Posted 12:22 PM by Steve
President Bush made it clear that there were
three reasons for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The first
reason was Saddam Hussein's close ties to various
Islamic terror groups. We know that, within Iraq,
training camps for terrorists existed at locations
such as Salman Pak, just south of Baghdad. We also now
know that members of al-Qaida have used Iraq as a
refuge and that high ranking Iraqi agents met with
al-Qaida prior to 9/11. Hussein's public and financial
support of Palestinian terror was widely reported.

The second vital reason that Saddam Hussein's
regime was ended was the threat of WMD. In December
1998, Saddam Hussein's noncompliance and obstruction
of the U.N. weapons inspection program rendered U.N.
inspectors powerless. With his actions, Hussein
effectively "kicked out" the U.N. inspectors. Keep in
mind that as recently a November of 2002, the U.N.
Security Council voted UNANIMOUSLY to support
resolution 1441 which stated that the entire council
recognized "the threat Iraq’s non-compliance with
Council resolutions and proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and long-range missiles poses to
international peace and security,".

The headline of the front page article in the
September 25th Oregonian says the "Hunt for banned
weapons in Iraq comes up empty, report will say". This
is deceiving and disingenuous. In the very same
article it says that Mr. Kay interviewed Iraqi
scientists and security officers who "worked in such
chemical and biological weapons programs until shortly
before the U.S. invasion in March." I think most
reasonable people would conclude that no country would
invest in chemical and biological weapons programs if
it did not intend to produce chemical and biological
weapons. In addition, the U.S. has already claimed to
have found mobile biological weapons labs and missile
warheads designed for chemical payloads. Equipment
relating to Iraq's nuclear weapons programs has been
found buried in the yard of Iraqi scientists.

The third reason for Operation Iraqi Freedom was the
horrible human rights conditions within Iraq. Saddam
Hussein's totalitarian regime viciously and
mercilessly ruled the people of Iraq. Regional dissent
was punished by the cutting off of fuel, power, and
water. Children and the sick were starved and not
given adequate medical care while millions of dollars
were spent on weapons programs and lavish palaces for
Saddam and his Baathist henchmen.

Kidnap, beatings, torture, rape and murder were
commonplace as the rights of the average Iraqi were
trampled by a ruthless dictator. Saddam's history
included military action against his neighbors in the
Middle-East. Under Saddam, Iraq attacked Iran and
invaded Kuwait. His legacy of ethnic cleansing and
genocide in Halabja is well known. Hussein's use of
chemical weapons to exterminate entire villages of
Kurdish Iraqis is an abominable war crime.

The Democrats know they can't win the battle of
facts on Operation Iraqi Freedom. Only those in deep
denial think Operation Iraqi Freedom was not't the
right thing to do. Our country is safer and has not
suffered another terrorist attack on the scale of
9/11. It's never a bad thing when regimes that support
terror are toppled. Two-thirds of the population of
Iraq believe they are better off now that Saddam
Hussein is gone, the rest still live in fear of a
resurgence of the Baath party.

It is truly pathetic that the Democrats last grasp for
power in the 2004 Presidential election can only be
made possible by exploiting the deaths of American
soldiers. By using these tragedies and chipping away
at American resolve, the Democrats hope to undermining
the good work of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Because to
have any chance at election the Democrats must create
doubt in the minds of the 70% of Americans who
supported President Bush and the troops in this noble
cause.

Posted 10:42 AM by Steve
Oops, I guess the liberals were the lying liars who lied...

David Kay, a former UN weapons inspector and now a special adviser to the CIA - is leading a survey group that has found evidence of Iraqi preparations to produce chemical and biological weapons.

The report by the survey team will publish computer programs, files, pictures and paperwork which shows that Saddam Hussein's regime was attempting to develop a weapons of mass destruction program.

Posted 11:09 AM by Steve
Does it strike anyone else that the Democratic candidates for president simply don't know what President Bush does? The main barrage of criticism about Operation Iraqi Freedom comes from people who simply aren't in a position to know the intelligence of the situation. It's not unlike the knee-jerk reaction of liberals who protest any action of the police without knowing specifics. President Bush is briefed on a daily basis on various threats foreign and domestic and has done a terrific job protecting our great nation.

Posted 11:03 AM by Steve
Poll shows Baghdad residents optimistic



BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Nearly two-thirds of Baghdad residents say the removal of Saddam Hussein was worth the hardships they have endured, a report said Wednesday.

Despite the collapse of government and civic institutions, looting and violence and shortages of water and electricity, 67 percent of 1,178 Iraqis told a Gallup survey team within five years, their lives will be better than before the U.S.-led invasion.

Only 8 percent of those queried said they believed their lives would be worse off as a result of the military campaign to remove Saddam and his Baath Party leadership, the New York Times reported.

The survey, which was conducted in late August and early September, cut across the ethnically diverse landscape of the capital.