America at War

Americans do not like half-measures in anything and war is no exception. The last full-out war we have fought was World War II. Since then, we have fought a UN police action in Korea; 1/2 a war in Vietnam; probably more of a war in Afghanistan with NATO forces; and what seems to be 1/2 of a war in Iraq twice. Somalia was a debacle - you know what I mean. America at War under the blue flag of the UN is no longer acceptable. I am not writing to critize our fighting men and women. I am writing about how we have fought wars under the auspices of the UN. And I know some of what I speak. Fighting any thing remotely called a "war" under the UN, resolutions or no, is no way for Americans to fight a war. But thank God there was no UN to trifle with the lives of our soldiers during WWII. I'll submit that our "Greatest Generation" was great because they were not saddled with the anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-national sovereignty despots of the UN. If our young men and women are going to fight and die, Americans want them to fight full-out. They will beat anyone hands down including terrorists. Guerrilla warfare, we perfected it. Send more troops to Iraq and let them mop up the terrorists - overwhelming force and fire power - use it or lose it. Here are a few words you may find interesting. I'm not defending the man and his regime but he knew war. Just read his words. I'll cite the reference at the end. The page numbers are in () following each quotation.

Setting deadlines for troop withdrawals. "It's a huge mistake (to set deadlines)....They know very well that if the president of the United States sets a deadline, the whole Congress will be after him to make him keep his promise. And what are they able to show? The President ______ is incapable of bringing peace by the date he set.... I told the Americans, "Be patient, one must be patient with the communists, more patient than they." No use." (p.54) The Peace Talks in Paris, 1968. "If the communists agree to negotiate, it means they need to negotiate. Not that they want peace. What they want is a bombing halt in order to catch their breath and back another offensive." (p.54) Gradualism. Gradualism is no way to cure an illness. The gradualism of President ______ was untenable. Either you fight a war or you don't. ...Knock [the enemy] him down in the first round." (p.58) "Fighting the war in your own country really means to have lost the war. In fact, the art of war is to carry the war into enemy territory, to destroy in enemy terrority." (p. 61) "It's too difficult to stop a war based on guerrillas. How many guerrillas were there in Malaya? Ten thousand? And how long did it take the British to beat? Twelve years. It's hard to fight a war being fought by hooligans." (p. 62)

The quotations are from Nguyen Van Thieu in an interview conducted by Oriana Fallaci, recorded in Interview with History - January 1973 - Saigon. Thieu was afraid the Americans would pull out once they reached an independent agreement with North Vietnam. We signed an agreement; we withdrew; and Saigon fell. Thousands died. Americans (the citizens of the United States) don't like war but if we send our forces into battle, we expect them to be able to fight it full-out, not half-way. If our leaders won't fight it full-out, then we shouldn't be in any "war" at all. Half a war is no war for Americans. A friend of mine who was in the first Gulf War in Iraq said that when the navy ship he was on reached international waters, the flag of the United States of America came down and the flag of the UN was flown over our fighting ships. To me, that is unconscionable. And we thought we only paid dues to the UN. Hell no, we are their militia. America is not the police force of the UN. The UN is clearly incompetent in "waging" war. Why should they be competent? They want the status quo. Look at the recently brokered "peace" between Hezbollah (a terrorist militia) and Israel. Hezbollah is re-arming as I type. Israel Matzav My intent was not to smash the UN but rather to note the similarities among all "war" we have fought under the UN. Let the UN distribute food but don't let them control our wars. American men and women in the military did not sign up to pledge alligance to the UN. It is an insult to them and an insult to us. Our defense dollars are providing the UN with a military which they are woefully unqualified to use. Fight if we must but fight with NATO allies or allies of like-minded purpose. If we can't gird up our will, then bring our soldiers and Marines home. If we will "kick the UN to curb" and say, "It was nice will it lasted "girls" but we have to find a better date for the next party. 60 years for a first date is no way to treat a man," then we'll be able to fight to win, not fight to a draw which is a loss. I agree with Theiu, we must fight on enemy soil. But our men and women deserve better. Bring back the draft, bring us together as a nation, and beat the terrorist-hooligans and the little bands of militia in Iraq into the ground. How can a war in Iraq be won if every imam has his own "army"? And listen to the words of Theiu - no set deadlines for withdrawal, no gradualism, and no negotiations. Only the full surrender of the enemy and the triumphant return of our men and women. If we are willing to do that, then God speed and full steam ahead. President Bush, Americans are not so much against the war in Iraq as we are against what we see as half-measures. Americans don't like to fight half a war and we sure as hell don't like to see our troops under the flag of the UN. Even if we don't see it waving in Iraq, we know it's there lurking in the background waiting to be pulled out when we are at the edge of reaching our goal. We are in Iraq today because we let the UN rule us and pull us out of the first Gulf War. "Kick 'em to the curb," Mr. President. Our troops don't need the UN getting in their way.