The news all weekend and on the Sunday shows was dominated by the actions of the administration against General Soleimani (with some impeachment talk thrown in). Some of the comments had me shaking my head. Here are some of what they said and my thoughts:
The U.S. is a threat to the world.
We’re a threat? Iran has been the leading sponsor of terrorism for 41 years. They began by doing the unthinkable, taking our embassy staff hostage 41 years ago. They have continued by sponsoring car bombings, beheadings and attacks. Recently they shot down our drone, took ships off the high sea, bombed facilities and attacked our embassy in Baghdad. Until the last incident we took no action, showing restraint and saying we wanted peace. Finally we take action and we’re the threat to the world?
Why are we the aggressors to some on the left and in the media?
Are we in these countries because we want to take them over? It’s Iran who is coming across to do that, not us.
I am reminded of the statement, that we in the U.S. have done more and gone more places to support freedom than any nation in history. We didn’t go to conquer, we went to free those conquered. Once done did we stay to control? No we only asked for ground to bury our dead. That is the only land we ever kept. Visit the grave sites in Europe and tell me we are conquerors.
They said the world is less safe today because of our action.
It may be less safe today because we took action yesterday, but it will be safer tomorrow because the man who was causing disruption in it is gone.
If we had taken him out over the past twenty years (when Presidents Bush and Obama decided not to) how many of our fellow citizens he caused the deaths of would still be alive? Are they saying we should wait twenty more years and that the hundreds additional to be killed don’t matter?
If you have a cancer you cut it out.
They said we have created an “endless contest now”.
Really? What do you call the last 41 years since Iran was taken over? It wasn’t a contest because they got away with their terrorism and murder.
They said “no one is saying he wasn’t a bad actor”, but worry about what “might happen”.
So your solution is to do nothing? Maybe it was doing nothing all these years that led to this. When would it be right then? Should we wait until your son or daughter is killed to act?
I don’t get the logic of letting a person committed and actively acting against you to continue to do so.
If there’s any question this guy was in charge, here’s a note he wrote to General Petraeus:
“Dear General Petraeus, you should know that I, Qassem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza and Afghanistan. And indeed, the ambassador in Baghdad is a Quds Force member. The individual who’s going to replace him is a Quds Force member.”
I heard from Staff Sergeant Robert Bartlett yesterday. He was one of several thousand US soldiers wounded by “explosively made penetrators,” a particularly deadly form of IED, in Iraq. They were designed to kill American troops, and were built and shipped to Iraqi terror groups by Soleimani.
Think about the Sergeant and thousands more wounded, as well as the deaths of our citizens in those countries and tell me if you are against the action taken. The man told you he was doing it. He was Iranian and doing this in Iraq.
Then add this. The man was deemed a terrorist by the Bush and Obama administrations as well as the UN.
If you’re not going to act then don’t waste time designating people. You’re just wasting time, money and resources.
Just my thoughts.