Have you liked working with the American soldiers?
General Ali: Yes, yes, yes. They believe me and I believe them. All the soldiers that have worked here know General Ali. I invite them to my house to eat with me and to train with me. I know they came to help the Iraqi people. That is why I work with them, that is why I tell my people the truth about the coalition. Before they might have disliked the US army because they did not have the real picture of the soldiers. I told the people though how the US army fought for us and also how they did projects for us. They fixed the schools, made roads, and made many things for the people of Iraq. The people see how we caught the terrorists, how we made it safe, they see that is more comfortable then under Saddam’s regime.
Meanwhile, in an important post, Wretchard writes:
Terrorism is extortion in the service of politics. Attacks on civilian targets are whole-page advertisements taken out to flog these wares on a reluctant public. The military power of terrorists is negligable. Despite the fantasies of those who imagine Iraq to be Vietnam, with divisions of NVA sending tanks down the road to Saigon; with legions of laborers dragging artillery pieces across the mountains to pound surrounded French garrisons into submission -- it is not that. Rather, it is a development of the techniques pioneered in the Algerian conflict against the French. It is the political and media power of terror which is important, not their military strength. And in a takeoff from Omar's riff on Maliki's email anecdote, I would venture to say that terror would have won against the US and the West already despite the vast power of America were it not for the Internet, which has ironically made it possible for neutralize the propaganda power of terror. The Internet makes it possible to show terror up for the murder that it is. To strip it of supposed justification. To remind people of what is never mentioned in the papers: that Osama like all men goes and takes a shit.
The aptness of Wretchard's observation is clearly shown by the first link to the Iraqi general's interview. The exclusive interview with a bigwig in the Iraqi military working with the Americans in Iraq would once have been something that the various outlets of the MSM (back in the days when they actually supported America and the wars America fought) would have competed to obtain and then print. Instead, the interview--which shows the American military in a positive light--could never premier in say, the NY Times or the LA Times. Both papers are far too busy undermining America in both the Iraq war and the larger war on terror (of course, they congratulate themselves and call what they are doing "speaking truth to power"). They are far too busy printing the daily death toll to put any of it into perspective for their readers.
As Wretchard notes, it is "the political and media power of terror which is important, not their military strength." And our own media has been well and truly duped by their not-so-secret admiration for the terrorists, who speak their own version of "truth to power"--the ever-popular "Do what I say, or I'll kill you".
Early on in this conflict, the terrorists successfully and rather easily converted the MSM to their cause; primarily because the ideologies that motivate the two are so compatible; and it is only through the freedom of the internet that at least a portion of the American public can begin to see the terrorists for the murderous thugs they are; and understand that America--as always, no matter what her flaws may be--remains on the side of truth, justice, and freedom.
The press in this country have always been free; but lately, their freedom has become like that of a drunk driver--so intoxicated by his own power and moral righteousness; and so convinced of his own invulnerabilty; so grandiose and lacking of insight and judgment; that he is unable to appreciate the suicidal and homicidal danger he now represents.
If not for the internet and for all the independent sources of news; if not for milbloggers like Tim Boggs who report directly from the frontlines without the guile or deceit; if not for the dissemination of the truth to counter the continuous propaganda of the enemy, printed and trumpeted daily in our own news media--the terrorists would have already achieved a final victory.
Because of the internet advantage, things are not going exactly as Zarqawi, Osama, Keller--and so many others on the left--anticipated or desired.
Their fantasies of turning Iraq and the GWOT into another Vietnam are failing.
Thank you, Sgt. Boggs. Happy 4th of July to you! And to REAL FREEDOM !
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