Posted on 10/07/2015 4:42:43 AM PDT by Kaslin
This past Sunday night I decided to watch some war movies, first “The Thin Red Line” and after that it was “American Sniper.” One of my favorite lines in the movie “American Sniper” is the dinner scene when Daddy Kyle explains that there are three types of people – sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. The statement surrounded a young Chris Kyle coming to the rescue of his younger brother, who was being beaten up by a schoolyard bully.
When I think about the three types of people, it relates exactly to the current geopolitical situation we are facing. It is a situation that the world has faced before and the results then were horrific. The question is, what shall be the result for today?
During the period of 1936-1939 the great Western Powers were still reeling from the “war to end all wars,” World War I. They sought to avoid and evade any semblance of confrontation and escalation of violence. They truly believed that they could engage despots and dictators with the incessant rhetoric of peace. They were the sheep of the day. See, sheep only want one simple thing – to be herded to green pastures and provided safe passage in doing so. They do not want to engage trouble, and will huddle together closer when danger confronts them.
The wolves of that period- Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo - recognized that their time had come. The sheep sat back and watched their aggressive actions, such as Germany’s rebuilding of its war machine, participation in the Spanish Civil War, taking of the industrial Rhineland, Italian ventures into Ethiopia, the annexation of Austria, Japanese Imperial expansion in Asia, the demands on the Sudetenland (masked under the cover of protecting ethnic Germans). All of this happened, but it wasn’t until the fateful German advance onto Czechoslovakia that the great Western Powers rose up to take action – they sent Neville Chamberlain to talk. A lamb was sent to do dealings with a wolf. Belligerence was met with rhetoric and appeasement.
Chamberlain returned with his signed document, the Munich Accord of 1938, and made the declaration that there would be “peace in our time.” The sheep rejoiced and returned to grazing in their green pastures. The wolves smelled blood, and that only served to create an even more insatiable appetite. By 1939 it had begun: World War II. The soothing lie of peace was nothing more than a hope. It was a hope rooted not in reality but rather in preference.
During all this, there stood one; one sheep dog that was sounding the clarion call. One whose bark was loud but the sheep came together to drown out and disregard his voice. That guard dog was Winston Churchill. Rejected at first, then called upon to safeguard the sheep.
So here we are today in a world that closely resembles that state of affairs then. President Obama leaned over in an off mike moment and conveyed to then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that “after my reelection tell Vladimir I will have more flexibility.” Former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gave Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a cute little yellow toy box with a red button and claimed it was the Russian reset button. In the final presidential debate of 2012 when asked about the No. 1 geopolitical threat to America, Gov. Mitt Romney responded: Russia. President Obama ridiculed him with laughter and stated, “the 1980s is calling for its foreign policy back, the cold war is over.” So again, the liberal progressive minions joined together to drown out a guard dog. Sadly the American people, told to believe they were beleaguered and not willing to fight, reelected the sheep.
Now here we are, with Russia having taken the Crimea and former SecDef Chuck Hagel having announced defense cuts and the termination of the A-10 Warthog aircraft. We have Russia invading Ukraine - a sovereign state - because Vladimir Putin stated he wanted to protect ethnic Russians. We have Russian ground troops and combat aircraft conducting operations in Syria – despite Obama’s “red line.”
Similar to the Munich Accord is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iranian nuclear agreement. The sheep tell us that the only alternative is war – and the sheep do not want war, so we must acquiesce to the No. 1 state sponsor of Islamic terrorism in the world. Is there any doubt that Iran now controls Baghdad, Sanaa, Beirut, and Damascus – and now we have Iran’s Quds Force and their proxy army, Hezbollah, operating in Syria under the cover of Russian combat aircraft.
The last time we witnessed an Asian nation make a dedicated effort to build its maritime power was Imperial Japan. Today it is Communist China that is building archipelagos and emplacing military fortifications and airfields along a major sea lane of commerce in the South China Sea. The Japanese diplomatic delegation was in Washington, D.C., right up until the last moment – we just hosted China’s Xi Jinping with all pomp and circumstance.
The wolves then were Germany, Italy, and Japan. The wolves today are Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, and Islamic jihadists. The Western Powers are once again playing the role of sheep. And sadly, it appears that America, once the sheep dog, has joined with the sheep.
It is as Alexander the Great stated, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion."
Isaiah Chapter Six, Verse Eight asks a very simple question, New International Version (NIV), “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” That was Isaiah’s response, but who will answer, “Send Me” -- who will be the sheepdog? Who will be the Lion?
Just as Churchill stood up, so did Israel’s Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu last week before the UN General Assembly. In a time of sheep and wolves, we saw the Lion of Judah.
Sheep find comfort in the incessant noise of empty rhetoric. Wolves make their howl to instill fear. But sheepdogs stand firm issuing their bark of confidence – and lions roar in defiance, strength, and victory.
I like to think that are also a few shepherds amongst us.
There are twpo many people in this country that remain fat dumb and happy. They no idea of what is occurring on our own borders much less across the Atlantic or Pacific.
This country is positioning itself it be over run following the example of our European allies.
