If The Democrats Are Serious About Supporting The Troops

I'm really getting sick of hearing the Democrat candidates complain about how the war is being fought, and saying the surge isn't working. If they are really serious about being a responsible leader capable of leading a country in a time of war, then they must first learn how to win the war. The first thing is to unite your people, next keep your mouth shut do not tell your enemy your plans in advance, and do not allow the media, opinion polls or politics to decide how you fight the war. Above all do not order your military to retreat when they tell you they can win.

The candidates keep talking about our casualties since we invaded Iraq. I regret each and every one but it is war and we will take casualties. No matter how great the technology becomes the outcome of the war will always be decided by the boots on the ground. Our military has been in Iraq for 4 years and 4 months, it began March 20, 2003. As of this writing we have 2,990 killed in action, with 647 non combat related deaths, for a total of 3,637 dead. Total wounded in action has been 26,953, however out of this number 14,838 have returned to duty after 72 hours. The other 12,115 did not return to duty. Keep in mind these numbers are not only for Iraq but also most of the Middle East, except Afghanistan.

I am a Vietnam vet and my heart goes out to each and every family and service member that has paid the ultimate price or been injured by this war. But, look at this war the same as previous wars Americans have fought in the past. On Iwo Jima in 35 long days of fighting we suffered 6,766 killed in action with a total 26,000 reported casualties, on an island covering 8 square miles. On Okinawa we suffered 38,000 casualties, 12,000 KIA or MIA over 82 days, 463 square miles. You could place either one of these islands within the Baghdad area. On June 6, 1944 while invading Europe America alone suffered 1465 dead, 3184 wounded, 1928 missing and 26 captured.

These are only 3 examples of battles in a war that lasted 4 years with millions of casualties. How did we win that war? We literally destroyed every major city in Germany and Japan. We saturated the ground with bombs from air, sea, and ground regretting but understanding there would be civilian casualties in the thousands. With boots on the ground our military fought the enemy where they found them until we finally said enough and used the atom bomb. Never during that war did our leaders inform the enemy of our plans. Never with all the death and casualty reports coming back to the US did Americans say stop we can't win. The leaders and the American people knew when they entered that war there would be no turning back until there was victory.

The Democrat candidates will not tell you how to win, they don't know. They won't explain how to withdraw without taking a large number of casualties, they don't know. If they believe this war should be fought the way WWII was, then they should say so and be ready for the fall out when we literally destroy Iraq to restart it from scratch. If they don't believe this, then they should shut their mouths and start listening to our military. They should stop helping and encouraging the enemy by saying we are loosing. Lastly, they should stop using the war and our troops to win an election.