Yon’s Open Invite To ‘Politicians’
An Open Offer to U.S. Senators
by Michael Yon -
One of the biggest problems with the Iraq War is that politics has frequently triumphed over truth. For instance, we went into Iraq with shoddy intelligence (at best), no reconstruction plan, and perhaps half as many troops as were required. We refused to admit that an insurgency was growing, until the country collapsed into anarchy and civil war. Now the truth is that Iraq is showing real progress on many fronts: Al Qaeda is being defeated and violence is down and continuing to decrease. As a result, the militias have lost their reason for existence and are getting beaten back or co-opted. Shia, Sunni and Kurds are coming together — although with various stresses — under the national government. If progress continues at this rate, it is very possible that before 2008 is out, we can finally say “the war has ended.” Yes, likely there still will be some American casualties, but if the violence continues to drop and the Iraqi government consolidates its gains, we will be able, in good conscience, to begin bringing more of our people home. I will be paying very close attention to the words of Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, who is replacing General Petraeus as the overall commander in Iraq.
Whatever we do in Iraq from here forward, we must strive to make better decisions than those made between 2003 and 2006. And one way to achieve that is by making certain that our civilian leaders are fully informed. All three candidates for President are extremely intelligent, but that doesn’t mean that all three are tracking the truth on the ground in Iraq. Anyone who wants to be President of the United States needs to see Iraq without the distorting lenses of the media or partisan politics. I would be honored to visit Iraq with Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, Senator McCain or any of their Senate colleagues.
I hereby offer to accompany any Senator to Iraq, whether they are pro-or anti-war, Democrat or Republican. I will make this offer personally to a few select Senators as well. Our conversations during the visit would be on- or off-record, as they wish. Touring Iraq with me, as well as briefings by U.S. officers and meetings with Iraqis, would provide an accurate and nuanced account of the progress and challenges ahead, so that the Senators might have a highly informed perspective on this most critical issue. Our civilian leaders need to make decisions based on the best information available. The only way to learn what is really going on in Iraq is to go there and listen to our ground commanders, who know what they are doing. Generals Petraeus and Odierno have years of experience in Iraq, and vast knowledge of our efforts there. But the young soldiers who have done multiple tours in Iraq also have unique and invaluable perspectives as well. These young soldiers have personally witnessed the trajectory of the war shift dramatically, and can articulate those changes in concrete and specific terms. It doesn’t matter if a soldier is only twenty-something. If he or she spent two or three years in the war, that person is likely to have valuable insights. The best way to understand what is really going on is to listen closely to a wide range of service members who have done multiple tours in Iraq. Some will be negative, some will be positive, but overall I am certain that the vast majority of multi-tour Iraq veterans will testify that there has been great progress, and now there is hope. Combat veterans don’t tolerate happy talk or wishful thinking. They’ll tell you the raw truth as they see it.
Whether any Senators take advantage of my offer, I do hope that the presidential candidates visit Iraq, not just for a photo opportunity, but to spend time with our commanders and combat veterans, who know the truth and are not afraid to speak it.
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God Bless you Michael Yon, but, good luck with that.
The truth is over here, it is known by the powers in Washington. It is known by the citizens who read your works also. That has not changed anything.
The politicians will simply twist whatever they see and hear into clipped populist sound bites for their personal gains.
The real power you hold, Mr. Yon, is with the citizenry.
WE THE PEOPLE still run this country, and when it boils down to it, the politicians have to answer to us, that is if the population would get active and demand it.
Getting wide exposure of your work along with Dollard’s, Roggio’s, et al. will do more good than hauling around those inbreeds from inside the beltway.
June 8th, 2008 at 7:55 amBarry will never take you up on the offer. The troops would boo him out of his socks. He’s completely oblivious to the facts on the ground and as long as he remains that way, he can continue to pander to his base and suck up to his media minions.
Besides, he has no balls. Admitting he is wrong would require a moral judgement which he is unprepared to make.
Besides, hamging out in a Marxist fake-Church for 20 years, has only made him the lying, truth-deficient weasel that I believe he is.
Why change now? Oops…made a pun….
June 8th, 2008 at 8:00 amThat is a truly generous offer that Michael Yon has made.
“It doesn’t matter if a soldier is only twenty-something.”
I have to say that the twenty-somethings that I have the honor of communicating with that have served over there are more intelligent than just about anyone I have ever had dealings with on any level and any age.
I agree with Steve and Dan though and as usual you guys said it best! No matter what is seen, heard and known, the truth will be skewed for political reasons. Especially by B.O.! B.O. is a lost cause and nothing but a direct danger to our country.
June 8th, 2008 at 8:44 am“I hereby offer to accompany any Senator to Iraq, whether they are pro-or anti-war”
It is not about whether you are pro or anti war as most of the Marines that I know are ANTI-war, who really wants to get shot at, it is about whether you are pro-VICTORY or pro-DEFEAT!!
The Congress gave President Bush the authority to remove Saddam, the previous President made it policy to remove the Saddam regime, he just did not have the balls to get it done.
We the People need to change the verbage of this fight, just like the Dem’s like to, I am not Pro-WAR I am however PRO-VICTORY!!
Semper Fi!!
June 8th, 2008 at 10:01 amAMEN!
June 8th, 2008 at 10:47 am