Malkin’s year-in-review: The surge, the military, and the media
Poster hung at the desk of Capt. Travis Patriquin, who was killed in Ramadi on Dec. 6, 2006 in an IED explosion
Remember when the Associated Press told you what the top 10 stories of the year were–and that was the end of discussion? No more. One of the wonderful benefits of the Internet is that it ended the monopoly of the MSM Deciders. Permanently.
Here’s the wire service’s list of what news directors and editors voted the biggest stories of 2007. They picked the Virginia Tech massacre as the number one story. Sure, it was a tragedy. But the top story of the last 12 months–the one with the largest historical ramifications, the one that should define the entire year? Come on.
For the remainder of 2007, I’ll be posting year-in-review retrospectives drawing on my monthly archives to spotlight the blog posts and topics that interested you and me. The ones that generated the most discussion. Or backlash. Or laughter. Or tears. The ones that have stayed in my heart and memory bank long after I hit the “publish” button.
Let’s start with the beginning: January 2007. For me, what happened in January defined the rest of the year. We rang in 2007 with vehement Democrat opposition to the “surge” in Baghdad. In the ensuing 12 months, Democrats tried and failed repeatedly to sabotage and undermine this military campaign. Their poisonously partisan allies at MoveOn attempted to smear Gen. David Petraeus. Their fellow travelers in the MSM fought tooth and nail to obscure the successes of the counterinsurgency tactics with their relentless “grim milestone” drumbeat. But by year’s end, even anti-war Democrats and adversarial media outlets alike were forced to acknowledge that undeniable military progress and security improvements had been made.
Is there still a long way to go? Hell, yes. Were there other ancillary factors that contributed to the decrease in violence and the “awakenings” in Anbar province and Baghdad? Yes again. But go back to January. Refresh your memories of the anti-surge rhetoric and the conventional wisdom.
Here’s a reminder of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s resolution opposing the surge, which passed 12-9 on Jan. 25:
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the panel’s chairman, said the legislation is “not an attempt to embarrass the president. … It’s an attempt to save the president from making a significant mistake with regard to our policy in Iraq.”
…Biden, who sponsored the measure with Hagel and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the measure is aimed at getting the administration’s attention. He noted that Bush has said he will be moving forward with his Iraq plans he outlined in a Jan. 10 address regardless of what Congress says.
The measure “is designed to let the president know that there are many in both parties, Democrats and Republicans, that believe a change in our mission to go into Baghdad — in the midst of a civil war — as well as a surge in ground troops … is the wrong way to go, and I believe it will have the opposite — I repeat — opposite effect the president intends,” Biden said.
And here’s a reminder of what anti-war Democrat Rep. Brian Baird said upon his return from Baghdad this summer:
As a Democrat who voted against the war from the outset and who has been frankly critical of the administration and the post-invasion strategy, I am convinced by the evidence that the situation has at long last begun to change substantially for the better. I believe Iraq could have a positive future. Our diplomatic and military leaders in Iraq, their current strategy, and most importantly, our troops and the Iraqi people themselves, deserve our continued support and more time to succeed.
I understand the desire of many of our citizens and my colleagues in Congress to bring the troops home as soon as possible. The costs have been horrific for our soldiers, their families, the Iraqi people and the economy. If we keep our troops on the ground we will lose more lives, continue to spend billions each week, and, given the history and complex interests of the region, there is no certainty that our efforts will succeed in the long run. We must be absolutely honest about these costs and risks and I am both profoundly saddened and angry that we are where we are.
Knowing all this, how can someone who opposed the war now call for continuing the new directions that have been taken in Iraq? The answer is that the people, strategies and facts on the ground have changed for the better and those changes justify changing our position on what should be done.
Wrong-way Biden insisted the anti-surge resolution wasn’t meant to embarass the president. Uh-huh. Opponents of the Baghdad mission insisted they didn’t want America to fail. Uh-huh. Here’s a reminder of a Fox News poll in mid-January that exposed which Americans were rooting for success and which Americans were rooting for defeat:
That’s right. 49% of Democrats either wanted us to lose in Iraq or “didn’t know” if they wanted us to succeed.
As our troops succeeded, surge opponents went from arguing against the strategy to arguing whether violence dropped in Baghdad to arguing about why that decrease occurred. We’ve come a long way–though we’ve still got a long way to go. As Gen. Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 23:
“The way ahead will be neither quick nor easy.”
***
Jan. 11, “In the Slums of Baghdad:” As an Army convoy prepared to depart after dropping off blankets, an Iraqi boy came out to say goodbye clutching a stuffed toy–and an American flag.
In early January, Hot Air’s Bryan Preston and I traveled to Iraq and were embedded in Baghdad for a short–but amazingly unforgettable– time with the troops at FOB Justice. With photos and video, we fact-checked the Associated Press’s error-riddled reporting about mosques attacks and purportedly immolated Sunnis–to which the wire service responded with an astounding non-correction correction.
