From Les 4 Vérités

Guy Milliere- Wednesday March 28, 2007

The whole of the French media did not fail to mention that four years have passed since the American decision to intervene militarily in Iraq.

The comments, of course, spoke (as ever) of it as a “quagmire”, to list of the attacks, note the number of dead which “does not cease growing”. It was added that George Bush, very “insulated”, still required “a little time” before withdrawing the troops. It was said that the Americans are “increasingly isolated”. The current political topic is dominated by discussing the greater “wisdom” of the decision of Chirac during his second term was his opposition to the war.

In the countries where information is free, that’s all that’s said even if a few scrupulous journalists hint at refuting it. In France, it is particularly difficult to do as much of that, and I often think that if I didn’t write about it from time to time there would be near or total silence.

The reasons I don’t remain silent are varied, but can be summarized in two points. First of all, although I don’t want to invite insults or be boycotted, I learned from my mentors that professional work requires scrupulousness courage. Then, I then notice that the lie, even by omission is not something I can resist opposing. It’s in my nature.

Given that I have to note:

a) There are difficulties “achieving peace” but the initial objectives of the war were achieved long ago. Iraq is no longer a base for terrorism and took considerable steps towards freedom, with all due respect to leftists, along with the gaullists, islamist and the French extreme-right.

b) Since the change of strategy implemented by the General Petraeus considerable progress has been made in security, so much so that Robert Kagan, writing in the Washington Post wondered if those who hoped for the worse might soon have to face their own attitudes. According to Kagan, to win from now on is a question of months.
c) It was long known that the alternative to the liberation of Iraq had been continuing the intolerable sanctions, mass graves, and corruptions which were impossible to lift except through war, which while allowing Iraq to become unruly again. It’s also well known that the Chirac’s “wise decision” had entirely to do with that corruptions and fear.

D) We are in a global war declared on the free world by radical Islam. The beginning of this war (which goes beyond Iraq), is much older. Some say it began with the first attack on the Twin Towers in 1993, others date it to Khomeini’s seizure of power in 1979.

This war will mark the 20th century. If (what I do not dare to imagine), it was not to show the victory of freedom, that would mean the end of civilization in which we let us live.
The American leaders distinguish it, just like the most enlightened thinkers of the Moslem regions. The American left, in prey with the phantasms come from the time of Vietnam, does not distinguish anything. The left, the gaullists and the extreme-right-hand side in Europe do not distinguish anything either, hide their contempt for the Arab populations behind weak remarks, dissimulate their cowardice behind the illusion which the appeasing can function, and prepare, in fact, consciously or not, a total tender with the radical Islam which they seem to find preferable with a victory of a free world led by the United States.

As an economist and a liberal geopolitical observer, I regard it as an honor to be insulted in the same terms by the descendants of Pétain, Mussolini and Chamberlain and by the distances disciples of Marx and Lenin. I leave all and sundry to their mental indigence. I carry on. And by doing this I wish good luck to the American armies of liberation, the free Iraqis who still face the test, and with all the friends of freedom and clarity on earth.