It’s pretty day outside of my window and I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop right now.

We’re safe and sound here at home while our children and grandchildren continue walking in harm’s way. War still rages in Afghanistan and now we’re sending our pilots into “No Fly Zones” in Libya. You must wonder when the idea of Peace on Earth and Good will to all men fell out of vogue.

Oh yeah. It was right after man learned to walk upright.  It’s actually been downhill since then.

George W. Bush gave us Iraq and Afghanistan after the horror of 9/11. We’d remove a murderer from power and find a madman willing to kill all opposing him in the name of his religion. There was a lot of posturing and primping done with bands playing and hymns sung for the righteousness of the goal if not the understanding of the future cost.

In light of bean counters’ making sure we know all the bloody statistics: World Wars I and II as well as Korea and Vietnam mounted more casualties than we’ve seen individually in Iraq and Afghanistan, the reality of the personal loss and damages suffered outweighs any cumulative injury.

Large numbers depersonalize the pain, suffering and horror of any individual’s sacrifice. The millions lost in World War I were surpassed by the multiplication factor adjusted to depict the many more killed in World War II. Korea, because of “advances” in the manner and way we develop the technology of death made sure thousands of personnel suffered wounds or death in shorter periods of time. The damages are mental, emotional and physical. No amount of time can kill memories in some cases.

One of the things always bothers me is the fact not since the Revolutionary War has any politician ever engaged in battlefield actions. Not since the Revolutionary war has any politician stepped from his or her seat in Congress or the White House to suffer what they so glibly pronounce as noble and “humanitarian” efforts to save other foreign nationals from their own stupidity.

Next to no Senators or Representatives (there may be one or two I’m unaware of) travel to warzones without a retinue of slavish sycophants (read: butt kissers) and press corps. They give no aid or support by walking a guard post or stepping out on a combat mission or work a flight line in enemy territory while waiting to get their bell rung by a sniper. They lose no limbs, or sight or life to IEDs or enemy action. They get their damned photo-ops and make stupid pronouncements concerning a “mission accomplished” and participating in “Kinetic Action in Libya”.

I’d like to see the aspect of “Potential energy” delivery transmitted into the “Kinetic action” of real leadership in diplomacy and statesmanship.

It would be nice to see this (or any past or future) President actually shut-up with the dramatic sound bites and actually say something of value. I’d like to see a response to any action against acted upon in a measured and powerful statement we’ll not accept attacks against our people. I want it understood as the innocent are injured; you jeopardize your innocents with your actions.

Some fools decided years ago war was an affair conducted by “gentlemen”. They all should rot in Hades. I say this because as they stand around the tables studying maps and moving Monopoly pieces around real lives are being lost and the real world altered horribly. Nothing prospers but the inflated egos of men, and now women, not worth the dust they’re made of in comparison to our kids hurting, suffering and dying in foreign combat areas.

They, and we, grow older daily. We sit in relative safety here in America. And, as we sit here safely we applaud on holidays and say we’re honoring our warriors. I think what we do is more a celebration we use to avoid work, grill outdoors and drink beer and soda pop.

We would do better to honor them by making no more war.

Thanks for listening.