



(Update: I've been inundated with emails and links, far more than I can handle! The list of blogs you see here is incomplete; the full list totaled well over a thousand.)



Call for submissions and designs



[Update: Call for submissions now closed. Thanks to all artists for their excellent designs.]



Are you good at creating graphics? Want to participate? This is an open call to all designers and artists who would like to create buttons, banners or other graphics and widgets for people to announce Victory in Iraq Day on their blogs and Web sites. I'm no graphic designer myself, so I'll post outstanding submissions here for everyone to download.



Words, terms and phrases you may want to incorporate into your design include:



Victory in Iraq Day



November 22, 2008



Victory in Iraq



VI Day



...and anything else you think might be appropriate! I'd like to see banners that say simply "Victory in Iraq," and others that include the date; and other smaller graphics that could fit on a blog sidebar.



Send all submissions to:



VIDay@zombietime.com



To download any of the graphics below, simply right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac) on the images of your choice and choose "Save image as" or "Download this picture."



Just received this new banner from designer Bryan Taylor:





Start downloading! I think this one will be quite popular. Here are two smaller versions, if your blog has a narrower column:











And for anyone who wants to emphasize the role of not just the U.S but the entire coalition in Iraq, contributor "uptight" has created this version of the banner with British and Australian flags as well:







Here's an excellent submission from Paul Szoldra of Paul Stanley Media:





Bloggers are encouraged to use it!



Our next submission comes from "Serr8d":







Here's a VI Day button for use in blog sidebars -- in a variety of styles and sizes -- from Patrick at Dog Opus:









And here is a beautiful atmospheric image from Gathering of Eagles: NY:







Remember -- all these designs are free for anyone to use.





Below you will find "Victory in Iraq Day" banners in various sizes for use on your blog, if you would like:



















Why November 22?



Several people have written in to ask what is significant about November 22; why was it chosen as the date for VI Day? The answer is: There's nothing militarily significant about this day. There are no major events related to the Iraq War that happened on November 22. It's just a convenient day, chosen essentially at random. Some date must be chosen, and this is just as good as any other, since there is no actual distinct date of surrender or of the war's self-evident cessation.



Others have written in to ask: Won't VI Day conflict with the anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy, which happened on November 22, 1963? Well, I suppose it might, to those who mark that anniversary. But Victory in Iraq Day is not intended to be an annual holiday, celebrated on November 22 forevermore into the future; it's a one-time only event, a declaration right now that the war is over right now. Not every end-of-a-war day becomes a national holiday. In fact, only November 11, Armistice Day for WWI, is still remembered as a national holiday (now called Veterans' Day). Does anyone in America still throw a party on May 7 or 8, the days on which the Nazis surrendered, known as VE Day? Not that I now of. And the day on which WWII finally, totally came to an end was August 15, VJ Day, on which Japan surrendered. Yet there is no national holiday on August 15. And I'd wager that 95% of Americans couldn't even tell you why August 15 was historically significant.



Considering all this, that even the victory in WWII did not become an annual holiday, it's almost certain that VI Day will not become an annual holiday either -- and thus will not conflict with any annual services marking Kennedy's assassination. VI Day is a one-time only celebration.



Even so, there's nothing about the nature of VI Day that is disrespectful to Kennedy's memory. Ponder these words taken from Kennedy's inaugural address, and think of them in reference to the Iraq War, and I think you'll agree that Kennedy would approve of the concept behind VI Day: Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.



Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

The nay-sayers, the doubters and the mockers



Not everybody agrees with the idea of Victory in Iraq Day. The most common arguments against it (and my responses) are:



- What if the violence flares up again next year or in the future? We'll look foolish. A: If violence flares up in the future, that will be part of a new conflict, a different war. I'm not pretending to be able to predict the future; all I know is that the war we had been fighting is over. I sincerely hope that Iraq has peace for years to come; but yes, there could be fighting in the future, though it will not inherently be the continuation of this war. On occasion throughout history, in fact, after wars end, new subsequent wars spring up in their wake. The Vietnam War, for example, started in 1946 in the turmoil after WWII, and continued under various names until 1975. Yet do we consider the Vietnam War part of WWII, just because it was partially caused by it and immediately followed it? No. Similarly, the Russian Civil War grew out of WWI, yet they too are considered separate wars.



