Have They Really Learnt Something??

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates bluntly told an audience of West Point cadets on Friday that it would be unwise for the United States to ever fight another war like Iraq or Afghanistan, and that the chances of carrying out a change of government in that fashion again were slim.

“In my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should ‘have his head examined,’ as General MacArthur so delicately put it,” Mr. Gates told an assembly of Army cadets here.


The United States is an air and naval power. We have the most sophisticated and potent air and submarine forces on the planet by far. We have two huge oceans to the east and west, two weak neighbors to the north and south, and the largest arsenal of nuclear arms in the world. There is absolutely no reason or excuse for us to be engaging in what amounts to unilateral land conflict.

I don't know why he's citing MacArthur, though.. Whose infamous finale was as an insubordinate maniac advocating a moronic march on Beijing ..

Not that I'm a huge fan of "atomize them Japs twice for effect" Harry or anything. But in that case Truman was advocating for good strategy (containment before war), as well as the Constitution and straight common sense. Anyone born after 1951 owes Harry a debt of thanks, because a full open land war against China could very well have ended your father or grandfather's life.


Enough patrolling and "controlling" Asian hell holes. Bring our troops home, now.



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