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LATEST SUBMISSIONS

Ignoring the facts about Islamic jihad

Saturday, June 2 at 12:01 AM

By Bob Beauprez

Paul Campos is a leftist, an unabashed liberal, who writes a regular column from the left perspective in the Rocky Mountain News. He’s also a law professor at the University of Colorado. It would be nice if he were also responsible.

His May 29 column, “The elites’ war,” begins with a story about a young lady whose Marine boyfriend was preparing for deployment to Iraq. Campos recalls her “rage, frustration and anxiety in her voice as she described the logistics of what’s involved in getting shipped off to fight George W. Bush’s war against Islamoterrofascism, or whatever it’s being called this week.”

I get the anti-war sentiment and I understand some of the legitimate questioning and concern that has been raised about the prosecution of this war, and, with the benefit of hindsight, whether we even needed to invade Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein. But, to pretend that the threat of Islamic jihad isn’t real is unconscionable.

Did Campos miss the Fort Dix Six incident? Did he miss the terrorist ring that was broken up in Buffalo? Does he really believe that the stated objective to destroy America by Osama bin Laden and the leadership and members of countless radical Islamic terrorist organizations is fantasy? That it would never have happened had we not invaded Iraq, or that it would disappear should we immediately pull out?

Campos and his ilk — many of whom are Democrats in Congress — have allowed their dislike of this president to impair whatever objectivity they might have otherwise enjoyed. And this is why it is so difficult to have a legitimate debate about moving the fight against the enemy forward in any direction. They refuse to even acknowledge the facts.

They don’t even believe there is an enemy. They disavow any acceptance or respect of George W. Bush as the duly elected president, so anything he does, suggests or says is immediately attacked as failed, wrong or lies.

Like too many on the extreme left of the political spectrum, Campos resorts to name-calling and character assassination and he confirms not only his lack of objectivity, but his true motivation for yet another of his columns. Campos is infuriated with the majority in Congress who voted recently to authorize the supplemental war funding request by the president without a timeline for bringing the war to an end. That certainly didn’t happen without a pretty serious, extended and quite public debate on the issue. However, since Campos’ opinion didn’t prevail he lets loose with more of his fabrications and fantasies and throws a temper tantrum:

“It can’t be repeated often enough that the only reason we’re still in Iraq is because the American elites have almost no personal investment in this war. A president who displays the emotional sensitivity of a serial killer as he sends other people’s children off to die is being enabled by a cowardly Congress, many of whose members are willing to sacrifice the lives of American soldiers in return for slightly increasing their already astronomical odds of re-election.”

It is fair to disagree with the policy and the prosecution of this war, but it is completely false to suggest that the president and members of Congress are somehow so removed from reality that they have “no personal investment in this war.” Many members of Congress have sons and daughters serving in the military, and many of those are serving or have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Virtually every member has family, staff or close friends who are serving or have served. Many members (maybe a majority) of Congress have visited Iraq, Afghanistan and other military operations around the globe — some several times by now. Members of Congress routinely call on families of the fallen and attend funerals when schedules permit. The president has done all of this and more.

Iraq will always be called George Bush’s war, I suppose, but, for the record, Congress did overwhelmingly vote to give him the authority to prosecute it, and the record is packed full of senators and representatives who agreed with Bush and most of the free world that Saddam was a threat who had to go. And, along the way, Congress has repeatedly and overwhelmingly supported the funding needs of the fight. Now that public support for the endeavor has evaporated, there’s a whole bunch who have had a change of heart.

Finally, to liken the president — or any president — to a “serial killer” and suggest that he is sending our finest off to die in a war to satisfy some twisted thirst for blood defies any real sense of reality from Campos. The most difficult decision any president could possibly face must surely be the deployment of troops knowing full well that some will pay the ultimate sacrifice. Whether he agrees or not, our deployed troops are defending Campos’ constitutional freedom to spew his hatred for this president and those who voted to fund our troops. Was there a “free press” in Iraq under Saddam? There is now. How about in Afghanistan under the Taliban? That has changed, too. Should radical Islam prevail and impose a caliphate over much of the world, as is their stated objective, how free might Campos be to express his dissenting opinions? America and her presidents don’t always get it right. But the enemy of the freedom that Campos and hundreds of millions of others around the planet enjoy is not the United States of America.

I’m real tired of the blame-America- first crowd that is forever tearing at the fabric of the Stars and Stripes instead of really providing some portion of positive contribution, whether from the left or the right side of the political spectrum.

Bob Beauprez is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado’s 7th Congressional District.

READER COMMENTS

Call Paul Campos all the names that you like, but it doesn't change the fact that you completely missed his point.

Muslim extremists aren't the only ones who use terror to influence society.

There are terrorist organizations in every country on the planet. In fact, right here in Colorado there are several environmental extremist groups who start fires and commit other acts of terror in the name of "conservation."

