Defeat or withdrawal in Iraq will lead to dire consequence

From USA Today, September 27, 2005. The Pentagon's top military officer Air Force General Richard Meyers believes that the outcome and consequences of defeat in Iraq are greater than World War II. Iraq has become the center of power today of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. If we allow the terrorists to win here, another 9/11 is around the corner.

My thoughts: We must put all of our efforts into defeating the terrorists in Iraq. The problem so far has been that we have not gone all out.

China putting pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program.

From the Jewish World Review, September 23, 2005. Columnist Charles Krauthammer writes that China may play the key role in getting North Korea to drop its nuclear bomb development efforts. If China succeeds, this will put China in the position of being the most powerful, influential power-broker in Asia. "By succeeding at denuclearizing Pyongyang, China can demonstrate that the road to getting things done in Asia runs through Beijing. It will have shown its neighbors that the future lies in association with China, with or without the United States."

My thoughts: Perhaps China will one day become one of our greatest allies. Perhaps, too, they have much to fear from terrorists.

Female US soldier sentences to three years for cruelty to terrorist prisoners

From the Washington Post, September 27, 2005."Lynndie England, the {22 year old}U.S. soldier pictured holding a leash to a naked Iraqi inmate at Abu Ghraib prison in a scandal that prompted global outrage, was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison and given a dishonorable discharge."

England was the latest low level soldier facing criminal prosecution. According to this article, higher level officers have been reprimanded, but "none has faced criminal charges."

My thoughts: I wonder -- if cruel treatment of terrorist prisoners can reveal information that might save thousands of American lives and avoid another 9/11, is it justified?

Anti-Bush, anti-war advertisement misleads

FactCheck.Org points out errors, distortions, twisting of the truth in New York Times ad accusing Bush administration of deliberately misleading the public about our reasons for going to war in Iraq.

My thoughts. Points out the importance of never accepting at face value allegations just because they favor or oppose your own viewpoint. Always consider and evaluate the opposing views. FactCheck.org appears to be a good non-partisan tool for helping in this process. University of Minnesota offers suggestions on evaluating political opinions, includes link to FactCheck.org. Here are my Google search results when I looked for edu (college and university sites) evaluating the reliability of information on FactCheck.org.

Our soldiers and their families not yet reimbursed for purchasing body armor out their own pockets

AOL news dated September 29, 2005 reports that soldiers and their families who have purchased from their own funds body armor that is apparently superior to the body armor supplied as standard protective gear by the military. This article mentions a parent named "Gordon". Just a coincidence folks. I am not the Gordon in the article.

My thoughts. No expense should be spared to give our soldiers in Iraq the best body armor that money can buy. I've read of Humvees destroyed by bombs because they were not protected with armor.