Question Of The Week, 3/19/06
Good morning. I got lucky this week. I didn't have to look any farther than today's e-mail to get this weeks question. In Buckley's words, "One can't doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed." This weeks Question Of The Week is (two parts). Are columns like this one turning the War in Iraq into another Vietnam? Has the American objective in Iraq failed? (have we lost another war?) I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
posted by David Schantz | 2:20 AM
6 Comments:
Are columns like this one turning the War in Iraq into another Vietnam?
I wasn’t alive during Vietnam, but that is what I fear. I will also remind everyone speaking out against the war is not treason.
Has the American objective in Iraq failed?
I am unclear what the objective in Iraq was. I think it is time for President Bush to say, “We removed an evil man from power.” And then I think he should then ask his advisors what is the safest way to bring our troops home without loosing the war.
Are columns like this one turning the War in Iraq into another Vietnam?
Yes! We might not have lost in Vietnam had it not been for the press's promotion of dissatisfaction with the combat there.
Has the American objective in Iraq failed?
Yes, as far as establishing a version of democracy compatible with Western ideals. And removing Saddam from power was a double-edged sword: (1) Morally, he deserved to go--good thing. (2) Removing a Muslim strongman from power upset many in the Islamic world; Muslims respect a strongman, who often keeps the factions under control.
From this source:
Mar 19, 2006
Over the last week, countless news stories, columns and broadcasts led with an ABC-Washington Post public opinion poll highlighting that a majority of U.S. citizens “now” believe that events in Iraq will lead to civil war. Predictably, opportunistic politicians soon followed suit, further amplifying the purported findings in print and on the airwaves regardless of the facts.
However, in the month leading up to this poll the nation had already been subjected to a near constant obsession on the part of the media and policymakers opposed to the war....
In a broader context, the endless, negative and pessimistic focus that much of the news media and many policymakers have exercised with respect to the Iraq War, has made it fair to question whether they themselves are as much, or more, complicit in shaping public opinions as the actual events taking place.
More alarming, however, are that some in the media and quick-to-retreat policymakers seem unwilling even to consider, or care that, the never-ending onslaught of news stories and accusations eviscerating the mission in Iraq actually helps to drive deeper wedges between the Iraqi people. The resulting political and religious posturing internally among Iraqis, coupled with a violent anti-democratic insurgency, can then likely be expected to increase the potential for civil war....
All citizens have a right to express their views on these important national challenges and all should be heard. Yet, push polls following oversaturated news cycles and political posturing tend to take these opinions for granted by manipulating them for pre-conceived purposes. Analysis should drive news reporting and policymaking, not the other way around.
Otherwise, such exercises end up providing additional fodder to those who would rather see the current Presidency fail than to actually succeed in Iraq. As a result, the long-term security interests of the nation fall victim to the self-fulfilling prophecies of a vocal few.
Wade Zirkle is the founder and Executive Director of Vets for Freedom, a nonpartisan, pro-mission advocacy group representing Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans.
"Are columns like this one turning the War in Iraq into another Vietnam?"
Yes. With Vietnam the politics became more important than the war. That's the same situation we find now. When defeat is acceptable because it means you were right, then you know your priorities are screwwed up.
"Has the American objective in Iraq failed?"
Unfortunately, we're not winning the war because there was no clear objective. The objective was to remove WMD, which we never found. So, on that front, we're losing. The objective was to remove Saddam from power, which is one thing we've accomplished. The objective was to bring freedom to the Iraqis, which we still haven't accomplished and will not accomplish until we actually dedicate ourselves to that end.
So, imo, we're losing, but we don't have to be. Bush would have to admit error, or deceit, and help us all change our direction. He'd have to lead with action, instead of rhetoric. That seems unlikely, but it's not impossible.
Yes the war in Iraq has turned into another Vietnam and the news media (articles like these) should get some of the blame. The objective was dumed to fail from the begining. We will never be able to force our way of life on people of that part of the world. If we have lost another war it wasn't lost by United States soldiers. It was lost by our power mad leaders and the news media.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
On a slightly different note, does anyone else wish that our media would stop trying to will an Iraqi civil war into being?
I keep seeing headlines along the lines of "Majority of Americans Polled Think Iraq Civil War Likely".
Why is this news? The average American isn't qualified to make such a judgement.
Predicting a civil war is like predicting a storm. Even the experts aren't positive about what will happen until it does.
Don't misunderstand, I am not suggesting that the average American is out of line forming such opinions. I am just asking why such opinions are news.
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