During my first semester at LSU over 20 years ago, I took an American Civics class (or something like that). Our Professor was 40ish, full facial hair and had a very large Santa Clause paunch. He would roam the aisles, up and down, and advocate that the United States had not won a war since 1900. That every war since then either was not won at all (as in Korean stalemate) or we had allies that actually pulled the victory out for us (such as Great Britain winning WWII). Students would challenge him, but he had everything figured out; he would give his pat answer grinning from ear to ear. He especially would get happily animated when he described the chaos and carnage that occurred at the American Embassy in Vietnam during the last days of that war. He described at length how the American military was barely able to get out of Dodge before the Vietcong took over. He was proud of that. Not mentioned were the Vietnamese people who were slaughtered for helping an American in any way.
Before then, I had never come in contact with anyone who was so proud that his country, in his eyes, was such a failure.
The bottom line with him was the idea that the American military was so inept and inherently evil, that they were incapable of winning a war. Ever.
The other night I was thinking a great deal about this guy and his ideas. I am beginning to believe that he may be right, but not for the reasons he listed. We lost Vietnam because the American people believed the war could not be won. Now, I am concerned that we will lose in Iraq and possibly even Afghanistan because the American people have changed their minds and believe the war cannot be won. I believe, whether or not it was intended, that the election of Democrats into power is a manifestation of this belief.
If so, we are a doomed nation.
Osama Bin Laden believes in this as a strategy. It was an approach born out of Somalia (the Black Hawk Down incident). The strategy is this: The United States cannot stomach the idea of deaths in a battle. So kill enough American soldiers in a long enough period of time and the US will withdraw.
If we do leave Iraq before things are stabilized, especially because of our own internal politics, OBL’s strategy will once again be realized. At that point, it will be very difficult for us to win in the future. It will always mean that our soldiers are in danger of being harmed no matter how peaceful things may be because the opposition will know that if you kill enough Americans, the Americans will lose their will for the fight and leave. Also, no other persons in a country will ever want to be our Allies because at some point we will abandon them to the tender mercies of their enemies.
This is a concern for me not just as a citizen, but as a mother. My oldest daughter is seriously talking about going into the military after high school. I am proud of that. Very.
Not long ago, we were out doing the shopping runs. Right in the middle of Walmart she asked me to make a promise, a very solemn vow. I turned to her and said, “of course, what is it?” She asked me to not act like Cindy Sheehan if she were killed in action. She wanted me to instead honor her memory by being supportive and respect her sacrifice in the line of duty for her country. My response was to choke out, “of course”, through a stream of tears (yes, in the middle of Walmart). But there would be an exception: if she were killed in action and the politicians of this country made a decision to “cut and run”, I would be on them like Momma Shehan in a heartbeat (of course, a more cleaned up and well-groomed version that uses deodorant every day). I explained to her that by doing that, I would be respecting her ultimate sacrifice by demanding the politicians do the same.
Elections come and go. All seem dire at the time. The problem I have with this outcome is the War on Terror and specifically the Iraq battle theater. I don’t want it to become the spoils of politics; that makes those brave souls fighting the pawns of politicians. The problem is this is a war that will go on and on, and has gone on and on since the Iranian Hostage Crisis (November 1979). In between now and then we have gone to sleep and gone about our business punctuated by heightened awareness. Whether we like it or not, we are in a war. We can acknowledge it or not. Regardless, the Islamofacist want to kill us; all of us. It is up to us to fight them off or wait for them to kill us with weapons of mass destruction. The problem is Americans seem to have the attention span of gnats for things like this.
Mark my words, they are coming.
In the meantime, my daughter grows older and gets closer to the time of decision for her. I will be proud of her no matter what. I just want her work and sacrifice to be “worth it”.
______________________________
It’s Begathon time!
Houston, TX 77069
Filed Under Uncategorized ·
Comments
13 Responses to “Post Election Thoughts in the Mom World”Search
Our Sponsors
Poll
Loading ...LST Book Club
-
Defending Identity: Its Indispensable Role in Protecting Democracy
by Natan Sharansky -
Fear No Evil
by Natan Sharansky -
The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror
by Anatoly Shcharansky -
The Jewish State: The Struggle for Israel's Soul
by Yoram Hazony -
Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There
by David Brooks -
Snobbery: The American Version
by Joseph Epstein -
A Conflict of Visions: Idealogical Origins of Political Struggles
by Thomas Sowell
Excellent, Ms. Murphrey, excellent.
I know, I know. Because of the leftists in the media and leftist democrats who aren’t willing to face the realities of the modern world, or, worse, actually hope America loses, we have to get used to accepting the fact that there is going to be a terrible catastrophic attack on our country in the near future.
We just have to accept it because half of Americans voted that way.
Does anyone want to predict which American city will be the first to go?
This is the reality we have to face due to the “Son’s of the 60’s” running the country.
We should not have gone if we do not have the intestinal fortitude to see it through to the end. If we leave Iraq and Afganistan before the job is done, then we have truely wasted the lives of our brave young men and women and we can expect that we will be attacked at will by terrorist who will have the certain knowledge that we will not do anything to protect ourselves.
It all started when we decided to throw God overboard (like we can do that….).
Well said, and thank you for raising such a fine daughter! I’m sure your other children are just as fine as she is. My compliments to you, ma’am.
excellent post - and many many prayers for your daughter. Thank you very very much for your service!
It was my privilege in the mid-70s to work with a sterling group of men, all military veterans, and from more wars than just Vietnam. I can’t begin to tell you what it was like during those days, as we listened on the radio to the fall of Saigon, and still tried to work. The stricken looks on their faces was more than I could bear and when I cried they comforted ME. God help us all if we have to see that again.
I think Lizzie said it best! You are right. They are coming.
o.K…I feel I have to say this. Will try to keep it short!
I work next to a liquor store owned by a Vietnamese couple. They work 6 days a week very hard. I look out for for them, because they are so trusting and grateful to America (but are learning there are sheisters out there). Thuey (pronounced Twee, and I call him my Tweetie Peetie!) served in the Vietnam war with us. He was shot down in enemy lines and a US helicopter picked him up, and brought him back to his unit. His only regret in life, is that, during all the turmoil, he never thanked the US pilot that saved him.
Thuey is a registered voter in the US, and has been sorely upset about this election. (We talk politics when we can) He told me this yesterday.
‘When I lived in Vietnam, I didn’t care. When I now live in the US, I care. I voted, and now, I am ashamed of my country. My country is the United States of America. I thought we were a strong country, but now is Cut and Run.’
Broke my heart…What could I say?
Your Prof was wrong. Actually the Russians defeated the Nazi’s and won the war for the Allies. We need the Israeli’s to do that for us, cause our politicians have no gonads.
left-2-right
Nice revisionist history ya got there.
Squawkbox: Really? Revised by who? You know not of what you speak.
Ree-C
Thank you for writing this. It is a wonderful and enlightening post. My daughter joined the Army two years ago and is now serving in Iraq. My husband and I live in fear that we will get the “knock on the door” with uniformed soldiers waiting outside. And, we do lots of praying for her safety and for the safety of all of our men and women in the military.
At the same time, words cannot describe how proud we are of her and her decision to join the military and, literally, lay her life on the line for the freedom we now enjoy in the USA. We feel honored to call her our soldier.
I hope and pray that those in control in this country come to their senses and fight to keep us from harm. Otherwise, the fear of what is to come right here on our soil will keep me up at night. Not to mention, the anxiety I will feel about my daughter bravely facing our enemy while at the same time being disgraced by our befuddled, corrupt, cut and run leadership.
My prayers are with you and your daughter. Please, thank her for me.
tck