The changes that have taken place in America’s
value systems and culture during the last fifty years have finally brought us to a fork in
that road that has been our nation's history. As we face the future, we must decide
whether we will take the road to the right on which we will retain the courage and
convictions of our founding fathers when they set forth on their bold new experiment on
our shores, or whether we will veer to the left on a road that eventually leads us back to
the tyrannies and mediocrity that have always permeated the old world from which our
forbearers came. It is not an argument about whether we will blindly cling to the past or
evolve into something that is very different. Rather, it is a question as to whether we
will apply the values and lessons of that past to the world that stands before us. It is
not for me that I write. I have seen it and I have lived it, and I am in the autumn of my
years. Rather, it is for my children and grandchildren and my children’sgrandchildren
that I write, so that they can continue to enjoy the freedom, opportunity, and liberty
that I have had in my life. I do not want them to someday say about me, that
"He lived during America's Greatest Years."
-- Jack Ott
IN THIS ISSUE
ARTICLES
MOVING ON It is with the famous words from America's history in mind that I bring to a
close five years of publishing The Drum and Cannon, not with the satisfaction
of knowing that the words of Conservative American thought that appeared here have made a
difference, but rather with the recognition that more effective methods are needed to
change the direction that our nation is going.
A
FINISHING TOUCH An analysis of the War in Iraq from an Iraqi's point of view.
(actually four
tributes) to our nation's men and women serving in the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan
_______________
The question
is not how we are going to cope with our problems. The real question is, "How will we
overcome them?" As difficult as our problems may seem, there is always someone
whose problems are worse.
NOTE: Because this woman was courageous
enough to express her views about radical Islam to the world, a fatwah was issued against
her and she has been forced to go into hiding to protect her life.
=============== TAKE A BREAK from politics. Sit back and enjoy scenery-filled slideshows and relaxing music.
Click on the MAP to
see where it is daylight or night time anywhere in the world Time shown is Coordinated
Univer- sal Time/Greenwich Mean Time (UTC/GMT). US timezones can be selected
instead. For the time in other key areas of the world, add the following to
UTC/ GMT time:
Iraq
+3:00*
Afghanistan
+4:30
London
+0:00*
Paris
+1:00*
Berlin
+1:00*
Rome
+1:00*
Moscow
+3:00*
Cairo
+2:00*
Israel
+2:00*
Iran
+3:30*
Islamabad
+5:00
Japan
+9:00
Melbourne
+10:00**
* Add 1 additional hour in summer months for Daylight Savings Time
** Add 1 additional hour in Australian summer,
which is winter in the northern hemisphere
===============
WE SUPPORT ISRAEL "Israel has a right to defend herself....Every nation must defend
herself against terrorist attacks and the killing of innocent life." President Bush
===============
FINAL ISSUE: May
23, 2009
W
e hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certainunalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to
secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes
destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its
powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and
Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be
changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that
mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves
by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
-- Declaration of Independence
**********************************
T
he world will little
note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It
is for us
the
living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great
task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to
that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government : of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
-- Gettysburg Address
It is with the famous words from America's history in mind that I
bring to a close five years of publishing The Drum and Cannon, not with the satisfaction
of knowing that the words of Conservative American thought that appeared here have made a
major difference, but rather with the recognition that more effective methods are needed
to change the direction that our nation is going. The original goal of this website, which
first appeared early in the 2004 election campaign, was to awaken apathetic Americans who
were too involved in their day-to-day lives to be aware of the dangers that confronted
America both from within and without, even at that time.
It soon became obvious to me, however, that I was “preaching to
the choir.” One of the main weaknesses of opinion websites is that, in general, they
are read almost exclusively be people who share their opinions. In other words, they reach
the wrong audience, unless they stir their otherwise inactive readers into action.
This is not to say that political websites cannot help mold public
opinion. However, it takes something more than one person in front of a keyboard, day in
and day out, to accomplish it. I am sure that larger websites such as Townhall.com,
TheNew Media Journal, and The Huffington
Post are quite effective. I was happily impressed with the rapid rise and success
of Jeff Schreiber’s website America’s Right, which has become my own
favorite source of news and commentary on the internet.
I am not abandoning the
ongoing battle with the promoters of Liberal ideology and Socialism within the Democratic
Administration and Congress as long as I can lift my fingers to the keyboard.
I will continue to update the
HOLDING CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE
section of the website, tracking congressional votes on key issues as an aide to voters in
future elections.
I will retain the ARCHIVES of all past
articles that have appeared on The D&C.
I will also retain the TRIBUTES section that honors
our military, the POLIQUIPSpages that inject some humor and satire into the
political scene, and the LINKS to other conservative
websites.
I would like to thank all of
you who have supported The D&C over the
years, especially Adam up in Laramie and my fellow blogger Jeff
Lukens, who frequently contributed articles to the website.
Finally, I would like to
offer my utmost condolences, gratitude, and respect to those families that have lost loved
ones protecting our great country in Iraq and Afghanistan, for it was they who inspired my
writing for the past five years to preserve our great nation. To Debbie Johns and David Jeffers, keep up the
good work of carrying out your sons' good work. And to all of the brave men and women who
served or are serving their country, all I can say is, thank you. You are the one true
“hope” for America, and this cantankerous old veteran salutes each and every one
of you.
Thank you Jack…for all you have done
for the cause. I look forward to much from you. Let’s keep in touch!
In Christ
DaveJeffers
Ps. 37:4
________________________________
Jack,
Sorry to hear about the Drum and Cannon. You have some great material there. But I DO know
what it's like -- my spare time is nonexistent, yet I find the time somehow.
I think readership is down for a lot of people. Maybe not the big folks, but now that the
birth certificate crowd has lost faith in America's Right, our readership has settled in
at a fraction of what it was six months ago. Still, I'd rather have a few thousand people
stop by each day who want news and commentary, rather than 35,000 who want conspiratorial
gossip.
Jack, if you feel the need to write (and I know you will), you are more than welcome to
maintain a spot as a contributor at America's Right. I'd be honored to have you aboard.
Hope all is well, and that you have a good weekend. Thank you so much for the kind words
-- and I hope you take me up on the offer, as concerned Jeffersonians need you.
Take care,
Jeff Schreiber
____________________________________
Jack,
I wish you well. I know it is a lot of
work to maintain and constantly update a website. I thank you for including my articles on
your site these past years. Your final comments on D&C sounded a bit glum. I hope you
do not give up the fight. My I suggest that you continue to write and submit you articles
to other sites. Than may take some of the burden off your shoulders while your voice is
still heard. We need you…
During the five years of writing articles for The Drum and Cannon,
the issue that most frequently appeared on these pages was the War in Iraq. During the
times when almost unanymous support for the war was changing to widespread opposition
our theme was consistent and supportive.
Now as the war winds down and starts drawing to a close, I offer the
opinion of a true expert. This expert does not work in the Pentagon, nor is he a former
member of the Bush Administration. Rather, he is an Iraqi citizen who has lived his entire
life in the country, and along with his brother, wrote numerous articles describing the
war's events for its entire duration. His name is Omar Fadhil,
and he writes at Iraq the Model. His article also appeared at The
Australian, and is reprinted here with permission.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Iraq was a just war
Here's my latest article on The
Australian:
THE war in Iraq is officially moving to an end. Six years after Saddam Hussein's regime
was toppled, several coalition members have ended their missions in Iraq - including
Australia, which pulled out its troops 12 months ago - and the US is preparing to wrap up
its military involvement in the country.
Many still ask: Was it worth it?
If we examine the question from an American, British or Australian perspective, then it
would be difficult to present an answer that could convince all critics. For the coalition
members this was a war of opportunity, not a war of necessity. Going to war or not was
never an issue that could affect the existence of a coalition member, nor was winning or
losing.
For Iraq and its people however, this war was the beginning of a struggle for rebirth, a
very difficult but necessary one, for sure.
People of my generation who were born in democracies may take the freedom they enjoy for
granted. This is certainly not the case for me or my people. I was born a decade after the
murderous Ba'ath Party grabbed power in Baghdad in the sinister coup of July 1968. To us,
the war brought an end to that 35-year-long nightmare and the beginning of an era of
freedom, thanks to our friends in the coalition.
For me and many Iraqis, it was certainly worth it. Life is better today than it was before
2003. That is even though we were on the receiving end of this war in all its phases, from
initial invasion through the bloody sectarian violence and terror that paralysed the
country for years. Despite the high price in blood, today is brighter than yesterday.
Above all, we have hope - something we did not have under Saddam's dictatorship - that
tomorrow will be even brighter.
I would like to share two snapshots from Iraq that I hope will help you see why I believe
Iraq is making solid progress towards liberty, prosperity and the rule of law. Recently,
two stories dominated the media in Iraq. The first started when the ministry of trade was
bombarded with allegations of rampant corruption. Corruption is a serious problem, but
worse than corruption itself is if there is a lack of checks and balances that can stop
it. In Iraq this used to happen all the time, but now a wind of change is blowing.
