Scott Tibbs
blog post
June 18^th, 2005

Back to Archived blog posts.

Edward Daley blasts critics of the war in Iraq at Right Conservative.

I understand the concern many conservatives have over criticisms of the war, especially criticism of the troops. However, I think suggesting the right to free speech be curtailed is going too far.

I am not loyal to the USA because I was born here. I am loyal to the USA because of what it represents and the principles this nation was founded on: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, and so forth. If the United States did not stand for these principles it would not be worthy of my loyalty. Indeed, if this country abandoned the principles it was founded on, it would no longer be the United States of America.

One of the reasons we must protect vigorous criticisms of government policy is that unrestrained debate serves as a check on government power. Some of the rhetoric from the anti-war movement IS unpatriotic; I will give you that. Not all of it is, however.

Yes, there have been stories of abuses by U.S. soldiers (specifically the alleged abuse of the Koran) that have been complete fabrications. Yes, the hyperbole is wrong. But what happens if and when U.S. soldiers actually do commit atrocities? Should those atrocities be ignored because pointing them out would be "unpatriotic"? I would argue demanding we hold ourselves to a higher standard is patriotic.

It is concerning that support for the war is slipping with the American people. I question whether this generation has the courage that the World War II generation did and the resolve to see this conflict through. The anti-war movement has contributed to this, but supporters of the war have not been aggressive enough in countering the anti-war arguments. As I have pointed out in the past, the casualties of this war need to be put in perspective.