Old soldiers like myself have wondered for years why the terrorists (of various flavors) have done such a pathetic job against this country – terrorism is so ridiculously easy! Finally, they did what statistically was inevitable – they got it “right.” My contempt for them is not based solely on their murderous attitude – these guys have been trying for years and they really are just second rate buffoons – but the odds where, sooner or later – this would happen.
Our government as well – look at them. They are pathetic in their incompetence. That they get it right ever is just again, a thing of statistical probabilities.
Mr. Bush tells us to get on an airplane and get back "to the business of America." He will defend us. I submit that failed government policies were already in place and "defending" us when the WTC went down. Now, in typical government fashion, they will to defend us by doing more of the same – treating airline passengers as if we are all potential terrorists. I for one, will not submit to that. Yet despite my contempt for their "safety precautions" at airports, I'm given no possibility of defending myself. Worse, I'm being forced at gunpoint to bail out airlines who have routinely treated me with contempt. For reasons that escape me, I have never once boarded a plane without being shaken down by ludicrous people dressed up in security costumes. I don't like it, and I will no longer submit to it.
We find ourselves in the middle of an extremely dangerous situation. Let's consider various options with which we are confronted. First let's consider the obvious with our newest war – not what should happen, but will happen. The media is considering the former, one hopes the government is for once, considering the latter.
We will hit "comprehensively" in the words of the president. That means we will hit a combination of targets, pretty much simultaneously, with land, sea and air attacks. Though we aren't saying it, a concomitant of this response will be a stern warning to others to stay out of the terror business. That means horror is coming to someone, maybe a lot of someones.
Due to the nature of the enemy, the results are apt to fall into one of several categories.
One – we are relatively successful in hitting our targets. The attack is made in "surge" mode so that the targets are revisited over and over until satisfactory results are obtained. This means that whatever we attack will be destroyed utterly. Ground ops will be a reminder to potential enemies that Sam has a long arm. Such an operation, since it is unlikely that we would get everyone on the target list, must "play well" non the less. It will be powerful and bloody enough to both satisfy angry Americans and intimidate bloodthirsty foreigners. Best case on this one is not pretty. It is less pretty when one considers that we haven't even decided which of many possible "host countries" we are going to attack!
Two – we perform a bungled version of the above, fail to be sufficiently intimidating to "host" states like Afghanistan and Syria, fail to hit many targets, and are ridiculed by our enemies. Think Clinton. That could happen. If it does we lose in a big way – more people hate us, less people respect us, Americans are angry with Washington and Bush specifically. The situation deteriorates, and the terrorist attacks escalate.
The third option is all too possible: it gets out of control and something really terrible happens. A world war could break out, particularly when one considers how the First World War started, over much less than this. If it comes to that, nuclear weapons are a sure thing and best case is that it doesn't go on too long.
Our enemies have the initiative; a very dangerous situation from the military perspective. We are sending Johnny off to war again to try and seize that initiative back from them, but it remains to be seen if we're not merely acting in a predictable fashion. Predictable means "ambush" in military minds – or it should. The best we can hope for is that we get the folks who did this, and don't touch off a world war. We must face the fact that we allowed ourselves to get into a position from which there are no obvious good options. Our neo-conservatives, who are a blend of hard left communist converted to an empire building "right" are proposing all the things necessary to make this a global war. If you doubt that, see Buchanan's piece on the "open letter" signed by forty one leading neo-cons suggesting to Bush that he shoot up all the Middle East and occupy Iraq. That is not a good option if we wish to avoid world war and international calamity.
I mention these possible outcomes because I don't see any other possibilities as likely, and because I want to bring home the dreadful situation in which we find ourselves. One with no possible outcomes that hold any charm to the civilized man. Remember always that the geniuses that got us into this war now expect us to count upon them to "lead us to victory." Victory has been defined as "eliminating evil" which is a pretty broadly defined war aim! Remember that George Bush, who looked so resolute as he gave his "war speech" was, less than three weeks ago, about to be equally resolute in throwing open our border with Mexico. The mass migration from Mexico and elsewhere is every bit as much of a threat to this country as we are facing from the terrorists. Both threaten our way of life.
To Southerners, and indeed to all Americans, I note that I have not seen the Confederate flag flying as our troops march off to war. For those of you who can only think in terms of the last few weeks or years, I remind you that American troops have, since 1865, flown Confederate flags and cherished the rich warrior heritage of the Confederate Army. Ethnic cleansing? You bet, but even though they are destroying all we stand for, and destroying our history and our heritage, they still expect Johnny Reb to do the fighting. There is something very wrong with that picture.
