The Future Belongs to Freedom

This Memorial Day, remember those who have died for our freedom, so their sacrifice will not be in vain. And support our troops and their mission. It is the least we can do. Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik, via RCP, Seattle Times:

Our enemy has clear political and ideological aims that are directly counter to U.S. interests, and it is using violent force to achieve those aims — the classic definition of war.

And we do have an enemy — al-Qaida and its associated organizations. This enemy began as a somewhat disparate, hardly affiliated group of terrorists with only common hatred of the United States and its influence and a common dissatisfaction with members' lives. Over time, a set of leaders developed, with Osama bin Laden ultimately emerging as the head of that set. A common ideology also emerged, one that combined the pre-existing hatred with an extremist interpretation of Islam. Even though the terrorist groups remain globally distributed, the emergence of leadership and a common, motivational ideology resulted in collective behavior that continues today.

This collective has as its short-term aim to force the withdrawal of Western and other "infidel" presence and influence from the Middle East, Central Asia and Northern Africa. Its long-term aims include: the destruction of, or at least a crippling blow to, the U.S. economy, thereby threatening our and the world's free-market economy; the establishment of an Islamic-governed caliphate that adheres to its radical beliefs from North Africa, through Central Asia and the Middle East, to South and Southeast Asia — then to the rest of the world. The recent letter from al-Qaida's leader-in-hiding, Ayman al-Zawahri, to its lead agent in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, clearly spells out its strategy. After they overthrow Iraq's budding democracy, Zawahri writes, they intend to establish an extremist authority as a platform to extend "the jihad wave" to the neighboring countries. (Read this for yourselves at dni.gov) Think of what their success would mean to America and so many others around the world.....

The enemy we are fighting today has chosen means that exploit ambiguity and lack clarity. Eroding our national will is its very intent — all the while acting to achieve its political and ideological aims. There are soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors who are fighting this very day and this very night to prevent the enemy from achieving its political and ideological aims. They and their families need our continued support, our perseverance and our open arms. The shape of our future is literally in their hands.

But in today's environment more than ever before, the future is also in your hands. In a conflict where the erosion of your will is a major goal of our enemy, you are a soldier as well.

Our frontline servicemen and women are doing and will continue to do their jobs — it is my hope that those of us in the rear will match their courage and determination.

Those who fight are changed forever — as are their families. This Memorial Day, please remember the soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors and their families who have served us in the past as well as those sacrificing on our behalf now.

Understand that your support is not just needed, it is essential if we are to succeed.

As the President said to graduates of West Point (full text here), the future belongs to freedom. But only if we at home have as much courage and wisdom as our forces overseas.