YTYTYTYTYTY's Journal: What a former Grunt wonders

A fellow Viet Nam Veteran friend of mine writes: -- -- Being a dumbie sure is a handicap. I tend to think in the much simpler terms of a combat grunt. For instance I feel one of the major problems throughout American History is the inability of the American public to understand "war". The fact that we are now "at war" is a good example. How can we be at war without being directly attacked by Iraq? How can we be at war without the requisite Declaration of War from Congress? How can we be at war when only a small group of our citizens are suffering the effects [think here of the consequences in the entire Middle East of a STRINGENT policy of gasoline rationing in the U.S. because we are "at war"]. How can we be at war when we have no clear idea of who the enemy is? Remember the Japanese were basically blind and built planes out of fabric and paper? Remember the Vietnamese who wore rubber sandals cut from tires and were being forced to fight for Russian and Chinese masters? Another of my great loves is the "War on Drugs". Only war where collaborators with the enemy [i.e. purchasers of illicit drugs] are not hanged or shot as traitors but are given access to federally funded treatment programs to help them with their unfortunate situation. Another area I have problems with is the concept of "POWER". Mao Zedong was incorrect when he stated that power comes from the end of a gun. The true power is the idea the presence of the gun conjures up in the mind of the affected. Which has more power - an AK 47 loaded with 7.62 x 39 mm ammo or a sharpened entrenching tool? I [and probably a few others] know the correct answer but how about the rest of you? How about our "leaders"? Which is more powerful - sending 150000 troops to a country until we tire of the list of dead and withdraw or sending 50 people to build schools, hospitals, and live among the native people and learn from them and to keep sending the "helpers" regardless of casualties? Is a nuclear aircraft carrier more powerful than one man or woman who knows how to fix an irrigation pump? OK I'll get off my soapbox but only one more simple thought. It didn't start with Jimmy Carter. It started with George Washington. When he had to plead with his troops that defeating the British was more important than going home because of inclement [snowy and bitter cold] weather. Baby Huey [Paul {Last name witheld by me}]