They're Fighting the Wrong War

I have often heard liberals say that the war in Iraq is "the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time". It has been a battle cry for some, so vehemently opposed to this war are they. The trouble is, they don't realize how accurate a statement that is, in a manner of speaking.

Rep. John Murtha, (D.-PA.) has become a spokesperson for this group of ideologues. A man who has honorably served his country, first as a Marine, then as a member of Congress for over 30 years, his reputation is good. He has earned the right to speak out about the war and the troops. He most definitely has a right to his opinion and he has some deeper knowledge of what it is like to be a soldier. Unfortunately, his opinion about the war in Iraq is wrong.

Murtha has become the poster-boy for those who have either opposed the war from the beginning or have grown impatient with the ongoing conflict. His military record makes him an "untouchable" (much to the joy of the liberals), similar to the 9/11 widows who have become politicized by the left. The liberals believe that since Rep. Murtha served (very honorably, it would seem) in combat in Vietnam, he can say anything he wishes about the Iraq war and should not be held accountable for his statements, much less debated. In other words, since he's "been there and done that" he must be right and how dare anyone question his opinion.

Well, I dare question it, as do many other conservatives. I have a great amount of respect for Rep. Murtha's service to our country. There is no doubt in my mind that he loves his country, to have served it in combat as he did. However, it does not make him an expert or even infallible when it comes to the current conflict. All of Mr. Murtha's personal military experience comes from the Vietnam era, it would seem. As a result, his past experiences with that conflict color his current understanding of the Iraq war. Murtha has fallen into the trap that many others who oppose the war have. He has been comparing this war with Vietnam.

While I can understand drawing some comparisons, this is dangerous thinking. It is important to learn the lessons of history and apply them to situations today, but to assume that we are fighting the same war today as when we were in Vietnam is a very serious miscalculation.

The Vietnam war was similar to the Iraq war in that both were highly unpopular wars with the people and the politicians. Both, it might be said, were political wars. Both wars were fought in very foreign, difficult countries where the enemy was often difficult to distinguish from the good guys. Both wars lost support as time passed.

There is at least one striking difference however, and it must not be ignored. The Vietnam war was fought as part of a larger war against communism. It attacked a well-known political ideology. The war in Iraq is also part of a larger war, the war on terror. However, this war is not simply against a political opponent, but rather a religious one. This is important because in politics, the better, stronger political idea, in this case democracy and capitalism, will ultimately be victorious because even uneducated people can recognize when good policies are working because it directly benefits them. Fighting a war against a religion or rather, a radical form of a religion, is much trickier because the end "victory" is not known until one dies, with each side believing they are right until the very end.

While Iraq is being won (and won over) to democracy because a democratic society is a better, more successful political idea, the war is far from over because we fight against a religious ideology that is still going strong, in Iraq and around the world. The problem we face is a serious one. America and it's allies, in large part, do not recognize the real enemy to our freedom. Our enemy is not a particular dictator or political regime, as it has been in past wars. Our enemy is radical, militant islam and the goal is to conquer and convert the world.

Militant islam waits and watches the conflict, patiently and with resolve, and they adapt their strategy as needed. They understand the war we are in they and are determined to win. They will not lose their resolve, they'll wait until we do. And it would seem that their wait will not be long.

On Meet The Press, with Tim Russert, Rep. Murtha made the comment, "We are not fighting the war. The soldiers are the ones fighting the war." While I think I understand what he was trying to say, a louder, probably unintended messages struck me. "This country is not fighting the war. We've left victory up to a few hundred thousand troops."

The liberal leadership believes that victory will come through force and strength alone. They are very wrong. In a war for our freedom, our way of life, and ultimately our very souls, the liberals have lost sight of who our enemy is and that for which we are fighting. They believe that the fight can take place half a world away and not be affected by anything here at home. They honestly believe that the battle is not here in America, even after the attacks of September 11. They believe that if we just protect America and do not take the fight to the enemy, that they might simply be content to leave us alone. They are wrong. They are fighting a new war with old tactics and ideas. They are unaware of the real enemy and the threat they pose. They wish to impose a timetable for this war to end. They don't know who, what and why we are fighting and that is perhaps the most frightening thing of all.