The Road To Afghanistan
In the years leading up to the attack on 9/11/2001, our enemies watched how we responded to other terrorist attacks. We had a previous attack on the World Trade Center on 02/26/1993 that killed 6 people and injured approximately 1000. That certainly wasn’t the only attack. The U.S.S. Cole attack on 02/12/2000 that killed 17 sailors and injured 39 was another.
The day before the attack, our President indicated in a meeting that he passed on an opportunity to kill Osama Bin Laden. He indicated that 300 innocent people would’ve been killed and a town would’ve been destroyed so he elected not to kill Bin Laden. America lost 3000 innocent people on 9/11. I wonder why the media doesn’t show this video much?
I do understand that decisions like this to pull the trigger and kill our enemy would be hard for some people. Everybody can’t do it. Clearly he couldn’t do it. Was he the right man for the job? Pulling that trigger is part of the job when you’re the Commander in Chief / President of the United States of America. Saving 3000 people in America should be a priority over 300 people in Afghanistan. Over the years many promises were made to bring terrorist to justice. Threats were made to capture, prosecute or kill any terrorist group that killed American citizens. Very little action happened and not much justice either. The same American President got caught lying under oath. He called the woman he had sex with a liar until we found out that he was the liar.
So ok, 2001 rolls in and America has a new Sheriff in town. We have a new Commander in Chief. Hundreds of jokes were told in the media about the new Commander in Chief. Jokes about how he was a weak, incompetent and a racist. Images were created comparing the new Sheriff/ Commander in Chief to a monkey. The late night talk show host had jokes almost nightly about him being stupid with a low IQ. They released made up stories and documents about his military history. Osama Bin Laden must have thought that attacking Americans now was a good idea.
Everybody must have under estimated the new Sheriff in town. The new Commander said he would kick ass and he did it. Strategically, veterans can see what the new leader had in mind. After watching the previous administration get punked over and over, we needed a win. We quickly demonstrated dominance and control of Afghanistan. This is what a great military can do supported by strong leaders.
Next we skipped over Iran, kicked butt and took control of Iraq. At this stage we now established listening post, bases armed with heavy equipment, aircraft and fighting troops on both sides of Iran. For the first time, the United States military was within easy striking distance of our worst enemies. China, Iran and Syria had reason to worry. We’re now in position to clean up Afghanistan and Iraq. American troops controlled Iraq on one side and Afghanistan on the other. Our enemy Iran was locked in the middle.
The new Sheriff allowed the new governments forming in Afghanistan and Iraq to feel impowered. We gave the people for the first time a taste of freedom. Their local elected officials along with their own civilians were making policy. However, the perimeters and guidelines were controlled by the new Sheriff in town. Our enemies only respect one thing and that is force. We didn’t ask permission, we took control. Control by land, air, sea and space. By the time this Sheriff left office, there were fewer killings in Afghanistan and Iraq (in some months) than we had in Chicago, IL. All the next administration really had to do was to continue the practices that were already working. Instead, we quit and withdrew.