Killed by the dozens? 623 dead so far averages out to a little over two a day. Don't get me wrong, each American soldier lost over there is a tragic loss. But let's have some perspective here folks. World War II lasted a little under four years for the United States and resulted in over 300,000 American dead. Korea lasted three years and cost 45,000 American dead. Vietnam lasted about a decade and we lost 58,000 dead. Also, a convenient factoid is left out of the discussion about the latest insurgency in Iraq; we're killing a heck of a lot more of them than they are of us. Hard numbers are difficult to come by, but I saw one report stating that Marines in Fallujah had killed nearly 500 Iraqi insurgents and arrested many more. al-Sadr's Mehdi paramilitary forces have taken heavy casualties in the South and have now been driven from most Iraqi cities (al-Sadr and his personal bodyguard are still holding out in Najaf) Heavy armor is being brought in to finish him off. Mark my words, this will be all over in two weeks, and most of the Mehdi and Fallujah thugs will be dead, in jail, or in hiding. This was a one-shot, last gasp effort by the unreconstructed Iraqis to drive out U.S. forces and degrade our will to win. Hopefully, we learned our lesson the first time; we cannot lose our resolve. This is a test of wills; whoever can hang on the longest will win. This will not be another Vietnam as long as we don't allow our attitudes to be shaped by the failures of that conflict and we apply it's lessons. As for calling for Rumsfeld's execution, what can you say? Par for the course for today's Democratic Party and post-modern Left. L-cubed maniacs frothing at the mouth. Sad and pathetic, really. By the way, Bush has made several visits to Walter Reed Army Hospital and Naval Hospital in the D.C. area to meet with our wounded soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. This I have seen with my own eyes on newscasts. Bush does not attend military funerals because he does not wish to politicize or draw attention away from the heroes being laid to rest. He stays away out of respect for them and their families. A good move, in my opinion.
Did you read the whole Dudge article? The woman in the article sounds as though she's STILL bitter that Al Gore wasn't able to hijack the 2000 election. Despite anything else they may say, this and only this, is the root cause of the radical left's irrational hatred of George W. Bush. The fact that they keep coming back to the 2000 election 4 years later is indicative of such. These people are WAY off the deep end.
56 American soldiers were killed last week alone. Over 70 so far in April. These are serious numbers to anyone with his eyes open. The president flew onto an aircraft carrier this time last year under a big banner that said MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. OK, Iraq is defeated, Saddam is captured, and his sons are dead. If the mission was accomplished, why are we still there taking these kind of casualties? What do we win, exactly? And how long do we "hang on"? We are still "hanging on" in Korea 50 years later. Have we won there yet?
Red, I noticed you didn't criticize the Dems for tactics thier using against the president and his administration in a time of war. I personally think Bill Clinton's lagecy will be the hatred and vengence of the left and the right against each other, correct me if I'm wrong. I don't remember such hatred in government before then, you would think that the Dems hate Bush just as much if not more than our enemies. Red, Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like you would pull troops out of Iraq. I hate to think what would've happened in WW11 if people like that was in charge of the government. I hate Ted Kennedy's guts now, he was just annoying before. He can run his mouth but its his own damn brothers fault Vietnam happened since he started the war in the first place. How many people died in Vietnam under the Dems watch? How long did the war go on under them? I DO agree with Red about the statement about Bush announcing the war was over when I think we should've done more to mop up and finish the operation in Iraq first. I agree with the war on terror and support the president on that but I disagree with some of the way the operation has been handled since then! I think we should've done more to close of the borders of Iraq and have gotten rid of problems in Fallujah and other areas. I agree with Red on North Korea also but will point out we still have some troops in Bosnia that Mr Clinton said would've been back home sooner.
Sourdough, . . . Clinton isn't President anymore. You've got to let it go, amigo. I can't respond to any of your Clintonphobia. You've never seen me mention Bill Clinton here, much less promote him. Clinton is irrelevant to the points I've been making. And yes, I think we should be getting out of Iraq if our mission has been accomplished. I just don't see how hanging around there any longer benefits us. I don't want to see a precipitous pullout (we quit too fast in Lebanon and Somalia), nor a protracted one (we pulled out of Vietnam way too late). Just a staged, orderly re-deployment home starting June 30 when we hand the place back to the Iraqis. I'm not a peacenik. I've supported wars that were in our national interests but I don't think this Iraq war has been so. This isn't like World War II. In WWII we were defending ourselves and our allies, who fought beside us, and most importantly, didn't fight a guerrilla war against us while we were trying to help them. In Iraq, like Vietnam and Somalia before it, I see American troops dying while trying to aid and protect people who hate us, don't want us there, and are trying to kill us. I dislike seeing our troops used in this manner. We're digging the hole deeper. We don't need to be there. These people have been killing each other for centuries and still have some things to sort out. I don't think we can do it for them.
You're right red, they have been killing each other for many years...but on 9/11 they drug the free world into it when they attacked the United States....This was a War to free Iraq from a man who is no different than Adolf Hitler. I am not going to be one of those guys who says "AREN'T YOU GLAD SADDAM IS GONE!!!" But what I will say is this, Saddam Hussein has been a threat and would have continued to be a threat to America, the UN, and anyone else who celebrated democracy. It is known that he had WMD at one time and I for one don't give a **** if he still does or not. The fact is, he had them, and had the thinking and capability of one day doing something terrible besides killing 300,000 of his own people. Countries like America, England, and Japan are able to walk the streets, elect their own leaders, and choose their own destiny. It is unfortunate that we cannot force every country to give their citizens these opportunities, but luckily for the citizens of Iraq, they will one day have a model Arab-democracy. Yes, people have been killed. But you seem to forget the definition of a War. I don't like it when one or 12 persons die in a day, but it is the casuality of war and it is necessary evil. In twenty years, people will look back and wonder why the hell there was any opposition to something that has such a positive outcome to it.... It's a disgrace and a slap in the face to anyone who has served in major combat for people like Tedly Kennedy to call this "Vietnam." It's ridiculous and I am outraged that an elected official would make that statement during a time of war or making a statement like that period....Red, can you share a little more about why exactly you don't agree with this war?
Also, red55....they don't ALL hate us. It isn't like every citizen over there glares at all the soldiers and spits on them. 57% of them think they are better off now. Yes, 40% don't like the way it is done ,but what do you expect? It's DURING the combat of course they are going to respond that way...In five years, the numbers will be much more telling...
hijack the election?????? winning the POPULAR vote, aka the people's vote, is hijacking an election? hmmm :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis: :dis:
