War Poems - Modern Version
I get all sorts of e-mails from around the world due to my web site. One I got from Raymond Lifchez was looking for more info on the US deaths from the current war in Iraq. He is frmo U of Berkley. They are putting on a war demonstartion (for lack of a better descriotiion) at "3pm, Sunday, November 20, at the Morrison Library, UCB we will hold "Poems Against War: A Second Reading". The first reading was March 13 and was v. well attended--200 people--25 faculty, staff, students, and local poet-luminaries read. A reception followed. I put it together out of dismay--that since the Pres. election, there is no activity at Berkeley. A strange quite, for this place--Perhaps you will come down for it.SincerelyRay"
Thought I will not attend I did write back to him.
Hi,
Though fairly close by, only 12 hour easy drive one way, I doubt if we can make it out of Oregon till next June.
Are you going to webcast it?
Would be interesting to watch it that way.
Personally, I think the war was / is good in getting rid of Saddam Hussein and sending a big visible message (Afghanistan just too remote, ask the British who were there for 150 years), but President Bush is / has lousy military / political people in charge. Not one every studied history - even 1990s era - let alone WW II on how to win on the battlefield and THEN ensure that there are troops in every town to garrison, control, organize and rebuild immediately afterwards. Not even enough troops to guard supply lines. Basic middle ages tactics.
We did that throughout WW II from North Africa to Germany.
I've tramped though enough of Europe, US military and civilian cemeteries (plus talked to a whole lot who served) to know what a cost it is, but sometimes you still have to do what is unpopular but right. This administration is very bad at articulating (almost as bad a Jimmy Carter who initially started the build-up of military that Reagan got all the credit for) the political reasons (not the WMD garbage, that is just spin doctors) that Hussein thumbed his nose at the UN mandates and ignored them. Much like what Hitler did in Czech in 38 with Munich accords and the World did nothing after he went in there. This time, Bush made a stand but used false reasons (more understandable to the mass public who cannot see issues of ignoring UN resolutions and laws that can be ignored at will to go to war) to sell the war.
Only law abiding people obey laws. If there is no consequence to ignoring them, people - and nations - will. Hitler paved the way from 1935 to 1939 in showing how to get away with breaking the treaties, till he went too far so we got WW II.
If We had done nothing after Kuwait, then China would go for Taiwan since it would show we were not willing to shed our blood for anyone. And every nation who wants to annex a neighbor would also - no consequence for doing so.
yes, the domino theory, but it also works. That is why there is the USA - one state being controlled by the continentals and militia allowed the neighbor states to join in also till the whole place was controlled by the "rebels."
Sincerely,
Tom
Thought I will not attend I did write back to him.
Hi,
Though fairly close by, only 12 hour easy drive one way, I doubt if we can make it out of Oregon till next June.
Are you going to webcast it?
Would be interesting to watch it that way.
Personally, I think the war was / is good in getting rid of Saddam Hussein and sending a big visible message (Afghanistan just too remote, ask the British who were there for 150 years), but President Bush is / has lousy military / political people in charge. Not one every studied history - even 1990s era - let alone WW II on how to win on the battlefield and THEN ensure that there are troops in every town to garrison, control, organize and rebuild immediately afterwards. Not even enough troops to guard supply lines. Basic middle ages tactics.
We did that throughout WW II from North Africa to Germany.
I've tramped though enough of Europe, US military and civilian cemeteries (plus talked to a whole lot who served) to know what a cost it is, but sometimes you still have to do what is unpopular but right. This administration is very bad at articulating (almost as bad a Jimmy Carter who initially started the build-up of military that Reagan got all the credit for) the political reasons (not the WMD garbage, that is just spin doctors) that Hussein thumbed his nose at the UN mandates and ignored them. Much like what Hitler did in Czech in 38 with Munich accords and the World did nothing after he went in there. This time, Bush made a stand but used false reasons (more understandable to the mass public who cannot see issues of ignoring UN resolutions and laws that can be ignored at will to go to war) to sell the war.
Only law abiding people obey laws. If there is no consequence to ignoring them, people - and nations - will. Hitler paved the way from 1935 to 1939 in showing how to get away with breaking the treaties, till he went too far so we got WW II.
If We had done nothing after Kuwait, then China would go for Taiwan since it would show we were not willing to shed our blood for anyone. And every nation who wants to annex a neighbor would also - no consequence for doing so.
yes, the domino theory, but it also works. That is why there is the USA - one state being controlled by the continentals and militia allowed the neighbor states to join in also till the whole place was controlled by the "rebels."
Sincerely,
Tom
posted by Tom Philo at 9:23 AM
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