I wanted to pass along a really amazing piece in the Wall Street Journal by Thomas Fleming.  The historical story is revealing in 2 ways.

First, it is amazing to see the parallels with the War in Iraq and the revolutionary war. Washington was metaphorically knifed in the back by a handful of his generals… he was smeared, lambasted, and under-funded.  Many in congress openly opposed his leadership.  Funny how things don’t change much in 200 years of American military engagements.

Secondly, It is self-evident how important of a role Washington played in the formation of our Country.  It is further evident how his faith and belief in God shaped his life and his character.  Washington was a man completely removed from the desire for power… even after winning the Revolutionary War, he humbly stepped aside and resigned his power as commander in chief.  Fleming believes the moment of his resignation to be “the most important moment in American history.”

Addressing this scandal-tarred enemy, Washington drew a speech from his coat pocket and unfolded it with trembling hands. “Mr. President,” he began in a low, strained voice. “The great events on which my resignation depended having at length taken place; I now have the honor of offering my sincere congratulations to Congress and of presenting myself before them to surrender into their hands the trust committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the service of my country.”

He continued: “I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God and those who have the superintendence of them [Congress] to his holy keeping.”  

For a long moment, Washington could not say another word. Tears streamed down his cheeks. The words touched a vein of religious faith in his inmost soul, born of battlefield experiences that had convinced him of the existence of a caring God who had protected him and his country again and again during the war. Without this faith he might never have been able to endure the frustrations and rage he had experienced in the previous eight months.

Washington then drew from his coat a parchment copy of his appointment as commander in chief. “Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theater of action and bidding farewell to this august body under whom I have long acted, I here offer my commission and take leave of all the employments of public life.”

I wish I could have been there for that moment.  How powerful. 

Over a week ago now, Nancy Pelosi proposed the adoption of a non-binding resolution to reprimand the Turkish government for the killing of thousands of Armenians by the Ottoman Government in 1915 (which makes about as much sense as you thought it did).

What is truly astounding (other than the fact that that we would need to take political action with regard to events almost a century passed)… is that even after it became evident that the Turkish Government might consider causing instability in Iraq (where we have soldiers trying to keep peace), and possibly cut off the military’s supply routes (which are currently run through Turkey), Pelosi continued to champion the bill claiming that passing such a bill would “Increase the respect people have for us as a nation (last 10 seconds of clip)“. Now, pardon me if I am wrong, but so far, the only thing accomplished by this bill is DECREASING (and practically tarnishing) whatever respect the people of Turkey have for the U.S.

One has to wonder, as Stephen Green of VodkaPundit.com concisely articulated, “Has she purposely tried to derail our soldiers and diplomats in the Middle East, or is Pelosi just plain stupid? I don’t see a third option.”

It seems clear that this resolution was nothing more than an attempt to create obstacles to our servicemen and women in Iraq. What other explanation can there be? And, for the record, I am not alone on this point. I wanted to share with you some other quotes I found while researching this topic.

• “It’s certainly not her finest moment,” - Michael O’Hanlon, Brookings Institution
• “we are no longer able to discern whether the Speaker’s foreign-policy intrusions are merely misguided or are consciously intended to cause a U.S. policy failure in Iraq” - Wall Street Journal Editorial Board
• “To pass a declarative resolution in the House of Representatives in the middle of a war in which we are inordinately dependent on Turkey would be the height of irresponsibility” - Charles Krauthammer (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
• “I have never seen a more deceptive (to the American public)–yet blatant–attempt to sabotage a US military at WAR by a sitting US Congress.”
• “[the] unintended results would be devastating.” - Bill Clinton when a similar resolution was proposed during his presidency.
• “irresponsible … dangerous” - blogger.
• “I think it’s a really bad idea for the Congress to be condemning what happened 100 years ago,” - Mitch McConnell (R)
• “she is deeply unserious about foreign policy” - unknown
  
• “It’s a good resolution but a horrible time to be considering it on the House floor” - Representative Mike Ross of Arkansas (D)
• “our military ties with the U.S. will never be the same again,” - Gen. Yasar Buyukanit

What were Pelosi’s reasons? I’ll tell you: “Because there’s never a good time and all of us in the Democratic leadership have supported [this resolution]” - Direct quote from Nancy Pelosi.

Mrs. Pelosi. I will agree with you on one thing; there are never good times for such a resolution. However, there are better times and worse times. You have chosen the worst possible time to pass such a resolution… when the security of our armed forces is at stake.

P.S.  If you have any other quotes… feel free to post them in the comments.

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