Terrorism as we are experiencing it now began during the Carter Administration, and Jimmy did nothing about it. Actually that is not entirely correct. Jimmy Carter did plenty. He gave Iran over to the Islamofascists, fired 800 CIA Agents, and gave away the Panama Canal.
The day of Reagan's inauguration, the Iran hostages were released. In 1982, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut was bombed by Muslim extremists and President Reagan responded by sending U.S. Marines to Beirut. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut were blown up by Muslim extremists. Reagan said the United States would not surrender, but the Democrats drafted a resolution demanding that our troops be withdrawn. In 1986 when a West Berlin disco frequented by U.S. servicemen was bombed by Muslim extremists from the Libyan Embassy in East Berlin, killing an American, Reagan dropped bombs on Libya. American planes bombed Qaddafi's residence, killing his daughter. Ronald Reagan accomplished all this while simultaneously winning the Cold War over Soviet totalitarianism.
Daddy Bush, during his presidency, caved under Democratic pressure, and his dealings with terrorism, which commenced only when he got permission from the United Nothing, accomplished nothing.
"The Road to Ground Zero" story in the Jan. 6, 2002 London Sunday Times told how many real, actual and missed opportunities the Clinton administration had to capture and defang Osama bin Laden. Clinton's primary concern at the time was to get re-elected. Anything controversial needed to be avoided, so from the beginning to the end of the administration, the Clintons demanded absolute proof before acting against terrorists. This attitude led to inaction.
After the attack of Feb. 26, 1993, Mr. Clinton refused to admit that the World Trade Center had been bombed. In October 1993, when Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in Mogadishu, Somalia, Clinton refused to give a response that might upset anybody.
At one point the Sudanese offered to let the U.S. see their intelligence files and all the data they had gathered about bin Laden and his associates who had visited Sudan. The Clinton Administration repeatedly rebuffed through both formal and informal channels. If the Clinton administration had accepted and examined these files, countless terrorists could have been tracked. Sudan's offer to arrest bin Laden and deliver him to U.S. officials was likewise refused.
Richard Miniter's book, "Losing bin Laden: How Bill Clinton's Failures Unleashed Global Terror," follows a documented recital of the links between bin Laden's al Qaeda units and Iraq that should convince all but the most extreme Bush-haters that these links exist and continue.
Carter's and Clinton's refusal to recognize the scope of this growing conflict with Radical Islam is what eventually led to the attack on America on September 11, 2001. If we cut and run from Iraq, especially during this stage in the game, we stand to lose even more than the lives lost at the World Trade Center in 2001.
We live and die by our image in the world, and specifically by our image in the Middle East. Our successes are due to our military strength, and as long as we appear invincible, no Middle Eastern leader will seriously attempt to challenge us again as they did on September 11th, 2001.
Iran took the hostages in 1979 because Carter appeared weak. 9/11 occurred because Osama bin Laden viewed us as weak after the failed Clinton Administration. I'm sure he was surprised all to hell when Bush took the fight to the terrorists in the Middle East.
If we cut and run, or play some redistribution of the troops game, chaos will ensue in the Middle East, and the nations of the region will fall completely into the hands of Islamic Clerics and Dictators.
The credibility of our military might is on the line. A show of weakness could affect the balance of power all over the planet. Iran and Syria has their jaws open, ready to devour Iraq the moment we depart. And once that happens, they will be emboldened to strike the United States again. No terrorist attacks have returned to America since 9/11 because we took the fight to them. Now that we are in Iraq, and we have eliminated a dictator that was killing many more people than those that were dying during Saddam's reign of power, we are obligated to remain in that nation - indefinitely.
If we cut-and-run, not only will Iraq fall into Iran and Syria's hands, but once again our image of strength will be compromised, and this time we may not be able to pull out of the consequences.
It's not about winning. It's about survival. And if we cut-and-run now, we all lose.
