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LOSING AMERICA'S FINEST IN IRAQ

Just in Los Angeles County alone we lose more young men every day, month in and month out, than we actually lose in battle in Iraq. It is much like a war zone in parts of L.A. County. It's unfortunate, but we don't lose just gang-bangers, who are out to assassinate each other, but also, annually, scores of fine young people who are mistakenly shot by these gang-members! That's horrible. Just read about the outstanding athletes and high-school students, the young college students, who lose their lives to this scum in drive-by shootings.

Yet, each young man or woman killed in Iraq was also a very special person, a patriotic American, a volunteer, and it is horrendous that we suffer such losses. They've had lots of training and they're a valuable part of our military team, whether it is a Private or a Captain or a Colonel. My heart goes out to their mothers and fathers, their sisters and brothers. They've paid the price for freedom, and they've given their lives for us.

Yes, there are so many who disagree with the U.S. presence in Iraq, who feel that they should not be over there at all. Yet, we either fight terrorism in the mid-East or we fight it here at home. While they are attacking our troops in Iraq and we suffer casualities there, they don't have the ability to do all the damage right here in the U.S. that they'd like to do, as they demonstrated with strikes against the Trade Towers and the Pentagon.

FIGHT THE ENEMY ABROAD OR FIGHT THEM AT HOME
Which would you prefer, to fight on foreign soil or here in the U.S.? The attacks against two U.S. Consulates were actually considered as blows against the U.S. itself, because of the nature of foreign Consulates. Our Consulates are technically considered U.S. territory.

Do you think for one minute that these Al Qaeda trained terrorists don't have an ultimate target, that the U.S. is not their target of choice, that they don't want to sew the seeds of destruction in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Miami? Those American soldiers in Iraq are our first line of defense, and if you don't know that, then you do not know much about war or terrorism!

The U.S. Army is keeping the enemy occupied there, and as long as they keep assaulting our troops in Baghdad, and Hussein's and bin Laden's men are getting killed there, it means that they are not doing damage in the U.S., that they cannot concentrate their efforts on targets here.

Think not? Think I am wrong? Well, son, you'd have said the same thing on August 30, 2001. That's the date Milli and I had dinner at the restaurant below, and then were at the top of the Trade Towers late that evening, viewing a peaceful New York and New Jersey, and the courteous guards up there were telling us all about it; we were the last ones to take the elevator down that night! It would take me pages to describe my feelings of pride and happiness as I stood in those 360 degree-view windows looking out at the flickering lights up and down the Hudson River and the East River.

Yes, those of you who are anti-war, would have denied the possibility of a potential attack in ten days on that beautiful night, and I might have also, but I don't see it that way now.

Think about that for a few minutes. You don't even have a clue to how vicious these people can be. Once we pull back from Iraq, if we do it too soon, you'll find out. They're relentless, merciless, and suicidal. We must kill both Saddam and Osama, and make no mistake, nothing less will do. You've got to cut the head off the serpent, not cage it. If that's saying too much to stomach, then read the pap from more Liberal writers who seem to wish for our defeat rather than victory. There is no substitute for Victory.

There is also no other way to achieve Victory other than by fighting until you win, by completely defeating the enemy and destroying their leadership. We did it with Mussolini, with Hitler, with Tojo, and now it is time to do it with both Hussein and bin Laden.

Yes, we'll continue to lose 50 or 100 men each month, most likely, but remember, we lost 4,000 in an hour on 9/11. It could as easily have been 14,000, except for timing and the bravery of many Americans. There are other plots being hatched by Al Qaeda right now, make no mistake about that, and our invasion of Iraq had nothing to do with triggering them. If anything, it has delayed them or made them ineffective. Our military overseas are there to do a job and they deserve every ounce of support we can give. As patriotic Americans, that's the very least we owe them and the very least can do for them. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers every day.