Tommy becomes aware: W bin in the right place

...Kerry used the wrong line...and disrespected our troops.

http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB109927284446160824,00.html

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Right Leader, Right Time

By TOMMY FRANKS
November 1, 2004

Gen. Franks, until recently director of Central Command, is author of "American Soldier" (Regan, 2004) and a member of Veterans for Bush.

The decision we make tomorrow will have a greater impact on the security of our country than any presidential election in my memory. America is at war on a scale unmatched in scope and importance since World War II. The threat today isn't monolithic like Hitler's Germany or Hirohito's Japan -- or bin Laden's al Qaeda of the '90s. But it's just as deadly, with diverse cells in 60 countries, linked by ideology and hatred. The war is global, complex and lethal, and the fundamental choice we must make is whether we fight that war offensively, by pursing the terrorists relentlessly around the world, or defensively, by waiting for them to strike again on American soil. There's no third choice. We cannot play for a tie. America did not create terrorism, terrorists did. And now we must wage war until we win -- no half measures, no equivocation, no "global test."

John Kerry recently suggested that he'd be satisfied if terrorism were rolled back to the point where it was a "nuisance." Terrorism was never merely a nuisance. Terrorists have been killing Americans for more than two decades. The problem is that we chose to do something about it only in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. The bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983; the first World Trade Center attack in 1993; the killing of our airmen at Khobar Towers in 1996; the bombings of our embassies in East Africa in 1998; and the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 -- these were not a "nuisance." They were deadly acts of war. The president of the United States must recognize the difference.

I know from firsthand experience that George W. Bush understands this reality. As commander of the Allied Forces in the Middle East, I worked with him as we laid out a strategy and reviewed operations. I came away from every meeting, every conversation, impressed by his consistency, his honesty, and his character. He does not hesitate, but neither does he rush to judgment. His decisions are based on the best information available. He respects the military and trusts the judgments of our serving military leaders. At each step of planning, he asked me directly whether I had the resources I needed to accomplish each mission. Yet his desire for thoroughness never led to wavering. I knew I could count on him to have the steadiness and patience to see the mission through -- and so did my subordinate commanders.

President Bush's leadership has come under attack by Sen. Kerry, who accuses the president of "incompetence" in pursuing the war on terror. With the release of the latest Osama bin Laden tape, Sen. Kerry has once again attempted to capitalize on Americans' most urgent security concerns. The notion that we "outsourced" our mission at Tora Bora is completely wrong. The Afghan forces at Tora Bora were working in concert with the best fighting forces America has to offer. In addition, the Afghan troops had a long history of opposing the Taliban and fighting for freedom in their own country.

This past week we also saw Sen. Kerry pounce on news stories about the Al Qaqaa facility in Iraq. Those stories first said 380 tons of high explosives were missing, presumed taken after our soldiers were on the scene. Now it turns out the story is more complicated. We don't know how many munitions were stored there when the war began. And we don't know when the munitions that are gone were taken. What we do know is that our forces have seized or destroyed more than 400,000 tons of munitions and explosives -- weapons that Saddam Hussein controlled. If Sen. Kerry's view had prevailed, we wouldn't be arguing about 380 tons of munitions; Saddam would still be in control of all 400,000 -- and potentially much more.

We still need to gather more information about the missing munitions. And, true to form, President Bush will gather the facts and respond appropriately. I respect his thoughtfulness, and his willingness to work with our generals to develop strategy -- strategy based on analysis and experience, not media headlines. All due respect to the media, that's not the way to win a war.

I don't know Sen. Kerry's plan for victory. But I do know that his criticism of the military conduct of our global war on terrorism disrespects our troops. I also know that he cannot lead troops to victory in a war when he's made it perfectly clear that he doesn't support the cause. And he cannot attract more international support for this cause when he denigrates the allies who are helping us.

President Bush understands that destroying terrorism requires a consistent, committed effort on a global scale. And he knows we need the help of other nations committed to freedom. Since Sept. 11, 2001, he has built the largest coalition in history. And the mission determined the coalition; the coalition did not determine the mission. With the help of these allies, we have made remarkable progress in the last three years: 50 million people are free, two regimes that sponsored terror are gone, and America is safer. But much remains to be done. As voters consider their choice, they must think about how America will continue to confront challenges to our freedom. Winning the war against terrorism demands responsible, unwavering leadership. George W. Bush is a leader.

 

no harm, no foul.