[IbJensen]

On first reflection my observation as to why we seem to win battles and lose wars has a lot to do with an internal domestic enemy – the so-called mainstream media and its soulmate, the Democratic Party.

Something happened between 1945 and 1965, roughly. An infection of sorts. Can you imagine a Walter Kronkite, reporting in excruciating and morale destroying detail the horrendous casualties from Omaha Beach. And a 1944 version of Harry Reid standing on the floor of the Senate, declaring that the war was lost? I think not, mainly because of the abundance of lampposts and rope that would have cooled the ardor of both.

What we have lost is not the physical ability to win, but the will to win. And that will has been sapped out of us, deliberately, by a media culture obsessed with undermining and loathing everything patriotic, joined by a political party that seeks advantage in exploiting the doubt that this loathing creates.

I once took an oath to defend the Constituion, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. To be honest, I wondered about that last word, domestic (enemy). I was a young man and while motivated by patriotism, I wasn’t very aware of the import of that word. Weren’t we all Americans? Was it referring to a Benedict Arnold type, of whose treason I was only half aware? And how many of them could there be? I didn’t give it much thought but went on and did my duty standing watch, one of many, guarding against the menace from Communism and the East. All the while, true domestic enemies were inflitrating our institutions, quietly and subversively, chipping away at and corroding our self confidence and values to the point where we have now arrived, largely unable to define what it is that we stand for. And clearly, if you find difficulty in defining yourself, then you will have greater difficulty in defining where you want to go, what your goals are. In strategic military and geopolitical matters, doubly so.

I don’t know how we regain the values that made us great but I do know the first step comes this November. And it must truly be just a first step, followed by many more. Because it took years – generations actually – to bring us to this point and the infection runs deep. Only history will tell if it was mortal.

America has a large Third Column in America that must be dealt with. Further, I believe American troops must be summoned home as quickly as possible. We have a nation to protect..........it's ours!

[Carriage Hill]

Let the US Military fight on their terms - kill people and break things - and keep the corrupt, criminal politicians and media out of it. They and the fifth column of civilian traitors, IMO, should be stood against a wall and shot! I know, I know; it’d never happen. But that’s the answer. IMHO.

(And no, I don’t have any military experience. Just a lot of family, friends and customers who were “there” since 1943.)

[Sudetenland]

We are NOT unable to win a war, it is that we are unwilling to win a war. The American people (at least far too many of them) have become so fat and stupid that they are swayed by the lies of the left and lack the will to do what is necessary to complete the mission.

Unlike in WWII, we no longer are willing to sacrifice and we are not willing to be as ruthless and fully committed.

Not all of us, but enough so that our "leaders" and politicians have lost all backbone . . . as VDH says, the enemy within.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

The military has been achieving it’s goals for a long time. The question is not if we can win the wars, we do. Its if our long term strategic objectives are met. The article rightly points out, we won the Vietnam war. We signed a peace treaty in January 1973 with the North. After that, our Congress cut the funding to support South Vietnam from under their feet. The North re-invades in 1974 and we did not support them. The long term strategic objectives had changed after the military won the war.

Another piece of the equation is if we have good partners to achieve these long term strategic interests. In a place like South Korea where there is a stable democracy the answer is yes. In a place like Afghanistan where you have a semblance of democracy but the reality is not so pretty, the answer is I don’t think so. Without partners, we can’t achieve these objectives, but that’s no slight on the military because that is not their job.

[montanajoe]

We won on the ground in Vietnam but lost the political war in Paris.

As far as Iraq and Afghanistan these are just fronts in the current WOT. Again we win on the ground but politically not so much.

The folks that think we can just go home are sadly deluded. We are in a 100 year war at least. We have been under attack since before 9-11. We will defeat radical Islam or radical Islam will defeat us. There is no middle ground, our enemies understand this but the majority of Americans do not.

[varon]

America has a large Third Column in America that must be dealt with.

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

I once took an oath to defend the Constituion, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

To be honest, I wondered about that last word, domestic (enemy). I was a young man and while motivated by patriotism, I wasn’t very aware of the import of that word. Weren’t we all Americans? Was it referring to a Benedict Arnold type, of whose treason I was only half aware? And how many of them could there be? I didn’t give it much thought but went on and did my duty standing watch, one of many, guarding against the menace from Communism and the East.

All the while, true domestic enemies were inflitrating our institutions, quietly and subversively, chipping away at and corroding our self confidence and values to the point where we have now arrived, largely unable to define what it is that we stand for.

And clearly, if you find difficulty in defining yourself, then you will have greater difficulty in defining where you want to go, what your goals are. In strategic military and geopolitical matters, doubly so.

I don’t know how we regain the values that made us great but I do know the first step comes this November. And it must truly be just a first step, followed by many more. Because it took years – generations actually – to bring us to this point and the infection runs deep. Only history will tell if it was mortal

BRAVO, Amen, and Kudos!

I am not going to disparage (or question) diogenese and others here who are BLINDED by their HATRED of Mitt and Mormons as to whether or not they ever served.

I did and when I took the "Oath" it was FOREVER and not only for the 8 years I served.

Therefore, though I am as concerned with Abortion, Gay Marriage and other "Social Issues," which seem to consume some Freepers and drives them to proclaim they will "STAND ON PRINCIPLES," I worry (OK "FEAR") that if we continue down this path and allow the FASCIST, ISLAMIC-JIHADIST/MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD-SUPPORTER/APPEASER, NEO-COMMIE, Dear Leader to be reelected, we may never recover from the harm he WILL visit upon our Great Democracy.

STAY HOME IF YOU WILL!

VOTE FOR GOODE or someone else, if you so desire.

But remember, y'all have to live with your conscience and I pray that I (and others) are wrong and simply worry-warts and "Chicken Littles," and Barack Hussein Obama (if he has 4 more years) will not succeed in Destroying the USA.

No fouls, no hits, no errors.

BUT, IF you who are trying to suggest Mittens is 10 times worst than O'Bummer and by staying home or voting for someone else (WHO STANDS LITLE CHANCE OF GETTING MORE THAN GETTING .01% of the vote) and he is reelected and what we predict comes to past.....

.....well, I hope you are all ready, willing and able to join the "Fray" (in whatever form that ends up taking) cuz it will get ugly and do not think for one minute I (and others) will refrain (out of "principles") to remind you that you were warned....!!!

All it takes for .....

.....EVIL....

..... to triumph is for good men to do nothing.......!"