Who Cares?
By Oliver North
January 26, 2007
Page 2 of 2
The political posturing doesn't stop with attacks on the White House. When Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, the new U.S. commander in Iraq, was asked by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee if such a non-binding measure would have the effect of aiding and abetting the enemy, he replied, "Yes, sir." For his straightforward, common sense response, he was admonished by an erstwhile Republican to avoid being "too political." This "gentleman of the Senate," fond of referring to himself as his state's "senior senator," has of course introduced his own pet resolution disputing the president's claim to be commander in chief.
A few hours after this odious exchange, an officer with whom I had spent many months in Iraq called me. "Do these people know what they are doing?" he inquired, clearly agitated.
"Which people?" I asked.
"These politicians who think we can win a war by committee. Do they even know that in the last two weeks we have set AQI (Al Qaeda in Iraq) and the Mahdi Army both back on their heels?" he answered. I was silent, so he continued, "Is there anyone in Washington who understands what this means? AQI terrorists are running like rats out of Ramadi. And the Mahdi Army is being cleaned out of Baghdad. Do they know how much harder all this rhetoric makes our job?"
My response was equivocal. "It's hard to tell what a member of Congress knows," I replied. Having just returned from visiting wounded troops anxious to return to their units and the families of those who have been extended in Iraq, I didn't have the heart to say that the more important question is: "Does anyone in Congress care?"
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Oliver North is the host of "War Stories" on the FOX News Channel.
COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA. >> Back -- Page 1 2
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