The French, The Terrorist And War

So, I hear on the news today about the horrible events that occurred in France.  My heart goes out to them. My heart breaks for them, and I pray for them. Most likely I will continue to do so; additionally, I remember how a few French said, "We are all Americans" shortly after 911.  A very few of them really cared enough to at least verbalize their support.

I also remember other things:  I remember how they --the French government and 61 percent of their people who were polled -- condescendingly called us "Cowboys" and "Warmongers" when we decided to take the fight to the Terrorist to protect our homeland. I remember how their elitist looked down  on us Americans and they refused to lift a finger in support of the Global War on Terror.  Seventy- Eight allied nations were represented there in CENTCOM HQ helping us, but not one French man or woman was to be found in that highly secured facility. And millions of Americans started calling french fries "freedom fries" because of the French peoples complete lack of support as our men and women suffered, bled, died and began carrying visible and invisible wounds of war.

I am not saying this to bash the French. I know history, and it was largely because of the French --when we were but a baby nation  -- the French were to a VERY large extent the reason we were able to win our revolutionary war.  They were very helpful in helping General Washington win the few key battles that he won, especially the last one that settled the outcome of perhaps our most desperate fight for survival as a nation. They also gave us our beloved Statue of Liberty. I remember how we saved them during the WW2.

However, in many of our wars, more people calling themselves Americans had "skin in the game." For example, during WW2, our nation had only 140 million people, but 14 million were in uniform, and the rest of the nation chipped in to fight in the "war effort."  The struggle for survival was real, and the greatest generation that has ever lived did absolutely all that was necessary to win the war. But now fewer people participate, and yet we still go to war.

Now there has been a war declared on the United States by Radical Muslim extremists or Terrorist since 1979 or maybe even earlier.  And it has intensified. And with the most recent round occurring this past weekend in France, folks are talking about the U.S.  jumping more into the fray. 

Well, for those of you who are in a hurry to get into another shooting war, or support the French getting into a war (especially under the horrendous leadership of those we have leading our military and country today) be sure you go sign your name on the dotted line to leave your family behind to go to war yourself. You go get yourself invested in war before we get deeper into war.

I spent a huge chunk of my life either in our reserves or on active duty from 1970-2010 (except for 3 years.) I can tell you this: I HATE war, and yet I know it is sometimes unfortunately necessary; however, today in the U.S.,  ONLY 1 % of Americans have done and do the bleeding, dying, fighting and carrying about in our body's the visible and invisible wounds of war ... especially since Sept. 11, 2001.

 So  when you think about getting so hawkish about war, PLEASE be willing to put your lives on the line, as well as the lives of your sons and daughters, even your grandsons and granddaughters,  if you are in a hurry to get into another fight.  AND be willing to WIN it! These Terrorist are not playing patty cake.  They are VICIOUS well trained killers, and If you don't want to WIN it!  Then don't get into it!   If you are willing to do so -- volunteer your children, grandchildren and yourself and WIN the war ---  then you have the right to beat those war drums.  There is absolutely NOTHING glorious about war!!!! NOTHING!

I have seen way to much death in my life,  sorrow, pain and suffering to be so flippant about a deadly thing we call war. It should never be entered into unless it is absolutely necessary.  And you should never push for it unless you are willing to invest your own blood, time and treasure in the war effort.

I may sound crude, rude and almost defiant about this, but I am going to say it as clearly and deliberately as I can.  If you want to support getting into another shooting war "PUT UP or SHUT UP!"  Put your loved ones and yourself and risk!  Put your own blood and or skin in the war.  You and yours put on that uniform.  You go be separated from YOUR family and let YOUR children and grandchildren do the heavy lifting of war! Do this or don't push war! Their is NO glory in it.

Enough Said! 

SoJourner