"...A date which will live in infamy"

As we are all aware, today marks the 63rd anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War II. What an entry it was. One of the worst sneak attacks in world history was launched by the Japanese. This was in the middle of peace negotiations, no less. As Roosevelt said in his address to a stunned nation, the attack had to have been planned for several weeks, given the massive amount of planes and carriers involved.

I fail to see how people could not be aware of the historical significance of this date. I mean, it’s not like there wasn't extensive coverage of it in the mainstream media, right? Ha!

This seems to me to be an excellent thing to avoid in the future. However, we also need to remember the lesson that WWII taught us: evil must be destroyed. Not coddled. Or understood, or sympathized with. Just crush it and allow the world to move on without it.

It took two nuclear weapons for the Japanese to finally realize they were defeated. The most unimaginable destruction had to be turned loose before the enemy surrendered. They had to almost be bombed to the point of extinction before they finally got the point.

What happened after the surrender of Japan is probably just as important as beating them. Douglas Macarthur forced the Japanese to draft a constitution and set up a bicameral legislature. He forced them to have elections, and turned a feudalistic monarchy into a democracy. This was without a welfare system like the Marshall Plan Europe received, either.

Did it work? You bet it did. Within 10 years after the end of WWII, the Japanese were on their way to becoming an economic superpower. Just think, GODZILLA was made within 9 years of our nuking the crap out of them! Now that’s progress!

Did we wipe out Japan’s religion? Did we force Christianity on them? Did we insist they become the 51st state? Nope. About all we did was force them to recognize the Emperor was not a god. Look at them now: they’re a world superpower.

This is a great vision to have for the Middle East. History shows us that it is very possible, and it could happen very quickly.

I think it’s fairly ridiculous for the Islamic world to think we want to wipe out Islam and instill Christianity over there. We do not. We’ve never done it, historically. We can’t even get it instilled over here anymore. We just don’t want them blowing us up. That’s not unreasonable or anything.

The point is this: things have to get pretty bloody over in Iraq before they get better. Once they have a democracy set up, things will be much better.

It’s not like the place isn’t seeing improvements already. A reader sent me a forwarded email from a solider in Iraq. He detailed some pretty neat things going on over there right now. If the letter is accurate (and I will continue to believe it is until somebody proves to me otherwise) there are some very positive things happening over there right now. The elections haven’t even happened yet. This apparently comes from Ray Reynolds, a signalman in the 234th Signal Battalion, Iowa National Guard. For instance:

Over 400,000 kids have up-to-date immunizations.

School attendance is up 80% from levels before the war.

Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and rid of the weapons stored
there so education can occur.

The port of Uhm Qasar was renovated so grain can be off-loaded from ships
faster.

The country had its first 2 billion barrel export of oil in August.

Over 4.5 million people have clean drinking water for the first time ever
in Iraq.

The country now receives 2 times the electrical power it did before the
war.

100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to 35% before
the war.

Elections are taking place in every major city, and city councils are in
place.

Sewer and water lines are installed in every major city.

Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets.

Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police are securing the country.

Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by side with
US soldiers.

Over 400,000 people have telephones for the first time ever.

Students are taught field sanitation and hand washing techniques to
prevent the spread of germs.

An interim constitution has been signed.

Girls are allowed to attend school.

Textbooks that don't mention Saddam are in the schools for the first time
in 30 years.

I hope all of that is true. If so, it paints a pretty good picture of where that country is going.

History shows us that we can fight hard, win the war, and make the world a better place. So remember the lessons of WWII. Iraq is not nearly as hopeless as the mainstream media and the Democrats would have us believe. In fact, I think we’ve got great things to look forward to.