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‘These are the times that try men’s souls’
The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat ^ | 18 February 2007 | Pedro O. Vega

Posted on 02/18/2007 6:49:58 AM PST by Teófilo

By Pedro O. Vega

As published today in the Johnstown Tribune Democrat

The situation in which we find ourselves in Iraq because of the war on terror defies my attempts at originality to describe.

I find myself in need of laying hold of aphorisms and clichés said by the truly Great Ones, and some not-so-great.

The first one that comes to mind is from Thomas Paine, an American Founding Father, written in 1776. It’s one I used in a previous column, one I keep returning too because of its sheer wisdom: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

A movement is afoot in Congress to remove funding from military stabilization operations in Iraq. The nonbinding resolution designed to disagree with the president’s military “surge” currently being debated in the House and Senate represents the first step in that direction.

The resolution is mute when it comes to offering an alternate plan ensuring victory and protecting our national interest in the region.

“Summer soldiers” and “sunshine patriots” are intent on prolonging the war on terror for two more generations by hastening a unilateral retreat from Baghdad without giving current operations a chance to work.

Emboldened politicians and pundits now behave as generals, claiming to be masters of the retrograde fighting maneuver and the pursuit of peace.

Another saying comes to mind, this one by that great Pennsylvanian, Benjamin Franklin: “There never was a good war, or a bad peace.”

Not knowing the original context of Franklin’s declaration, I am left to deal with its meaning at face value.

I agree with him that all wars are bad, but it goes without saying that some are worse than others. On occasion, there’s such a thing as a “bad peace” if this “peace” becomes a cover for defeat, humiliation and eventual surrender to the will of the enemy.

Franklin’s actions in the field of diplomacy belied his own assertion. Once converted to the patriot’s cause, Franklin ensured that the nascent United States had enough weapons to win the war. His diplomatic skills doubled the size of the country at the end of the revolution, at the expense of the British.

If aversion to war and love of peace ever moved Franklin to appease the British, he never showed it.

Thomas Friedman is credited for coining the “Pottery Barn rule” of foreign policy. That is: “You break it, you own it.”

This is what Colin Powell, retired Army general and then secretary of state, told President Bush before the start of the war in Iraq.

Events are about to disprove the logic of this common-sense assertion. We went into Iraq and broke the status quo there, and now our armchair generals want us to retreat without fulfilling our responsibilities, despite an already dreadful investment in American lives and treasure.

We want to walk away; we don’t want to own the situation. But the fact is that we do.

Neville Chamberlain returned from the Munich Conference in 1938, waving a piece of paper signed by Adolf Hitler and saying, “My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British prime minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time.”

Winston Churchill wryly replied, “You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war.”

Many Chamberlains run around today in the guise of politicians and pundits, waving papers and declaring “peace for our time.”

Their views might even prevail and become both law and accepted wisdom. But by choosing peace over dishonor, they will ensure the coming of even more war.

Sadly, summer soldiers, sunshine patriots and enlightened pundits alone are not going to bear the bitter consequences of failure in Iraq. They will befall all of us, our children and our children’s children.

One more aphorism is in order. George Santayana once said: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

As we get ready to abandon Iraq, we’re about to relearn this lesson in spades. Truly, these are the times that try men’s souls.


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: chamberlain; churchill; corruption; cutandrunls; fourblogs; iraqbackstabbers; johnmurtha; johnpmurtha; lbackstabbers; losertarians; murtha; myblog; pimping; pimpingfourblogs; pimpinmyblog; pimpinmyblogs
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To: smoothsailing
incessant meandering navel-gazing gibberish

My, aren't we all creative tonight? LOL!

81 posted on 02/18/2007 11:28:49 PM PST by Just A Nobody (I - LOVE - my attitude problem! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: Just A Nobody
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

82 posted on 02/18/2007 11:33:39 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: Just A Nobody
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

83 posted on 02/18/2007 11:45:15 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: Just A Nobody
G'Night,Darlin'! ;-)
84 posted on 02/18/2007 11:46:21 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing

THIS is a KEEPER!!!


