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By Thurman Hart (about the author)
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Six years ago, the world was turned upside down. As surely as Washington’s defeat of Cornwallis, the falling of the World Trade Center showed that being a superpower is not sufficient protection to deter a small group of determined people. This is true even if they are led by someone who trades in hatred and fear. Power can never again be measured in sheer numbers of troops, cruise missiles, or even nuclear weapons.
Unfortunately, the sight of George W. Bush frozen in fear before a class of elementary students was but a precursor to the incompetence with which the American retaliation would be handled. Forces were withheld from the battle against Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in order to pursue a pre-emptive war of choice against Iraq and Sadam Hussein. Even then, the President refused to send sufficient forces into Iraq to secure the post-Sadam peace.
Republicans like to say that “9/11 changed everything”. They are right. Before that, I didn’t believe an American President could display such staggering incompetence, matched only by his inability to admit a mistake. The combination has proven deadly to American soldiers deployed overseas and has bankrupted our treasury for generations. Six long years have passed since that day in 2001 and yet we are no closer today to either catching Osama bin Laden or to securing Iraq.
Democrats are trying desperately to change directions in Iraq, but theyhave been stymied at every turn by President Bush’s Congressional apologists. They preach patience while even more American soldiers fall on the field of battle. Even as report after report has shown that conditions in Iraq are not improving, these so-called “moderates” continue to run interference against the will of the American people.
A hundred and seventy-six years ago William Lloyd Garrison rallied Americans to the cause of immediate abolition of slavery by pointing out that some issues have no “moderate” stance. “Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm,” he said, “tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen.” To that, I would add, “Tell a soldier he may moderately come home from war.”
Enough is enough. It’s time to bring our troops home from Iraq.
Become a Fan -- Page 1 of 1 page(s)
Unfortunately, the sight of George W. Bush frozen in fear before a class of elementary students was but a precursor to the incompetence with which the American retaliation would be handled. Forces were withheld from the battle against Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in order to pursue a pre-emptive war of choice against Iraq and Sadam Hussein. Even then, the President refused to send sufficient forces into Iraq to secure the post-Sadam peace.
Republicans like to say that “9/11 changed everything”. They are right. Before that, I didn’t believe an American President could display such staggering incompetence, matched only by his inability to admit a mistake. The combination has proven deadly to American soldiers deployed overseas and has bankrupted our treasury for generations. Six long years have passed since that day in 2001 and yet we are no closer today to either catching Osama bin Laden or to securing Iraq.
Democrats are trying desperately to change directions in Iraq, but theyhave been stymied at every turn by President Bush’s Congressional apologists. They preach patience while even more American soldiers fall on the field of battle. Even as report after report has shown that conditions in Iraq are not improving, these so-called “moderates” continue to run interference against the will of the American people.
A hundred and seventy-six years ago William Lloyd Garrison rallied Americans to the cause of immediate abolition of slavery by pointing out that some issues have no “moderate” stance. “Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm,” he said, “tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen.” To that, I would add, “Tell a soldier he may moderately come home from war.”
Enough is enough. It’s time to bring our troops home from Iraq.
Thurman Hart says that the reason he writes is to show that "a Christian Liberal is not an oxymoron." He holds a Master's Degree in Political Science from the University of Central Florida and specializes in Public Policy (energy and taxation) and (more...)
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