October 7, 2008
PJB: Of Generals and Victories
By Patrick J. Buchanan
“(O)nce war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end.
“War’s very object is victory, not prolonged indecision.
“In war there is no substitute for victory.”
Familiar to every graduate of West Point, the words are from the farewell address of Gen. MacArthur, to Congress on April 19, 1951, after he was relieved of command in Korea by Harry Truman.
Two years later, however, Dwight David Eisenhower, a general as famous as MacArthur, would agree to a truce that restored the status quo ante in Korea.
For the first time since the War of 1812, the United States was not decisively victorious. We had preserved the independence of war-ravaged South Korea. But the North remained the domain of Stalinist strongman Kim Il-Sung for 41 years.
After Korea came Vietnam. The United States did not lose a major battle and departed in early 1973 with every provincial capital in South Vietnamese hands. But the war was lost in April of 1975, when Saigon, its military aid slashed by Congress, fell to an invasion from across the DMZ.
Vietnam introduced us to what no generation of Americans save Southerners had ever known: an American strategic defeat.
Now we are about to enter our eighth year in Afghanistan and our sixth year in Iraq. In neither is victory, in the MacArthurian sense, assured. Indeed, “victory” may be unattainable, says America’s most successful general, David Petraeus, who asserts he will never use the word in speaking of Iraq. “This is not the sort of struggle where you take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade.”
Why will Operation Iraqi Freedom not end like Gulf War I, where Gen. Schwarzkopf led the victorious army up Constitution Avenue? Because, whenever a truce is achieved through power-sharing, it often proves to be the prelude to a new war, when the power shifts.
In Iraq, the Shia-Sunni struggle remains unresolved. The Maliki regime wants the Americans gone so it can settle accounts with the Awakening Councils and Sons of Iraq we armed to eradicate Al-Qaida. The Kurds are moving to cement control of oil-rich Kirkuk and expand into Iraqi Arab provinces.
Of that other war over which he has assumed command, Gen. Petraeus says: “Obviously the trends in Afghanistan have been in the wrong direction. … You cannot kill or capture your way out of an insurgency that is as significant as the one in Iraq, nor, I believe, as large as the one that has developed in Afghanistan.”
“We can’t kill our way to victory,” adds Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs. We are “running out of time.”
Mullen earlier said he’s “not convinced we’re winning it in Afghanistan.”
The British commander, Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, is even gloomier. The British people, he says, should not expect a “decisive military victory. … We’re not going to win this war. It’s about reducing it to a manageable level of insurgency that’s not a strategic threat and can be managed by the Afghani army.”
Carleton-Smith is euphoric alongside Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, ambassador in Kabul, who is quoted in a letter to the prime minister as saying NATO strategy in Afghanistan is “doomed to fail.”
Before either a President Obama or McCain sends 10,000 more troops into Afghanistan, he should conduct a review as to whether this war is winnable, and at what cost in blood, money and years.
Afghanistan is the longest war in U.S. history. Why have we not yet won? First, because we lack the forces. In World War I, we put 2 million men in France in 18 months. In World War II, 16 million served, with 12 million in uniform at war’s end. Today, we have 31,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Why so few troops? Because, despite what Americans say, few truly believe the survival of the Hamad Kharzai regime is vital to our security or that we would be in mortal peril should the Taliban return. Indeed, Petraeus says we should seek “reconciliation,” presumably with the more moderate of the Taliban.
Converting enemies into allies with bribes or access to power may not be as dramatic as a Marine flag-raising on Mount Suribachi. But if reconciliation can end these wars successfully — assure us neither nation is used as a base camp for terror — would that be unacceptable? As Sun Tzu wrote, the greatest victories are those won without fighting.
For America’s great wars, MacArthur and Eisenhower were the right generals. For today’s wars, where the threat is not mortal and there will be no surrender signing in a railway car at Compiegne or on the deck of a battleship Missouri, Petraeus seems the right man — and appears to have no need of an Eisenhower jacket or corncob pipe.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, John McCain, Vietnam
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The Saudis are now involved with early talks between the Afghan Government and the Taliban.
The real 800 lb gorilla in the room that has the Saudis spooked is a Shiite coalition between Iran and Iraq down the road. It would dominate the Middle East and control a huge junk of oil reserves. And it is very likely to happen.
