There are those of you who know history and recognize the title of this missive. Others are bewildered, as you may be part of the generation that was not taught history.
The reference “A Bridge Too Far” comes from the aftermath of the World War II failure called Operation Market Garden. It was the largest ever airborne operation in history, still to this day. It consisted of 35,000 US, British, and Polish paratroopers who were tasked to jump deep behind enemy lines into the Netherlands.
The strategic objective, as planned by British General Montgomery, was for the airborne assault to capture a series of bridges over several rivers, then shoot the British XXX Armored Corps deep into the Netherlands and subsequently into Germany.
Montgomery thought that the September operation would lead to a capitulation of Nazi Germany by Christmas 1944, he was horribly wrong. First of all, aerial reconnaissance showed that the Germans had a massive armored force near the city of Arnhem, the site of the last bridge. Those aerial photos were confirmed by the Dutch resistance, however, no one had the moral intestinal fortitude to tell Gen. Montgomery…ego overrode reality.
Therefore a brilliant daylight airborne operation began on 17 September in England and the troops of the British 1st Airborne Division, along with a contingent of Polish Army paratroopers, and the American 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions jumped into the Netherlands.
The Americans initially captured several bridges between Einhoven, but the Germans held at Son en Breugel and demolished the bridge at Wilhelmina Canal. The Americans eventually took the bridge at Nijmegen but precious time had been lost as the British XXX Armored Corps was delayed…sealing the fate of the British and Polish airborne troops at Arnhem…the bridge too far.
And so, as we look back upon the Democrat [Socialist] party impeachment inquisition led by an ego driven Chairman Adam Schiff, this failed operation is an apt parallel.
The leftist base driven by a rabid leftist media refuses to believe the truth before them. They have continuously told themselves that there are high crimes and misdemeanors that give validity to the impeachment of President Trump. And for some reason, Nancy Pelosi embraces that perception, which is far from reality, resulting in the left launching an assault that is destined to utter failure.
Last week we watched several “key witnesses” who had not witnessed anything. We all have the ability to view the White House released transcripts of the calls between President Trump and Ukraine’s President Zelensky. Basically, we know exactly what George Kent, Bill Taylor, and Marie Yovanovitch know, and they had nothing to add. Three key bridges for the left, and they secured none of them.
Not a one of them had direct knowledge of the phone call, and Ms. Yovanovitch has not been in the position of Ambassador for nearly a year. The left went for the pity party vote because Trump had removed her, yet the left said nothing when Obama fired ambassadors.
And what is more telling of this major strategic disaster was when all three were asked, directly, if they saw any high crime or misdemeanor, silence fell from Kent and Taylor, and Yovanovitch sheepishly said, “Nyet”…no.
Hearsay, conjecture, subjective opinion, and conspiracy theory do not constitute factual evidence, and this operation is indeed devolving into a massive failure, regardless of the rants and misleading commentary from the complicit leftist media. What we do know is that there is one person that was on the call, Ambassador Sondland, who has testified that there was no “quid pro quo,” or as the leftists are now decrying, extortion and bribery. Heck, President Zelensky has said, he felt no pressure or sense of quid pro quo.
And speaking of aid to Ukraine, well, President Trump has been sending lethal javelin anti-tank missiles and troop support not just to the Ukraine, but also to the Baltic States. Barack Obama, after admitting that he would have more flexibility after his reelection to then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, only sent socks, blankets, and MREs to Ukraine.
And oh, by the way, after Obama’s promise of flexibility, Russian forces overran the Crimea and eastern Ukraine…hmm, no impeachment hearing, inquiry, or anything. When Obama threatened to cut off Hellfire missile support to Israel who was defending itself against Hamas rockets and missiles, not a peep from our dear Democrat [Socialist] friends.
Just as with Operation Market Garden, this endeavor of the left was doomed before it was started. And once upon a time, Rep. Schiff stated that we had to hear from the whistleblower; now he says we do not need to hear from the whistleblower, Eric Ciaramella. And when one examines Ciaramella’s resume, well, any objective person would show concern, and see this whole charade as a really bad version of kabuki theater.
Just as with Operation Market Garden, the left has committed itself to a failing endeavor. The British XXX Armored Corps never reached its destination. The British 1st Airborne Division was decimated, only 20% survived and were not captured. The Germans exacted their revenge on the Dutch and it would be another whole year almost before the end of World War II, the European theater.
The end of this Democrat [Socialist] party looms near, and unlike the Allies, they will not rally and recover from this horrific, and embarrassing, defeat.
They did not go a bridge too far, they simply failed to launch.
This column was originally published at CNSNews.
The views expressed in CCNS member articles are not necessarily the views or positions of the entire CCNS. They are the views of the authors, who are members of the CCNS.
