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Posted on 01/25/2007 9:18:22 PM PST by jazusamo
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- The Marines and their families here at this sprawling base on the Carolina coast didn't have much to say about the president's State of the Union address. For many of them, his address the week before had been more important. It was then that they learned many more of them would be heading for Iraq -- and that the tour of duty for those already there would be extended. But amazingly enough, not one of them, despite Democrat bombast and mainstream media remonstrations to the contrary, expressed any anger at the commander in chief for the added sacrifice.
Camp Lejeune is the home base for the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, the unit our FOX News "War Stories" team was embedded with in Iraq for much of last month. For them, Al Anbar Province, Iraq is the "frontline." For most of their families, Camp Lejeune is the "homefront." We returned here to interview them, and several of the wounded, recuperating in the Wounded Warrior Barracks. Their elan and perseverance give new meaning to the president's words on Tuesday night: "In such courage and compassion ... we see the spirit and character of America -- and these qualities are not in short supply."
Despite having spent most of my life in, and with, the armed forces and their families, it was personally moving to hear these young wives and mothers describe with grace and dignity -- devoid of resentment -- how they were dealing with the news of their husbands' delayed return. Equally compelling were the comments of the Marines themselves. None of them expressed anger or frustration with President Bush or their leaders. Several noted that they had volunteered to go back to Iraq -- some for a third trip to the war. Two of the wounded warriors baldly stated that despite their injuries, they were looking forward to getting back to "finish the fight."
In the aftermath of the president's State of the Union address, Democrats claimed that "the majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought, nor does the majority of our military." Regrettably, no one in the so-called mainstream has bothered to challenge this unsubstantiated allegation about the members of our armed forces. There certainly isn't a shred of evidence to validate that sentiment here -- or with any of the scores of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Guardsmen or Marines with whom I stay in contact from my eight trips to the war. To the extent that there is discontent in our military, it is aimed at the way the war has been misreported by my "colleagues" in the media and how it is being depicted by politicians in Washington.
In the days since the president's address it's clear that the media's fixation on failure and the politicos' penchant for posturing on the war is unabated. Though Bush has repeatedly made it clear that "the consequences of failure would be grievous and far reaching," there is little indication that the potentates on the Potomac really care for anything except reaping political advantage. Nurtured by a media that is unwilling as ever to ignore successes, the solons of the Senate followed up the State of the Union address with a bevy of draft resolutions rebuking the commander in chief for sending additional troops to the war zone.
The political posturing doesn't stop with attacks on the White House. When Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, the new U.S. commander in Iraq, was asked by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee if such a non-binding measure would have the effect of aiding and abetting the enemy, he replied, "Yes, sir." For his straightforward, common sense response, he was admonished by an erstwhile Republican to avoid being "too political." This "gentleman of the Senate," fond of referring to himself as his state's "senior senator," has of course introduced his own pet resolution disputing the president's claim to be commander in chief.
A few hours after this odious exchange, an officer with whom I had spent many months in Iraq called me. "Do these people know what they are doing?" he inquired, clearly agitated.
"Which people?" I asked.
"These politicians who think we can win a war by committee. Do they even know that in the last two weeks we have set AQI (Al Qaeda in Iraq) and the Mahdi Army both back on their heels?" he answered. I was silent, so he continued, "Is there anyone in Washington who understands what this means? AQI terrorists are running like rats out of Ramadi. And the Mahdi Army is being cleaned out of Baghdad. Do they know how much harder all this rhetoric makes our job?"
My response was equivocal. "It's hard to tell what a member of Congress knows," I replied. Having just returned from visiting wounded troops anxious to return to their units and the families of those who have been extended in Iraq, I didn't have the heart to say that the more important question is: "Does anyone in Congress care?"
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Oliver North is the host of "War Stories" on the FOX News Channel.
an erstwhile Republican
I prefer insidious bast-rd!
Ping for Ollie's report from Camp Lejeune!
NormsRevenge wrote: "Gen. Petraeus, meet Sen. Betrayus."
Love it! It absolutely infuriates me when I hear people talk about how we are losing the war. We are NOT losing--at least not militarily.
I have to assume Senator Betrayus is just plain stupid. If he's intelligent, then he MUST know any resolution against the "surge" and any talk of withdrawal only aids the enemy. If he indeed knows and gives comfort to our enemies, then he's a traitor. No, I have to assume he's as dumb as a brick.
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And Ollie's still to loyal to his Annapolis classmate to say that it was Senator Webb who cited the bogus poll on servicemember's opinion of the war - referring instead to the generic 'Democrats'.
Regards,
TS
six years later we really mean it
really, really mean it
really
we're gonna fight the enemy this time
we really, really mean it
really
series
Good point and thanks for mentioning it.
Ping
The president is COMMANDER IN CHIEF. Any resolution or committee ideas are just stupid, and news of such is exactly what our enemy loves to hear. If our elected officials are not aware of the damage they are doing they are to dumb to be there.
Reminder...Ollie had the rug pulled out from under him by the "honorable" John Warner. He would probably still be a senator from VA if not for Warner.
I will never vote for Warner again. Since he screwed Ollie out of the senate job he has turned into a real RINO who thinks he is above reproach. I would vote for a communist before Warner. SCREW HIM.
My sentiments exactly! Warner is also responsible for putting Chichester in the State Senate.
I think we all should note who votes for these stupid resolutions and go against them next time they are up for re-election.
OB
What did Warner do to Ollie North?
When is Ollie going to confrot the junior seantor from Virginia? Or is that against the Marine code?
Good one, jaz.
In 1975 the Democrats walked us out of one of the world's problem spots in Vietnam. the next five years the world "repaid" us for deserting the issue with interest rates over 18%....which did not start to fall until a Republican president was willing to face up to America's responsibilities for world leadership....and the rest of the world started to place its cash in the security that flows from doing what one ought to do ..rather than may want to do.
We walk away from the war on radical Islam....18% interest rates will be the least of our children's worries.......
Ollie North is a great man. I've had the opportunity to meet him a few times, one of them being in the academic setting. He came to my university a couple of years ago and spent so much time with the students before he gave his lecture. He was all smiles while meeting us, and answered every question.
If I could wave a magic wand, I would have him be President of the United States in January 2009.
"I wonder how history will reflect the role most of the MSM has played in public opinion and giving aid to our enemy, or the role our "esteemed" lawmakers have played in demoralizing our troops and aiding the enemy."
We first have to win to be able to write that little factoid. Maybe they hope to be written up as hero's if Isalm win's?
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