Michelle Malkin and Bryan Preston have both posted their first posts since arriving in Iraq:
Several themes have emerged that, while they may not represent the absolute story on given issues, certainly point to a general consensus on the status of the war among those who are here on the front lines fighting it. Our troops are motivated and dedicated like no other group of people I have ever seen. More than any politician, journalist or blogger, our troops understand the history and cultural forces swirling in Iraq that make it such an incredibly challenging environment. They are bringing that knowledge to the struggle every day, and while their efforts may not always result in perfect outcomes, no one should doubt their devotion to winning the war here in all of its dimensions.
Without hesitation, I can say that this fight is the most intricate and complicated mission our military has ever faced. Our troops are daily engaging in missions that their military training never prepared them for, but they are performing those missions with amazing thought and skill.
Michelle has some great pictures up also.
Btw, for those who email questions about when I am going over you will recall Michelle decided to not take Eason Jordon up on his offer and instead go over embedded, on her own dime:
Bryan and I will be heading out to Iraq very shortly as embeds to advance the story and get first-hand the side of the story the AP refuses to hear–the side of the troops on the ground. (It is an expensive trip. If you’d like to pitch in, we’d greatly appreciate any help. Donation info. below.) You’ll start hearing from us soon. Stay tuned here and at HotAir.com. I’ll also be filing dispatches for the New York Post, which provided us with media accreditation.
I have notified Jordan of our plans and encouraged him to move forward with his trip and his offer to bring Curt of Flopping Aces.
More importantly, I have asked Jordan to extend the travel funds and security coverage he would have spent on me to the AP’s Kathleen Carroll.
I have yet to hear from Eason. Not unexpectedly since I’m a nobody in the blogging world while Michelle is a bigwig in that world along with the journalist world, but there you have it. Don’t know if I could have stood being in the same airplane as Kathleen Carroll tho, so maybe it’s a good thing.
See author page
Kudos to Michelle for putting her own life on the line by actually *going* to Iraq. Our legislators should be so bold.
Having said that, her initial conclusions are not surprising. I don’t think there is a single serious soul in America that believes our soldiers are anything but steadfast in their determination to achieve victory.
But this isn’t a Rambo movie. This war cannot be won by the determination of our soldiers alone.
The war cannot be even won alone by their hard work and good intentions.
Victory is achieved through strategy. If there are any doubts about our ability to win, it lay in the doubts of the strategic prowess of those who are executing it.
Being elected President does not in itself make you a blindingly brilliant strategist and yet at this juncture, that is precisely what we need.
We the people also cannot *will* our objectives or those of the Iraqi people to be achieved. It takes more than belief and it takes more than loyalty to party.
This isn’t a game wear you can don a jersey, paint your face, and hope that if you cheer loud enough that it will spur your team on to victory. After all, it is the coach that calls the plays.
And our coach is no master strategist.
Your Bush bashing attempt makes no sense.
If were talking football here he would be considered the owner, hell, he would be considered the football commissioner before he would be thought of as a coach.
The owner allows his coaches to do their thing with the stated goal…victory. If the coach doesn’t perform then the coach gets canned. Bush allows the Generals to execute this war as they see fit without micro-managing them, as they should. When he doesn’t work he changes the coaches around.
As he should.
Call my comments what they are: a critique. Critiques of the President, ANY President are not by definition “bashing.” Is this how you react to criticism? Through hyperbole?
Secondly, don’t argue semantics with me on whether the President is more analogous to a coach or commissioner. Are you going to debate the meaning of “is” next? Another attempt at stifling debate on the actual *substance* of the topic.
But to your point, it is the CITIZENS of this great country who are the owner, sir. NOT the President. He works for US. You and ME. And it is WE who demand success from HIM. And if HE does NOT perform, it is HE who should be canned.
It is your CIVIC DUTY to expect nothing but success from our Commander in Chief, lest our soft expectations lead our republic to ruin.
If it walks like a duck…..I called it as I saw it and you have not yet proven me wrong. You tried to use a ignorant analogy using sports to justify your Bush bashing and I used one back. Then you have the audacity to tell me not to use semantics but then proceed to use them yourself when arguing ur idiotic owner argument.
I see your on chapter 31 of the KOS guide to liberal arguments.
Oh btw, to get back to your wonderful sports analogy…WE would not be the owners, WE would be the Commissioner who runs ALL the teams.
Be gone troll….DummiesU is calling you back to the mothership. You have wasted enough of my time.