[Rhodes22-list] Re: Commitment to war

[Philip Esteban]

     I, for one, appreciate your (Saroj's) sentiment.  To all you fellows
who saved our country after the Pearl Harbour attack (in whichever theatre
you fought), you have my undying gratitude.  It is you from the two World
Wars, Korea and Vietnam who inspired me to the military service from the
time I was 10.  Though I am a veteran of the Vietnam era, I was a US Marine
during that time (1972).  Later, while in college I served in the
Connecticut Army National Guard (responding to at least two major natural
disasters) and finally joined the Army active duty list after I was
commissioned in 1982.  When Mr. Clinton decided we didn't really need a
military in the mid '90's my career was cut short.  My 2002 Christmas
present from Uncle Sam were orders to active duty, where I have been ever
since.
    Though I did not compleatly agree with the President's decision (I could
expound on my reasons but it would be way too long an e-mail) to invade
Iraq, it was my duty to respond (I could have gotten out of it).  In fact,
Iraq did have weapons of mass destruction.  Mustard agent, VX (Nerve) agent
and the facilities to manufacture them are WMD.  Iraq had a history of using
these agents on innocents as well as enemies.  If Iran and North Korea have
nuclear capability, how long before Saddam obtained them?  Saddam also would
give any suicide bomber's family $25,000.00.  Iraq as a threat is a threat
to the world's oil supply.  A threat to the world's oil supply is a threat
to the US.  Iran is a threat only in as much as it will try to export its
brand of radical Islam.  Their constitution does not allow for territorial
expansion and except for disputed drilling rights in the Black Sea they have
no territorial designs on their neighbours.  Their design is to prevent the
insideous infiltration into Iran of "western" decadence (that would include
the introduction of Christianity).  Of course their repudiation of Israel
(mainly in solidarity with their "Palestinian Brothers") is another matter.
Africa is a tragedy, but, like Kosovo, it holds nothing in the US interest
and we should not sacrifice our children over it.
    A mullah in Saudi Arabia was exhoriating people to go "bomb the
infidels".  He said it was the duty of every good Muslim to become a suicide
bomber.  His son took him to heart and joined the terrorists and trained to
become a bomber.  When his father, the mullah found out, he petitioned the
Saudi royal family to have him arrested and put into protective custody.  It
seems what's sauce for the goose isn't necessarily sauce for the gander.
    By the way, I mentioned Palestinians.  60% of Palestinians are Muslim
(Leaving approximately 40% as Christian); 100% of the Palestinian suicide
bombers are Muslim.  My family fled the Middle East (they are Christian)
around the turn of the last century when our Muslim brothers under the
Ottoman Empire would come to each town in Lebanon and hang 40 Christian men
(14 to 60 years old).  My mother's family was slaughtered by Muslim
extemists once around the turn of the 19th to 20th century and again in the
1970 and 1980s (those who chose to stay or couldn't leave).


PHILIP A. ESTEBAN
LTC, MI
USAR (Mobilized)

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]On Behalf Of Saroj Gilbert
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 4:53 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Re: Commitment to war


My thanks and appreciation to all of you who served honorably for my sake
and that of every other citizen of the world.  I'm sorry for the hardships
that it caused both you and your families.  I wish it hadn't been necessary.

Saroj

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Quinn" <rjquinn at bellsouth.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Re: Commitment to war


> Wow!  Jumping on Stan's thread, from the news lately with the Army missing
> it "quota," the draft may not be too far away.  I, for one, did not agree
> when Nixon did away with it.  Too many of our citizens lose out on an
> opportunity to learn about life by not either serving in the armed forces
> or a suitable alternative for those so inclined.  With a draft (fairly
> administered as Stan states) all levels of our citizens serve thus
> assuring that when a commitment is made to engage, the general public
> stands by for an accounting.  Today when we lose people like Swartskof,
> Powell,  Franks and others to retirement, we lose the commitment that they
> made to assure that if we ever get involved again, we do no put
> limitations on winning (as Rummy points out).  These commitments were made
> by their experiences in Viet Nam.
>
> The frustration of us who served in Viet Nam lingers today.  When we saw
> opportunites to inflict damage to the enemies capabilities to wage actions
> against us and the ARVN, and were not permitted to engage, let me tell you
> there were many among us who were wondering if we were looking the wrong
> way.
>
> I spent the last three months of my twenty-nine year career in the Air
> Force servings with the US Navy on the Command and Control ship (USS
> LaSalle) in the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf, if you want to annoy all the
> Gulf countries).  Our rules of engagement for Desert Shield (escorting
> Kuwait tankers to protect them from the Iranian threat at that time) were
> pretty clear.  If threatened, fire.  Our French, English, and other
> country counterparts were right there beside us
>
> By the way it was a pleasure serving on the J2 Staff on a Navy ship.  I
> quickly realized that the American public has no idea as to the debt of
> gratitude that we owe to the young (and not so young) men and women who
> serve in the United States Navy and the Marines who serve with them.
> ((Think about four or five of you living on a R22 for three or four months
> with limited shore leave, if any.))
>
> Bob
> Lt Col, USAF (ret.)
> 1959 - 1989
>
> now serving in luxury on the "NoKaOi"
>

__________________________________________________
Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list