no idea how wars are fought. I have over half my life in the Air Force, but air power will never hold ground. That's why we have the 4 services we do.

I just put aside a significant period of time to devote to catching up with Iraqi blogs. On a direct level, the elements that stand out are some very sincere and heartfelt references of gratitude toward President Bush and Paul Bremer.
Beneath the surface of what is written I can't see how people cannot absorb in their souls the sense that the ability of the human spirit to express itself has been unleasheded in Iraq.
Clicking around whatever links seemed interesting within the bounds of Iraqi origin, I just really felt a sense of how all the directions toward which peoples' passions might be drawn are being taken by the Iraqi people. You can sense this buzzing activity of investment and businesses, writing and journalism, political debate and activity, artistic expression, desire for consumer goods, etc. etc.
It's just really impressive in its relatively spontaneous occurence, giving a real sense of just how suppressed the peoples' spirit was, and how horrific that suppression was practiced by the authority of a state whose existence couldn't possibly be rationalized or justified by anyone of character.
It's also maddening how revealing it all is of the despicable bias of mainstream media, and how utterly lacking in substance the Democratic candidates for president are with regard to an issue whose implications and consequences are probably the most crucial test of humanity and its values today.
I really believe that the point of view I sincerely hold and willingly and uncompromisingly express will triumph. One of the secure feelings I get from reading LGF is that I feel a sense of community and agreement with likeminded people who, to put it plainly, "get it." And tonight, in browsing the thoughts of the people directly affected by our actions, I believe that I "get it" too.

I'm not trying to be rude, really, but you obviously have no idea how wars are fought. I have over half my life in the Air Force, but air power will never hold ground. That's why we have the 4 services we do.

___

I'm well aware of how wars are fought, and I still think it's ridiculous that we continue to put our young fighting men and women in harm's way in an endless war of attrition. I just think we need to make a much more forceful statement than we have. Our troops are getting picked off - for what? If we're going to take that god-forsaken country, let's take it! Disarm those MF's and create a presence. Give those a-holes screaming about occupation something to scream about. I don't think I'm saying anything that hasn't been said around here before.

And BTW - there is a fifth service that seems to get neglected, even though they're pretty active right now - the US Coast Guard - I was a member 79-83.

#22 ketam

...and I still think it's ridiculous that we continue to put our young fighting men and women in harm's way in an endless war of attrition.

You are talking about a war that has a death toll less than many of our major city's murder rate. On top of that, I'm one of those in harm's way. What exactly is your point?

As for the Coast Guard, I have nothing but respect for them, but they are not a combat service. Even though they have filled that role in past conflicts.

I can't believe I used the word "unleasheded." Many Yeungling Lager soaked apologies for stupidity.

#23 Reaganite

I'm not buying the BS re the death toll being less than the murder rate in a major US city. Ninety percent or more of the KIA's would be alive if they hadn't gone over there. So here's my point. I have a 17 year old son who's going to graduate from HS in June. Real gung-ho, wanted to be a naval aviator (but he's too damn tall at 6'9"). Now he wants to join the Marines. Two of his friends are on the fast track to becoming Marine officers. I will be very proud if he pulls that off. But do you think I want to trade any of those kids for a damn flag? For what - a bunch of ungrateful third world assholes who've been killing each other for thousands of years and who will continue to kill each other when we're gone? Screw that!! My family has a long military tradition - fortunately, everyone survived. I want to keep it that way. Use the hardware, save the kids!!

#23 reaganite

Honest question-- can the Coast Guard still be asked to serve as a combat force if needed in the WoT? Hard to cut through the bureaucratic gobbledygook on the DHS site.

Israel Delivers Rare Rebuke of U.N. Chief

UNITED NATIONS - Israel delivered a rare rebuke to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday after he issued a statement that failed to mention or condemn the suicide bombing of a bus in Jerusalem.

Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman called a press conference to criticize the statement, released after Thursday's attack that killed 10 Israelis and wounded more than 50 others. The statement condemned those who resort to "violence and terror" and appealed to Israelis and Palestinians to resume peace negotiations.

"The moral clarity of the secretary-general in expressly condemning brutal acts of terrorism like yesterday's attack is especially important," Gillerman said. "This is why we must express our disappointment and dismay at the response issued by the office of the secretary-general."

