We as a nation haven’t a clue nor the willingness, the stamina to stay the course of adhering to the principles set forth in the US and State Constitutions as well as abiding by the verses and commandments found within the Bible….

As an international business development type, I am appalled that metals and resources of every kind are being bought up and stockpiled by the Chinese government and we here in the US cannot even find a few “fiat dollars” to get a manganese mine up and running instead of importing managanese -

Involved in substantial waste water project developments and focusing in on bringing quality water to so many in Africa and other places where children cannot even drink a clean glass of water, the west pledges $10 billion to Africa for “green” projects when a trillion and more bails out bankers who still are hoarding billions of dollars in their coffers waiting to lend at higher interest rates with no hoot to the folks have such a challenging time these days….

To the Muslim fundamentalists, your grandiose schemes hiding behind the skirt of supposed spiritual belief of some sort which condones outright killing of innocent folks – God will deal with you….

To the EU and Vatican, soon you will be encouraging and participating in warfare in the streets and God Bless you for like the Muslims, you are not prophets not worthy priests or mentors…you, too will fail. In fact, if one takes a godo look at history, mankind and his various form of government has always failed since Babylon. History surely repeats itself –

Mankind’s greed, its lack of patience and tolerance, it narrow perspectives, etc, etc. is pointing our earthly home in a course surely to lead to further strife and human dysfunction despite the lessons of Pearl Harbor and so many other battles over the centuries.

I remember one oldcer gent telling me the story of his fighting in the islands of the Pacific where he was order by the brass to take six of them up tne river and drop them off and collect them the next day for the Japanese had sent a note indicating their willingness to surrender. The next morning when this sailor returned up the river to pick up the officers, he found them…all six with their helmets on top of their heads cut off and placed on top of each officer’s rifle. How gullable the Americans? How ruthless and evil so many are today who choose to intentionally kill women, children and innocent men simply trying to etch out a bit of Life amidst such chaos.

Sixty eight (68) years we continue to struggle for democracy against the evil doers, however from my perspective, we have all lost the battle today given the technology at hand, especially bio/chem weapons and the willingness of mankind to use such weapons.

This nation was founded on Judeao-Christian principles and while even those entrusted by vote are doing their utmost to impose their values, to circumvent these principles, the values of a gracious society whose young men and women have their boots on foreign soil to do their utmost to bring harmony and peace, for adversaries to talk instead of utilize weapons, banrupt, having a void in local, state and national leadership pervaded with partisan politics, self-agenda, corruption rampant among people everwhere….

God Bless us all for the attack on Pearl Harbor or on the Worldn Trade Center are only the continuance of mankind’s hatred towards wone another, often within families, and while we must do out utmost with the global community to thwart the bad guys, unfortunately Winston Churchill has passed away and we have no one individual, man or woman who care enough to distrust much of what is said and done today for the day of the honorable “handshake” is merely a memory….

God Bless America!

Christopher Tingus
Harwich, MA 02645
chris.tingus@gmail.com

As to 9/11, the major difference between the attacks of that date and the attack on Pearl Harbor is not the surprise or tactics but the largely civilian nature of the targets of the 9/11 attacks. As we know that not all the targeted population that day was civilian although uniformed casualties remarkably slim.

Unfortunately, I view the President’s West Point address as a “Speech that will also mark a date that will live in infamy”! No need to document my reasons at this point but time will tell. I also am increasingly of the view that the cadets at various US Service academies are “Innocents” and subject not just to military training and development of academic and military expertise but formal indoctrination. What would be of interest is exactly what gets taught about US history and government and military/civil relationships to the Corps of Cadets! What texts are used and what professors! We do know that languages of South and East Asia are rarely taught nor cultural analysis.

Still, a useful post if nothing else to mark the bookends on the rise to American power and the demise! Personally I would argue that 9/11 was a strategic attack although by what may be referred to as non-state actors or perhaps a international cause, that of opposition to US ignorance, hubris, and expansionism while arguing it has no ulterior motives. The key tell-tale to me is US consumption of 25% of the world’s resources with less than 5% of its population. Our “shining city on a hill” requires a lot of energy among other resources to just keep the lights on. The other item which interests me in the comparison is the willingness of the Japanese throughout the Pacific War to launch what the US called suicide attacks and the continued well of volunteer “suicide” bombers that seem to be produced by the militant Jihadis. Clearly, warfare is often won by those who want it the most! Personally I don’t believe suicide is the test but it is of interest that TORPEDO Eight (the torpedo bombing squadron that had no survivors or almost none) at battle of MIDWAY bought time for others to arrive and turn the tide in the Pacific War early on. Reading history of US MEDAL of HONOR winners also reveals that whatever the motivation many died in what I would view as a suicidal effort. If the steel core of a combat unit is willingness to sacrifice oneself whatever the label, then perhaps President Obama should be made aware of Napoleon’s statement “It is amazing what men will do for tiny bits of colored ribbon.”

To all those who on behalf of the US paid the ultimate sacrifice whatever their personal beliefs and judgement about their own actions we (the US) as a polity owe the deepest honor and respect. My hope of course is for a society that does not by design require that sacrifice to obtain its ends which is why I am so critical of the fundamentalist Jihadis who thrive on promoting the deepest schisms in the human psychology and their societies. In short, hoping we win, and also serve justice, peace, democracy, and humanity writ large. May the Peacemakers be blessed.