War - Philosophy II

[BLUEHAWK]

"For what can war but endless war breed?"
John Milton (1608-1674)

"He knew that the essence of war is violence, and that moderation in war is imbecility."
Lord Macaulay (1800-1859)

"If there is ever another war in Europe, it will come out of some damned silly thing in the Balkans."
Prince Bismarck (1815-1898)

"A citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the heart of his countrymen."
Henry Lee (1756-1818)

"Lovely also to witness great battle-plans of war, carried out across the plains, without your having any share of the danger."
Lucretius (94-55 BC)

"No one can guarantee success in war, but only deserve it."
"In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity; in peace, goodwill."
Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

"The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war in his heart: his words were smoother than oil, and yet they be very swords."
Prayer Book 1662

"And the talk slid north, and the talk slid south,
with the sliding puffs from the hookah-mouth.
Four things greater than all things are,
Women and Horses and Power and War."
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

" 'Unting is all that's worth living for - all time is lost wot is not spent in 'unting - it is like the hair we breathe - if we have it not we die - it's the sport of kings, the image of war without its guilt, and only five-and-twenty percent of its danger."
R.S. Surtees (1803-1864)

"And the softness of my body will be guarded from
embrace
By each button, hook, and lace.
For the man who should loose me is dead,
fighting with the Duke of Flanders,
in a pattern called war.
Christ! What are patterns for?"
Amy Lowell (1856-1943)

[philly]

"He knew that the essence of war is violence, and that moderation in war is imbecility."

The quote above reminds me of the war in Iraq. The war in Iraq went from invading a people to liberating them. We went from stealth warrior to police enforcer. Could we have spared 300+ lives of our men and women had we remained firm and unwavering? It seems we were too concerned with pleasing the Iraqi's than at protecting our soldiers.

Did modifications in war create unnecessary casualties? Were we reckless in releasing our grip on the Iraqi's to seem less of a threat to them? As stated above, "any moderation in war is imbecility".

[BLUEHAWK]

Philly -
I've had some similar thoughts myself... so hard though to be a vet and sit here safe... not for sure knowing what the DOD has planned or why... not knowing, yet, the full story from our people there... great and deep concern about wars of "attrition"... bad bad memories of VN Rules of Engagement... compassion for the severely injured Iraqi people under Baathists... I keep having this haunting feeling we need more troopers there, get it over with faster and harsher if necessary, or so that they won't keep picking us off one at a time like they have in Israel for 50 years...

Good post Philly ...

[SuperScout]

Just a thought, but fewer tankers are needed there, as tankers are supposed to go 40mph, kill lotsa people and break lotsa stuff. Guarding the Iraqi Ministry of Antiquities is not a function or role fo tankers. Besides, it takes about 10 support folks to keep us tankers happy, fueled, well fed, and ammoed up, but then, we're a spoiled bunch of killers. Street fighters make a much smaller shadow, walk much quieter, rqequire less logistical support, and can kill almost as well as tankers. This is what we need there now, and at last report, the Pentagon folks have finally seen the wisdom of my ways and are finally taking my recommendations!

[philly]

Blue & Scout,

You both are right on. I have often thought the rules of engagement in Iraq seemed similiar to Vietnam-Both of you would know that better than I. But, from what I have read and have been told of Vietnam, it seems our men/women are in a similar state in Iraq. I hope and pray we resolve this conflict quickly.