Which brings me to discussing our options as Americans, our options for the future. We have for too long, had the "duty" button in the off position. With our many government departments caring for our security, however poorly, we have considered that handled. And thrust our freedom into the hands of others. We are now, many of us, facing the prospect of family members going into the hell that is war. We are patriots, saddened but resigned.
I suggest that we do not understand patriotism. It is not, not ever, about loyalty to a government. It is about a people who have chosen a way of life, and a place to live, and loving what they have created. About defending what they have created. Why must we worship leaders? Haven't these same leaders opened our borders to the very people who are attacking us? Haven't they in many cases armed them and trained them? Aren't they doing it this very second in Yugoslavia? That's right – in case you hadn't noticed our government is still arming, training and supporting terrorists in the Balkans. Osama bin Laden has called upon the Albanians to join him in his fight against us. Is President Bush aware of this? You can bet he is, but has he done anything to correct that appalling situation?
Why are we willing to send our sons and our daughters too, thanks our to lack of common sense, off to war? Why do we do it so lightly? I know many of you are agonizing over this very thing. The time to agonize is before it happens. Why weren't we paying attention when our government entangled us in affairs that are not our business, involving us in wars that are not wars of national defense, and in the case of Yugoslavia, are actually wars of aggression? That's a very real question – couldn't we take the time to think through issues like these? That we who will give up a child to the god of war, will not sacrifice a few moments away from the TV set to actually consider that the actions of our leaders will have consequences for us.
Or we think about these things but do not think them all the way through. My brother Christians support Israel at a gut level, which is fine with me. But when they pressure our government into supporting Israel as well, they are making a big mistake. American Jews are at fault here as well. These well meaning religious folks are involving their country in wars that are not our business. To them I say – go there and fight if it means that much to you. If you take it that seriously – carry your self over there and pick up a gun! I did…
Keep my family out of it.
Big business is at fault here too. Despite their prattling about "free markets" they use their money to buy American troops from politicians who rent them out as security guards, pocketing the profits and sending the bill to every American. Have you asked yourself lately, "What do I gain by having troops in Yugoslavia supporting Muslim narco-terrorists?" If you haven't considered that question, you are at fault. Actions have consequences. This country is in your hands. If you don't drive, Sam will and he is not very smart and does not have your best interests in mind. Do you like the place we find ourselves?
Give the time to considering national affairs now, use your brain and cold hard logic. Ask good sound questions and be prepared to buck the mainstream. Do this if you love freedom and hate killing needlessly. It is your job. Those are your kids boarding those transport planes. You owe it to them. Along with an apology – your candle light vigils and pathetic singing of "We Shall Overcome" has led the military to sensitivity training instead of knife fighting. Now we need some knife fighters to protect ourselves and they are thin on the ground. If you want peace, stop thinking with your emotions instead of your brain.
To those of you on the other extreme, you neo-conservatives, consider this. In this barbarous world in which we find ourselves, the opportunities for war are endless. It will find you. Going out and looking for it is crazy at a level that would make Jeffrey Dalmer blush.
So how about this once we do something right? This is not a war to end war, it is not even a war that will end terrorism. Let's just finish this nasty business at hand, as best we can. And then for God's sake, rethink how we are living our national life. Did anyone ask you if you wished to dispense with national sovereignty? Did you get to vote on whether our Southern border should be opened to millions of migrants or whether to bring in hundreds of thousands of Muslims? Who asked your point of view on whether we should murder Serbian civilians to aid Muslim terrorists?
My point here is simple – we do not have any good options. Government has ruled in our place so long we have atrophied as a people. We must shake ourselves and rub the sleep out of our eyes, like the slothful nation of Rip Van Winkles that we are. I warn you, the long sleep must end or the long war will come. There will be wars, but cursed is the country who starts them. Even if that country is a collection of sissies, wailing "I didn't know…"
Let's try a parable here – you have a gun, and across the street is a bad guy with a machete. You cross the street and try to disarm him, but he attacks you so you shoot him. Can you be tried for murder? Abso-damn-lutely! There was no need for deadly force until you created it – your right to self defense does not include the right to create lethal situations where there was none. This law is just, and was written back when men still understood certain moral verities. Back before America went to sleep and offered her children into the devilish care of the left wing wackos of the teacher's unions. Back when the past was to Americans, our link with our selves, our nature as a country, and our purpose. Whether by design, or by accident, our masters, and their public school system, have eradicated the past in a truly Orwellian fashion. I often remind people not to mistake incompetence for malice – yet in this case, it might as well have been malice for their activities have nearly destroyed our Republic.
