We have been involved in war in Afghanistan for 16 years
16 years –
It took 5 years (Dunkirk – VE Day) to take back North Africa and Europe from German Nazis / Italian Fascists. It took four years to take China, Philippines, several Pacific islands, and SE Asia from Japan (starting with virtually no navy). Korea was three years, declared a stalemate, and continues as a non-shooting (mostly) occupation for 64 years and counting. ‘Nam was 20 years. 16 years in Afghanistan also includes 16 years of constant US warfare elsewhere in the Middle-East with a little side excursion into Libya.
It is interesting to note that one of the weapons that the US military uses in endless war is named after one of the guys who took part in taking Europe in five years (Omar Bradley).
We can’t help Puerto Rico because it is an island!
Let’s see, Guadalcanal is an island. The US figured how to get 60,000 soldiers and their supply chain to Guadalcanal in 1942.
Iwo Jima is an island. The US figured out how to get 110,000 soldiers and their supply chain to Iwo Jima in 1945.
Okinawa is an island. The US figured out how to get 541,000 soldiers and their supply chain to Okinawa in 1945.
In 1943-44, the US figured out how to move around a million soldiers, thousands or airplanes, trucks, tanks, and other various supplies to England, an Island. England is not only an island, it was an island blockaded by the German navy and air force.
Was there some sort of magical technology in use 73 years ago that does not exist today?
It seems that our current national leadership is not as smart as Roosevelt, Churchill, or Stalin (Russia took the biggest hits and had a substantial role in success). Current military leadership is not as smart as Eisenhower, Montgomery, Zhukov, et al., our “opponent” military leaders are a lot smarter than Rommel, Himmler, et al., or they continue these wars intentionally.
The same observation can be made of assistance to Puerto Rico. Have we not assisted sufficiently because our current leaders can’t do it, or because our leaders don’t want to?
The answer is apparent to most of us, but it would be interesting to frame the question to the establishment in exactly that way. The excuse might be entertaining.
-30-
Thos