The Norwich Guidon / guidon@norwich.edu
Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to the Letter to the Editor from Mr. Britt Yasus published in your October 5, 2006 edition. I would like to provide a different perspective on his comments about the President, The War in Iraq, The Global War on Terrorism, The Economy and the future for America.
First, I am the Parent of a Senior Cadet at Norwich and I am also a deployed Reserve Officer currently in serving on the front lines in Iraq. So, I will provide you and your readers with an informed military point of view through my own perspective a Senior Instructor for the Army Command and General War College, a manger at the Georgia-Pacific Corporation and currently serving as a front line Army Officer stationed in an embedded unit in Southern Iraq.
Some key facts and additional information need to be stated to ensure clarification and full complexity of the issues you presented in your editorial letter.
September 11 attacks were done by enemies of the United States and World terrorist organizations. Not President Bush, although he now has the solemn responsibility of taking action to ensure that current and future attacks do not happen. The terror organizations still exist and remain committed to attacking America and its citizens. Your complaints fail to address this point or provide any solutions except a new Presidential leader. That will happen in a little over 2 years. President Bush will no longer be President and all of the issues will go to the next President – whoever that may eventually be.
Osama Bin Laden is a very smart and a very elusive criminal mastermind. The entire intelligence world has been trying to find him for more than 15 years. He is smart, has money, has extended resources and surrounds himself with a host of helpful supporters. It could realistically take several years to find him. I have not seen any effort by any American Political Party or many of the UN Chartered Countries to help find this known and wanted criminal. Remember this man has a long resume of attacks against many countries. Again, you hold President Bush and him alone accountable for a World wide criminal terrorist.
You claim the President is a liar. Bold accusation without supporting facts is liable. If had lied, he would have been impeached by the Congress and Senate. Just like President Clinton, who did tell a lie to the Congress - under Oath. You discuss moral high ground with President Bush and then quickly dismiss it when discussing President Clinton. You cannot win this argument by using immorality as position of cover. Either we have moral high ground or we do not! The hard morally right thing to do is always going to draw criticism. What specifically did “we” the United States or the President lie about? You claim no WMD were found. You would be wrong. The World community has long held that both Biological and Chemical weapons are WMDs and we did find these. These WMDs were a clear violation of United Nations Security Resolutions against Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Last, we also found some evidence of a Nuclear Program in concept and planning stages, also not allowed by resolution. More important to discuss would be the impact that poor intelligence gathering has had on U.S. Policy makers and Politicians since the event and now shaping our current and future decisions. I suggest that this is the main reason for a more diplomatic and fact finding effort in dealing with the Nuclear aspirations of both Iran and North Korea in the news right now. The U.S. Government is forced into gathering hard evidence to build world wide consensus on the growing problem. Sensationalized news is suggesting an all out war with Korea as the solution.
The War in Iraq and the War on Terrorism. The president has clearly stated these are linked. From my front line perspective that is true. Whether you like it or not the fact is the United States invaded Iraq and took down a tyrannical Dictator. We replaced the Saddamist / Bathist Government with a Fledgling Democracy. My perspective is Americans expected an instant solution to a complex problem of Democracy in Iraq. Your argument clearly indicates the same level of oversimplification in establishing a new Iraqi Government. We cannot abandon the Iraqi people or its new leaders in their time of need. That would be a devastating action and have World wide issues both economically and politically. A Key Fact for your consumption is that no United Nations sanctions or resolutions have been passed or submitted against the United States for Invading Iraq. These nations have done some political drum banging on the international stage, but, not one nation has stepped up and taken real action against the United States. It is easy to see why. The National Interests of European Nations are being met as long as United States and United Kingdom are the bill payers for keeping the Middle East in Line. Do not fool yourself in to thinking this is about some special political high ground, it is not. It is about Oil and the unimpeded flow of Oil from the Middle East to the entire World. Please notice that not one OPEC Nation is stepping up to take real action. They complain because it has an impact on the price of Oil. There have been Middle East issues over Oil Politics since 1970. We do not need an exit strategy; what we need is a long term political alliance with a new Iraq. We need partnerships in building Middle East peace and security. No short term solution can provide this against fanatics that are willing to wait, kill themselves, recruit against this and have the same old evil vision of total World domination.
