The price of being unprepared...
How many more times America?
God save us.
U.S. Embassy, Tehran (1979), U.S. Embassy, Beirut (1983), U.S. Marine Barracks, Beirut (1983), U.S. Embassy, Kuwait (1983), Lockerbie (1988), World Trade Center Bombing (1993), Khobar Towers (1996), U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania (1998), U.S.S. Cole (2000), 9/11 (2001), Benghazi (2012), Boston Marathon (2013), San Bernardino (2015)...
To name but a few...
Who says we're not at war?
We've been at war at least since the bombing of the World Trade Center and the USS Cole, if not before. We can only pray we still have a chance to respond before we're overrun.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I pray it's not too late.
DeleteCivilization has always been the target of the barbarians. It's when the civilized become too progressive to acknowledge the state of war that it goes on and on. Look at our descent on the Barbary Pirates. We put an end to centuries of slaving and commerce raiding. The US decided it was at war with them and kicked their asses. Not one of the European powers bothered.
DeleteAnd the barbarians must be defeated, not assimilated. Look what happened to Rome.
DeleteI'm afraid that the soldier, sailor, airman, Marine that will fire the last round is not yet born.
ReplyDeleteI think that you're probably right.
DeleteUSAREUR circa 1960s had an alert every Dec 7th. We would load up in the morning then wait for it to be called. We still had some WWII vets and they made sure we understood the significance of the day. The only three* war vet I ever saw, SMAJ Starr one Dec 7th took a 1st LT to school for making some wise crack. *Had two V WWI combat hash tags and regular straight ones wrist to elbow.
ReplyDeleteThat's an excellent way of making a point to the young troops. Of course, in those days one never knew if Ivan would be coming over the border or not. Great lesson, I'm sure they don't do it these days, might offend someone, right?
DeleteWe had alerts monthly and sometimes more often. Our rally point was Campo Pond, Hanau, Germany. Has to be one of the greatest airborne landing sites ever. Level, hard packed sand and a straight two mile hard surfaced road with no power lines. Every alert I expected to see Ivan in a parachute. 50° 06' 37.06" N 8° 57' 35.89"E
ReplyDeleteJust down the road from the Fulda Gap, land there, move up to seize a crossing over the Main River.
DeleteYeah, I could lose sleep over that.
At least one more year's worth of times... sigh
ReplyDeletePlenty of time for something to go horribly wrong. I hope NOT.
DeleteJust over the Main River was a division worth of equipment kept in constant readiness, fueled, batteries charged, etc.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.army.mil/article/28749/Operation_BIG_LIFT/
No doubt we were in Ivan's cross hairs. Though the knowledge was way above my pay grade, I knew our mission was to hold the bridge heads, i.e. speed bump.
Hold them long enough and we had a chance.
DeletePerilous times, and we have no political Leader. Neither political party has Americas interest first, their priority is to stay in power. I do fear that end of times for my country may come before I pass on to whatever is next.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of my fears as well Ron.
Delete