In addition, we interviewed Iraqi citizens and American troops engaged in the very same successful counterinsurgency efforts that would be adopted later in the year as part of the fanatically opposed–and now, highly praised–surge.
In fact, we arrived in Kuwait as some of the first waves of troops headed to Baghdad to mobilize for the surge–and the next, day I was up in the wee hours of the morning with a few of the troops at FOB Justice watching President Bush’s speech announcing the strategy. The troops we talked to were frank about the administration’s failures and missteps over the course of the war, but endorsed the surge based on their own experience. We followed up last month with Captain Aaron Kaufman, one of the officers who had briefed us back in January. He talked about the military success of COIN strategy and the road ahead toward political solutions. We owe Gen. Petraeus a great debt for his leadership. But our brief visit with the troops at FOB Justice alo underscored that under Gen. Petraeus serve America’s most brilliant, dedicated, and courageous soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.
In January and throughout the year, hostile MSM journalists and far Left character assassins demonstrated vile contempt for those men and women. On January 31, Washington Post blogger and NBC military analyst William Arkin set the tone for the troop-bashers with his unhinged rant equating all American soldiers with mercenaries. He was outraged that troops interviewed by NBC News asked their fellow Americans to support their mission:
So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?
I can imagine some post-9/11 moment, when the American people say enough already with the wars against terrorism and those in the national security establishment feel these same frustrations. In my little parable, those in leadership positions shake their heads that the people don’t get it, that they don’t understand that the threat from terrorism, while difficult to defeat, demands commitment and sacrifice and is very real because it is so shadowy, that the very survival of the United States is at stake. Those Hoover’s and Nixon’s will use these kids in uniform as their soldiers. If I weren’t the United States, I’d say the story end with a military coup where those in the know, and those with fire in their bellies, save the nation from the people.
But it is the United States and instead this NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary – oops sorry, volunteer – force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.
Definite Jerk of the Year material. But far from alone. NBC flirted with the moonbats in initially refusing to broadcast simple thank-you tributes to the troops from Freedom’s Watch. And Bobby “Don’t you know I’m an Important Embedded Journalist Who Can’t Be Bothered to Follow the Rules In the Green Zone?” Calvan has some stiff competition in the troop-bashing journalist of 2007 contest.
Here’s a flashback of some of my favorite photos while embedded with the troops Arkin snidely likened to “mercenaries” with “obscene amenities:”
Iraqi children in a western Baghdad homeless encampment welcome American troops
The digs at FOB Justice
Meeting with Iraqi Army soldiers and local firefighters–and watching for signs of JAM (Jaish al Mahdi — the Mahdi Army)
Sheikh Mohammed Bagher (r) of Khadamiya speaks to troops about security and the economy
***
Yesterday, FNC’s Chris Wallace asked Gen. Petraeus about the media’s dwindling coverage of the Iraq war and its allergic reaction to the surge success in Baghdad over the past year:
WALLACE: General, it seemed to us that you haven’t been in the news much recently, which probably is a good thing from your point of view, since you came back from Washington in September.
But we decided to check it out, and the Media Research Center says that the three evening network evening newscasts did 178 stories on Iraq in September when you were here. But in October, as the surge took hold, there were 108 stories. And in November, that dropped to just 68.
General, any thoughts about why success in Iraq isn’t news here at home?
PETRAEUS: Well, clearly, there are other more newsworthy items — the political campaign issues in the states, understandably; challenges in Pakistan and other places.
And so as you note, probably this is a sign of progress, that, in a sense, no news is good news. In fact, actually, there was one nightly news show a week or so ago that said the news from Iraq is that there is no news, that there were no attacks in a certain area or something like this.
So again, we’re not reluctant to see that. The only reluctance would be that America continue to remember its soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians who are serving out here in this very important endeavor.
Which brings me back to two unforgettable soldiers the blogosphere helped immortalize as 2007 began. At the very beginning of the post is a photo on the desk of fallen hero Capt. Travis Patriquin. A special ops soldier serving in civil affairs, fluent in Spanish, Arabic, Urdu, Pashtun, and Portuguese, Capt. Patriquin had compiled a brilliant PowerPoint presentation illustrating the very counterinsurgency tactics that presaged the Anbar awakening.
Tragically, Capt. Patriquin didn’t live long enough to see just how on the mark he was and what a difference he was making.
But Mary Katharine Ham put Capt. Patriquin’s plan to video–YouTubing for the ages:
Another soldier whose words resonate from beyond the grave is Army 2nd Lt. Mark J. Daily. On Jan. 19, a reader e-mailed me that the 23-year-old had been killed in an IED attack in Mosul along with three other soldiers. He was named the ROTC’s outstanding cadet for 2005 and also a Distinguished Military Graduate, the highest ROTC award.
