Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in CT
"those parents who were not allowed to ransom their loved ones who then had their heads chopped off, had to witness the joy of Bergdahl's parents. "
Yep. An awful situation. I would not know what to say to those parents. I guess a soldier volunteering to go over there and fight, maybe deserves a bit more committment from the US, than someone who goes ovr there as a news reporter? But what about people who go over there for humanitarian reasons? I guess we should tell those people, that there are plenty o fplaces where they can help others, without being surrounded be people who want to cut your head off.
Other than sincere condolences, there is not much that can be said to those parents. But what should not be said, or demonstrated, is public self-congratulation for trading really bad guys who may again be a threat to more American lives for a doubtfully loyal person, and giving him the unwarranted praise of serving with distinction, soldier or not . . . and joyfully displaying the happy as peaches and cream parents of that . . . person. That was a blatantly self aggrandizing promotion on Obama's part. And an unnecessary, inconsiderate salt in the wound of other not so lucky, or not preferred, parents.
If it had to be done, it also should have been done in consultation with Congress, and no grand public display should have been made of it.
I don't think I like th eidea of telling servicemen that we won't negotiate for their release. But how do you explain not letting citizens pay ransom for their kidnapped loved ones?
All the more reason not to make a selfish display of it. Who has been made the hero in this transaction? Bergdhal? His parents? Obama.
Make gaudy displays for those who deserve praise for some accomplishment, not for congratulating yourself.
If we kill every single one of them, it becomes a non-issue.
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I'm not totally averse to that. And neither was Jefferson, in response to the Barbary Pirates problem. Though it was not actually his quote, Jefferson was in favor of the "millions for defense, not one cent for tribute." And he believed that "the medium of war was the only way to put an end to the Muslim problem" as stated in an article in the U.S. veteran Dispatch by T. Semply.
The world is supposedly too different today to be able to adhere to that view. But I don't think human nature has changed, and fundamentalist Islamic world view doesn't seem to have changed much either. It seems to be on the move again after being hunkered down in a weak, defensive mode for a century or two. It has been increasingly gaining strength and on the offense in these latter years. One faction seems to be on a gradual expansion with a mix of offensive moves where weakness is confronted, and demographic means (conquest by birth rate) sprinkled with deception in the midst of stronger opponents.
The other faction, not interested in demographic expansion as much as in force, wants modern power and weaponry to conquer.
Hey, Maybe Obama is a military genius and sees that the easier foe to beat is the one prone to war. So he may be aligning us to it so that it can defeat the other almost unstoppable expansion by demography faction. After that, we can crush the would be nuclear power folks. But if that were the strategy, we should be spending the Jeffersonian billions for defense instead of weakening our military.
That's all wild, improbable conjecture mixed with sarc and inability to penetrate the intentions of the most transparent administration in history. Either the brewing Middle East mess is a result of his maniacal genius, or he is just a maniac, or just a clown.
I still prefer maintaining overwhelming military strength both in manpow . . . oops, in person power (or using the new Swedish neutral pronoun "hen"power )and advanced weaponry and technology. And that we simply go Roman on those who would do us harm. Not the conquest part, just the destruction. And have commerce, and share aid, with those who befriend us. And, if necessary, as you sugest, kill every single one of those who would destroy us.