Bush’s real goal - to reshape the middle east into his vision has been a miserable failure - at least as big a failure as the Europeans arbitrarily drawing borders for countries in the early part of the last century. They ignored tribal loyalties and affiliations.
The Saudi’s now view us as incapable of successfully completing either mission and feel they must take some action to counter Iran’s growing influence in the region.
Did we learn nothing from the U.S.S.R. bankruptsy?
In WWII the Fascist and Nazi governments were deviations from parliamentary governments.
Once we defeated them, those governments returned to their former states. In Japan, MacArthur successfully, transitioned the Imperial system to a Parliamentary based government. But, the Japanese were already experienced in democracy through the “Taish? democracy” in the early 20th Century.
The point, being here, is that we were successful in returning enemy governments to democratic systems. These were systems and cultures, compatible to ours, which we could understand and thus manage.
In the Middle East and Africa, we face Tribalism and Theocracies. We have fundamental differences in cultural values and logic. So much so, that these people are unmanageable by our standards.
We are not equipped, culturally, to deal with Tribalism. These people appear as absurd and illogical to us as our secular systems of checks and balances does to them. It is a mistake to thrust democracy onto a people that are obsessed with tribal matters.
Democracy is an obstacle to their ongoing setting of tribal scores. They are determined to fight among themselves and thus will dismantle any parliamentary system that we set up for them.
GWB’s much maligned declaration of “Mission Accomplished” was in fact accurate. We achieved our Military goals – changing Middle East culture was not (and should not be) one of those goals.
We need to stop blathering on about “victory” and realize that we need to redefine success with regard to these cultures. It is obvious that we have done all we can do militarily.
We need to stop thinking in old WWII terms of victory and think instead in terms of solving problems. Afghanistan and Iraq are more of problems to be resolved rather than democracies to be established.
Our concern should be to find a way for these sects and tribes live together and keep democracy for ourselves.
There will be no peace in the ME until the Israel/Palestine land dispute is resolved. This is above a General’s pay grade, requiring the vision of a President who sees victory as something beyond his own election.
I am continually reassured by Mr. Buchanan’s lucid and intelligent comments on this site as well as the thoughtful comments by others.
When I hear Mc Palin talk about “Victory” in Iraq and Afganistan I have to laugh. The United States has lost the stomach to gain victory in any war and as mentioned above the reality is that neither of these arenas warrant the kind of effort it would take to achieve victory. Sadly the administration of the last eight years neither had the intelligence nor the morality to see them for what they are; a means to bleed this country financially and spiritually by our enemies.
Mr. Buchanan, as always you are right on target and point. That’s why we look to you for leadership and guidance. Below is off this point but I did want to share my responce to the disgraceful hatchet job penned by Jon Meacham in Newsweek.
Mr Meacham…I could tell reading this piece of far left hackish Obama propaganda described as journalism, that it must have Isikoff’s dirty little fingerprints on it. I am surprised Alter wasn’t invloved as well. Apparently you don’t think much of nor do you give the American people much credit. Maybe in your elitist martini sipping element ONLY writers (I say writers because in my opinion this election has killed true journalism) should have the right to vote. I am sure you and your Newsweek staff, Olbermann, Matthews, Maddow, and Barnicle as the MSNBC delegates, Blitzer, Cafferty, and Brown from CNN, Colmes from FOX, Vanden Heuvel from The Nation, and take your pick from the Huffington Post and Daily Kos. After all, all of you are SO much smarter than the average American. The “Joe Six Packs” of the world. You know us John, we wash and service your Mercedes, do your laundry, clean your wifes house, take your restaurant orders, and clear your table. You know us John, the backbone of this great country. We should just let you and yours decide. Because, if we were to elect McCain/Palin then we would be as dumb, as incurious, and less fit to vote as you would have us believe Governor Palin is to serve. What/Who gives you the right to question someones intelligence? Least of all that of the American people.
There once upon a time, a long time ago, was a quality of people in America that believed it was noble to take arms against the government. Not today, that spirit is dead.
