John Kerry has done it again. He seems to have an inbred susceptibility to criticizing America’s troops. John Kerry’s comments yesterday about our soldiers being stuck in Iraq because they didn’t study and they weren’t “smart” enough are reminiscent of his testimony in 1971 to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee likening our soldiers to Genghis Khan or his comments to Bob Schieffer on “Face the Nation” that our soldiers in Iraq were terrorizing women and children. To paraphrase the late Ann Richards, George W.’s gubernatorial opponent in Texas, “Poor John! He can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”

Can you imagine, if the 2004 presidential election had gone differently, John Kerry would now be the commander-in-chief.  Iraq would be America’s second Vietnam; Iran and North Korea would be competing to see who could nuke America first; and John Kerry would be appealing to the UN to save our butts. The UN might form a committee to think about condemning America for antagonizing the aggressors. I shutter at the thought.

The only bright spot is this dashes any hopes that John Kerry may have had for the Democratic presidential candidate spot in 2008. If Hillary had said this, the Republicans could start measuring the White House drapes.

After our nation was attacked by the terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, the president made an historic address to the nation. In this address and subsequent addresses, the president warned the nation to not give up even when the war became difficult. Those that endured the hardship of the depression in the 30’s heeded the call when their President asked for a similar sacrifice during World War II. Today’s generation, who has hardly seen a period of scarcity, does not seem to have same tenacity to endure the slightest adversity. As the call becomes louder for us to get out of the Middle East before the job is finished, I wonder if the President will have to scold a future, weakened or even destroyed America that we should have heeded his warnings against losing our will to fight for the protection and freedom we now enjoy.

Let me remind you of some of the comments the President has made.

Sept. 20, 2001, in an address to a joint session of congress, the President admonished:

“This war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, with a decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion.  It will not look like the air war above Kosovo two years ago, where no ground troops were used and not a single American was lost in combat.

Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes.  Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen.  It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success.  We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or no rest.  And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism.  Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.”

The President’s state of the union address given to congress on Jan. 29, 2002 made a similar exhortation:

“Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only begun.  This campaign may not be finished on our watch -- yet it must be and it will be waged on our watch.

We can't stop short.  If we stop now -- leaving terror camps intact and terror states unchecked -- our sense of security would be false and temporary.  History has called America and our allies to action, and it is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom's fight.”

One year later, the President again stated in the State of the Union address on Jan. 28, 2003:

“Our war against terror is a contest of will in which perseverance is power. In the ruins of two towers, at the western wall of the Pentagon, on a field in Pennsylvania, this nation made a pledge, and we renew that pledge tonight: Whatever the duration of this struggle, and whatever the difficulties, we will not permit the triumph of violence in the affairs of men -- free people will set the course of history.”

My fear is that we will lose our nerve and endurance as we see the difficulties of defeating an enemy that disregards all human life – ours and theirs. My prayer is that we will not.