OT
Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, I shit you not.
(Bush and Blair too, but they don't have much of a chance according to the linked story from Australian fifth column network ABC. ABC said nothing about Adolf's and Milo's chances)

Bush, Blair nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Two of the architects of the Iraq war, United States President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, are among nominees for the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

Nominations for the prestigious award close tomorrow.

After sending thousands of soldiers to war and failing to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Mr Bush and Mr Blair have been put forward to receive the Nobel peace prize.

They were nominated by Jan Simonsen, an independent member of Norway's Parliament who says the pair got rid of a dictator and made the world safer.

"Bush and Blair definitely still deserve it," he said.

"Even though they haven't found those weapons they got rid of a dictator and made the world more safe. They got rid of a madman."

Saddam's alleged weapons of mass destruction were a main justification for the war.

Nobel watchers say neither Mr Bush nor Mr Blair has much chance of winning.

Other nominees are varied and include: Pope John Paul II; the European Union to mark its expansion to include former East bloc states; the Salvation Army; former Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler; former Czech president Vaclav Havel; former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic; and Chinese dissidents.

The 2003 prize went to Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi from a record field of 165 nominees.

The prize winner is announced in October.

OT:A Friendly Drink in a Time of War

[Link: www.dissentmagazine.org...]

normally I don't read this drivel ridden rag, but read this article. ALL of it. Wow.

#26

there were four coast guard vessels over there in the Gulf filling some sort of role for this past Iraq conflict.

[Link: www.globalsecurity.org...]

OT:Runaway Servants

[Link: www.arabnews.com...]

Saudis complain about when thier slaves decide to bail on them

#16 pat

Kerry who thinks a good Irish cop could fix terrorism (even though he is apparently of Jewish stock)

French stock. And cousin of former French minister Brice Lalonde.

Only slightly OT:

Woke up early and watched "The Perilous Fight" about WW II on PBS. For you PBS bashers out there: nothing to complain about with this offering, at least. It focused on the terrible suffering of the Marines in the Pacific theater. In concluded by stating that the United States demonstrated its determination to maintain its way of life.

"The wars are long, the peace is frail
The madmen come again"

Peter Paul and Mary song

Bush has declared war on the Democrat wannabees

[Link: www.cnn.com...]

Looks like there will be lots of blood letting. :)

@32 Mr.Pol

"French stock. And cousin of former French minister Brice Lalonde."

Who is this Brice LaLonde?

How is the situation in your stomping grounds?
Have you talked to Caton lately? Sure miss his posting at LGF!

Breaking News

A suspected car bomb has exploded outside an Iraqi police station in Iraq's third largest city, Mosul. Reports said up to nine people were killed. Meanwhile a separate roadside bomb attack on a U.S. Army convoy travelling between Tikrit and Kirkuk killed three American soldiers.

via CNN: This story is still developing.

James Glassman has a great article about George Soros. He calls Soros a gathering threat to our open society. Soros made billions in hedge funds and now has dedicated his life to dislodging Bush and defanging the WoT. Hopefully, he will jump off the back of his boat someday soon. He is the unabomber with cash. Glassman doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He is up there with VDH.

#35 quark2

Lalonde? A Green tool.

Haven't heard from Caton for a couple of weeks. He's professionally very busy, and his wife is 6 months pregnant now, so he doesn't have a lot of free time. He's probably driving all over Israel looking for strawberries right now :-)

OT: Clicked on this story about Mt. Arafat and discovered something interesting. Did you know that God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Ishmael, hence the origin of Eid? Shouldn't someone inform them that they stole that story from the JOOOS? They just can't reconcile themselves to the fact that we came first.

[Link: story.news.yahoo.com...]

OT,

Meanwhile, on Mars...

Rover "Opportunity" rolls onto the surface, while its twin, "Spirit" is back in business

The 'monotonous negativism' goes on and on. Here's another example of media bias at the expense of our soldiers.