Germany is still an occupied country and they were forced with “total war” to accept the dictates of the new world order. They were forced into the financial world order, And today they have lost their entire life savings. Nothing about post WWII Germany has been anything that could be recognised as “democratic” they do not even have free speech! The war was left unfinished and unresolved. Japan soon will find itself vulnerable, as it is already to populated to feed itself. And Japan, was nuked not just occupied after a few bombs like Iraq, it was nuked, not policed! – Try nuking the mid-east and you will find compliance! Genocide Africa, they will comply! That is what happened in WWII . It would be better if Americans would stop spreading falsehoods about the outcome of WWII and where it has led - which is today, in the grips of a new world order bent on total plunder! It is time to get real, the events of WWII have not defeated tyranny, it created a globalist Ideological fanaticism. This is where it is unfinished! The march of WWII to WWII has been one long precession to destroy any people anywhere of sovereignty and create monolithic international instutions to dictate the global order, to efface all religion and morals, to revise history into the dustbin, and remove any government anywhere that stands between people and their would be plunderers. International communism won that war, not Democracy! But change the words and I guess stupid people will believe anything.
Don’t be stupid people, the war in the ME is meant to be a failure, and much like the orchestrated financial crisis, it is the precursor of the “total” war to come!
Remember, all of it, “birth pangs” of a new vision of the world, new borders and a new people, with out God, only Democracy! Just as WWII fulfilled a new world order, so will WWIII. And it will not be a world of “sovereignty” for anyone anywhere and it will only create “peace’ for those in the grave.
We need to stop thinking of WWII as a victory for freedom and sovereignty, but the catalyst to everything today as it stands. For there is cause and effect, and God will not be mocked. How many millions died in that war? And for what?
Afghanistan is the longest war in U.S. history. Why have we not yet won? First, because we lack the forces.
I think that this is part of the answer but not the first and foremost reason. The primary reason we have not won in Afghanistan is because we lack the true support of the local populace and militias. Even in 2001, local warlords and militias were more interested in American money than in actually finding and killing al Qaeda members (particularly, bin Laden). Bin Laden has long been revered by the Afghani mujahadeen as a legendary figure. There was no way they would, in reality, put him in jeopardy.
The Afghani and Pakistani hinterlands is an area that is easy to wax philosophical over, but until you really see the terrain and particularly where the peoples’ loyalty lies, it’s hard to look at it in the proper perspective. The people of Afghanistan do not have their heart in the struggle so we are playing a true “away game” here. Without their support, there is no way that we are going to win anything over there.
justaview said:
There will be no peace in the ME until the Israel/Palestine land dispute is resolved. This is above a General’s pay grade, requiring the vision of a President who sees victory as something beyond his own election.
Thats it, thats it!!
Its the occupation(s) stupid!
Well said, Pat. This reminds thread reminds me of another conflict you had much to say about and a piece that I saw today in the Christian Science Monitor that’s a reminder to all of the human cost of all this.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1008/p09s02-coop.html
OPINION
I survived the Georgian war. Here’s what I saw.
Lira Tskhovrebova
872 words
8 October 2008
The Christian Science Monitor
ALL
9
English
© 2008 Christian Science Monitor. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All Rights Reserved.
In a speech before the United Nations last month, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili implored world leaders to set up an international investigation to find out the truth about the war in South Ossetia.
I couldn’t agree more. But I think the results of an honest investigation would reveal a very different “truth” than what President Saakashvili claims.
I know this because I was in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, on Aug. 7 when Georgian troops marched into the city and killed my friends and neighbors. I huddled with my family in terror for three nights while Saakashvili’s tanks and rockets destroyed hundreds of our homes, desecrated cemeteries, gutted schools and hospitals.
rest of story at CNM site
I do not totally agree. Certainly, it would be great if Israel made peace. If Palestinians accept jews there in some kind of self-governing form in the region and if Israel ends the occupation, other arab nations will also accept.
However, there is another change of equilibrium in the ME: the rise of shiites. See what is happening in Lebanon. There is already strong rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran. If (or should I say when) Iran gets nukes, Saudis and Egyptions will quickly follow sparking arms race. Whenever there is change of old world order, there is increase in political tension. But hopefully this one does not lead to actual war, but shows as some form of cold war of the middle east. Well, they need cold in the desert over there…
Calvin Coolidge: “The business of the American people is Business.”