So if, in the future, some new conflict arises, we won't need to feel "foolish" for having declared victory in this war; it just means that a new war has broken out. Iran and Iraq have had terrible relations dating back to 1979, often erupting into skirmishes or full-scale war; and if Iran (or its proxies) tries to invade Iraq again in 2010 or 2013, that will be a new war; not this war. And if homegrown Ba'athists or jihadists spend years plotting a coup and then try to ignite a new civil war in 2011 or beyond -- once again, that will be a separate conflict. Not this war. - The Iraq War was astronomically expensive. How can you call that a victory? A: Just because a war was expensive doesn't mean it is therefore a defeat. Wars can be expensive and successful. In fact, most of the time a country must devote a majority or even all of its resources to win a war; I can't think of a cheap war that was brought to a successful conclusion.



In comparison to previous wars, as a percentage of GNP, the Iraq War was actually not particularly expensive, nor burdensome on the home front. From 2003 to 2008, did we have to grow "victory gardens"? Did we have to scrounge old tools to give to government scrap metal drives? Did we have a military draft? Were there shortages? No, no, no, and no. Yet in previous wars, we did endure all those things. Dollar-wise the Iraq War seemed expensive on paper, but American society continued to hum along, which can not be said of most previous wars. - Some of the original justifications given for the invasion six years ago were bogus. A: This issue has been argued over and debated for six solid years, and nothing I say in one short paragraph is going to convince anyone one way or the other at this point. Saddam Hussein egregiously violated U.N. Resolutions and other doctrines set in place during the Clinton administration; The U.S. Congress authorized the invasion. Period. Like it or not, agree with the reasons or not, the war happened, whether or not Democrats in Congress later had buyers' remorse. For the purposes of this page, it doesn't matter how the war started; what matters is how it ended. - You're just reveling in the blood-soaked horror of war. War is always bad. There can never be victory in death. A: This is the boilerplate anti-imperialist/anti-American/Marxist narrative, and, frankly, barely even merits rebuttal. The people who say this are only saying it to weaken the United States' resolve. When other countries or insurgent groups fight to promote a left-wing ideology, war is suddenly perfectly OK with them. War is only "morally wrong" when it is conducted by the United States or other capitalist Western nations. In response, I give this famous quote from George Orwell: "Pacifism is objectively pro-fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side, you automatically help out that of the other." The most common way for blogs to express disapproval of, doubt over, or disinterest in VI Day is to simply not mention it. Which is perfectly fine. But a few sites have linked to this page, only for the purpose of criticizing it, or mocking it. Which is also perfectly fine. To be even-handed, here is a list of the sites that want us to not mark VI DAY; judge for yourself if you agree with their rationales:



Instaputz

(Standard left-wing anti-war spin.)



Argghhh!!! / The Armorer

(A well-reasoned counter-argument.)



Freethought Forum

(The original posting is neutral about VI Day, but most of the commenters don't like the idea.)



Stageleft: Life On The Left Side

(Aggressive left-wing mockery of the laughable notion that we did anything other than lose catastrophically.)





Recent photos from Iraq



The following photographs were all taken within the last few weeks in Iraq, and give a flavor of what life there is now like for many of our troops, and for Iraqis. Feel free to repost any of these pictures on your own blog.

































And here are a few well-done political cartoons:





















Best of the VI Day blog posts



This section features quotes from some of the most outstanding VI Day posts on other blogs.



Dog Opus Blog: You may have noticed over the last half year or so that our largely ghoulish media's mind-numbing obsession with lurid reportage from Iraq has ground to a jarring halt. Seriously, it's conspicuous by its absence. Well, the reason, of course, is because we've won. Despite considerable efforts of cynicism, spite, and sometimes downright hatred from parties at home and abroad, our outstanding troops have resoundingly defeated the barbaric child-killing jihadi menace, and have secured an entire nation. They've performed magnificently, with consummate professionalism and honor. This is what American troops have always done. To the disgraceful few who rooted against them, this is a painful fact, but to me, it's yet another opportunity to feel pride and to show appreciation for the people I look up to as heroes.



