SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Thought of the day for Sunday March 8th, 2026... There Will Be Blood..

                   Blood, or more precisely the shedding of blood is a consequence of war, the side that sheds the least amount of blood is considered the victor, but in war are the really any winners? If you ask the veterans who returned home after several deployments to places like Iraq and Afghanistan if they feel like winners their responses may surprise you. There is of course the sense of relief that comes with making it home when so many of your comrades in arms would not be so fortunate. After being back on US soil the real trauma of war begins to set in, the sights, the sounds, daily grind of warfare takes a toll, those who have never served, or those who have no understanding of what it is like to put your life in the hands of another man or woman, to feel the weight of having their life in your hands can never relate. They make audacious pronouncements like former President George W. Bush when he said "Bring Em On", referring to Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. It is so easy to make those statements when you are thousands of miles away from the front, you have round the clock protection. 

                   There is an old adage "War Is Hell", but actually the real hell comes with the realization that all of the death and destruction is not for a noble, or righteous cause, but for profit, power and the control of dwindling resources. The American People rallied around the Bush administration in 2001 after the collapse of the Twin Towers, many of our youth joined the military to defend the nation against further attacks, to seek revenge for our fallen fellow Americans, who died horrific deaths, trapped inside a burning skyscraper. More than twenty years later the mood of the country has shifted dramatically, most wanted to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan, have little interest in foreign conflicts. That is one of the issues that candidate Trump railed about, how foolish it was to put Americans in harm's way when there is no clear threat to the country, when the staggering costs of war drain the economy of vital resources that can go to address problems at home. Trump promised that would not happen under his leadership, that he would put America, Americans first, how he would rebuild the US economy by restoring manufacturing base. He talked of how he would drive down costs, end out of control inflation. He said America would return to prosperity, to a time when life in America made sense, when one salary could provide for the family, mom if she chose could stay at home to care for the children. It was an idyllic dream that has now transformed into a nightmare. 

                       Since making those solemn promises to the American People Trump has done an about face, American bombs have fallen in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the capture of a democratically elected President in Venezuela and now a war in Iran. This war like the previous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have some sad similarities, such as no clear objective, nor a time table as to when it will end. The President told the Press Corps that "It should be over within 4-5 weeks, but how can he make that determination? Decades ago there was another war, in another foreign nation, a war in which many did not understand our reasoning for being there. When the General in charge William Westmoreland was asked about a timetable for ending the war he said "With an additional 200,000 men he could bring the war to a close in two years". General Westmoreland was a West Point trained military commander with years of practical experience, yet he could not accurately predict, or understand the resolve of the Vietnamese People, their intense drive to be free of French colonialism. It would appear that 60 years later we have again underestimated the will of an adversary. What is clear is that the Iranian People are not backing down, they are apparently prepared for a long conflict that the American People have no stomach for. While there is a minority that will always support Trump no matter what, the vast majority of Americans are not at all happy with Trump's decision to attack Tehran. They, like I have a long list of questions as to justification for war, like why now when Iran agreed in principle to most US demands. Like who is the greatest beneficiary of the war, the American People, or Israel? And of course when will it end? President Trump has no military experience, he avoided the Vietnam Conflict by receiving deferments for bone spurs, how can he give us a realistic time table for when this war will end? For someone who just weeks ago called for a" Board of Peace", there has been one hostile act after another, so is the goal Peace, or is it more like a realigning of the map of the Middle East, the re-establishment of European colonialism ? This war like the many before it is not going to end any time soon, it took twenty years to gain control of Iraq and Afghanistan, they are less than a third of the size of Iran. Iran has a population approaching 90 million, they do not trust the US, or the Western Allies and their lopsided policies that cater to Israel at the expense of the vast majority of Muslims in the region. For those who already complaining about the rising cost of gasoline, get ready because prices will continue to climb, as will any number of commodities as the costs of shipping will be passed to the consumer. As a final thought with Iran blockading the Strait of Hormuz, other nations being denied access to oil the conflict has the potential to widen. These are dangerous times and unless the American People will rise up and take control, the blood shed will increase dramatically there will be no clear winners or losers.

WRITTEN BY MR. R. YATES