That’s Right Nate

There are some moments that just make you proud to be an American.  Whether it was the Miracle on Ice Hockey team, the Space Shuttle Challenger, or the U.S.A Dream Team’s 68 point blowout of Angola in 1992.  Today was one such moment for me.  Today, the Iraq War surpassed the Vietnam was are the longest war in our history.  While, we have a long way to beat the all-time record, which is in dispute, but for my money goes to France and England, our personal best is something to be proud of.

When we first started this war, people did not believe that we could do it.  Many critics said that it was a quagmire and we would be in for a very ugly and drawn out battle that accomplished nothing, but as a nation we stood strong.  With John McCain’s famous surge strategy as well as the hard work by the Bush and even Obama administrations we stood firm, when many thought we should just leave Iraq anyway.  We did it and we owe a big debt of thanks to all who made this possible from Donald Rumsfeld to the lowliest grunt—U-S-A!! U-S-A!!

John Wayne and George Takei from the classic The Green Berets

First, allow me to say that I was never fortunate to serve in the armed forces.   I was unfortunate to be born to an upper middle class household with a family business that needed looking after.  I knew that the best way to serve my country was by continuing to prosper was to expand the family business so that I could hire more Americans hypothetically, that could even include returning veterans.   I thrilled to reports of the US military in action in Grenada, Panama, and the Middle East, but I always knew that I would never be lucky enough to serve myself.

Much of what I have learned about the horror and glory of war, I’ve learned from war movies.    I don’t there is anything like experiencing the sheer terror of those brave men on the US Arizona who were victims of a surprise attack on December 7th, 1941 except perhaps watching the stunning computer generated effects of Michael Bay’s classic Pearl Harbor movie.   I may never have got the chance to be slapped in the face by Patton, but there was always George C. Scott to teach me what it would have been like.

One thing that separates good war movies from great war movies is the hard fighting men and in some cases women of the film.   When you add a gay soldier to the plot, the movie becomes moralistic and preachy.   Inside of a fierce fighting force, we’re left with an army that’s more concerned with feelings and emotions than with killing and conquering.  It seems that some in Congress think that this is a good idea for our armed forces.  I must ask, have they ever seen a war movie?

In the classic film The Green Berets, John Wayne says, “Out here due process is a bullet.”  That’s what the military is all about.  It’s not pretty, but the actors of Green Beret got it.   There simply isn’t the time in war for the niceties of civil rights.