I really dislike the author’s thesis, but I’m having a hard time arguing against it. I had friends die in Iraq. I myself was nearly killed a couple of times. What did they die for, exactly? We killed a bunch of them over there instead of having to do it here, I guess, but there’s plenty more where that came from and the nation we were supposed to be helping is steadily descending into chaos. Afghanistan is easily as bad. What was the point?
We did our job as best we could, but, in the end, is that enough?
It is the same point as the Vets made in Korea, Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The military wins the battles and the ball-less politicians can't stand up to civilian pressure, and cave in.
I'm so sick of hearing "the American people are tired of war".
That means all the people that have never served, have no immediate family that served and only knew that the son of their lawn man is in Iraq or Iran {they get so confused}, are sick and tired of hearing about "our boys" being killed and really don't want to look at pictures of the wounded warriors.
The last warrior President was Harry S. Truman, when he nuked the Japs and saved hundreds of thousands of American lives and probably a million or more Japs.
Even Reagan caved to the Saudi mooslimbs when they killed the Marines in Beirut.
GWB started out OK but should have just given the Afgannys a 30 day warning to turn over osama bin laden or we nuke'en. Screw boots on the ground, and if civilians get toasted, check the Twin Towers for justification.
His disagreement with Luttrell is political. His thesis that Marcus’ team members died in vain is based solely on his view of the validity of the war in Afghanistan from a political viewpoint. But Luttrell does not agree with him. He thinks the war in Afghanistan was righteous though the tactics and ROE are wanting and the liberals in the MSM cause unnecessary American kia and wia by pressuring weak Generals to prosecute warriors for conducting war.
The Seal team mission was to kill or capture a jihadi causing or likely to cause marine deaths in that AO. Luttrell and his teammates believed that was a righteous mission. Luttrell was the sole survivior. DO you think his team members think that they died in vain to assure Luttrell’s survival? I don’t.
You guys did exceptional work in the Mideast and I regret that I was too damn old to get back in uniform and help out but life goes on. What you did was necessary and proper and the value of your service is not diminished by the weaklings leading you with insane ROE and preoccupation with stupidity like Abu Graib.
The Middle East jihadist boil needed lancing before it exploded and you and your brothers in arms did just that. God bless you and thank you all.
You did your job. This country, especially our politicians did not have your back. For some reason politicians cannot seem to equate that foreign policy and rules of engagement have anything to do with results. Thank you for your service.
In my opinion we should never go to war unless we are willing to go all out and win. None of this political correctness, don’t shoot until they shoot, none of that. If we have to go to war, go fight to win, and come home.