85 posted on 02/18/2007 11:46:50 PM PST by Just A Nobody (I - LOVE - my attitude problem! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: smoothsailing

Sleep well dear smooth! ;*)


86 posted on 02/18/2007 11:47:18 PM PST by Just A Nobody (I - LOVE - my attitude problem! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: potlatch; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; MeekOneGOP; Grampa Dave; Alamo-Girl; Interesting Times



87 posted on 02/18/2007 11:50:59 PM PST by devolve ( ........upload images free & fast at tinypic.com or Photobucket or Imagecave)
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To: Teófilo; george76; smoothsailing; freema
Yikes! I let this one slip by.....

Yes, I wrote that piece.

You've got guts!

88 posted on 02/18/2007 11:51:44 PM PST by Just A Nobody (I - LOVE - my attitude problem! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: metalurgist; 1stbn27; 2111USMC; 2nd Bn, 11th Mar; 68 grunt; A.A. Cunningham; ASOC; ...

BUMP


89 posted on 02/19/2007 2:21:46 AM PST by freema (Marine FRiend, 1stCuz2xRemoved, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: freema

One of the many reasons I left PA and came to TX.


February 16, 2007
To Our Troops We Must Remain Always Faithful
By Rep. Sam Johnson


(Note: The following is the text of remarks delivered by Rep. Johnson on the floor of the House of Representatives today.)


You know, I flew 62 combat missions in the Korean War and 25 missions in the Vietnam War before being shot down.


I had the privilege of serving in the United States Air Force for 29 years, attending the prestigious National War College, and commanding two air bases, among other things.


I mention these stories because I view the debate on the floor not just as a U.S. Congressman elected to serve the good people of the Third District in Texas, but also through the lens of a life-long fighter pilot, student of war, a combat warrior, a leader of men, and a Prisoner of War.


Ironically, this week marks the anniversary that I started a new life - and my freedom from prison in Hanoi.


I spent nearly seven years as a Prisoner of War in Vietnam, more than half of that time in solitary confinement. I flew out of Hanoi on February 12, 1973 with other long-held Prisoners of War - weighing just 140 pounds. And tomorrow - 34 years ago, I had my homecoming to Texas - a truly unspeakable blessing of freedom.


While in solitary confinement, my captors kept me in leg stocks, like the pilgrims... for 72 days....


As you can imagine, they had to carry me out of the stocks because I couldn't walk. The following day, they put me in leg irons... for 2 ½ years. That's when you have a tight metal cuff around each ankle - with a foot-long bar connecting the legs.


I still have little feeling in my right arm and my right hand... and my body has never been the same since my nearly 2,500 days of captivity.


But I will never let my physical wounds hold me back.


Instead, I try to see the silver lining. I say that because in some way ... I'm living a dream...a hope I had for the future. "From April 16, 1966 to February 12, 1973 - I prayed that I would return home to the loving embrace of my wife, Shirley, and my three kids, Bob, Gini, and Beverly...


And my fellow POWs and I clung to the hope of when - not if - we returned home.


We would spend hours tapping on the adjoining cement walls about what we would do when we got home to America.


We pledged to quit griping about the way the government was running the war in Vietnam and do something about it... We decided that we would run for office and try to make America a better place for all.


So - little did I know back in my rat-infested 3 x 8 dark and filthy cell that 34 years after my departure from Hell on Earth... I would spend the anniversary of my release pleading for a House panel to back my measure to support and fully fund the troops in harm's way....and that just days later I would be on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives surrounded by distinguished veterans urging Congress to support our troops to the hilt.


We POWs were still in Vietnam when Washington cut the funding for Vietnam. I know what it does to morale and mission success. Words can not fully describe the horrendous damage of the anti-American efforts against the war back home to the guys on the ground.


Our captors would blare nasty recordings over the loud speaker of Americans protesting back home...tales of Americans spitting on Vietnam veterans when they came home... and worse.


We must never, ever let that happen again.


The pain inflicted by your country's indifference is tenfold that inflicted by your ruthless captors.


Our troops - and their families - want, need and deserve the full support of the country - and the Congress. Moms and dads watching the news need to know that the Congress will not leave their sons and daughters in harm's way without support.


Since the President announced his new plan for Iraq last month, there has been steady progress. He changed the rules of engagement and removed political protections.


There are reports we wounded the number two of Al Qaeda and killed his deputy. Yes, Al Qaeda operates in Iraq. It's alleged that top radical jihadist Al-Sadr has fled Iraq - maybe to Iran. And Iraq's closed its borders with Iran and Syria. The President changed course and offered a new plan ...we are making progress. We must seize the opportunity to move forward, not stifle future success.


Debating non-binding resolutions aimed at earning political points only destroys morale, stymies success, and emboldens the enemy.


The grim reality is that this House measure is the first step to cutting funding of the troops...Just ask John Murtha about his 'slow-bleed' plan that hamstrings our troops in harm's way.


Now it's time to stand up for my friends who did not make it home - and those who fought and died in Iraq - so I can keep my promise that when we got home we would quit griping about the war and do something positive about it...and we must not allow this Congress to leave these troops like the Congress left us.


Today, let my body serve as a brutal reminder that we must not repeat the mistakes of the past... instead learn from them.


We must not cut funding for our troops. We must stick by them. We must support them all the way...To our troops we must remain...always faithful.


90 posted on 02/19/2007 3:09:02 AM PST by cannonball
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To: Chances Are; BlackElk; Finalapproach29er; ExTexasRedhead
Admittedly, Hitler would have remained blase and invaded the Sudetenland anyway. But Britain would have given notice, and maybe have given Hitler a moment's pause.

And that would be very bad. If Hitler were given a pause, he would be more cautious.

For example, he would not have attacked Soviet Union in 1941, before finishing his job with England and before giving his help to Japan.

91 posted on 02/19/2007 5:24:59 AM PST by A. Pole (G. K. Chesterton: "If [men] were not created equal [by God], they were certainly evolved unequal.")
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To: cannonball

Good move, cannonball.


92 posted on 02/19/2007 7:04:47 AM PST by La Enchiladita (Hunter/Poe 2008 "Once again, our government is on the wrong side of the border war")
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Comment #93 Removed by Moderator

To: devolve

Thanks for the ping!


94 posted on 02/19/2007 8:16:26 AM PST by Alamo-Girl
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To: A. Pole
Winston Churchill wryly replied, "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war."

How true....we may retreat and find a period of false peace....but we will return to the region in the future....only than, the war will be more far reaching....and bloody....

If the Dem's win the day, my children and my nation lose...

May God be with us....
95 posted on 02/19/2007 8:25:17 AM PST by PigRigger (Donate to http://www.AdoptAPlatoon.org - The Troops have our front covered, let's guard their backs!)
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To: smoothsailing; Just A Nobody
Thanks.

 

“Semper I” is an old Marine Corps term applied to those selfish careerists who place their own success ahead of their men and the well-being of the Corps.

Congressman John Murtha is a living example of that disgraceful term.

96 posted on 02/19/2007 8:36:20 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: Teófilo

As you said, you voted your opinions.

I hope that we've got the luxury of two whole years before the bill comes due for them.

And that you can manage such Olympian detachment if you happen to wind up paying your own way for a change.


97 posted on 02/19/2007 8:43:55 AM PST by Unrepentant VN Vet (Sierra squared, Delta squared)
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To: Just A Nobody
Put me on the 'hope to attend' list. I'll be driving back from my granddaughter and son and daughter-in-law's birthday week. After that 1000 miles of driving, a turn around to drive to DC will be pushing it, but the cause is worthy. Jane Fonda's seditious treachery must be opposed by the common folk. Let's roll!
98 posted on 02/19/2007 8:53:01 AM PST by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: potlatch; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; MeekOneGOP; Grampa Dave; dixiechick2000
-


aka Juan Hernandez


-

99 posted on 02/19/2007 9:16:36 AM PST by devolve ( ........upload images free & fast at tinypic.com or Photobucket or Imagecave)
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To: Just A Nobody; Marine_Uncle

" Sadly many that voted for him probably still do not have a clue as what he represents and is up to. "


by Marine_Uncle


100 posted on 02/19/2007 9:47:31 AM PST by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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