Let’s Pray that History Doesn’t Repeat Itself
(Source for picture of "Twin Towers" - http://www.blueprintsolution.com/store/fitcommerce/Twin_Towers_Under_Attack_9-11.jpg )
The Iraq War (with some people more inclined to label the “Iraq Occupation”) has this Country in a stalemate. I do not want a “Cut and Run” solution. Nor do I wish for the false “Peace with Honor” that was touted at the end of Vietnam.
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This Country is caught between “a rock and a hard place”. Hoping for the best is not a foreign policy. The cold reality is that we have too few troops* and there is no possible way of increasing troop strength with our current “all volunteer” Armed Forces.
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The death of Saddam did not bring us the closure we want or longed for in our “War on Terror”. Not even the death of bin Laden will bring an acceptable closure to this conflict.
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The “Big Stick” foreign diplomacy of the early 20th Century had some success. But, a similar “Might Makes Right” belief has returned this Country little success and reveals us with no clear way out of either Iraq or Afghanistan.
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Yes, 9-11 changed everything. But, the lessons of Vietnam have been forgotten. A war must me waged with clear and obtainable objectives. This Country is fighting a “Smoke and Mirrors” enemy. Al-Qaeda exists but where is its base or network? Where is bin Laden and how do we stop this terrorist and his followers?
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Will our next President bring us some acceptable solution?
Will our next President bring us some acceptable solution?
During Eisenhower’s Presidency, the U.N. negotiated the current partition of Korea. While Nixon’s Presidency negotiated the Paris Peace Accords in 1973. But, the Fall of Saigon would eventually occur by 1975.
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I do not envy the next President. Let’s hope we can leave Iraq and Afghanistan with something more than what was accomplished in either the Korean Conflict or Vietnam War. In this case, let’s pray that History doesn’t repeat itself once again.
GOD BLESS AMERICA & OUR TROOPS.
* (REPORT: STILL TOO FEW U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ – United Press International (UPI) -http://www.upi.com/Security_Terrorism/Briefing/2007/04/25/report_still_too_few_us_troops_in_iraq/ )
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Additional thoughts on WAR.
In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers.
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(Source for quote - http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/n/neville_chamberlain.html )
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(Source for Chamberlain's picture -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Neville_Chamberlain2.jpg )
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(Source for Chamberlain's picture -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Neville_Chamberlain2.jpg )
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I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.
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(Source for quote - http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_tecumseh_sherman.html )
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(Source for Sherman's picture - http://www.kenanderson.net/educate/assets/images/williamtsherman.jpg )
Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
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Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed.
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(Source for quote - http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mao_tsetung.html )
(Source for Mao's picture - http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/images/mao-zedong-3.jpg )
