I agreed with your entire post but wanted to comment on this particular item. It certainly does seem that way and I would be very interested to find if this is the case or just doesn't seem newsworthy when our troops fight back.

You know what I honestly think? I think we are failing in our Iraq mission largely because our government (and perhaps the media is culpable) is not bringing the story of the positive things WE are doing. They're not letting the public see that WE are fighting -- building -- caring. All they're getting is what's sucked into the void of the public consciousness. And that is the death tolls, broken families, and missing limbs. What I think our government is missing is the greatest lesson of Vietnam. That is, that the war can only be won if, when and as long as, it is won at home.

Birdsfan, sure Sadaam needed to go. But we weren't prepared for the complete and utter lack of self-governance that was left. A better plan should have been in place before we decided to topple Sadaam.

I've probably told you this before; but I totally agree with you, in this context. I think we had the right idea -- just not crazy about the execution thereof.

 

That doesn't make me "anti-war" -- whatever that is.

:lol: I want to only briefly depart from the seriousness of this discussion to point out BF's "location". I love his sense of humor! :lol: :lol:

:lol: I want to only briefly depart from the seriousness of this discussion to point out BF's "location". I love his sense of humor! :lol: :lol:

You must know me, to get that one.

You must know me, to get that one.

I heard that report on the radio yesterday and after I got over my initial shock at how something like that could happen, I thought of a good friend and how he would have handled such a situation... :sssh:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I know... :lol: :lol: :lol:

I heard that report on the radio yesterday and after I got over my initial shock at how something like that could happen, I thought of a good friend and how he would have handled such a situation... :sssh:

As I told RM last night, I was most shocked....that it didn't happen to me, this time.

You know what I honestly think? I think we are failing in our Iraq mission largely because our government (and parhaps the media is culpible) is nit bringing the story of the postive things WE are doing. They're not letting the opublic see that WE are fighting -- building -- caring. All they're getting is what's sucked into the void of the public consciousness. And that is the death tolls, broken families, and missing limbs. What I think our government is missing is the greatest lesson of Vietnam. That is, that the war can only be won if, when and as long as, it is won at home.

One of the finest posts of the year IMO... :thumb:

 

Amen!

Do you really believe they would have 'flockrd' to our shores? How do you suppose they would have gotten here?

Maybe through our very open southern border that we can't secure for fear of offending Mexico.

One of the finest posts of the year IMO... :thumb:

 

Amen!

Thanks! But it's a lot finer, now that I went back and fixed all the typos.

Maybe through our very open southern border that we can't secure for fear of offending Mexico.

 

Now how many of the 9/11 hijackers entered through Mexico?

If our only concern is those who hijacked the planes on 9/11, we're in the clear. They all died in the crashes.

You, of course, mean the ones in Afghanistan - b/c there were none in Iraq before we deposed the government.

 

The name Zarqawi doesn't ring a bell?

If our only concern is those who hijacked the planes on 9/11, we're in the clear. They all died in the crashes.

 

Ok...then what other terrorists have entered our country through the Mexican border? Those terrorists were here legally. They didn't have to go through the trouble of coming through Mexico.

The comparison to the fight against Islamic extremist and World War II is weak. We weren’t fighting an ideology in the 40s; we were fighting a nation whose soldiers wore uniforms, flew flags, and ultimately surrendered when they knew they were defeated. Hitler’s National Socialism still remains an ideology that can be increasingly found in Europe and, more sparingly, in the States. However, that is not to say we are completely safe.

 

I’ve seen pages of left-leaning editorials, opinions, blogs, what have you, devoted to undermining the threat we face. It is usually scoffed at as if it were some fleeting minutia not worth more than a passing glance. To be sure, we face a radical threat that is ubiquitous throughout the Muslim world. It is only growing. They are heavily funded through oil, drugs, identity theft…anything. However, we’ve decided to combat this extremism the same way we did in the 40s: invade the nations that espouse it. Unfortunately, it isn’t a nationalistic ideology, and it is often cultivated underground through the populations of the poor and disenchanted. It is a battle of hearts and minds; not a battle that can be won by simply bombing or invading. There isn’t a leader to be removed, a capital to be conquered, or a state to surrender. But, there are minds to be won.

 

So I think, perhaps, both “liberals” and “conservatives” have gotten it wrong. But instead of working towards a solution it has descended into irrelevant finger pointing and passing the blame.

The comparison to the fight against Islamic extremist and World War II is weak. We weren’t fighting an ideology in the 40s; we were fighting a nation whose soldiers wore uniforms, flew flags, and ultimately surrendered when they knew they were defeated. Hitler’s National Socialism still remains an ideology that can be increasingly found in Europe and, more sparingly, in the States. However, that is not to say we are completely safe.

 

I’ve seen pages of left-leaning editorials, opinions, blogs, what have you, devoted to undermining the threat we face. It is usually scoffed at as if it were some fleeting minutia not worth more than a passing glance. To be sure, we face a radical threat that is ubiquitous throughout the Muslim world. It is only growing. They are heavily funded through oil, drugs, identity theft…anything. However, we’ve decided to combat this extremism the same way we did in the 40s: invade the nations that espouse it. Unfortunately, it isn’t a nationalistic ideology, and it is often cultivated underground through the populations of the poor and disenchanted. It is a battle of hearts and minds; not a battle that can be won by simply bombing or invading. There isn’t a leader to be removed, a capital to be conquered, or a state to surrender. But, there are minds to be won.

 

So I think, perhaps, both “liberals” and “conservatives” have gotten it wrong. But instead of working towards a solution it has descended into irrelevant finger pointing and passing the blame.

 

Well put...:thumb: