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The Judas Syndrom: American Media and the War on Terror

Major Dennis W. Lid - 9/11/2007

It's happening again, just like it did during the Vietnam Conflict. The collective voice of a disaffected public grows louder with each negative incident that occurs in Iraq. As the fatalities increase and the casualties mount from the daily incidence of improvised explosive devices, ambushes, assassinations, suicide bombings and other terrorist acts, the fainthearted and disillusioned are repulsed by the appalling statistics and disheartened from any desire to stay the course.

The liberal media is all too quick to nurture the disaffection and pipe the tune of those disenchanted souls of little faith, thereby encouraging the chorus of pessimistic naysayers to grow louder with each passing week. Brothers-at-arms gird yourselves for the inevitable. The Judas syndrome begins to permeate your support base, the American people, and erode your heroic efforts to stand Iraq on its feet as a free and democratic nation. Your noble cause is slowly and insidiously being compromised; the defilement of the brotherhood begins.

Recent polls would have you believe that the tide has already turned against the possibility of achieving a positive and favorable conclusion to what many attribute to be an ill-conceived war based on faulty or rigged intelligence, or outright lies.

Many of those stouthearted beings that initially supported our efforts in Iraq have since turned against the endeavor for any of several reasons. Some say we should not have gone to war in the first place, others cite a partisan rationale of blue versus red or liberal versus conservative persuasions, for prematurely terminating the project, and still others voice their dove over hawk opinions as reasons for pulling out of Iraq now. There are also those who believe that the cost to benefit ratio in lives, dollars and other resources is highly unfavorable and not worth the effort.

Rationalizations of one kind or another are rampant amongst the general population tossed back and forth by daily occurrences, the emphasis of the media, opinion makers with private agendas, self-appointed experts and politicians of all stripes, administration officials and their opponents, celebrities and others.

All of these entities exert their influence. The result is predominantly a grand disillusionment of the public. It prepares itself for an eventual sellout. And, besides the Iraqi people, guess who's going to be left holding the bag -- as usual? The American military in Iraq will take the brunt. The brotherhood must protect the Iraqis, the American nation and itself against another possible betrayal that looms as a threat on the not too distant horizon.

The President and his administration are countering various factions opposed to the war in Iraq. Our Commander-in-Chief has been maligned by his liberal political, media and other opponents over all aspects of the war, from its origins to its execution, follow-through and strategy for eventual termination and withdrawal.

He has been a bulwark against the rising tide of pessimism and cynicism regarding a favorable outcome to the situation in Iraq. He stands firmly behind the military and nation-building efforts being pursued in the Middle East. He is the staunchest ally of our military brotherhood in Iraq. With your tenacity, fidelity, and untiring efforts, and with the President's direction and support, the crusade in Iraq will eventually succeed, to the dismay and perplexity of the naysayers and those of weak will and little faith.

Time is the nemesis. Persistent effort and progress on all fronts requires time and the patience to endure its passage. Our American people have never been known for their patience, much less our media. We have always been a nation eager for immediate gratification. America demands positive results in short order; else it is tempted to consider the effort or project doomed to eventual failure.

When that temptation is deliberately and repeatedly fed by various centers of influence and shapers of opinion, inside and outside of our country, it leads to a rampaging flood of demands by the public to disengage and abort the endeavor. We all know that a premature abortion of the effort to stabilize Iraq, quell the insurgency and counter the terrorists there would spell failure in the attempt to establish a free and democratic country in the Middle East. It would also open wide the door to an escalation of the insurgency, the advent of civil war and an increase in terrorist acts throughout the region and the world. And, so, my brothers-at-arms, what is the answer to all of this negativism? What is the solution to this vexing problem embodied in Iraq?

Cutting our losses by implementing an immediate or near-term withdrawal is not the answer. Our nation has made a heavy investment in lives and other resources and cannot afford to sell out at a loss. We have overthrown a despot and his regime and must now fill the gap with something better for the people of Iraq. We cannot leave them to their own devices without first providing the necessary security, fundamental democratic institutions, functioning political, judicial, military and economic organizations with which they may continue to build their country. The Iraqis, in agreement with allied commanders, will signal the coalition as to when the time is right for a withdrawal of forces. This will occur sooner rather than later, as the Iraqis want to conduct their own affairs and have their country back as soon as possible. They want the foreigner gone as much as the foreigner wants to be gone.

Close ranks and stand firm. Turn inward to protect the Iraqis, our nation and yourselves. Draw from the internal strength of the brotherhood -- your comrades-at-arms. See the effort through to a successful conclusion, if our nation will allow it, for the sake of Iraq, America and your own integrity. Our people do support you, though many oppose the war. Opposition and pessimism will grow with the passage of time; expect it to be so. The naysayers abound and increasingly spread their venom infecting ever-increasing numbers of the population. They are having some initial success in their debilitating effort, but will fail ultimately, because they are wrong.

Time is of the essence. The Iraqis must stand up and take control of their own nation as soon as possible, which is their fervent desire and intent. They will not allow the situation to devolve into a civil war, nor will they allow the insurgency to succeed if given the opportunity to achieve stability and control. They want their country back whole and complete -- not in pieces with warlords or mullahs as their new tyrants. As chaotic as it may be, the Iraqis have tasted freedom and they like it.

Their thirst, as indicated by recent elections, is for more of it. Help them stand up, take control and seize their own democratic destiny. Brothers, be firm in your resolve for nothing less than total victory for which there is no substitute. Close ranks within the band of brothers, and draw strength from one another as you have always done in all of our past struggles. Be steady and outlast all enemies, foreign and domestic. Meanwhile, we at home will support you and find ways to surmount our endless and fruitless squabbling and finger pointing. We, the American people along with our elected representatives, must find ways to draw all arguing entities closer to the center so as to arrive at compatible agreement on all Iraqi war and terrorist issues through compromise. This we must accomplish for the good of all and to achieve the ultimate victory. We must not allow the Judas syndrome, a proclivity for betrayal, to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.