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The Price of Freedom

The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Nor have I been sitting on the beach earning that 20%. While my absence may have been perceived by many as brief, I’m sure it has been perceived by some as too brief.

Last week Americans took to the streets to protest the War in Iraq. I’m sorry to say, but I agree with them. I am against a war with Iraq. It’s a good thing we’re not in one, then. The time for warfare has, for the most part, passed. Those soldiers that remain find themselves tasked with a new mission: securing the peace of Iraq. Saddam is no longer in power. The purveyors of terror have been stripped of their wares. Schools have expanded their curriculum past the demagoguery of Hussein. A fledgling nation has sown the seeds of democracy in a land that has seen freedom crushed for decades. In this endeavor, the United States has offered the Constitution, the greatest document in existence, as a map to guide the Iraqi’s travels. It is important to remember these things as we examine the role of the United States in Iraq’s future.

The United States does not engage in nation building. But that is not what we are doing in Iraq. The destiny of the Iraqi people lies solely in the hands of Iraqi’s. It is they who will determine how Iraq will embrace her future. Islamic law will undoubtedly guide them. We have no wish to dissuade it from doing so. But what we do wish is to see an Iraq with the courage and safety to freely explore a future of liberty and prosperity.

It seems odd to me that the very people who demand human rights for everyone the loudest are the ones who would abandon Iraq the fastest. Iraq faces a critical period now. She is a nation reborn, one still feeling out her new wings. There remain malevolent entities both inside Iraq and out that would like to see her fail. The United States remains a presence in Iraq to protect its people - to prevent her from falling prey to those who would quickly thumb its citizens under once again. Surely we have learned this lesson already in Afghanistan, where a vacancy left after the war with the Soviets allowed an extremist group to suppress the rights of the Afghani people. That suppression not only has affected the people of Afghanistan, but the rest of the world as well. The embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the bombing of the USS Cole, and the murderous attacks on the World Trade Center bare witness to that fact.

We stand at a crossroads now. The future of Iraq lies at the end of each path. We as a nation must decide which future would be best for the people of both Iraq and the world. By placing an arbitrary date on the removal of our troops from the country, we risk a path that could end in disaster. By going at it alone, we face the condemnation of countries that feel our presence undermines the fundamental Islamic beliefs of the region. It is clear, then, that the best course of action is one that unifies the nations of the world around Iraq. The steps to be taken in that unification remain unclear, but it is imperative that they be defined and they be acted upon. Iraq has a commodity much more precious than oil. She has life. That is what we must embrace. It will not be easy. But the future of Iraq, her peace, her prosperity, and her friendship, lie at the end of the path we must take. Iraq deserves her freedom. We, as a nation – as a world – owe her that much.

The soldiers who remain in Iraq are amongst the bravest on the planet. While their mission is clear, their job remains dangerous. Many around the world remain confused over their intentions. But the job they do now will remain an example of professionalism and compassion to be handed down to posterity. As time moves forward, history will look upon their actions with a critical eye. Their leadership is strong, and while one hand wields the sword, the other is extended in brotherhood. I have no doubt that when history does examine their actions, the soldiers and Marines of the United States will be judged well.

So I agree with the protestors; I am against war with Iraq. It is fortunate, then, that we are not engaged in one.

Michael Farmer / TheTanker.Com E-Mail readermail@TheTanker.Com

"HEADSHOT" Featuring John Bertetto