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5 Years Later
- Filed under: President Bush
- Date: Mar 19,2008
4 years ago today at exactly 10:16 P.M. EST, President George W. Bush announced the start of the war in Iraq. Here is his full speech.
Kyle's Take: Two sentences jump out at me when I watch this video again: "Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly, yet our purpose is sure. The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder." Reluctance to enter and WMD were two things that were definitely missing from the War in Iraq. This was a conflict that was not necessary. That is what frustrates the me the most.
Ben's Take: Today, the United States of America stands on the edge of dealing the foreign terrorists in Iraq a major defeat. There will still be tough days ahead, but the progress during the last year has been remarkable. Even the most skeptical among us must admit as much. Iraq is now full of Arabs who are teaming up with Americans to help drive al Qaeda out of the country and deal them a crippling blow. Critics can no longer argue the war is unwinnable - we see that it is. However, it is a shame and a tragedy it took so long to turn things around. A little over a year or so ago, things were spiraling out of control. "The battle in Iraq has been longer and harder and more costly than we anticipated," Bush said today at the Pentagon. Indeed it has. This war never would have been approved by Congress or supported if people knew the struggles to come. However, now we are there.
I know why there is a debate. Passion is high on both sides of the issue. Was it worth it? Is it worth winning? Regardless of your answer to the first question, the answer to the second is clear. Leading Democrats know this as well. They talk like they want to end the conflict, but they know the long-term damage if they follow through on their rhetoric, which is why they never act. Next month, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will give a new report to Congress. I hope that unlike last time they came to Washington, they are not smeared and called liars before they even open their mouths.
Americans should be proud of what has been accomplished, and they should know the consequences of potential failure.
11 Responses for "5 Years Later"
Kyle,
The whole world thought he had WMD's and the games Saddam played were to convince people he did in order to make his postion more secure. As for the reluctance to go after Saddam I agree that was bullshit and the WMD's was the excuse used.
We can blame Bush for going to war and blast his administration for either their inept handling of the war or their evil plan to allow it to drag on—take your pick.
The fact remains we are there and to think that all we have to do is withdraw and the militant wing of the Islamic faith is going to end their struggle to acheive their goals is a dangerous assumption. Wahhabism financied by the Saudis and others in that region is spreading theri influnce throughout the world and copoting established moseques and madresses throughout the world by money and then intimidation. I urge you to go beyond the naive defintion of Wahhabism of Wikapedia and read about that movement and its sted goals and the fanactics that are following the edicts.
The war may have cused some to join the militant camp but the movement was growing and to think that if we leave the problem is solved is wrong. Yes, they have valid concerns concerning our intentions but the main oppostion to the western world is about our beleifs, decedant actions and advocating democracy. Western democracy is the very thing they oppose.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. That's what this military involvement is. You don't have to go past, "The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder."
Even then, that was not real. I feel that the complete annihilation of all the people living in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel was then and continues to be FAR more immminent than ANY threat Saddam posed in 2003.
And what did Bush do about that?
The issue of staying there and dealing with the present is a completely legitimate question, but it is also separate from the premise of and action related to what got us in Iraq in the first place.
There would have been zero support knwoing what we know now but now we cant just leave like Obama and Clinton want to do. That would be the worst action to take.
Joe M how do you know that leaving would be the worst action to take?
Can I borrow your crystal ball this weekend? The fact is that the right has crafted the game in terms of withdrawing where if anyone talks about leaving, they are automatically talking about losing the war, and it being the end of the world and all…but seriously it would'nt be the worst action and you know it.
CNN / Gallup Poll has President Bush at 31% approval. Wow.
Kyle sounds like a real Democrat — someone who makes their decisions based on polls.
Joboo leaving would make things worse. Why would you want to do that with all the progress
Jooboooooooo where are you
there is little to be proud of from Iraq. a million dead iraqis, millions more displaced. 4000 dead americans, thousands more with their lives ruined with disabilty. TRILLIONS of dollars wasted. Afghanistan has slipped to its pre-9/11 status.
no result now can possibly be acceptable in the big picture.
anyone that still supports this war should struggle to sleep at night.
I see it the same way JoBo does.
And would add…
How is it credible to believe and trust the same people who were totally wrong in their original Iraq predictions…..when they make more Iraq predictions 5 years later?
Just as these neo-conservatives didn't know anything at all about what they were saying the first time they made predictions about Iraq in 2003…..and the aftermath has proven it……why in the world would we believe their predictions about Iraq in 2008?
That must be the starting point of every discussion about new neo-conservative predictions of what will happen if we leave Iraq.
They were 100% wrong about going in and there's no reason to believe….none….that these same people aren't wrong now about getting out.
Maybe things wouldn't have taken so long if we didn't have half the Congress and 90% of the Media helping the enemy.
I wish the term "shock and awe" ended up being as popular as "bootylicious".
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