Why Doesn't Reid Claim We Have Lost in Afghanistan?

In my recent post about how Harry Reid, I pointed out what I think is a link between Reid's support of the war and his "lost" terminology. Some of the comments led me to wonder why Reid or many other Dems criticize the effort in Afghanistan. There are similar setbacks with the resurgence of the Taliban. According to Wikipedia on the subject the following has taken place in Afghanistan since the Taliban started regrouping:

2006

• June 6: A roadside bombing leaves 2 American soldiers killed, the attack took place in the province of nanghar. Also a separate suicide bombing in Khost leaves three US soldiers wounded.^[25]

• June 15: A bus carrying workers to an American base explodes killing 10 and wounding 15. The explosives were placed on the bus.^[26]

• July 1: 2 British soldiers are killed when their base came under small arms fire including rocket propelled grenades.^[27]

• August 8: 4 Canadian NATO soldiers are killed in two separate attacks. And a suicide bomber targeting a NATO convey detonates killing 21 people.^[28]

• August 20: 3 American soldiers are killed and another 3 are wounded in a battle with Taliban millitants after a roadside bomb hit an American patrol.^[29]

• September 8: A major suicide car bombing near the US embassy in Kabul kills 18 including 2 US soldiers.^[30]

• September 10: The governor of Afghanistan's southeastern Paktia province is killed alongside his bodyguard and nephew when a suicide bomber detonates himself beside the governor's car.^[31]

• October 14: A suicide attack in Kandahar city leaves 8 dead including one NATO soldier.^[32]

• October 15: 2 Canadian soldiers were killed when Taliban militants attacked NATO troops using small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades.^[33]

• December 6: A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a security contractor's office killing 7 including 2 Americans, the attack took place south of Afghanistan in Kandahar.^[34]

2007

• January 23: A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a US base in eastern Afghanistan killing 10 people who were waiting outside the base.^[35]

• February 2: Taliban forces raided a southern Afghan town destroying the government center and briefly holding some elders captive.^[36]

• February 19: The Taliban briefly seized a small town in western Afghanistan after police fled the town, the Taliban forces moved in for 30 minutes and seizing 3 vehicles.^[37]

• February 20: A suicide bomber blew himself up during an opening hospital ceremony injuring 2 NATO soldiers and a hospital worker.^[38]

• February 27: 23 people are killed when a suicide bomber attacks an American military base in Kabul. The attack took place while US vice president Dick Cheney was in the compound, Cheney was unhurt in the attack and was the intended target of the attack as claimed by the Taliban. The dead included an American soldier, a Korean soldier, and an American contractor.^[39]

• March 4: A suicide bomber attacks an American convoy which leaves 16 civilians dead in the after-math as the American convey begins to sporadically fire at civilian cars around them. In a separate incident 2 British soldiers were killed when a Taliban rocket was fired on them during clashes in Southern Helmand Province.^[40]

• March 17: A suicide bomber targeting a Canadian military convoy leaves one dead and 3 injured including one NATO soldier. The attack took place in Kandahar.^[41]

• March 19: A car bomb blew up near a three-vehicle US embassy convoy injuring many in the convoy.^[42]

• March 27: 4 police officers are killed in the southern Helmand province after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a police station. [1]

• March 28: A suicide bomber killed a top intelligance officer and 3 others in the capital Kabul.

• April 6 A suicide bomber struck a police checkpoint in Kabul leaving 4 dead and 4 others wounded. [2]

• April 9 6 Canadian soldiers were killed in souther Afghanistan when they struck a roadside bomb. In a separate roadside bombing also in south Afghanistan left another NATO soldier dead and one wounded. In another incident a statement from the talibans spokesperson claimed that they had beheaded a translator for a kidnapped Italian journalist. [3]

• April 15: A suicide bomber struck a US-private security firm killing 4 Afghans working for the company. [4]

• April 16: A suicide bomber ran onto a police training field and detonating his explosive device killing 10 police officers and wounding dozens of others, the attack took place in the relatively quiet city of Kunduz. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. [5]

• April 20: Seperate explosions in Southern Afghanistan leaves 2 Nato soldiers dead. [6]

• April 22: A suicide bomber blew himself up an eastern city of Afghanistan killing 6. A roadside bomb also hit an Afghan intelligance service vehicle killing all 4 who were inside. [7]

The war in Afghanistan is considered "justified" by even many of the staunchest Dems. Yet five years later we are still fighting against insurgent Taliban fighters and there continues to be loss of life among civilians and our troops. Using the same formula, why doesn't Reid claim we have "lost" in Afghanistan? I think we all know the reason.

The Bottom Line on Winning and Losing

Malott has a great take on Harry "Shadow Boxer" Reids's claim that we have lost in Iraq: the equivalent of "Mission Accomplished" for radical Islam. Neal Boortz like others calls Reid a "traitor" and lays out his case very well. I don't think Tokyo Rose could be doing a better job than Reid and his fellow lefties. Michelle Malkin has posts with letters from our valiant servicemen responding to Reid here and here.

The bottom line on this winning and losing business is how would the status of the war be considered if there was no disagreement on whether we should be there in the first place? Without rehashing the justification for the war, IF all still felt it was justified would anybody be claiming that we are losing or that we lost in Iraq? Without the stigma, would Harry Reid be saying or even thinking we have lost? Absolutely not. And that is the point, the bottom line. Reid is not giving a genuine, realistic assessment of our prospects of victory in Iraq. He is playing politics of the worst kind. In fact, it was shameless how he appears to have been waiting in the wings and rubbing his hands waiting for a day to come that enough Iraqis would be killed by bombs. The bombs killing over 180 people happened and Reid jumps out like a Jack in the Box to undercut our troops.

While things have not and are not rosey in Iraq, if all were behind the cause nearly all would view the situation winnable instead of through a defeatist prism. The concept of "lost" is only based on the lack of will (personally and politically) to continue.

Harry Reid Shadow Boxing

Ok, I have a nickname for Harry Reid - Shadow Boxer. It is a name that hints at his being a former boxer and combines that with his habit of fighting himself. TexasRainMaker blog points out his latest.

Reid was quoted complaining about the ruling by the Supreme Court this week upholding the ban on the barbaric practice of partial birth abortion. Malott has a cycling picture showing the procedure in all its cruelty here. Well, apparantly the act of Congress that banned p.b.a. was voted for by Harry Reid himself. Ouch! I have kudos ready for the first non-Foxnews MSM reporter to point this out.

Choking Hypocrisy From Left

The high profile hypocrisy monitors never seem to focus on liberals / Democrats. Sure the conservative blogs and talk shows put the spotlight on them, but it is very hard to find elsewhere. The fact is that the hypocrisy on the left is so thick it has a choking effect to observe. We see jet-setter Al Gore hiding behind his Environmental Bulimia. We see the Dems different standard on perjury and pardons when you compare their treatment of Scooter Libby and Bill Clinton. Harry Reid is grandstanding and making a fool of himself demanding that Bush pledge not to pardon Libby.

There is a double standard on perjury between Libby and Tim Russert. According to Victory Toensing in National Review Online:

The court prevented the defense from impeaching Tim Russert: The NBC anchorman, who has a law degree, testified he did not know a lawyer could not accompany a witntess before the grand jury. The defense then exhumed three clips where Russert had said on the air that a lawyer cannot go into the grand jury with his client. The judge would not allow the jury to hear that other honorable people sometimes forget or misspeak when being grilled on the witness stand.

If this is the case, why is Russert still considered honorable and respected. Why no charges from Fitzgerald against the same kind of perjury that he accused Libby of? In fact there is more evidence of Russert perjury - video tape, than against Libby - witness testimony with demonstrable memory faults. I found it ironic that on CNN somebody stated that it was likely Russert's testimony and "high credibility" that tilted the decisions for the jury.

With such a mountain of examples to choose from, I will finish with John Edwards. Edwards is building his presidential campaing on class warfare and massive wealth transfers. To bolster his argument Edwards drops the name "Jesus" by stating:

I think that Jesus would be disappointed in our ignoring the plight of those around us who are suffering and our focus on our own selfish short-term needs...I think he would be appalled, actually.

Of course nothing portrays "selfish short-term needs" like an 82,000 square foot house and a $2.6 million beach summer home. (photo courtesy of Rush Limbaugh). Rest assured if AP had been doing a similar story on a wealthy Republican, they would have squeezed in references to such excess.

The fact is that liberalism is loaded with hypocrisy. However, they bank on people being ignorant of the details. They count on the media keeping their dirty secrets from high profile exposure. They look to mitigate what is told by picturing conservative sources as angry and hateful instead of informative. Liberals have infested and infected every influential area of society: media, education, unions, science organizations, medical organizations, legal organizations, all levels and departments of government (including the Pentagon, State Department, the CIA, the FBI, the Justice Department), the entertainment world. At times it seems a nearly impossible battle to fight. Ignorance, deception and disinformation are a liberal's best friend.