Let's Turn Swords
into Plowshares

I support our armed forces. That said, military actions taken by any nation rest not in their military forces, but in the political forces in command. The missile strike, the fighting between Israel and its many neighbors, the racial, ethic, and religious animosities that churn the region, ALL of it could have been avoided, quashed, or at least significantly diminished decades ago. However, the forces in control have much to gain from war, from conflict, from division. They profit--economically, socially, and politically--when their peoples are called to fight a perceived enemy even if alternate paths could be taken. And all of this, ALL of this, is beyond the control of any service member of any rank. I salute our armed forces for the professionalism, bravery, and dedication in the name of our country. Like the service members who served in Vietnam, whatever unholy mess that may follow--"The Shit," as Vietnam vets called the worst of it--will not be their fault. 

Peace to all,
-TR