Lambro's two-week Iraq flip-flop: From "they deserve our continued military support" to "our patience is coming to an end"
SUMMARY: Over the span of two weeks, Washington Times chief political correspondent Donald Lambro has apparently reversed his support of continued U.S. military action in Iraq, without acknowledging that he has done so.
Over the span of two weeks, Washington Times chief political correspondent Donald Lambro has apparently reversed his support of continued U.S. military action in Iraq, without acknowledging that he has done so. In his March 23 "Commentary" column for the Times, Lambro wrote that the Iraqis "deserve our continued military support until they can defend themselves from the evil forces that attacked us on September 11, 2001." However, in his April 6 column, Lambro wrote: "The word has gone out to Baghdad to get your act together, form a unity government and out your factional differences behind you for now. ... America's bravest and best have given their lives so that the Iraqis would have the freedom to choose their own government. They had better act soon, for our patience is at an end."
From Lambro's March 23 column:
Mr. Bush's optimism is based on a vision of what Iraq will become: a self-governing, robust democracy aligned with the West against the forces of terror. It will not come about quickly or easily, but it will happen.
Where his critics see only doom and gloom, Mr. Bush sees progress in the growing strength and skills of Iraqi troops, in the hunger for a better life in the Iraqi people, and in the terrorists' inability to stop the movement to self-government.
A country can live with terrorism for a long time by combating it while it builds itself up as a nation. Look at Israel. The bombings did not wear down the Israeli people. They only became more determined to do whatever was necessary to secure their safety and freedom and preserve their nation.
That's what Iraqis are doing and that's why they deserve our continued military support until they can defend themselves from the evil forces that attacked us on September 11, 2001.
On April 6, Lambro wrote:
The Bush administration is stepping up the pressure on Iraq's political leaders to reach an agreement on a new government after four months of stalemate and bickering.
With U.S. polls showing eroding public support for the war in Iraq, and voters preparing to take out their frustrations and fears in the fall elections, President Bush is getting tougher with the Iraqis. The word has gone out to Baghdad to get your act together, form a unity government and put your factional differences behind you for now. America's patience is finite and the time is coming when you must either pull together or ... well, the U.S. isn't saying what comes next, not yet, but the administration's warnings are clear and chilling.
First came admonitions from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that in the end, the Iraqis were going to win this fight for their national survival and freedom or they would lose it. Yes, the U.S. would help and be there for them when needed, but they would have to fight the bulk of the battles on their own.
[...]
The time for diplomatic schmoozing was over. America's bravest and best have given their lives so that the Iraqis would have the freedom to choose their own government. They had better act soon, for our patience is coming to an end.
Lambro says, "America's bravest and best have given their lives so that the Iraqis would have the freedom to choose their own government."
Wow. Those troops who gave their lives may have had the mistaken notion that their job was to DEFEND the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. That their lives would be put in harm's way ONLY if America was threatened. That their duty was to protect Americans, and defend OUR Constitution. That their lives were precious, and would be expended ONLY for defending FREEDOM of AMERICANS.
And that anything LESS than that would be placing their lives in danger for a cause not worthy enough of their ultimate sacrifice.
Has there truly been a shift in our military's CORE MISSION? Do we now tell our children that they are signing up to fight so that people of other lands, lands numbering in the hundreds, might have "the freedom to choose their own government?" And that those people MIGHT choose a government made up of terrorists? And that THIS is what their lives will be sacrificed for, and NOT defending the USA?
This IS the result of the new "Bush Doctrine" ... our military no longer fights to defend America. If you enlist in Bush's army, you will NOT be defending the United States. You will be fighting for somebody else's "freedom" ... a "freedom" that might well install a government hostile to the United States.
Interesting how you mention "those people MIGHT choose a government made up of terrorists". That really brings to mind the recent Palestinian elections where the majority went to Hamas. Just what kind of leaders will the Iraqi's vote for?
...since the end of WWII. We go around defending OTHER people's freedom. American freedom wasn't even threatened by the Soviets (who had no aspirations of trying to overthrow our government or way of life).
But regarding this flip-flopping, if Lambro had more backbone, he would have acknowledged his reversal, but I'm never-the-less glad that he's reversed. China, Al Queda, and Iran are happy to see us remain in Iraq: and those neocons that can't admit that they've drastically erred. But prudence, if not pride, demands that we withdraw.
That has not been America's sole purpose since WW II, not at all. There have been many horrible mistakes, such as Vietnam. And this war certainly isn't creating freedom either.
This is pretty "normal" conservative behavior. They do this all the time. Remember when Bush said he'd fire anyone who leaked classified information? Now it turns out HE was the leaker. Remember when we were invading Iraq to defend ourselves agains weapons of mass destruction? Then later it was to free the poor down-trodden Iraqis from a brutal dictator. Then later it was because Saddam had given aid and support to Al Qaida. These so-called conservatives regularly say one thing one week and the opposite thing a couple of days or weeks later. They have no consistency, no credibility and absolutely no scruples.