When Comes The End?

January 23, 2007

Those words, spoken this evening by James Webb (D. Va.) in the Democrat response to the State of the Union Speech given by President Bush, are an obvious attempt at encouraging the country to once again, “cut and run” from the battle in Iraq in the overall War on Terror.

Taken from the October 25, 1952 campaign speech, given by retired General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who went on to win the election as a Republican, titled ‘I Shall Go to Korea’ and used to give the impression that ending the battle in Iraq as did Eisenhower in Korea, is the best option for Iraq. Webb said, “As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. “When comes the end?” asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War Two. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end.”

It is a fallacy to say the Korean War was “brought to an end” as we still have troops there enforcing a shaky cease fire that was signed some 53 years ago between North Korea and China on one side and the UN backed forces led by the Americans on the other. South Korea was not a signatory to this armistice. The armistice was signed under the conditions of "until a final peaceful settlement is achieved".

That was in 1953 and today, 2007, there still is no “peaceful settlement” between the two Koreas.

A DMZ (demilitarized zone) has existed between the two ever since with armed troops on either side warily watching the other side.

Since this shaky ceasefire was initiated, the North Koreans have failed in several assassination attempts on South Korean leaders, most notably in 1968, 1974 and 1983; tunnels were frequently found under the DMZ and war nearly broke out over the Axe Murder Incident at Panmunjeom in 1976. From late 1966 through 1969 there were several incidents of guerrilla warfare, sabotage and terrorism directed against the people of South Korea and the Americans serving there, nearly sparking a return to full hostilities in what has become known as ‘the DMZ War.’ Today, under Kim Jung Il, North Korea is threatening World Peace, as well as their neighbors, with the use and testing of nuclear weapons.

Clearly, Webb is sadly mistaken when he says “he brought the Korean War to an end.”

Conveniently forgotten or merely overlooked by Webb in the Eisenhower speech, were some other strategically placed words;

“The biggest fact about the Korean war is this: It was never inevitable, it was never inescapable, no fantastic fiat of history decreed that little South Korea-in the summer of 1950-would fatally tempt Communist aggressors as their easiest victim. No demonic destiny decreed that America had to be bled this way in order to keep South Korea free and to keep freedom itself-self-respecting.”

Obviously, Eisenhower didn’t feel Korea was a “mistake” or a “distraction,” as do today’s Democrats in their efforts to politicize and to paint the battle in Iraq as such. Eisenhower affirmed this view when he went on to say, “There is a Korean war-and we are fighting it-for the simplest of reasons: Because free leadership failed to check and to turn back Communist ambition before it savagely attacked us. The Korean war-more perhaps than any other war in history-simply and swiftly followed the collapse of our political defenses. There is no other reason than this: We failed to read and to outwit the totalitarian mind.”

Iraq could easily be substituted wherever Korea is mentioned. For whatever reason, Eisenhower chose an easy way out and as history shows, it achieved neither the early nor the honorable end sought and promised.

Most importantly missed, or ignored, by Mr. Webb were the following words in that speech, “World War II should have taught us all one lesson. The lesson is this: To vacillate, to hesitate-to appease even by merely betraying unsteady purpose-is to feed a dictator's appetite for conquest and to invite war itself.”

The Democrat effort to appease, to vacillate, even to hesitate to face the enemy that has been attacking us continually since 1979, twice now on our own soil, can and will led to an even broader war in the Middle East.

Unlike all the times before, we are not fighting a nation with a uniformed service. We are facing an ideological enemy spread throughout the globe that wears no uniform and blends in easily with the surroundings. Who would the Democrat party have us ‘negotiate’ a ceasefire with?

This newest enemy, emboldened by decades of unresponsiveness from the West, will follow wherever we go and carry the fight back to us, expecting more and more surrender from the West they see as ‘soft’ and ‘weak.’ We must fight and defeat them, now or later.

Webb ended his “response” with the usual threat he has become noted for. He said, “ Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.”

No, Mr. Webb. If the country chooses to follow the Democrat model of ‘cut and run,’ again, it will be the terrorists showing US the way. The way our own streets will run with blood as our children and grandchildren are forced to face these animals within our very streets.

Our Military has volunteered to face and fight this menace where they are today. I support their efforts and stand behind them fully as they fight to preserve our freedoms. I can only hope and pray you do too and ignore the ramblings of ones like James Webb (D. Va.)

Lew

UPDATE 1: If there is any doubt that Eisenhower opposed the Soviet Union and their nation grabbing, another speech he made, in which a single sentence is often lifted out of context, should clear up any doubt. From Dwight D Eisenhower, The Chance for Peace, April 16th, 1953.

"The amassing of the Soviet power alerted free nations to a new danger of aggression. It compelled them in self-defense to spend unprecedented money and energy for armaments. It forced them to develop weapons of war now capable of inflicting instant and terrible punishment upon any aggressor."

"It instilled in the free nations-and let none doubt this-the unshakable conviction that, as long as there persists a threat to freedom, they must, at any cost, remain armed, strong, and ready for the risk of war."

"It inspired them-and let none doubt this-to attain a unity of purpose and will beyond the power of propaganda or pressure to break, now or ever."

The Chance for Peace

UPDATE 2: Unraveling Webb’s Response

UPDATE 3: Hugh Hewitt has posted an essasy from a fellow Naval Academy Graduate addressing Webb's "response." From A Naval Academy Graduate To Senator Webb