The OC Register mentioned Daily’s Myspace page in a profile here. I reprinted his entire message explaining why he had joined the military. On Jan. 31, his immortal words were read on the Senate floor. In February, the Los Angeles Times picked up on 2LT Daily’s story. He rated his mood “optimistic.” According to the Times: “In a 2005 videotape of his officers’ commissioning ceremony, Daily told the crowd that the U.S. Army is one of the few militaries in the world that teach not only tactics but also ethics. ‘I genuinely believe the United States Army is a force of good in this world,’ he said.”
I’m reprinting his Myspace message once again here in full, on Christmas Eve 2007, as a reminder that we and our children can sleep soundly tonight, nestled snug in our beds, because of the rough and ready, tough and steady, men and women of the United States military.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
WHY I JOINED
Current mood: optimisticWhy I Joined:
This question has been asked of me so many times in so many different contexts that I thought it would be best if I wrote my reasons for joining the Army on my page for all to see. First, the more accurate question is why I volunteered to go to Iraq. After all, I joined the Army a week after we declared war on Saddam’s government with the intention of going to Iraq. Now, after years of training and preparation, I am finally here.
Much has changed in the last three years. The criminal Ba’ath regime has been replaced by an insurgency fueled by Iraq’s neighbors who hope to partition Iraq for their own ends. This is coupled with the ever present transnational militant Islamist movement which has seized upon Iraq as the greatest way to kill Americans, along with anyone else they happen to be standing near. What was once a paralyzed state of fear is now the staging ground for one of the largest transformations of power and ideology the Middle East has experienced since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Thanks to Iran, Syria, and other enlightened local actors, this transformation will be plagued by interregional hatred and genocide. And I am now in the center of this.
Is this why I joined?
Yes. Much has been said about America’s intentions in overthrowing Saddam Hussein and seeking to establish a new state based upon political representation and individual rights. Many have framed the paradigm through which they view the conflict around one-word explanations such as “oil” or “terrorism,” favoring the one which best serves their political persuasion. I did the same thing, and anyone who knew me before I joined knows that I am quite aware and at times sympathetic to the arguments against the war in Iraq. If you think the only way a person could bring themselves to volunteer for this war is through sheer desperation or blind obedience then consider me the exception (though there are countless like me).
I joined the fight because it occurred to me that many modern day “humanists” who claim to possess a genuine concern for human beings throughout the world are in fact quite content to allow their fellow “global citizens” to suffer under the most hideous state apparatuses and conditions. Their excuses used to be my excuses. When asked why we shouldn’t confront the Ba’ath party, the Taliban or the various other tyrannies throughout this world, my answers would allude to vague notions of cultural tolerance (forcing women to wear a veil and stay indoors is such a quaint cultural tradition), the sanctity of national sovereignty (how eager we internationalists are to throw up borders to defend dictatorships!) or even a creeping suspicion of America’s intentions. When all else failed, I would retreat to my fragile moral ecosystem that years of living in peace and liberty had provided me. I would write off war because civilian casualties were guaranteed, or temporary alliances with illiberal forces would be made, or tank fuel was toxic for the environment. My fellow “humanists” and I would relish contently in our self righteous declaration of opposition against all military campaigns against dictatorships, congratulating one another for refusing to taint that aforementioned fragile moral ecosystem that many still cradle with all the revolutionary tenacity of the members of Rage Against the Machine and Greenday. Others would point to America’s historical support of Saddam Hussein, sighting it as hypocritical that we would now vilify him as a thug and a tyrant. Upon explaining that we did so to ward off the fiercely Islamist Iran, which was correctly identified as the greater threat at the time, eyes are rolled and hypocrisy is declared. Forgetting that America sided with Stalin to defeat Hitler, who was promptly confronted once the Nazis were destroyed, America’s initial engagement with Saddam and other regional actors is identified as the ultimate argument against America’s moral crusade.
And maybe it is. Maybe the reality of politics makes all political action inherently crude and immoral. Or maybe it is these adventures in philosophical masturbation that prevent people from ever taking any kind of effective action against men like Saddam Hussein. One thing is for certain, as disagreeable or as confusing as my decision to enter the fray may be, consider what peace vigils against genocide have accomplished lately. Consider that there are 19 year old soldiers from the Midwest who have never touched a college campus or a protest who have done more to uphold the universal legitimacy of representative government and individual rights by placing themselves between Iraqi voting lines and homicidal religious fanatics. Often times it is less about how clean your actions are and more about how pure your intentions are.
So that is why I joined. In the time it took for you to read this explanation, innocent people your age have suffered under the crushing misery of tyranny. Every tool of philosophical advancement and communication that we use to develop our opinions about this war are denied to countless human beings on this planet, many of whom live under the regimes that have, in my opinion, been legitimately targeted for destruction. Some have allowed their resentment of the President to stir silent applause for setbacks in Iraq. Others have ironically decried the war because it has tied up our forces and prevented them from confronting criminal regimes in Sudan, Uganda, and elsewhere.
I simply decided that the time for candid discussions of the oppressed was over, and I joined.
