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Originally Posted by talleyJudy
I certainly agree with her sentiments 100%.
What personally irks me most is our oh so foolish "rules of engagement".
Somehow we human rights fanatics have forgotten that wars are fought to WIN - not make nice so 'they' will like us. Peace is achieved only through OVERWHELMING VICTORY. And overwhelming victory only happens when there is not enough left of the enemy and it's support system to fight and/or their desire to fight is completely squashed.
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One of the most vocal generals in US history, unquestionably dedicated to victory, George S. Patton, said this: Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains that victory.
I do not believe that the spirits of American fighting men and women, leaders or followers, will be enhanced by abandoning rules of engagement.
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So the argument goes that "then we would be no better than they are."
That's right, we have to and should sink to their level to beat them. I would much rather have our country alive and safe and feared and respected than it be dead so that the rest of the world could 'speak well' of us.
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I agree with Ben Franklin who said, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
I simply disagree that we have to sink to their level to beat them. That would be tantamount to suggesting that we send missiles into office buildings on the scale of the World Trade Center. That is not what we're about.
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Why we do not use our superior fighting ability/technology to win this conflict/war against Islamic terrorism quickly and efficiently is sheer folly. Islam is now engaged in a World War - what don't we understand about that? We give the idea lip service, but are not allowed to use the teeth behind the lips.
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That Islam is engaged in a World War is a dangerous and dramatic overstatement. A favorite line from a favorite dramatic series:
Muslim extremist is to Islam what the Klu Klux Klan is to Christianity.
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Our Dept. of State has and will accomplish absolutely nothing by trying to promote "democracy" in Islamic areas/countries because the ideas/philosophies of democracy the basics/tenants/'philosophy' of Islam are completely mutually exclusive and diametrically opposed ..... period ....that's a FACT.
Judy
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With all due respect, Judy, if we had taken the same attitude after WWII instead of the Marshall plan, the Germans, Italians and Japanese would likely still be our enemies. We were right to promote democracy then and we are now.
There are major cultural hurdles. The single biggest: fully half of the population of Islamic nations is essentially barred from participating in shaping those cultures - the women. Our very presence in the Middle East, with women soldiers in positions of responsibility and leadership, might be a beginning to promoting a huge cultural change.
If women in Islamic societies get a taste of freedom, even the idea that they may be entitled to rights, that could lend itself to a major shift, indeed, an advancement of civilization in the widest of western terms. Is it our place to instigate or promote such a change? I believe that promoting the democratic belief that all men - and women - are created equally is an ideal that transcends democratic belief. It is a human belief.
There is a lot of anger post 9/11. We must do our best to control that anger to do influence positive outcomes in our world. It matters little where we came from compared to where we're going.
Regards,
Keith
