Another war?

One of the dividends that the world reaped from World War II was a strong, militarily capable United States. Wars and skirmishes and assorted uprisings that occurred after World War II notwithstanding, the strength of the United States has saved more humans from the ravages of war than any force in history.

Thus my first instinct is to support the recent action in Libya. But this time I’m not so sure. Since World War II, we have not again won a truly decisive military victory. Each time we engage in a supposed hurry in, hurry out military excursion, we wind up in an expensive stalemate and we deplete some of the strength that has kept the world safe.

In the case of the current action in Libya, the pudding has no theme and that bothers me. Each time we fail to truly finish the job, we encourage the next bad actor. We can no longer afford military engagements that end in a draw. We can no longer afford to play “Whack-A-Mole.” A decisive, overwhelming victory in the greater Middle East would cost hundreds of billions of dollars and many thousands of lives.

It would likely be worth it.

But until we are willing to count the true cost and pay it, I’m beginning to believe we’re better served to just stay out until such time as going truly all in is the only remaining option.

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Paul Gleiser

Paul L. Gleiser is president of ATW Media, LLC, licensee of radio stations KTBB 97.5 FM/AM600, 92.1 The TEAM FM in Tyler-Longview, Texas.

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4 Responses

  1. Brad Evans says:

    Well said, Paul as usual. I would have thought we learned our lesson in ‘Nam. You can fight a war with restrictions, but you can’t win it. Limiting the “rules of engagement” is absurd. If you commit to war, use anything and everything available to “win” in the shortest possible time.

  2. Tom says:

    Once again you are correct. WWII was in fact our last true victory. We certainly should support any effort, any where in the world of liberty…….if the effected people truly want it—-the key is, how do we know! Thugs are okay I suppose, for some.

    The most recent action in Libya, in my opinion, is yet another case of a politician sticking his nose where it is likely to be bloodied, along with major cost to these united states. I say pick your battles and win them or stay the hell out. I have tired of these actions that are ill planned and poorly executed. If we believe an action is warranted, then let’s think it through, give the military a mission and then get out of the way.

  3. Linda E. Montrose says:

    With this person we have in the Whitehouse, it is in our best interests to stay OUT! obama has done his best to neuter our Military, so we do not need to put our loved ones in a mess we have no way of straightening out. We have no way of knowing WHY this man we have in the Whitehouse is doing what he is doing, which is scary to begin with and we certainly don’t know where he is heading with it! Since he has done what he did against our Constitution, I would certainly want to know the WHY’S and WHEREFORE’S of his actions before we get mired in something we are going to regret! I definitely have a very BAD feeling concerning the actions of this man in the Whitehouse concerning Libya.

  4. Marti says:

    I fully agree. Obama doesn’t care about our military and doesn’t grasp it’s ture purpose. There have been so many versions about what our purpose is for messing with Libya, one needs a spreadsheet to keep it all straight. I have a very close relative going over there to help with monitering the no-fly zone. we are not happy about his involvement, but it is his job.
    We are concerned this is only for some supposed political gain at home.

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