In digesting this posting, please remember that America’s commitment to overthrow Saddam Hussein and his sons existed before the current administration and would exist into our future children’s lives had we not acted. Please remember that the problems that plague Iraq today were set in motion centuries ago and were up until now held back by the most cruel of cages. Don’t forget that human beings have a responsibility to one another and that Americans will always have a responsibility to the oppressed. Don’t overlook the obvious reasons to disagree with the war but don’t cheapen the moral aspects either. Assisting a formerly oppressed population in converting their torn society into a plural, democratic one is dangerous and difficult business, especially when being attacked and sabotaged from literally every direction. So if you have anything to say to me at the end of this reading, let it at least include “Good Luck”
Mark Daily
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Trackbacks
- Ray Robison: Pointing out the obvious to the oblivious
- As Usual, the Old Media Misses It « Federal Way Conservative
- Plumb Bob Blog » A Simple Explanation
- Malkin’s Top Ten « The View from Alexandria
- Blatant Reality » Blog Archive » The War's Year End Review
- Media Mythbusters Blog » Blog Archive » Malkin’s year-in-review: The surge, the military, and the media
- 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America
- Michelle Malkin » Malkin’s year-in-review: 2007 photo album
- Michelle Malkin » The Democrat food fight in Nevada; Update: Denny K is out; Update Clinton on Obama race flap: “We both have exuberant and uncontrollable supporters;” Update: “What’s a white male to do running against a woma
- Ernestine Gray » Blog Archive » The story of the year
- Michelle Malkin » Petraeus on the Hill
- Michelle Malkin » Biden flashback: Wrong on the surge
- Obama/Bidden 2008: Defeatist Democrats Annoint Arrogant Socialist Senators « Pronk Palisades
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Wow! There’s so much in that post I hardly know where to begin commenting on it.
I see the AP did get around to the Iraq war by #3. I agree the improvements in the situation there do have the biggest ramifications for affecting many other things in the long term, as well as the short term.
I like Joe Biden. I always have. But I think he’s wrong a lot more often than he realizes.
Thank you, Michelle, for your unflagging and unwavering support for our troops. And thank you for continuing to report the news the MSM won’t report.
My biggest thanks of all to the US Military, for protecting the freedoms we enjoy here at home and for giving so much of themselves so that other people may have a chance for the same freedom.
Reading Lt. Mark J. Daily’s myspace essay, I’m saddened again that we are losing these intelligent, caring people when the sleaze of our country sits in comfort, criticizing them and calling them mercenaries. It really pisses me off!
When you look back over this year where the media and the Democrats on Iraq are concerned, it should shock the brain into seeing the big picture of the Democrats strategy for these elections to use the war as a crude bludgeon to beat Republicans about the head politically, nevermind what that means for the mission and the country, as long as the poll numbers are on their side.
Cynical, shortsighted, self centered and frankly sickening.
Whoever the Republican nominee ends up being needs to use this sort of Iraq retrospective timeline to nail the Democrats selfish, destructive strategy for their own power above the interests of the nation, the Iraqi people, and most of all the American service men and women in harm’s way because of the votes from these same Democrats to send them there when the polls said that position would be favorable politically.
The Democrats holding the funding hostage for Pelosi’s personal pork bribery industry should be made to damage the whole Democrat ticket in the general election campaign.
Make it hurt.
Make it stick.
Make it work.
Merry Christmas Michelle–to you and your family–thanks for all you do, holding the MSM accountable for their lies, misinformation, and omissions, and keeping us informed and entertained at the same time!
I know exactly what you mean, which is why I come to michellemalkin.com.
I’ll admit I’ve been a troll here for about 2 years, reading daily, but never commenting. Lately, though, I have started reading the comments more, and getting solace from them. The items Ms. Malkin posts, from immigration, to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, to the various moon-battery that infests this nation gets my blood boiling nearly every day. Living in a majority-left area, northern Virginia, doesn’t help either. But I get comfort from the fact that so many people that post here experience the same blood-boiling anger at these stories, and that is incredibly helpful. Reading MM, LGF, JihadWatch, Newsbusters, and thereligionofpeace.com (to name a few)every week can get overwhelming, and as I say, reading the comments of like-minded Americans is what helps to keep me sane.
Merry Christmas to Ms. Malkin and all the folks who comment on here.
Outstanding as usual, Michelle. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Just excellent, Michelle. Thank you. Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your family for 2008
Another outstanding piece of work from our Journalist of the Year. Thank You Michelle.
Wow, that’s a lot of reviewing. My favorite is the ‘defeatocrats’ cheer. Anyway, thanks again, MM and Merry Christmas.
No news is good news? In our sick, anti-militari, anti-WOT media it is actually “Good News Is No News”.
There is so very much they could br reporting on, but as it doesn’t include an American body count, it puts Bush in a good light, possibly raising his poll numbrts and sin of all sins…exposes them to be the anti-American, biased, Liberal, non-objective Democrat tool that they are, and would most certainly turn public opinion about the war back into the “pro” column from the “con”, you can bet your sweet bippy they aren’t going to be reporting anything thry vsn’t sensationslize.
