Five Years After the Shock and Awe Campaign We came with superior technology and ripped through the country; like a tornado going through a trailer park. The Pentagon Staff was so proud of delivering the death knell to yet another tyrant’s dream.
Did it matter that none of the 19 who rang our alarm bells in New York, Pennsylvania or Washington, D.C. were from this country? No, it was a political war to appease the people of the land.
Did they care who paid for the damage to our shores? No, not really, the people demanded that the politicians do something to get back at the terrorists. Swinging at shadows was the only thing that we really accomplished.
So, the politicians and speechwriters when through the motions, like their counterparts did in World War II and blamed someone they did not like for the troubles that had been heaped upon the people. Although like most wars that are fought by the military, the civilian leaders start them and the military is blamed for them. No forethought is given to the aftermath and rebuilding the death and destruction of the nation that we bent to our will. Or to the healing that we have to do after the war is over.
Yes, it is true that this war has been relatively small in the history of wars. After five long years, we have only lost less than 4,000 troops. We have had more civilians working in the combat zone than any other war. This was a first in wars because we had the press reporting on every step that we took over there.
Did you know the press is actually responsible for some of the deaths that occurred in the zone due to their sensationalism? The terrorist use the press for their advantage and the press does not care because it sells.
You need to ask your self why the press has not reported on the good things that are done over there by the individual troops. For example, I bet you do not know how many schools, clinics and hospitals have been constructed for those people. I am even willing to bet that you do not know how many kilometers of roads have been built. Or did you know that the troops have rebuilt most bridges that we have destroyed. I am even willing to bet that the “news” has not reported that the terrorist have destroyed these new bridges to subjugate their own people. The news organizations only report what they think you should know, not the whole truth. Otherwise you would know that the normal Iraqi people are glad that the Coalition troops are protecting their interests and not to enslave them.
You probably think that the military cannot defend itself from these terrorist. You are absolutely correct in that assumption. The reason they cannot is a simple fact of political correctness. The military is not allowed to fire back on terrorist targets if they are in the middle of a group of civilians when they fire their mortars or missiles at our bases. The politicians are getting involved again like Vietnam (another war they got us in, but would not allow us to fight the right way). This involvement will cost more deaths that are American young men.
History repeats itself for those who do not learn from it. Most politicians use history to get what they want by manipulating the information, but they never really learn from history.
American is great because we were given the opportunity to have something no other nation has been given, land for the taking. Land is what gives man a chance to change his destiny. Land gives the chance to be free and do what you want. With land you are part of the nation. If another nation tries to take your land away from you, you and yours will fight to the death to keep it. That is what makes Americans mighty. Yet, our way of life cannot be duplicated anywhere else on this planet. Why because the common man could get land and keep it.
I will leave this with one additional thought; this is an election year, do you really know the representative that you want to lead this great country?
Wayne Smith - 2008
