How Long Do You Have to Fight a War, Anyway?

It is with a measure of fear that I venture into this highly controversial arena and with the understanding that more likely than not my purpose will be misunderstood. In spite of that, here we go, taking the plunge into the pool of "politics & war" ------>

The 4th anniversary of our "war" in Iraq will take place on March 19, 2007. We also have a pot still simmering in a place called Afghanistan. Loss of military personnel in the Iraq mess is now approaching 3,200. And in that other place we still lose military people from time to time as well.

Now consider this: we really got involved in WW II with the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. We were involved in wars on two fronts. The Normandy invasion took place in June of 1944, although we were carrying out bombing raids before that, and there had been fighting in Africa, Italy, and Sicily. But it was all wrapped up with defeat of Germany in May of 1945 and Japan in August of 1945. Terms were unconditional surrender -- no sitting at a table and negotiating for weeks! It was the last time the United States had such a decisive military victory in war.

Then came Korea -- the Chinese got involved, so MacArthur as much as said, "If you're getting into this, then we'll go after your hide too!" Truman fired him and we "negotiated" a settlement. And so North Korea is more than a kind of "thorn in the flesh" today.

Then there was something called Viet Nam --- I guess you know we didn't come out too well in that one either, did we?

And then a thing called Desert Storm under the first Bush (no pun intended) and a tent was set up in the desert and we talked and signed papers and that kind of stuff and a guy named Hussein remained in power.

In between all these events were skirmishes of one kind or another with the prevailing idea now that military commanders are mere puppets on strings pulled by politicians and their appointees. Be careful where you aim your weapon and fire in spite of the fact that you are getting shot at from all directions! Now we're supposed to fight "clean" or "sanitized" wars -- is there really such an animal?

George Patton, highly controversial general of WW II era, expressed the desire that he wanted just Field Marshall Rommel (brilliant German armored commander) and he to take a tank and do battle with each other -- whoever won, that would settle it -- no more fighting after that. Forget about getting thousands of troops involved!

Perhaps the war business would slow down considerably if somehow the rule would be that only the leaders of nations who feel they must engage in conflict would be the only ones permitted to do battle and include their families -- just immediate families, not far out relatives -- just dad, mom, and the kids, and let them fight it out instead of sending other dads' and moms' kids into deadly conflicts! Maybe we can petition that one to be on the ballot for the next election, huh????

Back in 2003 we were repeatedly told (like some guy beating on a drum 24 hours a day) that Saddam Hussein and Co. were a massive threat to world peace -- he was a brutal dictator and had ruthlessly killed a lot of people during his vicious reign in Iraq -- he just had to be eliminated. So we got him taken out of power, but we're still bogged down and we are still in what some agree to be "war!" The number of victims as best can be estimated under Hussein's "reign of terror" is somewhere in the range of 1 million.

But brutality and murder weren't limited to Hussein and his sons -- since we invaded Iraq 4 years ago the victims of brutality, mutilation and murder in this country now number well over 5.1 million! They are persons who never had the chance to be born -- they were mutilated and murdered while still in their mothers' wombs in the "land of the free and the home of the brave!"

Is it any wonder that the blessing of God Almighty has been withdrawn from this nation and now we are strictly on our own -- and real victory eludes us as does the proverbial "pot of gold" at the end of a rainbow? And this means that never again will we be in a position to demand "unconditional surrender!"

Furthermore, it is nothing short of hypocrisy of the first magnitude to expect God to bless this nation as we intentionally destroy on average about 100,000 of our own each month of the year!

Just something to think about and then sleep on as you lay your head on the pillow tonight.

BTW, just in case you are trying to figure out my "politics" by what I have just said -- forget it! I'm neither Democrat or Republican -- neither party has anything of significant value to offer the citizens of this republic at this point in time! Elected officials are too occupied with themselves and what grandstanding they can do to always be center-stage, while at the same time devising new ways to fatten the wallets in their pockets or the purses which hang from their shoulders! I am a non-affiliated registered voter in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, and yes, I do vote -- frustrating as that experience is each time I enter the ballot booth. :-(

"But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:....... the LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me........ The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth."
--- Deuteronomy 28:15,20,25