The United States is fighting this "world-wide War on Terror" without the benefit of having the rest of the world behind us. And without widespread international support and cooperation, it is impossible to "win" a global war on a clandestine and entrenched enemy who doesn't follow the Geneva Convention or other rules of war.

The bottom line is -- we can't do it alone, but that's exactly what we've been trying to do.

Posted by You Missed the Point Again on June 6, 2007 12:22 PM

BWB,"The most difficult decision any president could possibly face must surely be the deployment of troops knowing full well that some will pay the ultimate sacrifice. Whether he agrees or not, our deployed troops are defending Campos’ constitutional freedom to spew his hatred for this president and those who voted to fund our troops."

The decider and his handlers were itching to invade before his inauguration! The troops and their families that suffer from the "ultimate sacrifice" are of no consequence in the war that makes the warmonger's bank accounts soar.

This war is not for freedom, it is a war on our constitution. Using the ruse of a threat to our freedom, the decider has maneuvered with signing statements and executive orders making himself a virtual dictator.

The death of our republic will never come from without, rather it will come wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

Posted by Holy Reality on June 5, 2007 09:58 AM

Would like to personally thank you for giving up your congressional seat to only get blown out of the water in the governers race. The good people of Colorado have spoken. By the way, how many deferments did you get during the Viet Nam war?

Posted by Terry on June 5, 2007 08:14 AM

Oh, bravo old boy! Well done, I say, well done, Mr. Beauprez. Excellent article! Fine, yes, very fine. Spot on chum!

Posted by excellent on June 4, 2007 05:00 PM

An excellent article! You are right on target.

Posted by B. Stuckey on June 4, 2007 04:13 PM

I wonder..........

A's favorite film must be "It's a Wonderful Life."

Posted by excellent on June 4, 2007 10:53 AM

"I wonder..."

It's all your "wondering" that is the problem. You fantazise about this so much that it freaks you out and makes you want to "defend" yourself by bombing a country that has never attacked this country.

You are more likely to die from good-old American gang violence than you are a terrorist attack. Yet you don't spend too much time wondering when the next drive-by is going to take you out.

Can you see how your fear is way out of proportion to the threat?

Posted by Todd on June 4, 2007 10:43 AM

I wonder where I will be when the first American mall is taken down by terrorists?

I wonder if any of my friends will be on the first American bus that the terrorists blow up?

I wonder when a terrorist attack similar to 911 will be successful against America?

I wonder why people are so blind when it comes to radical Muslims threat to "convert" ALL of the world to the religion of Islam!!

I wonder..........

Posted by A on June 4, 2007 08:07 AM

"They want to destroy our culture. Calling people names or making fun of Republicans won't change the fact that they hate our liberal culture. They don't like Hollywood, short skirts, freedom of the press, or freedom of religion. They don't want equal rights for women. They don't want libraries. They don't want democracy. " Yaakov Watkins

I have to laugh at this one. Who is "they"? Are you talking about muslims or American fundamentalist Christians?

Look people, the days of civil discourse left this country with the Republican "Contract with America," the rise of pundits Rush,O-Reilly, Hannity and Beck, and the willingness of the gullible masses (the 'rubes') buying into their fear-mongering talking points.

Yes, I am saying that fascism in this country is more of a threat than the petty islamic terrorist organizations in the middle east. I worry more about the rednecks in this country than I do about the rednecks in their country.

And now witness the conservatives whine and complain about name-calling when they receive the same level of respect they've been dishing out to 'liberals' for 10 long years.

We lefties learned the rules of the game from the masters Karl Rove and Tom Delay, same as you.

Welcome to the bottom of the drain.

Posted by on June 3, 2007 10:25 PM

Oh golly,
The responses to this column are pretty amazing. They actually think that the threat from Islamic jihad is serious enough that it must be dealt with in a competent fashion. I've wondered recently why this country is swirling in the drain right now. God help us all.

Posted by BM on June 3, 2007 07:17 PM

My gosh,
The responses to this column are pretty amazing. A lot of you won't even publish your initials (that of course is all I'll do ever -seeing the vitriol in these responses)
What ever happened to reasonable people disagreeing? instead they can only resort to name calling and put downs.
chickenhawk incompetant fascist neocon rubes and 'Bothways' Bob' that is very intelligent dialouge - and I've wondered recently why this country is swirling in the drain right now.
Oh, and a minor fact for the unknown author, you did not "vote Mr. Beauprez out of office", he didn't run for re-election as a congressional representative, he ran for Governor and lost. Major difference but rationalizing with you people is out of the question as all you can do is name call and denigrate other peoples' integrity. What ever happened to reasonable people disagreeing with good quality dialouge rather than spewing hate speach at those with whom they disagree?
God help us all when (not if ) the terrorists hit us again and your type of politician is leading this country - we'll have sharia law before we know it just to keep the terroists happy.(OOH - I said god - shame on me - I must be a right wing nut) All of you think this war on global terrorism is imaginary, I am also sure that most of you think global warming is more of a threat to the USA right now. It is an even more sad state of affairs to hear americans who were alive and witnessed 9/11 say that this Global terror threat is not real.

