Defeatists On Free Republic Who Are Giving Aid and Comfort to the Enemy

January 18 2007 | jveritas

[Doghouse Riley]

You just gave aid and comfort to the enemy by saying the War on Terror is lost.

Personally speaking, the WOT is not lost until my head parts company with my shoulders.

Having said that, I'm less confident that they'll stay attached than I was a couple of years ago.

[leadpenny]

I thought so but wasn't sure.

[Bob J]

The basis of your post is that we must keep fighting in Iraq until we achieve "total victory" but this debate is meaningless unless you define exactly what you mean by this.
Your interpretation of victory, and it's consequences, may be different from that of others and appears to me to be the nexus of disagreement.

I have been a supporter of this engagement since the beginning but I now do not believe we can achieve the "victory" that was intended at the start. That doesn't mean the effort was for naught nor does it mean we should disengage at this point. But we do need to have a clear idea of what we desire to achieve, if it is attainable and what unintended consequences may develop.

[twonie]

For God's sake, refrain from addressing anyone as "dude". Additionally, we do have the right to debate. However, the effect of some views in that debate may be extremely unhelpful to those viewing the debate.

[politicalwit]

The WOT is lost.

The War on Terror isn't lost, however it is not winnable. The War on Terror is similiar to the War on Poverty and the War on Drugs...open-ended with no real long term goals to end anything.

50 years from now we will still be funding the War on Terror, the War on Poverty and the War on Drugs.

[Revolting cat!]

Do you have any names?

Oh, that's easy. Anyone who doesn't post on the daily screen licking thread "A Day in the Life of" is a defeatist and traitor to these United States of America.

[Red Boots]

Maybe what you say is true, but I, for one, am really tired of this type of post, that warns or complains about the attitudes of "some freepers".

If you have a problem, why not contact the freepers in question directly ?

To attempt to control what you view as a problem with other people's attitudes in this way is less than effective. The people of whom you are speaking likely have no clue, and it's confusing to the rest of us. It's also codependent and sideways.

[twonie]

Sir, you are right on. If a FReeper cannot detect a defeatist by reading his posts and replies, he either ain't trying or ....

[PISANO]

I think anyone can tell the difference between aiding and abetting and arguing for victory.

Rino's like Hagel & Snow and most Dims want to cut and run, leave Iraq, redeploy and/or criticize EVERY decision made by the POTUS, or putting it any other way......NOT WIN!!!

That is aiding and abetting!!

Those that don't aid and abet are for increasing troop strength, changing tactics or putting it another way.......WIN!!

The truly sad thing is that those who want to WIN at any cost come across as AIDING & ABETTING by spin doctors in the MSM.

I can tell the difference and believe anyone with a room temp IQ, has the same capacity.

[SouthTexas]

Thank you.

[twonie]

Right on, and God bless you, Ma'am.

[assault_rifle123]

Thank you for your post and I want to see ultimate victory in Iraq. I wish the current adminstration would quit micro-managing our military with ridiculous rules of engagement and let them do their job however. This war has been fought to much in a PC mode by the Bush administration. They seem to have had on blinders during this conflict and it took the 2006 election results to finally wake them up I guess. Have a good day, and I pray for final victory for it is very important to our great nation.

[IamConservative]

Our war fighters seem to get it but the Left doesn't want the rest of us to. Why is that? If we leave Iraq we lose the war and the enemy will come here to destroy us.

In a nutshell, here is my beef with the Iraq war. I believe we are there for the right reason, fighting the right enemy, in the right place. Why in the hell are our soldiers riding around in Humvees "on patrol" waiting to be shot at or blown up? Nobody ever won a war playing "defense." Put the Marines on offense, hunt the scum down and send them on their way to hook up with their 72 virgins. They'll soon lose the appetite to kill each other.

[joesbucks]

Unfortunately, Iraq will be to us what Afganistan was to the Soviets. That's not defeatist. It becomes more of a reality daily. The only difference is the terrain in Iraq where the problems are is flat instead of being full of mountains.

[Doohickey]

Do you think the three trolls you're addressing this rant to will actually read it?

[kristinn]

Thank you for saying what needs to be said. You certainly drew the weasels out with this one.

I'm astounded that someone accused you of McCarthyism on this thread. I thought that was a smear that leftists use, not Freepers.

[batter]

BTTT.

I know that Americans can be an impatient bunch, but thinking the WOT in the short term is totally foolish. We need to think in terms of decades with multifaceted military and foreign policy aspects.

In terms of Iraq, yeah we've made mistakes. Welcome to war were mistakes cost lives rather than money. I don't like them, but the important thing is to learn from them and win. I'm fine with constructive criticism (Such as these) but am fed up with the 'woe is me' we're losing and need to get out attitude!

Look at history. In WWII we spent so much time preparing for DDay (and even it had many screw ups) that we failed to train for the hedgerows sitting right behind the beaches. I've been through that area. I took me about 2 hours (with many stops) driving from Omaha beach to St. Lo. It took the 29th ID almost two months. It was a terrible slog and cost many lives. Fortunately, our GIs did learn from their mistakes and adapted several effective tactics in the hedgerows, ultimately making significant advances against well trained German divisions. (this is just one example, there are plenty more)

We're adapting in Iraq - our troops need to be given the time to do so particularly given the fact they're dealing with a complex 'insurgency'. If we fail here, the consequences will be terrible. We must will AND WE WILL IF we have to fortitude to accept that we are at war and stop bitching and start looking for solutions!

To put it another way:

[Michael.SF.]

What is "disgruntlement"?

I am certain you are capable of using a dictionary or the search features of a computer.

But I know the question is not your point, so look it up, then get back to me.

[Bob J]

What is your definition of "complete victory" in Iraq?

[twonie]

"Screed"? "McCarthy"? Take off your hat and stand up respectful when you say McCarthy, boy! Try listening to Rush once in a while and get yourself fixed up. Then come back and try again. We'll wait.