Jewish World Review Dec. 15, 2003 / 20 Kislev, 5764

Martha Zoller

Martha Zoller
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They Said What!?


http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | In the early morning as I rose for my normal Sunday routine, I heard something incredible. Over the radio, I heard the name of Saddam Hussein and immediately I knew this was something big. I flipped on The Fox News Channel and there it was--the news that Saddam Hussein was captured.


The images of this broken man who was hiding like a coward in a hole barely big enough to get in and out of seemed appropriate because he had know where left to go. Even the $750,000 in cash could not help him because you cannot bribe someone from a hole in the ground. In the end, he did not stand up to the United States military and he was taken alive without incident.


After he was allowed to shower and shave and appeared more like himself, he was a little more emboldened. When confronted by some of the Iraqi governing council, he was defiant and not willing to concede anything. Saddam needs to be sure that he does not misread the incredible restraint that United States forces showed in not killing him on the spot with weakness. We want the Iraqi people to have their day in court with Saddam Hussein. His place in Hell has already been assured.


In the discussions and the channel surfing of the day, which included "radio surfing" in the car on the way to church, there were two comments that stood out as being particularly heinous. They will show that the media is not going to give one inch to the leadership of George W. Bush and will reinforce why we are blessed to have a leader that is going to do the right thing regardless of what the pundits say.

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The first offender is Barbara Starr, Pentagon reporter for CNN. The mantra of the left, including Ms. Starr has been we need the international community. They do not believe in the sovereignty of the United States and that ultimately, we will do what is best for us and the world.


Early in her comments on Sunday, she said that we would have to wait and see if the intelligence used to find Saddam was US intelligence. She went onto imply that somehow this victory for the Commander in Chief would be tainted if it was not and that President Bush would be hurt by this if it was not US Intelligence. This coming from people who continually ask, "Shouldn't we be including the international community?" Ultimately, it does not matter where we got the information, it only matters that we got him alive and that justice is done.


Next an ABC Radio reporter said that since Bush knew about this yesterday and did not say anything about it, he was holding out on the American people. Then, the connection was made that this was the second time in recent days that the President had "kept something from the American people." The first time would have been when the President went to Iraq for Thanksgiving. And if the President had said something yesterday, and it turned out not to be Saddam that would have led to him being criticized for "lying to the American people." Whew, he cannot win either way with the mainstream press.


The best response was that of Senator John Kerry. He said that this was an opportunity to fix a colossal mess in Iraq and that the "administration can and must launch a major effort to gain international support and win the peace." No, Senator Kerry, this is the moment that we as Americans can say that we are on the right path and patience and commitment to goals will win the day.


All in all, this was a good day for liberty. The President was cautious in his statements and until Iraq is stable, there is still much work to be done. But where will the Special Forces guys go that implemented this incredible mission? Back to where they came from, Afghanistan. I would hate to be Osama Bin Laden.

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JWR contributor Martha Zoller is a radio talk show host in Georgia. Comment by clicking here.


04/09/03 Augusta and the Plight of Men



© 2003, Martha Zoller