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Submitted to Brownsville Herald 7/6/2005
On November 28 of last year, The Brownsville Herald published a commentary I had written entitled “Government Abdicates Responsibilities in Many Ways” which fit the available space better that a similar but longer article entitled “The Causes of War” submitted at the same time. Both columns were inspired by a “Report from Charlie Company” by Ben Christensen published on November 7.
Again Mr. Christensen reached out and touched me with his most recent offering titled “Support The Warriors That Work for You” published June 26.
I would like to suggest that our young warrior is becoming an even more important hero by calling attention to the poor treatment that our military folks receive when they return and by putting it in the perspective of a daily reality.
He described a Combat Veteran that had survived to return to his position as a teacher, only to find an employer, more attuned to making choices of convenience that were certainly not focused on helping him readjust and recover from the pressures of his service; and unless I am mistaken, one of those costs was a severely reduced income during the period.
I find it difficult to imagine a school system not wanting to make the most of having a real live hero and potential role model for young folks, in house. Perhaps they don’t find patriotism, honor, and sacrifice of self for a higher purpose as worthy values to promote to the youth of their system.
Unfortunately there is too much of this hypocrisy going around, public officials talk loudly about “supporting the troops” but say they are not really in favor of supporting the War. Sometimes the rhetoric is worse when they are supporting the enemy by creating an atmosphere at home that doesn’t support the folks still there. This diverts the focus they need, to just stay alive, in potential combat situations and gives encouragement to the enemy.

While the current military action is vastly different, the Vietnam conflict was lost and many thousands of my comrades died needlessly because the folks at home gave up. I fear a similar result now.
I personally believe that there is rarely a situation where a war is necessary; war to me is the admission that diplomacy has failed completely and irrevocably and that communication is no longer possible. That being said, I have little other than a belief to support me.
Unfortunately, you can’t know beforehand if a war is really crucial; of necessity much of the information must be kept secret and the public will only hear of the minimal supporting bits.
Usually, you don’t find out for as much as 50 years after the fact whether the action was valid and whether the actions taken were proper.
In today’s world of 24 hour news reporting every little fact is exploded and sensationalized, based on a social or political agenda, to fill the slot and secure the largest ratings. Good stuff happening doesn’t nearly inflame the passions and interest as much as bad stuff so in the interest of better ratings bad and worse gets reported in the most prominent positions.
If we look at the non-wars that have “happened” (not declared) and where we just stopped and didn’t win (giving every other third rate bully the idea that we are ripe for the plucking) there really had to be some valid reasons.
Would President Truman, just out of World War II, have a war with the North Koreans risking a bigger one with China for anything less than a threat to the homeland; would President Eisenhower explore and President Kennedy expand a conflict in Southeast Asia without a real reason. These men, were by all I have read, sober serious people with a highly developed sense of duty. In the same vein, I also find it implausible that President Bush did not perceive a real threat to the United States when he issued the call to arms.
We are now in danger of surrendering to the enemy by just giving up; publicly creating a poor experience for our returning heroes is helping the enemy as is the publicity given to every negative thing that happens in the fighting whether it is true or not. The right to the speech is legal but it may not be in the best interests of your neighbors who are out there getting shot at so you don’t have to.
Who do I blame?
I blame the President for not presenting a formal request to declare a war that would describe who specifically we are fighting and why; and how we will know we have won. A clear goal is critical in my mind.
I also blame Congress for not requiring that request and for not voting on and declaring a War that would include an absolute commitment to use any and all our resources to win the war. I would also expect a state of martial law be imposed until the war has been won.
If these were the criteria, no war would be declared unless there was an absolute necessity, as it should be. No politician would risk it.
Though it might sound extreme, do our neighbors who are out there risking their lives deserve any less?