I re-read Lincoln's Gettysburg address recently. I freely admit my admiration for Mr. Lincoln and I often quote him. It is interesting that his address was only one of five delivered that day and was the shortest. He was not even the main speaker. That honor went to scholar Edward Everett, considered the greatest orator of his time. He delivered the longest speech. It lasted two hours.



The President's remarks received polite applause but very few in attendance or those who read an account later in the newspapers had the least idea his short, concise speech would one day be considered the masterpiece it is while the other four speeches would soon be forgotten. As for Lincoln, he thought his address had been a failure and lamented so to an aide.




Consider the last part of the address in light of today's events in our nation:


----"that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation , under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and the government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Of, by, and for, the people. Hmm. I wonder what Mr. Lincoln would think of our government today? It's beginning to look more like government of, by, and for, the government.


Mr. Lincoln also had this to say: "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms it will be because we destroyed ourselves."





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From: Sun Tzu "Art of War"

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but do not know the enemy, for every victory you gain you will lose a battle."

"There is no instance of a country benefiting from prolonged warfare."

The day it was announced that the U.S. had invaded Iraq after 9/11, I said that it would prove to be a terrible mistake. I was put down as unpatriotic and out of touch with the realties of the dangers our country faced. I am no prophet but just from the history of Iraq with its hundreds of years of religious and tribal divisions, it should have been apparent to anyone that democracy and/or occupation by a foreign power were not going to be accepted. The Shiites and the Sunnis have been at odds ever since Muhammad died (about 632 AD) and will continue their division for hundreds of more years. The first rule of war is: Know your enemy. Apparently this sensible rule was either not considered or was brushed aside.


So far this gross error in judgment has cost 4327 American dead, 31,483 wounded, untold numbers of veterans returning home with psychological problems, families suffering from the loss of sons, daughters, husbands and wives and billions of dollars for which the public will never get a full accounting. Billions that could have been used at home and abroad for schools, food, infrastructure and hundreds of other worthwhile projects. Add the loss of stature for The U.S. around the world and the bill is staggering. That's some but not all on the debit side.

So, for the suffering and misery,waste and human loss what has been gained?


If you know of anything, please let me know. But, for my part, I can't see a single positive thing has been accomplished.


Afghanistan? More of the same. In addition, military power has been trumped by tenacity and terrain.

Again the first rule of war was ignored and so far the results prove it.

In 1919, after 3 Anglo-Afghan wars, Afghanistan won its independence from England. In one of those wars an entire British army group, except for one survivor, was slaughtered by the Afghans. Ask the Russians what it's like to fight in that country.

It may be politically naive of me to suggest it but I believe the U.S. should immediately withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan unless Mr. Obama can lay out in simple, honest terms exactly why it is absolutely necessary for our troops to remain. So far, in two administrations, we have been fed nothing but pap.



My security does not depend on wordly might. Zechariah 4:6: "Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty."