Obama awards MH,vows for nation, shameful mistake should never be repeated. [View all]

[HereSince1628]

I'm a Vietnam vet.

Sabo died truly heroically. As is most often the recent case with this honor, Sabo died not so much in a decisive battle, but in desperate service to the survival of his comrades. No one can enlarge or diminish the significance of his acts. We can only rightfully acknowledge them as extraordinary self-sacrifice.

Which is why I put my reaction to another thread about comments at the award ceremony here.

I am wondering whether the leaders of this nation will ever get their priorities right about things that shouldn't be repeated?

I note with sad irony--

Sabo died in the invasion of Cambodia ten years into a dubious war that was never declared.

Sabo's posthumous award ceremony took place ten years into another dubious war that was never declared.


I, for one, think getting into protracted undeclared wars of dubious purpose is shameful and disrespectful of the sacrifices asked of the military. It's not the shame of the nation's people or military, it's a shame on the heads of the leaders of this nation.

If our leadership could only get that going to war step right, we might not have a need for comments about shame at posthumous award ceremonies.