Some news channels reported that President Obama never mentioned “victory” or “success” in his speech yesterday about bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq next year. Not true!
Obama didn’t use the word “victory” or “democracy,” but he did tell our troops plainly: “Under tough circumstances, the men and women of the United States military have served with honor, and succeeded beyond any expectation.” He also said American GIs had helped Iraq establish “legitimate institutions,” and they'll stay around a little longer “to promote an Iraqi government that is just, representative, and accountable.”
Beyond that, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said of our troops, “They don’t have to be told they’ve been successful. They know it.”
Welcome back, liberators! Well, with Saddam Hussein gone, a democracy replacing the old police state, and Obama declaring our successful U.S. combat troops can come home by the end of August 2010, it’s time to prepare an Iraq Victory Parade.
Congress should invite every available Iraq war veteran, anyone who served in 1991, from 2003 to 2010 and in “No-Fly Zone” operations in between, to show up in uniform in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010, to celebrate the victory of Iraqi freedom.
As the president told the troops yesterday:
“I want to be very clear: We sent our troops to Iraq to do away with Saddam Hussein’s regime -- and you got the job done.
“We kept our troops in Iraq to help establish a sovereign government -- and you got the job done.
“And we will leave the Iraqi people with a hard-earned opportunity to live a better life -- that is your achievement; that is the prospect that you have made possible.”
Democracy boulevard. A hard-won democracy in Iraq is something worth celebrating. This demands a Victory Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Frank Warner
Wait! Didn't we already celebrate?
Posted by: jj mollo | March 01, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Wait! Didn't we already celebrate?
Posted by: jj mollo | March 01, 2009 at 02:03 PM