While I was reading Alex Conley’s article in Tuesday’s Emerald (“Combatting failed force, ODE, March 10), I found it very easy to follow. That is, for the first paragraph and a half.
It all started with the submission by Conley that, “What we expected to be a quick, shock-and-awe smackdown on a small group of under-equipped, under-trained, glorified militia instead became a protracted, bloody and costly eight-year war that has no end in sight.” This submission literally made me laugh out loud. Conley must not have watched President George W. Bush’s speech on Sept. 20, 2001, just nine days after the attack on the World Trade Center.
In his speech, Bush explained what exactly the “War on Terror” would entail. If you would like to watch the whole speech, I urge you to watch it on YouTube. The video is titled “G.W. Bush Declares ‘Freedom and Fear are at War.’” I will just tip on some of the critical points in his speech to refresh those of you who have not or did not watch the speech.
Bush explained that terrorists fight to disrupt freedom. That terrorists are heirs to all of the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. The terrorists abandon every value except the will to power. Just as the Nazis abandoned values of human life to power over the world, the terrorists abandon the values of human life to overthrow governments that deliver freedom to their people.
I have no idea where Conley heard the War on Terror was going to be a quick “shock and awe,” because Bush clearly stated, “This will not be a decisive liberation of territory with a swift conclusion. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen.”
He went on to say that, “Freedom and fear are at war. We will not tire. We will not falter. We will not fail. The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain.” Bush made it clear that no one knew what was going to happen, but he was right on everything I heard in his speech. You cannot blame Bush for not warning us that this would be long and costly, as he also stated that in his speech.
Congress overwhelmingly supported Bush’s entrance to the long and hard campaign against terrorism. Key Democrats include Bill and Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Al Gore, Howard Dean and Ted Kennedy. President Barack Obama can say whatever he’d like, because he was not in the political picture when the “War on Terror” began. Conley also makes Obama sound intelligent by saying Obama knew that terrorism was widespread and that they could adapt to our tactics. Guess what, Conley? Bush stated that terrorism was widespread!
I could go on and on but my point is that people, rather than being ignorant, especially Democrats in this case, need to open their eyes and ears and see that the plan for the War on Terror was laid out before them. When the going gets tough, it’s the Democrats who scramble to get out of it. Running away from the problem is not going to make it better. Stay in Iraq and keep a presence in the Middle East until terrorism is no longer a threat to any people of the world.
God bless President George W. Bush and God bless America!
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