It means to me, as a citizen, that I must influence my leaders to keep us out of situations where we might find ourselves having to kill people. If you think you are obeying the Ten Commandments, and don't understand that, I must wonder why. It means that we must put men into government that will ride herd on it, and bind it to rule of law. That will resist the fistfuls of cash proffered to them by companies for help with projects like the Caspian Pipeline. Companies that put their interests ahead of the lives of our families and are clearly breaking the law by purchasing our politicians.
It's time to consider religion. Religion is an issue that can no longer be ignored and it's time to consider that and make some decisions. Religious tolerance is a good thing. Pretending to think a non Christian religion is quite as valid as Christianity is not. Not if you're a Christian; indeed it is utterly moronic for a person of any religion to assume that other religions are equally valid. There can be only one. It's common sense – if Christ died for your sins, then Christ is Lord and all the rest are pretenders. But then, we have heard a lot of blathering about prayer and God lately, but I can't recall anyone mentioning the name of Christ. It's called "religion light" folks, and it is meaningless. The parallel with Stalin's rehabilitation of the Orthodox Church to support the "Great Patriotic War" is unmistakable – religion is fine with the government as long it can be used to support their policies. And as long is it is not taken too seriously. Yet our National Day of Prayer could not be observed in our own schools, because that same government which piously calls for God's blessing, has determined that prayer in our schools is harmful. Are we worshipping God or simply calling upon some nameless god of war to support our military adventures?
We hold to our beliefs, some of us, and they to theirs. For this, we are called intolerant and insufferable. The Crusades are routinely referred to by people who have never heard the phrase, "The sword and the crescent." Who have no idea that Islam made it to the gates of Vienna and that it took Spain 700 years to finally eject them. Instead we hear how advanced they were and how peace loving. If you really wish to know how peace loving and gentle the Muslims have been over the years, study up on the wars against them. It takes a strong stomach.
Two intelligent men informed me recently that the terrorist attacks were symptomatic of fundamentalist religion. On a par with Christians blowing up an abortion clinic. I reminded them that when Muslim bandits kill seven thousand people there is rejoicing among many of them world wide and it is considered no moral problem to Islam. When a Christian kills it is widely regarded by us as sinful conduct by other Christians who condemn it loudly. You certainly will not see Christian demonstrators applauding the act. Nor do Christians consider it moral to kill "infidels" as if they were some how beyond the pale of traditional moral restraints.
That Christians have started wars and done all kinds of dumb, sometimes murderous things is sinful. Which is the whole point – when a Christian acts outside the tenants of the faith, he is considered a sinner. There is no provision for a glorious paradise for suicide bombers.
We must stop allowing Muslims to immigrate here if wish to live in peace. I say this not because I hate Muslims, I don't. Nor do I say it because Christians can't live next to Muslims – as long as they don't control the government we can. In countries where they do control the government, we cannot because we are under interdict and there is no precept of religious freedom in Muslim countries. Islamics have no concept of separation of church and state – they achieve power, you lose. The real issue is apparently too subtle for the news analysts but it's actually quite obvious. Muslims can't live with secular humanists. The conduct of the secular populace, and sadly, many of the lapsed Christians in this country is abhorrent to Muslims, whose faith is entirely works based.
To say that Muslims are a "works" based religion means that their religion teaches that salvation is awarded to those who follow a specific set of procedures. To Christians, this is heresy because we believe we are saved by the blood of Christ. It is possible though, that educated men from both faiths can live and work in harmony. Both religions have moral codes that suggest that is possible. Given our public school system, and theirs, where will we find these educated, thoughtful gentlemen?
Muslims attempt to keep themselves from temptation by veiling the girls, banning the porn, the booze and the TV, and kicking people around if they don't buy into that. This is not just true of the jolly old Taliban but you see it all over the Middle East and where ever the government officially enforces Muslim religious law. Those are folks who are emigrating to the United States in large numbers, finding prosperity and a lot of temptation. Our secular culture arouses strong disgust, even hatred and fear. In a Christian culture, as we once had, men didn't seek out pornography so there was little of that. Prostitution and all the rest were nothing like now – they had far fewer customers. Homosexuality was in the closet. Muslims see us in our decline, fear we will drag them down with us, and get fighting mad.
