By Chris Freind
“Samuel chose to be a soldier, and soldiers die. Sent to be slaughtered by the men in the government … I have seen nothing in (government’s) behavior that would persuade me that it has gained either in wisdom, common sense, or humanity.”
— Col William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins) in “Legends Of The Fall”
These words are as applicable today as they were in the film’s time period of 100 years ago. And nowhere more than America’s suicidal foreign policy in the Middle East.
What was once unthinkable has now become imperative: Parents whose children are thinking about joining the military need to impart full knowledge of what can be expected. And no, we’re not talking about the rigors of boot camp, the toll of military life on families, or even the obvious dangers of traditional warfare.
Instead, it’s the extremely high likelihood that they will be engaged in the Middle East. And specifically, what will happen should they be captured by ISIS or al-Qaeda.
What exactly awaits them should they be forced to eject or, more likely, captured while fighting in a boots-on-the-ground situation? A fate worse than death. Literally. Just ask the Jordanian fighter pilot who was captured. But you can’t, because he’s no longer here. ISIS saw to that.
He drew the short straw, where beheading with a short, dull knife was far too humane. Instead, he was placed in a cage and kept like an animal for his captors’ enjoyment. When they had their fill of torture and interrogation, they doused him with gasoline. Then, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh watched as ISIS ignited the fuel, knowing he was seconds away from an excruciating death.
Most Americans can’t bring themselves to watch the video. But they should. Repeatedly. And then they should think about what will happen when an American serviceman winds up in a similar position. ISIS got worldwide publicity from the Jordanian pilot’s death, but an American? That would up the stakes a thousand-fold. And since people are becoming desensitized to beheadings, and burnings will become passé, look for ISIS to up the ante — at an American’s expense.
War is hell, but the butchers in the Middle East take it to another level. But while barbaric, ISIS is also extremely calculating. They know that both political parties in Washington will respond to their atrocities with more calls for military action, gullibly taking the bait in the naïve belief that, “this time,” increasing our presence in places we are universally despised will miraculously change how we are viewed.
We are again being drawn into a battle where achieving “success” is impossible because it has yet to be defined. And because our arrogance has blinded us, our fighting men and women will be used as pawns in the politicians’ war — one that simply cannot be won.
When will enough blood and treasure be expended for us to realize what we need to do? Consider:
1. Has it dawned on anyone that this latest episode of Middle East terror has been brought to us, directly and indirectly, by the very people to whom we have sworn allegiance by prostrating ourselves at the altar of Islamic Crude?
Petroleum and natural gas are the most valuable substances on Earth, and the lack of either would collapse our economy. Yet, despite having the world’s largest reserves of both, America continues to ignore much of that godsend (recent drilling efforts are a start, but nowhere near enough). Instead, we make the conscious choice to rely on, and pay top dollar to, some of the very same people with whom we are at odds.
It’s time to stop the greatest transfer of wealth in human history — foreign aid and trillions of American petro dollars to the Middle East — and keep that money at home.
2. Can we all please just admit what is absolute fact? We are only involved in these firestorms because of our dependence on Middle Eastern oil barons to keep the crude spigots open. And since the flow of petroleum must be unimpeded, we are forced to maintain large diplomatic and military presences in that region, making us viewed as occupiers, and swelling Islamic resentment toward America.
If we drilled on a wider-scale basis (and no, cheap gas prices do not equate to energy independence), we wouldn’t be bent over the Middle East oil barrel, and therefore, wouldn’t be there. The truth, which no one admits, is that we wouldn’t give a damn about those countries or their people if we didn’t need their oil. Evidence? Where was America when millions were massacred in the 1994 Rwandan genocide? Not in Rwanda, because Rwanda has no oil. Ditto for most conflicts around the globe.
3. America has engaged in armed conflict in no less than 10 Muslim countries in the last 15 years. Until America’s reliance on Middle Eastern oil is eliminated, more Americans will die in foreign lands “protecting” oil interests, albeit under the false monikers of “freedom” and “democracy.” Those deaths are solely because America refuses to drill more, and that is inexcusable.
4. If the U.S. and its European allies hadn’t deposed Moammar Gadhafi and Saddam Hussein, and screwed up the works in Assad’s Syria, ISIS and other fundamentalist groups would never have gained a foothold. Secular strongmen are the only ones capable of maintaining regional stability. That may be tough for some to stomach, but it’s reality. So let’s stop trying to “democratize” the Islamic world. It’s not our job, and it won’t happen.
5. Muslim factions continue to be at odds with each other. Always have been, always will be. Let’s capitalize on that. The U.S. should pull out every last serviceman from the battle zones, bolster its carrier battle groups, and pound people and targets from afar with drones and missiles, keeping pilots out of harm’s way. (It’s only a matter of time before an advanced Chinese- or Russian-made missile takes out one of our planes. At that point, the pilot will have to seriously consider taking himself out before being captured, since ISIS doesn’t subscribe to the Geneva conventions.)
America should fight ISIS and al-Qaeda to the end, but only via our Muslim allies, as we provide them all the logistics, intelligence, training and weapons they need. Their boots need to be on the ground — not ours.
6. As a gesture of goodwill, we should hand over all our ISIS prisoners. To Jordan.
7. It’s time other nations step up, especially those truly reliant on Middle Eastern oil, such as China, Japan and India. America has done the heavy lifting for far too long.
Here at home, it’s time for a civil discussion, free of sound bites and personal attacks, about how to make exploring, drilling, fracking, and the transportation of oil safer and environmentally sound. We can and must work together on these issues because there is no rational alternative.
Otherwise, we will share the same remorse as Col. Ludlow, as he said, “Today, our sons are leaving home to defend a (land) they have never seen.”
Very well said..!!!
Meanwhile in Baghdad:
Nightclubs have proliferated, liquor stores dot the streets, and families pile into cars every evening to eat at one of the many new restaurants or stroll in the glitzy new mall. A glittering riverboat plies the Tigris River every night, serving dinner on one deck and coffee on another. A pink neon palace called the Barbie Clinic pampers women with beauty treatments late into the evening.
For those who can’t afford such venues, there are impromptu parties along the bridges and banks of the Tigris, where young men gather with cans of beer to talk, socialize and, after the drink has taken effect, dance in the streets.
I would not be so quick to call our sacrifice in blood and treasure over the last 13 and a half years a waste or even unwise. ISIS now seems to be on the ropes and will be taken out if we show just a little bit of guts.
With that said, though, you are right in that fracking means peace.
We are only involved in these firestorms because of our dependence on Middle Eastern oil barons to keep the crude spigots
I have to disagree. We not involved in the Middle East only because of oil. We are there because we support Israel, as we must, and even if we weren’t involved, Jihadists would still want to kill us, because we do not believe as they do.
I do concede that money derived from oil sales helps support them. But even if the world were able to find other sources and abstain from buying Arab oil, the Jihadis would not go away. They have to be killed.