Groundhog's day?

I think my life and that of every conservative who hangs out at RWN mirrors that movie...So I was stuck in the comments of RWN (just like every day) and ran into these comments that I couldn't let go. There was another comment as well that summed up groundhwg or groundhog's (depending on the day I guess) stance better, but it must have qualified as trolling as the post is no longer there. I was in the process of responding, when I realized that I was in full-blown, rant mode and it was going to take more time and space than I intended! Since I didn't really want to clog up a comment section with another particularly long rant, I thought I would post a blurb there and the remainder here...just tryin' to be polite!

The comments came in the Q&A Friday #69: Why No "Payback Project" Over The War?

GH:

Its not just the moonbats and Bush haters anymore. Even Bill O'Reilly of Fox News has thrown in the towell on Iraq. Like he points out, when less than 25% of the Iraqi people themselves support continued US presence in their country, informed minds should get a clue. The majority of the Iraqis are ungrateful. Why continue to spill the blood of our US troops under that scenario?

I don't hate Bush. I disapprove of Cheney who got snookered by the Iranians on this Iraq issue.

and

So, our soldiers dying for their [Iraqi's] cause (actually Iran's cause per my theory on how we actuylly got there in the first place) is like throwing our pearls before swine. Let's put it another way. I care more for the lives of our troops and their families than I care for the legacy of BushII's (actually Cheney's) foreign policy.

My response-cum-rant:



Groundhog,

It's obvious that you had preconceived notions and a heavy bias when you formulated your opinions and completed your analysis. While you correctly perceive some of the potential outcomes, they are tainted with your personal hatred of Cheney and your desire to see America fail so you can play the 'I was right' game. Therefore, I'm not surprised that your analysis is based on 'best case result' for Iran...your empathy for them emanates from that one-sided analysis.

It's petty, but predictable. A large segment of the Democrat party thinks in the exact same way - ready and willing to watch and even help the US fail in order to prove they were right and 'war doesn't solve anything'. Most here have taken to calling those people the 'Peace at all costs crowd.' Others here call them traitors. I don't think you fit into either of those categories, I think you just want to be right...and want Cheney and Republicans to look bad by blaming them for our enemies’ actions and motivations.

If we bail out of Iraq before they have a sustainable democratic government in place, then you are correct Iraq will fall (again) and Iran will take over and create a puppet state. Iran will then control a quarter of the world's oil reserves and will tighten their stranglehold on the gulf. If this becomes the case, I would look for Iran’s first nuke to hit the Saudi oil fields so Iran will control over a third of the world’s oil…and they will have removed their last close rival in the region.

Iran never wanted us to invade Iraq (read Jawbreaker and Atomic Iran). The thought of the full might of the American military camped-out on their doorstep gives them cold sweats. No one in the world will ever doubt the prowess or destructive capability of the US military and nobody in their right mind would ever want that combat power within easy striking distance of them.

Our decision to go to Iraq had nothing to do with Iran's wishes and I guarantee you that they don't and didn't have any desire to have such an enormous US presence in the region...Iranian intransigence is, after all, one of the main reasons we invaded Iraq in the first place. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Pakistan all contain and harbor the ideologies that we are at war with. With a major presence in the region and a democratic ally in Iraq, we would be in the middle of the mess and able to influence events and effect change –directly, or indirectly- at the wellspring of the Islamic Fascist ideology. We would also be in a strong strategic location to protect the global interest in the most precious resource on the planet.

It is in our country’s interest to be in Iraq and to have a very heavy presence in the region in general. The Middle East accounts for over thirty-three percent of the world’s oil reserves. Oil is the most strategic resource in the world. It is the lifeblood of the world’s economy and the means to ensure the world is fed, clothed housed and entertained. Most products manufactured are, or have petroleum based or petroleum derived components. Without a healthy supply and continual flow of oil, the world would literally shut down and millions upon millions would starve as economies and countries shut down and fail. Our civilization and way of life are but a thin veneer suppressing the base nature of a greater society. Take, for example, the NYC blackouts thirty years ago and all of the looting and pillaging that went on in our nations’ largest city. Look at all of the rioting and looting in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina. Now imagine that scenario replayed in every city in the world if the oil supply was suddenly cut off and getting food was no longer a given…

The strategic location and easy justification to invade Iraq are the primary reasons we invaded. If you think someone's been played like a fiddle, you need look no further than your own party leadership; their media allies, and through their influence, a large segment of the US population. The Neo-Con strategy, or Cheney’s strategy as you’re now putting it is and was simple…project American will and influence on the region through a democratic proxy state -realized in Iraq- and start to reform the region from the inside out.

