One of the recurring features of American history is that we don't prep well as a society for the long term. Delivering now, reaping short term gains, "yes, sir--here you go, just like you asked"--that we can handle, no sweat.
But trying to tell which distant clouds are thunderheads and which are harmless gray stratus, and to prepare accordingly--we have historically sucked at that.
So, traditionally, we have reaped the whirlwind for our congenital inability to read the signs--sometimes quite obvious--paying in blood and ruined lives. Over and over again. Reading about the green American troops fed into the meatgrinder Western Front of the First World War is enough to call down all manner of justified curses on a generation of American leaders, starting (but hardly ending) with Woodrow Wilson.
And now, we add in our Ruling Class's determination to never, ever account for their own corruption and failures.
Thank God for men like Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller, determined to point out the corpulent nudity of our equestrian imperial class, military and civilian, even at the cost of his career.
Alas that he will never see high command, where he is so desperately needed.
And alas even more for us, when the next nation-threatening crisis is upon us.
It is true that there is a lot of ruin in a nation. But there is only so much.
Well, the "lethal instrument" part is curious if not troubling. But he does take responsibility, so he has a spine. Unlike anonymous folk on social media, he put his name, rep, and opinions all together in one place.
ReplyDelete20 years of federal government blunders in SW Asia have roots in the prior century's missteps in foreign policy. You can't really pin most of it on Mr Biden, Mr Trump, or Mr Obama. And I have to admit that as much as I'd like to blame Bush-Cheney, they were already painted into a corner by the ruling class arms dealers.
And yes, agreement on missing the long game. But really: you can't buy yachts, spaceships, and beachfront property on the Arctic planning for the 22nd century.
20 years of federal government blunders in SW Asia have roots in the prior century's missteps in foreign policy. Y
DeleteThey don't.
Wishful thinking Mr Deco. Read up on the 1920's Middle East.
DeleteElegy in a Country Churchyard
ReplyDeleteThe men that worked for England
They have their graves at home:
And birds and bees of England
About the cross can roam.
But they that fought for England,
Following a falling star,
Alas, alas for England
They have their graves afar.
And they that rule in England,
In stately conclave met,
Alas, alas for England
They have no graves as yet.
-- G. K. Chesterton