When It Comes to Iraq, Success Equals Silence (Oliver North)

Fox News ^ | June 26, 2008 | Col. Oliver North

[jazusamo]

Austin, TX — Our FOX News "War Stories" team came here to the capital of the Lone Star State to work on a documentary about America's 36th president to coincide with the 100th anniversary of his birth on August 27. Full disclosure here: Lyndon Baines Johnson was the commander-in-chief who sent me and one of my brothers to war in Vietnam.

Because of the way he handled the war in Vietnam, LBJ has never been at the top of my list of favorite presidents. Apparently I'm not alone. Despite his sweeping civil rights reforms and far-reaching "Great Society" domestic programs, his name has not been mentioned at a Democratic Party Convention for three decades. But this week President Johnson moved up a notch on my empathy scale.

While we were "shooting" at the LBJ Ranch and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, it was announced that this weekend the U.S. military is transferring control of security in Al Anbar Province — the country's largest — to Iraqi forces. It's a remarkable victory for American force of arms, the Maliki government and the Bush administration — and the kind of moment U.S. troops, our allies in the Republic of Vietnam and Lyndon Johnson never had.

In fact, the greatest military triumph of LBJ's tenure — Tet 1968 — was depicted by the American media as a defeat. On February 27, while the battle was still raging, Walter Cronkite, just back from Vietnam, broadcast on CBS News that we were heading "closer to the brink of cosmic disaster" and proclaimed that "we are mired in stalemate." A month later, President Johnson announced that he would not seek, nor would he accept, the nomination of his party for another term as president.

[quadrant]

No doubt LBJ was a bully, who when confronted with someone he couldn't intimidate (Ho Chi Minh) backed down.

[patriciaruth]

I am so grateful that the Iraqis wised up in time to see to it that your efforts and the sacrifices of all our military did not go in vain. Whatever happens to the state of Iraq, I think this province through their tribal leaders will continue to keep al Qaida at bay there. Please, dear Lord!

Also they are freed of the vicious rule of Saddam and have learned something about citizens stepping up with their leaders to take control of their destinies. All in all good may be coming out of the rubble of Ramadi.