Protect homebase first: David Hackworth urges Bush to postpone Iraq attack

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Tuesday, August 20, 2002 | Col. David Hackworth

[newfreep]

I think it was Brit Hume who asked, "Why wait for saddam to get stronger - why not hit him now when he's the weakest?"

Makes sense to me. No doubt saddam's a strong supporter of Al-queda, along with the saudis, and probably was partially behind 9-11.

[Redleg Duke]

It sounds like some else must have had a fellow grunt taking his "Tactics 101" final exam. Hackworth sounds like the militant wing of the "Hate America First" crowd.

[meenie]

I don't think that the attack against Iraq should be postponed until we have total security here. I am disappointed that there is not more urgency in protecting the public though. Part of the neglect we see here is the fact that we haven't had a war on our soil during the lifetime of our population.

This is also a different war. Sadaam is evil but this probably makes him a harder opponent than he should be. His defenses cannot repel our military forces and he knows this. His alternative is the same route we are taking. Play a hell of an offense and hope this offsets the lack of defense.

I hope I am wrong, but I am very suspicious that we have more terrorists here than we realize. If not, there soon will be. When Sadaam can hire a suicide bomber for $10,000 against Israel he can do the same against us.

One terrorist coming across the border with 50 pounds of C-4 in his backpack and we do not keep him out can spell a lot of deaths. We do not have to give up on confronting Sadaam and Iraq but we sure could do something about our security here.

We have enough national guard to make the borders air tight if we have the will to do this. If there are so many already here, then we better start cleaning them out of our population. We don't have to sit here and do nothing to protect ourselves.

[jeremiah]

Bush and his team of planners, do not fear attacks by moles within our borders. They have access to vaccinations, antibiotics and safe rooms. When the average Joe dies from Anthrax or Smallpox, they will use the event to decry terrorism, jack up the war effort, and not change a thing. It has been a year since the towers fell, the homeland is not measurably more secure, the borders are not checkpoints for the enemy, and the people that deserve protection, are but easy targets for the followers of Allah. Hack is right, the first move should have been to secure the home base, ready America for attacks, close borders and expel non-citizens/illegals. It seems our defense industry, is in place to defend everything but our countries borders.

[Vermont Lt]

To the average American, we are not at war. Aside from the kid who was called out to active duty from the NG, there is no impact on life around here.

We are not mobilized. We are not focused. Something will need to be done to get our attention again.

I know 9-11 was a wake-up call, but in the past year we've hit the snooze button. I fear that the alarm will go off again soon.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Hackworth has apparently gone over to the dark side. I have been watching him for months become less and less relevent to the discussion. He apparently has become infected with mediaitis normally a condition fatal to rationality and recognition of the truth. Too bad.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Hack is dead wrong but that doesn't stop you from latching on to any excuse to attack the President and his team ignoring, of course, the RAT enemies.

The "Average Joe" has his head up his @$$ and still supports the RATS who are preparing our destruction. He has been shown the truth but prefers to ignore it and ask for more goodies. Even a yr. after we are inudated with whiners and pretend patriots who attempt to block all rational attempts to defend the nation.

In fact, the Average Joe is not as much in danger as the leadership which is quite likely to be particularly targeted just as it was on 9/11. Only a couple of major cities would be the targets not Averageville. Or targets like Pentagon, CIA, White House hardly the paper mill the town over or a meat packing plant down the street.

[Red Jones]

hack is just an experienced soldier. People who have been in war are frequently very cautious concerning new wars. politicians and irresponsible cheerleaders are not like that.

[jeremiah]

Just because I point out that there have no substantial efforts to prepare the citizenry or the homeland for defense(should have been the first thing), is not an attempt to stop or dissuade from attacking enemies. Good, destroy Saddam, should have been done 10 years ago(wonder why not?) As for leaders and major cities being targets, they are big targets, with big pay and intensive preparations for saving their lives. Joe Bloe is forgotten, as is defense. All is sacrificed to the offensive side.

[TDTESS]

who said anything about backing down? I just question how potent our security is at the present, regarding to helping the saudi airline industry.

[justshutupandtakeit]

There is little that can be done to prepare a people sticking its head in the sand as fast as possible. The people of this nation are unwilling to face reality and care nothing about truth or righteousness. It is self-destructing in every way imaginable. Until the mass media's influence is totally destroyed there can be no preparation for defense.

Saddam was not destroyed 10 yrs ago because our word had been given to our allies that we would not. This and the unwillingness to leave Iran without any major opposition in the area saved his sorry ass. I understood this though did not support it.

Joe Bloe is always forgotten and for good reason; he is forgettable. Happily willing to shut out the rest of the world as long as he is supplied with beer, baseball and mind-rotting tv shows. He has no one to blame but himself.

[Deadeye Division]

bump

[jeremiah]

Until the mass medias influence is totally destroyed, there can be no preparation for defense The media will be with us always, but a reinstitution of CD, issuance of antibiotics to local community groups, vaccines enough for all in the case of need, and identification of enemies within, and the deportation of those that can legally be, is but the beginning of the process. Not something to be worried, or hurried in the event of a nationwide Anthrax attack, or God forbid, something more sinister.

[justshutupandtakeit]

None of that can be implemented until the people are on board and they won't be until the media is neutered. Once it begins to hammer the truth home with as much enthusiasm as it hammers home treason and perversity we will have a chance to become a serious people. Until then forget it.

[RISU]

Aw shucks. Go ahead and hit him. Hard. Fast. ...and massively. Use tac nukes is he acts up. Go in and get the body. Let's be done with this creep.

[newwahoo]

I wouldn't delay anything, but Hack is right about one thing that we all should keep in mind. Our offense is second to none but our defense is middling at best. Closing borders, tightening control over immigrants, hardening soft targets and beefing up the ability of local agencies to detect and respond to attack seems to be where we need to make progress. Bush seems to be lukewarm at best about the first two and he's going to pay for it politically if something goes wrong.