The war had been won but the financial system in ruins… the poorest put-upon rose up in arms and nearly tore things asunder. Iraq? No, that other failure, that of the Articles of Confederation put into place by the Revolutionaries in 1776 and lasted until 1787, when they were coming about because of the bad situation after the peace. The Shaysites and others who were seeing their lives taken from them by courts had nearly caused the United States to come apart.
Five years in Iraq? Going far better than five years after the peace treaty with the British and eleven years after the Articles that founded the US. Those Articles *failed* and yet the US *succeeded* on its second try. They only had to deal with 10% dead and 15% fled and an economy in ruins and huge war debt to France…
Iraq is far more secure than the United States was at a similar point in time and in better economic health. The US stayed a decade after the peace treaty with Japan to ensure they got this idea of democracy and not reverting to a military class rulership. In 1901 the US won a short war in the Philippines and yet would spend nearly a decade in the bloodiest, most brutal fighting imaginable with as many dead with a same force size as we have today and half of those due to tropical diseases. By 1915 we could hand it over to local government.
Five years? Take a look at the problems of the reconstruction era after the US Civil War and compare how well *that* went, or didn’t, to Iraq, today.
As to what I’ve done? Besides work for the DoD on the civilian side for 14 years? And volunteer for experimental medical tests, that are always wanting for volunteers for which the NIH goes wanting? And giving as much of my worldly goods to Vietnam veterans organizations to pass on or sell as they see fit? Buying wanted goods for the wounded at WRMC or supporting Soldiers Angels? Not that it is anyone’s business, of course… but if you ask then what have you done to support the Nation, the health of others and the well being of our soldiers coming back wounded from wars past and present?
I have little health or energy in left in my life. My horizons fixed very close to home due to illnesses. I support by doing this thing known as supporting: taking a low paying job in the civil service, volunteering for medical studies until my health went south, and giving as I can to those even less fortunate than I am.
That is the honorable thing to do for those who cannot fight, but support the Nation. Even C.O.s during WWII recognized that and did those things and still served their Nation even when not fighting.
And those are good things to do in war or peace, if you love your Nation and honor her citizen soldiers who fight for you. They volunteered for a job I cannot do and they get my honor, respect and support to get this job done so we never, ever have to go back and do it again. That would be an extremely good thing.
If that means teaching tens of millions in far off lands that the Tree of Liberty grows from the blood of tyrants and patriots, so be it. It is a damned hard lesson to learn, and an extremely easy one to forget, these centuries after our forefathers gave so much so that we may be free.
