This page was last updated on June 13, 2004.

Big mess in Iraq; Jim Ferlo; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; June 12, 2004.

Mr. Ferlo's opinions are way off base.  Though he is a Pennsylvania state senator (D-38), I don't use his title because his comments have nothing to do with his elected position.

Below is a detailed critique of his letter.

"On secretly recorded conversations¹ between [Democrat] President Lyndon Johnson and [Democrat] Sen. Richard Russell, then-chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Johnson called the war in Vietnam 'the biggest damn mess I ever saw.'  Unfortunately, that sobering 1964 assessment failed to deter Johnson from initiating a massive ground and air campaign that, in the end, led to the unnecessary deaths of more than 58,000 Americans and 3 million Vietnamese."

[RWC] Mr. Ferlo shows his stripes by trying to connect Vietnam and Iraq.  The only parallel is that both were fights against evil.

While I regret the loss of life, I don't disrespect the sacrifice by calling it unnecessary.  Does Mr. Ferlo have a crystal ball that tells him what would have happened had the United States not taken on the Vietnam War?  Whether you supported the Vietnam War or not, no one knows what would have happened without it.

Mr. Ferlo forgot to mention President Johnson followed up the cited quote with, "I don't think it's worth fighting for and I don't think we can get out." when speaking with his Special Assistant for National Security Affairs McGeorge Bundy later during the day (May 27, 1964) of the Russell quote.²

That's another huge difference between Vietnam and Iraq.  Johnson didn't believe in Vietnam but escalated the war anyway; President Bush truly believes our actions in Iraq were necessary and right.

"At a time when debate and dissension have broken out among the Republicans over the wisdom and winnability of our war in Iraq, Sen. John Kerry has inexplicably called for deploying even more U.S. troops into what has become one of America's most disastrous imperialist adventures."

[RWC] I hate to break the news to Mr. Ferlo, but Republicans have always debated the war because war is not an endeavor to be entered into lightly.  Though conservatives tend to support the Iraq War more than liberals, that support has never been close to unanimous.  For example, the conservative, and sometimes libertarian, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review opposed the war, though it also knows we can't cut and run.  I too was reluctant, but I've come to believe it was the right thing to do and our progress so far bears that out.  No political groups I know are perfectly homogeneous on all issues.  Democrats themselves are not united on this issue.  For example, 39% of House Democrats and 58% of Senate Democrats voted for House Joint Resolution 114 authorizing the Iraq War.  Debate is a good thing.

Mr. Ferlo would like you to believe there is major dissent among Republicans on this issue.  In a late May 2004 ABC News/Washington Post poll, 82% of Republicans said they were hopeful with respect to Iraq.  Even 50% of Democrats said they were hopeful.³

Use of the phrase "imperialist adventures" comes straight out of the communist/socialist playbook.  I don't believe Mr. Ferlo is a communist, so he should probably refrain from language you would expect to hear from the Workers World Party.  Does any American seriously believe we intend to stay in Iraq one day longer than necessary?  Was it imperialism when we defeated Germany, Italy, and Japan in World War II?  Was it imperialism when we defended South Korea?

Mr. Ferlo does raise a good point, though.  It is primarily Democrats who want to send more troops to Iraq, though there are a few Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) of that mind.  Democrats too are mostly the ones grousing about the need for a draft.  Why?  Though sincere in a few cases, the motivation for most persons taking these positions is purely political.  Both of those moves would make Iraq look worse in the eyes of the people.  To be fair, it would be equally wrong to hold back troops for purely political purposes.  I believe President Bush when he said the military will get what they ask for, however.

"Gen. Anthony Zinni, the retired Marine Corps general who headed the U.S. Central Command [for former President Bill Clinton], stated in a [CBS] '60 Minutes' interview that the Bush policy in Iraq is 'headed over Niagara Falls.'  He added, 'It should be evident to everybody that they've screwed up.'"

[RWC] Gen. Zinni is entitled to his opinion.  I believe an honest review of events tells a different story.  That's not to claim no mistakes were made.  No war is conducted without its share of missteps.

"Unless we grass-roots Democrats demand a decisive break with Bush's folly, we should not be surprised to see a combination of Ralph Nader's anti-war protest vote and dampened Democratic voter turnout in November guarantee another four years of Bush rule.  It's critical that all Democratic voters implore their unions, community groups and religious institutions to pressure the national Democratic Party establishment to support an immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops and Halliburton-like war profiteers from Iraq."

[RWC] Now we get to the true intent of Mr. Ferlo.  He wants you to believe Iraq is a failure so you will vote out President Bush.

An early June 2004 LA Times poll indicates less than 20% of Americans believe an immediate withdrawal is the correct path.⁴  Indeed, the poll found "73 percent said that there should be no specific date for withdrawal because disorder and civil war could result."  It looks like "grass-roots Democrats" disagree with Mr. Ferlo.  Perhaps he meant "far left-wing Democrats" or he believes persons like Michael Moore are grass-roots Democrats.

Before he bashes "Halliburton-like war profiteers," perhaps Mr. Ferlo should consider that as of early June 2004, 39 Halliburton employees have died in Iraq and Kuwait.  As with our military personnel, Halliburton contractors are volunteers.

"Only then can we redirect scarce budget funds from an immoral, illegal occupation to job creation and human needs at home and end the 'biggest damn mess' since the Vietnam War."

[RWC] Mr. Ferlo did not explain why he believes our actions in Iraq are illegal and immoral.  What is illegal?  Over 70% of the U.S. Congress approved the action (House Joint Resolution 114) and the action was consistent with U.N. resolutions, not that I care about U.N. resolutions when it comes to our national defense.  Was it immoral because 25 million Iraqis are now free?  Is it immoral because we are fighting terrorists on their soil?  Or is it immoral because President Bush is not a Democrat?

If Mr. Ferlo believes tax dollars in the hands of government -- instead of in the hands that earn the dollars -- can help "job creation and human needs," he must be a socialist.  Oh, that's right, he is; he's a Democrat.

1. Oh no, a Democrat admits presidents other than Richard Nixon made secret recordings!  In fact, those Democrat darlings FDR and JFK also made secret recordings.  See White House Tapes - The President Calling for more details.

2. Johnson, in 1964, Saw War In Vietnam as Pointless; The New York Times; February 15, 1997.

2. Anger Rising; Gary Langer; ABCNews.com; May 25, 2004.

4. Americans Say Iraq War Not Worth It - LA Times Poll; Reuters; June 11, 2004.

© 2004 Robert W. Cox, all rights reserved.