Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Preparing for a Showdown
The link is to an article on The American Spectator, by John Connly Walsh. Mr. Walsh is in Baghdad writing for The American Spectator.
In his article, he points out that, despite what most of the press is reporting: we are winning in Iraq; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average Iraqi want us there, and
are in no rush for us to leave; the Iraqi Army is becoming a viable force to handle what needs to be done in Iraq.
He, also, points out that it is going to be a long haul. If you have noticed most of the violence in Iraq, lately, has not been directed at US Forces. It has been directed upon Iraqi civilians. Mr. Walsh says that, if you look a little deeper than the surface, almost all of the violence is part of the ongoing conflict in that country between Shiite and Sunni factions.
The next to last thing that really caught my eye was Mr. Walsh pointing out what I knew to be true from my time in Iraq. Most journalists never leave the relative safety of Baghdad. Someone told them the "Green Zone" is safe, so, they don't leave. Which is the first fallacy that our nation's press has bought into. When I was there, the bases in Tikrit, Saddam's home town, were being attacked less often, with less intensity than the Green Zone, but it wasn't safe for many dignitaries to come to see us. The next thing that is a load of organic fertilizer is the assumption that the press can go to the Green Zone, stay there and accurately report on what is going on in entire country. Iraq is approximately twice the size of Idaho and staying on a military compound the size of a small town in America is not the way to accurately report what is going on. The area that I was in was about 60-70 miles north of Baghdad. 1st ID's area of responsibility was about the size of West Virginia, and the Green Zone was not part of it.
Mr. Walsh closes with quoting British Prime Minister Tony Blair's acceptance of the medal that Congress gave him:
"Toward the end of his acceptance speech, Blair took careful note of what must cross the mind of every American by saying to us:
'And I know it's hard on America, and in some small corner of this vast country, out in Nevada or Idaho or these places I've never been to, but always wanted to go... I know out there there's a guy getting on with his life, perfectly happily, minding his own business, saying to you, the political leaders of this country, 'Why me? Why us? And why America?''
The Prime Minister answered his own question:
'Because destiny put you in this place in history, in this moment in time, and the task is yours to do.'"
In his article, he points out that, despite what most of the press is reporting: we are winning in Iraq; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average Iraqi want us there, and
are in no rush for us to leave; the Iraqi Army is becoming a viable force to handle what needs to be done in Iraq.
He, also, points out that it is going to be a long haul. If you have noticed most of the violence in Iraq, lately, has not been directed at US Forces. It has been directed upon Iraqi civilians. Mr. Walsh says that, if you look a little deeper than the surface, almost all of the violence is part of the ongoing conflict in that country between Shiite and Sunni factions.
The next to last thing that really caught my eye was Mr. Walsh pointing out what I knew to be true from my time in Iraq. Most journalists never leave the relative safety of Baghdad. Someone told them the "Green Zone" is safe, so, they don't leave. Which is the first fallacy that our nation's press has bought into. When I was there, the bases in Tikrit, Saddam's home town, were being attacked less often, with less intensity than the Green Zone, but it wasn't safe for many dignitaries to come to see us. The next thing that is a load of organic fertilizer is the assumption that the press can go to the Green Zone, stay there and accurately report on what is going on in entire country. Iraq is approximately twice the size of Idaho and staying on a military compound the size of a small town in America is not the way to accurately report what is going on. The area that I was in was about 60-70 miles north of Baghdad. 1st ID's area of responsibility was about the size of West Virginia, and the Green Zone was not part of it.
Mr. Walsh closes with quoting British Prime Minister Tony Blair's acceptance of the medal that Congress gave him:
"Toward the end of his acceptance speech, Blair took careful note of what must cross the mind of every American by saying to us:
'And I know it's hard on America, and in some small corner of this vast country, out in Nevada or Idaho or these places I've never been to, but always wanted to go... I know out there there's a guy getting on with his life, perfectly happily, minding his own business, saying to you, the political leaders of this country, 'Why me? Why us? And why America?''
The Prime Minister answered his own question:
'Because destiny put you in this place in history, in this moment in time, and the task is yours to do.'"
