This Blog has always been, and will always be, a sounding board against terrorism, wherever it is, and whatever political party is speaking about it. The goal of the Blog is to educate the citizens of the United States about Terrorists, their goals, and unfortunately, their achievements. Being a Beirut Veteran, I feel that I have a unique perspective on terrorism.
When I gather with fellow veterans, the topic sometimes reverts to the conversation of, "What would have happened if we stayed in Beirut, and Reagan didn't pull us out?" The what ifs, and the whys, haunt some of us to this day, that is why I for one, cannot remain quiet about terrorism, and the Countries that support them. I also cannot remain quiet when I hear statements made by candidates, about terrorism, such as those made by U.S. Senator Barrack Obama ,
"Renewing American Diplomacy
(text taken from the Barrack Obama for President 2008 web site)
- The Problem: The United States is trapped by the Bush-Cheney approach to diplomacy that refuses to talk to leaders we don't like. Not talking doesn't make us look tough – it makes us look arrogant, it denies us opportunities to make progress, and it makes it harder for America to rally international support for our leadership. On challenges ranging from terrorism to disease, nuclear weapons to climate change, we cannot make progress unless we can draw on strong international support.
- Talk to our Foes and Friends: Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe. He will do the careful preparation necessary, but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is willing to lead. And if America is willing to come to the table, the world will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with challenges like terrorism, and Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs."
These statements taken from Senator Obama's Web Site, appear to be naive when coupled with the experience of terrorism since 1983. Talking to these terrorist states does exactly the opposite of what Senator Obama thinks will happen. When Hamas (Palestine) Hezbollah (Iran) and other Terrorist States admit their role in the murder of 241 of my Brother Marines,Sailors and Soldiers, then, and only then, we might have a dialog.
How can Senator Obama state that he will speak with Iran when currently, they have been found guilty of murdering my fellow servicemen? Iran has not complied with the judgment issued by the Courts and has thumbed it's nose at the Courts and the United States.
" Iran reacted to a federal court ruling today by scoffing at paying a $2.65 billion penalty for its alleged role in a 1983 bombing, the AP reports. "The American judge's ruling is baseless," a spokesman said of yesterday's decision. "This ruling against Iran is politically motivated." Iran also denies any involvement in the US Marine barracks attack in Beirut, which killed 241 service members. Iran hinted it may countersue; the spokesman said: "Americans have taken repeated measures contrary to legal principles." It also complains that the court's decision was "not legally defendable" because it was made "without listening to the other side's views." Iran ignored the suit for 6 years and refused to mount a defense." (associated press 2007)
By talking to these Muslim extremist states, the U.S will appear weak; this has been proven by history time and time again, staring with Neville Chamberlain's conference with Hitler.
It seems that we all should take a step back and realize that these extremist nations want to eliminate us. Recent statements such as Senator Obama's send a chill down my spine.....
"I would meet directly with Iranian leaders. I would meet directly with Syrian leaders. We would engage in a level of aggressive personal diplomacy in which a whole host of issues are on the table. ... Iran and Syria would start changing their behavior if they started seeing that they had some incentives to do so, but right now the only incentive that exists is our president suggesting that if you do what we tell you, we may not blow you up." ( NY Times )
Senator Clinton's statements during the Campaign, have also been a frightful image of what could be.....
"I would engage in negotiations with Iran, with no conditions, because we don't really understand how Iran works. We think we do, from the outside, but I think it is misleading. ... I would negotiate with them, no conditions, but with some sticks that we could use to try to get leverage to move them in the direction we want."
— In New Hampshire, Oct. 10, 2007
Senator Clinton thinks we don't know how Iran works, believe me Senator, we all know how Iran works, and have witnessed it's deadly actions up close and personal.
Senator McCain does fare better in his outlook, but not by much.......
"What I would be concentrating my efforts on is trying to get a league of democracies outside of the U.N., because Russia and China are going to veto just about anything we want to act effectively against Iran, and those league of democracies should cut off any kind of loans, which are being extended as we speak by European banks; diplomatic, other sanctions to put real pressure on a rather fragile economy in Iran. I think that's the way we should pursue this."
League of democracies Senator? I think this was tried after WWI and directly led to WWII. We can do better that that. Well, the good part is that Senator McCain has not said he will meet with Iran......... yet.
I can be accused of overreacting to Terrorism, I can be accused of being a paranoid Former Marine who will never forgive or forget the atrocities of the past, I can be called a narrow minded thinker whose only goal is to seek revenge against those purported enemies. I can be accused of all these things, but, the one true fact is that I will forgive, but I will not forget, and neither can my fellow Americans.
Thank you for listening..
We forget the 71 KIA's from sniper fire, only remember the blast. I still have nightmares about wiping Mike's blood and brains from my eyes. Don't forget those who died before the blast because Barrow was a fool. The rules of engagment killed us all.
ReplyDeleteroe? barrow? the roe came from the reagan administration no where else and i agree that, with the roe we had to work with, we were doomed from the start. it was a mission that the Marines never should have been given, i was not trained to keep peace, i was trained to kill the enemy. and then, after the blt bombing ronald reagan denied me that opportunity again. the opportunity to seek and exact vengeance on those who had killed my fellow Marines was quandered the day he decided to skulk back to america with his tail between his legs.
ReplyDeleteif talking to your enemies makes you soft then every one of our leaders has been soft including the current leader of america flip flopper gw bush, he was against talking to iran before he was for talking to iran.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtMHp_M41Bs
try to remember how the ussr eventually fell apart, along with our military buildup, negotiation was one of the key elements in the soviet unions collapse, if reagan had never talked with the soviets the berlin wall never would have come down and all the soviet satellites would still be under their thumb 20 years later. checkoslavakia, ukraine, georgia, romania, poland, east germany, latvia, belarus,lithuania et al. i am certain these countries and their people are very very glad that america did come to the table and talk with the soviets.
not talking to ones enemies is a surefire way to get the war you want but it will cost the lives of many many americans that otherwise may have been spared. refusing to talk to ones enemies only leads to paranoia, fear and ignorance all of which, taken together, only leads to more of the same and taken to the extreme will lead us into ww3, i guess only then will the radical right be happy.
thanks for letting me voice my opinion.