George W Bush: “Some people call you the elite; I call you my Base.”
For those attempting to make sense of recent world events, I suggest you abandon all hope or radically alter the perspective through which you view those events. If, for example, you cling to some naïve understanding of American democracy – that it’s a republic, or rooted in Constitutional principals, or even beholden to the will of the American voter – the world will remain an opaque and inscrutable place. If, on the other hand, you manage to pry your perspective from the puerile propaganda pouring from that pervasive sludge-pump centrally positioned in every American’s living room, bedroom, den, kitchen and patio, there may be hope for you yet.
Profit: it’s not a motive, it’s THE motive. Very recently, I spoke at length with a friend from the wonderful, philanthropic world of medicine; and in case you’re wondering, he is a native of the pharmacological realm of that world. As is increasingly the case, members of my generation (X) are pausing, taking a look around, and attempting to reconcile our drive to succeed and our (heretofore latent and sublimated) sense of fair-play, or, for lack of a better word, guilt.
Allow me to give this discussion with my pharma-rep friend and my nascent and cynical worldview some context: About seven months ago, I had another discussion with another professional friend; this friend happened to be an architect/structural engineer, employed by one of the largest and most esteemed firms in this country. This discussion was the catalyst to a new understanding, one that stripped away all the artifice and pretence that had invariably tinctured my opinions with a rosy, all-American hue…because I’m a patriot; because I’m an innate optimist; because I always want to believe the best. Lending our leaders the benefit of the doubt and believing that they did indeed have my best interest at heart was – and is – a particularly blighted form of folly. I’ll come back to the architect conversation in a moment…
Now, after a round of pathetic apologetics (in other words, our justifications and rationalizations for living the kinds of lives we lead, working the endless hours we work, and even the beliefs we publicly espouse), we ‘got real’ as our contemporary parlance would put it. Rather than reaffirm all the particulars we did posit, I’ll skip ahead to our mutual conclusion: Modern medicine (specifically pharma) hasn’t any interest whatsoever in ‘healing’ or ‘cures’; the watchword of the last half-century is ‘therapy’. No longer do we see the pill that wipes out some dread disease; rather, we have a series of life-long prescriptions, so that we can ‘treat’ or ‘manage’ disease. This paradigm shift is no accident, nor do I believe it’s a function of the law of diminishing returns (as that economic law relates to research and development); it is instead a purposed program developed to ensure ceaseless incremental payments. From the perspective of the boardroom, it’s much more profitable to manage disease than to eradicate it; so, America, get nice and comfortable with your regimen of pills, cause you ain’t gettin an alternative.
What is true for medicine is also true for military: There are still many (most of them watch FOX News regularly) who refuse to believe that our astoundingly profitable military-industrial complex influences – if not dictates – American foreign policy relative to martial matters. And if you are of that imbecilic ilk, allow me to make a frank and unfettered statement: our nation’s military contractors explicitly advocate warfare for America and her allies (at least those permitted to purchase arms from those producers). Moreover, they aid in articulating these various battles such that they sustained indefinitely, and so that they may segue into other ancillary flare-ups.
This is all very obvious and elementary; only, it’s absolutely averse to our most dearly held beliefs. We do not like to think that the leaders we elect (thereby implicating ourselves as complicit enablers) are capable of making such wicked calculations; but, as our Lord said, “ye shall know them by their fruits”. The platitudinous rhetoric of stump-speeches should not inform our understanding, but actions; truth is not the currency of State of The Union addresses, but disinformation; promoting the common welfare is not the objective, but corporate welfare; ‘we the people’ is a narrow and very elite ‘we’ – and you and I have no share in it.
What then did my architect friend have to say that sent shudders down my spine? What did countless hours and days and weeks and months of careful, objective research yield? What does every clue indicate – whether it’s the science fiction of the NIST or this Sunday’s 60 Minutes? Well, sadly, it’s that the ‘official’ narrative of the events of 911 are an abject and alarming fraud. But, most distressing, to even mention such for so many is professional suicide; and it arouses cat-calls, pillorying, slander, terminations, ad nausea. The fact that Osama Bin Laden hasn’t even been charged with the crimes of 911 (no one has) shouldn’t be of any concern; the fact that all three laws of thermodynamics must be thrown out for the ‘official’ story to properly function is, apparently, irrelevant; the fact that every building in the world is now at risk of imploding at the speed of gravity within its footprint after a few hour fire (almost invisible fire in building 7), exacerbated by this bizarre and IMPOSSIBLE phenomena of ‘thermal expansion’ shouldn’t be unsettling.
