To the Editor:
Joined by the anti-war and anti-Bush liberal print and TV media, the Democrats promoted and extolled the belief that the reason why the USA invaded Iraq was Saddam’s WMDs. Not true! The real issue was and is the threat posed by Syria, Iran and Al Qaeda as manifested by the murder of over 3000 US citizens on 9/11.
This single event changed the course of history and unplugged the political reticence by both Democrats and Republicans to militarily confront the emerging threats in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Iran’s potential nuclear capability had been long forecasted by past Administrations. It has been long understood that Iran and Syria are the major source of terrorism particularly directed at Israel. It was known that Al Qaeda was involved in past terrorist activities. The Clinton Administration at one time attempted to kill Bin Laden.
Al Qaeda has been a willing partner in support of the efforts to terrorize Israel, as did Saddam in Iraq. Saddam believed the “oil for food” fraud would stop the invasion because of the financial bribes in France, Germany and Russia. He was wrong, and he has now paid the supreme penalty for his arrogance and horrific terrorism of his own people.
Both Bin Laden and Hussein underestimated Bush’s will to react with an aggressive military campaign to take out Hussein, neutralize Iran’s threat, and to defeat Al Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran is now militarily confronted by the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and Syria is under constant scrutiny. Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq and Afghanistan. The terrorist threat posed by Syria and Iran has been greatly diminished thanks to the Bush strategy. Iraq may emerge as a sovereign democracy in the middle of the Middle East.
After his pre-inauguration security briefings, Obama now understands the dire necessity, validity and imperative of this initiative in terms of the USA’s and the world’s interests. He now understands the wisdom of the Bush strategy, the necessity to hold the line and complete the task in the Middle East, and the probable catastrophic consequences for the USA and the world if the effort fails.
The Democrats have supported the terrorists by their opportunistic criticism of Bush and the war in Iraq, as evidenced by their frantic calls that the war was lost. Democrats aggressively participated in saying the surge would fail, even to the point of disparaging a great hero, General (David) Petraeus (General Betrayus).
The Democrats compromised the real game plan in the Middle East so that they could regain the Whitehouse. Joined by a severely biased print and TV media, the Democrats became politically ruthless because Gore and Kerry lost to Bush.
Bush relied on diplomatic means to hopefully bring Syria and Iran to their senses but diplomacy doesn’t work with the Democrats. They prayed for Bush’s failure so that they could regain power. That was a traitorous political tactic that undermined our military.
Given that Obama has promised “change” in his campaign to become president, it is highly probable, if not a matter of national necessity, that he sets a new standard of responsibility for the Democrats and fulfills what they first began in supporting Bush regarding the confrontation with Iran and Syria; in defending Israel’s right to exist, and in assuring the emergence of a democracy in the ancient multi cultural fabric of Iraq.
Given that Obama sees this change, his domestic policies will follow and be successful. Without that change, the USA is doomed to a fragmented stature on the world stage.
Otis Page, Arroyo Grande, Cal., Native of Damariscotta
