Suddenly, I found myself in early August of 2007. Harry Reid and the rest of the Democrats calling for our withdrawal - or surrender and retreat, if you prefer - after hours of all night debate a few weeks earlier, had achieved their stated goal of turning the legislative mood in Washington against continuing with General Patreaus's surge in Iraq. The House and Senate had managed to muscle through both bodies the much debated measure that would de-fund the surge and begin bringing the troops home within four weeks. So many formerly stalwart Republicans preaching "patience" suddenly ran out of patience themselves with poll numbers that left them feeling insecure about America's next trip to the ballot box. Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi achieve victory and override George W. Bush's veto of the legislation. By February of 2008, the last American troops leave Iraq, save a handful of Special Forces intended to serve as "consultants" to the still fledgling Iraqi government.
All of America, at this point, is breathing a sigh of relief. American mothers in particular put the whole ordeal behind them and silently resolve never to vote for a candidate that speaks of "dealing with an international threat" again. Americans everywhere put the long conflict of bringing open society and responsible government to Iraq behind them. Even those who to the end supported the mission are somewhat relieved that the Left is not going to beat them over the head day-in-and-day-out with their incessant mantras of "Bush Lied, People Died" and the like. Though they silently worry about the future, at least cable TV isn't constantly trying to rub troop deaths in their faces in an effort to undermine a Republican president. True, like the Vietnam War, there are the occasional painful reminders
of the conflict: young men missing limbs in wheel chairs and wearing fatigues. But, for all intents and purposes, its over. Americans go back to living their lives seemingly uninterrupted; ball games, high school proms, new jobs, the joys of marriage and the new couple's first child. And even the 2008 Presidential election.
All throughout the last eight months of the campaign season, the attempt to distance oneself from the Bush Administration and the Bush Doctrine in particular rips through each candidate - Democrat and Republican - like a flesh eating disease. Even stalwarts like Rudy Guiliani, who wins the Republican Nomination, spends more time trying to distance himself not only from his original support of continuing with Patreaus's surge, but puts forth a campaign pledge to never put military men and women in harm's way without clear, and most importantly, continuous, super-majority support from the legislature. The plan is futile. Guiliani is trounced by Barack Obama and his VP running mate, Bill Richardson in the election. Obama pledges an end to "bluster and bombast" in American foreign policy. In addition to pledging commitment to Kyoto, Obama goes before the United Nations and swears that the United States Armed Forces will never, under his watch, act without the express permission of the UN Security Council. He receives a thunderous ovation from the assembly.
Half a world away, not only are the remnants of the Taliban watching, but all of the al-Qaeda leadership and every Islamic Fundamentalist take note of the change in the last year. In the Middle East (Iraq) and in the West in general and the United States in particular, those who have been programmed to wait for Allah to return Islam to world greatness are enthralled with the previous years turn of events. The change, naturally, starts in Iraq.
Once heartland tribes in Iraq realize that the United States military is no longer on hand to aid the fledgling Iraqi military in defending against al-Qaeda, the militias turn against their host army. Al-Qaeda stamps out what is left of the Iraqi military be either killing or recruitment, and across the Fertile Crescent tribal leaders endorse the overlording of al-Qaeda and their Taliban style governance.
Al-Qaeda spares most of those in Iraq who conform, but still many thousands of people accused of the apostasy of Westernism - mostly people connected with what was the Maliki government - are rounded up and beheaded. By summer of 2009, the ruling regime is a mirror of Afghanistan's ten years earlier. To the Kurds to the north, its worse than if Saddam Hussein had never left. Within two years of the last American Troops leaving, countless thousands of Iraqis have perished at the hands of the new ruling regime. Thousands more disappear into torture chambers and bottomless prisons that make Abu Grhaib look like Romper Room. Suddenly, Senator Kennedy is confronted with the absolute stupidity of his "new management" comment.
Of course, the UN can't help but take notice. The genocide in Iraq is on par with that of Darfur, to some it is nearly indistinguishable. The UN, of course, passes resolution after resolution calling for an end to the killing that the ruling Islamists in Iraq bring about, but the regime, headed by Ayman al-Zawahiri laughs and accuses the UN of being a puppet of the United States and Israel. American spy satellites photograph vibrant activity of terrorist training camps on the outskirts of Fallujah and Salman Pak, but the Obama Administration, due to its earlier commitments, is powerless to intervene. Xbox America still has vivid memories of the incessant body count from the American involvement in Iraq a couple years earlier, and writes it all off as something "distant" and "not for American involvement."
