Why do I fight?
Or, more specifically, "why do I help the Iraqi Army?" There are many reasons - but Sudarsan Raghavan seems to have captured the images of what it is I seek to make common and ordinary.
Never mind the hedging and such - that is de rigeur for almost all in the media when reporting on Iraq. But instead, give them credit for bringing these pictures out for everyone to see.
Never mind the hedging and such - that is de rigeur for almost all in the media when reporting on Iraq. But instead, give them credit for bringing these pictures out for everyone to see.
posted by LTC John at 6:43 AM
3 Comments:
Few things feel better than doing the right thing and seeing it come good. The American forces are the best representatives of our country and our values. The world sees what we do, how we do it and how we try. They do not understand our blunders, but they learn from our mistakes and our overcoming.
I worry that the Pentagon mentality being bandied about will destroy so much of what we learned. Preparing to fight a Napoleonic-WWII style set piece battle against Russia or China ignores the changes in the world.
For the foreseeable future, all wars will be counter-insurgency. They cost less to start, maintain, supply from the agressors side. They take longer to resolve and require better trained and better disciplined troops. Look at the US Forces in Iraq vs. Chechnya or Chinese troops in Tibet.
The Garrison Mentality is already taking hold. The Political Class are planning their moves for promotion. The Warriors are still fighting and winning.
We will toss away the counter-insurgency skills and run to big systems, big weapons, big forces and easier to evaluate politicians will become the 1-2-3 Star heroes... Until we need to win again.
The Iraqis and all the ME knows the difference between an American invasion and an al-Quaida, Hamas, Hexbollah, Taliban invasion... They need our leadership and will more than our arms and wealth...
Why do we fight-? Why do we always fight-? For the American Way... Not conquest, not glory, not wealth, not slaves or territory... No other nation in history fights for our reasons...
I don't feel so bad about your *$%&#@* hand when I see women like the one in slide 2.
Dear Major John -
It's great to see the Iraqi families get back to their normal everyday lives.
Thank you for your service to our country and understanding that that's a major part of what it's about.
Best Regards, MaggieE
Post a Comment
<< Home