[meteorite-list] war (a messge to all)

From: SAMUEL E KIMPTON <bessel_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:49:01 2004
Message-ID: <009601c140b0$36438160$bd89cacf_at_besseleuropa.com>

I had intended to post this to the list and sent it to Charlie by mistake.



I apologize for keeping this thread going but I simply felt that I had to
say something.

I have a certain amount of experience in the military and have seen what I
consider to be unfair characterizations of those who serve in her and who
are preparing for her defence over the years.

No one who fights in a war relishes the experience. Despite this fact many
if notmost of the combat veterans I know would not hesitate to fight for the
security and freedom of the United States.

I will not go into details regarding possible scenarios but let it suffice
that the war would be prolonged, and casualties would also be significant.

The President stated on the afternoon of the 11th that "Freedom itself had
been attacked." As I see it the the United States has two options at it's
disposal. We either take the hit and tighten security, virtually rewriting
the
bill of rights insuch a manner as to restrict the liberties of every
American
citizen to an unprecedented scale or we send an unambiguous message to
the entire world that such acts will be met with a degree of retaliation so
terr-
ible that acts of terroism against us would prove not to be "cost
effective."
I personally feel that the latter is the option we should take.

I say this with an intimate knowledge of the sacrifice involved.

I posted a message here a few days ago, I was angry, I outlined a case
history of how threats made against the Soviet embassy were met in 1979
and the resulting cessation of such activities against the USSR by extremist
elements in the Middle East. I do not remember making the suggestion that
body parts should be coated with pig fat on this list. This idea was
brought
up by someone else.

The afformentioned posting made by me was a response to the pacifistic
comments made by others on this list. A Neville Chamberlain sort of re-
sponse to the murder of nearly 5,500 American citizens simply will not work.
One must also consider the totalitarian manner in which the Taliban gov-
erns the people of Afganistan.

I wonder if these same people would have let the Axis powers continue in
their campaign of agression against the free world in the 1930's and 1940's
and just looked the other way when confronted with the realities of the
holo-
cost.

In addtiton the United States has been the target of Terrorism for over 20
years. We met such actions against us with occasional measured responses
in some cases and in others have just taken "it on the chin". Now we have
suffered a major blow to our infrastructure, and incurred heavy casualties,
the
overwhelming majority of them civilians, on our own soil.

In case you wish to get an idea of how many people 5,500 really are. Look
at the names in 18 1/3 pages of the average phone book. (average 300
namesper page). This is not to mention the lives which have been perma-
nantly impact-ed by the loss of their loved ones or the wounded.

How are the American people responding to this, first with shock, fear, and
anger. Suddenly it is in vogue to fly an American flag. The National Anthem
(in its abreviated form), God Bless America, and other patiotic tunes have
become very popular. By and large the response has been collective. We
are stronger as a nation than we were a couple of weeks ago. What Franklin
Roosevelt called the "warmth of national unity" abounds. The majority
support
retailation for the attacks of the 11th.

I have seen postings on this list characterizing this collective response on
the
 part of the American people as something akin to jingoism, sabre-rattling,
war-
mongering, misguided, and at worst stupidity.

I say that this is unfair and bigoted.. I for one love my country. I value
the ideals
embraced by the its constitution. I am also willing to sacrifice my life in
its de-
fense.

I am saddened by the prospect of war, and a little anxious. because I know
what
it entails. But I am proud of my citizenship, and my past service to the
nation.


I posted a request on this list that details, however insignificant they
seem, not
be posted on this list. This is because American lives are on the line here.
Let's
not have someone's kid come home in a bag because you chose to believe you
had the right to post anything you wanted to. I ask this out of a deep
concern for
welfare of our service men and women and for our nation and out of the
knowledge
that inteligence is gleaned from a wide variety of scources. Little datum
points are
put together to gather a big picture.

Citizenship has responsibilities.



Sam Kimpton
Received on Tue 18 Sep 2001 10:10:08 PM PDT