In late fall of 2009, Pakistani President Musharrif is assassinated in an Islamist coup, and President Obama can do nothing but watch. Now Islamist militants are in control of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, and by late winter of 2010, Iran has detonated its first nuclear device. Strangely enough, the ruling regime in Iraq has very cooperative relations with the Ayatollahs of Iran. Suddenly, the Islamic Kingdom of Iraq joins the nuclear club.
Another sudden development is the change of allegiances among oil rich nations of the world. Russia's Putin, long a non-committal democrat, tightens his grip on Russia and begins to strengthen his bonds with other oil rich nations (namely Iraq, Iran, among others such as Venezuela), joining OPEC. Once again, OPEC is regulating with a death grip the flow of oil to the world market. By the summer driving season of 2010, gas is well over $7.00 a gallon. Suddenly, the average American begins to feel the affects of the Democrats forced retreat from Iraq for the first time. But few are able to put two and two together.
In the fall of 2010, China invades Taiwan, and Kim Jong-Il of North Korea announces that his nuclear proliferation will continue unabated. The previous alone sends world markets into a tail spin. Naturally, the UN condemns both actions, but the Chinese and North Korean regimes laugh it off. What does the UN have the power to do? At home in the US, many on the Right call for President Obama to act on the aggression of the Chinese. But at home, the Left and many of their recent soccer mom recruits are having none of it. Though the last American troops have been out of harms way for more than two years, the images are still fresh. Its a foreign entanglement, and there is no support for anything other than "sanctions". The UN continues to pass resolutions that have no effect. The tyrants the world over knows that Xbox America and Soccer Mom America will never push their Democrat president to get involved in "another Iraq".
Meanwhile, in the Middle East, closed societies with Taliban-style governments pop up everywhere - Lebanon, Egypt (bye bye Mubarak), Iraq, Iran, Pakistan - even the elected government of Afghanistan is losing ground. And with the closed society mentality comes the fanatical indoctrination of young Muslims by the millions. Young aspiring Jihidi's gather around to hear stories about how the Americans were run from the Middle East and unworthy of sharing the planet with the chosen people of Allah. The terrorist training camps of Iraq have recruits by the thousands as many ignorant Islamists flood to the camps to achieve the glory that they have been told they can have only by shedding the blood of infidels. Their years of misery poverty and suffering, they are told, are the direct result not of their corrupt leaders but because of the West. Look at how weak the US and their infidel President, Barack Obama are. The time is right for each of these soldiers of Islam to right the wrongs of the past. And, though the Westerners know this is indoctrination and pure pap, what free press in the Islamic world exists to counter them? None, they're all missing their heads or in fear of the same.
Still, despite all of this, it is early 2011. American Idol is in the midst of another season, the Cubs, we are told, have a shot at winning the National League, and we still watch the antics of Paris Hilton on E.
Then, late night in April of 2011, a flash is seen from what appears to be an Iranian merchant vessel. It was allowed to approach the American coastline because, under the new rules of engagement put forth by now subservient US military, it is not approached and questioned unless a detailed level of criteria has been met. Within 60 minutes, a remote plains town in rural Missouri is crushed by a nuclear explosion. The Electromagnetic Pulse, or EMP, creates what is known as an "EMP Laydown." America's infrastructure, powered by computer, struggles to survive. Even our spy satellites lack needed computer support. We are now more vulnerable as a nation than ever.
This is when I wake up from the dream. Its a dream, yes, more of a nightmare. But those of you who think that running from Iraq and handing the victory to al-Qaeda there will mean at worst a blemish on American history are absolutely kidding yourselves.
In my dream above, at the very start of the surrender to al-Qaeda in Iraq, we're relieved that we can go back to living sheltered American lives. The above scenario is not unrealistic. Its just the product of a mind that can see beyond the political win of the Surrender Caucus and the next election. I've said it before folks, our survival as a nation is at stake. Wake up.