My fellow Americans, our nation has been taken over by a cabal of evil. We are careening down the road to serfdom. We are on the precipice of collapse. Your freedoms and liberties (along with your savings) are everyday atrophied; furthermore, and to further the apoplexy, those same freedoms and liberties are to be sacrificed to ensure sustained freedom and liberty (ah, don’t you love the double-speak). We are in the midst of a transformation that historians (if they are in fact allowed to record history) will condemn, and our apathy does indeed merit such condemnation. The two-party system is bankrupt.
The ‘bailout’ that barreled through congress was proof-positive of representative democracy’s distance and disdain for those they represent. You’re right, Mr. Buchanan, McCain would have won the election if he’d responded to the ubiquitous rage over that menacing perfidy by standing up for the people. But, if you are still naïve enough to believe that your opinions and best interest matter, I have a bond from Lincoln Savings and Loan to sell you. And if you believe that Obama is a peace-maker and represents real change, I have some investment property in Chicago’s south side to sell you. Ron Paul is the only hope for this country; but since he still clings to this pernicious two-party system, I have no use for him either. Thanks, Mr. Paul, for getting our hopes up for NOTHING! I want my money back, Mr. Paul – as I expected you to run as a third party candidate.
All and all can only fall/ with a crushing but meaningless blow/ and there are no truth’s outside the gates of Eden
i can agree with virtually everything buchanan says here, with one small exception.
most successful general ever?
how about george marshall, eisenhower, omar bradley, grant, patton, pershing, lemay, or even macarthur?
other than that…an excellent article, pat.
Why aren’t we winning in Afghanistan and Iraq?
Answer: We are.
The Taliban was going to destroy us – we defeated them in record time and drove them out of Afghanistan – that’s called winning.
Saddam was going to have us “swimming in our own blood” – three weeks later our troops are in Bagdad yanking down statues – that’s called winning too.
The problem isn’t that we have not yet won – it is that the winning is endless. We destroy the insurgents, more come in; we destroy those and more come in…
This will go on forever.
Our military has done an exemplary job. They have proven to the World ( although the World may be too obtuse to realize it ) that America is the greatest fighting force in history.
Our fighting men and women have already won – over and over again. They have done their jobs and done it well – there is no more that they can do. The Middle East is like a junkie addicted to the high of violent conflict. Our soldiers are not rehab-counselors they are fighters.
It is time for them to come home.
Iraq has given us the way out: they said they can take it from here. Good! - mission accomplished. We may know that their future is uncertain. But we can’t control that.
It’s time to stop talking like a frustrated football team in the fourth quarter, that can’t get a touchdown and start declaring “Mission Accomplished” – which it is.
It’s not that we haven’t won, it’s that we just don’t seem to realize it or want to admit it.
America is truly scary.
The “cabal” working for profit and plunder and corporate greed should not be the depth of the examination here. The world is a nightmare. We really have a spiritual crisis of serious depth here! There are thirty million Americans praying for WWIII.
There is a spiritual element functioning in the neurotic fundamentalist Christians, the Dominionists like Sara Palin working to bring about the Rapture. This is not just a happy movement promoting individual love of Jesus, it is seriously radical and organized. They truly are Bush’s base, it is dictated this way. The “elite” are chosen, by God. They do not believe in the Constitution. They desire a world where the “Righteous” and deserving enslave the “unrighteous.”
As if trying to deal with screaming psychotic homosexual perverts, black radicals who want to kill all white people, the freaky Muslims who want to talk about cotton candy and unicorns and rainbows and world peace and the evil of Zionist, Then there is the Zionist and the neo-con little men obsessed with power sacrificing chickens for atonement, and then the financial overlords - SERIOUSLY people, where does a rational thinking person turn? One wants to kill you this way, one wants to kill you that way, another wants you dead that way, we can only hope they all kill eachother first!
