A Lack of COURAGE, A Loss of WILL
They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. … Ezekiel 7:14 (The Bible)
Courage is a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain with determination to persevere and overcome until victory is realized.
America’s LAST great General, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, was wont to say: “There is no substitute for victory.” Truer words were never spoken.
As I write, America is under nuclear threat from North Korea. Even if North Korea does not possess the missile power to send a nuclear tipped missile to the west coast of the US, it surely can strike Hawaii and numerous American bases closer to Korea than that.
Technically, the US is STILL at war with North Korea. All this time we have been living with only a “cease fire” agreement. Fighting could erupt at any moment.
The one man who could have ended it in the nineteen-fifties was Gen. MacArthur. President Truman fired him partly due to what Truman thought was insubordination — and — partly because Truman was afraid MacArthur would run against him as the republican candidate for President in the next election. Had MacArthur run — he would have won. (My opinion, of course.)
See, we were not in Korea to win! Korea was the first war under America’s new policy of “Limited War.” It was a UN sponsored war. It was referred to as a “police action.”
We did not win. At best, it has been a tie ever since. BUT — that war is not over.
And it would be thus even unto today. (at least to this writing.)
Vietnam — a loss.
Iraq — a loss.
Afghanistan — a loss.
You may protest, but I’m here to tell you that in warfare anything less than victory is a loss — period! Anything less than victory emboldens your enemies and insures a constant state of warfare will exist forever — unless and until the cowardly country (Let’s not kid ourselves. That’s what it is. Cowardice!) finds it’s long lost courage and begins to act (and react) as a powerful nation should and not as a weakling giant.
America’s Limited Warfare policy has been in place since the Bay of Pigs invasion. Oh, that little battle in southern Iraq and Kuwait was only a single battle, for all intents and purposes. And we didn’t even finish that one.
“Limited Warfare,” don’t you see?
We had to go back to Iraq.
One must surmise that the United States, with all its power, its unmatched power anywhere on the globe, is simply afraid to use that power. The US today reminds me of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of OZ story. Often we appear to others as a panicked elephant bellowing in fear and trying to escape the tiny little mouse scurrying across the floor near it.
Frankly, it is embarrassing.
And today we are further emasculating our military with downsizing, budget cuts, homosexuals serving openly, and the latest — women in combat roles. Our enemies are laughing the rear ends off at our stupidity! They cannot believe their good fortune.
I am reminded of the following piece of scripture: “And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass … “ Leviticus 26:19 (The Bible) America no longer has the WILL TO WIN. America no longer has the courage to engage an enemy in a life or death struggle and see it through to total victory.
Look. Modern Americans are not the men and women of courage, determination, and dedication to freedom and liberty that the men and women of the “greatest generation” were.
I often think that if America could afford it we would simply hire another country’s military to defend us … oh, say, the Israeli Defense Forces, perhaps.
Take a look at our military today… especially at the leaders of our military. They’re politician soldiers — parade ground generals — paper tigers. Even our Commander-in-Chief is unsure as to which end of a rifle the round is expelled, the muzzle or the butt. He has shown us many times that he is frightened by any rifle painted black. It appears he is much more interested in the creation of his own Praetorian Guard called the Department of Homeland Security.
The point is — our military is, for all intents and purposes, leaderless. We have a military today, which is an army of lions led by a sheep!
Today, as we are desperately trying to extract ourselves from Afghanistan, it is plain to see the “pride of our power” is so obviously broken. Our “will to win” simply does not exist. When President Obama announces his EXIT PLAN from Afghanistan before he sends troops into battle, one can little doubt total victory is playing any part, at all, in the US efforts, or lack thereof, in Afghanistan. In fact, little known to most Americans, the Obama Administration is actually holding “peace talks” with the Taliban — an act of pure desperation.
Let’s be clear: From Korea to Cuba to Vietnam to Iran to Lebanon to Somalia to Kosovo to Iraq to Afghanistan—all these wars were, and continue to be, unarguably AMERICAN DEFEATS. All of them were both political and military LOSSES.
Among those of us who actually follow current events from around the globe, rather than those ubiquitous “reality” shows on TV, there is much concern for the current security of the US. The next really BIG war is at our doorstep … and the US (her military AND her civilian population) is/are not prepared. Not even close.
There is more than ample reason to believe there will be combat on American shores. Are we prepared? NO! We can expect the slaughter of American civilians. Are we prepared? NO!
Are we prepared for mass evacuations of areas of the US deemed too toxic as the result of nuclear radiation? Of course — WE ARE NOT. Are we ready to fight with our backs against the wall? No, we are not.
Are Americans ready to fend for themselves, for food, water, shelter, safety, all without any government to truck in food, water, housing, and armed guards to protect us? NO! We are not!
But — it IS coming. And the outcome is far from clear, except to say the US has only about a 50-50 chance of surviving a war on our own shores TODAY.
Until America steps back and takes a long, hard, look at what it has become, and determines to reclaim its former stature, its former character, its former belief in its own exceptionalism, and most importantly, its “trust in God” America’s downward spiral will not only continue but can be expected to hasten in circularity and descendance.
Much of the evangelical Christian community in America can — and will — tell you that America is currently under a curse from God. I have come to believe, or as the experts say: “I have concluded” those bible thumpers may well be right! For any American willing to take the blinders off an actually consider the world we live in today, it becomes immediately obvious that something is massively WRONG.
IF America is indeed, under a curse from God, then yes, we can expect to be invaded, defeated, reduced to slaves!
There most certainly is a day of reckoning at hand.
“How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!” 2nd Samuel, Chapter 1, Verse 25. Comparing America of the 20th century to America of the 21st century, the previous bible quote is more than an apt description. It is spot on.
A nation that cannot defend itself cannot survive. A nation that does not have the will to defend itself most certainly will not survive. If, indeed, America has won it last war, then it seems clear that America’s future of defeat and enslavement is not just predictable, it is certain.
© J. D. Longstreet J. D. Longstreet is a conservative “Carolina Boy.” A Southern American (A native sandlapper (South Carolinian) and an adopted Tar Heel — A North Carolinian) with a deep passion for the history, heritage, and culture of the southern states of America. At the same time he is a deeply loyal American believing strongly in “America First.” J. D. Longstreet is a very proud direct descendent of several Confederate soldiers. He is a thirty-year veteran of the broadcasting business, as an “in the field” and “on-air” news reporter (contributing to radio, TV, and newspapers) and a conservative broadcast commentator. Longstreet is a veteran of the US Army and US Army Reserve. He is a member of the American Legion and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. A lifelong Christian, Longstreet subscribes to “old Lutheranism” to express and exercise his faith.
Longstreet’s Commentaries are posted at “INSIGHT on Freedom” at: and at “The Sentinel Factor” at: and “Target: Freedom” at: , and at: “Liberty2Express” at: and “Freedom Dossier” as well as many conservative sites across the World Wide Web.