RoguePlanet

Michael Totten, then and now

Michael Totten then (Nov. 6, 2003):

Shorter version: "We cannot run away from Iraq as the cowardly Democrats would have us do!"

Long version:

Thank heaven for that 40 percent. But more than half [of Democrats] want to run away.

What a complete and utter disaster that would be. Nothing we could do, and I mean nothing, would ratchet up more terror attacks than surrendering to them. The Democrats would have blood on their hands. The Baathists and Islamists would wage a devastating civil war in Iraq. If the left doesn’t like war, they shouldn’t go and kickstart a pointless and evil one into action.

There are thugs in Iraq. There are innocent civilians in Iraq. Our soldiers stand between the innocent civilians and the thugs. If we step out of the way, innocent civilians will be killed by those thugs.

(emphasis mine)

Michael Totten now:

Short version: "Bush and Rumsfeld want to run away from Iraq. Good idea!"


Long version:

If Iraq becomes a functioning stable democracy -- whether it becomes one on our watch or not -- we will have accomplished every single one of our objectives in that country. If the Islamists want to twist that into a "victory" for their side because we left and let Iraqis mop up the dead-enders, let them have their delusions.

(emphasis mine)