How do you rate this review ?

[ledhed]

Its interesting to see the difference in perspective successive generations take on , at one time , " current ".... events...for example " how will my granchildrens children think back on the US and Iraq...etc. ?

on that note I look at the current debates on WMD's, terrorism , suicide bombers , Jihadist etc.... and notice that quite a few think that they are a relitively new thing.. anyway I went looking for another in a series of articles from the past on just these subjects and found a gem trapped in all the bullpoop...

http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9505/reviews/desmond.html

There is in America deep resistance to direct assaults on human life, and this has spawned a movement that is gloriously single-minded in its commitment to "life issues." This kind of vigorous political participation, underlining a deep sense of personal responsibility, may prevent us from becoming a nation that no longer "trusts itself."

"It was the German people who willed the end; Hitler who willed the means," Paul Johnson observed in Modern Times. The Germans and the Japanese are right to reflect on the roots of wartime depravity, but the rest of the West can hardly take its own democratic traditions or moral foundations for granted.

http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9505/reviews/desmond.html

Just a teaser from the review of two very important books for both Americans and Europeans trying to Understand current attitudes towards both the US and their own countries....

All I can say is it need not be this way .

I ask that you read the linked article and also the books .

Its a start if you wish to open your eyes just a bit .

I think the review itself ...because of its conclusions...is a worthy topic in this day and age for discussion .

 

[YSSMAN]

Well, unfortunately the views of the next generations are going to be decided by those who for the most-part opposed the actions in Iraq. "Gen-X" as they so often call it are at the point at which most will be having children, if they didnt allready have them. I'm going to attempt a short answer here, forgive me if I ramble...

Unfortunately for the US, our view of war has been tainted by Vietnam. If it were not for that conflict, I doubt we would have such a great anti-war sentiment in everything that we do. Despite the fact that Korea seemed just as pointless, it was a well-supported war at the time because we were fighting against an enemy that we truely thought was evil.

That again, is another problem. With modern warfare in the post-Vietnam era, we no longer have a clearly defined enemy as we did with the Nazis/Japanese and the Communists. With people blowing themselves up over cartoons and the idea that their imaginary friends are better than ours is just crazy...

Once I am old enough to have children, I think that I will give them the proper tools to evaluate warfare. Although I still belive that Iraq was a just cause, my children may not. History has a good way of clearing up what happened in a pretty short period of time, an by 2015, we should have a good grasp of what went on in Iraq.

...But I think comparing it to a war like WWII is a bit unfair. The second world war was a struggle for the survival of freedom and democracy, much less retrobution or preventative tactics like Afghanistan and Iraq. It may sound strange, but WWII was a glorious war. It made heroes out of farmboys, Presidents out of generals and servicemen, and turned the tide of the world to a more US-centralized position. Millitary operations such as Operation Torch, and D-Day will forever be burned into our memories as those defining moments of what is so often refered to as "the greatest generation," who overcame the odds, and deafeated evil far beyond anything that the world had seen before.

By comparison, Iraq is a small skirmish in the scale of WWII. If history expands on the issue, I think that we may see the view of the war in a negitive light change slightly. But then again, Vietnam is still viewed as a very ugly war. But let me make it clear, Iraq is not a modern Vietnam...

Give it more time, let history work its course, and let President Bush get out of office, and we might see a change in the way that Iraq will be viewed. Not only by our children, but by ourselves as well.

 

[ledhed]

But here ya go ..we have our " collective" guilt over Vietnam ..at least from " my generation " forward..That war as much as anything divided the country and was the end of the so called " just " war period for the US . We were no longer seen as the guys with the white hats comming to the rescue..now note that I have a different view personally of the Vietnam conflict..this is a disscussion of our society as a whole .
Europe still carries the scars of WW2 and they run DEEP ..Germany especially. Americans need to realise why any thought of ANY war is not well reguarded in Europe .
Japan has amnesia..seemingly...but the rest of Asia Noticably China and Korea seems to remember very well .
Speaking of amnesia..why does it often seem that some think history started when they were born ?
Again ..Chemical / biological warfare and terrorism ...beeen around for a thousand years...
Smallpox blankets anyone ?
Japan intended to attack the US with germ warfare ...what happens if they succeeded ?
Would Hiroshima be a national holiday in the US ?

I think if you want to understand todays climate and todays reality and todays attitudes you must search the past .

and I only mention Iraq because its the war we have now....not much as wars go but its brought about its share of wailing and moaning...the question is ..for some .." why cant they see..blah blah blah..why I am right and support me "
Well I contend there is no simple answer for it..and it may even be way beyond expectations to ask an average European to support ANY war ...in any place at any time by anyone .

The Brits are different they are all nuts like US...J/K ..

 

[YSSMAN]

I often wonder why we Americans, the Brits, and the Australians get along so well... I think I could come to the similar conclusion that we are all nuts, but I think it is a little deeper than that.

And whats the deal with Canada? I was reading the other day that they have extended their comitment to Iraq by another two years, or something like that, but it really didnt recieve any press here. Thats too bad, as now that the Canadian government has gone through their big change (I still dont understand what happened there), it appears as though they are on "our side" once again...

 

[ledhed]

Someone once told me that Canadians are nothing but Americans with better manners ...It could have been my cousin from Toronto..I am not sure..