The Truth the Left does not want you to know about Iraq

Quagmire!

The word just rolls off the tongues of Protesters, many in the Main Stream Media, and Liberal Politicians, alike, with the ease of practice in disinformation.

So the average American, if he, or she, wants more useful information in order to decide for themselves, has to look elsewhere.

One of the best sources has always been the men, and women on the ground.

Now comes one of the most powerful essays detailing the TRUTH on the ground that I have read.

Marine Major, Ben Connable, is heading back to Iraq for his 3rd tour, and has something  extrememely important to say to all of us, especially the Anti-war crowd, about why:

When I told people that I was getting ready to head back to Iraq for my third tour, the usual response was a frown, a somber head shake and even the occasional "I'm sorry." When I told them that I was glad to be going back, the response was awkward disbelief, a fake smile and a change of subject. The common wisdom seems to be that Iraq is an unwinnable war and a quagmire and that the only thing left to decide is how quickly we withdraw. Depending on which poll you believe, about 60 percent of Americans think it's time to pull out of Iraq.

How is it, then, that 64 percent of U.S. military officers think we will succeed if we are allowed to continue our work? Why is there such a dramatic divergence between American public opinion and the upbeat assessment of the men and women doing the fighting?

A very good question!

We know the streets, the people and the insurgents far better than any armchair academic or talking head. As military professionals, we are trained to gauge the chances of success and failure, to calculate risk and reward. ...

We also know that if we follow our current plan we can, over time, leave behind a stable and unified country that might help to anchor a better future for the Middle East...

It is difficult for most Americans to rationalize this optimism in the face of the horrific images and depressing stories that have come to symbolize the war in Iraq...

For every vividly portrayed suicide bombing, there are hundreds of thousands of people living quiet, if often uncertain, lives. For every depressing story of unrest and instability there is an untold story of potential and hope.

The impression of Iraq as an unfathomable quagmire is false and dangerously misleading.

Read the whole essay:

The Washington Post: The Truth on the Ground.

A Tip of the Hat to Instapundit!