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War, Rumors of War, Fear, and Other Comments

War, Rumors of War, Fear, and Other Comments

A forum, Discuss the war on Iraq, "Invalid Item"  was brought to my attention. I read many of the entries, some supporting our going to war, others denouncing the President and the idea of fighting for anything, demanding that peace is the most important item. I finally posted the following message:

All my life, all I've known is war or rumors of war. I was born the last of World War II, so I don't personally remember the war. However, as a devout student of history and a participant of some of history's happenings, I've learned the following: As the cliche says, "Those who do not study history and learn are destined to commit the same mistakes." Nothing I see, read, or hear is different than what was seen, written, or said before WWI or WWII or any other conflict. The difference is that by taking action now, we may avoid another world war.

1. World War II escalated to involve most of the world because too many people were not willing to take a stand against Hilter and say, "No, we won't tolerate your actions." (WWI also escalated because people didn't want to get involved.) The League of Nations couldn't, or wouldn't, make any decision to stand firm against a dictator who wanted to rule the world, who was gobbling up country after country. Everyone wanted his life to continue safely and untouched by nastiness or even reality. The French, when invaded by Germany, put up little fight, and other than a few pockets of resistance, welcomed the Germans, giving up their freedoms and rights. Great Britain, under Chamberlain, wanted more diplomacy, advocated giving Hilter chance after chance after chance. Not until bombs started landing on British soil did the governement and the people decide to react rather than to appease. The people of the United States, for the most part, agreed to appease Hitler, after all it wasn't our fight. Those who went to Britain to volunteer as freedom fighters were scorned in their own country (sound familiar?). Only until Japan jumped the gun and attacked Pearl Harbour (many history experts say the attack was to have been at a later date, once we were weaker and more isolated), did we decide to fight. However, parts of our government were already acting to prepare for war, or we would have been lost.

The media was adamant in its support of "peace at any cost" until Pearl Harbour. Afterwards, it swung its opinion to support the war effort.

The Vatican refused to believe the atrocities that Hitler and his menions daily performed. It and other 'major' religious groups hid their heads and refused to admit anything deserved war. They still preach "peace at any cost," yet their right to practice their religions depends on the very freedom they would not and will not fight to keep, nor will they support anyone else's right to fight for that freedom. Strange way to think.

(Oh, that reminds me of a quote someone here has, something to the effect that intelligence is the best substitute for war. That substitute only works if all parties are intelligent and willing to work together for peace. It takes all parties working together to obtain and keep peace, but the actions of only one to lead to war.)

2. Korea is the first conflict of which I have any memory. I was very young, but I remember that it separated me from my daddy. I remember the fear, the talk, the worry that another world war would start. I've studied about the effect of the U.N. forces stopping before finishing the job: a divided country and a continued need to help keep South Korea from falling prey to the North. We're still living with the results of that decision.

3. Viet Nam became our problem only because of France. Viet Nam was a French colony. When the communists from the north (China) inflitrated the country and through communist Vietnamese wanted to take over, the French and the French Vietnamese fought. Because France wanted assistance, and we had a treaty stating we would help when they were endangered, we, with other U.N. forces, joined the fracus. France then left the battle in our laps. We didn't start the Viet Nam conflict, but we ended up with the tar of its failure on us. One decision led to another until we were too mired to see what really was happening. The shame, though, falls on those who mistreated our military forces when they came home.

4. Conflicts here and there have taken our forces to countries far and near. Some actions were justified, some not so justified. Also actions that were needed and that were justified were not taken.

5. Saddam has already killed and maimed thousands of his own people. He has tried to eradicate the Kurds from Iraq. He has "practiced" his biological weapons on his own people. He invaded another country, killing, raping, and destroying anything in his path. He only pulled his forces back because we took action and too many of his military were surrendering. Our error in the Gulf War was not finishing the job, just as in Korea. (One of the advocates of not continuing was Colin Powell, one of those who has insisted we get U.N. approval. I wonder how he feels now since the U.N. wouldn't listen to him?)

6. Do I want war? No! Am I afraid? Yes, indeed I am very afraid. I have a son in the Air Force who has already returned from Bosnia and fly-overs above Iraq with his plane full of holes. I have children, grandchildren, and a great-grandson I want to live in freedom and peace. I want to be able to see more great-grandchildren. But I fear a monster like Saddam Hussien even more than war, because I think we will have war sooner or later, and later would be too late for our fighting to make a difference.

7. Do I think we should have given diplomacy a longer time to work? No, if twelve years wasn't long enough, would twenty have been? Saddam is getting stronger and building more weapons all the time. Should we have waited until he could take over all the countries around him and then allow him to spread his violence, his madness, over all the world?

8. If Saddam doesn't have biological weapons, why are all the countries, including France and Germany, so afraid he may use them? I can't use something I don't have. I'm sure he can't either. That fear by those who "support" him makes me more afraid of not going to war, of not stopping him.

9. I could go on for hours, listing reasons why we have to go to war now, but I won't. Please notice, though, I said "why we have to go to war now.” I firmly believe, from my study of history, that going to war was just a matter of when, not if.

Viv, fell, went boom!