Soldiers cleared
An independent investigation has cleared American soldiers of any blame in the deaths of two Iraqis in a convoy struck Jan. 12 by a roadside bomb. It turns out a Baghdad police officer deliberately gave false information to a reporter because he had a vendetta against another officer.
Now some Army officers are asking, when will the media correct stories that originally reported soldiers shot the two men? They say that in a city swirling with anti-American rumors planted by Saddam Hussein loyalists, the media should be more careful when repeating the charges of an Iraqi.
We've obtained an officer's synopsis of the investigator's report. Here's what the 1st Armored Division officer said happened:
A military-police convoy of Humvees was escorting a station wagon carrying five Iraqi civilians along Palestine Road. A roadside bomb exploded, wounding two soldiers. The convoy quickly moved out to get them medical attention. No soldier fired his weapon.
Another U.S. unit responded and found two Iraqis dead in the car. The other wounded civilians were treated by Army medics before being taken by Iraqi police to a hospital.
An Iraqi police officer not at the scene later told a reporter that the U.S. soldiers had shot the two Iraqis, a man and a 10-year-old boy. The officer identified himself by the name of another officer with whom he was feuding. The false report was picked up by the media and reported worldwide.
An independent Army investigator interviewed the Iraqi police officer, who admitted he provided a false name. An autopsy showed the two civilians died of shrapnel wounds. The bodies had no bullet wounds. And all the holes in the station wagon were consistent with shrapnel, not bullets.
A headline in a major newspaper the next day said, "U.S. Soldiers Kill 2 Iraqis After Bomb Explodes Near Convoy."
Said the 1st Armored Division officer providing the synopsis: "My main issue with this whole incident is that although you can read both sides of the story in this e-mail, the American people only know the original story as printed [in the media], which never issued a retraction or clarification."

[Link: www.washingtontimes.com...]

#39 scaramouche: Shouldn't someone inform them that they stole that story from the JOOOS?

No offense scaramouche, but Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have the same middle-eastern origins. Each is just an extension of the one that came before. Do a little bit of research and you'll see.

Islam views the Message of Muhammad as the continuation and the fulfillment of a lineage of Prophecy that includes figures from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, notably Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. Islamic law reserves a communal entity status for the ahl al-kitab, People of the Book, i.e., those with revealed religions, including Jews and Christians.

Do you think that all of the stories in the Old Testament are original? That the Jews of the time were documenting a unique and original history? Guess again!

A bit of old news, but still pretty cool:

Mars Global Surveyor orbiter locates "Spirit" rover hardware on Mars

This technique will be used to try to image the Beagle 2 ESA probe's location according to the BBC, which has a good slideshow illustrating how "Spirit" was observed by comparing the changes to the terrain before and after the landing.

#42

Taqqiyah. Again.

Run away, little death cultist. Run bravely away.

ENOUGH OF ARAFAT

motion seconded.

#23 reaganite 1/30/2004 10:28PM PST
You are talking about a war that has a death toll less than many of our major city's murder rate.

I'm so sick of hearing this comparison. If a person is murdered in one of our major city's it's because that person either lives in the city or is visiting the city by choice. It's well known that most murders take place in situations of personal conflicts between people that know each other.

To compare criminal murder rates to the deaths of young American soldier's who have been sent to another country to fight a war is simply ridiculous.

#44 Mr Pol :: Taqqiyah

Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Pol. I wouldn't call my self a member of any of the big three. Just an outside observer watching the animals fight it out in the yard.

#44 Taqqiyah

Now, I get it. If you blame the comment on someone whom you hate, then you can disregard it.

Before you jump to write someone off and rush to judgement, remember this, I may have been the little blonde girl that sat next to you in CCD.

:)

Hello, hello?. Thank you for your charming and somewhat enigmatic contributions. And on behalf of all the animals I'd just like to say this: "MOOO!"

I have found myself feeling discouraged and impatient many times. And this President because of his responsibilities and commitments certainly is made an easy target. It seems that the higher this President aims the least appreciative and more critical many become. Now criticism is good and necessary, but I also feel that in such frustration many people lose oversight of some very important aspects of the decisions this president needs to make. I am Jewish, did not vote for this President, in fact I have never even voted for a Republican. I have questioned this man’s intellect in the past, and undervalued almost every aspect of his character and resolve, and almost have to remind myself of such. I am going to repeat something I said at another web-sight…

I remember watching an interview quite a while ago, with President Bush I, shortly after he lost his bid for re-election to President Clinton. After being asked about his children (George, Jeb...) the interview subject touched upon his children's nature and the differences. I distinctly remember George H.W. saying,

"You know, Barbara and I are very fortunate, because all of our children are very good natured." he then kind of paused and hesitated and very poignantly added. “Except George, no man has a bigger heart, but if you knock him down, he will jump up with a resolve like nobody else I know!!”