13 comments:
Terrorism began with Carter? Do you really want to stand by that? This is why the rest of the world is laughing at us. My goodness! It's as if you think there's no world outside of the U.S. and no life outside of your lifetime!
It's practically narcissitc.
I don't know what the answer is for squaring everything away in Iraq, but for one thing it should be more aggressive and less forgiving.
Every politician wants what is most popular to do and what's is easiest to do. Leaving Iraq is easy (well not logistically) and gets results; you can see when it has been accomplished. The other option takes too much time.
Pulling out of Iraq does no one any favors with the exception of those that will gain (Iran, Syria, Qaeda...).
Unfortunately these aren't the lessons of history that we are supposed to learn, of which the Left has obviously done it's homework. We're supposed to learn the lessons of Vietnam etc according to Liberal slanted history.
The Dems don't really have a clue what they have been doing these past years. Like Clinton, it's all about them and power. They believe they have all the time in the world to address this issue (if even necessary in their minds). Unfortunately time marches on and they're still stuck in the 70's.
Good thing for them though is that if they push for pull-out and get their way ALL repercussions from that action can and will be attributed to that horrible Bush administration.
What will our grandchildren's history books read like?
You are so right! Our image has been badly weakened and we have BEEN badly weakened by the lack of action on the part of these presidents and their cohorts.
We really need to start regaining our image. A lot of what is going on wouldn't be happening if the world didn't think they could get away with it. They believe we are weak and will not follow through.
BTW - mudkitty really gets around. He/she has left droppings just about every where I go! lol
What's "narcissitc?"
A2 and FTGF, nice to have you back as regular commenters.
Terrorism AS WE ARE EXPERIENCEING IT NOW, has nothing to do with Bush, I suppose? So much for Republicans and Bushies taking responsibility for what happens on their watch.
Look, if we had paid attention to Carter 35 years ago, Americans, with their smarts, would have developed an alternative renewable fuel by now. But that was too threatening to big oil. You rightwingers are dupes!
And yeah Beth, I do get around. That's why I'm well informed.
Have a GOD Blessed rest of the week.
Come join the Christmas funn.
mudkitty
mudkitty Wrote: Terrorism began with Carter? Do you really want to stand by that? This is why the rest of the world is laughing at us. My goodness! It's as if you think there's no world outside of the U.S. and no life outside of your lifetime!
t's practically narcissitc.
As Usual mudkitty, you don't carry no facts with you, you just spew a bunch of lies again like always.
Check this out mudkitty.
Jimmy Carter The Carter White House during the disasters of the Sandinista takeover of Nicaragua, the energy crisis and stagflation, the Iranian revolution and hostage crisis, and the invasion of Afghanistan. Not backing the Shah of Iran in 1979, our close ally in the Middle East, resulted in the take over by Radical Islamic Fundamentalist Ayatollah Khomeini which brings us to where we are today with Iran.
Time magazine columnist wrote that some of Carter's "Lone Ranger work has taken him dangerously close to the neighborhood of what we used to call treason".
Carter befriended North Korea during the Clinton administration, appeasing the communist regime and giving it cover for its nuclear weapons program.
To Everyone pay no attention to the Troll mudkitty, she knows nothing and is nothing more than a pest.
FTGF:
Logic? You are coupling the word logic in the same sentence with MK? Oh, it's a joke, right!
If terrorism began with Bush, then why is it that southern Thailand just closed all 944 public schools because of rampant Muslims murdering schoolteachers there? These people are Buddhists. What the hell did they do to warrant this violence?
Doug, I'm happy to comment, but I have to say, every time I read one of your fine posts, it's like hearing a great piece of music, and then when I read a comment by Mudkitty, it's like hearing a fart at the end of the song.
Rider, are you stalking me?
mudkitty
Every where you go, just look behind you, I will be there. LOL
You must be a happy man, cuz people hate to see me go, but they love to watch me leave, iykwim.
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