War enters 5th year: Why not victory?
(John Andrews in the Denver Post, Sept. 18) Why not victory? The question haunted me all day on Sept. 11, the fourth anniversary of Islamofascist military attacks against America’s seat of self-government, Washington, and our crown jewel of liberty, New York. We are a nation supposedly at war, yet the enemy is not identified, the definition of winning is vague, the national will is weak. The war itself is misnamed and undeclared.
In my town, Centennial, which firmly supports President Bush and the Republican Congress, not one house in 20 flew the flag last Sunday in memory of the Sept. 11 heroes, or in token of the will to avenge them and secure our freedom by defeating the global jihadist enemy. At my church there was but passing mention of the World Trade Center atrocity, and no mention of the unfinished conflict it ignited.
That Saturday I was at two gatherings where the national anthem was sung, a statewide conservative conference and the Caulkins opera house opening gala. Little of the somber tone of wartime was felt at either of them. You can bet that on Friday, the day before, imams in countless mosques around the world – including many right here – were revisiting the glories of destruction on that fall day in 2001, and inciting the faithful to further bloodshed for Allah.
But the Twin Towers and Pentagon anniversary was largely crowded off weekend front pages by Katrina coverage in both the Post and the News. The Post did find room for a story headlined, “Muslims say fear lingers.” The Gulf Coast hurricane and the Islamist act of war were paired as twin “tragedies” in a Rocky headline on Sept. 12.
Look, storm devastation compounded with human failings is a tragedy — but a sneak attack on our homeland by foreigners bent on killing us by the millions and subjugating America to Muslim theocracy is not. It is, or should have been, a fearsome warning to mobilize this mighty land militarily, diplomatically, economically, and spiritually for total self-defense and ferocious counterattack, never slackening until the enemy is crushed.
Tragedy, hell. This is war, and not just a war on “terror.” Certain Muslim groups and Muslim countries are out to break the U.S. and its free-world allies, dating from at least 1979 when they hit us in Tehran. Their side is bent on victory. Our side, up to this point, clearly is not.
Coping, managing the problem, at most swatting the enemy, seems to be the extent of our objective. While Bush has been far better than Clinton, cleaning the Taliban out of Afghanistan and removing Saddam, the latter-day Hitler, from Iraq, he hasn’t done nearly enough.
Since my lists in previous columns caused a gratifying stir with readers, here’s my “Why Not Victory?” list:
1. Address Congress and call this what it is, World War IV.
2. Send another 50,000 troops to Iraq.
3. Increase the defense budget by $200 billion.
4. Institute a draft for the armed forces.
5. Declare war on Syria.
6. Put Cheney over a task force to find Bin Laden, Zawahiri, and Zarqawi.
7. Name a Democrat, perhaps Lieberman or Bayh, as Homeland Security secretary.
8. Militarize the Mexican border.
9. Summon the leaders of Muslim nations to the woodshed in Washington.
10. Assemble democracy activists from Muslim nations at Independence Hall.
11. Intensify FBI surveillance of Islamofascist front groups in the U.S.
12. Break relations with the Palestinian Authority.
13. Speed up Saddam Hussein’s trial and urge his execution.
14. Indict Kofi Annan and notify the United Nations to relocate overseas.
15. Convene a Warsaw summit of the democracies toward replacing the UN.
Katrina was horrific, to be sure. But so were the 1918 flu epidemic and 1943 race riots, little remembered today. What then mattered most was winning the first and second world wars. What matters supremely today is winning this world war. America again stands in mortal peril. Statesmen, defined on this page last week by Paul Johnson as “selfless leaders… seeking the common good,” are greatly needed. Their stark challenge to all of us must be: Why not victory?
The author can be reached at John@BackBoneAmerica.net
I never read such a bunch of crap in my life!
1. Address Congress and call this what it is, World War IV.
Truman, JFK & LBJ didn’t.