Back to sleep now, snack eaten.
Lt. Mark J. Daily, you are the essence of what makes America great. I proudly salute you and all that you represent.
a most excellent post, thank you Ms Malkin! it’d been a while since my last read of 2LT Daily’s post and it needed reading again.
mattymatt10 said,
just wanted to say that is normally the definition of a ‘lurker’ as it’s the trolls who *do* comment, much to the chagrin of rational folk. i’m usually lurking too but still, welcome to the comments
Thank you for this post.
I am on vacation this week, safe and warm in my home thanks to the dedication and courage of the men and women of the United States military. The greatest military the world has ever known. Thank you guys, you are in my heart and prayers always and forever. May God Bless and Merry Christmas.
And Michelle, your journey to the war front earlier this year illustrated your dedication to our country and troops even in the face of the obvious danger involved. You and the team you have assembled are an inspiration to all Red Blooded Americans; Patriots one and all.
I look forward to your next post. And, as always, May God Bless you and your families.
Merry Christmas mattymatt, commenters and readers!
Outstanding Michelle and very moving.
I am also grateful you do not let those in the MSM who attack our military not get away with it. It is so important to many not to let what happened to our military in Vietnam happen again.
The Democrats should hang their heads in shame for their appalling behavior this past year. It was the year Democrats hoped for the US to lose a war and resented it when we didn’t. Disgraceful and very telling about the Democratic party which is diseased to the core, IMO.
Always amazes me that the U.S. can still find such fine soldiers. May god bless each and every one of them, and their families, this Christmas season.
Thanks Michelle for reminding us of them and the sacrifices they make for us on a daily basis.
Merry Christmas to all!
Though the Lame Stream Media has lost their monopoly, they are still extremely lame and becoming more lame and pathetic by the day.
Thank You Michelle for all you do, may you and yours be blessed in 2008 and always… To our troops you are the best of the best. I thank you from the bottom of my heart,may you be safe, and you and yours blessed,as well in 2008 and always…. And for the “mob” Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!!! GOD BLESS…
Pretty easy task for them – “biggest”: computer search for column inches (and maybe broadcast minutes). Which means you’ll probably find Madeleine McCann and Stacy Peterson pretty high up there.
First – Merry Christmas to Michelle and all her readers and posters. May the Lord (by whatever name you call Him) bless you and keep you.
May God bless families to be a bastion of strength in tough times. Especially bless those who parent alone for any reason.
May God bless our philosophical opponents, that they understand the very deep-seated rationale for our position as we grow to understand theirs. Ultimately, we’re in this together.
May God bless our people in uniform, who do more good work with action than the vast millions do arguing about it online. I’m shamelessly pround of each and every one of you. You will forever have a place at my table.
May God bless our youth, so that they will hear what we try to teach them and be ready to take the mantle of leadership in the greatest nation on earth.
And, lastly, May God bless us individually, so that we may all learn to love, give, hope, dream and serve more.
Amen
Gee, I hate to sound like a broken record but…Thanks to Michelle for all the thoughtful and insightful prose. Thanks to the great folks who post here. A special thanks should go to the all of the Politicians for the great
materialfodder they provide for us (and our enemies) to comment on. No really, I mean that sincerely!Last and most importantly, a heartfelt thanks to the men and women who serve to provide us a safe and comfortable place to live. I always say a prayer for there safety and success.
God Bless All!!
Amen!
Good morning all,
There was a new poll on my Roadrunner home page today asking “what was the biggest story of the year?” the choices were digusting. anna nicole, oj arrested, ca. wild fires, va.tech massacre, minn bridge collapse and something else. Needless to say i voted for something else. va tech, was leading.
There are hundreds of humanitarian stories from the past year that out weigh any of the MSM’s picks for this topic but if it’s not tabloid in you’re face sensationalism forget it. Cable coverage and the way they dwell on the most childish and unimportant issues is mind boggling. this year more than any other, the internet has called these crapweasels out on events that should be covered and would go un-reported at all if it wasn’t for the bloggers where the voice of the people can be heard and is being heard across the world and particularly here in the US. As you said Michelle, “One of the wonderful benefits of the Internet is that it ended the monopoly of the MSM Deciders. Permanently.”
HERE! HERE! *all glasses raised!*
Merry Christmas Michelle Malkin
& to your family also
Thank you for the privilege of being able to comment on your site.
Merry Christmas Everyone
Thank you for your thoughts & commeradery.
Merry Christmas Troops
Thank you & God Bless & Protect you.
