Musing About Wars

As the President eloquently speaks of war and victory, the camera surveys the youngsters who will be commissioned to seek those victories in the future. Back to the President as he talks of strategy, then back to the audience for a close look at those with stars on their shoulders and a chest full of ribbons attesting to their prowess at executing strategy. The theatrics beg one question. When is the last time the most powerful nation on earth won a war?

Since World War II, there have been no clear cut victories unless we count Reagan's little war with Grenada in 1983 and the elder Bush's invasion of Panama in 1989. There have been stalemates - Korea, there have been defeats - Vietnam. The votes are not all in yet on Clinton's little war in Bosnia.

The War on Terror? Misnomer to call it a war. Terrorism will not cease because of a war. It will always be there waiting to strike. We will be fighting terrorists forever. A terrorist is the most persistent coward to be found and he does not fight wars. He fights innocent civilians. Homeland security is the best defense against terrorism.

So where does that leave Afghanistan and Iraq. Money down the drain. We will go thru the deadly motions of fighting a war, we will find a way to declare victory and then leave both countries. Whatever nation building was done will be violently eroded. Afghanistan will become an Afghanistan ruled by tribes. Iraq will be a satellite of Iran until its own tribes will destroy any semblance of a nation.

Perhaps we should stick to those "little wars".