Ash Carter to U.S. Troops in Iraq: 'This Fight Has to Be Fought. It's for Civilization Against Evil'
(CNSNews.com) - Good versus evil, the "powerful" against the few. That's how Defense Secretary Ash Carter described the war against Islamic terrorists operating in Syria and Iraq.
Visiting American troops in Baghdad on Wednesday, Carter told them they are engaged in "a fight of the civilized world against this form of evil. He called it "good versus evil" and "the powerful...and the many against the few."
Carter brought the troops holiday greetings and thanked them for what they're doing:
"People know -- I mean, you know that not everybody is an expert in what you do, not everybody will have served. But over all, I mean, I think they get this has to be done, this fight has to be fought. It's for civilization against evil. It's for America against its enemies.
"You guys are doing it. And that's how you're spending your Christmas, so that everybody else gets to spend their Christmas waking up in the morning, opening their presents. You know, playing with their kids under the Christmas tree, having a nice dinner.
"They get to do that because they have security. Just think about it, if we didn't have security, none of that stuff would matter to you, you'd just be worried about your security all the time.
"So, you provide the conditions under which people get to live their lives and dream their dreams, and raise their children."
Carter also assured the troops that "becaue of you, we are going to win this campaign against Daesh -- I don't have any doubt about it." He added that the U.S. is "lookiing for ways to up our game and hasten the demise of ISIL," both in Iraq and Syria.
He said the effort depends in large part on support the Iraqi Security Forces. "But we need to have things that no other contributor can possibly bring. And there are others around the world, other members of the coalition who can bring things to the fight -- and I'm talking to them about supporting the fight, too, because this has to be what it needs to be, which is a fight of the civilized world against this form of evil.
"And since it is good versus evil, and it's the powerful, after all, at the end of day, it's us, the powerful and the many against the few, we will win. But we need to win quickly, and that in turn, is on you, your ingenuity. And I'm here to help you, and there will be others joining the fight as well, both here in Iraq, and here in Syria.
"So, happy holidays to you all. I hope you will, next time you're talking to your family, tell them, number one, that you were picked to do your duty on this holiday, even though you can't be with them.
"Number two, the importance of what you're doing, and the determination that we have to destroy this enemy as soon as possible. Your country is 100 percent behind you."
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http://cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/ash-carter-us-troops-iraq-fight-has-be-fought-its-civilization-against-evil 
