A little lazy on this entry but I was sent a post from a blog I respect and commented so I am all out of fresh brain matter for the midnight posting.....
Mostly becuase after a half hour of flowing mental thought to keyboard, I hit the wrong button and erased it all. God damn it from now on ALL entries are getting written in Word then pasted into the web page!
the original post is here
my comment is below.
Having read the original post and all comments in one fell swoop, I am now at one with the little silver ball in a pinball machine. Bouncing from one part to another, bells and lights flashing at moments then slow rolls down chutes to mad frenzied buffeting in the bonus pit.
First, thank you yet again The Ferret, for a well stated case. In the grand scheme, the point, it seems to me, is not to run from our minorities but to face them as failed examples and deal with them rather than tuck them out the back door and dismiss them to others. Yes, that redheaded stepchild is a part of my family and while he looks a whole lot more like the milk man than he does like Dad, we still have to call him ours.
So much to comment on. The sensible thing would be to walk away and ponder then return with a conclusive thought. I am not well known for my patience. Instead, I will touch on the one thought that I would want to add on the weighted discussion about the Soldiers.
What they have done is inexcusable, is vile, is contemptible, is inhumane, and is war. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, step right up and leave those narrow ideological blinders at the door because you’ve just step out of the CNN tour bus and landed your leather loafers in a great big cow pie called reality. Strip away the politics and the pros and cons of active involvement in conflicts to free the oppressed because this is what it is really all about. We sit in our arm chairs and watch Arnie blow away the stunt boys as blood squibs leave little read shout out stains on there kaki’s and we cheer him on while covering the kids eyes when a brief pair of titties flash across the screen, but we don’t like this other kind of violence. What is it called….oh yeah, the real world. Now just get your hand off the control +C button and hear me out because I am no where NEAR excusing our military for stooping to the level of the opposing side, they fell into the trap and let down their morals, their ethics and their oaths of honor. What I am asking is for us all to get out of this armchair voyeurism and take our medicine with the rest. We sent our men and women out there to represent our side. We gave them any number of methods with which to shatter skulls and scoop out brain matter and pit them against The Other Side. Who by the way, is trying to do the same. Kill. Maim. Massive injury is still the preferred prescription for defeat of the enemy by the way because even though it causes torment and agony, it also sucks up the enemy’s resources for the war by forcing two soldiers to help the wounded one off the field, also leaving them more vulnerable to being shot in the back. Not honorable? Oh, sorry, did I mention that in war, the only real tangible goal is to walk back to your tent with as many fingers and toes as you woke up with?
I have been shot, far less honorably, and I have bled near to death deservedly. I have never been in a war though. I grew up the son of a career officer. It doesn’t qualify me to speak of the horrors of war, but it left me years to ponder this military paradox: We send our soldiers to kill humans on a daily basis, with the burden of an oath to do so with honor. A heavy heavy burden indeed. Those who take up the oath do so willingly. They should be dishonorably discharged and court-martialed. But let’s try not to pretend that this “Isolated Incident” is such a surprise. From the beginning of history war has been about that worst part of our insides that is needed to rip someone else’s insides out and step over their bloody remains to reach for the next target. It’s a tall order to keep that beast on a leash.
So leave the blinders by the door. Keep your eyes open. Hate the carnage and have that much more respect for those soldiers who DO hold to their Oaths. And remember next time what war really is when we are called to fight again. Cause we all know there will be a next time. God have mercy on us, war really is hell.
Am I allowed to sign this? My choice defaults to anonymous….is this like the witness protection program?
www.charles.mckeithan.org
oh, wait….it says no html……who’s that at the door…….
A lack of understanding of the necessities (yes I say necessities) of war is a serious problem with America and Europe.
First let me preface with this:
Those in Abu Grhaib will pay for their crimes. Those soldiers that Failed in their duty will have a trial and justice will be meted out (UCMJ, not the bastardized courts of apologists, but military justice).
War is not pretty - nor is it jingoist, nor is it the first resort. It is, however, a reality - it comes to us - often unbidden, but it must never be hidden from. To hide from a threat is to only invite that threat to grow. In Europe after WW1 - the French & English were exhausted (rightly so) and they assumed that Germany was also exhausted (not true). As the threats in Europe grew - The Western powers tried to negotiate and deal their way out of a dangerous situation - and they got a far worse war the second time around. One that could have been avoided IF France, England, and Russia stood up to Germany and forced them back to their AGREEMENTS. But they didn't - Germany remilitarized and BAM. Europe in Flames.
I see the same thing again in the Middle East. Many fascist (and I don't use that term lightly) dictatorships oppress the media, their people and lie about reality. Last week one of the Saudi Diplomats blamed an Al Qaeda attack on Zionists. This is the same Al Qaeda that admitted the attack and threatened more assaults - now they are called Jews!?! Just because Saudi Arabia refuses to deal with the issue they have to twist it to fit their decades of hate - they are misnaming the enemy and that enemy will use that against them...
But back to the main point. The US is in a difficult situation. STUPID people have done IMMORAL things. Justice will be served. This is the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship - Evil knows no boundaries, but the US knows Justice. It will be served, they will pay for their crimes. And Iraq, in spite of a lot of naysayers, will be free. 25 million people already can taste freedom. They don't want to lose that - and they won't since we will stay committed and any mistakes will be rectified.
Many thoughts on this one - More later...
Posted by: Steve at May 7, 2004 03:22 PM