releasing the dogs of war should not be something we do lightly. but if we do, we place our guys at risk, and our country's well being, by being hesitant. we need a decisive, measured response to this issue
William Tecumseh Sherman, just prior to the evacuation/sacking of Atlanta, had this to say in response to pleas for clemency on the city. he was replying to the city officials.
"You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, War is hell, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices to-day than any of you to secure peace. But you cannot have peace and a division of our country. If the United States submits to a division now, it will not stop, but will go on until we reap the fate of Mexico, which is eternal war [...] I want peace, and believe it can only be reached through union and war, and I will ever conduct war with a view to perfect and early success. But, my dear sirs, when peace does come, you may call on me for anything. Then will I share with you the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families against danger from every quarter."
Peace is not secured in war by weakness of hesitancy. Moral navel gazing will not matter a damn to those that mean us harm. Its no different today than it was 150 years ago. by all means apply moral judgement and caution to prevent the war in the first place, or to clean up the mess that war leaves in ints wake. once war is joined, though, take all necessary steps to secure your goals, and not worry about the rights and wrongs of the war. this is something the Hamas turkeys are learning the hard way as we speak.
Once the war is over, there will be time enough for judgement of behaviour to occur. i wish the Hague was stronger than it is, but that is the mechanism we have to bring criminals of war to justice. i am not advocating criminal behaviour, neither am i advocating excessive violence or overly brutal behaviour. I am advocating application of decisive and definite action to bring about the end of the war. That means decisive application of sanctions at this stage. also decisive and substantial support for the Ukrainians, in the form or training and money and equipment. Calls for restraint, or balaming the Russians is a waste of time. they are applying their solutions to work to their strengths, and achieve the outcomes they desire. We have the superior strength, but we are still losing, because we are being indecisive in the application of our strength.
