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 Surrender
Should Not Be an Option
Faced with dwindling support of the Iraq War,
the warhawks are redoubling their efforts. They imply we are in
Iraq attacking those who attacked us, and yet this is not the case.
As we know, Saddam Hussein, though not a particularly savory character,
had nothing to do with 9/11. The neo-cons claim surrender should
not be an option. In the same breath they claim we were attacked
because of our freedoms. Why then, are they so anxious to surrender
our freedoms with legislation like the Patriot Act, a repeal of
our 4th amendment rights, executive orders, and presidential signing
statements? With politicians like these, who needs terrorists? Do
they think if we destroy our freedoms for the terrorists they will
no longer have a reason to attack us? This seems the epitome of
cowardice coming from those who claim a monopoly on patriotic courage.
In any case, we have achieved the goals specified in the initial
authorization. Saddam Hussein has been removed. An elected government
is now in place in Iraq that meets with US approval. The only weapon
of mass destruction in Iraq is our military presence. Why are we
still over there? Conventional wisdom would dictate that when the
"mission is accomplished", the victor goes home, and that
is not considered a retreat.
They claim progress is being made and we are fighting a winnable
war, but this is not a view connected with reality. We can't be
sure when we kill someone over there if they were truly an insurgent
or an innocent Iraqi civilian. There are as many as 650,000 deaths
since the war began. The anger we incite by killing innocents creates
more new insurgents than our bullets can keep up with. There are
no measurable goals to be achieved at this point.
The best congressional leadership can come up with is the concept
of strategic redeployment, or moving our troops around, possibly
into Saudi Arabia or even, alarmingly enough, into Iran. Rather
than ending this war, we could be starting another one.
The American people voted for a humble foreign policy in 2000.
They voted for an end to the war in 2006. Instead of recognizing
the wisdom and desire of the voters, they are chided as cowards,
unwilling to defend themselves. Americans are fiercely willing to
defend themselves. However, we have no stomach for indiscriminate
bombing in foreign lands when our actual attackers either killed
themselves on 9/11 or are still at large somewhere in a country
that is neither Iraq nor Iran. Defense of our homeland is one thing.
Offensive tactics overseas are quite another. Worse yet, when our
newly minted enemies find their way over here, where will our troops
be to defend us?
The American people have NOT gotten the government they deserve.
They asked for a stronger America and peace through nonintervention,
yet we have a government of deceit, inaction and one that puts us
in grave danger on the international front. The American People
deserve much better than this. They deserve foreign and domestic
policy that doesn't require they surrender their liberties.
Ron Paul
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