He talked of his competitiveness, fairness, but also a willingness to take a fight to whatever level necessary to win. I distinctly remember thinking, shit this guy sounds like someone not worth screwing with. I had no thought of him ever being president at the time. No… people like this are rare. We rarely elect them because of this, it is not always obvious, and this is not a personality type to be fully invented by crises. I liken it to kind of like being a natural athlete, you either have it or you don’t, we just got to see what his Father already knew (a trait from his Mother I’m sure!).

Bush obviously prefers multilateralism but is willing to “go it alone” if necessary, not because of Republican orthodoxy, Bush’s mind is to win. We got knocked down and it was his duty to jump up and win this game. Bush has knocked down anyone that blocked his way to win that fight, Chirac, Schroeder, he gave way and time to Blair, because he knew Blair truly wanted to fight with us, not pretend to support while aiding and abetting the enemy. Mr., “Bush doesn’t know how to play nice” Edwards at some point would take it to international court. When Bush mocks and says, “They probably thought we would sue them” it means something much more significant to Bush, he really isn’t joking, but you must be joking if you think agreeing with Bush on policy would bring his resolve and stomach for the fight. I am a “War Liberal” myself, and if I had Bush’s political experience, or even Kerry’s political experience and had 100% agreement on policy, that doesn’t mean I could pull it off. I am amazed and don’t believe any one of these, not would have, but could have, done what Bush has done, the obstacles will only get bigger.

I really believe Bush would trade in re-election for total victory in the War on Terror. Don’t tell me they all would, because some don’t really see the danger in the same terms as Bush does, if so, they wouldn’t dare politicize it. But he will sacrifice for the short term to win re-election, because I think he believes he is the only one willing to take it to the necessary level to win. I certainly believe that thought. I also believe Bush would step aside if he felt someone else would do better. Clinton was a brilliant politician, but Bush’s resolve and well needed simple principled reasoning can’t be manufactured, it is in him, it is who he is. Not even Lieberman has that. Oh sure, he agrees with Bush, but he isn’t a “natural athlete”, the kind who can take the game over when others shots are off. I played sports growing up, I know the type, these people seem ordinary until what is at stake is ramped up, then they perform with people hacking and hanging all over them out of sheer resolve, piss and all. This is what President Bush is about and we are so damned fortunate. It is a shame it is so underestimated, and worse, so undervalued!

Now I would like to finish by saying, I believe that many “second guessers” make some good points, but I think Bush’s goals go way beyond what we credit him for. The comments in some of your analyses do a certain amount of “short changing” of this. I took a whole day and read much of Charles weblog from the beginning because they interestingly pre-date 911, and I saw someone with the same expectations of Bush as I. I feel a need to be careful to not fall back in that trap. Charles obviously can speak for himself. But I have to believe he has concluded as I, that this President has out preformed expectations in a very big way. I say this not as a rebuke to anyone, please question everything, but more as a reminder. Every time I have felt this President had finally over-reached his abilities, he has moved forward and preformed “risen to the occasion”.

I remind you and even VDH that this president has a tendency to stand back and give political opposition time to exhaust all their arguments. I find this nerve racking myself, but that is his style. Get ready my friends because he is about to turn the opposition on their heads. He has sat in basic silence and let them throw everything they have, and he still stands. He now has them measured, he will pounce, and he will win, he always does This formerly liberal Jew will vote for this man. And I don’t even look at it as a lesser of two evil’s, hold my nose choice. This vote will be my proudest vote ever.

Samuel,
What a great, honest and moving post!! Thanks for that.
[Link: www.doctor-horsefeathers.com...]

Arrgh, hate coming to a VDH thread so late, but I'm a Hanson junkie.
I'm not sure if VDH is just the slightest bit off his game, or if I'm taking it in through a more pessimistic filter than usual.
It seems like the article is struggling to be upbeat in regard to Iraq, but maybe because the stakes are so high, and the situation is so volatile there is a faint tremulous undertone.
But VDH on an off day is better than almost anyone at their best. I love the term "ossified Left". As in "smoked too many bones" ? LOL!

Yet throughout this tumultuous year, what amazes is not that we made errors, or major blunders even — but how quickly we reacted, adjusted, and learned from our mistakes. So we press on, learning as we go, combining power with justice, determined to leave behind something better than we found.

