Only Two Choices, Victory or Defeat

June 22, 2006 in Congress, Democrats & The Left, Iraq, Military Draft, Senate, US Military

Today's Boston Globe has an Oped piece by Joan Vennochi entitled "A Military Draft Might Awaken Us". Essentially she wants to reinstate a military draft, Not because the Military needs or wants it, not even because she thinks that it would enable our troops in Iraq to be able to complete their assigned mission sooner. No she wants the draft for only 1 reason, she believes reinstating the Draft will increase opposition to the war.

If we feared our children were next up to be gutted like fish, we might be less likely to shake our heads at crazy antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan. If turning 18 meant your kid's boots on the ground, a resolution to pull troops out of Iraq by a certain date might grab more than six votes in the US Senate.

Regardless what anyones point of view on the justification of this war is, the bottom line is that we ARE at War. Congress debated and voted in 2002 to authorize Military force to force Iraq into compliance with UN Resolutions, oust one of the most brutal dictatorial regimes the world has ever seen, and defend the national security of the United States. Once the decision was made to go to war the debate and discussion ended. From that moment on the onlytwo choices on the table were victory or defeat. Make no mistake, withdrawing our forces before victory is achieved is a defeat.

Ms Vennochi's editorial makes it plainly clear that she is willing to put our national security at risk to achieve a political goal. She chose defeat.

As I am writing this the Senate just completed voting on the two defeatist resolutions offered by Kerry/Feingold and Levin/Reed. The first vote was 86-13, the second was 60-39. Thankfully the Senate wisely voted to allow the conditions on the ground in Iraq determine when we withdraw, not some magical date on the calendar. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said it best.

"Withdrawal is not an option. Surrender is not a solution."

Hat tip to Wizbang

The Bullwinkle Blog has a much better breakdown of the Vennochi editorial and my guess is that "The Moose" will not be on the Vennochi christmas card list any time soon.

Others Blogging on the Senate Vote;

Michelle Malkin, Captains Quarters, Wizbang , California Conservative, Sister Toldjah Assorted Babble, Stop the ACLU, bRight & Early

11 Replies

Assorted Babble by Suzie

June 22, 2006 at 2:13 pm

Hi,
I just added you to my personal (favorites) blogroll, and I hope that was okay. I truly enjoy your site and thank you for linking/trackbacking my blog. (smiling) You have an awesome day.

Reply
Blandly Urbane

June 22, 2006 at 3:53 pm

I will never understand this need to make this war something it is not, namely Vietnam. It certainly is as far as the Left is concerned.

I don’t know what Kerry and his ilk truly think would happen if we followed his lead….

Reply
Jamie Stern-Weiner

June 23, 2006 at 10:20 am

“From that moment on the only two choices on the table were victory or defeat. Make no mistake, withdrawing our forces before victory is achieved is a defeat.”

What exactly do you think would constitute a victory? And why is withdrawing forces equivalent to accepting defeat? This is not a war – atleast, not in the conventional sense. In Iraq, what we have is nothing new. It is a foreign military occupation that is unwanted by the people. Int hese conditions, you get armed resistance (the “insurgents”). The truth is that we had no right to go into Iraq in the first place, and we have even less right to stay there against the wishes of the people.

“Thankfully the Senate wisely voted to allow the conditions on the ground in Iraq determine when we withdraw, not some magical date on the calendar.”

What condition on the ground would qualify a withdrawal? The fact that our troops are not wanted by the majority of the population it is claimed they are serving? CHECK. The fact that the occupation is undoubtedly worsening the situation as opposed to helping it? CHECK. The fact that one of the main factors in the insurgent attacks that are making Iraqi’s lives a misery is in response to the occupation? CHECK.

Reply
Darrell

June 23, 2006 at 11:14 am

"What exactly do you think would constitute a victory?"

When a representative govt in Iraq is fully capable of defending itself from the terrorists.

"And why is withdrawing forces equivalent to accepting defeat?"

It is very simple really, The mission is not complete, Iraqi forces though they have made tremendous strides in the last three years are not yet capable of dealing with the terrorists on their own. When they can our mission will be complete. Withdrawing our forces before our mission is complete is defeat.

"The truth is that we had no right to go into Iraq in the first place…"

The debate of if we should have gone into Iraq in the first place is completely moot. We are there, there are no do overs on this. The time for that debate was before our troops stepped over the line of demarcation. We are there, our mission is to secure the country, and help the Iraqis establish a government that is representative of the people of Iraq.

"What condition on the ground would qualify a withdrawal?"

How many times are you going to ask the same question? Did you attend a Helen Thomas seminar on question asking?

You cite Iraqi public opinion of our troops in Iraq several times in your comment. Care to divulge the source of this information? A CBS Memo perhaps? or maybe a Jason Blair article in the New York Times. I would tend to believe that you are dead wrong on this, though the only evidence I can offer is the MILLIONS of purple dyed fingers that were proudly displayed following three subsequent elections in Iraq.

Have a nice day.

Reply
Jean M. Temple, MBA (Ms.)

July 18, 2006 at 10:31 am

There is a third option — it’s been an option for years =MAKE PEACE

Reply
Darrell

July 18, 2006 at 11:19 am

Jean;

Thank you for your comment.
So you would suggest that we just put down our weapons, and declare universaly that peace has broken out?

In the 60’s and 70’s protestors marched with signs saying “Peace Now”. The US withdrew from South East Asia and as a result Millions of people were tortured and executed. What kind of peace is it that you champion for? One in which dictators and Tyrants have free reighn in murdering their citizens? “Peace Now” was a great slogan… but nothing more.

Darrell

Reply
daniel

November 20, 2006 at 4:24 pm

Victory or Defeat the war in Iraq

As a new comer i just wanted to say what seems to me alot of people are missing in all their opinions and debate is that we the U.S. are fighting against a Nation of People,while some people in Iraq probably are relieved that we are there but the truth is we are fighting against a Nation of People whom have been fighting since the earliest beginning of recorded history! It is almost impossible to defeat a Nation who knows nothing else except fighting that is why it is taking so long for the most powerful armed forces on the planet to win that my friends is reality!

Reply

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