It’s time to root for the war effort

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Saddam Hussein fled his

country instead of sticking around to go down with the Iraqi ship. A

blind man could see that this man is a coward. Always has been a

coward, always will be a coward.

What Hussein has done is secure his place in the cowards’ hall of

fame, with his departure becoming the mother of all retreats. He

earned this distinction not just by running scared, but also by using

women and children as soldiers or shields, depending on his mood, by

using holy places as armories and by moving his living quarters among

residential districts because they were less likely to be the targets

of coalition bombs.

The extremist forces that Hussein supported, either tacitly or

financially, have been dealt a major blow. After decades of abstract

terrorism, they have absolutely nothing to show for their efforts,

save for proving the old adage that the definition of stupidity is

trying the same thing over and over again hoping for a different

result. After years of the same tired, old tactics, they have less

than zero. Besides being cowards, that makes them stupid, too.

The people who offered themselves as human bombers were suckers,

convinced by cowards that martyrdom awaited. So time after time, a

new bomber blew himself up in an Israeli restaurant or a foreign

embassy and not one, it seems, ever wondered why they were going

through this exercise when it had failed repeatedly many times

before. The various acts of terrorism have not moved Palestine one

inch closer to their own state, nor have they succeeded in bringing

down the evil America.

In the end, it was the stupid led by the cowardly.

The Iraqi forces were not so stupid. Many or even most of them

fled or surrendered as the brave men and women of the coalition

forces showed them what they thought of bullies.

The war in Iraq has something in common with the Angels’ winning

season. Like thousands of other locals, I was not a huge Angel fan

until they made the playoffs; until they proved they were for real.

After that, I jumped in with both feet, listening to every pitch as

though I had my old transistor radio under my pillow listening to

Sandy Koufax whiff the Giants in a night game.

So it was with this war. My intellectual opposition to the general

notion of waging war gave way to full support as the first shots were

fired and proved that this was no video game. After that, I wanted

nothing more than a swift U.S. victory, the complete elimination of

Hussein’s rule and the safe return of our troops.

The world is now a safer place for our children. We are rid of a

very bad man, one who not only talked of evil actions, but practiced

them. Thanks to the leadership in Washington and London, and the

bravery on the battlefield, we can relax just a little. Much of the

world owes the U.S. and Great Britain a loud “thank you,” but we will

not get it because politicians and other world leaders don’t work

that way.

So while much of the Middle East is quietly celebrating the fall

of Hussein, their public statements reflect, at best, indifference.

But we in the U.S. know better. We know a bully when we see one,

and we know a blowhard, too, though we keep electing them or reading

their blather each Saturday morning.

At Times Square in New York, where we’ve spent the last few days

vacationing, the mood is different than in years past. New Yorkers

have changed. People seem to be walking slower, smiling more and

saying “please” and “thank you” so much, it gets annoying. Even the

new subway car recordings apologize for the smallest delays.

At Ground Zero, there is no mistaking this change. New Yorkers

know they were knocked off their pedestal and they are desperately

searching on all fours for their contact lenses to see their way back

to being the world’s greatest city.

Their recovery is slowed mightily by a budget crisis that may

force the closure of as many as 40 firehouses, not a very popular cut

since New York firemen became national heroes.

It will take New Yorkers longer to recover than the rest of the

nation. They were, after all, the destination for the stupid cowards.

But New York will recover and take its place at the top.

I’m just not so sure about the Angels.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer.

Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at

(949) 642-6086.