The definition of the word ‘victory’ is the overcoming of an enemy or antagonist and the achievement of success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties.
Let’s take a look at what has happened since we invaded Iraq. We shot and killed two of most brutal men ever to control the country, the sons of Saddam Hussein. We quickly captured, sent to trial, convicted and hung the brutal dictator, Saddam Hussein, along with many others of his gang. These men were known for using chemical weapons on their own people. We shut down the famous Republican Guard, the elite troops of the Iraqi army.
Since then, Iraqis have assumed sovereignty of their country, held free elections, drafted a democratic constitution, and approved that constitution in a nationwide referendum. In January 2005 they held their third national election to choose a new government under their new constitution.
We helped the Iraqis build an impartial judicial system that protects all Iraqis. We helped to upgrade key roads and bridges over the Tigris River, rebuilt schools and hospitals, and started refurbishing the Mosul Airport. Police stations and firehouses were rebuilt, and the Iraqis have made major improvements in the city's water and sewage network We helped Iraqis conduct nearly 3,000 renovation projects at schools, train more than 30,000 teachers, distribute more than 8 million textbooks, rebuild irrigation infrastructure to help more than 400,000 rural Iraqis, and improve drinking water for more than 3 million people. The Coalition has helped Iraqis introduce a new currency, reopen their stock exchange, and extend $21 million in micro-credit and small business loans. As a result of these efforts and Iraq's newfound freedom, more than 30,000 new Iraqi businesses have registered since liberation.
We have helped Iraq to have almost 13 Army divisions, 41 Army brigades, and 132 Army battalions; they hope those numbers to soon be 400,000 total security forces.
We have spent & approved War-Spending of about $600 billion of US taxpayers' funds. President Bush is expected to request another $200 billion for 2008, which would bring cumulative total to close to $800 billion.
We have roughly 75 major bases in Iraq. We have, at the time of this writing, 3777 troop casualties and 27,848 troops wounded. Every loss is someone’s loved one; but compare those figures to over 58,000 troops killed and 304,000 wounded during the Vietnam War, America has been lucky.
During the month of September we have been told by General Petraeus, President Bush and the Republican candidates for President, that the ‘surge’ of over 30,000 troops has been successful. The White House says success in meeting surge objectives allows us to begin bringing troops home.
Americans can declare VICTORY.
It is the Iraqi people that have yet to achieve victory. Their government must begin to reconcile their differences and the Iraqi people must fight their own civil war. They must also fight to protect their own country, as our own countrymen have done, so many times over many years.
It’s time to move on to our bigger challenge, The War on Terror. Tell the Republicans and Democrats in Congress it's time to withdraw.