We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:58:33 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification [Kat] Vets for Freedom were banned from the high school where Pete Hegseth graduated because, even after a scaled back version of their presentation that left only the discussion of service and sacrifice by three recipients of medals for bravery, some parents and the very active local "anti-war" groups protested the appearance as "political" and "propaganda". The event went ahead at the local American Legion where some two dozen high school students skipped school to hear it. The later evening event was also jam packed. Powerline and Blackfive have reports. 1943 A local marine, sailor and soldier appeared at my... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:32:45 -0600 ah yes, the flickering synapses of long ago (3 years) memories.. i gotcha now. thx for the reminder. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71156 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71156 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:16:18 -0600 In the War of Ideas American Exceptionalism stands against Political Correctness, Multiculturalism, Radical Environmentalism and Transnational Progressivism. One -ism sees America as the Shining City On The Hill and raises sons and daughters willing to defend it. The other -isms view America as the focus of evil in the modern world and aborts their sons and daughters. Sovereign Westphalian nation-states as the basis for global political organization are on the way out, to be replaced by continental Unions, NGO's, non-state actors and super-empowered individuals who are chipping away at the tasks that were once reserved as government monopolies. "A Republic, if you can keep it." Nothing lasts forever. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71148 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71148 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:27:28 -0600 my review of Bacevich's book is here, if you want to suffer through my long-windedness.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71133 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71133 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:06:50 -0600 Just a book he wrote and a lecture he gave that I saw, speaking about the militarization of America and our supposed growing love affair with using the military more often as a tool of our foreign policy in the last half of the 20th century. (my bad for not linking the previous discussion here). I did disagree with him that it was a "growing" love affair in the "last half of the 20th century" at the time because history shows our use of military as a foreign policy tool growing since the war of 1812. It has simply accelerated with the growth of technology along with our demand for less casualties in the last half of the century. My point, of course, is that he is right in some respects that we are using the military more often as a "tool" and at the same time we create a mental and political condition within our nation where we divorce the "citizen" and "value" aspect of military service from the "tool." Since the military is a tool, when it is wielded by this president or that, by this party or that, it becomes the tool of that president or party and not the armed forces of the United States. As such, people feel awfully comfortable dismissing them or avoiding responsibility. everyone mouths platitudes about the value of the soldier's life and service, but they want them to be silent objects while we debate and ponder the worth of that life and service. Like they were simply objects or tools. Now that they demand to have a voice in the calculation of that value, people don't want to hear. They haven't wanted to hear for a long time. For forty years now. I have to ponder how it is that people keep signing up, raising their hand and swearing to protect a nation that continues to depreciate the value of that service. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71131 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71131 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:45:53 -0600 Kat, i'm not seeing the connection to COL(Ret) Bacevich, or did i miss something? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71129 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/03/two_americas_no.html#comment-71129 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:13:33 -0600