Pressure from the press, the public and partners in the Government forced the minister of
trade to submit his resignation. Resignation alone was not deemed enough. The minister was
arrested on Saturday as he was attempting to flee the country. He will join other corrupt
officials in custody awaiting trial. The fascinating thing about this case is that the
indicted minister is a member of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party.
Then there is the case of Kitabat, the prominent
Iraqi online journal.
Kitabat, founded in 2002 by an Iraqi expatriate,
has somewhat served the role of a shadow parliament in which people from across the Iraqi
spectrum voice their opinions without censorship. Five months ago, Kitabat published an article in which the author accused
the office of Maliki of nepotism and abuse of authority.
How did the Prime Minister respond to these, indeed unfounded, accusations? In Saddam's
days the case would have been closed with a bullet to the dissident's head. It was common
practice to send embassy officials on assassination missions armed with silent pistols or
even axes, as was the case in the attempt on former PM Iyad Allawi's life in London in
1978. Instead, Maliki opted to go to a court of law and sue the author and the owner of
Kitabat. Maliki's decision came under severe criticism from free press advocates who saw
his action as an attempt to restrict freedom of speech.
Maliki ultimately yielded and dropped the case.
The economy is also making strides as violence ebbs and the country transforms into a free
market economy. One striking piece of evidence in this regard is the phenomenal boom in
the Iraqi stockmarket. While the market is still tiny, the rate of growth cannot be
overstated. The size of transactions in April this year amounted to 105 billion dinars
($111.6million); in April 2005 that figure was only 31 billion dinars. The market index
quadrupled in the past five months and skyrocketed from 67 points in January to 281 by the
last session in April.
Despite all this progress in security, the rule of law and the economy, there is still
anxiety about the sustainability of these gains. The question is whether Iraqis are able
to maintain the progress and build on it following a US withdrawal. Of course no one can
tell the future with 100 per cent certainty. The institutions of the Iraqi state are not
yet fully mature and there is no shortage of threats that could undermine stability.
I believe that even though the threats are serious, a democratic Iraq will endure and
prevail.
The main reason for my optimism is that most Iraqis have learned the lesson the hard way.
Sunni Arabs discovered that resisting democracy and taking the path of extremism put them
on the losing side. Despite a recent government crackdown on some leaders of the Sunni
Arab Awakening Councils (also known as Sons of Iraq) the co-operation between these groups
with the US forces and central Government in fighting al-Qa'ida terrorists continues.
The Shia population voiced its rejection of the rule of militias and hardline religious
parties loud and clear. The provincial elections earlier this year showed beyond doubt
that a great majority of the Shia population wants a moderate Muslim government, not an
extreme Islamist one that imposes its vision through intimidation and violence.
Iraqi Kurds, too, learned the lesson. Despite the belligerent tone of some of their
leaders in addressing the outstanding issue of the so-called disputed regions in Kirkuk
and Mosul, Kurds realize they can survive and protect their hard-earned freedom and
autonomy only as part of the Iraqi nation. Kurds have long rejected the national Iraqi
flag because they see it as a symbol of Arab chauvinism. However, when Turkey escalated
operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) insurgents last year, Kurds hoisted
the Iraqi flag on border outposts and went to the central Government for diplomatic
support and protection.
The enemies of a prosperous and democratic Iraq no doubt will intensify their attacks as
the US prepares to leave. They will try to take advantage of the anxiety associated with
this transition to cultivate disunity and violence. However, they failed when they were
strongest and Iraq was weakest. Today, the tide has turned. Iraqis are closer together and
the prospects of a prosperous and democratic Iraq become greater day by day.
HOLD
CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE
To see how members of Congress have voted on key issues, click
HERE
to see where
it is daylight or night time
anywhere in the world
Time shown is Coordinated Universal Time/Greenwich Mean Time (UTC/GMT). US timezones can
be selected instead. For the time in other key areas of the world, add the
following to UTC/GMT:
Iraq
+3:00*
Afghanistan
+4:30
London
+0:00*
Paris
+1:00*
Berlin
+1:00*
Rome
+1:00*
Moscow
+3:00*
Cairo
+2:00*
Israel
+2:00*
Iran
+3:30*
Islamabad
+5:00
Japan
+9:00
Melbourne
+10:00**
* Add 1 additional hour in summer months for Daylight Savings Time
** Add 1 additional hour in Australian summer,
which is winter in the northern hemisphere
