The Sign of a Beaten Army
Historically speaking, having young boys and grandfathers in the trenches during a war was not a good sign. It did not speak well for your nation's chances of winning the war. It did not speak well for how your nation had performed in the war thus far. In the waning days of the Confederacy, Richmond's defenses were manned by an increasing number of young boys and very old men. Their ranks had been thinned by disease, dissent, and four years of heavy losses.
As Nazi Germany was crumbling, Hitler loaded the Eastern front with children from the HJ, the German equivalent of the Boy Scouts. Allied forces on the Western Front were fighting against men old enough to receive a pension from World War I. The same thing was happening in the Pacific Theatre with the Japanese army. Both of these armies were fighting against the inevitable. It was not a question of if they would lose the war, but when.
Each of these cases was a desperate attempt by a leader unwilling to face reality. It was the mark of a government that had lost the war, lost perspective, and neglected its basic responsibilities to the citizenry. These governments were willing to destroy a generation of its children and deprive its families of the wisdom and experiences of a grandfather out of hubris (among other things).
The reason I bring all of this up, is because a family friend was recently called to report for active duty in Iraq. He is 58. He has 6 grandchildren. He is a decorated Vietnam veteran and he is being forced to step into a situation that may cost him this wonderful life. I think his deployment speaks volumes about our nation's leadership and its involvement in Iraq.
Please don't misunderstand my disbelief and disgust. My friend is a member of the Air National Guard. He knew this was a possibility and could have easily retired from the Guard long ago. He chose this treacherous path that he will walk and he will walk it willingly. He expects no sympathy and wouldn't want anyone to lobby for his exclusion from duty. However, I'm sure that many of the Confederate grandfathers felt the same way. Just because these men are willing to die for the cause doesn't mean we should let them.
Please also understand that I'm not drawing any comparisons between our current military and the other historical examples, other than their inclusion of grandfathers. I believe that the men and women of our military are generally good people. I don't necessarily agree with their ideology, but it isn't based on hatred and evil like Nazi Germany and the Confederacy. As much as I am embarassed and disappointed by our government, it also cannot be compared to the evil of the Nazi party and its leadership.
However, I am trying to draw a comparison between militaries that are stretched so thin that they need to include grandparents. This is shameful. After a 14 month tour of duty, my friend will be 60 years old. Sextagenarians should not be flying Blackhawk helicopters into a swarming morass of insurgents armed with surface-to-air missiles. They should be enjoying the long afternoon of their lives.
This isn't to say that people in their 60s should slow down. They can do anything they want. They can fly helicopters, but our government should have never gotten into a position where they need 60 year olds to fly helicopters in Iraq. If they run out of 20 year-old helicopter pilots, then it's time to draft more young pilots. If that's going to make you too unpopular before the mid-term elections, then it's time to concede that we are beaten. Don't deprive a little kid of her grandpa just to keep your job in November. You can darken the skies with unmanned drones laden with Sidewinder missiles, but don't send another grandparent. Read your history books and the writing on the wall and get the hell out of Iraq.
Historically speaking, having young boys and grandfathers in the trenches during a war was not a good sign. It did not speak well for your nation's chances of winning the war. It did not speak well for how your nation had performed in the war thus far. In the waning days of the Confederacy, Richmond's defenses were manned by an increasing number of young boys and very old men. Their ranks had been thinned by disease, dissent, and four years of heavy losses.
As Nazi Germany was crumbling, Hitler loaded the Eastern front with children from the HJ, the German equivalent of the Boy Scouts. Allied forces on the Western Front were fighting against men old enough to receive a pension from World War I. The same thing was happening in the Pacific Theatre with the Japanese army. Both of these armies were fighting against the inevitable. It was not a question of if they would lose the war, but when.
Each of these cases was a desperate attempt by a leader unwilling to face reality. It was the mark of a government that had lost the war, lost perspective, and neglected its basic responsibilities to the citizenry. These governments were willing to destroy a generation of its children and deprive its families of the wisdom and experiences of a grandfather out of hubris (among other things).
The reason I bring all of this up, is because a family friend was recently called to report for active duty in Iraq. He is 58. He has 6 grandchildren. He is a decorated Vietnam veteran and he is being forced to step into a situation that may cost him this wonderful life. I think his deployment speaks volumes about our nation's leadership and its involvement in Iraq.
Please don't misunderstand my disbelief and disgust. My friend is a member of the Air National Guard. He knew this was a possibility and could have easily retired from the Guard long ago. He chose this treacherous path that he will walk and he will walk it willingly. He expects no sympathy and wouldn't want anyone to lobby for his exclusion from duty. However, I'm sure that many of the Confederate grandfathers felt the same way. Just because these men are willing to die for the cause doesn't mean we should let them.
Please also understand that I'm not drawing any comparisons between our current military and the other historical examples, other than their inclusion of grandfathers. I believe that the men and women of our military are generally good people. I don't necessarily agree with their ideology, but it isn't based on hatred and evil like Nazi Germany and the Confederacy. As much as I am embarassed and disappointed by our government, it also cannot be compared to the evil of the Nazi party and its leadership.
However, I am trying to draw a comparison between militaries that are stretched so thin that they need to include grandparents. This is shameful. After a 14 month tour of duty, my friend will be 60 years old. Sextagenarians should not be flying Blackhawk helicopters into a swarming morass of insurgents armed with surface-to-air missiles. They should be enjoying the long afternoon of their lives.
This isn't to say that people in their 60s should slow down. They can do anything they want. They can fly helicopters, but our government should have never gotten into a position where they need 60 year olds to fly helicopters in Iraq. If they run out of 20 year-old helicopter pilots, then it's time to draft more young pilots. If that's going to make you too unpopular before the mid-term elections, then it's time to concede that we are beaten. Don't deprive a little kid of her grandpa just to keep your job in November. You can darken the skies with unmanned drones laden with Sidewinder missiles, but don't send another grandparent. Read your history books and the writing on the wall and get the hell out of Iraq.
posted by adelino @ 6:12 PM
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