2. Send another 50,000 troops to Iraq.
For what? Don’t the camel jockeys have enough targets.
The whole purpose is to build up the Iraqi forces so we can get the hell out!! hellooooooo???
3. Increase the defense budget by $200 billion.
and do what with it? gezzzzz are you stupid or what?
4. Institute a draft for the armed forces.
and do what with them?
5. Declare war on Syria.
then what?
6. Put Cheney over a task force to find Bin Laden, Zawahiri, and Zarqawi.
oh now that will reeeeeely solve the problem!
7. Name a Democrat, perhaps Lieberman or Bayh, as Homeland Security secretary.
‘Rats are so good at running things!
8. Militarize the Mexican border.
how bout just building a wall. hellooooooo?
9. Summon the leaders of Muslim nations to the woodshed in Washington.
Why not just deport ‘em all back to whatever hellhole they originated from.
10. Assemble democracy activists from Muslim nations at Independence Hall.
and do what? get a Texas hold’em game going?
11. Intensify FBI surveillance of Islamofascist front groups in the U.S.
Read answer to number 9
12. Break relations with the Palestinian Authority.
and then what? another card game?
13. Speed up Saddam Hussein’s trial and urge his execution.
uhhhh, I think that’s up to the Iraqis?
where did you go to school???
14. Indict Kofi Annan and notify the United Nations to relocate overseas.
keep your friends close and your enemies closer
15. Convene a Warsaw summit of the democracies
and do what? another card game?
I don’t know where you received your education but I suggest you go back and get a refund!
by MICHAEL | Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 | 8:51 pmLMAO
While your rant may make sense on a couple points, I think it is void of all political reality. Your point about the national will being weak may apply to some corners of the nation, but not all, especially not the one I hang out in, we fire the bullets and our will is not weak.
Not everyone thinks like you (or us conservatives) and it just isn’t going to happen when half the country thinks we should not be at war anyway (even though they supported it in the beginning.)
by Mr Bob | Monday, Sep 19, 2005 | 2:41 pm1. Address Congress and call this what it is, World War IV. (solves nothing)
2. Send another 50,000 troops to Iraq. (commanders say not necessary) perhaps some more, but our goal is to train and get out..and it is happening. You are believeing the lies of the MSM that we are losing. We are winning, our guys will be coming home, give it a year.
3. Increase the defense budget by $200 billion.
I can’t argue with that…I work for the DOD, so more money is good for me and what I do.
4. Institute a draft for the armed forces. This is the worst idea, totally rediculous. Take our highly motivated forces and inject a bunch of poeple who don’t want to be there..complete B.S. and not necessary. Remember VietNam? that was part of the problem.
5. Declare war on Syria. I agree
6.Put Cheney over a task force to find Bin Laden, Zawahiri, and Zarqawi. You are assuming he would do a better job than the Generals we currently have. Sorry, Bin Laden could hide in Canada and we would not be able to find him unless he made a mistake. We are destroying them, it would be great to get the head of the snake, but the snake is bleeding badly.
7.name a Democrat, perhaps Lieberman or Bayh, as Homeland Security secretary. Dems can’t be trusted with National Security. not even Lieberman
8.Militarize the Mexican border. Or beef up the border I agree. Stop all illegal border crossings now.
9. Summon the leaders of Muslim nations to the woodshed in Washington. OK…not sure what that will do, but not a bad idea.
10. Assemble democracy activists from Muslim nations at Independence Hall. I got a better idea, beef up the CIA and support them behind the lines in every way possible.
11. Intensify FBI surveillance of Islamofascist front groups in the U.S. ALready done. more? Ok I am for that.
12. Break relations with the Palestinian Authority. solves nothing, we’ve already blown it here, I don’t see how this would help.
13. Speed up Saddam Hussein’s trial and urge his execution. He will hang soon, and not by our hands, he is Iraq’s, not ours.
