Posted by
FJR on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 5:13:11 PM
note* This was an article written before the drastic overturning of evidence occurred, namely the falsities of the AL Qaeda-Saddam connection along with Saddams purported possession of WMDs. If, and this would be lovely, we could go back, knowing what we know now, I do not believe we should have invaded Iraq. This article confronts the reality of what were the "facts" at the beginning. It demonstrates that if the intelligence was viable, this was necessary. It also confronts the reality of Islamic Extremism.
With the Iraq War pressing on into its sixth year, the public opinion of the war's purpose and effectiveness seems to be outwardly pessimistic. As shown over and over again by the liberal media, this war is costing a lot. American soldiers are being killed. So the major question here becomes: Is it worth it? Yes it is. And here is why.
Cause- Al- Qaeda and Iraq/ WMDs
On 9/11 3,000 men and women were killed. American citizens lost brother, mothers, and fathers. It is a day that will live in infamy. So who did it? Al Qaeda did it. So where is Al Qaeda? Well to put it simply they are everywhere, but they are largely located in Afghanistan. Where else are they? Pakistan and Iraq, North Africa, all looking to establish an Islamic caliphate to operate. Therefore, we have to go to one of these places to fight Al-Qaeda. President Bush told us that there was WMDs in Iraq and that there was a relation between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. The 9/11 Commission found that the Hussein- Al Qaeda relationship was exaggerated.
So Weapons of Mass Destruction. The CIA and the MI6, two of this planet's most prestigious intelligence agencies, had intelligence that Saddam Hussein had WMDs. So what do we do? Do we assume that these reports are wrong, reports from the bastions of intelligence? Do we assume that they are simply George Bush's propaganda? Or do we trust them, having no reason not to? I go for the latter, I know its crazy, but I'm not that paranoid. Although some of these intelligence reports have been proven false, the fact is that there was intelligence. And with this threat of mass weaponry combined with an attack on this country on 9/11, war was necessary. Knowing what we know now, different decisions would have been made.
Justifications
So we went into Iraq, and overthrew a mass-murdering dictator. Some question this in that there was no connection found between Al- Qaeda and Saddam, so why Iraq? To rebut that, I would ask them to look at it this way. We had to go somewhere. If we overthrow a man, who has a history of WMDs and who the CIA and MI6 have intelligence of having WMDs, and then centralize that country under a democracy, making them militarily and politically viable and able to fend off the Al Qaeda, therefore setting an example for the middle east, and furthermore silencing Al Qaeda and its terrorist regime; then we can begin this fight against Islamic Extremism.
Afghanistan?
So what about Afghanistan? Al Qaeda is centralized there right? I want to start off by saying that I do agree that there should have been a larger effort directed towards Afghanistan. The problem with the "Get out of Iraq and go to Afghanistan" people is that they want to completely cut and run out of Iraq. Here's how I see it. Al- Qaeda and the Taliban are prevalent in Afghanistan and in Iraq. So what I don't understand is why do we have to pick one? Al Qaeda wants to find a place to centralize their operations, so let's deny them both Afghanistan and Iraq, not leave one in turmoil. Let's reinstate the draft. Let's get this done. This war is real, and we can lose it. As soon as people start to realize that, then we will move towards victory. For some reason this war is a joke to everyone, and that has to stop.
Present
What is now undeniable is that we are making progress in Iraq. So whether you agree with the above or not, you have to realize what is happening. To leave now is ludicrous, even Obama realizes that. We have to get over whether this was a just or unjust war. The past is over, and the present is evincing opportunity.
What I don't think people understand is that those guys over there with the AK-47's, they want you dead. Whether it be by planting IED's or crashing jet planes into skyscrapers(an event that everyone just seems to forget about), they want you dead.
There is a reason that there haven't been any further terrorist attacks in the United States in the last 6 years: we are winning the war, a war that will have approached abruptly if not dealt with promptly.
The Islamic Extremists and Al-Qaeda are not countries like the previous countries that the United States has engaged in war with. Therefore, as I said, to smuther the terrorist threat, we must initiate force in a country, one like Iraq. To silence the Extremist influence, the U.S. must slowly centralize the government of the Iraq so that the countries around Iraq will collectively coordinate with its neighbors. Force leads to policy.
If the United States retracts its forces from Iraq, it is almost indubitable that genocide will begin and surges by Al-Qaeda will continue. The thing that really gets me is that politicians still are talking about time tables. From a logical standpoint, why would the U.S. government tell the enemy when they are going to leave? It would simply result in a delay of surges by the terrorists until the U.S. task force is completely non-existent, allowing for a continuance of Extremist influence.
Webster's defines terror as violence or threats of violence used forintimidation or coercion. And that is exactly what we, the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, are combating. Jordanian journalist, Fouad Hussein, lays out the "Master Plan" of Islamic Extremists in his book Al-Zarqawi-Al Qaeda's Second Generation. He describes through a seven-phase, 20 year plan, the effort of the Islamic Extremists to establish an Islamic caliphate.
He describes Phase 1 as "The Awakening": to paraphrase, the Extremists attempt to wake up Muslims by provoking the United States to attack the Islamic world(9/11). He describes Phase 2 as "Opening Eyes": the phase we are most likely in, to transform the Islamic community into a "movement" by recruiting young men and making Iraq the central base of Operations.
If we just leave Iraq, Phase 2 will grow and into an evil that will have to be dealt with in the future. We must not procrastinate, the time is now.
*47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq
3100 schools have been renovated
263 schools are now under construction
38 new schools have been completed in Iraq
The Iraqi navy is operational
Iraq's Air Force consists of 3 operational squadrons
55,000 fully trained and equipped Iraqi Servicemen
sources:
www.defense.gov
www.pentagon.mil
www.defenselink.mil