Post-Gazette Editorial – 9/9/05

This page was last updated on September 9, 2005.

The Katrina exit / Tending to a home tragedy is reason to leave Iraq; Editorial; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; September 9, 2005.

I wondered when the PG would try to tie Iraq and Katrina together. I’m surprised it took so long. The editorial is simply another disgusting example of someone in the “peanut gallery” trying to turn a natural disaster into a political witch-hunt.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“The stark needs at home revealed by the Katrina flooding disaster can and should serve as a determining reason for winding up the Iraq war now.

“What happened on America’s Gulf Coast last week and the weakness of government’s response to it can serve as a very reasonable basis for ending America’s involvement in this futile military adventure.

“The 138,000 National Guard and other U.S. troops that are in Iraq, trying to assure security in Fallujah or even along the road from Baghdad to the airport, should have been in New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama instead, providing relief, assuring the safety of rescue workers and deterring looters.”

[RWC] Why did it need to be the troops in Iraq? What about forces in South Korea, Japan, and Europe? In any case, this argument is bunk. Only about 10% of our National Guard and active duty forces are in Iraq. In Louisiana, only about 1/3 of the NG is deployed in Iraq. The truth is, nearly 75% of NG and active duty troops are stationed in the United States.

On August 30^th, the day after Katrina hit, the National Guard claims “an estimated 7,500 National Guard troops from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi were on duty today [August 30^th], supporting civil authorities, distributing generators, providing medical care, and setting up shelters for displaced residents.” For reference, the levees broke overnight on August 29^th/30^th. Further, “98,000 Guard troops from 12 states in or near the hurricane-stricken region are available to immediately support emergency operations, she [Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a DoD spokeswoman] said. Nationwide, an estimated 337,000 Guard troops are available to be deployed to states impacted by the hurricane.”

“President Bush has already obtained $10.5 billion from the Congress for disaster relief and reconstruction and is requesting another $51.8 billion. The estimates for the total needed may rise to $150 billion. All of that is deficit spending, on top of the currently estimated $330 billion budget deficit.

“Why is the United States spending billions a week in Iraq when it is having to borrow $62.3 billion so far to help Americans recover and rebuild from a major domestic tragedy? The death toll from Hurricane Katrina and the post-storm flooding has yet to be known, but thousands of body bags have already been delivered to the stricken area in anticipation of what the total will be.”

[RWC] Let me get this straight. Any time we’re at war we should throw in the towel and run home if we have “a major domestic tragedy?” Thinking like this is one reason why post-JFK liberals should never be allowed to be responsible for national defense.

“Observers say that the reason that President Bush will not take that logical decision and bring the Iraq war to an end on the basis of the country’s pressing domestic tragedy is because, to do so, he would have to admit tacitly that he made a mistake in the first place in attacking Iraq in 2003.

“The Bush administration does not admit mistakes, even those such as making Michael Brown, who previously worked for the International Arabian Horse Association, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the case of Iraq, every reason Mr. Bush has put forward for having attacked it -- weapons of mass destruction, an Iraq-al Qaida link, more oil for the United States, fighting the war on terrorism, bringing democracy to the Middle East -- has so far proved false.”

[RWC] I can’t speak for Mr. Brown’s qualifications or lack thereof. I can only hope he had appropriate experience. I wonder why the editorial didn’t mention the Louisiana governor and New Orleans mayor. Could it be because they are both Democrats? In any case, we don’t have enough facts to throw rocks with credibility.

As I noted in a critique of a Beaver County Times Katrina editorial, from where does the PG get its news? There were Iraq/al-Qaeda links and they were even noted in the 9/11 Commission’s report. President Bush never claimed Iraq had anything to do with 9/11, however. I don’t recall President Bush ever claiming Iraq is a “war for oil.” If we’re not fighting terrorists in Iraq, who are we fighting? Does the PG believe these foreign fighters indiscriminately killing Iraqi citizens and Coalition troops are freedom fighters, as does Cindy Sheehan? If the PG doesn’t believe democracy is coming to the Middle East via Iraq, it isn’t paying attention. Has the PG already forgotten the elections held earlier this year in which Iraqis risked their lives to vote? Has the PG forgotten the constitution Iraqis will vote on in October?

“But a decision to get out of Iraq to deal with the Katrina disaster would be bipartisan, logical and could sell well politically for the Republicans. For those who see such things that way, Katrina was an ‘act of God’ to which we must react. It is an overwhelming domestic disaster.”

[RWC] I guess we learned something about the PG’s morals. Even if it’s wrong, it’s OK if it’s “bipartisan” and “could sell well politically.”

“So let’s wrap up Iraq and apply America’s resources instead to dealing with an urgent, expensive, painful problem at home. The world will understand. And Americans will understand and appreciate the wisdom of such a decision.”

[RWC] Which “Americans will understand and appreciate the wisdom of such a decision?” Though many Americans aren’t thrilled about Iraq, every poll conducted to date indicates a solid majority of Americans believes we need to stay until the job is done.