I wish he elaborated more on those who deserve the real credit for this: The men and women of our Armed Forces. Their professionalism and integrity are unprecedented. It's a marvel that they can be so tough and compassionate, so restrained and disciplined. I'm still in awe of the Lt Colonel who singlehandedly prevented a riot by thinking on his feet in the early days of the war (I think it was in Fallujah)
While I'm on the subject I want to give another plug to the First Marine Division
who have committed to bring school supplies, medical supplies, and most importantly, frisbees to the people of Iraqi when they return this month. Steve den Beste, Winds of Change and other bloggers have helped reaise $60,000 to pay for all this. Bill Whittle's appeal brought in a quarter of that. I think LGF can do better! This is a great cause and I think it really makes a difference. The first shipment is on it's way, but they will continue to take donations for the next one. Even $10 buys 11 frisbees! Let's pony up, people!

BA Cancels 3 Flights to U.S. Over Security

Way off topic.

Here it is: the original article from Al-Mada with the full list of names of individuals and organizations:

FBIS translated text: "Presidents, Journalists,
and Parties Received Millions of Oil Barrels From Saddam"

Karzai: Bin Laden Alive, Still in Region

RachelCorriePancakes (#24),

Great post. Thanks. I too think that the Iraqis, given the opportunity will do just fine.

Samuel (#50),

Excellent insight and observations. Should be required reading.

I'm in the middle of Carnage and Culture now. It goes without saying, at least around here, that it is magnificent. Any recommendations on which VDH I should read next.

I just finished Ripples of Battle. Superb; makes you aware of the ways certain battles reverberate down the centuries and continue to affect our lives. Highly recommended.

Thanks, Steven (#59). Strangely, when you search amazon by VDH's name, Ripples of Battle doesn't come up. You have to search for it by name. I would have missed it had you not mentioned it- it'll be my next VDH. Gracias.

In #60, I meant that you have to search using the title of the book.

#50 Samuel

That was outstanding. George W. Bush has proved to be a solid war president. We might have had Al Gore instead; a sobering thought.

#62 rockman
Thank you and…Al Gore as President, very sobering thought if not scary indeed, and I pulled his lever, my apologies to all… oh and my apologies for pulling Carter’s lever as well. Well I’m a Jew and this isn’t a confessional so I’ll leave it there.

#57 Geepers
Thanks, but I don’t know about required reading, I just feel this President deserves benefit of the doubt not because I like him, in fact pre-Iraqi War I hated him, and thought he was a dumb-ass, I defended Clinton, I’ve had to re-evaluate my ability to judge not just intelligence but more importantly character. I have come to believe that character and integrity is an important trait and forms of intelligence themselves. This president has earned it and perspective needs to be placed with the criticism so it might stay instructive as well as constructive.

#51 Stephen
Thank you as well, but it is this President who moves me.

And Charles thank you for this Website!

Yet throughout this tumultuous year, what amazes is not that we made errors, or major blunders even — but how quickly we reacted, adjusted, and learned from our mistakes. So we press on, learning as we go, combining power with justice, determined to leave behind something better than we found. --VDH

VDH is either clueless as to what we are doing in Iraq, or afraid to say it like it is, so let me try: We are in Iraq to bring freedom to bloodthirsty savages, freedom to kill, rape, pillage, and terrorize. To that end, we overthrew an Iraqi leader who for decades ably managed to keep the savages in checks and bounds of a secular state. The end result will be more murder and mayhem in the region.

Our options in Iraq are limited to restoring a brutal, authoritarian regime, and letting the country descend into chaos along the lines of Lebanon and Afganistan. Since neither is politically attractive to George Bush in an election year, we are buying time paying with the lives of our servicemen and tens of billions of taxpayers money.

Samuel (#63),

not because I like him, in fact pre-Iraqi War I hated him, and thought he was a dumb-ass, I defended Clinton, I’ve had to re-evaluate my ability to judge not just intelligence but more importantly character.

Even more evidence that your post #50 should be required reading. It's the people who refuse to give Bush credit, regardless of the results that are driving the Democrats down the road to ruin. Something I truly don't want to see happen.