This warrants, at the very least, a day of recognition, don't you think? Blackfive: I have been an advocate of a victory parade or some other acknowledgment of the victory we have won in Iraq. First because everyone who served there deserves it and second because the incoming President tried his damndest to lose the war and should not be allowed near a celebration. sisu: An inspired idea to lift our hearts and reaffirm our conviction that the national "narrative" being promulgated these many years by our betters on the left side of the aisle inside the Beltway and their fellow travelers in the Fourth Estate is a tangled web of lies and half truths, the product of a relentless campaign "to tarnish the Republican brand." Get that jackboot off your neck, fellow bloggers, and celebrate the truth that will make us free! Because No One Asked: Have you noticed that we're hearing less news from Iraq? Fewer alarmist articles? Can you guess why?



We won. The Surfing Conservative: The mainstream media has been silent. Ditto for the Democrats on Capitol Hill...and the incoming presidential administration. However, the facts on the ground do not lie, the United States has prevailed in the Iraq War. The "war" is over. Consolidation of that victory on the political and security front is all that remains for the United States and its Iraqi allies. All measures of success clearly point to the fact that the United States has achieved the political and military objectives that it has sought to do. Having followed the Iraq War from a personal and professional standpoint since its inception, I watched as the US military struggled through the early years in what appeared to be an unexpected quagmire, facing insurgencies from both Sunni and Shia guerrillas and their international terrorist allies. But the changes that began two years ago have turned the tables in Iraq decisively, to the point now where we can legitimately claim to have achieved "victory" in the war. Here are some quick facts that support the claim to victory:



- Al-Qa'ida in Iraq has been defeated, only tattered remnants remain in areas of north and eastern Iraq and have little indigenous support.

- Al-Qa'ida Central has ceded the battle in Iraq and is now concentrating on Afghanistan and Pakistan

- The domestic Sunni insurgency has been largely co-opted or destroyed

- Shia firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's army of thugs and terrorists has splintered and been largely bludgeoned into submission.

- Baghdad, which had devolved into bloody chaos during the height of the insurgency and sectarian violence, is now quiet.

- The Iraqi political paradigm has been shifted from authoritarian rue to multiparty democratic competition; Parliament, not the battlefield, is now the primary venue for political competition between the various ethnic and sectarian blocs.

- Iraq's economy has rebounded because its oil industry has been revitalized, due in large part to the precipitous drop in insurgent/terrorist violence.

- Order has been restored in al-Anbar province and areas in southern Iraq once ruled by Sadr's thugs

- American casualties are at all time lows, reflecting a dramatic drop in both insurgent/terrorist violence and the effectiveness of those attacks.



Movement is now afoot in the blogosphere to declare November 22nd Victory in Iraq Day (V-I day). I had actually been thinking for some time to write an in depth column, based on what I've read in Michael Yon's blog as well as the wealth of information I've seen from a variety of other sources, along the same lines. I think it's important for everyone who has followed the war to get the message out to the American people that we have succeeded in Iraq, despite what the mainstream media and the Democratic leaders in Washington would have you believe. It is important not just for a sense of national pride, but also for historical accuracy to prevent the historic legacy of the Iraq War from being hijacked by revisionist historians and liberal politicians. So, mark your calendars...and more importantly, thank a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine for their sacrifice. Oh No, Another Conservative Blog: This isn't written in jest nor do I jest in posting Zombies blog. This is a serious subject and we, as Americans have earned the right to have victory declared. We owe it to our fighting forces to declare victory in Iraq. They fought, bled, and died for it. And succeeded in bringing peace to Iraq even though all the leftists in the world were prophesying defeat at every turn. Who Is John Galt?: Blogger Zombie has taken upon itself to do what our current President should have done.



Declare Victory.



We have enforced the UN mandate. We have deposed, tried, and executed Saddam Hussein and brought justice to his henchman. We ended Iraq's chemical and biological weapons programs. We have exposed the mass graves. We have made it possible for a representative government to form. We have made possible free and fair elections. We have trained new Iraqi security forces. We have sent untold terrorists to their virgins. Stores are open, girls are learning, there is a future.



