War: politicized

The campaign headlines today revolved a good deal around the publicity battle that John McCain and “Barry” Obama are waging. With Obama's high-publicity trip to the Middle East, McCain has had to fight to retain a place in the news. I don't know that I've expressed it here before, but I am often frustrated by the way in which the Global War on Terror has been reduced to a political byline, useful for headlines and posturing, but not taken seriously. Of course, this happens to a lot of issues during campaigns, but to me, GWOT is so much more important that the usual planks of taxes, energy, healthcare, etc.---it is a battle for American safety and world peace against Islamic terrorism. This is not 4-dollars-a-gallon that were talking about, it's an enemy wants every American dead! And even worse, the politicization of the issue is demeaning to the service and sacrifice of thousands of American servicemen. This is what really angers me. Our guys---my future brothers in arms---are fighting and dying to protect our freedom, and yet they are reduced to pawns in the political war. And pawns, no less, that one side believes should retreat before a “checkmate” is attained against our enemies abroad! I don't want to say that this diminution of the military effort is intentional in all cases, because it is almost impossible to avoid coming across that way when the discussion of the issue is so frequent. One side of the campaign however (you know which one) could care less about victory or the American serviceman, and is interested only in how to use the war as an occasion of political pandering.

With this in mind, I just want to remind everyone to keep in mind the boots on the ground in this battle. Please pray for their safety and for victory! And remember also that for every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, and Airman playing a role in GWOT, there are family and friends back home who know that any day a chaplain could pay them a dreaded visit. Pray for them too. This post is dedication to two of our warriors: Pete Rensema, U.S.A; and Barrett Craven, U.S.M.C.

A fuel perspective

A good day to you, folks! These are the first words typed on my new laptop, a nice Gateway that I picked up for a good price at Newegg.com . I’ve been impressed so far with the graphics and other capabilities of the machine, now to see how well the keyboard works! One benefit already is that I’m lying bed writing, rather than sitting at a desk!

One thing I’ve been thinking about lately is gas prices (who hasn’t?) and their effect on the average American life. The manager of the gas station/convenience store where I work part time was working out back in the stockroom with me the other day and said something to the effect that he would just as soon stay behind the scenes because up front, “all you get is people complaining about the gas prices. They figure that because we take the money, that somehow we’re responsible for the prices.” This is just one minor example of what I can only describe as an ignorant attitude on the part of a majority of Americans regarding current high gas prices. Phil Gramm said recently that we have become a “nation of whiners.” He was demonized by the media and even some conservatives for suggesting that the current recession is largely a mental one, but I agree in large part with what he said. From liberal politicians and media figures on down, there is a lot of whining and finger pointing going on that fails entirely to address the root causes of the low economic times that we are dealing with. It’s been said before (and better) by many others, but I’d like to say it again: the only way to truly solve our economic woes is to let the free market and deregulation of energy production naturally correct the problem! More government interference will not solve anything---but this is precisely what far too many in our “nation of whiners” want---a quick “fix” that ignores long-term consequences.

I am encouraged, though, by what I see and hear from many of the everyday Americans around me. One of my co-workers in particular takes a real beating at the pump---spending about half of his paycheck just to get to work. When you’re making not much more than minimum wage, and have only a hundred or so a week after buying gas, it’s really hard to save or get ahead at all. My friend, however isn’t really bitter---doesn’t whine and complain. Instead, he’s looking for a place to live closer to work, and is constantly optimistic about working, making money, and solving his fuel bill problem with his own two hands, rather than asking a politician to solve it for him. I think that a lot of Americans are like that---hardworking and willing to make do when times are tough.

I think what it comes down to then, on the political front, is the need for a leader who is willing to encourage them to do just that. A leader who will say, “Americans, we have a problem, but it’s up to you to fix it with American produced fuel, and with sensible conservation and alternative energy sources. What I will give you is less government interference in the form of taxes and regulations, and I will keep the government out of the energy subsidy business---letting the free market determine the most efficient path to energy production instead.” I don’t know where a leader like this is to be found (on the presidential scale at least) in a day when promises of government help are more and more the norm, but I trust that such a leader will be found for America in the near future.

Independence Day

Well, Independence Day has come and gone, so this post is a bit belated, but so was about half of my personal celebration, so I don't feel too guilty. I viewed (for the first time), the film Ike: Countdown to D-Day (starring Tom Selleck) last night and I was impressed overall with the quality and message of the film. My biggest gripe was the very negative portrayal of Gen. George Patton, whom I admire despite his admitted character flaws. Other than that, however, I enjoyed the depiction of Gen. Eisenhower's masterful coordination of the D-Day invasion. It reminded me of a couple of very important things about a war effort such as the one in the European theater. First, as "Ike" stressed in the film, such an effort requires that one commander exercise supreme authority over the planning and timing of the operation. Without such authority, as the film showed very well, the D-Day operation would have dissolved into chaos with warring generals and egos bickering over methods and power. Second, such authority must be exercised with great tact. Eisenhower wisely refused to allow his name and face to be paraded before the world, knowing that if he was to exert any control over the many generals under his command, he could not compete with them for public attention. Countdown also showed the blend of exerting operation authority and allowing input from subordinate commanders that is and was necessary for military success. Third, I was reminded of the fact that a commander in wartime is often a lonely man. "Ike" had friends in several of his subordinate generals, but he was alone in bearing the weight of making his final decisions regarding the execution of the invasion. And he was also alone in bearing not only the responsibility for the results, but also the responsibility for the thousand of lives that he was sending into harm's way.

To many today, war is, sadly, just a game, or even just a threat or method to be used to impose one nation's will on another. But as Countdown showed, it is much more than that. As Gen. W.T. Sherman put it, "War is hell." It is hell for the private who bleeds on the ground, and it is hell for the general who bears the responsibility for sending him there. Countdown shows this well, but it also shows that such hell is still sometimes necessary. As Eisenhower said several times in the film, Europe needed to be freed, and despite the sacrifice incumbent upon such a decision, he was willing to make it for the greater good.

This Independence Day weekend, let us all remember that freedom is truly never free. My thanks and prayers go out to all those who sacrifice to defend it.