I am concerned that we as a nation may not the politicl will to follow through aggressively on what we must do to stamp out this evil. I;ve put some thoughts together here:

Freedom and Momentum: where the world is headed

It was a mistake to focus on the Weapons of Mass Destruction as the casus belli with the United Nations. We needed to expose the UN Security Council as the morally bankrupt paper tiger that it is, by challenging it to back up its own resolutions with resolve, and actually do something about Saddam Hussein. And Bush did, and now the UNSC is exposed. French foreign policy is exposed, in all its disingenuity and corruption. These are the times that try men's souls, and these souls were tried and found lacking. It was adequately well done. But it could have been done better.

IT falls short in two ways: first, the United Nations seems not to have gotten the point. Kofi Annan still talks as if the UN is the sole source of legitimacy, as if it has legitimacy to bestow. When we offer them a crumb, letting them help in Iraq, they receive it with extremely ill grace.

Secondly, using the WMD instead of one of the other excellent reasons has led to some embarrassment, due partly to press distortions. Everyone believed that Saddam had a WMD program and was working on nuclear weapons. Everyone. Even the United Nations. Now David Kay suggests that Saddam himself was duped by his own officials, although even some Iraqis still maintain he had WMDs.

Even though everyone of consequence believed that Saddam had a WMD program, there was always the risk that it would be hidden beyond our ability to find it. Vital records were destroyed in the Spring of 2003, due to an unforgivable blunder. We could have avoided the risk of this by going with the humanitarian argument, which was undeniably factual. Why did we go with the WMD angle? Because the State Department thought that would go over better with the UN Security Council. Humanitarian considerations just don't cut any mustard with these guys. Tens of thousands of innocents slaughtered? Symtematic torture, mutilation, rapes, purges? They just don't care. And that's precisely why the UN has no legititmacy to bestow. This is what we should have used to put them on the spot. But instead we stooped to their level in an effort to appear reasonable. That's never a good idea. Never let the morally depraved define what "reasonable" means.

Thus does realpolitik bite us, and leave us open to the carping of the hypocrites, many of whom have always been more dedicated to realpolitik than we ever were. Washington in his farewell address suggested that our nation should simply take our stand on principle, and let the world come around to our point of view. Good advice, but hard to follow with complete faith. Even Washington compromised on slavery!

The WMD issue was never the only reason to get rid of Saddam, nor did Bush ever say it was. He needed to go for humanitarian reasons. He was a mass murderer, with ambitions to be a mass murderer on an even larger scale. And he supported terrorism, in Israel and in the United States. But those who can't spare a crocodile tear for his countless victims will claim Bush lied because of the WMD. Bush didn't lie, any more than anyone else who was saying the same thing. And Saddam had to go. David Kay knows this - and freely admits it. Everyone knows this, whether they admit or or not.

This world is full of brutal rulers who oppress and murder their subjects. Many also foment terrorism abroad. They threaten our very lives. That was brought home to us on 9/11. But even if they didn't threaten us, they should go, and we must remove them, because no one else will. Anyone who cares at all about humanity can see this. Anyone who cares about a better future for the human race knows that the Kaiser, Hitler, Tojo, Mussolini, Diem, Bishop, Noriega, Milosevic, Duvalier, the Taliban, and Saddam Hussein all had to go. That Kim Il Sung, Pol Pot, and Ho Chi Minh should have gone. That the great majority of people in Iraq are better off now than before. That we are safer now than before (among the serious Dem contenders, only Howard Dean is insane enough to deny this.) That, by his own admission, Muammar Qaddafi agreed to cooperate regarding his own WMDs becuase we toppled Saddam. Facts and logic proclaim unmistakeably that we were right, and that we must continue to rid the world of evil. If we don't do it, it won't get done. Few other nations have the moral courage. No other nation has the means.

This is a world war, of the failed cultures of the Third World against the liberties and prosperity of the West. It started in 1972 in Munich, and has continued unabated. It's an asymnetrical war. All we have to do to win is fight consistently and with determination. The only way we can lose ground is to try to make peace with the enemy, or to ignore him. The only way we can lose the war is to give up entirely, which won't happen. Their world is dying of its own accumulated toxins. But they are determined to cause as much misery as they can on the way out. This is bin Laden's agenada. This was Qutb's agenda, and is the agenda of his disciples. Every year we let a thug remain in power is a year that thug's subjects lose forever. That's what this is about. Keep all this is mind when cowardly minds blather about preemptive wars. Iraq was not a preemptive war. It was a campaign in a war that the other side started long ago.

