Every once in a while I receive an email from one of my military friends. Most of them are quite thought provoking, but I usually read them and then delete them. However this is one to which I must make a response.
Finally, what we always knew has now been confirmed by the enemy, or what was once our enemy. Our American media and those politicians who fostered, and engendered our defeat, and the sacrifice of all those who never made it home, and all those broken bodies that did make it back; FOR SHAME, FOR SHAME, the blood of all is on their hands.
Perhaps we should not have gotten into either war. Go to war for false reasons and you will not be satisfied with the results. Many will die for the foolhardiness of the leaders who pushed for it.
At last, General Giap has published his memoirs and confirmed what most Americans knew. The Vietnam war was not lost in Vietnam -- it was lost at home. The exact same slippery slope, sponsored by the Dems and the US media, is currently well underway. It exposes the enormous power of a biased media (the Dems could never do it alone) to cut out the heart and will of the American public.
How easy it is to blame the media for losing the war. If you want the media to provide support for your decisions, then live/lead/control the population like it is done in totalitarian countries.
General Giap was a brilliant, highly respected leader of the North Vietnam military. The following quote is from his memoirs currently found in the Vietnam war memorial in Hanoi:
"What we still don't understand is why you Americans stopped the bombing of Hanoi. You had us on the ropes. If you had pressed us a little harder, just for another day or two, we were ready to surrender! It was the same at the battles of TET. You defeated us! We knew it, and we thought you knew it. But we were elated to notice your media was definitely helping us. They were causing more disruption in America than we could in the battlefields. We were ready to surrender. You had won!"
I will take it on face value that the General did in fact say these things. If so, why didn't he just surrender? Here is where there is some truth to the allegation. If that doesn't make your blood get a little warm, wait until you read the next passage.
A truism worthy of note: Do not fear the enemy, for they can take only your life. Fear the media far more, for they will destroy your honour.
So much for a free and democratic society. To quote Pogo, "We have met the enemy and it is us." This statement was popular during the Viet Nam war. It can be applied to us today. When you think that war is the answer, you might be asking the wrong questions. There may be a time and place for war, but it hasn't been articulated well yet.
BTW, I did serve two tours in Viet Nam. Granted I was spared the horrors of the battlefields. It was not a fun time. I have the utmost respect for and honor those who choose to serve in the military, or make it a career. What gets to me is the civilian leadership(?) that decides we need to go to war for false reasons.
Now that I have gotten that off of my chest I feel a tad bit better.
#233
6 comments:
Lots of heavy thoughts which I'll have to think more on.
Interesting post - very thought provoking.
the media has always been a convenient scapegoat... I am grateful for the media in the sense that I don't think we can have the same scale of battles we used to (with the resultant carnage) because the cameras are rolling and all eyes are on us and the enemy...
jack, as a person who espouses good works, you might appreciate this idea: make 9'11 a "good deeds day"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070910/ts_csm/adogood
jack, while i was denied military service due to health reasons, i have at least a dozen close friends who have served, or are currently.
i've lost 3 of them so far. 2 to friendly fire...
throughout desert storm to now, i've received emails and calls at times from some of these dear friends and heard the TRUTH about some of these events we see GLOSSED OVER by the media. it's incredibly offensive what they do to cover up and/or candy-coat some of the atrocities that occur, and of course mistakes that never happen
horrific to be sure, and i'm not even sure what to say about our sh**ty leaders. i'm NOT a political person. I do know that previous administrations had environmental laws passed, schools funded and i was paying less than 2 bucks for a gallon of gas. also, my friends were HOME and safe with their families.
current administration? no compassion, no honesty, and he's failed to do what his own father failed to do many years previously.
it's really sad.
i can only hope that a new administration can think/posture that there's really no other direction to go than UP...
- thanks for your thought-provoking post, jack. -
i salute you.
b
excellent post jack.
i am pondering the recent report of General Patreus. The pity is, I cannot trust him, nor the Bush administration, nor the Congress, nor the press (left, right and in between). as a whole, we have lost our way.
how to find it back?
i simply don't know.
Incredible post.
Thought provoking and this is the power of the internet.
We will no longer sit by and nod as our 'leaders' lead us into stupidness.
What can we do?
Discuss, talk, debate and raise doubt.
We can support those caught up in the middle of horror, who are doing the dirty work for the rich and powerful, we can support those who wanted to serve their country, have a job, create a career, to protect and be proud.
We do not have to support and encourage those who would lead us into messes of their own doing.
The media?
Without a free and open media we are neither a democracy nor free.
I shall keep thinking on't.
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