Democrat Senator John Edwards declared today that the Global War on Terror does not exist, and it is all a giant conspiracy by the Neocons to advance their ideological agenda.
NEW YORK (AP) - Democrat John Edwards Wednesday repudiated the notion that there is a “global war on terror,” calling it an ideological doctrine advanced by the Bush administration that has strained American military resources and emboldened terrorists.In a defense policy speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, Edwards called the war on terror a “bumper sticker” slogan Bush had used to justify everything from abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison to the invasion of Iraq.
“We need a post-Bush, post-9/11, post-Iraq military that is mission focused on protecting Americans from 21st century threats, not misused for discredited ideological purposes,” Edwards said. “By framing this as a war, we have walked right into the trap the terrorists have set - that we are engaged in some kind of clash of civilizations and a war on Islam.”
Oh. My. God. Where to begin?
The GWoT was launched in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. These attacks, along with several others (including the Word Trade Center bombing in 1993, the attack on the USS Cole, etc.) were carried out by a very specific group of people who believe a very specific ideology. That is to say, all of these attacks were carried out by Islamic Fundamentalists in the pursuit of Jihad whose only goal was to kill as many innocent Americans as possible. It is clear that the only “ideological doctrine” at work here is that of radical Islamic fundamentalism.
Next, let’s talk about the “emboldening” of terrorists. Does Edwards really think that the deployment of the majority of the American military is emboldening these guys? I’ll tell you what emboldens these fanatics: its the defeatist Democrats in Congress who shill daily to enact legislation which will tell the terrorists exactly what day we will leave and which also declares that we’ve lost the battle.
As for using the GWoT as a justification for the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison, as I recall several military personnel we detained, tried, convicted and sentenced for their parts in that mess. I don’t recall anyone who “justified” that treatment by saying it was okay because we were at war.
Finally, I hate to break it to Edwards, but we are in a clash of civilizations with radical Islam. The leaders of radical Islam have stated that their goal is a world under the thumb of Islamic law, ruled by the religious leaders of their movement, where anyone who doesn’t believe the same as they do is put to death. Now, it has been a long time since grammar school for me, but none of this sounds like the truth, justice, and the American way of life that I was taught about. You know, the ideas that we could worship God in any fashion we deemed appropriate, or not at all, or the ideas that said you can own land and property, and that the government can not prevent you from speaking your mind. These Islamofascists want you to convert to Islam and submit to their will, or die. Does Edwards suggest they are not serious? How many more terrorist attacks and innocent deaths will it take for Edwards to finally realize that these fanatics are not only serious, but have already started to carry out their plans?
Edwards outlined several steps he said he would pursue as president to strengthen the military, including using force only to pursue essential national security missions, improve civilian-military relations, and root out mismanagement at the Pentagon.
Apparently, Edwards does not consider the destruction of terrorists an “essential national security mission.” Also, it appears he is more worried about public relations and possible Pentagon mismanagement than he is the end of Western Civilization as we know it. I guess if you’ve been a trail lawyer all of your life, speaking to dead children during your final statements before the jury and earning millions of dollars off of other people’s suffering you think you’re bullit proof when it comes to terrorism.
Yeah, good luck with that.
Election of this man to the office of President is nothing more than a guarantee of disaster of monumental proportions for both the Nation and the World.
