The media is always filled with bad news. When good things happen, we rarely hear, but when really bad things occur, they get splashed across the front pages of the world. The last twenty four hours, however, have brought some really horrible news that is getting little coverage. It is being covered in some places, but not with much gusto. Here is the headline in the Washington Post:
Al-Qaeda-linked force captures Fallujah amid rise in violence in Iraq
It truly sickens me each time I read that headline. Fallujah was the site of some of the fiercest fighting by American forces during the Iraq War. The city and its surroundings cost more American lives than the rest of Iraq combined. Fallujah was also the main focus of the surge in American forces that led to our victory in the Iraq War. For Fallujah to now be under the control of terrorists linked to al Qaeda is unthinkable.
So how can it be that the terrorists are back in control of Fallujah? They were beaten when George Bush left office. While American forces remained in Iraq, the terrorists were basically in hiding, too weak to even offer resistance to the government. Then came president Obama's insistence on getting out of Iraq and leaving no forces behind. America won the war and Obama lost the peace.
All that it would have taken to prevent this mess would have been for the USA to sign an agreement with the Iraqi government allowing American forces to remain in Iraq. The Obama administration has told us that the Iraqi government just would not come to an agreement to allow continued American presence in the country. Really? Are we really to believe that Iraqi prime minister stood up to the USA and ordered us out of his country? After all, America was the force that allowed him to win his office in the first place. Obama must have had at least a dozen ways to pressure the Iraqi prime minister into agreeing to a continued presence. Obama chose not to do that. Obama chose to end all American involvement in Iraq. Obama took the course that left the door open to a return of al Qaeda. In simplest terms, Obama lost Fallujah.
I know that president Obama did not like the Iraq War. Most Americans understand that. Nevertheless, once he became president, Obama had to deal with reality and not just his own desires. At enormous cost in blood and treasure, the USA won the Iraq War. We won! It gave us a platform from which to build towards a better and peaceful Middle East. But Obama, because he did not like the war in the first place, decided to throw away the fruits of victory. Because of Obama's choice, Fallujah is now an outpost of al Qaeda.
I wonder what Obama will now say to the families of those brave soldiers who died in Fallujah. Actually, there is no need to wonder. I know what he will say to them: NOTHING!
Al-Qaeda-linked force captures Fallujah amid rise in violence in Iraq
It truly sickens me each time I read that headline. Fallujah was the site of some of the fiercest fighting by American forces during the Iraq War. The city and its surroundings cost more American lives than the rest of Iraq combined. Fallujah was also the main focus of the surge in American forces that led to our victory in the Iraq War. For Fallujah to now be under the control of terrorists linked to al Qaeda is unthinkable.
So how can it be that the terrorists are back in control of Fallujah? They were beaten when George Bush left office. While American forces remained in Iraq, the terrorists were basically in hiding, too weak to even offer resistance to the government. Then came president Obama's insistence on getting out of Iraq and leaving no forces behind. America won the war and Obama lost the peace.
All that it would have taken to prevent this mess would have been for the USA to sign an agreement with the Iraqi government allowing American forces to remain in Iraq. The Obama administration has told us that the Iraqi government just would not come to an agreement to allow continued American presence in the country. Really? Are we really to believe that Iraqi prime minister stood up to the USA and ordered us out of his country? After all, America was the force that allowed him to win his office in the first place. Obama must have had at least a dozen ways to pressure the Iraqi prime minister into agreeing to a continued presence. Obama chose not to do that. Obama chose to end all American involvement in Iraq. Obama took the course that left the door open to a return of al Qaeda. In simplest terms, Obama lost Fallujah.
I know that president Obama did not like the Iraq War. Most Americans understand that. Nevertheless, once he became president, Obama had to deal with reality and not just his own desires. At enormous cost in blood and treasure, the USA won the Iraq War. We won! It gave us a platform from which to build towards a better and peaceful Middle East. But Obama, because he did not like the war in the first place, decided to throw away the fruits of victory. Because of Obama's choice, Fallujah is now an outpost of al Qaeda.
I wonder what Obama will now say to the families of those brave soldiers who died in Fallujah. Actually, there is no need to wonder. I know what he will say to them: NOTHING!
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