Bringing America together

Hillary:

"And let me add one other thing, and I want to be very clear about this," she said. "If I had been president in October of 2002, I would not have started this war."

Well OK, let's once again travel back to 2002 and see what she said:

And finally, on another personal note, I come to this decision from the perspective of a Senator from New York who has seen all too closely the consequences of last year's terrible attacks on our nation. In balancing the risks of action versus inaction, I think New Yorkers who have gone through the fires of hell may be more attuned to the risk of not acting. I know that I am.

Her speech was one of the more nuanced in history, covering just about every base and leaving her the wiggle room she is using right now. To her credit--she accurately expressed some of the possible pitfalls we're experiencing now, but bottom line she still voted 'yea'.

America needs closure on this. Hillary could heal the Village by saying "I was wrong about the threat from Saddam, WE were ALL wrong, so lets come together and employ the best strategy and move forward". Something tells me she won't, and the MSM will stand by and gawk like a bunch of arsonists at a five alarm fire, parroting every revisionist talking point. It's just too enticing for some democrats--withdrawal from Iraq, everything blamed on the worst president ever, and Bill and Hillary back in the White House for eight more years. But is it worth losing a war?

MORE 2/3/07

America has a long history in dealing with Arab terrorists as evidenced in the Marine Hymn. However, I must admit to having never heard of of this during history class:

Before he revised it in the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key's "Star-Bangled Banner" - which would become the American national anthem - described "turbaned heads bowed" to the "brow of the brave."

The article provides an historical perspective that should make us ponder the past and our present strategy. However, as Wretchard points out, things aren't exactly the same:

One area where the comparison with the 1780s runs into obvious problems was the lack of rapid travel, mass migration, international media and global trade in Jefferson's world. Birmingham had not yet been inhabited by large numbers of Muslim migrants, nor was there any possibility that the Barbary Pirates might detonate a device which would lay waste to Philadelphia or London.

Those advocating an evacuation of Iraq to Middle East quick-strike bases should consider the results of previous capitulation--the price kept going up. However, those on the flip side must be willing to admit the democratization (or Christianization) of the Middle East is flopping as badly now as it did back then. So, in a world full of sophisticated weapons, where does that leave us?

MORE 2/3

As to revising the Star Spangled Banner, not quite. It wasn't written until 1814, but in 1805 Key had penned a tribute song to the Barbary fighters set to the melody of "To Anacreon in Heaven", the same one later used by the Banner. It doesn't mean there wasn't a song sung to the same melody as the Banner that dissed the "turbaned heads", it simply wasn't the Star Spangled Banner at the time.