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Ralph Peters is a regular columnist with the New
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PETERS |
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The "Quit Iraq" Caucus
by Ralph
Peters [author,
novelist] 7/13/07
Even as our troops make serious progress against al-Qaeda-in-Iraq
and other extremists, Congress - including Republican members - is
sending the terrorists a message: "Don't lose heart, we'll save you!"
Iraq's a mess. Got it. The Bush administration has made so many
mistakes I stopped counting a year ago. But we've finally got a general
in Baghdad - Dave Petraeus - who's doing things right. Iraqi
politicians are still disgracing themselves, but our troops are killing America's enemies - with the help of our former enemies.
Contributor
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Ralph
Peters is a retired Army officer and the author of 19 books,
as well as of hundreds of essays and articles, written both
under his own name and as Owen Parry. He is a frequent columnist
for the New York Post and other publications. [go to Peters Index] |
Al-Qaeda-in-Iraq is suffering a humiliating defeat, as fellow
Sunni Muslims turn against the fanatics and help them find the
martyrdom they advertise. Yet for purely political reasons - next
year's elections - cowards on Capitol Hill are spurning the courage of
our troops on the ground.
The frantic political gamesmanship in Congress would nauseate
a ghoul. Pols desperate for any cover and concealment they can get have
dragged the Iraq Study Group plan from the grave.
Masterminded by former Secretary of State Jim "Have Your
Hugged Your Saudi Prince Today?" Baker, the report is a blueprint for a
return to yesteryear's dictator-smooching policy (which helped create
al Qaeda - thanks, Jimbo!).
That Baker report reminds me of cheap horror films where the
zombies just keep coming back - except that zombies retain a measure of
integrity.
But if Republicans are rushing to desert our troops and spit
on the graves of heroes, the Democratic Party at least has been
consistent - they've supported our enemies from the start, undercutting
our troops and refusing to explain in detail what happens if we flee
Iraq.
So I'll tell you what happens: massacres. And while I
have nothing against Shia militiamen and Sunni insurgents killing each
other 24/7, the overwhelming number of victims will be innocent women,
children and the elderly.
Bosnia? That was just rough-necking at recess compared to
what Islamist fanatics and ethnic beasts will do. Given that Senate
Majority Misleader Harry Reid and Commissar of the House Nancy Pelosi
won't tell us what they foresee af- ter we quit, let me lay it out:
* After suffering a strategic defeat, al-Qaeda-in-Iraq comes
back from the dead (those zombies again . . .) and gets to declare a
strategic victory over the Great Satan.
* Iran establishes hegemony over Iraq's southern oil fields
and menaces the other Persian Gulf producers. (Sorry, Comrade Gore,
even that Toyota Prius needs some gasoline . . . )
* Our troops will have died in vain. Of course, that doesn't
really matter to much of anyone in Washington, Democrat or Republican.
So we'll just write off those young Americans stupid enough to join the
military when they could've ducked out the way most members of Congress
did.
* A slaughter of the innocents - so many dead, the bodies will never be counted.
But I hope somebody tries to count the dead after our
Congress kills them. As for those on the left who sanctimoniously set
out rows of shabby combat boots to "teach" the rest of us the cost of
war, I fully expect them to put out displays of women's slippers and
children's shoes to show the world how many innocents died when they
"brought our troops home now." (Note to the demonstrators - better
start bulk-ordering those slippers and booties now.)
I hate the long-mismanaged mess in Iraq. I wish there were a
sensible, decent way to get out that wouldn't undercut our security and
produce massive innocent casualties. But there isn't. Not now. And,
like it or not, we have a moral responsibility as well as practical
interests in refusing to surrender to the butchers in Iraq.
This has been the Bush-Cheney War. But it will only be fair to call the carnage after we run away the "Reid-Pelosi Massacres." ExileStreet
Ralph Peters' new book, "Wars of Blood and Faith," comes out on July 25.
This
piece first appeared in the New York Post
copyright 2007 - NY Post
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