File Under Sad, But True.
I can’t quite bring myself to do a 9/11 post. The onrush of emotion, and the outrage I feel, would likely produce gibberish anyway.
Hell, stand by for a small sample of gibberish.
Ten years on and we are STILL under threat. Blood, sweat, and treasure expended for what?
Let me just offer a quote that captures a thing.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Ronald Reagan
Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, A’Stan… does anyone else rail at the pattern? We have one stalemate, one loss, and the likelihood of two more when the dust settles and The Arab Spring activities close the circle.
Oh well…
Category: Geezer Alert!
I feel much the same way. The only hope is for a paradigm shift in the people we elect to form national and foreign policy. A shift away from notions of nation building to the swift and unyielding use of smart power.
We were winning when i left! We pulled out with the war won and then when the North invaded the south the Democratic controlled congress refused ti send aid and south lost ….WE were winning….
One of the saddest things is how raw everyone is as the anniversary of 9/11 approaches. There is no peace for anyone yet, and there may not be for a long time to come. It doesn’t help matters that there is — once again — a threat hanging over us of another attack.
I do wonder if it will ever end.
The thing is this: America limits itself. From the Revolution to WWII, we fought all-or-nothing wars. No safe havens for the enemy to retreat to rest, refit and retrain. And those of our citizens actively siding with the enemy were summarily crushed because there can only be unity of effort.
We slaughtered hundreds of thousands of civilians, from the too-aged to newborns, to break the will of the enemy.
Today, we witness a President bowing to lesser rulers. Our Senate Majority Leader has been so eager to surrender he started years before. We got nukes, and we’re petrified of using them.
The enemy has no such problems: every day against the US of A is all or nothing – that’s the will to win.
Well, folks. It may just be time for us to put up or shut up. We grumble a lot about “them,” but has any of us considered actually running for Congress?
Don’t laugh. (At least don’t hurt yourselves laughing!) Just maybe it’s time for those of us who still own a will to survive to get ourselves into those decision making seats?
bigjohn # 2: Yeah, There it is. Been there, done that.
Thing is… no one cares.
The single bit of perspective that applies, doesn’t.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
He was an old dude too.
#5 OWB:
Yes. It took the RNC close to 6 years to begin recruiting OEF/OIF vets. Most of the time such folk have to self-fund after the RNC’s accountant stole millions of dollars.
The DNC began recruiting mostly disaffected OEF/OIF vets by 2004, but once they were elected, most were left twisting in the wind and got crushed in the 2010 debacle.
So: one is either an Establishmentarian (status quo & go), very rich, or not a member of Congress.
What? You saying you couldn’t simply put up a post about 9/11 because? Here, let me help you out Zero.
http://news.yahoo.com/a-family-remembers–hero-of-9-11-gave-life-to-save-thousands.html
Zero, sometimes you can not defeat evil you can only keep it in check. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and A’stan, the one thing our detractors keep forgetting is there was a VERY good reason to fight (and win) in those wars. Sadly we’re still in the WWII mindset, and think of winning wars with tactics. In the future we will need to win by offering something better, show how we ARE the good guys.
If you have not seen or heard yesterday’s speech by George W. Bush, then you missed something very special. It is a speech you want to order your children and grandchildren to hear. It is the perfect remembrance and tribute. (File Under Tragedy and Courage)
I already put Iraq in the win column. Now what the Iraqi’s do with the opportunity they have been given is an entirely different matter.
I don’t think Afghanistan can ever be a win, not even for humanity. I don’t know how important our military presence is required for out intelligence community to remain effective, which by the way is the only reason I can see for an military presence in that hell hole. We need the intel to prevent or minimize the next attack planned on us. If not for that reason I would be all for getting the hell out of there.
JAG, I agree. If we leave Afghanistan now, AQ and their associates will just come back, winter on the plains is better than winter in the mountains. Then, from their safe haven, they’ll begin plotting all over again.
Eventually, they’ll carry something out to make a splash, who knows,, Sears Tower or whatever it’s name is now, maybe just fly a 767 into a football stadium on a Saturday or Sunday. Then, we’ll have to start all over again.
And, our nuclear arsenal will be so degraded that it will probably be more hazardous to those who would employ it, than it would be to the recipients.