Doomed by history?
Around 60 years ago we were at war with Japan and Germany. It took a lot of effort, a lot of lives, but we stuck it out and won.
Fifty some-odd years ago we were at war in Korea, aiding South Korea in maintaining freedom as China was trying to help North Korea turn all of Korea into another Communist nation. It took a lot of effort, a lot of lives, but we stuck it out and won.
Forty or so years ago we were at war in Vietnam, trying to aid the South Vietnamese in maintaining freedom as China and Russia were trying got help North Vietnam turn all of Vietnam into another Communist nation. It took a lot of effort, a lot of lives, but then, on the very threshold of victory, Liberal Democrats and Liberals in the Media were finally able to badger the government into abandoning the war and South Vietnam fell.
Three nations we freed. One nation we cowardly turned our backs on.
WWII veterans and Koreans veterans were able to come home from the battle, worn, weary, saddened by the loss of their buddies, but thanked for a job well done. They were heroes.
Vietnam veterans came home worn and weary, saddened by the loss of their buddies and then were spat on by cowards and idiots. In spite of their heroism, they were treated by many as criminals, and often felt that way because they knew that by ending the war, all their sacrifice had been completely in vain.
Vietnam remains a Communist dictatorship. With an average income of just over $3,000 a year, the Vietnamese people suffer from economic depression as well as the tyrannical rule of Communist totalitarianism. In the 80s it became known that most Vietnamese existed on so little food that they were unable to work. The Vietnamese government addressed the problem by ensuring such news could no longer be available to outside countries.
Meanwhile per capita income in South Korea is $24,500, in Japan $33,100, in Germany $31,900.
Because the three nations enjoy economic and political freedom they thrive and contribute to the global economy. We are able to export goods to those nations and their people are free do work, earn and purchase. In 2006 South Korea imported $36.49 billion worth of goods from the United States, Japan imported $66.56 billion from the US and Germany $60.48 billion. Vietnam? $88 million.
When WWII ended we faced a Germany in economic ruins, ravaged by a diabolical cult-like mentality that had rationalized the horrors of the holocaust, and continued violence from the remaining Nazis, bent of getting the allies out of Germany. Their violence continued for years, but we remained steadfast, and we can see how Germany is today.'
Japanese society in the mid 1940s was dominated by a religious belief that suicide on behalf of Japan meant returning in the next life as a higher being. But in spite of that we were able to convince the Japanese people that peace was a better option.
The voices of those who want us to abandon Iraq, just as we abandoned Vietnam are rising. The Elite Media, just as they did 40 years ago are crying for retreat. They won't be concerned about the suffering caused by such a retreat, and certainly won't report it, just as they have failed to report the suffering in Vietnam over the past 40 years. But one big difference here is that unlike Vietnam, the enemy in Iraq has the resource and the motivation to attack us, and unless we defeat them there, we will face them here. Sixty years ago defeating the Nazis meant we wouldn't have to face them on US soil, because we most certainly would have, had we not defeated them in Europe. The Japanese had already shown their willingness to attack us on our own soil, as have the Al Queda.
So which history will we repeat, the victories of the 40s and 50s or the defeat of the 60s? Because we will repeat one of them.
Posted by Danny Carlton at August 25, 2008 3:48 PM