DEAFENING SILENCE

Tuesday we learned that PFC Thomas L. Tucker and PFC Kristian Menchaca, both of the 101st Airborne Division, were “barbarically” killed after having been subjected to horrific torture at the hands of the capturing terrorists. There was no battlefield information that two Privates could have possessed that would warrant physical torture to extract. Indeed the torture and beheading was most likely inflicted at the whim of the terrorists – because Tucker and Menchaca were Westerners (infidels). The final insult came via the terrorists booby trapping the soldiers’ bodies and the avenues of approach to where the bodies had been perched; their hopes of claiming more casualties was not realized.

The loss of two soldiers in and of itself is very tragic. The way they were killed tells us a great deal about our enemy, if we will take notice. They have absolutely no regard for the Geneva Accords. Confederate Yankee has an excellent post pertaining to this subject; I strongly suggest reading it.

It should not surprise most MRB commenters to read the position of the prominent left pundit that Confederate Yankee takes to task (read the post). The position – that we are at fault for the tragedy – is clearly stated by many leftist commenters. They somehow cannot accept that the evil in this world is not us. Thank God for the men and women who understand that evil must be confronted, contained, and destroyed. Privates Tucker and Manchaca were two of those people.

What upsets me the most about this situation is the deafening silence from the Democratic leadership within our government. Where is their photo op condemning the actions of these terrorists? Where is their sound bite declaring the terrorists to be abominable? During the Abu Ghraib scandal, Senator Kennedy plainly stated that Saddam’s torture chambers had not been closed; just reopened under new management (meaning us). Senator Kerry accused our military of “terrorizing” women and children at night. Senator Durbin accused the guards at Guantanamo of being Nazis and worse than the Pol Pot regime. Representative Murtha leveled accusations of our troops being cold blooded murderers, before an ongoing investigation could be concluded. Where are the indignant outcries of these leaders today condemning the barbaric behavior of the “freedom fighters”? Where is the call for these “insurgents” to abide by the Geneva Accords? Where is the demand that terrorists do everything possible to limit collateral damage? The silence, Senators Kennedy, Kerry, Durbin and Representative Murtha, is absolutely deafening.

May God bless and comfort the family, friends and comrades of Private First Class Thomas L. Tucker and Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, and may God rest their souls.