General Discussion

krispos42

(49,445 posts)

79. As the dominant power after the Second World War...

Mon May 26, 2014, 02:28 PM

May 2014

...our nation was secure from conventional military conquest from 1945 until the present. With two oceans to the east and west, a friendly (and small) neighbor to the North and a friendly (and poor) neighbor to the south, we were and still are militarily secure. Thus, any military conflict we have engaged in since then has been either in defense of others (Korea), as part of a larger geopolitical strategy (Vietnam, Iraq #2), economic interests (Iraq #1, Iraq #2), or in pursuit of terrorists (Afghanistan).

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I said this last year and it deserves repeating. We didn't fight for your freedom. [View all] upaloopa May 2014 OP

. Iggo May 2014 #1

. demtenjeep May 2014 #2

Thanks for your thoughts, and your service, but like you said, you didnt do it for me and I didnt randys1 May 2014 #3

The only thing I do today is toast absent friends hobbit709 May 2014 #4

That's the actual purpose of the holiday. MADem May 2014 #74

The "thank a vet for your freedom" meme makes me sick. As a veteran. NuclearDem May 2014 #5

We will always be in awe of your service. Baitball Blogger May 2014 #8

I am going to give you my thanks for your honest post. Baitball Blogger May 2014 #6

The only war that I feel was fought for our freedom was World War II-- TexasTowelie May 2014 #7

You are right. former9thward May 2014 #47

Prior to that was the Civil War and the Revolutionary War..... Spitfire of ATJ May 2014 #84

Well said. Thanks. (nt) Paladin May 2014 #9

+58,156 for saying this. L0oniX May 2014 #10

Yep... giftedgirl77 May 2014 #11

K&R Scuba May 2014 #12

+1000 heaven05 May 2014 #13

Great post. nt raccoon May 2014 #14

Just a few thoughts Leme May 2014 #15

Here's the thing. If we don't face up to it upaloopa May 2014 #29

Good point. But the politicans have a deliberate lie they tell truedelphi May 2014 #114

And 'we' haven't learned... freebrew May 2014 #124

Vietnam Era Veteran here. When someone says to me thank you for your service, B Calm May 2014 #16

PERFECT response...if they only knew how bad repubs treat them politically randys1 May 2014 #21

Unfortunately, some of them listen to Faux and it tells them the Democrats and Obama are at fault. freshwest May 2014 #118

It's general, though, no? treestar May 2014 #17

Like I said if we continue to fool ourselves upaloopa May 2014 #20

I'm a veteran myself... Blanks May 2014 #59

WWII, yes. WWI, certainly not..... paleotn May 2014 #42

Hear! Hear! Roland99 May 2014 #126

Instead of Thanks then, take comfort, many of us share your beliefs and your sorrow. joanbarnes May 2014 #18

Thank you. snot May 2014 #19

MIC Go Vols May 2014 #22

Military industrial complex upaloopa May 2014 #23

I think you mean well, but Leme May 2014 #24

Maybe he/she was thanking for the post. pangaia May 2014 #38

If you mean me, I am still a bit bitter about upaloopa May 2014 #56

Upaloopa, sorry, yes, I just meant, thank you for your post – snot May 2014 #93

Military.Industrial.Complex. GeorgeGist May 2014 #25

Military Industrial Complex sorefeet May 2014 #26

Military Industrial Complex PatrickforO May 2014 #37

"I really hate what this day has become." Ernesto May 2014 #27

one of my uncles is slowly going away PatrynXX May 2014 #28

the best way to honor war veterans is by only using troops when our security is in danger yurbud May 2014 #30

Congress needs to step up here (but they won't) Shemp Howard May 2014 #127

they are also bought, not just with campaign contributions, but jobs when they leave office as... yurbud May 2014 #128

Then you might appreciate this... lame54 May 2014 #31

Thanks for that clip xfundy May 2014 #62

That was epic. Thanks for posting it. n/t truedelphi May 2014 #115

I have often wondered which wars... 3catwoman3 May 2014 #32

We get cozened into it by monied interests that 'earn' more profits if we're on a war footing. PatrickforO May 2014 #40

I am still thinking this one through, but I think there is a chance that the Revolution was also merrily May 2014 #95

. 2naSalit May 2014 #33

Thank you. This is such a tough subject because when people who believe wars are for our freedom DesertDiamond May 2014 #34

It has been said so many times that people assume it's as true as the law of gravity. merrily May 2014 #96

Thank you, upaloopa. sarge43 May 2014 #35

THIS is what should be remembered on Memorial Day Martin Eden May 2014 #36

Great post. You captured the reality in a nutshell PatrickforO May 2014 #43

Hear, hear! This is spot on. LoisB May 2014 #39

The only wars that I can think of that were actually fought about freedom were the Revolutionary jwirr May 2014 #41

