We are at war. At least that's the deal for years now.
War is nasty business. The side with the best of everything customarily wins. That means the best of everything from equipment to armament to vehicles and sea-worthy ships and aircraft capable of out performing the enemies planes. It's about inventiveism and mindsets to come up with whatever one needs to get the job done; I leave the atomic bomb as proof of how well it works.
Terrorists have invaded our homeland and destroyed structures along with lives to make a point and in some cases got away with it. We have had a few turncoats who've opted to switch sides and have undertaken the role of subversives against their own nation to carry out assignments given them by our enemies. They are traitors.
Now, those simple explanations said, what is the problem with some who think we are wrong to send drones to do the work that human beings once had to do; like do you think we should go back to war horses and cannon and musketry or should we do as every nation engaged in war has done since the dawn of records -- go with out best in order to put the biggest hurt on our enemy.
Collateral damage is a Johnnie-come-lately in the scheme of things. Hell, under the title of unfortunate incidents innocent people have been dying by millions in every war ever fought. It would be impossible to curtail offenses with guidelines to protect everyone outside of the military participants. Forget it. It's sad, really sad for those afflicted and their loved ones BUT that is not going to change.
About turncoats. Get them. They made a decision and now it is our obligation to make one too. The penalty for such crimes in time of war is death. It's a bummer, hu? Did you know that the Articles of War which set standards for our own military personnel almost all end with the brunt statement that says if you violate those rules "the penalty is death or as the courts-martial' determine. That's our people, the good guys so why is there any question about the rights of turncoats to a fair trial? Oh, courts-martials are not always fair either, but they are a fact of life.
These are my feelings as a veteran of the United States Army in time of war who served in combat areas and did his duty. "Take no prisoners" might sound awful to those far behind the lines but the purpose for such a command usually outweighs the morality of the call. Situations reversed might be once reason. Cruelty to prisoners is also not a new conception by any means. I give you Andersonville as an example or the Bataan death march. How about the Nazi ovens in concentration camps? Yeah! War is hell.
There was a time when wars were won based strictly on numbers. Not so today. The Charge of the Light Brigade was a folly then and today would be total madness when the availability of today's technology is right at hand.
It's war. Who started it? Hell, who knows. Maybe this war is just another splinter from the Crusades, for all I know or a result of the peace terms of WWI as some people claim. But, unlike previous wars fought to take and hold territory this one snuck up on us -- it's a war on terrorist whereever they are or whereever they opt to strike and it behooves us to use whatever means available to prevail. We owe that to our good citizens, you know, the ones who keep their loyalties intact.
Sorry.
Gramps
