A "Best of Old War Dogs" featured post. The webmaster is using a bogus timestamp to keep this post near the top of the blog for a while. Please scroll down for newer posts. This item was originally posted 2006.07.31.14:00.

"War is Hell."

The quote is attributable to Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and is as apropos today as it has been throughout history.  What has changed, unfortunately, is us. 

Though as a society with graphic movies, video games and such, not to mention all the violent criminals among us (thanks to bleeding-heart judges), one would think we'd become desensitized to war, as well.  But then, that wouldn't fit with the leftist media agenda.  There is violence, and then there is VIOLENCE, and I guess it depends on your political perspective which is acceptable and which is not.

Take the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, for instance.  While Israel initially got a pass from the leftist world press and even some Arab countries worried about Iran's muscle flexing, now, the worm has turned and everyone is beginning to bemoan all the Lebanese civilian casualties.

Everyone except me.

The Lebanese are in this mess precisely because they either lacked the will or the organization to prevent their once-beautiful, diverse country from being hijacked by terrorist thugs, much as greater Islam has been hijacked.  They have allowed their society to go to the dogs; in this case Hezbollah and Syria; and now, as a result, Lebanese civilians are dying.  Too bad.

If anything, this sad state of affairs should be considered a lesson in self-defense, for if the Lebanese had fought their oppressive neighbors from day one, Hezbollah might not have such a stranglehold on the country, both politically and militarily, today.  The Lebanese people are no longer innocent bystanders to global political and military events; they are active participants.  Well, make that passive participants for many of those poor, unfortunate souls, but participants none the less.

Which brings me to another quote, from Edmund Burke:  "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

The Lebanese stood by and did nothign while their country was first torn asunder and then taken over by terrorists.  Now, they reap the whirlwind.

Israel, on the other hand, understands the philosophy behind both quotes.  Israel is doing the only thing it can, and God bless George W. Bush for dragging out the "diplomacy" that certainly is not called for in this case.  There are some situations to which pure military action is the only sane response, and this is one of them.  It would be far better for Israel, and the United States, and the Lebanese, for that matter, and the world at large, if this conflict were allowed to proceed along its present course.  It would be better if it were to escalate, with Syria and Iran being drawn out to the point where their participation (something that has been occurring all along) becomes open and public.  It would be far better if the United States recognized that timing is everything and that it is now high time for us to take down Iran and the rest of the supporters of terrorism around the world.

May the war continue.  May Hezbollah and their Lebanese enablers see the cost of their folly.  May Israel, with the help of the United States, prevail.  This is just as much our fight as it is theirs, and just as much Western Civilization's fight as it is ours, only Western Civilization is corrupt and decadent, and therefore weak.   

War IS Hell.  Civilians will die, but in this case, at least, the "collateral damage" is necessary.

***

Linking to the latest Beltway Traffic Jam

Contributed by Shane Briscoe on August 4, 2006 at 01:30 PM in Best of Old War Dogs, Shane Briscoe | Permalink

Comments

Posted by: Bill Faith

Excellent post, Shane. Welcome back.

Posted by: Bill Faith | Jul 31, 2006 1:21:39 PM

Posted by: Ponsdorf

Nominated for addition to the 'Best of' category.

Posted by: Ponsdorf | Jul 31, 2006 2:32:16 PM

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