Credit Where It's Due

Last weekend, Vice President Joe Biden was in Iraq for the Independence day holiday. In a speech, he gave credit to the success in Iraq to President Obama's policy on the war, with a rare nod to former President Bush.

"I think everybody gets credit," he said.  "From George Bush to [President Obama]."

He was wrong on both counts.

The credit for winning the war against Al Qaeda in Iraq doesn't belong to politicians. Freeing that country from the grip of one of the most evil dictatorships of the last century wasn't accomplished by stuffed-shirts in Washington.  It wasn't the bureaucrats who defended Iraqi children and elevated the status of Iraqi women, often at the cost of their own blood.

No, that price was paid by the brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who left hearth and home, many of whom bled and died to make Iraq free.  These warriors, American, Iraqi and those of the other coalition countries deserve the credit, not the politicians. 

Vice President Biden needs to be reminded of that.  He makes a habit of dishonoring the troops.  In an appearance last year on meet the press, when asked by the host, "Was the war worth it," Biden replied, “No, I don’t think the war was worth it, in the sense that we paid a horrible price.”

America has paid a high price for the victory in Iraq.  But every one of the all-volunteer military members I've interviewed over the last seven years as a war correspondent would disagree with the Vice President. I've never heard an American military man or woman in the theater of battle say that it wasn't worth it.

And they are the ones who get the credit, Mr. Vice President.  Not you.  Not Obama.  Not George Bush.

America's flag has never flown over any country but in blessing. The Iraqis know that. You should too.