Sunday, March 16, 2014

#76 / War Is So Over



Am I the only one who just can't get too excited about, or interested in, the conflict in the Ukraine? All those pictures of armored vehicles, or tanks? That's only an example. I am not getting excited about any other war, or any prospective war, either. I am just not seeing "war" as anything but a worn out metaphor. So last century! 

That article I mentioned yesterday (I liked the last line), was written by William K. Lietzau, a member of the professional war-making class. His real sentiments weren't actually contained in the last line, I think, but came out earlier in the article: 

Our focus should be on defeating al Qaeda. Win the war, and Guantanamo will close itself.

This sounds like where I came in. Let's "win the war" (in Vietnam; in Afghanistan; against terror). That has been the national prescription for virtually my entire life. We won World War II. Now, let's win more wars! Let's call it "defense." 

It's all an illusion. "Winning the war" doesn't accomplish anything (anything positive, at least). "Winning the war" is not the task for our time. 

That's so Twentieth Century. That's so "over."


Image Credit: 
http://www.worldwar1.com/sfpbs.htm

1 comment:

  1. That is so well said. Thank you, Gary.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment!