Iraq: A Quartet of Critical Inquiries

By Rep. Thaddeus McCotter


As a person’s word is their bond, a nation’s word is its bond. Once broken, “its word is no good.”

In 2002, with the world – and especially our enemy – watching, America gave its solemn vow to the oppressed Iraqi people we would emancipate them from a tyrant to experience their God-given right to liberty. Over four years later, in Iraq our soldiers and civilians continue striving and sacrificing to honor America’s pledge; but, on the home front, the Left is bent upon breaking America’s promise to liberate the Iraqis, in particular, and forsaking America’s dedication to liberty, in general.

Before acquiescing to this execrable outcome, Americans must demand the Left answer this quartet of critical inquiries regarding Iraq :

1. If America breaks its vow and abandons the Iraqis to be slaughtered, who in the region or the world will trust our word?

2. If America belies its professed commitment to liberty, what can we possibly offer the Middle East ’s – indeed, the world’s – oppressed to turn them away from the enemy and toward us?

3. After Iraq is abandoned, how soon will the Left demand America ’s immediate retreat in the other “war without end” – Afghanistan ?

4. What are the consequences to America if we are defeated in Iraq and Bin-Laden is proven right: “ America is definitely a great power, with an unbelievable military strength and a vibrant economy, but all of these have been built on a very weak and hollow foundation”?

These questions and others will not and can not be answered by the Left. Offering constructive alternatives to and measuring the consequences of national security policies is neither their goal nor inclination. Their contempt for America as the greatest threat to “world peace” precludes it.

Possessed of our sanity, let us provide the answers to these questions.

1. No one.

2. Nothing.

3. Immediately.

4. A war without end.

Should the Left prevail and these answers become bitter realities, present and future generations of Americans will be faced with the dark specter of nuclear armed terrorist states in a war without end against an implacable enemy bent upon our destruction; and, our just God so disposed, the Left will be held to account for betraying the integrity of America’s word in this crucible of our nation’s War for Freedom.

And, make no mistake, we will not escape the history’s inquiry of us:

What did you do to win it?



United States Representative Thaddeus G. McCotter is the Chairman of the Republican House Policy Committee