War News
Why does the U.S. continue to fail military veterans?
I was disturbed reading a story today about the medical and financial crises being faced by increasing numbers of military veterans in America.
Oh, sure, we all remember the Walter Reed hospital debacle of a couple of years ago — but how aware are you of the sad stories of so many who serve their country in Iraq or Afghanistan — only to return home crippled and end up impoverished because of their service.
The story, if you read it, points out that battlefield medicine is better than ever, producing more survivors of battlefield injuries — and leaving a huge number of men and women demanding more continuing medical care and facing lifetimes of financial burdens.
What’s the answer? In my heart, and in your heart, we know the ultimate answer: Find ways of doing away with war. Until that day happens, we absolutely MUST give some government spending priorities to increased veterans’ care and increased veterans’ benefits.
You know, as I write these words, I find myself getting angry. I’m getting angry at a country mis run by a bunch of politicians who, from the White House up or White House down, spend most of their waking hours 1) enjoying the benefits of wealth, fame, and power, or, 2) ensuring funding and other priorities to remain in their positions of power.
May God help our veterans and may God help our country to resolve these horrible, tragic issues. And may God grant us more “real” people in positions of power who will do the right thing instead of just talking a good game.
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
Technorati Tags: battlefield medicine, political failures, politicians, veterans’ care and benefits, wounded veterans, just a guy who reads the papers
What will end war in Middle East? Will it ever end?
What or who will ever end war in the Middle East? Or will it ever end?
Wars have ground down the people and nations we call the Middle East certainly since pre-historic times. The history of the region is written in blood and destruction from ancient Egypt right up to today.
Some people treat going to war like it was taking Vegas vacations, or perhaps like a Disney theme park “adventure.” But those who have been at war, or who have family members who went to war at one time or another, take such matters seriously. War is NOT like video games or movies. Warfare means people being killed and maimed and property destroyed.
I would not presume to know the “answer” — there probably really isn’t one — to the madness in the Middle East. But I would prayerfully suggest that all sides need to sit down and look at all that has happened and try once more to seriously find a way for peace to have a chance. Such terror and such anger on all sides hasn’t done much good for anyone so far, has it?
Is this really news? U.S. National Guard and Reserve forces are unprepared
Stop the presses!
Actually, I worked at a newspaper for seven years and never ONCE heard anyone come into the newsroom shouting that we should stop the presses, but I’ve always wanted to say that.
Seriously, this news item about the terrible vulnerability of our National Guard and Reserve forces is bad news — but it really shouldn’t come as a surprise. The facts aren’t that hard to put together: We have an all-volunteer military stretched to its limits by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we have a military budget focused mostly on the same two areas of conflict.
A bigger surprise would be if the commission studying the Guard and Reserves had NOT found us inadequately prepared. The big question would be: What are we going to do about it?
The commission recommends giving governors “the authority to direct active-duty troops responding to emergencies in their states.” That idea was criticized by Secretary of Defense Gates when it first came up a year ago, according to yesterday’s report. The report also said the Pentagon is working on a solution now which would involve specialized, trained forces who could be ready to respond to national emergency needs.
Yeah, right. I may not have this just right, but it seems to me the Pentagon is saying something like this: “The National Guard and Reserves forces are inadequately prepared, so we’re going to put together a sort of “mini-Guard/Reserves” group which will be adequately prepared.”
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
Technorati Tags: National Guard, military Reserves, inadequate military forces, just a guy who reads the papers
Would ‘CITO’ work in the war against terrorism? John Edwards thinks so
Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards announced a plan for an international organization which would pool resources and information in the worldwide war on terrorism. He’s calling it the “Counterterrorism and Intelligence Treaty Organization” or CITO.
In theory, such international efforts ought to be handled in already existing organizations like the United Nations, perhaps. In reality, there is no venue where serious sharing of information and resources is happening to battle extremists and terrorism. Perhaps such an organization as CITO would fill the gap, who knows?
Certainly, as Edwards pointed out, the Bush Administration’s efforts against terrorism make many of us uncomfortable with their cavalier attitude toward some of our cherished American freedoms. I, for one, never liked the idea of anyone snooping through my library card records. Nope, I don’t checkout any thing subversive, nothing pornographic, but I really can’t see that such efforts would have much to do with the war on terrorism.
My biggest problem with CITO is this: I haven’t yet met an international organization that really works in the long run. Many things the UN does are very worthwhile, especially their humanitarian work. But nobody gives the UN high marks for military effectiveness, nor for any efforts against terrorists or extremists.
Perhaps CITO would work better. At least it’s worth thinking about.
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
Technorati Tags: CITO, counterterrorism, John Edwards, terrorism, civil liberties, UN, just a guy who reads the papers
Iraqis fail to meet benchmarks — should we be surprised?
The big surprise isn’t that the Iraqis have failed to meet most benchmarks set in 2006. At least, given any news coming out of that nation for the last year or more, it shouldn’t be a big surprise.
The big surprise is that most supporters of this sorry, sad war won’t let the latest Iraqi failures dampen their determination to keep the war going.
Many simply support the war in Iraqi through blind, stubborn determination to “stay the course.” Others are pretty much just ignorant of the whole “war on terror” and what really needs to be done. You heard me — my liberal nature is showing through: I truly believe most conservatives who support Bush’s various policy decisions and lack of policy are simply ignorant. Either ignorant or stubborn.
We ought to get out of Iraq and we ought to get out now. Nothing we’ve done over there or can expect to do will unite warring factions and tribal factions who have been forced to live together for centuries by one strongman or outside government or another.
Having said all that, I must add this: I know from a brother who has been there that we are accomplishing some good for the people of Iraq. We are building schools. We are assisting needy Iraqis in a multitude of ways. In doing that, and to that extent, we are planting seeds which COULD some day lead to a more tolerant, free society in Iraq.
But probably not in our lifetime.
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
Technorati Tags: Iraqi benchmarks, Iraq war, leaving Iraq, helping Iraqis, just a guy who reads the papers
Bush finds some quality time on the ground in Iraq
Shades of fake turkeys on Thanksgiving Day — President Bush made another surprise visit to Iraq! News reports say he slipped out of Washington secretly (that’s no small trick, I guess, given the size and nature of Air Force One??) and made a quick stop in al-Anbar province on his way to the Asia Pacific Summit in Australia. (You can read more by CLICKING HERE.)
Given the dangers the President of the United States faces going anywhere near a war zone, I have no problem with the secrecy surrounding the trip. My difficulty is with the timing. September is the month when supposedly we’ll be learning whether or not the troop surge is working. Of course, not being stupid, you and I all know there will be mixed results, with the President touting success and Congressional Democrats crying failure.
My younger brother spent some time stationed in Iraq last year. He was on a squad of guys who investigate those IEDs — ones that explode are examined to trace who made them and where; ones that fail get a good going over to discover why they failed to explore. Touchy, touchy job, and the whole family’s glad he knew how to stay in one piece. (Sadly, a younger man in his squad lost an arm and leg in an explosion.)
I guess, metaphorically speaking, Bush and Congress all have the knack down pat for staying in one piece — send OTHERS to Iraq to face the bombs and snipers. Good for Bush today, I guess, because at least he’s on the ground over there (or was) and meeting with the Iraqi leaders. (They’re back from summer vacation now, I guess.)
But bad for all of us that this President Bush lacked the good sense to get us out of that nation in a hurry — which his father, President Bush I, at least got right.
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
May God help us and all the Iraqis that we might see this idiotic, horrible war end soon.
Technorati Tags: President Bush in Iraq, Iraqi leaders, Iraq war, just a guy who reads the papers