Merry Christmas World
May your Heart be made This Night, HIS cradle
Happy Birthday Little Lord Jesus
You came into Darkness to lead us into Light. Alleluia! Amen, Amen
Victoria – O magnum mysterium
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNnRovyUJ_M
The reason the Democrats turn me off, is because they talk about getting “out of the war”, not “winning the war”. That is a huge distinction, and one Republicans seem to ignore (they are too busy trying to get “out of the debate” and not “win the debate”). If Democrats had any integrity, they would be saying. “Get us out of Korea, and get us out of Germany, and …” I read the Democratic slogan as “get us out of their wars so we can have our own. ”
But in my humble opinion, we have oversold the whole Iraq story. It will go down as really one of the minor conflicts (like the Spanish/American War). We won that war in 3 weeks. Being Americans we agonize over everything including the mop up job afterwards. We went through it in Japan, we went through it in Germany and we go through it in every victory. The only way to turn such a victory into a defeat is to “get out of the war.”
The difference. TV and BLOGS
God bless you, Michelle, as well as, all the bloggers who have worked so hard to balance the scale and keep us informed. Thank God, for the internet that gives you the ability to do that.
Our military has such a deep obligation to the bloggers for being there to get the correct story out.
Forty years ago, the msm and their enablers, the democrats, were able to distort the message, mold American opinion, and denigrate the military, because there was no internet with the bloggers like Michelle Malkin, to call them out and shine lights on the cockroaches.
I believe the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be accomplished. In large part due to the bloggers at home lighting the watch fires, and presenting the truth about the efforts of our valiant young men and women in the military. Also, by exposing the treasonous fraud perpetuated by the media and their running dogs in politics and academia.
Your yearly perspective was a nice reminder of how well our military is doing, and how much we should appreciate them.
Michelle- That was a wonderful post.
I am so glad that you are out there.
Thanks for the great job you did this past year and for your courageous trip to Iraq to find out the truth for yourself.
Michelle, wonderful post … Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thanks for all you do.
The bloggers who went to Iraq deserve high mention, for without their collective work we may never have known what was really happening in Iraq — And that could have led to disaster.
I will not wish you a Merry Christmas due to personal beliefs.
However!
I do wish to send a special thanks to Michelle Malkin for carrying the Conservative torch and for helping us to keep up with the news that the drain dream media will not inform us of.
An additional thanks goes to the vast majority of the readers here who constantly (Whether we always agree or not) remind me that I am not alone in my (Very) Conservative opinions or my belief in the Real America and what it has always stood for.
THANK YOU ALL!
The surge is the lead story of the year, no doubt about it. And its success if very gratifying. May that success hold.
[And let's not forget the story that I maintain is a close number 2 -- Russia returning to a one-party dictatorship, oil rich, bellicose, and under a creature who will cause us far more grief than Saddam ever did. We're in big trouble, folks. Number 2, indeed. Far deeper than most people realize and certainly more than our government, who should look us in the eyes for a change, will admit.]
I regret my angry tone. Nevertheless, the surge should have taken place two years ago. Many people were calling for it, including I believe some democrats. A lot of people would be alive today if it had been done. Why Bush dithered until the democrats controlled congress making the task vastly more difficult, simply astounds me. This appalling fact should be discussed, it should be investigated, in conservative circles if no where else. But nobody touches it. Among conservative intellectuals, only David Horowitz has lost all patience with the Bush Administration.
It appears the casualties were perceived as an acceptable cost of doing business in the Mid-East — until one day they became unacceptable. Something similar will happen with border enforcement, one day. One of my nightmares is that if the Republicans had kept Congress, the surge would never have happened.
Bush is a catastrophe for this nation, a bizarre combo-Carter&Johnson whose affects would require a Washingon-Lincoln to undo. Good luck with that.
The war against Iraq was necessary. It is part of the war against global Jihad. I supported the war from the beginning and I lost friends because of my support. It was and is a major source of friction in the home. I deal with it.
I do not fault that mistakes were made early on in this war in understanding the nature of the enemy. Such errors are likely unavoidable. We were all learning. But that this Administration, far more than Republicans typically do, acted more for Democrat approval and making deals with the party of treason than performing the core government function of protecting the lives and property of its citizens; that this administration exhibited continual brazen contempt for its base, along with relative indifference (i.e. it’s better than the democrats, but who isn’t?) to the soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect the government and its people, leads me to humbly request that the acts of this administration should neither be forgotten nor forgiven in coming years.
_________________________________
For President, David Petraeus; for Vice President, David Horowitz.
I may not agree with you, Allah or Bryan 100% of time, no one should, but, you are my second read of the day and Hotair my last of the day…everyday. Thank you for all you guys do, keep up the good work and I will wish you and all a Merry Christmas (even though I am an atheist) and a Happy New Year…it is the reason for the season after all!!
From both an intellectual and historical perspective, the surge is without a doubt the story of the year. General Petraeus’ strategy has provided a new chapter in the art of war, and will be studied and copied from now on. It is THE definitive work on both asymetrical and unconvential urban warfare. In short, it is an incredible strategy.
The fact that the MSM choose not to recognize this historic development only serves to reveal the lack of intellectual thought and objectivity that is all too prevalent in the “legacy media”.
But, beyond the surge strategy, the underlying reason for the success is the American military – those men and women who are driven to volunteer by a higher calling; a sense of responsibility to truly make the world a better place and to preserve those freedoms that are by no means free.
