Posted 1:18 AM by Steve
Winning and Losing in Iraq

Part I

It's time to respond to the critics of Operation Iraqi Freedom who mainly seem to be arguing that a psychotic, corrupt despotic totalitarian dictator with terror ties is preferable than the current situation in Iraq.

First, let's talk about conditions in Iraq before Operation Iraqi Freedom. Iraqi civilians were dying at an appalling rate. The Iraqi government, controlled by Saddam Hussein, was growing closer to dangerous international terrorists groups such as al-Queda. The Iraqi government had provided and continued to provide refuge, training, weapons, intelligence and logistical support to international terrorist groups both within the country and beyond it's borders. The Iraqi government had found a way to circumvent the U.N. Oil for food program by allowing unethical agents of various nations to trade in a black market based on valuable oil vouchers. The vouchers which were to be used for food and or medical supplies only soon became a currency by which terrorism was funded. The sanctions had failed.

Let's examine the situation in Iraq now. Iraqi civilians are still dying at an appalling rate. Terrorists operate freely within the borders of Iraq and the U.S. military forces are tasked with an almost impossible job. Keeping themselves alive while avoiding being murdered by terrorists who have no regard for life, be it the life of others or their own. As tragic as this may sound, it is far preferable to the first scenario for a variety of reasons.

First of all, it is a valuable exercise of military power. This event proves that the United States is willing to invest time, dollars and blood to remain a dominant superpower in the world. Secondly, it eliminates a major state sponsor of terrorism in a region blighted by terrorists and fanatics. Thirdly, it brings the promise of freedom for 50 million Iraqi citizens who are among the more sophisticated arabs in the area. The benefits of this should be self-evident. If Iraq embraces democratic capitalism they will become a super-power in the Middle East with an

The critics of the war are quick to point to every piece of bad news or every set-back in Iraq and say "We are losing." Have we fallen so far? Now, the spoiled children of the left think that anything less than a panacea which brings instant utopia to Iraq is "losing". Without a shred of understanding, these defeatists not only see only bad news coming from Iraq they actually wish it to occur for political reasons. They seek to appear compassionate to the troops while belittling every positive step they take.