As far as soldiers deaths. You again used a moral high ground approach. Soldiers in today’s military are volunteers. No one has been drafted. Most understand the stakes and the issues at hand. America is under attack by terrorist elements. I would rather meet them on the battlefield of my choosing then fight them in the streets and communities of America. Soldiers know that real sacrifice must be made in Iraq and Afghanistan to keep terrorist organizations away from your front yard and defending their own area of the world. The fanatic terrorist is here in the Middle East and we have his attention. He is not an Iraqi…the terrorist is from Syria, Pakistan, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and has many support organizations like Hamas, Al Quida, Mukta Al Sadr militas and Hezbola. He is being funded through private sources, religious groups, and special interest factions. Terrorists have one goal and only one goal – kill anyone who does not think like they think. So, I submit to you the following. You cannot say I support the Soldiers and not the war…they are linked and are the same. Soldiers in all nations train for one driving and fundamental purpose …to fight the Nations wars!
The Moral High Ground. This requires questions that each person must answer and apply their sense of right or wrong and then determine the National Direction.
What is the strategy for Iraq? Now, next year, next 10 years, next 20 years? What is our strategy for Afghansitan? Kosovo? The Balkans? Kore? Iran?
What is the strategy for Terrorism? Define the context and how we deal with this very real threat to American stability and security?
How do we overcome the Oil issue? Drill at home? More research into alternate fuel sources? What impact does development of non-fossil fuels have on world markets and security? What are the other impacts of developing farm crops into fuel? Will this impact food costs as food source crops become fuel?
How do we remove ourselves from Iraq without causing a World wide Oil crises and increase probability of a global economic depression?
How do we deal with current known security threats? Namely, Iran and N. Korea? Diplomacy? Military action? Economic sanctions?
What is the current and future guidance for American Foreign Policy? Isolationist? Limited extension? Full Extension?
What is the U.S. Economic Policy? Especially in the Global markets many American companies rely on?
How do we, Americans, work to balance economic, political, diplomatic, military and informational power in our National Strategy? What recommendations do you have that can help us make better decisions?
Who will lead us? Have you determined the quality of this national leader? I submit that you should pick the leadership attributes you require in a President, Congress person, Senator and other elected officials. The search out those that meet your listed leadership expectations and vote for them or convince them to run for office.
I am concerned that we often try to simplify everything in America. That while it may seem very easy to resolve a problem from the outside looking in...I submit to you that, it is far more difficult if you’re the leader or you’re the politician looking for an answer to the difficult problems we face in this current century.
Iraq is real, especially for me, the people are real and the officers, Non-Commissioned officers and Soldiers of the Iraq Army are very real. I serve side by side with them every single day. They are not asking me to leave or demanding I bend to their will. They know what lies in the balance and live with reality of Saddam’s regime and the new threats of terrorism every single day. They clearly understand they are free. That they have voted – this was an act of courage you cannot fathom. They live with threats against their families and some have actually had family killed and they still come back and serve! Could you? Could you really say that you would continue to serve your country when your parents, sister or wife have been kidnapped and you were told to pay a ransom and quite the Army? These are not fair weather patriots…the Iraqi soldiers I know clearly understand it is a choice between real Democratic Freedom in Iraq or just exchanging their lives to live under a new set of Tyrants. They need to time to make this work and need assistance, guidance and support…will they make wrong choices – YES. Just as our Democracy is not a 100% solution on every issue – it is a well weighed, well debated and best we can do solution – it is Democracy.
I hope this helps with the on campus debates at Norwich University. I submit to you that no one is truly right or wrong. We just have different opinions and approaches to problem solving. Criticism of the President is an easy thing to do. Finding workable solutions as an American Nation in an ever shrinking world is the really tough action for people living in our time of decision. It is hard. It takes courage to decide which course to take.
Your dedication, education and service to our country are manifest in many ways. Especially when college students work hard to explore the entire spectrum of the complex issues we as Americans continue to face in our expanding, challenging and demanding world.
Thanks,
James W. Conaway
Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry
Officer in Charge, Military Transition Team (MiTT)
Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT)
3rd Iraqi Training Battalion (ITB)
An Nu’miniyah Military Training Base (ANMTB), Iraq
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF 2206 -2007)
