Very well said, rfreedom4u, and I agree with you. Veterans like Andy Rooney earned the right to their own opinions, and I respect his. War is not always wrong, but it should always be the last resort. America has lately been sheltered from war’s greatest horrors by current technological advantages, and that has made us more inclined to enter every potential fight. But others have not been shielded from those horrors and reality will turn that tide against us one day. Sometimes we need to hear the unpopular voices to remind us of the costs.
I agree that war should be a last resort. But once started it should be prosecuted to the fullest so that it ends quickly in victory. Using restraint only sends a signal of weakness to our enemies which they will use against us. Collateral damage should be avoided but not at all costs.
A civilian populace that supports war (through active or passive means) against us should feel the pain of war in order to make them oppose warring against us in the future. Let them know that they are responsible for the leaders they have (whether elected or not). If the hardships of war are too much for the civil population to bear, then they need to change their leadership through whatever means necessary.