I'm not even sure about the revolution. merrily May 2014 #97

General Smedley Butler would agree, and Rec this post. Fuddnik May 2014 #44

Thank you..... paleotn May 2014 #45

As another Vietnam Vet, well said! santamargarita May 2014 #46

Hey, the fate of the nation was in your young hands... malthaussen May 2014 #48

vietnam was survival mehrrh May 2014 #49

Thank you for repeating this, and... MrMickeysMom May 2014 #50

You are not alone in your thoughts. ewagner May 2014 #51

Rec +1. Aristus May 2014 #52

That phrase makes me wince. It's the first thing that comes to mind when I think back to all calimary May 2014 #53

Well. +1 an entire shit load! Enthusiast May 2014 #85

But it sure-as-shootin' does make for a great slogan. calimary May 2014 #111

They don't give it a whole lot of thought do they. Enthusiast May 2014 #120

Nevertheless, it is our will that you be treated as first class. johnnyreb May 2014 #54

I thank you anyway 2pooped2pop May 2014 #55

All the TV news stations RebelOne May 2014 #57

Memorial Day Thoughts Joey Liberal May 2014 #58

Thanks for this. redqueen May 2014 #60

another draftee here msedano May 2014 #61

Solid.... Deuce May 2014 #63

Thank you for giving insight fredamae May 2014 #64

K&R, upaloopa Iwillnevergiveup May 2014 #65

The only thing I fought was utter mind numbing boredom tularetom May 2014 #66

I totally agree albino65 May 2014 #67

k & r n/t ejbr May 2014 #68

Thank you MissDeeds May 2014 #69

Totally agree. I was there ballyhoo May 2014 #70

VietNam was always about ostensibly "stopping Chinese Communism," I thought (in college then). WinkyDink May 2014 #71

THank you. McCamy Taylor May 2014 #72

This is the day when we honor the dead, ostensibly. MADem May 2014 #73

If you haven't seen this film yet, you should. "Why We Fight" GETPLANING May 2014 #75

Thank you for staying alive. TygrBright May 2014 #76

Brother I have a message for you different than the rah rah bullshit... Drew Richards May 2014 #77

Thanks for posting. Today's "-ism" is "terrorism." During your youth it was "communism." dballance May 2014 #78

As the dominant power after the Second World War... krispos42 May 2014 #79

Pawns for the 1%'s wars. Cuz the politiocs won't send their OWN kids. blkmusclmachine May 2014 #80

K&R stonecutter357 May 2014 #81

I get sick of hearing Presidents telling our troops they are fighting to keep us free.... Spitfire of ATJ May 2014 #82

Joined in Febuary of 2001 Stryst May 2014 #83

Well Said - Thank You - The 1% Could Care Less About Veterans Dead Or Living cantbeserious May 2014 #86

I agree uwep May 2014 #87

k&r. uppityperson May 2014 #88

Tell 'em Bro. woofless May 2014 #89

I just joined because I didn't have any job skills and wanted an education. Rozlee May 2014 #90

Agreed The Wizard May 2014 #91

It's a nice catch phrase used daily by the media! BlueJac May 2014 #92

A better one: Honor the Warrior Not the War kmlisle Jun 2014 #130

What you said... nt Bigmack May 2014 #94

Respect. K and R merrily May 2014 #98

My Vietnam vet brother agrees. Gormy Cuss May 2014 #99

I heard a radio ad today that said they 'gave us our freedoms'. AAO May 2014 #100

As a Vietnam veteran and a volunteer, TxVietVet May 2014 #101

I'm sorry you had to go through that. Actually, that s/b the Memorial Day slogan. nt valerief May 2014 #102

They lied us into an illegal war maindawg May 2014 #103

rec 199, please be 200 carolinayellowdog May 2014 #104

I would still like AsahinaKimi May 2014 #105

These "patriotic" holidays only serve to remind me of this: Brigid May 2014 #106

I'm going to thank you for surviving: living to tell the Truth Demeter May 2014 #107

The Real Elephant in the Room HoosierCowboy May 2014 #108

At last-well said-I for one do love you and appreciate what you did KrazyinKS May 2014 #109

I read your post to my Vietnam vet husband and he completely agrees. mountain grammy May 2014 #110

I'll never forget the antiwar Green Beret Donald Duncan eridani May 2014 #112

F*cking Amen LittleGirl May 2014 #113

Fuck the pro war chicken hawks. You know who u are. grahamhgreen May 2014 #116

K&R DeSwiss May 2014 #117

i agree with you. barbtries May 2014 #119

To memories. bearssoapbox May 2014 #121

yup..same here.. BrainDrain May 2014 #122

vets need less parades, and more health care, housing, income help... ellenrr May 2014 #123

I too was in Vietnam, in 1968/69 Fortinbras Armstrong May 2014 #125

Maybe we weren't there for any of the right reasons, but we were there. And we were there because... marble falls May 2014 #129

I believe that a sodier can serve honorably in a dishonorable war. kmlisle Jun 2014 #131

War is a racket. marble falls Jun 2014 #132

I have no argument with honor upaloopa Jun 2014 #134

I never could understand how losing a foreign war is a threat to our freedom. Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2014 #133

fantastic!! PowerToThePeople Jun 2014 #135