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And I disagree with Beck’s heart and I don’t like him trying to discourage our young men from serving in the military, not only does the nation need their service to keep from having to send our women folk, but the young men usually get one shot to serve in their life and if they get talked out of it, then they rarely get around to serving.

What is Beck’s military service, he graduated High School during the Reagan years.

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His nephew was going to reenlist. He has already served just as I did in the Army. I have all the respect in the world for those in uniform but I certainly understand why many are upset about the current mission, lack of decisive leadership, and rules of engagement in Afghanistan.

Many of my family and friends are currently deployed or were recently there and the news is discouraging.

1. You cannot build a nation from scratch in a generation. It’s even more difficult when the nation is dominated by muslim tribes that are decades behind western civilization. There was no “nation” to build there. No infrastructure, poor education, and geography make it more difficult. The Taliban and AQ chose it for a reason.

2. You can’t fight a war on one side of a border when the enemy is based on the other side. See Vietnam for the prime example.

3. You can’t fight a war with lawyers dictating tactical decisions and rules of engagement. It’s even worse when your own side is anxious to aggressively prosecute soldiers for anything that upsets the ruling elite.

4. You can’t build a nation when your native partners are corrupt and ineffective.

There are many more problems but those are the most significant ones IMO. I love our military but they are being asked to do the improbable in a conventional tactical environment under a microscope with strict rules.

Afghanistan was and will remain the perfect spec ops environment to bleed the enemy and deny him a safe haven but it’s not well suited to the same blueprint we used (with much difficulty) in Iraq. Our military exists to kill and destroy in our defense. Those who expect it to evolve into the “Peace Corps in BDU’s” are calling the shots.

I have a son and I want him to serve. However, I am glad that he is not yet old enough. Everyone develops their own opinions but I know many others who have served or currently serve that feel the same way.

Regardless, I am proud of my service and will continue to pray each and every day for those fine men and women who sacrifice so much to allow us to sit comfortably on our fourth points of contact and debate this.