So why are we importing so many of them? Is there some kind of national death wish?
I suggest that we expel all illegal immigrants right now – whatever the nationality or religion. Then we should adopt a sane immigration policy based on some model currently in use – preferably a successful one. Like that of say, Mexico?
We are at a crossroads now, maybe the last change we get before we head too far down the road to nowhere. We are at war. Worse, we are in an essentially un-winnable war that may in fact, lead us right into World War III. The "War to End Wars" started over far less in 1914. Despite the sadly inept efforts of our diplomats to explain to Muslim countries that this is not a war against Islam – when the shootin' starts, they are going to see it that way. Since in the world of realpolitic we have to hit back after such a vicious attack, we find ourselves in a very tight spot.
I watched the leadership of the United States singing "God bless America" and was at once nauseated and moved. For they are the ones who got us here, and it would have been quite easy to stay true to the Republic and avoid all this trouble. Among these leaders where dreadful people who espouse any ignoble cause, and vote for any new restriction on freedom. Who glory in the deaths of millions of unborn children. To see Ted Kennedy singing "God Bless America" was to witness an act of hypocrisy that simply defies imagination.
There were also those among them whose intentions are good, who for reasons that seemed good at the time, betrayed the Constitutional Republic. This is their moment if they want to seize it. America can be great again; its greatness was never about becoming an empire, rather the reverse. It was about being a place where the job gets done right, and fair play is the norm. We were great when we respected the will of God and had the humility to question our own motives. I'm not just blaming this on non-Christians either – my Christian brothers at some extremes would ban beer, boxing and feeling good yet claim to be major patriots and have flags flying everywhere. That is not loyalty to our country – that is using a flawed system to impose upon others. To them I say, "You have supported the War on Drugs, the creation of empire, and sold the rope to your own hangman."
To all of you in Congress, Christian and non-Christian alike, I offer this challenge: make this war worth fighting. Give us our country back. Defeat our enemies because they backed us into a corner no country could endure, and then come home. Forego your usual "total war" response and reacquaint yourselves with the concept of the Just War. Close our borders and return to pre u201860s immigration policies. You are destroying your country just as surely as those terrorists destroyed the WTC. Come home – be an American again!
In the Augean Stables, Hercules faced a task of well, Herculean proportions. So do we. It requires more of us than most are willing to give. It is well to remember that no matter what we may want, doing nothing is simply a way of casting a vote for the status quo. The status quo in this case is about perpetual war and continued decline.
How shall we proceed? Get your kid out of government school. You decide how and what they should be taught – it's your job. Do it. Stop voting for Republicans and Democrats. Unless you can take over their local apparatus in your state – then do that. Never vote for any politician who has plans he wants to finance with Federal money or is even willing to accept money from the federal government. Politics is supposed to be local. While that Federal money is of course, ours, it's better to let it go then let them buy us a set of chains with it.
Throw out any and every politician who speaks against your inalienable right of personal self defense. They are scofflaws, and should be jailed because they mock our constitution after taking an oath to defend it. Remove any politician who votes in favor of overseas alliances. Remove any who fail to see the insanity of having our forces in one hundred six countries. Demand an end to the war on civil liberties they call the Drug War. Resist their crazed attempts to destroy our Southern heritage!
Remove any politician, and jail them, if they were or are in favor of feminizing our fighting forces. A country that minds its own business is still a country that lives in a dangerous world, and needs to be able to defend itself. Most of that defense should come from an armed citizenry. You will not lose your freedom in such a country – you will have the power to dictate terms to Washington, not the reverse as we have now.
Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy has outraged politically correct government leaders world wide by daring to suggest that Western European culture is superior to all others. Well – it was at one time, and could be again. If you don't believe that, why on earth are you supporting a war against another culture? Just roll over and surrender – why should it matter to you which way of life we adopt, if all are of equal merit?
Or is it perhaps a real good idea to have national boundaries behind which we can each live the way we please? If one culture is superior to another then the proof of the puddin' will be in the eatin'.
In short, take a long hard look at who you could have been, and weep. Then get up, dust yourselves off and get to work rebuilding our Constitutional Republic!
September 29, 2001
