NOTE: This post is a response to a comment left by Daniel on this post about last night's debate.
What the people think does matter, that is why we have elections. In representative republic (what we actually have), we elect people to office based on what they tell us they believe and how we think they will handle themselves. Then it is up to the elected official to act accordingly. WE THE PEOPLE don't get to dictate every little decision... if we don't like the decisions our elected officials make, then we get to "throw the bums out" and elect new officials.
Now that that's out of the way... I would rather have a representative that is willing to lose an election, or be voted out of office, never be elected, or be vilified in the polls once elected in order to do what he/she believes is right. I don't want the government basing every decision on what WE THE PEOPLE believe according to some pollster... as polls are almost always inaccurate, and the populous as a whole is very fickle.
Honor is not more important than what WE THE PEOPLE think... but I venture to guess WE THE PEOPLE, by and large, want to protect our honor and understand that this war is about something greater than ourselves. WE THE PEOPLE were attacked on 9/11. WE THE PEOPLE re-elected a President who brought us into two fronts of a war trying to prevent 9/11 from happening again. WE THE PEOPLE overwhelmingly supported that war, and re-approved it by Bush's re-election in 2004. Just because some of THE PEOPLE have forgotten what it felt like on 9/11 or no longer have the stomach for this just cause doesn't mean that we should take our ball and go home.
Make no mistake, this war and the greater fight against terrorism and specifically Islamic fundamentalism is the greatest threat we have ever faced. Much greater than the threat of nuclear war with the Soviets... because at least they didn't really want to die for their cause. If not for Mutually Assured Destruction (i.e. if the Soviets had been societal maniacs who wanted to kill us at all costs, including the lives of their own families and themselves) we'd already be dead. Now the protection of Mutually Assured Destruction is no longer available as the terrorists proved on 9/11 and again with various suicide bombings in Israel before and since. If they are willing to die and kill innocents for their "cause" then much of our protection is gone.
George W. Bush understood this, as did many of the citizens in this country. Sadly, some of THE PEOPLE have since forgotten.
Did Sadam and crew plan 9/11? No. And no one ever said he did. What they did say, and I will continue to espouse is that those who think Iraq didn't have anything to do with 9/11 are missing the big picture. Sadam supported terrorism. Sadam tortured his own people. Sadam & Sons put citizens in wood chippers. Sadam was sending money to the families of suicide bombers in Israel and the Palestinian territory. Sadam wanted weapons of mass destruction, and had previously used them on his own people. We, and the world are better without Sadam. Period. And removing him, and working to make a democracy in the Middle East has a DIRECT EFFECT on our possibility of ending Islamic terrorism, stopping the terrorist attacks, and securing America. It is a long hard road, but if we see this through, my children and my grandchildren will be safer because of it.
The Iraq war has not been downgraded by anyone but the media. There were multiple reasons for going to war... the greatest of which was to fight there so we could attempt to prevent fighting again here. Did the administration sell it wrong? Absolutely, but that doesn't mean the cause wasn't just.
I grew up in a military town and have many servicemen in the family. Try telling any of them that we are not doing good things over there and see what they say? Try telling them that the cause isn't just and the purpose isn't clear. Try telling them their sacrifice wasn't worthwhile and we are going to just pack up and leave. While we get to argue about it on blogs in some idealistic world, they make real sacrifices for it everyday. They don't just talk about it, they do it. And they deserve our commitment and our HONOR.
The United States of America doesn't back down from a fight or stop when the going gets tough. The security of our future depends on that fact remaining true. If we are willing to turn tail and run away... what happens the next time free-loving people and our own citizens need a champion? Who will protect them then? Who will protect us? Freedom for all people, both home and abroad, depends on us maintaining our HONOR. We must see it through.
Thank God many of THE PEOPLE agree with that, including Governor Huckabee. It will be a sad day if we elect a President who doesn't.
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4 comments:
. "Even if we lose elections we should not lose our honor. And that is more important than the Republican party." -- Mike Huckabee
A long-time and seemingly committed Blogger for Huckabee has withdrawn his support for Mike. That is his right, but I believe he's making statements about Mike -- and, frankly, about me -- that are misleading (to say the least). I devoted my column today to the subject, and I want all backers of Mike (and of Mike heading a ticket with Gov. Sarah Palin in the second spot) to know that I have the highest regard for Gov. Huckabee. Thanks.
steve maloney
http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com
Stopped by to say "Welcome To The Huckabee Blog Roll". Saw your blog featured on the campaign site.
This is an awesome blog, keep the great posts coming!!
Ok.
1. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 so even mentioning it when talking about this war invalidates everything you say. There is no big picture here. Saddam had no ties with Al Qaeda. End of story. What you describe as the big picture equates to some moral responsibility you believe we have in protecting the world. Iraq was absolutely no threat to our national security. We invaded a nation that never attacked us and we did so unconstitutionally. But I guess we must continue the travesty because the initial reasons were somehow justified (by whom, I don't know) even if more Americans must die, we must maintain honor. That is the worst reason for war that I have ever heard.
2. I am sure that a lot of people in this world believe that the world would be a much better place without George Bush. But you don't see any other country invading us without provocation, destroying our entire government, killing our civillians, and bombing our cities, do you?
3. The people supported the war because they were lied to by the Bush administration.
4. Fighting again here? I'm sorry, please refresh my memory. Have we fought a war on American soil in recent memory? Even if you said that incorrectly, please tell me that you do not believe that Iraq would have ever gained the ability to attack us here.
5. Safer? Who the hell is safer because of this war? There were no Al Qaeda in Iraq before we invaded. Now the country is abundant with Al Qaeda. Yeah, seems much safer to me.
6. According to Mike, we are apparently willing to kill innocents for our cause as well. Is honor not a cause? Is forcing a way of life on people not a cause? Please, go to Iraq and tell the families of the 40,000 (plus) dead Iraqi innocents that it is OK because we had to maintain our honor.
7. I served as well. But thanks for trying to throw that in my face. I am so disgusted with people like you who are so willing to put other peoples husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters lives on the line everyday for your ill conceived notion of honor.
8. The whole point on losing elections is that if a party continues to lose elections as the republicans, the American people are telling that party that its views are WRONG. But according to Mike, saving face is much more important than listening to the people. Yes, one election does not necessarily a statement make, but losing multiple times should start to raise red flags, but according to Mike, our honor (and by "our" I am assuming he means this nation)is the important agenda, not the clear and precise message of more than 65% of Americans
I have a loyal follower. How nice. I'm not going to get into commenting everytime you bloviate, especially when you repeat such propaganda. But its Friday, and I have a little time for round two.
1. Iraq didn't have anything to do with 9/11 directly, it had something to do with terrorism. We are fighting the war against terrorism. The Nazis didn't have anything to do with Pearl Harbor either... but that didn't stop us from stopping them.
2. We didn't invade Iraq without provocation. Iraq had violated a number of UN regulations, was supporting terrorists, and was murdering its own people. We were justified. You can disagree. I think you are wrong. Apparently so did many of the American people even though some of them have now lost their will.
3. The American people were not lied to. Get over it. A lot of people were wrong about whether Sadam had obtained nukes, but no one lied to us.
4. Did we have troops on the ground here? Nope. But we were attacked here on 9/11 and I consider that fighting. We were also attacked here during Pearl Harbor... but based on my response to you in #1, I'll assume you forgot the lessons to that as well.
5. Safer. I am safer. America is safer. Is Iraq safer? I don't know, ask the thousands who voted for the first time. Ask the Kurds who have a great society and economy growing now that they don't have to worry about being gassed or tortured by Sadam. Ask the girls who are now going to school, or the soccer players who can lose a match without being beaten. No, its not all rosy. I never said it was... but it is getting better. I would rather fight and remain free, than be safe and remain oppressed. But that's just me. Apparently Americans felt that way during the Revolutionary War too. And I'm sure there were many who died trying to end slavery that would rather than ancestors still be safe and live as slaves.
6. Americans have not killed 40,000 innocent Iraqis. Terrorists have killed 40,000 Iraqis. We are not responsible for that. Freedom for Iraq and freedom for our future will not come without a price. The people who killed those 40,000 innocent Iraqis want to stop us. They are making the price high, not us.
7. I am not throwing service in your face. I am saying that all of us sitting out of harms way have the luxury of debating this in a vacuum. We can debate it on ideals. But when the media and Hollywood start spreading propaganda and nonsense... it is up to us, as Americans, to talk to the people who are actually there to understand the truth.
8. The message from 65% of Americans is what exactly? I guess we'll have to wait and see about that. If America wants us out of this war, then the people need to elect, only elect, and keep electing people who believe in that. If Americans want us out of this war, then Kucinich or Ron Paul will be our next President. Absent that, I don't think the message is clear. But regardless, I don't want any elected officials determining their beliefs by the polls. We should elect them based on their beliefs, and then let them lead accordingly. But we are in this together, and after the election we must all stand behind them as one shining city on a hill and make it work.
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