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Don't Let the Door Hit You on Your Way Out!
#89 - 0--spud--Don't Let the Door Hit You on Your Way Out!--2008-04-16 13:21:23
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By: Dominique Oberling
As an Air Force Vet, I get really perturbed when civilians attack our great generals such as David Petreaus. With this year being an election year, it seems that it is quite permissible to disrespect, dispute, and demagogue our heroic leaders in the War on Terror. Senator Joe Lieberman summed up this despicable mindset perfectly when he said of the Democratic Party, “Hear no progress in Iraq, see no progress in Iraq, but most of all speak of no progress in Iraq” (Townhall.com, Bay, 1).
When Senators such as Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama have the audacity to judge and criticize how this war should be executed, I just want to ask them, “And what experience or military training do you personally bring to the table?” How they feel justified in supposing that their way is the correct and only way is beyond this writer. It takes a truckload of audacity to tell a ranking General, such as General Petreaus, how to do his job or that you have to “willingly suspend disbelief” in reference to the General’s personal assessment of our progress in Iraq when you, yourself, have never served your country in that capacity! (NY Times, 1).
For those of us who have had the honor and pleasure of serving our country in any one of the four branches, we innately understand that to do so entailed our engaging in a myriad of training. We had to train in our specialty as well as combat training, leadership training, bio-chemical warfare training, mobility training, even learn other languages and on and on. In addition, we spent years accumulating experience in a variety of subjects such as politics, leadership, communication, team-work, honor, integrity, ethics, planning, problem-solving, finances, product ordering, and on and on. Being a soldier in the military of America is not a job for the light-hearted or dim-witted as has been inferred by several of our political elites on the Democratic side. Quite the opposite – only the brightest, bravest, and most honorable of Americans meet the qualifications to be called a “Soldier.”
Having said that, this “poisonous, invective” assault “mounted against General David Petreaus” (Townhall, Hewitt, 1) is confounding to the everyday American. All one has to do is look at the left side of General Petreaus’ military jacked to understand the impressive record this man holds. Why then, do individuals such as Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi insist on publicly denigrating, dismissing, and disputing everything that comes out of his mouth? It is quite possible it is because they know General Petreaus is the one man that can lead us to victory in Iraq and if he does so, it is one less sledge hammer the Clinton’s and Pelosi’s of this world can use to manipulate the American populace to jump on their “socialistic” bandwagon. But they have missed a critical point in their insidious assessment of America and her military. We love our military men and women. Period. No ifs, ands, or buts.
According to Hugh Hewitt in his Townhall article, Attacking General Petreaus: The Hysterics of the Anti-War Fringe, General Petreaus made “the unforgivable mistake in their eyes [the far left] of appearing on my radio program and answering questions. Both because he agreed to be interviewed by a journalist favorable to victory and supportive of President Bush and because his answers suggest progress is being made in Iraq” […] (1). What would you say if I told you that comment was made about General Petreaus in 2007? Here we are a year later, and the same vindictive, imbecile, and fallacious comments are still being spewed by the far left.
There used to be a time in America when we showed respect, thankfulness and honor towards those who served in our military. We did so because we understood the great sacrifice
we the people had asked of them. Additionally,
we the people also understood that not everyone is cut out for military duty. It takes a special kind of person to carry the “soldier” mantle - someone who has integrity, is honorable, loves America enough to lay down their life for her, and someone who understands that serving and protecting her
is the right and honorable thing to do.
Perhaps the far left’s Hear no progress in Iraq, see no progress in Iraq, but most of all speak of no progress in Iraq mentality is a protective mechanism used by the far left to drown out the small voice of conviction sounding off deep within them. If they don’t head that voice of conviction, then they don’t have to concede themselves to the truth therein. It is a sad state of affairs when some of our politicians, who should be setting the example for leadership in our country, are instead leading the vitriolic assault on the bravest and most honorable among us. Maybe it is time for we the people to put “the squeeze” on any government official(s) that refuse to respect and honor our military men and women and tell them there is the door. Don’t let it hit you on your way out!
If you enjoyed this article, please visit my blog,
An Unlikely Perspective 2.
Sources:
1. Petreaus’ Anaconda by Austin Bay @ Townhall.com, 9 April 2008.
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/AustinBay/2008/04/09/petreaus_anaconda - --comments-->40--938--1
