Four Years in Iraq

It's been four years since the U.S. went to war in Iraq.

To recognize the milestone, people took to the streets to protest. Some protested the war. Some protested against President Bush. Some protested America. And some protested the protesters.

For the most part, the four year mark is shaping up as a time to bash President Bush.

Every liberal worth his or her salt is slamming the war and the administration.

As an example, Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold issued a statement on Friday, rather than waiting for March 19, the actual four year anniversary. He probably wanted to be among the first to be quoted by the media.

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
On the 4th Anniversary of the Iraq War

“March 19th marks the four-year anniversary of the Iraq war, one of the worst foreign policy mistakes in the history of our nation. On this solemn anniversary, we remember the more than 3,000 brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, the tens of thousands of brave Americans who have been injured while serving in Iraq, and the countless families and communities across this country who have provided unwavering support for their loved ones, friends, and neighbors serving overseas. President Bush and his Administration made a tragic mistake in going to war in Iraq, and that mistake has only been compounded by their refusal to change their failed policy. The war in Iraq has weakened our military readiness, sapped our resources, undermined the fight against al Qaeda and jeopardized our national security. The President has made it clear he will not end our military involvement in Iraq -- it is up to Congress to use its constitutional powers to do just that.”

This is typical of the politicizing of the war. Feingold exploits an "us v. them" approach, the world against Bush and his supporters.

Almost from day one, Feingold and those of his ilk have considered Iraq to be Bush's war, not America's war.

The Democrats, the fringe Leftists, the anarchists, the America-haters have deemed everything about the war to be a disaster.

Why is it that even though Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and countless Dems had spent years touting the necessity of deposing Saddam Hussein, even though most Dems voted for the war, and even though Americans were in favor of taking military action against Iraq, the lib media virtually have depicted the war as a mistake from the beginning?

Only months into the war, it was called a quagmire. Ted Kennedy was one of the first politicians to declare the war a lost cause. The man wouldn't rest until others joined him in labeling Iraq this generation's Vietnam.

For years, rather than discussing how to win and working together to achieve a positive resolution in Iraq, slimy political opportunists have sought to undermine any chance for success.

They literally have made the work of our enemies easier. They've provided aid and comfort to them. They have furthered the cause of our enemies -- weakening America.


The Washington Post's editorial today breathlessly details "Lessons of War, The fighting in Iraq enters its fifth year."

It's a joyous exercise for The Post, ripping apart the President, the Vice President, and the administration.

I get the feeling that every failure noted is given as another reason for libs to celebrate.

Responsible leaders and citizens don't take that stance. Decent human beings don't take that stance.

Party shouldn't come before country. Hatred for the president shouldn't translate into hatred for the country.

The editorial begins:

TOMORROW MARKS the fourth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, as appropriate a moment as any to take stock. What matters most is finding the best policy now -- doing whatever can be done to help Iraq and safeguard U.S. interests in a vital region. But looking back also is essential, particularly for those of us who supported the war.

We will never know what might have happened had Saddam Hussein and his sons been left in power. Nor do we know how Iraq will evolve; history's judgment in five years or 10 may look very different than today's. But the picture today is dire, and very different from what we would have hoped or predicted four years ago. The cost in lives, injuries and dislocations, to Americans and Iraqis, has been tragic; the opportunity costs for U.S. leadership globally have been immense. So there is an obligation to reassess. What have we learned?

The simplest way to sum up how The Post answers that question is this: THE WAY EVERYTHING WAS DONE IN IRAQ WAS WRONG -- TOTAL SCREW UP.

Why go into the same old, same old?

It's a bash fest. Enough said.

I think the editorial does raise an interesting point: "We will never know what might have happened had Saddam Hussein and his sons been left in power."

Yes, the situation in Iraq is bad. Efforts at stabilizing the nation have been exceedingly frustrating and costly.

But what would have happened in these four years if Saddam Hussein was firmly in command?

We can assume that he would have continued to torture, maim, and kill his people. That's a given.

But what would his role have been in the War on Terror?

Saddam wasn't "with us." He was definitely in the "against us" column.

How would he have used his power and resources to hurt America?

We don't know. We can only guess. It's frightening to think about.

Libs tend to leave that "what if" out of the equation.

The anti-war crowd presumes that Saddam was no threat. That presumption is terribly naive.

What really bugs me is that the Dems know that Saddam was a problem, a very serious one.

So what lessons of war have we learned?

One of the most disillusioning lessons is that the Democrats will say anything and do anything to regain power.

National security is irrelevant to them. What's in our best national interest takes a back seat to their political maneuvering.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, it was said that nothing would ever be the same. The politics of pre-9/11 were gone forever. We would unify and defend our country.

I never expected consensus. I knew there would always be differences of opinion. That's as it should be in a free society. I knew people would support different means to the end; but I thought the end would be the same.

I thought the absolute horror of that day was an awakening. I thought that defeating our enemies and protecting the United States in order to ensure our way of life was a goal that we all shared.

I was wrong.

We don't share that goal.

The Iraq experience has revealed that ugly reality.

The lesson after four years of war: Our biggest problem isn't Iraq. It's us.