The war of lies

"Is this a new thing? Lying to Congress and the American people about how a war is going? Not a bit. This is Viet Nam all over again."

I guess I was not surprised one bit when the news broke this week. The news that CENTCOM was not telling the whole truth about the war in Iraq. In fact, it goes beyond lies. It also concerns our nation's policy and what the policy has created. Is this a new thing? Lying to Congress and the American people? Especially about how a war is going? Not a bit. This is Viet Nam all over again.

Former Army Chief of Staff, General Ray Odiemo, dropped a dime on the President right after he retired. He said the creation of ISIS in Iraq is directly related to Obama pulling our troops out too soon. It left a huge power vacuum. What the General said in so many words is this - due to the Obama Administration, we "unwon" a war which we had already won. Not only did we "unwin" it, the void left allowed for the creation of ISIS.

The irony of the latest dust up with Donald Trump is he is half right. If he had just stopped there, things would have been fine. If he had just stopped by saying Obama's policies are responsible for the creation of ISIS, is much more true than untrue. However, to say Obama personally started ISIS is a bridge way, way too far.

During the Viet Nam War, the unpopular aspect of the war led to many, many untruths being told to the American people. Body counts of the enemy. The secret war in Laos. The secret war in Cambodia. Covering up collateral damage. Lying about the effects of Agent Orange. Yes, the View Nam War was replete with lies. And the combination of the deceit and letting the politicians fight the Viet Nam War, led to the inevitable defeat and withdrawal of the world's greatest super power. 

I am now going to say what I am sure many are thinking. What about one of the biggest lies in our overseas War on Terror? Benghazi. The one question I was waited to here asked and then truthfully answered during the Benghazi hearing is why. Why were we in Benghazi in the first place? There are many theories going around. Like it was an overseas version of Fast and Furious which also went horribly wrong. The guns we were trying to supply to the real insurgents fell into the hands of ISIS. And Chris Stevens was trying (under orders) to broker a deal to get as many of them as possible back into American hands. 

Anyhow, that is one of the strongest theories. The bottom line is this - we were in Benghazi for a reason. And it was not for R+R. To me, Benghazi is still a festering wound and needs to be exposed.  

Am I anxious to find out what is in all these missing emails? ABSOLUTELY! No more lies. We want the truth. No more Viet Nam type cover ups. Time for truth telling. First, last and always, truth.