As we come upon this Thanksgiving Season, let us be thankful for all the men and women of the greatest military of the greatest country on earth. These exceptional real Americans are fighting to preserve our way of life from an enemy that has vowed to destroy it. They are fighting a long way from home to allow us to be here, stuffing ourselves with gluttonous abandon then napping the afternoon away under the guise of watching the ‘big game’ on our big screens. They are fighting for our right and ability to have things to be thankful for. And yes, they are also fighting for the right of some (mostly liberal Democrats) to be absolutely miserable, self-loathing human beings wallowing in defeatism and pessimism about America and it’s rightful place as the shining light of freedom and opportunity in an anxious world.
These genuine heroes, by any definition, are defying all the odds and prognostications of our defeatist media and absolutely loathsome leaders in the US Congress. The proof is on the ground in Iraq and in the near complete blackout of positive news from the theater fed to a mind-numbed populace here at home by main-stream-media. Isn’t it amazing that just a few short weeks ago, ink by the barrel was sloshed upon every car-bomb, every US casualty, the almost gleeful daily body count of our soldiers and Marines. Countless hours on the floors of the House of Representatives and Senate spent on 41 (to date) attempts to legislate our defeat. Almost 24/7 arm-chair media punditry demanding an immediate surrender and humiliating defeat.
Now, amazingly, nary a word about Iraq in the news from Democrats. What can account for this sudden silence on the subject? Ralph Peters writing in the New York Post answers this mystery:
Mr. Peters notes that the situation in Iraq has improved so rapidly that Democrats now shun the topic as thoroughly as they shun our troops when the cameras are not present. The positive indicators on the ground are now so strong that the American public no longer believes the rabid anti-war defeatist lies. Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid’s “This war is lost” no longer rings true.
Attacks of every kind are down by at least half and in some cases more than three-quarters. For those of us with public school math educations, that is a lot! An almost devastated country is struggling back to health. And our mortal enemies, al Qaeda’s terrorists, have suffered a defeat from which they, hopefully, may never recover. They have lost their “street cred.”
Mr. Peters notes that there are five big reasons why this dramatic turnaround has come to pass:
1. We did not quit! Despite the best efforts of the anti-war left and their wholly owned Democrat politicians and media to demoralize and hamstring our efforts, our troops stood to and did their duty bravely. The tenacity of our soldiers and Marines in the face of mortal enemies in Iraq and the blithe traitors at home is the No. 1 reason why Iraq has turned around.
2. General David Petraeus took command: Petreaus brought three vital qualities to our effort: He wants to win, not just keep the lid on the pot; he never stops learning and adapting, and he provides the top-cover for innovative subordinates. In other words, he supports his troops!
3. The surge: While the increase in troop numbers was important, allowing us to consolidate gains in neighborhoods we’d rid of terrorists and insurgents, the psychological effect of the surge was critical. The message sent by the surge to our enemies was that we not only wouldn’t quit, but also were upping the ante. It stunned out enemies – while giving Sunni Arabs disenchanted with al Qaeda the confidence to flip to our side without fear of abandonment. Sorry Mookie….you can’t believe everything you read in the New York Times – we are not losing!
4. Fanatical enemies: We lucked out when al Qaeda declared Iraq the central front in this war against civilization. They alienated their local allies by their monstrous actions and indiscriminate killing of civilians. Al Qaeda in Iraq is now a spent force and has suffered a strategic humiliation.
5. The Iraqis are sick of bloodshed and destruction: This is the least-recognized factor – but it is critical! When tyrannical regimes collapse in artificial states such as Iraq, a lot of pent-up grudges play out violently – sectarian fighting. People seem to need to get suppressed hatreds out of their systems. This appears to be what is happening. Violence is down and the downward trend is continuing. They have had their fill of gunmen and gangsters who claim to be their defenders. Passivity has morphed into active resistance to the terrorists and militias. The blood-lust of hatred has passed; peace is built on sobriety, not passion.
As Thanksgiving approaches, consider this example from Baghdad:
As part of its campaign to eliminate Iraq’s Christian communities, al Qaeda in 2004 bombed St. John’s Christian church in Doura, in the city’s southern badlands. By last spring, local services had stopped completely.
Our Army’s 2nd Battalion of the 12th Infantry stepped up. Under Lt. Col. Stephen Michael, our soldiers methodically cleaned out Doura of terrorists – no easy or painless task – and aided the reconstruction of the church.
Last week, a grateful congregation returned for a service that was, literally, a resurrection. Fifteen local Muslim sheikhs attended the Mass to support their Christian neighbors. Could their be a more hopeful symbol?
The long suffering Iraqi Christians will celebrate Christmas in their neighborhood church this year. “Peace on earth” will mean more to them than mere words in a carol.
As for the heroes of the 2-12 Infantry who made it all possible, their motto is “Ducti Amore Patria” or, for recent public school graduates, “Having been led by love of country.”
On Thanksgiving Day, be thankful for such real Americans!
