When was the last time you heard good news about our efforts in Iraq? Has the Obama administration done anything to let Americans know that victory is ours in Iraq?
Advertisement
Do you believe the liberal media are purposefully hiding the truth about what’s going on in Iraq?
Thanks to a presidential election season that largely ignored national security and the War on Terror, a struggling U.S. and worldwide economy and a largely disinterested media, most Americans remain unaware of the impressive accomplishments in Iraq—by the United States and by the Iraqis. Now that President Barack Obama is in charge, perhaps the media will take a greater stake in making that progress clear.
Townhall is proud to announce that the March 2009 issue, which is being mailed now, features an exclusive on-the-ground report from correspondent and photographer Michael Yon.
Yon, a former Green Baret who has spent more time embedded with combat units than any journalist in the world, was one of only a few reporters invited to join Defense Secretary Robert Gates on a whirlwind tour of Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite being the only non-MSM reporter to be invited, Yon was singled out by Secretary Gates for an exclusive one-on-one meeting.
This exclusive report, “Victory in Iraq—Next Stop, Afghanistan,” includes not only details from Yon’s meeting with the Secretary but also a unique look at what’s happening on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan based on Michael’s personal interviews with troops, first-hand experience on the front lines and understanding of the military and the region.
According to Yon: The Iraq War ended in 2008—and we won.
Recommended
Advertisement
In “Victory in Iraq—Next Stop, Afghanistan,” you’ll read the good news that the Left would just as soon ignore and hope you never hear. You’ll also get analysis of the road ahead in Afghanistan as we “surge” our troop levels there and fight to take out the Taliban. There’s a lot of work to be done, but it’s a challenge our military is ready and able to face.
Here’s some of what Michael Yon reports in “Victory in Iraq—Next Stop, Afghanistan”:
During the trip [with Secretary Gates], U.S. senior officers serving in the various countries met with reporters to discuss the current situation and challenges ahead. I talked privately with some experts, including American Enterprise Institute scholar and former West Point professor Fred Kagan, about matters such as opening a vibrant logistics land route through Russia to Afghanistan. After the trip, in Washington D.C., I met with retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who has garnered much media attention and criticism for his realistic analysis of the war. I also met with Dr. David Kilcullen, a retired Australian army officer and anthropologist, who offered his expertise on counterinsurgency. These and countless other meetings and combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a 1,000-mile drive across Afghanistan in recent months, have provided me with some thoughts about what’s going on in the two wars.
The bottom line: The Iraq War ended in 2008.
Iraq is still messy … but 2008 was a year of major progress. The nascent Iraqi government is no longer existentially threatened by the remaining terrorists, and many Iraqis have told me that they believe the war is over. In 2008, I walked in Baghdad marketplaces without helmet or body armor. The Iraqi dinar is appreciating against the dollar. In fact, many shops refuse to take dollars and accept only the dinar. Bush certainly proved that al Qaeda—which is on the run—can be beaten.
Yes, Iraq is still sometimes rattled by a relatively small number of less effective terrorists. The few attacks that continue are mostly against Iraqis. Some American units that are located in places where previously there had been pitched combat daily now go months without firing their weapons.
The resilience of the Iraqi people shines through as the country is coming back to life. Though the Iraqi army and police emphatically do not want to see the Americans leave too quickly, the necessary drawdown of U.S. troops is well underway. Caution is required here. If Obama draws down forces too quickly, expensive gains can be squandered and the blame will be his. The responsibility to invade Iraq and wage war belonged to Bush, but the responsibility for withdrawal is now Obama’s. If not done wisely, leaving could also spark war and crush our new ally.
If Obama heeds counsel from the extremely experienced military leadership under his command, he likely will be able to fulfill election promises to oversee the redeployment of U.S. forces, while nurturing a responsible relationship with our new ally, free Iraq.
Advertisement
Order today, and we'll throw in a FREE copy of Michael Yon's book, "Moment of Truth in Iraq."
***
Amanda Carpenter’s “Black and Republican” examines the inroads the GOP is making into the African-American community. The Party just elected a new chairman who is going to make a huge impact.
***
In “The Prince of Darkness as a Beacon of Dissent,” Robert Novak’s former understudy Timothy Carney gives readers a unique inside look at who the veteran columnist is. Carney, who wrote the Evans-Novak Political Report with Novak for the last few years, explains why Novak’s long career should serve as the inspiration for American skepticism about Big Government—especially during this time of “hope and change.”
***
Pastor Rick Warren’s friendship with Barack Obama has caused heartburn for the Right and anxiety for the Left. After Warren accepted the invitation to deliver the opening prayer of the inauguration, members of the Left—from the media to the activists—reacted as though they had been betrayed by the new president, while the Right had more questions about whether the world-famous evangelical leader was simply being used by the liberal administration.
“The Pastor and the Politician” details how this relationship started and asks the really important question: What does it mean?
***
Families who choose to homeschool their children have long been the subject of ridicule, ire and abuse. With the powerful feature “
Advertisement
Also, in the March issue:
*The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre tells why gun owners need to keep an eye on the new liberal government.Subscribe today, and get a FREE copy of Michael Yon’s book, “Moment of Truth in Iraq,” which is a compelling insider’s account from the Iraq War zone loaded with heart-pounding first-person reports, riveting stories and moving photography.
*Why the government needs to keep its hands off the Internet.
*Bernard Goldberg details the media’s “Slobbering Love Affair” with Obama.
*Combine Obamaniacs, alcohol, an inauguration and the D.C. bar scene and what do you get?
*Life Prizes honors the most outspoken pro-life activists.
*Should we apologize to Iran?
*Ann Coulter shocks a shock jock.
*A conservative politician is making progress in California.
*Mary Katharine Ham: Should Chicago political operatives really be running the Census Bureau?
*And much, much more. . .
Join the conversation as a VIP Member