THE TRUTH ABOUT WAR

The New York Post ^ | 2/6/05 | Ralph Peters

[ricoshea]

February 6, 2005 -- IN San Diego on Tuesday, I had the privilege of sitting beside Lt.-Gen. Jim Mattis, a Marine who knows how to fight. We were on a panel discussing future war. And Gen. Mattis, a Marine to the marrow of his bones, spoke honestly about the thrill of combat. Mattis has commanded at every level. In Desert Storm, he led a battalion. In Afghanistan and then in Iraq, he led with inspiration and courage. Everyone on our panel had opinions about war, but that no-nonsense Marine knew more about it than the rest of us combined. In the course of a blunt discussion of how our military has to prepare for future fights, the general spoke with a frankness that won the hearts of the uniformed members of the audience. Instead of trotting out politically correct clichés, Mattis told the truth: "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil . . . it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." The language wasn't elegant. But we don't need prissy military leaders. We need generals who talk straight and shoot straight, men who inspire.

[RAY]

Right on!!!

[leadpenny]

Bump!

[lainde]

Super analysis by Raph as usual!

[RAY]

Well, Marines and soldiers don't serve full careers because they hate their jobs. In peace or war, the military experience is incredibly rich and rewarding. And sometimes dangerous. Goes with the territory. But for most of the young infantrymen in Iraq, their combat experience will remain the highpoint of their lives. Nothing afterward will be as intense or exciting. And they will never make closer friends than they did in their rifle squad.

People who tempt fate, with their lives, seem to experience the ultimate high, war it seems to many such folks is the ultimate high -- but in the mean time they also are faced with the every day grind, including the dirt and grime between dangerous encounters with the enemy.

These "rough men" and women who serve, also do so for you and me, they are to be admired and we should support and thank them everyday. We also must not forget their families they leave behind and sometimes never return.

[IronJack]

Those who are criticizing Gen. Mattis live in a fairy-tale world where bad men don't exist and primal urges are all sublimated into weaving flower garlands for your hair. Back in the real world, it is just human to take pleasure in the destruction of those who hate you, and to delight in the moans of your enemies.

I would hate to have a Marine division commander who is good at weaving flower garlands, and who agonized over the destruction of the enemy. Which is why liberals must never be allowed to run the military. By the way, the American public recently rejected just such a person as commander-in-chief.

[R. Scott]

Well, Marines and soldiers don't serve full careers because they hate their jobs.

And we sure didn’t stay in for the money.
My timing was off. I only had one war with two tours. When Grenada came along we were on standby – just in case the Rangers didn’t complete their mission of securing the port facilities. With one exception every soldier (men and women) in my company came up to me and asked to put on the advance party list. The one exception was a worthless 2nd Lieutenant who only desire (openly admitted) was to get kicked out before he had served the required time to pay for his ROTC.
We trained for war. That is our job.

[RAY]

Thanks for your service - and according to your Bio, it continues. You stated the below:

The one exception was a worthless 2nd Lieutenant who only desire (openly admitted) was to get kicked out before he had served the required time to pay for his ROTC.

Every population has its share of such people as your above 2nd Lieutenant! Thank God for the good ones!

For myself, I was a little young for Korea and past my commitment when Vietnam became really active. I don't regret not going, but a number of friends who stayed in the service did go to Vietnam and several were wounded, thank God none of my buddies lost their lives. Most went on successfully with their lives.

However, one (HS Classmate) became a Brigadier General, served in many other post in different parts of the world, and retired with many good and some sad memories. He is proud of his service but anguished to this day about such as a training death in his command.

Incidentally, his service did take a toll on his family life - another cost of service.

[JOE43270]

"it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." The language wasn't elegant. But we don't need prissy military leaders. We need generals who talk straight and shoot straight, men who inspire." I'm with the General. He will lead from the FRONT and bring his Marines home. God Bless them all.

[XXXXX88XXXXX]

We've come to a sad state when a Marine who has risked his life repeatedly to keep our country safe can't speak his mind, while any professor who wants to blame America for 9/11 is defended by legions of free-speech advocates.

Exactly so. Thanks for saying it, Ralph.

[R. Scott]

Every population has its share of such people as your above 2nd Lieutenant! Thank God for the good ones!

I also had the pleasure of serving with a very fine 2nd Lieutenant at the same time, and he was a West Pointer. His father had stars, and gave his son a good piece of advice – find a good Sargent and let him train you. Far too many officers come out of the academies, OCS or ROTC and think because they have a yellow bar they are experts. The smart ones know it ain’t so.

[Stultis]

Those who are criticizing Gen. Mattis live in a fairy-tale world where bad men don't exist and primal urges are all sublimated into weaving flower garlands for your hair.

While eating salad nicoise with dolphin-safe tuna...

[SmithL]

Bravo Zulu, Ralph!