Mr. Larson,
In general, I couldn’t agree more; and in particular, as one who hails from the heart of the heart of Dixie, I have to say, your analysis of apocalyptic Christians is spot on. Certainly, the ecumenical nature of our common distress is its most terrifying aspect; but, because I am limited in both ability and endurance, I have to break these things down into bite-sized chunks. Moreover, when affixing modifiers to these chunks – and especially superlatives – we want to scale the individual menaces and merit each to each — which is most menacing and which is merely mildly menacing, and then what falls in the middle. So, can I say that evangelical Christians are a greater hazard than the zealous Zionists?
In reality, I can’t; but I do it anyway. In most cases, the ‘most’ dread demon of our dyopsian world is whatever head of the hydra I’m presently hacking at.
Also, I do believe this current administration is ‘The’ ‘Greatest’ Threat ‘our’ nation has ‘ever’ faced. We have no idea the scope of Bush’s collateral damage (internationally and domestically), and won’t be able to properly appraise it for some time to come. But, to contrast this administration’s current toll against the civil war, world war II, the great depression, The Hover Administration, The Wilson Administration, Vietnam, drugs, the war on drugs, etc, (individually, not taken together), I still say the composite damage is greater; and, most alarmingly, we don’t know the half of it.
The reason this administration is so effective in affecting evil is that they embody so many iterations of evil; whether it’s the afore mentioned evangelicals, or it’s AIPAC, or it’s Jack Abramoff, or it’s Jeff Gannon, or it’s FISA infractions, or Harriet Myers, or Katrina, or Hank Paulson, or Mitch McConnell, or Haliburton, or ‘Brownie’, or 911, or The Patriot Act, or The Greatest Economic Collapse in Our History (folks, GM is trading at 1950’s levels!!!), or an illegal and immoral war, or manipulated oil prices, looking the other way so aliens can charge in and disrupt our wage structure, a manipulated dollar, a manipulated market…I, quite literally, could go on for days! So when I say ‘a cabal of evil’, and then extrapolate from it, I intend it most overtly.
It follows then, that we should confront and relentlessly attempt to drag this brood of vipers from out their den. Objectively (if such is truly possible), when we step back and evaluate this administration against precedent – and not only as it stands against other ‘democracies’, but against most any form of government and ruler thereof – we will see a shocking affront to humanity and history at large. There is, after all, a precedent to this program we are witnessing. When we understand what this administration represents, that it is literally pernicious, that it intends to do harm, with only the frailest ideological rationalization, and understanding that that rationalization promotes and pursues horror as a catalyst to long-term ‘good’(as only they understand it); when you discover that they wait for, or if it doesn’t arrive on its own, cause catastrophe, and then use that catastrophe to accomplish their will, using panic, fear-mongering and double-speak to cement it; then you will start to understand what these people are after and who they are. Without hyperbole, and without distortion, I can flatly say that this administration is fascist – patently fascist.
I know you do, Mr. Larson; I guess I’m talking in a general sense. Unfortunately, most others don’t understand that ‘Christians’ will be jammed in the pews, brimming with visions of the four horsemen, cups and bowls of wrath, cracked seals, final trumpets, spectacular wars of angels and demons, fire called down from Heaven, plagues o’ plenty, and marks and numbers of the beast and his prophet, this coming Sunday. The pleasure they take in judging the world is anathema to me; the joy they feel for the judgment of you, you sinner, is a judgment they usurp, and the pleasure is blasphemous. There’ll be lots of animated discussions of Obama’s alleged covert Islamic faith; and, surely, the word “proof” will be preceded by “I have seen” so many times, the tellers will forget they’re lying. Yes, this economic collapse (even though they can’t begin to appreciate the full effects) will stir them to sanctimony; and they’ll see if they can, en masse, swallow their loathing for John McCain and try to save America for a few more years, just until they get their souls straight, and slip , at the last minute, into the Rapture.