The story of this year, and probably many years to come, is the american soldier, sailor, marine and airman. They are true patriots who are willing to put it all on the line for our great nation. People speak of the servicemen and women of World War II as “the greatest generation”. Our men and women in uniform today are at least equal to that standard.
God Bless them all, and God Bless this Country.
After all the garbage from the lefty loons and the people they support in congress, I am re-evaluating my liberal friendships. Can you be friends with uninformed, intelligent, people that support liberal america hating polititians and causes? This will be my New Years resolution. For now, Merry Christmas from all of mine to all of yours.
As an Army veteran of 24 years service and out for some 14 years, I am still particularly amazed by men such as Mark Daily, Travis Patriquin, and other LEADERS such as General David Patreus.
Having some familiarity with the system that trains and molds them, what is amazing is that still — amidst self obsessed and cushy Americana — they volunteer and always strive to excell at manning the wall for us.
And lastly, thank you Michelle for your manning the wall and telling us the real story about such CITIZENS.
Where do we get such people? Oh Lord that we would strive to be worthy of them.
This story is huge in a number of ways. Anyone tempted to vote for a Democrat should remember that they continually root against us. They also smeared a decent honorable man who is getting the job done, for their own political reasons. And the Internet has finally broken the choke-hold the MSM has enjoyed over the news for several lifetimes. It is probably the one big reason Iraq will not be Vietnam – the MSM and the Democrats can’t claim defeat with impunity anymore.
And a shout out to ArmoredCav and all of you serving around the world – Merry Christmas and stay safe!
And Time’s Person of the Year is Vladmir Putin. That tells me everything I need to know about the MSM. Peyton Manning is a great football player, Lance Armstrong a great athlete that defeated much adversity, but for my money, kids couldn’t do better than to hold men like 2nd Lt. Mark J. Daily up as a role model worth emulating. God bless the military and Merry Christmas to ALL.
I wonder which one the media hates the most, admitting they were wrong about the serge or admitting that President Bush was right about the surge.
Among the MSM hatred of America is considered a threshold IQ question. Idiots love America, geniuses hate it. There is no middle to the MSM. All moonbats are geniuses.
Think of the bell curve – some are on the Left, some on the Right…
Agreed, in the multiple sense that not only did the surge turn around the security situation in Iraq better than most of us hoped (or feared, if one is a lefty), but it also exposed the donkeys’ huge mistake of grossly misinterpreting the results of the 2006 election – and thereby wrongly betting the farm on our defeat, failure and humiliation as a springboard to political power.
Never bet against the USA. History has shown again and again what a foolish wager that is.
Anyway, those would be stories #1 and #2 of the year, in my book.
Lastly, Merry Xmas to Michelle, her family and her community here. It’s been a heck of a year to blog about, and a helluva blogress to do it.
Michelle, what can I say that hasn’t already been said? You do important work and no one I know does it with so much of their heart thrusted into it.
Thank you for providing us with a place where we can vent our frustrations, come together as Americans in support of our troops and hold our politicians accountable.
I will never forget – Lt. Mark J. Daily, Capt. Travis Patriquin, L.t Michael Murphy, Cpl, Jason L. Dunham, and countless others. Thank you for your sacrifice. I hope to meet you one day in heaven.
Thank you to our troops who are still fighting the good fight (ArmoredCav, Army, etc). May God bless and keep you. Stay safe and have a very Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas fellow Malkinites!!!
Merry Christmas to the lady who never sleeps and to all who regularly read this lady’s posts. Thanks for this site and Hot Air as well. Keep up the great work!
If you have a lemon, put spin on it.
Four score days and six years ago, we were attacked by bin Laden.
He’s still on the loose.
Meanwhile we’re off on some wild tangent spending trillions of dollars and shedding American blood on imaginary WMD, a ’swamp-draining’ to defend Israel for the neoconservatives, and a loony-tunes quixotic Crusade to turn half-civilized and corrupt Musselmen into diversity loving feminist democrats.
Hold on there alphonse, the crapweasel troll thread is down the hall titled “grinches of christmas eve”
dltdhyotwo
I noticed that they rated the (still coming) mortgage crises above the election, and the immigration issue.
The AP’s primary issue to to highlight anything they can blame on the administration, i.e. gun control (or lack thereof), economy, Iraq.
Merry Christmas Michelle (and the rest of you Malkinites) and Happy 2008. May it end on a high note.
Spot on as usual Michelle. God Bless You for being our light in the wilderness.
May you and your family enjoy a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
#34On December 24th, 2007 at 11:45 am,
I agree. I’ve even started asking the women I meet right off if they’re liberal. If they say yes, I go away. No sane person can have a meaningful relationship with a liberal. As someone on this site said “Liberalism is a mental illness”
You don’t hear much in the news about Iraq anymore. I remember back before the surge, there would be a suicide bombing in or near some Mosque in Iraq nearly every Friday. Because of the time difference, it would make the late news here on Thursday night and then would be reported again all day on Friday. Some stations would even report it over the weekend as an event that took place “today”. I assumed they were just showing pre-taped news or were too lasy to re-write the script on the weekend; but now I’m not so sure.
