We ought to be disappointed. We ought to be enraged. We ought to be asking questions. The citizens of America, in anticipation of the coming presidential election, are being manipulated and played off in games of agenda-filled political discourse. Unfortunately, as democratic and republican politicians vie for absolute power, they are corrupting the minds of Americans by transforming the war in Iraq into a political apparatus to garner votes.
One needs to look no further than the recent testimonial by our commander in Iraq on Monday. Gen. David Petraeus demonstrated, in the midst of spending two days testifying before Congress on the state of the war in Iraq, that America is making substantial progress in fastening the security of the country. Although security advances have been haphazard at best, advances are being made and must not be overlooked.
However, on the very day that our commander spoke before Congress, a radical left organization named Moveon.org paid more than $100,000 to the New York Times to run an ad with the tagline reading "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" Without even sputtering a word, the general was condemned and assumed to be a puppet of the White House.
Nonetheless, it is important for Americans to reject dishonesty as a means to further political agenda. Many consider Petraeus to be nothing but an honorable man who sincerely believes that America can prevail. As a man who has inherited the task of rejuvenating Iraq’s security, questioning his integrity and crucifying him as a political puppet will only slash his human capital – something one of America’s most important individuals cannot afford. However, the implications are exacerbated by estimates that conclude that America will lose another 1,000 soldiers.
The stakes are high though – al-Qaida is on life support and an American withdrawal would give them air. Moreover, Iran is in check and a departure would initiate an Iranian run for the Persian Gulf. Although Iraq is a vital issue in the coming election, the military should not be manipulated for votes. Let us pray that democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., Sen. Obama, D-Ill., former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn, will publicly recant their position and condemn the ad.
As if matters could not get worse, on Syrian television, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said, "The truth is the war was wrong. The truth is that great damage and harm has been done to the Iraqi people." Perhaps the congressman had a small case of convenient amnesia and forgot that he was eliciting anti-Americanism in the face of a country that promotes terrorism.
With almost 200,000 Americans in combat zones, politicians are utilizing the war as a vote-getter and this is immoral. Americans need to send a clear signal to politicians that we are not gullible and will refuse to stand for immorality in the face of a war. Silence is complicity.
Jawanmardi, a poltical science senior, can be reached via [email protected]