Even though it’s getting tougher and tougher to admit, I’m a Christian. I do not, however, attend church. In as much as churches started in the home, it seems they will also return there (I’m talking about the church in a corporate sense – as you say, ‘the Elect’, Mr. Larson). ‘Church’ has become nothing but a pro-Israel weekly meeting of the GOP. I’m a Calvinist (basically) blended with a good measure of Kierkegaard, and in the strictest sense of the word, I’m an ‘evangelical’; but, do I say it to anyone? When a word has been so bastardized (I’m not only referring to ‘evangelical’ but also ‘Christian’), how can you use it and expect it to carry an accurate meaning. My point is, they are ruining the name of Jesus Christ; and I loathe them for it. After this Tony Robbins Christianity completely took over (a la Rick Warren), I left for good. It’s now a cross between John Hagee and Rick Warren – vapid zealotry and materialism sufficing spirituality; Protestantism hasn’t any intellectual grounding anymore and it understands and teaches scripture in a piece-meal and sophomoric fashion. That is why there is such a pervasive corruption of our spiritual constitution. The church has literally – not figuratively – sold its soul for political power. These pastors are so damned flattered when some slime-ball politician swings by to condescend his grandeur to the laity while pretending to solicit and embrace the council of the pastor. The poor, gullible pastor believes he’s protecting the ‘values’ of his flock and so cordons them into the Republican fold; then our representatives go and throw abortion bill after abortion bill at Bill Clinton, but hardly a one at Bush…Hmmm. It’s so very strange. Not that I’m a big fan of Clinton.
I’m starting to look into Ecuador. Over the years, I’ve been a few places in the world, and, fortunately, people like Americans – usually while hating the American government…I hope it’s still the case.
Something’s got to change for me; I must be going mad. Recently, I even considered looking into Catholicism. Mostly because I think they’ll end up being the last and best hedge against the insanity of Zionism, secondly because I’m very impressed with every one of Benedict’s encyclicals, and lastly because they need to be given a fair hearing by me. I’ve judged them harshly (doctrinally more than politically) in the past, and when I think about it, my judgment is based on the judgments of others – others I respect, but, still, others.
Anyway, that was a lot to write; but it’s a very big subject – ecumenical, in fact – and so I guess it was warranted.
I can’t recall his name, but he was prominent, and I’ve read a couple of his books, and I can’t remember the exact quote, but, he said “When tyranny comes to America it will be quoting the Bible and draped in the flag” or something like that. And this administration is most certainly ‘something like that’.
SG
It is simply untrue that war must be fought all out for a quick victory. Sometimes other options are better for “economy of force.”
1. The Romans fought three Punic wars before the eventual victory. Mohamed often fought cities and tribes, made a truce, watched his intended conquests weaken, then resumed the war to easily defeat them.
2. A prolonged cold war allowed the U.S. to defeat Communism at a price less than 90,000 lives (compared with 450,000 to defeat fascism and 650,000 in the civil war).
3. A gradual retreat, such as the U.S. withdrawal to Pusan, attrited the North Korean Forces, extended their lines of supply, while shortening ours. Inchon cut them off and wiped them out like Stonewall Jackson making a cavalry sweep behind the enemy lines.
4. Western civilization fought for over a thousand years to contain expanionist Islam and contained it until recently. Most of it was low level warfare, badly executed. Islam is on a trajectory to a Caliphate of Paris in the next half century, using insidious expansion through immigration and the birthing room.
Who let Islam out of the box? If Mohammed’s warriors had not been allowed to emigrate freely to western nations, then they would still be confined. Why aren’t we sending them back? I guess it’s because we lack the will. Americans of the 1950s and earlier would never have allowed Mexicans to swarm in, muchless Muslims from the mideast. America should never have changed our Immigration Laws for any liberal politician or 60s radical. It’s our undoing. Multi-culturalism and other liberal ideaology has destroyed western civilization. I’m not anti-Mexican or anti-Muslim. I’m pro-U.S.A. Made in U.S.A. For citizens of U.S.A.
I like your analysis here as always, Mr Buchanan. In this regard to US winning wars and converting enemies to allies, I would like to mention about a documentary titled The World Without Us which I saw recently. It seemed to be an excellent depiction of this question resonating in the minds of millions today as to what if the US chooses to really withdrw its troops from the world over. The director journeys through various countries in search of the answer and more which makes us wonder whether the world without US involvement would ever be the same!!!