Earlier this year we had the momentum. We were knocking down the bastards, one by one. But this failure ti find the WMD, coupled with the unwise emphasis on same earlier, has cost us. I think it will become politically difficult to free the world from tyranny at our current agressive schedule. This country will slack off again. Iranians are ready for democracy right now. Their young people are demanding it. But will we be able to make it happen?

Here is a partial list of unfinished business: Syria, North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, the Pashtun-controlled parts of Pakistan, the FARC-controlled parts of South America, Kenya, Red China, Cuba, Kosovo. (Yes, Kosovo. Another half-assed job of the UN and Clinton remains to be finished.) None of these are going away. But if we neglect them, they will come to visit us. Just as on 9/11. If we slack off again, there will be another few years of false peace, then another big terrorist attack on our soil. And we will repent our inattention. We will revive the Bush doctrine. We will resume fighting back. And we will win. But in the years of our needless delay, and in the attack that ends it, many will have suffered and died that we could have helped.

More at:

[Link: www.angelfire.com...]

#50 Samuel . . .

That is a fabulous post! You said it all, as far as I am concerned. Most people I know seem completely unaware of what an outstanding leader this President is. If successful as a war leader, he will undoubtedly be ranked with the other "greats."

I hope you re-post this, when necessary, on another thread.

Thanks.

50 Samuel

me too

exactly

#15 BHC #21 RCP #50 Samuel

Refreshing viewpoints! Thank you.

(RCP, your nick tends to dilute your excellent message -- there's just too much public impression of insanity attached to St. Rachel, is all.)

#66 Marlowe -- You seem to have left out Stalin, as a major suppressive influence who expired far too late in life.

Well everybody, I stand corrected, Kerry is French. It figures. Recently I have actually been listening to him. Does he seem a bit dimwitted to any of you? He sure is sounding that way to me and the misses.

Musharraf Says No To Us Troops Looking For bin Laden

The man is a true whore. He takes money from both sides. He protects bin Laden and he panders to the US.

No wonder he is the target of assassination.

#71 Julia,

It's a shame, I wouldn't want to be in Musharraf's shoes, either way. His life is at risk, he may as well do what is right. I would love to at least find out he was letting us in but denying it publicly for domestic purposes.

Samuel (#72),

I think Musharraf would like to capture Osama himself.

Pakistan Adopting a Tough Old Tactic to Flush Out Qaeda

#72 Samuel, loved your piece on Bush the other day. I was a Nader voter in 2000; I totally agree with what you said so well.

#73 Geepers.

I just read the article, thanks for the link. Is sure hope it's true. I don't care who gets him!

#74 Evariste,

Thanks, Bush just went from the man I hated the most to a person I most respect. This kind of change is rare for me.

Samuel (#72)

I would love to at least find out he was letting us in but denying it publicly for domestic purposes.

Sorry, but I suspect that's pure fantasy. I trust Bala Ambati, he seems to know what he's talking about and he says the same thing every time:

Pakistan + Saudi = real axis of evil.

I don't believe Musharraf is the sweetheart you'd like him to be. If you're interested in reading some of Dr. Bala Ambati's stuff, see here.

Great column by Yossi Klein Halevi on the significance of israel's position at the vanguard of the war on terror:

The fact that we haven't surrendered to a terrorist assault intended to atomize Israeli society by frightening us away from our public spaces is Israel's gift to a terrorized world. Arguably no other Western nation could have withstood the sustained atrocity assault we've endured over the last three years and still remain basically intact.

The opening paragraph is a beaut too—read it and grin!

#50 Samuel, #66 marlowe - the best reader comments I've encountered so far at LGF. Samuel, I made very much the same political transformation as you (with the sole exception that I had voted for one Republican - Giuliani - before). Big Clinton fan and defender, voted for Gore (thank G-d it made no difference, Bush would never have carried NY), the whole bit.

Now even on economic issues I'm a conservative! Go figure.

#46 hello? again. wrote:

If a person is murdered in one of our major city's it's because that person either lives in the city or is visiting the city by choice. . .

To compare criminal murder rates to the deaths of young American soldier's who have been sent to another country to fight a war is simply ridiculous.

Need I remind you that people who join the armed forces also do so by choice, and ought to know what they're getting into?

Yackums: Uh, son, there ain't no draft no more.
hello?: D-uhh, there was one?