Friday, February 4, 2005
[1789 - George Washington is elected first President of US]
[1902 - Charles Lindbergh, aviator, born in Detroit, Michigan]
[1928 - Hendrik A. Lorentz, Nobel physicist, dies at 74]
[1941 - USO chartered to provide recreation to armed forces]
[1945 - The Yalta Conference commences]
Leave Him Be
There is something wrong with a nation that recruits, trains, equips, and deploys the most effective killing machine the world has ever known, and then pretends that it doesn't know what it does for a living. U.S. Marine Corps Lt. General James Mattis apparently caused quite a stir with some candid remarks made in San Diego this week. What he reportedly said was:
"Actually it's quite fun to fight 'em, you know. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling,"Fortunately, the senior Marine Corps brass closed ranks behind General Mattis. Thank goodness we still have a Marine Corps that understands that its job is to kill people. While the political leadership and the civilians here at home like to talk in politically correct and sanitary terms about the business of war, the people who fight it understand that in order to complete their mission they are going to have to spill some blood, preferably that of the enemy. Recall the late George C. Scott and his magnificent portrayal of Patton in the movie of the same name. It opens with a spellbinding speech in which General Patton tells troops who are about to go into battle:
"no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."Amen.
If I were going to set foot in hostile territory where a portion of the population was prepared to sacrifice its life in order to kill me, I would hope to have someone like General Mattis in command, a Marine Corps Recon unit somewhere out in front, and a large number of leathernecks all around. If you are offended by what General Mattis had to say, take whoever you like to the dance, but I bet I know who's coming back alive.
William's Whimsical Words:
In any profession there are those individuals who are just putting in time, and another group that clearly loves its work.
to Almanack Main Page
BACK to Winter 2004 - 2005
