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Thursday, November 12, 2009
Remembering Veterans
I live near a Navy Base. It's not just any Navy Base. It's a base where many Navy personnel want to serve and retire. What can I say? This is a great place to live.
As a result of this phenomenon, many of my friends are active duty or retired Navy.
I made it a point to wish them well on their day: Veterans' Day, November 11.
What I didn't say was that it's ludicrous that we Americans have put those people and their families through such hell by starting wars, invading countries, destabilizing societies - all for no good purpose.
Yes, that includes Afghanistan. If the objective really had been to crush Al Queda and bring Bin Laden and friends to justice, it could have been accomplished without war. Our leaders blew several opportunities to do exactly that.
And now, after years upon years of wasted lives, resources, and international support, Bin Laden has not been brought to justice. Plus, Al Queda is stronger than ever and has more international support than before we started the war. And those whom we are supposed to believe aided Bin Laden (Taliban) are very effectively helping us to waste even more lives, resources, and international support.
Our involvement in Iraq is winding down. The one thing that Bush did right was to accept the treaty that the Iraqis pushed onto us. Someday soon we will be free of that mess.
Perhaps the 'new, improved' 1 US government will find a way out of Afghanistan. Sadly, the inevitable military loss there will highlight OUR many, many losses. Yet, it must be done. And we will have to face the same shame that we did after losing the war in Viet Nam.
As an ex-Navy officer asked Congress "How do we ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?" Yet, we must. We have to stop our bleeding. We have to heal. We have to find and execute a good strategy for dealing with terrorism. Afghanistan has to heal.
May we never make that mistake again. It would be nice - every day, not just on Veterans' Day - if we could honor our veterans for very real sacrifices to a cause that is just. It's been a long time coming.
1 OK, OK. Something cannot be both NEW and IMPROVED at the same time. The terms are mutually exclusive. Haven't you ever heard of 'poetic license?'
As a result of this phenomenon, many of my friends are active duty or retired Navy.
I made it a point to wish them well on their day: Veterans' Day, November 11.
What I didn't say was that it's ludicrous that we Americans have put those people and their families through such hell by starting wars, invading countries, destabilizing societies - all for no good purpose.
Yes, that includes Afghanistan. If the objective really had been to crush Al Queda and bring Bin Laden and friends to justice, it could have been accomplished without war. Our leaders blew several opportunities to do exactly that.
And now, after years upon years of wasted lives, resources, and international support, Bin Laden has not been brought to justice. Plus, Al Queda is stronger than ever and has more international support than before we started the war. And those whom we are supposed to believe aided Bin Laden (Taliban) are very effectively helping us to waste even more lives, resources, and international support.
Our involvement in Iraq is winding down. The one thing that Bush did right was to accept the treaty that the Iraqis pushed onto us. Someday soon we will be free of that mess.
Perhaps the 'new, improved' 1 US government will find a way out of Afghanistan. Sadly, the inevitable military loss there will highlight OUR many, many losses. Yet, it must be done. And we will have to face the same shame that we did after losing the war in Viet Nam.
As an ex-Navy officer asked Congress "How do we ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?" Yet, we must. We have to stop our bleeding. We have to heal. We have to find and execute a good strategy for dealing with terrorism. Afghanistan has to heal.
May we never make that mistake again. It would be nice - every day, not just on Veterans' Day - if we could honor our veterans for very real sacrifices to a cause that is just. It's been a long time coming.
1 OK, OK. Something cannot be both NEW and IMPROVED at the same time. The terms are mutually exclusive. Haven't you ever heard of 'poetic license?'
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