Iran's greatest fear and the greatest threat to an Islamic/Sharia state is an America friendly, democratic nation sitting on their border. The Iranian people are screaming for reforms; a voice in their government and a move towards democratization. Seeing a democratic nation on their border; proving freedom works and free nations provide higher standards of living for all would be one of the greatest threats imaginable to the Mullahs in charge.

From that perspective, it should be obvious that the powers that be in Iran -whether your talking about nut jobs like Ahmadinejad, or the power hungry Mullahs- have every interest in ensuring the US does not succeed. They will stop at nothing to ensure we fail in our mission. Iran will spend themselves broke to ensure Iraq never has an operable democracy…They can’t afford to let another predominantly Muslim country rule itself in any other way than by Shari’a law.

Our continued unwillingness to confront Iran has emboldened them and as a result, they are arming, training and offering safe haven to terrorists and militias in Iran. Iranian Special Forces and terrorist groups lead attacks inside Iraq and are intrinsic part of the daily, body-count-media-campaign that leads to the recruitment of more jihadi’s and drains the average American’s will to support the fight. Middle Easterners only follow the strong and will only jump in on a winning side. If Al Qaeda and the Jihadists represent the strong horse with the perceived winning hand, that is who the people will follow. It’s a remnant of their tribal culture and won’t change since their religion is derived and formed around that culture. This provides another reason we can’t leave the job unfinished. We will be portrayed as failures and the weak in the conflict and our way of life will be determined to be weak and not blessed by Allah – weakness and meekness are met with ferocity and atrocity and every victory and news blip is spun to show the will of Allah prevailing over the infidels.

Regardless of how our media reports it, or how our politicians spin it, we are a nation at war with radical Islam. Though our casualties are infinitesimal compared to past wars, the sensationalist coverage applied to every car bomb and homicide bomber magnifies the impact of every terrorist strike.
We are in a global conflict and we are invested heavily on the side of Western Civilization and freedom. During the Cold war, we were at war not only with the Soviet Union, but also with Communist ideology and the slavery it brings. We fought the two everywhere they reared their heads. The Cold War was fought in foreign lands through proxies just as this one is being fought – the difference being we must nation build and show that our way of life and the individual freedom it represents is superior to the fascist and misogynistic ideology we are fighting. Most trapped behind the iron curtain didn’t require the same lesson. They were too busy waiting in line for their daily bread; and lacked an all encompassing, controlling religion with convenient scapegoats. This made the communist ideology easier to combat as the people were not brainwashed and damned if they strayed from their ideology.

Our enemies in this war sanction any means of fighting through their religious doctrine. Any tactic is acceptable and a ‘good Wahabi’ will lie, cheat, steal, and murder innocents to intimidate, hide, or attack us. The most dedicated and deadly are the Mujahadeen. Battle tested, experienced and highly trained, it is far preferable for us to keep the Mujahadeen fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan than to allow them to focus their efforts here in the continental US. If we do not occupy these highly trained agitators, terrorists, and holy warriors, they will focus their sights on the US. They will follow us home and we will be fighting them in our streets and paying with US civilian casualties instead of just military casualties. It is especially beneficial for us to fight these hardened foreign fighters in Iraq due to the terrain; the large middle class and percentage of moderates and secularists among the Iraqi people. Together, they have a much better chance of creating and sustaining a democratic system with the people invested in the future and freedom of their country.

If we are able to realize this goal and prove to the Muslim world at large that Freedom works and while contrary to Shari’a law, it is not contrary to human law. The only way to win the greater battle is to effect change in the belief systems of the individuals who follow Islam. The only way that change will ever take place is if we give these people the freedom and security to think contrary to their religion and their fascist leaders basically, we have to give them the experience of living free.