9/11: A Perspective, Seven Years Later
By Harris R. Sherline
September 8, 2008
Page 2 of 2
Agreement on the meaning of the term, "giving aid and comfort to the enemy:" Supporting our enemies during times of war has always been considered treasonous. We went astray during the Vietnam War, as exemplified by the Chicago Seven and the likes of Jane Fonda. But, during WWII there was no doubt what the term meant. Today, there don't seem to be any limitations on the behavior of American citizens or the media, including releasing classified information to the public.
Wars are messy: For all the strategic and tactical planning that goes on during wars, the fact is that both sides are constantly maneuvering to gain the advantage, and their moves are constantly changing. Dwight Eisenhower, the Commander of Allied Forces in Europe said, "In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
Recognizing that wars often last for many years: Many Americans are already showing signs of fatigue in the process of what promises to be a fight that could last for a generation. We've been in Iraq for five years and people have grown weary of it. But, the Brits didn't pull their troops out of Northern Ireland for almost 40 years of fighting with Irish terrorists. Many Americans appear to have the mistaken impression that wars are waged in the time span of a T.V. show or a movie, but the reality is that they may last for decades.
America has not been placed on a "war-time" footing: In general, we don't seem to be deprived of anything because we are at war. For many Americans, there has been little or no direct consequence affecting their personal lifestyles, careers, education or other aspect of their lives: no significant shortages, no rationing, no military draft. Indirectly, of course, everyone has been affected by massive government spending to finance the effort. And, although our individual freedoms have been curtailed somewhat by the Patriot Act, it doesn't appear to be unreasonably limiting them. There are those, of course, such as the ACLU, who argue otherwise, but I don't believe it's possible for us to protect ourselves adequately without also limiting our rights to some degree. Unlimited freedoms are simply not possible in wartime.
As we approached the 6th Anniversary of 9/11, Cal Thomas wrote in Townhall.com, "'Why didn't we see 9/11 coming' was a question frequently asked in the aftermath of that terrorist attack. And the answer should be, because we forgot the attacks preceding that one, or brushed them off as inconsequential aberrations so we could get back to watching the stock market go up and obsess about Bill Clinton's pants coming down. By not remembering those earlier attacks, the reasons behind them and the intentions of the terrorists and those who trained and incited them, we put ourselves in further jeopardy... Not to remember 9/11, is to forget what brought it about. That can lead to a lowering of our guard and a false sense of security..."
That's what concerns me as I contemplate another anniversary of 9/11, that the attack has not become a battle cry, like "Remember Pearl Harbor," exhorting Americans to never forget that we are at war, that we must not only remain vigilant but that we must respond directly to the threat of Islamofacists everywhere, at home and abroad, or we risk becoming just another footnote to history.
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NOTE: Read more of Harris Sherline's commentaries on his blog at "opinionfest.com.
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA. >> Back -- Page 1 2
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