Posted by BB on June 3, 2007 05:02 PM

Regardless of whether Bush is competent or honest, whether you like or dislike Beauprez, Islamic leaders have been threatening the US since President Carter's administration.

This is precisely the problem. To the extent that one feels that Islam is such a dire threat to long term American interests, then one has to consider how the incompetence of the current administration, the rubber-stamp oversight by the previous Congress, and the semi-coordinated effort to make any dissenter out to be unpatriotic has actually made America -less- able to deal with this threat.

Executive integrity and competence, legislative skepticism and contrary opinions are not only healthy, but necessary to address problems, and occasionally America has enjoyed all of these elements simultaneously, to its benefit.

If the fight against Islamic jihad is as bad as Beauprez and comments would have it, this is precisely the time we need an effective military and foreign policy, and instead we get the opposite.

So forgive me if I find Beauprez's statements absurd, and fortunately transparent to growing numbers of Americans.

Posted by on June 3, 2007 08:56 AM

I see a terrorist plot against JFK was thwarted today by law enforcement.

That's right a terrorist plot was thwarted by law enforcement.

Law Enforcement and not Military Invasion.

So, tell me again why Osama bin Laden isn't rotting in a cell in SuperMax?

Posted by Dave II on June 3, 2007 08:10 AM

Let's see, San Francisco, Manhattan, Paris and Rome are all world-class cities, the envy of the world.

Denver is a cowtown, the envy of Omaha.

Vince Carroll is the editorial page editor of the Rocky Mountain News which is a phenomenal waste of good newsprint.

Posted by Dave II on June 3, 2007 08:10 AM

I see a terrorist plot against JFK was thwarted today by law enforcement.

That's right a terrorist plot was thwarted by law enforcement.

Law Enforcement and not Military Invasion.

So, tell me again why Osama bin Laden isn't rotting in a cell in SuperMax?

Posted by Dave II on June 3, 2007 08:09 AM

Regardless of whether Bush is competent or honest, whether you like or dislike Beauprez, Islamic leaders have been threatening the US since President Carter's administration.

They want to destroy our culture. Calling people names or making fun of Republicans won't change the fact that they hate our liberal culture. They don't like Hollywood, short skirts, freedom of the press, or freedom of religion. They don't want equal rights for women. They don't want libraries. They don't want democracy.

If you don't believe ask them!!!

Posted by Yaakov Watkins on June 3, 2007 03:14 AM

Such stale drivel...I've got mixed feelings reading this: lingering disgust that this clumsy counterfeit patriotism was once common is mixed with genuine relief that he, and many of his ilk, are no longer in power, as the majority of Americans wise up to how the deceit and imcompentence of the current administration has left American in much worse shape to prevail against the real (and not imagined, or overblown) threats that we face.

Posted by on June 2, 2007 06:36 PM

So if we invade where the terrorists are, is New York next, Bob?

Posted by on June 2, 2007 06:08 PM

Bob,

I don't blame America first. I blame the chickenhawk incompetant fascist neocon rubes who are so scared of terrorism they justify an immoral attack on Iraq and torture to make them feel like they're fighting back. You and your crew are just red-neck bullies.

Your version of America sucks. 600 more days and your neocon buddies will be gone from office. We need to "de-baathify" all you loonies from the ranks of our government. Then maybe we can get back to the America that I remember, one that had honor and integrity and some realization of the truth.

I'm thankful that I don't live with your delusional paranoia.

Posted by Todd Gochenour on June 2, 2007 05:34 PM

I’m real tired of the blame-America- first crowd that is forever tearing at the fabric of the Stars and Stripes instead of really providing some portion of positive contribution...

I'm real tired of rubber stamp Congressmen who enable an incompetent president to squander America's military and global leadership. Fortunately enough other folks felt the same way, and last year voted out impotent leaders like you, Bob. We hope you are enjoying your premature retirement...and you continue to write letters-to-editor, and letters to your Congressmen, etc. Seems like a more constructive role for you.

Posted by on June 2, 2007 04:17 PM

I see a terrorist plot to destroy JFK Airport was thwarted today. As my son flies in and out of there, this is a matter of concern to me. People like Chandler and Campos seem to think just ignoring the situation will make it go away. They wish...

Posted by citizen on June 2, 2007 02:56 PM

'Bothways' Bob's real message in this article is twofold.

First: "Be Afraid! Be Afraid! Be Afraid! Be Afraid! Be Afraid!"

Second: You should have complete, unquestioning trust and faith in the power and wisdom of the central government.

Posted by Dave Chandler on June 2, 2007 11:01 AM