Comments on: “War is Not Simply Working” http://talkradionews.com/2008/03/%e2%80%9cwar-is-not-simply-working%e2%80%9d/ The Talk Radio News Service is the only information news service dedicated to serving the talk radio community. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:46:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: judy http://talkradionews.com/2008/03/%e2%80%9cwar-is-not-simply-working%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-2217 judy Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:49:45 +0000 http://talkradionews.com/2008/03/%e2%80%9cwar-is-not-simply-working%e2%80%9d/#comment-2217 Gold Star mothers get a pass on everything; however, Jim Gerstein doesn't speak for every voter. How do you spell left-wing p-r-o-p-a-g-a-n-d-a? Gold Star mothers get a pass on everything; however, Jim Gerstein doesn’t speak for every voter. How do you spell left-wing p-r-o-p-a-g-a-n-d-a?

]]> By: Richard F. Miller http://talkradionews.com/2008/03/%e2%80%9cwar-is-not-simply-working%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-2087 Richard F. Miller Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:23:52 +0000 http://talkradionews.com/2008/03/%e2%80%9cwar-is-not-simply-working%e2%80%9d/#comment-2087 It's difficult waging confrontational politics with those whose loss of children gives them a special entree into the argument. Nevertheless, policy issues remain paramount, and the narrative here completely misunderstands the war being waged against the Sadr's Mahdi Army. The left cannot have it both ways: first, excoriating the Iraqi government for behaving like a US "puppet" and then excoriating it again when it attempts to assert its central authority. And that is what the current round of fighting is all about. Those who wish Iraqis well would do well to urge them to relentlessly fight the Mahdis. Whether in Baghdad or downtown Washington, D.C., any government worthy of its name must monopolize armed force. Anything short of this is anarchy. If Bush & Co. is subject to criticism, it lies in their refusal to decisively defeat Sadr in 2004. As history proves, one can defer these conflicts but not indefinitely postpone them. It’s difficult waging confrontational politics with those whose loss of children gives them a special entree into the argument. Nevertheless, policy issues remain paramount, and the narrative here completely misunderstands the war being waged against the Sadr’s Mahdi Army.

The left cannot have it both ways: first, excoriating the Iraqi government for behaving like a US “puppet” and then excoriating it again when it attempts to assert its central authority. And that is what the current round of fighting is all about.

Those who wish Iraqis well would do well to urge them to relentlessly fight the Mahdis. Whether in Baghdad or downtown Washington, D.C., any government worthy of its name must monopolize armed force. Anything short of this is anarchy.

If Bush & Co. is subject to criticism, it lies in their refusal to decisively defeat Sadr in 2004. As history proves, one can defer these conflicts but not indefinitely postpone them.

]]>