the opinionist

That folks may stumble across and actually read a blogger’s (not so daily) posts is an enjoyable feeling. To receive comments - positive or negative, that contribute to a discussion or slam and denounce - is a healthy much appreciated event and I’d like to thank those that do take the time to share their two cents!

However, this is the first time I’ve been so absorbed by a specific comment - made to my post entitled “Capt. Travis Patriquin RIP | They Deserve a Swifter Exit” on December 20, 2006.

My blog post mentioned Capt. Patriquin and - in his own words - his powerpoint entitled “How to Win in Anbar.” His presentation found its way online and captured the attention of bloggers and the mainstream media. Patriquin provided his honest and sincere plan for defeating the very insurgents that would take his life in early December with an IED.

The resulting comment (unedited and unvarnished) from a J.W. that indicates he serves in the U.S. military:

They deserve a swifter exit?

Do you care what we who fight this war want? Does anyone care to consider what Captain Patriquin might have wished?

No.

That is because ignorant polemics like the scribbler of this title arrogantly assume that they in all of their untravelled wisdom know more than we who actually enact American policy in Iraq.

I think, as little as you may care, that you might find that people like me, and Captain Trav want(ed) the people of Iraq to be free, and to have the chance to enjoy the Republic they established, and continue to work so hard at - dying every day, in the face of a handful of cowardly murderers.

We know the desires of the Iraqi people, and their capabilities a lot better than most of the people who are the loudest critics of our actions in Iraq - and those who feign concern for us even as they undermine our efforts.

Save your pity for some fat Democrat who doesn’t have the sense to differentiate between freedom and slavery, between tyranny and choices.

Capt Trav deserves not to have died in vain. He deserves not to have his efforts reversed by gainsaying politicians and media prostitutes. In fact, I’d say he deserves for every other American to get in there to Iraq after him and make his efforts and his sacrifice PAY.

I don’t know what any other blogger here wants, but as for me - I’d rather die than see America abandon Iraq to its fate. So when I go there in a few months, I will do my best, and challenge you to do yours.

And if I die in Iraq, save your pity and your hopes that we would give up on 27 million Iraqis whom I am proud to call friends. You make me want to vomit, and I reject your assessment of what we “deserve.”

J*** W**** serving since 1981
Jun 24, 5:34 AM

Obviously a strong comment filled with conviction and belief that the Iraq venture is worthy of the sacrifices made thus far and, no doubt, in the weeks and months to come.

As the Iraq War continues without end … the public’s appetite remains overwhelmingly negative - not in the Military but in the management of the war by the suits in Washington. The mainstream media - those cable news pundits - don’t even bother to mention the daily death-toll or else they apply such a veneer of boredom to the topic as to practically hide the news between Paris Hilton and some other trivial nonsense.

Meanwhile:
- Iranian forces are blatantly crossing into Iraq and don’t even bother to do it surreptitiously.

- Turkey is increasingly its hostilities against Kurdish guerrillas in northern Iraq.

- Syria continues to ignore the flow of arms traffic into Iraq in support of the insurgency.

- in the DoD news briefing yesterday with Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard (Pentagon) the bottom-line is that whilst the Iraqi forces are improving they will not be able to stand up and fight the insurgency with the same capabilities as the ‘Coalition’ (U.S.) forces.

The nation has lost its appetite for this war not because the media only focuses on the ‘bad news’ - frankly the media barely covers the war at all these days - but because the Bush Administration has let the military, the Iraqi people and the American people down.

Too few troops from the very beginning. Pitiful planning and reports that the U.S. administration anticipated the insurgency yet refused to acknowledge the need for significantly more ground troops from Day1. All in all - a bloody mess!

I asked J.W. - whom provided the stinging criticism I pasted above for a friendly but honest opinion on the true nature of the nation and the conflict. He did not respond.

R

Posted on June 26th, 2007 under Dana Pittard, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria, Turkey •  Email This Post • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback