Unwanted Endorsements: Harsh Language Hurting the Troops
Commentary by Steve Yuhas
April 13, 2004

One would think that leaders of the Democratic Party would understand that the words they use while debating the events of the war on terror matter and affect events on the ground.  I can hear it now, “but the First Amendment gives everyone the right to say whatever they want…”  True, but when leaders of our nation speak the world listens and that includes people who would do us and our troops harm.

United States Marines and Iraqi security forces are engaged in a battle in Iraq to crush a mob of radical Islamic insurgents.  In his zeal to help Senator John Kerry unseat President Bush in the November election, Senator Ted Kennedy gives speeches that would never have happened any time in our history.  An example of one of his rants is the Brookings Institution speech Kennedy gave while Marines were being shot at from a mosque in Iraq. 

Using the harshest language yet in this campaign season Kennedy made the headlines with his characterization of the progress of the war in Iraq. 

"This president has now created the largest credibility gap since Richard Nixon. He has broken the basic bond of trust with the American people. He's the problem, not the solution. Iraq is George Bush's Vietnam, and this country needs a new president.”  Kennedy said.

Less than 24 hours after Kennedy made his unfortunate remarks the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr whose militia is firing upon and killing United States soldiers and Marines issued a statement eerily similar to Kennedy’s:

"I call upon the American people to stand beside their brethren, the Iraqi people, who are suffering an injustice by your rulers and the occupying army, to help them in the transfer of power to honest Iraqis, otherwise, Iraq will be another Vietnam for America and the occupiers."

Al-Sadr’s comments about the injustice by rulers could be instigated by any of a number of characterizations by Democrats that President Bush concocted the war in Iraq for political gain or that the President “betrayed” America (as former Vice President Gore put it) or that the administration is just a bunch of liars (as John Kerry was caught saying on an open microphone). 

Does anyone really believe that Vietnam would be on the minds of 30-year-old Iraqi radical Islamists if Democrat leaders and candidates weren’t using the same imagery on national and international television?  Does anyone else see the horrifying irony that the same language used by Democrats in this country is being used by terrorists wanting to kill us and our troops overseas?

Not even the commission established to consider the events of September 11^th was immune from partisan criticism of the policy in Iraq.  Forgetting for a moment that the charge of the Commission is to look into the events of 9-11 and the actions of the Clinton and Bush administration with respect to terrorism and that the commission is supposed to be non-partisan, what comments from Monday morning quarterbacks about Iraq are doing there is beyond comprehension.

Former Senator Bob Kerry and his groupies who applaud every attempt to bash the Bush administration begged for Condoleezza Rice to appear in public before the commission to answer questions and when she finally appeared, Kerry’s questions opened with a five minute diatribe about what he thinks is going on in Iraq:

“I think we're going to end up with civil war if we continue down the military operation strategies that we have in place,” he said, “And I wanted to tell you that I think the military operations are dangerously off track. And it's largely a U.S. Army -- 125,000 out of 145,000 -- largely a Christian army in a Muslim nation. So I take that on board for what it's worth.”

What it is worth?  About nothing, except to the people on the ground in Iraq who watch the proceedings taking place grinning from ear to ear that our government is spending time pointing fingers at one administration or the other for an attack that they executed.  It would be fodder for late night television if it were not so serious.

It is not often that one thinks back to the past and thinks about the glory days of the United States.  There was a time when troops were in harms way that people rallied around the President and supported them.  People gave up their cars for tanks, their bread so that soldiers could eat and their livelihood so they could help with the war effort.  Politics used to stop at the waters edge and leaders of the opposition held their tongues while troops were executing a war on our behalf.

Those days are no more.

Today we live in a nation where political parties work hard to destroy a President using language that can do nothing but reinforce in opponents to liberty and freedom that they have a chance at winning.  Imagine the joy terrorists plotting the next September 11^th must feel knowing that whatever they do, whenever they strike they will no longer be the ones to blame and the wrath of the opposition party will befall whomever happens to be in the White House.

Imagine for a moment that you’re the publicist for Al-Sadr, Al Qaeda, Hamas or any other radical Islamic terrorist group that wants to do harm to our nation and our fellow citizens.  You could use the language of Islam to level your indictment against freedom and capitalism or you could simply quote the Democratic leaders of our nation describing the President as a liar who betrayed our country.  What would you choose to rally your troops against us?

I sincerely hope that Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Al Gore, and all the other leaders of the Democratic Party are happy with the results of their rhetoric.  From this day forward we should all remind them that the blood of our troops killed under the banner of their talking points is on their hands.  President Bush must have our forces gain control in Iraq, but every statement by Democratic leaders gives hope to the militias brandishing machine guns and rocket propelled grenades that they just might win this struggle.

Whether you agree or disagree with the policy for going into Iraq, we are there now and we must win – all of us as a nation or we will ultimately pay the price on a calm September morning one day in the future.