War's over. We, the supporters of liberty, won, and so did the Iraqi people. Our troops have done the impossible.



Does that mean Iraq is a perfect example of parliamentary democracy? Of course not. Name a war that we won where the immediate postwar situation was all smiles and sunshine. Iraq has a long way to go, but it now has a fighting chance to get there.



In a sane world, President Bush would be organizing tickertape parades, days of thanksgiving, etc. He won't. Mr. Obama certainly won't.



We need to do it for them. Gathering of Eagles: The Iraq War is over! American and Allied troops have successfully overthrown a mass murdering dictator, liberated over 27 million people, and helped establish a working democracy in the heart of the middle east.



Join with us in celebrating this heroic achievement and honoring all who made it possible. Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group: "All of this fluffy-bunny feeling is a good mosque bombing away from backsliding." Thus sayeth The Armorer on "the muted sense of success" he and many others have that makes them uncomfortable with declarations of Victory in Iraq. VI Day?



The point that I was trying to develop over there before I used up my share of John's patience was that fear of being crucified for triumphalism and hubris should the enemy muck up one's predictions of success causes strategic communicators to give the domestic target audience unenthusiastic, hesitant, unconvincing, caveated, asterisked, weasel-worded CYA explanations of what (they think, but they may be wrong, don't shoot them they're only the messsenger) has been accomplished in Iraq, along with timid suggestions (just a thought, In Their Humble Opinion, YMMV) of possible future successes which just might possibly (Imshallah, don't hold us to it, the enemy gets a vote) lead to a generally positive conclusion to whatever the hell we've been doing over there for the last 5 freaking years.



This is part of a Morale Operation conducted by what were domestic oppositional elements, but who are now 59 days away from total control of the Executive and Legislative branches of federal government, including the Department of Defense. Those who are soon subject to being treated like Former Regime Elements see the downside career-wise of enthusiastically claiming victory in a fight the new Powers-That-Be wanted them to throw. They didn't take a dive, and they'll pay for that.



Reticence and humility are appropriate attitudes for losers. America won, or at least that tiny part of it that wasn't at the mall won. And they are owed, big time. Voluntarily muting our sense of success also mutes our visible displays of appreciation for those who bought us that success with their blood, sweat, and tears, reducing their psychic payoff and denying them and those of us who supported them and their mission a well-earned sense of pride in the accomplishment of a hard job.



What better way for a vanquished enemy to deny the victors their triumph than to have their sympathizers in the victor's polity give the enemy such a lop-sided vote that any last gasp mass-casualty atrocity they can pull off will be allowed to negate any and all claims of progress and make any claiming success out to be liars?



Damn shame bloggers have to take it upon themselves to declare victory, but count me in. The Blog of Record: Yes, there is still a lot to be done in Iraq - corruption is a big problem, - but the country is now free, secure, stable, and a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. And it is firmly on a path to becoming a democratic nation - proving wrong the Bush Administration's detractors from the Left, whose multiculturalism somehow didn't prevent them from arguing that efforts to "export democracy" to a country full of Muslim Arabs were ridiculous.



The world is a safer place now, and it owes this safety to the bravery and sacrifices of American troops and their coalition allies.



The war is over. Join the victory celebration! Liberty for USA: The battle most counted on by the terrorists was the battle of public opinion. Our dedicated and professional armed forces won that battle as well despite a constant countering by liberal groups including the media.



Well done, and thank you to all our troops! Serr8d's Cutting Edge: Yes, you see, we've won in Iraq, by all the standards that apply to winning a war. George Bush's hard-fought surge worked. General Petraeus proved his strategy, and our heroes in uniform carried out their orders and lived and died for us, for the victory. They deserve to have the honors, they deserve to know that they won.



If we leave the 'official' declaration of victory to the Main Stream Media, if they even bother, then guess who will get the credit for the victory? Certainly not the ever-hated George Bush, who by rights deserves that credit.



No, the credit would go to the Messiah, who, as you recall, voted against the surge, and at every opportunity has expressed his desire to cut 'n' run, to get out of Iraq, leaving the first and only Arab Democracy in the Middle East to flounder and fail. The Wide Awake Cafe: The Iraq War is over and we have won. Really.



