The Last Battle

[Ken White]

...Like Lemons and Gildroy, I deployed and redeployed, developed relationships, and fought the good fight in the hopes of making a difference, winning our nations wars, and creating a better world for my children.

You did both those things -- for which I thank you -- it just will take time to coalesce and be apparent.

Although I completed my mission, the ME did not change and evolve according to my timeline. As many of my brothers (and sisters) experience, this seeming apathy unerved me to no end. You and others have helped me realize that this is part of the process- the long, slow evolution of modernity that continues to ebb and flow.

If I were your age I'd be frothing at the mouth with impatience. Only real benefit in being old is that you've seen most things before and know that instant results are rarely lasting; those that last take a while to come to fruition.

Hindsight 20/20, pragmatism sets in.

The first is always true, the second should be...

What do we do about it?

We've done it. We opened a window -- how far out of that window they will reach has to be seen -- but they've reached out a bit and that bit will not be pulled back inside (though I'm sure some of the neighbors will try to shove 'em back in...).

I lost too many men and sacrificed too much to simply quit. Although, in the end, it is up to the Iraqis, how do we assist?

We've done a lot; for the future, the more quickly they can stand up an Army able to guarantee their external security, the better off we'll be. We started giving them scrap gear (always stupid but we try to go cheap) and are now providing better equipment. There will be those that resist giving them full bore training so they don't become a threat to us but my bet would be that will not be an issue.

I'd submit that we face a wicked problem- one so complex, dynamic, and hostile that it cannot be defined nor tamed. We can only hope to cope with it. I focus my academic studies towards this issue.

As you addressed, EVERYONE (not shouting) has fought over this area throughout the history of mankind. Despite the lack of beachfront property, it remains the center of the world via religion, economics, or what have you.

All true and your focus is good because the area will be problematic for another 15 years or so in my estimation; then I expect it to settle down.

Fareed Zakaria contends in The Post-American World that the ME has drug the US into the 13th century while the rest of the world evolves into the the 21st century ( as a wise old NCO use to say to me- "why should you never wrestle a pig in the mud? B/C the pig likes to get dirty!).

I'd submit that Fareed is wrong, and this fight will be the struggle of my generation.

I'm with you -- Fareed doesn't show me much. It probably will be and as my middle son, with you a 73d alumnus (different BCT), says "If we leave too soon, we'll be back within ten years." Might as well do it right the first time.

Yet again I'll add the immortal words of Tom Tait -- "Best is the enemy of good enough" to define what's 'right.' Those words have particular resonance in the very pragmatic ME.