I highlight one passage out of one of many, many posts. This passage I choose because it highlights the depth of his wisdom and clarity. From his reprinted post, Battle for Mosul II:
The word martyr is derived from the word "to witness." It is used to describe a person who is killed because of a belief or principle. Given the choice to recant, martyrs chose instead to face their murderers and stand in witness to their beliefs. True martyrs do not kill themselves, but stand their ground and fight in the face of death to demonstrate the power of their convictions, sometimes dying as a result, but preferably surviving.
The only martyrs I know about in Iraq are the fathers and brothers who see a better future coming, and so they act on their beliefs and assemble outside police stations whenever recruitment notices are posted. They line up in ever increasing numbers, knowing that insurgents can also read these notices. The men stand in longer and longer lines, making ever bigger targets of themselves. Some volunteer to to earn a living. This, too, is honorable. But others take these risks because they believe that a better future is possible only if Iraqi men of principle stand up for their own values, for their country, for their families. Theses are the true martyrs, the true heroes of Iraq and of Islam. I meet these martyrs frequently. They are brave men, worthy of respect.
emphasis mine - because Michael Yon stands up for his beliefs, is attacked daily for them, and faces death for his convictions. I pray for his safety and his survival, as I do for all the men in Deuce Four, and all the men in our military who serve so that I may be free.
And I demand that you add Michael Yon to your daily reading, if you care a whit about the future of freedom in Iraq.
UPDATE: Dean has an excerpt from Yon's latest post. It's compelling narrative that puts Tom Clancy to shame - and it's real.
argh, that was supposed to read "did more soul-searching than most" and my trackpad sliced and diced my cursor position. you know what i meant :)
ReplyDeleteI'll have a look at von's arguments.
ReplyDeleteA couple of things meanwhile: Larry Johnson, the author of "Why We Must Leave," is formerly a State Department and CIA analyst, not some granola-kumbaya hippie or something.
Re the sunk cost of the poor rationales for Iraq: but they're being parlayed with even more poor rationales into even more costs. "We fight them there so we don't fight them here." "We honor the dead by finishing the job" -- without a clear statement on what that job is and when it's over. If it's "throwing the clerics some women's rights as long as we keep some major bases," then this wasn't just a travesty three years ago, it remains a travesty now.
Thanks for your response.