America has won. ...



We have won the war even though there is nothing to be found about this fabulous news at MSNBC or ABC News or CBS News or CNN or even Fox News.

...

The eight years of Bush Derangement Syndrome suffered gladly in some quarters of the media and the Democrat party has caused such deterioration that they are to the point that they would rather deny victory than admit the truth that the Commander in Chief and the troops have won the war.

...

Where are the ticker-tape parades Sissy Willis asks? The media which is now consumed in an all out search for a grandious presidential comparison to Barack Obama (who after all hasn't accomplished anything of note as of yet except being elected president) can't seem to take time to report this fantastic news.



Could it be that since Iraq is won and the Commander in Chief is still President Bush the media are waiting until Obama takes the oath of office in January before they declare that the war is really and truly won? The Foxhole: The folks at Zombietime have proposed a VI Day (Victory in Iraq Day). It's an excellent suggestion, especially since we won the war in Iraq awhile ago, and the MSM, par for the course, refuses to acknowlege or even give tribute to the American troops who achieved it.



I noted the victory back in August...

...

Someone has to do it, and it may as well be patriotic bloggers and Iraq War vets like myself. Lock and Load: OK folks, Zombietime has it right. Now that we have we achieved victory in Iraq, it's time to honor all the gallant military who made it possible. These young folks are America at its best....



Our Guys and Gals in Iraq have sacrificed and risked their lives to keep not only the Iraqis free, but by extension, all of us as well....



To all the troops who serve, everywhere and in everyway, THANK YOU. Hamilton, Madison, and Jay: Yes, you read that right. The war in Iraq is over, and we bloggers have decided, with the urging of Zombie and a whole host of others listed by him, that the 22nd of November will be remembered as the day we won in the theater of Iraq over the Islamofascist hordes that were determined to destroy the way of life we know, and to drag a fledgling democracy into the pits of Hell. We urge ALL bloggers to jump on board -- be you Left, Right, or Center -- and acknowledge this simple fact.



Our troops will remain there, albeit in a smaller number, to continue their duties providing security for the Iraqis. No complaining now as we've done this in the past. We did it in Germany, in Italy, in Japan, and in South Korea.

...

One last thing, and perhaps the most important one. PLEASE remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice not only for our country, but for a new nation; a free nation that finally has what was rightfully theirs. The Iraqis lived under a brutal dictator for over twenty years. He and his thugs are gone. those that remain have agreed to participate in rebuilding Iraq into a new, fresh democracy in the Middle East. Things are improving daily, and the violence from the animals is down considerably; almost to the point of barely being footnote worthy. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines have done an outstanding job, and they deserve all the thanks and praise we can give them. And for those that did give all, no words -- no deed -- can convey how much we as Americans appreciate their valor and honor. To their families, I say we have a debt we can never repay, and we will miss you loved ones as much as you do. The Irascible Chef: I Smell Napalm...



And you know what that reminds me of in the morning?



Victory!



And in the words of the famous Mark Levin, That's right! Victory!



We were about to be run out of Iraq by insurgents and our own Congress -- retreat-in-defeat was the bumper sticker slogan the Libs were happy to paste on their cars and what was very close to happening, but President Bush was not going to let that happen and he didn't. The new people in charge wanted it to happen, it would have added credibility to their point, kept them in power indefinitely. They wanted out whatever the circumstances. Imagine: Reid said we lost, Pelosi said we lost, that Murtha said we lost and so did our new President... They are all wrong! A few months later we have victory! Army Wife: Rants from Ft. Livingroom: This victory is further evidenced by the emails I receive from deployed friends stating "I'm bored". This is so counter to the ones I would get from my soldier (during his first and second deployment) stating "only x number of mortars today".



Thanks, guys. Be proud. Once again you showed up, kicked ass and peace erupted. Sharp Right Turn: Just for the record...



...this success came BEFORE Obama took office -- this needs to be on the record so that when Obama, the Democrats, and other cowardly liberals try to beat the drum that "withdrawal from Iraq came under Obama's watch" we can be clear that it came with a victory that was clearly evident before Obama took office. If not for President Bush and our military, the withdrawal the liberals so clearly seek would have come with defeat and surrender...that is a fact.



