« Live Aid II | Main | The London Attacks »
July 6, 2005
How We're going to Win
Don't tell James Dunnigan of StrategyPage that killing terrorists isn't the road to victory. Dunnigan talks about the true-believers of the twentieth century, from the followers of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot, to the Jihadists of today:
How do you deal with fanaticism like this? There’s plenty of historical evidence that the only cure is to keep killing the crazies until they stop coming after you. After a while, the fanatics lose their following, more from disillusionment than from death. This is not the first time there’s been a bout of Islamic fanaticism and mass murder. The Islamic community will have to figure out how to purge themselves of this nasty habit. In the meantime, it is Moslems who suffer most from it.It’s fashionable in the West, especially Europe, to let the Islamic radicals off as victims of Western imperialism and colonialism. This was similar to the European attempts to appease Hitler in the 1930s and Stalin into the 1950s (and the Soviets right up until the communist collapse.) In the 1980s, Europeans were up in arms at Ronald Reagan’s efforts to bring down the Soviet Union. The latest victims are Islamic terrorists. Misunderstood, and not really at fault for their atrocities, these thugs are a real challenge for the appeasers. Islamic radicals want nothing less than total surrender, and a return to the 8th century. The victims here don’t see a pattern, only another opportunity to seek an easy, and dangerous, way out.
Amen
As I've said before, we can only lose this if we want to. We stuck it out during the Cold War despite a growing "peace" movement, and in the end we won. It's the same now; the naysayers will tell us that all is gloom and doom, but if we stick it out victory will be ours.
A few weeks ago, Wretchard wrote that we and the Iraqis are in a race against the insurgent terrorists. He cautiously predicted that we'll come out ahead:
What we are witnessing is a race between the force-generation capabilities of two sides. Materially speaking, the enemy is bound to lose. Al Qaeda is openly rushing every available fighter into Iraq. But millions of Iraqis Sunnis, Kurds and Shi'ites who have no intention of being resubjugated, fueled by the oil wealth of Iraq can be counted on to resist them, supported by the most deadly military force in the world. On the face of it the enemy cause would be lost. But in the matter of the will to win the outcome becomes more doubtful. Iraq has become the recruiting focus of a generation of Islamists and Leftists while the United States public has won itself enough temporary safety to forget the dangers of September 11. The enemy's hunger -- almost desperation for victory -- stands in symbolic contrast to the desire among many Americans to close Gitmo. The war in Iraq has bought American homeland security in the most unexpected of ways. The enemy has learned to refrain from awakening the US giant, the better to defeat him in his sleep.
Yup, it's about willpower. We're in a race, and unfortunately some in our country are not running with us. That may be ok, we won the Cold War without them, and we can win this one, too.
Beyond the Headlines
And in case you're sick of the "bomb of the day" coverage that we get from the msm, here's a bit of news about what's going on in Iraq that was sent to me by a reader:
Military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, today said U.S. and Iraqi forces will remain in the Iraqi city of Hit indefinitely to provide a security presence by manning outposts and conducting joint patrols and stabilization operations.Hit has a population of about 120,000 and is about 100 miles northwest of Baghdad.
Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines and soldiers from Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, are there destroying weapons caches and clearing terrorists from the city as part of the final stages of Operation Saif (Sword), which began June 28.
Military commanders called resistance during the operation "light" and "sporadic." They added that there were no major battles or air strikes, no fatalities among Iraqi or American forces, and no disruption of basic utilities or medical treatment for Hit citizens.
Though U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers have operated from Camp Hit, a small base on the outskirts of the city, this is the first time combined forces will live and work continuously within the city, officials said. Hit joins the major cities of Ramadi, Habbaniyah and Fallujah in having a persistent presence of Iraqi security forces. Elsewhere, Task Force Baghdad soldiers detained four terror suspects south of Baghdad for questioning and seized 1 million Iraqi dinar and $6,000 in U.S. currency during a house raid July 4. The four suspects are believed to have planned or taken part in a number of kidnappings in the area.
Why is it that I don't hear this on the TV more often? Two weeks ago Ollie North had a whole series on American-Iraqi military cooperation on his "War Stories" show on Fox News. And they wonder why radio talks show hosts are traveling to Iraq to get the straight scoop.
Posted by Tom at July 6, 2005 9:46 PM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.theredhunter.com/mt/refer.cgi/445
Comments
The Left is having a cow, because they claim that talk shows do not have the credentials to be journalists. lol. Gee, I don't either, but I write about what they won't. Does this make them unqualified?
Great post. I believe we have more will than the whole planetary system put together. This is America. We are a country born of Ideals. Good and decent ideals. I'll be daggoned if anyone is going to take that away from us on my watch! Have a great day.
Posted by: Rosemary at July 7, 2005 2:17 AM
Good Post Red. Watched "Saving Private Ryan" the other night (again). During the scene where they land on the beach at Normandy, cyberwife wondered out loud what would happen if such an attack were necessary today...I could just see what the MSMedia would do with that story. Of course, with the modern MSM, we never would have gotten to that point. Hitler would have been seen as an object of economic oppression...Yeah, Rosemary. The Left will be having lots of cows. As long as we keep up the pressure.
Posted by: Individ at July 7, 2005 8:26 AM
