Your Views
Homeland is where war won or lost
The war against terrorism is in the hands of the homeland. In World War II, day after day, year after year, our troops faced periods of harsh resistance that resulted in loss of life. In WWII, our troops never gave up the fight and would never give up the fight against terrorism, but would persist, utilizing varying tactics until the resistance is overcome. This is how a battlefield operates, and this is what our troops are sworn and trained to do.During WWII, the homeland was equally persistent, never giving up the fight. Since WWII, there were conflicts in which the "minds" of the homeland became the target. Despite our troops' brave and determined persistence at war abroad, our homeland lost the "battle of the minds," thus the war. Will the homeland measure up today?
We have to keep in mind that we are fighting World War III. There is no "going home" from here. We either fight the battle here, or we fight it at home, and before it's over, it'll probably be fought worldwide.
The terrorists learned well from Korea, Somalia, Beirut and Vietnam that it takes very little in weaponry and no need to physically occupy land as in WWII to win a war with the United States; just another war for the minds of the U.S. citizenry as in these past wars of recent history. The enemy is definitely employing this "war for the minds" tactic with success at this time; their psychological advance already becoming well entrenched in our U.S. citizenry's more vulnerable liberal minds.
Unlike WWII, the terrorist enemy war-room is not elaborate; only requiring the ability to communicate instructions to their "troops" to perform a terrorist act/demonstration/TV threat; and a CNN TV monitor to monitor damage assessment. From this assessment, they can gauge that which works best in manipulating the minds of the U.S. citizenry — not the troops. They know that our troops are a force that will defeat them if given the order, thus the enemy will avoid "major" confrontation with troops. The enemy also knows from the past that the U.S. citizenry is a proven lesser foe.
For our citizenry on the homeland to become a formidable foe, I'm thinking that we just may need to become closer to the conflict that our troops have held at bay from afar since 9/11; to "bring home" the fact that we are fighting a war of "survival" that will not remain afar and will not go away, whatever our wishes.
Sadly, to bring this fact home, it may take a series of 9/11 attacks on the homeland on a scale 1,000 times over.
As a member of the U.S. citizenry, I would gladly accept this onslaught — if it would prompt the understanding of our passive citizenry as to the dire nature and intention of the enemy and incite a resolve to defeat it before it will surely defeat us.
Fellow citizenry, the ball is in our court! — and this time, the "Exit" gate to the arena is welded shut.
Armond "Si" Simmons
Pell City 35128
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