14. Indict Kofi Annan and notify the United Nations to relocate overseas. Politically impossible, but I like the idea.
15. Convene a Warsaw summit of the democracies. More information here please..meetings…the reason human beings haven’t reached their full potential
We will achieve victory but with an enemy who hides among the good (or relatively benign) declares no state, wears no uniform it will continue as it is now for a while. Fear not, those of us in uniform are daily improving our tactics to hunt down and kill the enemy…and yes he has been identified.
here is the bottom line folks; we must stop fooling around with these assholes in the middle east. wearing gloves to handle the koran in gitmo is what is ridiculous. lets get down to business and kick some ass. more troops will help this to happen while at the same time we can train the iraqis and perhaps pull out faster. i am sick and tired of the left wing and the aclu telling us we are being politically incorrect whenever we try to get something done. this is a war not a bridge game. lets get it on and get it done.
by jeff noble | Monday, Sep 19, 2005 | 9:21 pmthe border needs to be sealed in whatever manner it requires. a wall would be the best solution. at about 1 million dollars per mile it would be the best investment this country ever made. i am all for LEGAL immigration in measured amounts. when american hospitals are closing on our border, it is time to do something. we are in for some serious problems if we dont do somethig tangible right now.
1. Address Congress and call this what it is, World War IV.
- What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet. (or sour, in this case)
2. Send another 50,000 troops to Iraq.
- I’m in Iraq. Trust me. The last thing we need here is more troops. Easy to make this pronouncement from a leather easy chair in “sunny, 70 degrees, and no humidity” Denver.
3. Increase the defense budget by $200 billion.
- Ahh, you mean the “2006 Haliburton Revenue Improvement Act”
4. Institute a draft for the armed forces.
- You better. Because at this rate we won’t have anyone left after 4 years. Why? Because the the record reenlistment rates so overly publicized are for “initial term” enlistees (aka, the 21-year old with no kids or spouse and just wants the money to put some twenties on his Honda Civic) and “careerists” (aka, the guy with 16 years in service who doesn’t want to piss away his years of service and chance for a lifetime of pension after 20 years in uniform). Anyone between 4 and 15 years of service is jumping ship.
5. Declare war on Syria.
- Why? Because they were responsible for 9/11? No…that was Saudia Arabia. Oh, but aren’t the Saudis our friends? Hey bud, if your best friend’s son pissed on your leg and wouldn’t do a damn thing to stop it, shouldn’t you reconsider your friendship?
6. Put Cheney over a task force to find Bin Laden, Zawahiri, and Zarqawi.
- See number 3 above
7. Name a Democrat, perhaps Lieberman or Bayh, as Homeland Security secretary.
- Not like the position means anything to begin with so you might as well give it to Scooby Doo
8. Militarize the Mexican border.
- Draft, more $ for Halliburton, Blackwater, United Defense, Raytheon….and the beat goes on
9. Summon the leaders of Muslim nations to the woodshed in Washington.
10. Assemble democracy activists from Muslim nations at Independence Hall.
11. Intensify FBI surveillance of Islamofascist front groups in the U.S.
- Nice buzzword. Doesn’t mean a damn thing to the person actually executing this policy. So tell me, how do you tell these Islamofascists from the normal Muslims who just don’t like the U.S. but come here because they want to earn a living and wear better clothes?
12. Break relations with the Palestinian Authority.
- great. Let’s just drag this Arab-Israeli thing out for three or four more generations. Let’s move on.
13. Speed up Saddam Hussein’s trial and urge his execution.
- Can’t complain there.
14. Indict Kofi Annan and notify the United Nations to relocate overseas.
- Indict, yes. Move, no. As long as they are here we can spy on them just like all the rest of your “Islamofascists” groups.
15. Convene a Warsaw summit of the democracies toward replacing the UN.
- Worth a shot. But really, what good is it going to do replacing one bloated, sloth-like beaurocracy with another? Maybe we’ll call the new organization “The League of Nations”
by Rob | Thursday, Sep 22, 2005 | 6:14 am