It may be cliche, but: the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, and right now too many Americans are sound asleep.
bump later
Good analogy.
So where is forms SecDef Hatel these days? Cowering in a basement bar somewhere I imagine....
Jeez I hate auto correct....
Add to that fact that there is a portion of the population duly invested in forceably keeping Americans asleep.
That incorrect words works though, for the win!
I liked Thin Red Line. It neither demonozes or lionizes the dirty Japs, and it stars the guy who played Jesus.
There are only two types of people in the world.
Those who put people into groups, and those that do not. Which group are you in?
I'm not worried about the Russian wolves, at least not in the short term. As long as they are going after rabid wolves, I'll cheer for the Russians.
The men of my family have been observing this for 4 generations that I can count.
Point 1: ...so we must acquiesce to the No. 1 state sponsor of Islamic terrorism in the world ...
Iran is not the 'No. 1 state sponsor of Islamic terrorism in the world.' If one wants to be accurate, then they should say they are the No. 1 state sponsor of Shia Islamic terrorism in the world. That is correct, but if you say 'Islam' then you must also look at Sunni Islamic terrorism (the Sunni branch of Islam has the highest number of adherents in the world, and the Sunni-Islam terrorist groups, such as Al Qaeda, Islamic State, Al Nusra, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, Abu Sayyaf, etc are the most numerous jihadi groups in the world).
Iran is not even in the top three global exporters of terrorism. Not even in the top three, and Iran as the 'world's largest exporter of terrorism' is a statement that is oft-repeated but always untrue.
Number one is Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is the fount of all Wahhabist/Salafist ideology that fuels Sunni-Islam terrorist groups ranging from Al Qaeda/Al Nusra/Taliban in the ME to Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines to Al Shabaab in Somalia to Boko Haram in West Africa to Islamic State in the ME and North Africa. The mosques built by the Kingdom are the reasons the 'kiddish' versions of Islam in Somalia and Afghanistan in the 70s morphed into what you see today.
Number two is Pakistan. Pakistan is a state supporter of terrorism, financing the various Sunni groups thay attack India. Additionally, Pakistan was one of two countries (the other being Saudi Arabia) thay formally recognized the Taliban regime. Additionally, the country is the LEAD exporter of nuclear technology through the AQ Khan network, and is directly responsible for the North Korean program. Nice work for an 'ally,' not to mention how Usama bin Laden hid out at kissing distance from their version of West Point.
Number three is Qatar. Qatar? Huh? Well, at the beginning of Islamic State, it is Qatar that funded and sustained them until they started being financially independent. Qatar is a smaller version of Saudi Arabia.
Then, after that, one can slot in Iran.
However, since Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Qatar are our 'allies,' Iran gets bumped up to the top. By the way I am not saying Iran is 'alright' ...they sponsor the likes of Hezbollah, and are anti-Israel. But they are not the 'No. 1 state sponsor of Islamic terrorism in the world.'
Point 2: ...And sadly, it appears that America, once the sheep dog, has joined with the sheep. ...
I am about to say something even more controversial than stating that Iran is not the 'No. 1 state sponsor of Islamic terrorism.' That America, under the leadership of Obama and Hillary, and with people like McCain being in the opposition (yet being similar to Obama than dissimilar), that America under the current administration is neither sheep nor sheepdog, but rather is the wolf. Look at the 'work' that Obama has wrought in Libya and Syria, and tried to do in Egypt, and tell me that is the work of 'good.' Look at how American freedoms have come under pressure from Obama. Look at how you can get your business shut down for refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple.
This is why the next election will be very important. A Reagan-esque leader must come to prevent America from becoming the evil empire.
There are sheep, there are sheepdogs, and there are wolves ....but sheep do become sheepdogs, wolves can become sheep, and sheepdogs can become wolves.
What's interesting is we may be looking at an era where most major states are either wolves or sheep. Just because the US is looking more and more wolf-like doesn't mean Russia is now a sheep dog ...not at all, it is still a wolf (and a rabid one at that). Europe is either sheep (e.g. the likes of Sweden and Germany) or wolves (the likes of the French and the British). Everyone else is a sheep.
The world is in need of a sheep dog, and until America elects a Reagan-esque president it is looking like for the past couple of years the US has had wolf-like tendencies.
There are only two kinds of people, those who think there are only two kinds of people and those who don’t.
I have to disagree, this country is not acting wolf like. Certain segments may be but by and large the majority are sheeple. I also don't see Russia as a sheep dog, they are still wolves I also see the same tendencies in both China and North Korea.
As for the likes of Russia ...I have no illusions about them. They are a wolf (and as stated, a rabid one).
producers, moochers, and looters </shrug>
American Sniper funeral at the end is hard to take....
Excellent article, except that I wish he had not used “Lion of Judah” to describe Netanyahu. I understand his point, but feel that applying one of the Messiah’s names to a non-believer is wrong.
Quibbling. I love Allen West.
I agree with point #2. I have to add that Western Cultures with Judeo-Christian principles have turned against God. Now we are seeing the consequence of that.
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