Second-guessing the generals – still

On the Sunday shows, AP reports three leading Democrats’ statements on increasing troop levels;

“If the commanders on the ground said this is just for a short period of time, we’ll go along with that,” said Reid, D-Nev., citing a time frame such as two months to three months. But a period of 18 months to 24 months would be too long, he said.

“The American people will not allow this war to go on as it has. It simply is a war that will not be won militarily. It can only be won politically,” Reid said.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said that if it were a short-term increase, “won’t our adversaries simply adjust their tactics, wait us out and wait until we reduce again? So I think you’d have to ask very serious questions about the utility of this.”

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said, “I respect Harry Reid on it, but that’s not where I am.”

The first statement from Reid is the most revealing – Democrats still mistrust what the commanders on the ground tell them. Reid is essentially saying that as long as commanders agree with him, they’re making sound tactical decisions.

Don’t they remember commanders telling Defense Secretary Les Aspen that they needed armor in Somalia to protect our own troops? Because the Clinton Administration decided to disregard what commanders recommended and decided instead to make the politically expedient decision to not send armor to Somalia, 18 Rangers and Delta Force troops died (one of whom-Tim “Griz” Martin-had been a friend of mine since Basic Training). 

The Democrats still think that they make better tacticians than people who’ve done the job their entire lives. They still think that tactical decisions can be made by fat, balding morons from behind their desks in Washington. They still think that Lyndon Johnson picking targets for bombers was a good idea.

If they’re not willing to give our commanders what they need, when they need it, then I’m all for a pullout of our troops right now. If Democrats think they can pick and choose what tactical decisions our commanders make have merit, why subject our troops to their fickle whims?

We’re already dealing with a traitorous media fighting an information war against our troops, along with John Kerry undermining our National Security (see Flopping Aces and Little Green Footballs for the backstory) why do they need a fifth column of politicians cutting off their logistics, replacements, reinforcements and resupply based on a two-faced popular opinion poll?

Either Congress puts it’s full faith allegiance behind the troops or we pull them out everywhere and let Congress deal with the resulting attacks on our interests worldwide. Either the Democrats grow a backbone, or our armed forces stop trying to protect their pasty, wide hides.

Category: Politics