Quote:
Originally Posted by peragro
I still believe that this is a great country. Rumsfeld's bullet number 4 is quite accurate. We had as much part in making the current islamo fascists (less actually) than did the Europeans and the Ottoman empire, yet the negative focus is on what we did while very little is directed to others with more culpability. Furthermore, we spend endless months of news coverage wringing our hands over prisoners who are better treated than many of our own people and radically disproportionatly than are our captured service members and civilians treated.
The negativity aimed at this country by citizens of this country is disproportionate and unfairly given in the light of history and current events. It does harm to what is going on overseas. Whether you believe we went there for the right purpose or not, we are there now and the importance of success in that arena should be obvious to all, no matter whom they support politically. The negativity aimed at us by our own is done so at the expense of acknowledging the people who really are trying to kill us.
As I said the country is great, yet imperfect. I posted the article, which I thought was accurate and worth reading, from and imperfect SecDef. His points are valid despite what mistakes he has made.
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That seems to be they way things go. Look at the Russians and Afghanistan. They don't spend time doing that. They reject anything that says they did wrong and others heap it on them. We, OTOH, are fond of taking the blame for everything. Now, don't get me wrong. We have done some bad things too. It is a big **** sandwich and we all gotta take a bite. However, people here are fond of taking several bites for others and they are quite content to let us take the bites.
I think we need to see if we went there with the right way of doing a job or not. Right being defined as efficient. If it is not efficient, it doesn't matter. We don't take time to study the rules of engagement. The real rules and not the stupid scribblings of some people in Geneva that are long dead and have no ideas of what is going on. This is just like me hooking up the horse to the cart to haul stuff. Well, times have changed and what works then doesn't work now. A rule book is only good if people abide by it. Otherwise, all we have at best is Victor's Justice. Just like Nerumberg. We need to understand that there is no referee to give militants a 40 yard penalty for unsportsman like conduct.
IMO, it is the best place in the world to be but will always be imperfect. If anyone thinks that better lies out there, I would urge them to go there. If they find happiness there, good for them. If not, they will return, sober and a little more wise in the ways of the world when they find that their Utopia has the metaphorical "Feet of Clay". If the SecDef has something to say, I'd be glad to hear it and then pass my opinion and not just dismiss it offhandledly because I think he is an idiot or buy it wholesale because he is my idol.