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>>179031Buzz Patterson @BuzzPatterson - Tonight’s “Buzz’s Bedtime Stories” is a sober one. Please read and share. A thread.
There are ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army:…by attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
1) Eighty-two years ago, America’s Greatest Generation and our allies ran headlong into a massive German gauntlet on the shores of France. D-Day. They were from Ohio, California, Iowa, and New York, everywhere. They were rich and poor and everywhere in between. They answered the ultimate call. Our freedom, and the freedom of those in many other nations, was challenged, and they stepped up, as President Reagan said during that memorable speech given at Pointe du Hoc commemorating the 40th anniversary of that day, because they “knew that some things are worth dying for.”
Estimated deaths (sadly, we’ll never know precisely), were approximately 2500 Americans and 1900 allies. That’s a lot of Gold Star families. How many Americans know that? How many appreciate the sacrifices of those men in the operation that eventually won the war on the European Front?
Apparently, not enough. And, here we are.
The world is a dangerous place. During the years of WWII, approximately 12 percent of the American population were actively serving in the military. Today, it’s less than 1 percent. That means that very few people even know someone who’s served in the military, much less actually serving, and it’s led to a huge disconnect, folks.
Our contemporary culture doesn’t get it. We’ve lost the connection. We’ve lost the goal, the understanding of the purpose our military serves. There’s a phrase I’ve used in the past which I now regret: “Our military exists to kill people and break things.” While that’s very true, it’s limited, and we exist for so much more. The US military is also, simultaneously, the greatest guarantor of freedom, liberty, and humanitarian assistance around the world.
During a few of the years when Bill Clinton was catting around the White House, I was his Air Force Military Aide and carrier of the “Nuclear Football,” the President’s Emergency Satchel and everything POTUS needs to launch nuclear weapons. My position wasn’t an appointment. It wasn’t political; it was a military assignment. It didn’t stop me from observing what was going on around me, though, and later (after my retirement), I wrote the bestselling book “Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How Bill Clinton Compromised America’s National Security.”
What became immediately apparent to me was the Clinton administration’s warped view of our military and its role in a functioning republic. The one essential truth about the US military over the years was its apolitical nature and its devotion to success. Our military’s core mission, obviously, is to win our nation’s wars. During the Clinton years the mission got wrapped up in politics and the larger culture war, of which our national defense should never be a part — and now, here we are.
As has become all too clear with our current operations in Iran, many Americans actively seek to undermine our military, its mission, and, most importantly, its people. For them, our military isn’t composed of intelligent, dedicated, human beings assigned to protect and defend a nation; it’s a tool for political expediency. Pure and simple.
Our nation’s elites need to pause and reflect. And reflect back on Reagan’s address that day honoring the Greatest Generation. We have a generation today worthy of our support and undying respect.
https://x.com/BuzzPatterson/status/2036292773259911246BuzzPatterson @BuzzPatterson - Video: Yee haa!
https://x.com/BuzzPatterson/status/2036586216448204955 9