Seadog
11-09-2006, 09:54 AM
I have just recently read the book Flags of Our Fathers. With the thought of this Saturday and what is happening in our nation right now, I thought I would voice some opinions. My dad gave the book to me after he read it. He was headed to Japan when the war ended, and never had to go through that. But he pulled two tours in Vietnam when he was over 40 years old. His first was as the initial thrust into the Mekong Delta. He made it through that and the first Tet offensive. His friend and my best friend's dad, was not so lucky. He and many others we knew are inscribed on a black marble wall.
In today's battles, we have our largest population ever, yet we publicly and politically cry over every death overseas. We have fewer deaths due to combat today than died in training accidents during WWII. More died at Iwo Jima in a few days than have died in Iraq. When we went into war with Germany and Japan, we did not have the best weapons in the world, but we went anyway. Thousands made the ultimate sacrifice without hesitation. We do not mourn our dead any more of less today than 60 years ago, but then we did respect the need to make those sacrifices more. For even though we lost hundred of thousands of our young men, other countries lost millions of their children, mothers, fathers and friends that were victims of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
11/11 was suppose to symbolize the end of the greatest war of all time. Yet, the world has never been at peace since then. The greatest war of all times is yet to come. It may be tomorrow, or it may be next century. Our planet is being overgrown by those who have less than the well established nations. Not surprising since the well educated and well-to-do as a whole, do not have large numbers of children. So the poor and uneducated are the main populace of the world. And they are open to leaders that decry the inequity of wealth distribution, or exploit religion, tribal affiliation, or race differences. We used to battle enemies that were like octopi. One head with many arms. Once you fought past the arms to the head, the battle was won. Today it is like dealing with a Hydra, or maybe more accurately, a virus. No central head that can be stopped. It hops from victim to victim, mutating as the need arises. Every time a defense is found, it adapts. I have faith in our nation and our brave young men. The question is what will be the final outcome as decided by our political leadership.
In today's battles, we have our largest population ever, yet we publicly and politically cry over every death overseas. We have fewer deaths due to combat today than died in training accidents during WWII. More died at Iwo Jima in a few days than have died in Iraq. When we went into war with Germany and Japan, we did not have the best weapons in the world, but we went anyway. Thousands made the ultimate sacrifice without hesitation. We do not mourn our dead any more of less today than 60 years ago, but then we did respect the need to make those sacrifices more. For even though we lost hundred of thousands of our young men, other countries lost millions of their children, mothers, fathers and friends that were victims of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
11/11 was suppose to symbolize the end of the greatest war of all time. Yet, the world has never been at peace since then. The greatest war of all times is yet to come. It may be tomorrow, or it may be next century. Our planet is being overgrown by those who have less than the well established nations. Not surprising since the well educated and well-to-do as a whole, do not have large numbers of children. So the poor and uneducated are the main populace of the world. And they are open to leaders that decry the inequity of wealth distribution, or exploit religion, tribal affiliation, or race differences. We used to battle enemies that were like octopi. One head with many arms. Once you fought past the arms to the head, the battle was won. Today it is like dealing with a Hydra, or maybe more accurately, a virus. No central head that can be stopped. It hops from victim to victim, mutating as the need arises. Every time a defense is found, it adapts. I have faith in our nation and our brave young men. The question is what will be the final outcome as decided by our political leadership.