POST SCRIPTS

We have waged war on a country 8,000 miles away.

We did not wage war on a "country". We defended our country and the world by taking overt action to remove a leader who was thumbing his nose at the world by playing cat and mouse games with UN inspectors and in defiance of numerous (17?)UN resolutions. He was also firing on our planes in the no fly zone in defiance of agreements following the first Gulf War. He was torturing his own people and supporting terrorists. With this background there were also questions, grave questions, about nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and these questions have yet to be completely resolved. You will not hear this on CNN, ABC or PBS. The information is available, however, and from very reliable and credible sources. The political divide that is obvious in the electorate is equally pervasive in government and media. You have to dig to get a complete picture.

Polls taken in Iraq in August 2005 by the British Ministry of Defense showed that 82% of Iraqis “strongly” opposed the presence of coalition troops

What does this mean? I imagine they would also prefer that the jobless rate in their country was lower. I'll bet the troops would prefer that their mission was complete so they could come home. This is a meaningless poll but it certainly did the job it was intended to do. It convinced people we were not welcome. I prefer the unofficial poll...the purple thumb poll. Ordinary Iraqi's risked life and limb to vote...twice. I also prefer the official Iraqi position...the elected government has asked us, continually, to remain. They do not want us to "abandon" them as they struggle to work through the problems of a new government model. Of course they want us gone from their country...just not yet...the poll didn't ask that I'll bet.

..the Iraq War Study Group (IWSG) issued its 142-page final report, “The Way Forward: A New Approach.” IWSG urged the Bush administration to change course,...

The IWSG report had a lot of recommendations in it that were completely ignored by our media. They chose to report only that which supported their position of retreat. Bush did indeed change course, the surge is a new course, the general in charge is a new general, etc....he just refused to ABANDON Iraq and he chose to honor our (America's)commitment to the new Iraqi government. He refused to "give up" and run away...an act that would discredit our troops who have worked hard, performed admirably and given so much; an act that would have brought dishonor to America (a country that doesn't "stay the course" and "finish the job it started").

According to a recent study of “the Iraq effect” by terrorism specialists Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank, using government and Rand Corporation data, the Iraq invasion has already led to a seven-fold increase in terror.

OK...so what? We had two choices following 911..continue the way we had for 25-30 years or take action sending the message that we would no longer put up with these vile acts. When you push back you should expect them to do the same. It's a conflict but that isn't the whole story:

The numbers of failed terrorist attacks continue to pile up, the numbers of enemy killed or captured, including leaders, continue to increase, funding sources have been greatly reduced or curtailed, and a new fledgling democracy in the heart of the Middle East is on it's way to standing on it's own. GWB said yesterday that the goal is an Iraq that, like Israel, is functioning on it's own even in the midst of a very difficult region. We have accomplished a lot with very few casualties and in record time when compared with other conflicts and similar missions.

Terror is violent or destructive acts (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands.

This last "fact" seems to be a thinly veiled assertion that America is commiting acts of terror. (which you went on to own as your own "truth") You know so little about how we have waged this defensive war and that is a real shame. The media has done little to educate the public and in many cases has purposely slanted stories, omited stories, and sensationalized stories. Your own words reveal this condition:

But their focus should be changed from the aggressor to the supporter, and we should begin to enable the Iraqi people to take care of themselves.

From the very beginning this has been one of our goals. This war is not about running bombing missions as you have apparently been led to believe. The various military tactics we use I will leave to Nick. I can say we have built schools and hospitals. We have helped to reconstruct power and water systems. We have been training and supporting the new Iraqi police and military. We have supported the Iraqi's in writing their own transitional documents, including their final constitution. We have provided money and supplies, clothing and books. There is a growing economy and Iraqi's have literally created hundreds of publications and media. they have a free prss and they are excited about that. The Iraqi's who consider themselves our allies are very happy about the opportunity we have given them after years of oppression.

Our actions in Iraq are facilitating a backlash that we never could have imagined from the terrorist community.

This is patently false. The seeds of terrorist intent were planted hundreds of years ago and are being fertilized, watered and energized by men of hateful purpose today. They have, for years, been engaged in ever increasing acts of violence and destruction against the west in modern times. People do not train their children to hate with the expectation that one day they will commit murder against whole nations of people just for fun...they are deadly serious. You can pretend our efforts to defeat the head of this snake are more evil than the acts and intentions of the snakes if you want to. I believe those who hold your position are blind to the sufferings of innocent people who are being overtly harmed (victims of terrorist bombings) as well as those who are covertly harmed...the young people being used and abused to become living murderous weapons against "Jews, Christians and infidels" around the world. The source of all of this destruction, and that includes our own defensive acts, are the facist Islamist leaders who preach and teach the people and call for jihad against others...people who desire freedom, choice, and prosperity...peace and respect for others. They and they alone are therefore responsible for the whole mess.

I hesitate to say this but it must be said. Politics has played a very large roll in discrediting, not only the president but the mission. They would not have done so were the president a democrat. Chris Mathews lamented that Bill Clinton had not had the "opportunity for greatness" that was presented on 911 under GWB. When the going got tough the left abandoned the mission and the destruction of the opposition party became their mission.

I have, IMHO, "justified our actions" in this short space...I could type for weeks and not cover all of the things I could tell you about this war that you have not heard or considered. In addition to Nick's first person account, there are many like him on military blogs and terrorist expert blogs. There are pictures to accompany them. There are generals and experts with PHD's that have an opposing view from the experts you have cited. Their opinions have equal merit and deserve our careful consideration. Too bad we must work so hard to hear them.