By reporting the same event 2 or 3 days in a row, it made it look like more than one event, and it exagerated the bad news coming out of Iraq. It’s obvious to me now that they were trying to mold public opinion and increase oppositon to the war. And now that’s its good news coming out of Iraq, they don’t report much of anything. Apparently, the success in Iraq has still not gone on long enough to be a “trend” yet.
If Iraq was a football game, General Patraeus would be 2007 Man of the Year, hands down. When it was being reported that the war was lost and the surge had failed, General Patraeus snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. But by doing so, he “betrayed” the Libs and their MSM friends and so they will not give him the credit he deserves.
Thanks to Michelle for keeping us informed all year by reporting the news the NY Times does not feel fit to print! I hope you all have a merry and peaceful Christmas.
Merry Christmas to Michelles Mob.This next April I will have 31 years active and reserve time.I know soldiers.Generally they dont want thank yous or pats on the back.They know what is a stake in this thing.They want to do the mission and succede.They know that some in this country look upon them as killers and ingrates,even fools.The military does not teach you how to kill,it teaches you how to survive,killing comes as part of that.They know when they are being used in a political game and can smell a political rat like they can smell an enemy ambush.This country is very lucky to have these men and women having their back.If not for all who have served and fought there would be no rights to not stand in a line for toilet paper,have an abortion,worship whatever religion,own more than a camel or donkey and work in the career field they choose.I thank God that we have the “best,brightest and the willing”every day.
May GOD bless each and everyone of us.
Keep us safe, bless us, protect us, guide us – in these troubled times.
Our nation is under siege from a corrupt government. Help us to know what YOU would want us to do. To fight the good fight and never surrender to evil.
Thank you for YOUR SON, Jesus, who was born…….Your gift to us.
We need to remember and be ever mindful of WHO is in CHARGE in the end times.
This is my Christmas prayer to all of us.
AMEN
To Mark’s family: You must be so very proud of this unique, courageous and intelligent young man. We are.
If our elected officials had the amount of honesty, honor, courage and integrity that Mark had just in his little finger, the world would be a better place. But, in their world, votes are more important than those qualities.
To all our wonderful troops, thank you for making it possible for me and my family to enjoy our Christmas this year, and we wish all of you a safe and merry Christmas.
Just read through the “List” and of course am not suprised at the leftward slant.
The point about the immigration bill failing in Congress “due to Republican opposition” is wrong. It was overwhelming opposition from both sides. All my liberal/democrat acquaintances and friends are completely against amnesty, and in fact my very liberal hairdresser wants them all sent back.
AND rejection of amnesty by the people of this country more than anything.
If around 70% or so NY people didn’t want illegals to have driver’s licenses, then I have “some” hope left for this country.
As far as the MSM is concerned, they are becoming more and more insignificant every day. Just look at their numbers and you’ll see their viewers are but a puny portion of the US population
Merry Christmas Michelle & all the Malkins. God bless you for your unselfish dedication. You & your family take a lot of heat and abuse for standing up for what is right. I pray God’s loving & protecting arms surround you and your household!
Michelle, and Allahpundit at Hot Air, and everybody else:
Merry Christmas. God Bless, one and all.
Michelle – BZ! Thanks always for all YOU do to wake up America.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TROOPS!
MERRY CHRISTMAS MILITARY FAMILIES!
THANK YOU TROOPS!
You are giving us the best Christmas present ever! A new ally in the Middle East.
MM,
Merry Christmas to you, your family, and everybody over at hotair. This is one of your best lead stories of the year. Save the best for last!!! God bless the family of Capt. Travis Patriquin.
The guerilla
Mark Daily, I accept your explanation. Good luck.
Merry Christmas to all! It is a Glorious day in Western Pennsylvania.
I forgot to mention this in my earlier comments but your photograph “In the Slums of Baghdad” in my opinion is worthy of a Pulitzer Prize. It is authentic, real and powerful.
Merry Christmas to Michelle and family, and all of you “loud folks” who make this site so much fun to participate in.
Of course, Happy Holidays to all who serve our country, at home or abroad, and their families. We won’t forget you, or what has been sacrificed for all of us.
I look forward to Michelle dropping knowledge bombs on the Fox News Channel in the upcoming year, because now I get to see it on my brand new Olevia 237T LCD HDTV! Michelle’s head will be five or six times bigger in my living room, let’s hope not in real life!
Speaking of knowledge, I also received some reading material this morning:
Surrender is not an Option by John Bolton
Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell
This has turned out to be a Merry Christmas for us in this household, all the best to all of you!
Merry Christmas Mrs. Malkin and those that keep this site running. I pray Gods blessing on you and our brave service members around the world keeping us safe here at home.
Merry Christmas Michelle