Democrats continue to deny winning in Iraq

August 5 , 2008

 

They just can’t bring themselves to say it.  The Democrats in Congress just can’t say the W-word.  Despite the overwhelming evidence, Democrats still refuse to admit that we’re actually winning in Iraq.  They still cling to a call for change but change is happening all over Iraq, even without their support.

 

Let’s look at the facts.  Casualty rates are down dramatically.  Poll after poll in Iraq shows the people want us to stay long enough to get their security forces up to speed.  Al Qaeda has been routed in every major area and the people have, in large part, turned against them.  The vast majority of Iraq is peaceful.  The Iraqi government is on the verge of taking complete control of their own country.  The surge worked.

 

Yet, Democrats in Congress refuse to acknowledge the obvious because doing so will weaken them politically.  It’s sad, really.  Their future hinges on our losing in Iraq.  They’ve waged all their political capital on the Iraq War and now they’re coming up empty.

 

The truth is no one but the most ardent American haters among us actually wanted to see us lose in Iraq.  Sure, there were some missteps.  We could’ve done things better and no one likes to see even one life lost.  Still, if we continue on our present course and begin pulling out before the end of George W. Bush’s term in office – which I think is very likely – this entire operation will been seen by historians as a huge success.  If freedom takes hold in Iraq it will likely spread throughout the Middle East and George W. Bush will be credited with its birth.

 

That’s not to say that Bush has done a fantastic and flawless job since he’s been in.  I believe his stand on the illegal alien issue and his support of a North American Union will ultimately mar his legacy.  However, credit must be given where credit is due.  President Bush took a great chance in his decision to oust Saddam Hussein but it turned out to be the right one.

 

Imagine how different things would be today if Saddam were still in power.  Despite cries to the contrary, there’s no doubt he possessed weapons of mass destruction.  Everyone from Bill Clinton to Al Gore to John Kerry acknowledged that fact prior to our invasion of Iraq.  Saddam had used them on the Kurds.  Unless you’re willing to accept the premise that they simply spontaneously combusted then common sense would dictate that he had WMDs.  Had we left him to his own devices there’s no telling what would have happened.  Would he have used them against his neighbors?  It’s hard to say.  One thing is for certain.  He would’ve used the threat of WMDs to further empower himself and change the political landscape of his region for the worse.

 

July saw the lowest casualties since the Iraq War began.  Saddam Hussein, who, by some accounts, killed as many as 2 million of his own countrymen, is no more.  The rape rooms and the torture chambers are gone.  Women are voting and taking part in their government.  People are no longer afraid to speak their mind.  Terrorists are on the run.  Schools are being built all across the country.  Infrastructures with modern conveniences never before seen by Iraqis are now in place.  A country of 28 million people is now thriving and growing and pulling out of the dark days of being terrorized by their own government.

 

Are we winning in Iraq?  You bet we are and it doesn’t matter how many Democrats in Congress say otherwise.