1948 may have been long ago but the "ism" we fight today has the same goals as the "ism" we faced then: tyrannical empire by any means imaginable. Islamism differs from Communism only in minor details, such as the state sponsored religion: Islam vs. Atheism. Socialism still uses rallying cries of racism, sexism, and other to create animosity and divisions of hatred even amongst its own adherents, promising itself as the only saviour from the divisiveness it promotes. "Racism" is the allegation against any that opposes the dictates of the party in power.
In 1948, the memory of defeated facism had given way to the rise of communism, embraced by some and feared by others. Today, neither communism nor islamism is truly understood and rarely even acknowledged as a threat by most citizens.
Many of today's Troops were not even born when the Berlin Wall fell. Most Americans do not understand that Islamism is a type of governmental and economic system, heretical to the religion it subverts, that it is not the religion of Islam, and certainly not a "fundamentalist" view of it.
And yet, many Troops have openly asked if the America they left to defend in foreign lands will bear any resemblance to the one they return to after their current sacrifices are complete. Many Troops fight daily for Freedoms and earn VA benefits while politicians vote in equal "entitlements" for those that have chosen to avoid service.
In a year that saw politicians increase the Federal Deficit 3x the record of any annual deficit, the Department of Defense saw budget cuts in "transparently" changing the way our current conflicts are paid for, and a "fair" cut to their combat pay and increase of their tax liability by as much as $1000.00 per combat deployment.
Military Recruiting continues to meet and exceed lower recruiting goals, even as we continue two wars and the POTUS delays even longer a request by Our General, the very one he sent to implement his (March 2009) comprehensive conclusions on a "new" strategy, for the Troops he needs to complete the Mission assigned him by the Senate and POTUS.
Stumble It!
