ON LOSING GROUND (1/2/06)

The Rev. Dana Prom Smith, S.T.D., Ph.D.

George Bush is constant. He speaks in slogans, "stay the course," "not cut and run," and "stand with the Iraqis. " As a consequence, his words have little meaning. The word "victory" drops from his lips. Even some Democratic senatorial weenies call for "victory."

No one has defined "victory." Does it mean insurgents and terrorists will be vanquished as in a World War II unconditional surrender? Does it mean free elections in Iraq? A stable government? A tranquil society? A prosperous Iraq? An end to killing? Acquiring Iraqi oil? Without a definition of victory victory is impossible.

His fuzzy thinking has turned "victory" into a nonsense word without meaning. Nonsense is not a cause for which anyone should fight, much less kill and maim the best of our youth.
We should only fight when the fight’s crucial and on grounds where we can win. We know by now that the Bush-Republican War in Iraq isn’t crucial to our national interest. Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo because he chose ground on which he could win. In Iraq Bush failed to choose winning ground.

A war that actually strengthens our enemies is self-defeating. Our best hope is a gradual withdrawl from the field. We aren’t on winning ground. Without a clear purpose there can be no victory.

Copyright (c) Dana Prom Smith 2006