Victory came... because of the dedication, bravery, and professional fighting forces of the US Military...and the determination and understanding of a President who understands defending Freedom and our country!



Victory came... in spite of a Democrat party hell-bent on surrender and a liberals with no fortitude to stick with a fight for freedom and against tyranny.



Victory came... in spite of Obama's disparaging of our troops by accusing them foolishly of "air-raiding villages and killing civilians"...not exactly Commander-In-Chief material.



VICTORY IN IRAQ! Barking Moonbat Early Warning System The media was on Bush's case for years over his "mission accomplished" speech, even though what he said was utterly correct: that the really large scale combat operations in Iraq were over. But because of that "blunder," and the PMSM spending months playing up the "McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years" tripe, nobody wants to mention the obvious: that the fighting in Iraq is over. And it has been over for some time. Sure, there might be a couple little leftover splodeydopes with nothing better to do but push their little buttons. There might be a little action here and there for squad sized groups of soldiers. But it's a done deal, and it has been for several months. So in that vein, since Kate Smith has left us long ago and there are no other large women ready to sing, ZombieTime feels it's up to us to state the obvious. We might as well pick a date too, and use that to remind folks what has been so obvious that you haven't heard a word about it on TV. So let's use November 22nd. It's as good a day as any.



AQ in Iraq is smashed



Just about no foreign fighters are coming in from Syria or other countries anymore



The flow of Iranian weapons and fighters has been cut off or cut down to nearly nothing



Al Sadr is pretty much a non-player these days



The Iraqis have a freely elected government that is growing into the job better every day



Most of those mileposts that the US set have been met



the Iraqi army is pretty much up to the task, everywhere



...



So it's not early to make this call. It wasn't too early a couple of months ago, when Michael Yon first brought the subject up. And don't be fooled by a little bit of trouble here and there; go read what Zombie has to say about that.



It's over, over there. Zion Beckons: We can only conclude that the United States military in concert with the armed forces of Iraq may now declare victory. Since there was never an actual declaration of war, there can be no armistice. Since there was an essential agreement on the part of Iraq early on, there was no formal surrender. Therefore, since no one else will step up to make the declaration; Zion Beckons and hundreds of other bloggers have set aside [Satur]day, November 22, 2008 as the official "Victory in Iraq" Day.



The sitting government of the United States will make no such claim. The incoming new administration is highly unlikely to embrace anything which smacks of "victory." Obviously the press will make no assertion of success for the United States in Iraq since they have seen it as an illegitimate exercise from the onset. Therefore, as a veteran who has the capacity to recognize victory when it is apparent; and as a citizen of the United States, I join with those hundreds of web loggers who have followed the struggle, wept for the fallen, praised the troops, and rejoiced in the cessation of hostilities.



The claim of "victory" is predicated on several factors. The Iraqi government has made bold strides to accept the conditions of the turnover to their military arm. The head of their government, Saddam Hussein, has long since been captured and executed by proper Iraqi authority. The restoration of infrastructure, commerce, public services and a normal life style has been nearly completely restored in Iraq. Most important, the deaths of U.S. servicemen in theater have diminished to a point consistent with the normal attrition for a body of men that size. The casualty rate (killed) has dropped to less than half that of Chicago, Illinois since the first of the year. It is a proud day for the military forces, each man and woman, of the United States.



We congratulate the citizens and the government of Iraq on their new found freedom and their willingness to assume the responsibility for their own governance and security. From My Position...On the Way!: WE did it. We, the American Service Member, the patriots who supported us, the men and women at home who sent us everything from postcards to Kevlar Blankets, who never lost faith in us or our mission, won.



November 22 is VI day--Victory in Iraq. We, the people, declare it as such. We do not need an elected official to tell us we are victorious, nor do we need some booze-addled hack with a journalism degree to bleat it on the nightly news. Broadsides: The United States has won the war in Iraq.



And since the treasonous, America-hating press won't say it, patriotic bloggers will.



Want to leave comments or feedback about this essay or about Victory in Iraq Day in general? Click here.











(Click here to return to the main zombietime page.)







