Iraqi Freedom - 3 Years Later

Today marks 3 years since we invaded Iraq. Much has been made of this anniversary, mostly by the media. They continue to undemine this war every chance they get. Want proof, CNN.com's current headline is about the protests going on today, not about the progress. The mainstream media hates this war, as do most Democrats and especially liberals. They do not comprehend military engagement, or how to obtain victory. They feel that anytime life is lossed, the cause is then wrong. They fail to recognize that killing and death is war. And sometimes it is necessary for the good to triumph. But they see America as evil, not Saddam, or bin Laden, or Zarqawi, and etc. Their hatred for Republicans and Bush have made them crazy, without the ability to read history, and see that the Iraqi war has been one of the greatest military operations of all time. People dont realize that when we invaded Iraq 3 years ago, we took over the country in less than two months, with minimul casualties. Napoleon would have been jealous of the success we had. Remarkably, the Invasion and subsequent collapse of the Iraqi forces was probably the easiest part of the war. The trouble has come since, when terrorits have set up camp and have made life tough for coalition troops, and made life hell for the Iraqi people.

For those of you who think we are losing this war, or that too many people are dying let me put it into some perspective. Since March of 2003, the US has lost 2,318 service men and women in Iraq. I believe 1,800 in combat and the rest non-combat related. In 1968 alone, the US lost 10,569 servicemen in Vietnam. Eventually 58,178 would be lost total in the conflict. On June 6th, 1944, D-Day, 1,465 servicemen were killed in a matter of hours during the invasion of Normandy. Eventually more than 300,000 brave men and women would die in World War II, which lasted less than 4 years for the Americans. The US got involved in WWI in 1917 and the war was over a little more than a year later, but 116,516 American men had died there. And on September 11th, 2001, 3,030 innocent American civilian were murdered during the terror attacks. Thats right, more Americans died on the morning of 9/11 than after 3 years in the Iraq war.

Obviously these numbers are painful, especially in Iraq. In my opinion, not one American soldier deserves to die because some coward puts in IED on the road for them to run over. This war is brutal, and so is the enemy. But the amount of caution and precision by the US military in the conflict is unprecidented. We have killed more of the enemy that experts can count, and they continue to run and hide because they know that going face to face with the Marine Corps isnt in their best interest lets just say.

Are we winning this war on the battle field after 3 years, absolutely. Are we winning this war at home after 3 years, absolutely not. All the bickering in Washington about the war and the undermining from the media about the war is killing our efforts over there. In WWII, there really was no mainstream oppostion to the conflict, and during WWI you could be arrested for dissent. FDR even instituted the office of censorship during the second world war so that the American people could not see how destructive the war was. But today, we see it everyday. I call it the "car bomb in baghdad syndrome", because thats all most will show us. There is good news in Iraq, lots of it, we just never hear of it. The Iraqis are doing things with their government that took the United States decades to do. It was difficult for us and its going to be hard for them. But its being done, slowly but surely. And we have to stick with it, we cannot allow the media and the Democrat leaders to shake our will. We are doing the right thing, and we have to do it until its done. Period. The Iraqi's are more optimistic about their country than we are, and they are the ones threatned daily with car bombs and suicide bombers. Why is that? Its because they see the benefits of the US mission there, but we dont. Mistakes have been made in Iraq. Many of them. But that is just a part of war. Its not an easy business, you just have to pray that the men in charge learn from the mistakes and get it right the next time. Luckily we have the best military people in the world over there winning this for us.

I want the troops home as soon as anybody, but I also want them to finish the job they were sent to do first. Just because this war is long does not mean it has lost importance. A stable and Democratic Iraq would be huge in the Middle East. Democracy in the Middle East is as dangerous to terrorists as if a communist country popped up in Western Europe. We need the Arab world to be free, and to reject radical Islam. Iraq is well on its way, and I have faith they can get it right. Once they do, then every US serviceman should return home as the hero's they are. Because they have done an amazing job, and they are winning, and will win. God Bless them, and especially the ones who have given their lives for the cause and their families. They gave their lives for a noble cause, and have continued to protect the freedoms of our country, even for those who dont deserve it. Pray for them. And also pray that this will end soon, in victory, so the world can be a better place.

America can do it, we always have and we always will. God Bless this country.

-Brad