Coronach
You think we get a lot of perks for doing this kind of stuff?
I strongly disagree. Have you ever traveled outside the US? I don't mean Mexico or Canada, (most common) but I mean off the tourist trail in say, Central America, Europe, Africa.
I've spent a great deal of my life out of the country and I have a very good sense of what people in other countries think of our government.
Before I get too deep into this, let me make a point of mentioning that most of these folks, 99.99% are smart enough to distinguish between an American and America.
They generally like Americans, but their feelings towards our government range anywhere from confused, to disgusted to outright hatred. But never have I talked to a citizen or subject of a foreign nation who actually LIKED the things our government does.
There is an almost universal dislike of our country and it's policies and they all lead back to this very sort of thing.
"What gives America the right to interfere?"
"Why does America help those people but ignore us?"
"Why can't America mind it's own business and leave us alone?"
This is a general sample of the questions I've been hit with by friends in other countries.
Believe me, any "bennys" or perks that we receive are insignificant in comparison to the harm and ill will that Kosovo and other similar actions inflict on us.
Do you really think they like us? Look at the United Nations. The only thing they seem to be united in, is a desire to drag us through the mud and stick us with the jobs that nobody else considers important enough to deal with theirselves.
Then they let us (US) pick up the check too!
"We didn't ask for the job, we don't want the job, but we got the job."
Ever heard of quitting? Do we continue this course of action on the basis of;
"That's the way we've always done it!"
I think we can do better than that. That mentality presupposes that we cannot learn from our mistakes.
Did we "help" in Vietnam? Did we improve any lives? Did we even SAVE any lives?
Please don't tell me that this time it will be different. THINK about it. Do you really want our country dragged through that sewer AGAIN?
Michael,
Hi Sarge, good to hear from you again!
"If not NATO then whom?"
This falls into that big catagory of NOP
Not Our Problem. Everyone seems ready to offer some emotional plea for intervention on behalf of the "widdle childwen", but no one has yet given a rational and logical reason for why WE should have to be the ones to deal with this.
Italy?
France?
Spain?
Great Britain?
This problem is much closer to being in their backyard that ours, so why are they offering only token participation? Easy! Same reason that the ARVNs sat back on their asses and watched us fight back in the prehistoric 60's. Why should they get all sweaty when the US is so eager to do the job FOR them?
BTW, I wasn't in Nam, but I was trained by a lot of "old" NCOs who were. I'll bet you were too!
"...it will speak volumes about our resolve..."
Yes, it will. It will show that we still have as much resolve as we did back in 75 when we dropped the ball and hauled ass for home, leaving 53,000 and change in our own dead to show for it.
The only way this could come out as a "Victory" for the US is as a TOTAL victory. i.e. WE win, WE occupy the country and WE set up a new, democratic government that will do what WE tell them to do.
Question 1.
Do you really believe this is possible?
Question 2.
Do you think the other countries in Europe will back us on this? OR Do you think that when/if they see the US doing something like this in their backyard they'll scream "American aggressor Empirealist Pigs!" and stab us in the back the way they always have.
Question 3.
Even if we CAN do this, do you really think that this is the kind of thing the US needs to do?
Question 4.
Should the US rule the world?
(If you said yes to number 3, logic dictates that you have to say yes to this one. We can't have it both ways.)
Leading the International Community into Democracy. What a stirring phrase. What pathos, what power.
The problem is, we seem to be having quite a hard time holding on to our own democracy!
(BTW, we're not a democracy, we're a republic. Check for yourself.)
Who are we to tell "them" how to do it if we can't keep our own sh** together?
Undesireable place to fight?
I agree wholeheartedly! Central America sucked, Desert Storm sucked, why doesn't anybody ever throw a war in Hawaii or Ft. Lauderdale?
I'm sorry guys. I know I'mm sounding like a 60's anti-war protester, but haven't you all noticed how the roles have changed?
Here I am, still wearing my hair in a "high n' tight", patriotic, flag wavin' hard core libertarian (this should tell you something.) Former Soldier and Marine, and
I'm the one saying "Hell no, please don't go!"
While Joe Sh** the Presidential Ragman, former dope smoking draft dodging, POS scumbag sonuva... want's to send MY boys, my troops, that I trained and taught how to fight and be GOOD Marines and soldiers into some insane lose/lose situation so they can be thrown away with all the care that one disposes of a used condom. Damn the body count, full speed ahead!
That pretty much sums up Bill "I loathe the military." Clinton's attitude about our boys.
"Fu**'em and throw'em away." Don't ask, don't tell, don't care.
Doesn't this role reversal bother anyone else?
I'm sorry Michael, I know every professional military man want's a war. He says he doesn't, but deep in his heart, he wants to do what he's been trained to do.
(Maybe that's just me, but I don't think so.)
I just don't think it should be THIS war.
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Your mind is your primary weapon.