Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   Reflections on the Belgium attacks Date:   3/22/2016 3:52:01 PM

The esteemed authority - former Gen McCaffery - says that the problem with Europe is that they have no borders.  The Muslims immigrate there with no intention of assimilating and they are angry, disinfranchised and unscreened, leaving Europe vulnerable.  Donald Trump is right - we need to stop immigration until we figure out who the refugees are and how are we controlling them. 

Donald Trump is also right about how we are engaging this enemy.  In WWII, we attacked and bombed population centers, and brought them to their knees.  We won that war.  We haven't won one since, because we send our military to fight, and then tie their hands with politically correct policies.  Now someone will say, "well the Generals say Donald Trump is wrong".  I've spent some time working for and observing Generals.  They like being Generals, and speaking out is not good for your career.  IMO, we have raised a few generations of military officers who are not leaders.  In the Army, there is a saying "cooperate and graduate", emphaisis on cooperate.  They saw what happened to McCrystal when he voice an opinion.  The military is now as politically correct as the rest of our society.  When I have been to military classes, some General will always speak and say "don't be afraid to be the one to stand up and point out a mistake".  And everyone smiles and knows what happens to those who do.  Read Sun Tsu. Go on-line and find one of the videos of ISIS beheading Westerners.  You'll say, "I don't want to see that", but it is really important that you do.  So you can understand exactly who we are dealing with.  You may be tempted to say "we're the U.S., the guys in the white hats, who set the standard for fair and moral behavior", but I would submit to you that once you watch the video, and see ISIS set the severed head on the body's chest, you may change your mind. 

People say that there are law against targeting innocents, and to that I say, laws can be changed, laws can be suspended when the ocassion calls for it. 

And then there is the case of torture. Once you look at that video, tell me how you feel.  If you are like me, you'll won't give a darn if those people are tortured.  Do we believe that if we don't torture, then our enemy will say "oh well, since they don't do it, we shoudn't do it either"?  Heck no.  They think we are weak.  We talk about bringing them to justice and they laugh at us.  They are ready to die for their cause, so we appear weak while we dither over civil court vs. military boards and do civil laws apply or are they subject to the USMJ?  And if we detain them, then what?  Send them to prison without a trial?  I think Donald Trump is right - why do we care what happens to these people?  They are the enemy.  Instead we worry if the rest of the world thinks we "nice" and just."  We're living in an unjust world.  The world has changed.  If we are the guys in the white hats, we are also the guys in the black hats when it suits our purpose. 

I'll end with one final thought that I saw on FB today:

In WWII, 18 year olds took the beach knowing that death was almost certain. 

In 2016:  18 year olds need a safe place, because words hurt and they need a place to go where no one will hurt their feelings.