DURING THE INVASION PHASE OF THE IRAQ WAR, Captain Zan Hornbuckle, a 29-year-old Army officer from Georgia, found himself and his 80 men surrounded by 300 Iraqi and Syrian fighters. Unable to obtain air or artillery support, Captain Hornbuckle and his unit, who were never before in combat, fought for eight hours. When the smoke cleared, 200 of the enemy were dead. Thanks to brilliant combat tactics and personal heroism throughout the unit, not a single American was killed.
But who is the most well-known soldier of the Iraq war? Private Jessica Lynch, whose claim to fame is having been captured and rescued, stirring the hearts, as they say, of the whole country.
Why aren't the exploits of Captain Zan and his men better known? Reporters were embedded with his unit, witnessed the victory, and wrote about it. And yet, the popular culture has ignored him and many, many like him whose feats matched the heroics of earlier wars in favor of a slip of a young lady who evokes sympathy rather than admiration.
Nothing against Private Jessica, who has suffered for her country. The fact is, the reaction of Americans to the men and women stationed in Iraq is overwhelmingly one of sympathy, of weepy commiseration for their plight, for the danger they are in, for having to be away from their families, and for having to have lived through such horrible experiences. While they deserve our concern for these sacrifices, what happened to our appreciation for the martial virtues, courage, toughness, victory, that the members of our military have been displaying every day?
This is the point of an article by Jonathan Eig in The Wall Street Journal. "Since the Vietnam War," he writes, "much of the country has tended to venerate survivors more than aggressors, the injured more than those who inflict injuries."
In World War I, Mr. Eig points out, Americans were stirred by the exploits of warriors like Corporal Alvin York, who single-handedly killed 25 Germans and captured 132 more. In World War II, the whole country feted Lieutenant Audie Murphy for killing 240 of the enemy. But today, we seldom honor soldiers for killing, for being warriors.
Even our war movies tend to be antiwar. "When Hollywood makes a war movie," observes Mr. Eig, "it often focuses on saving American lives, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, Behind Enemy Lines, not killing others."
"We want to fight wars but we don't want any of our people to die and we don't really want to hurt anybody else," says military historian John A. Lynn. "So Private Lynch, who suffers, is a hero even if she doesn't do much. She suffered for us."
Treating the members of our military as victims, rather than as warriors, allows politicians to say that they "support our troops," meaning that they want to bring them home.
Is this because of the feminization of the culture, that while we can still produce macho fighters like Captain Hornbuckle, the culture as a whole only wants to nurture them? Has our culture become pacifist at heart, feeling so guilty at the violence of war that we cannot celebrate actions that violate our ethic of niceness?
Our culture may have channeled all of its warlike values into sports. Here, at least, we still value toughness, strength, and aggression. In sports we still allow ourselves the thrill of victory. But sports are nothing more than play time. In reality, we draw back.
Perhaps our sensitivities are the sign of a refined and peace-loving civilization. But we had better make no mistake about it: Our enemies do not share our sensitivity. Those who want to kill us despise our niceness, and they see our squeamishness about casualties, both our own and those of our enemies, as a weakness.
This in fact motivates terrorists, the conviction that if a few Americans are killed, or even if too many of our enemies are killed, we will feel a national tidal wave of compassion, guilt, and regret. Then we will call our soldiers home, where they will be safe, enjoying our self-righteousness as the terrorists enforce their will on those whom we have abandoned.
This trust in American sentimentality, reinforced every time the terrorists read our editorial writers or listen to a Democratic presidential candidate, encourages them to set bombs and take potshots at our troops. In this case, the warriors really are turned into victims.
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There are exceptions to every rule...including this one.
It is time for Americans to start calling a spade a spade.
Some of the things that are being said and printed not only border on treason, they are treason. When we hear anti-American statements we should say so. If someone wants to "speak their mind" and question things that ok with me. But in doing so, at least in my presence, you'd better have your stuff squared away, because if you go too far, if you start to say things like "America has become the terrorist," I will tell you in front of whomever, wherever that you are anti-American and ask you why you would reside here if that is what you truly feel.
We did not start this thing. And I won't have anyone infer that we did.
Its simple-
Capt hornbuckle was an aggressor who killed muslims and arabs.
Pvt Lynch did not hurt anyone.
Lynch appeals to a wide audience of people including feminists and antiwar zealots. She represents a 'softer side' of the war.
Capt. Hornbuckle and co. only appeal to Alpha males who want to see the enemy whether they be Nazis, muslims, or little green men get their butts kicked so hard that they will have a permanent case of bad breath.
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Obamanfreude - 1. taking pleasure from the misfortunes of an Obama supporter as he or she is adversely affected by the policies of their Dear Leader.
Interesting concept, Critch, I've not thought of the J. Lynch issue in that way. A month or so ago when she was on TV, there was a lot of hero talk on here, and I pointed out that she is not a hero, naming several REAL heros, as you have done. But I never thought of the appeal aspect of this.
Incidentally, if you haven't seen it, 'Sgt. York' with Gary Cooper is a helluva good movie, true to the facts, and has a good Christian message, as well. It is, however, in black and white, so you may not get any of the 'today' generation to watch it.
I do wonder about the protesting, which seems to have died down some now. I believe every American has the right to free speech and to voice their opinions, but this is being protested as an 'unjust' war, and I wonder how many of these protesters would refuse to fight in ANY war, just, unjust, or otherwise. I'm thinking that most of them are grass eaters who don't deserve to benefit from the sacrifices of our warriors, past and present. Also, I have to roll my eyes when I hear one say that it's all about oil. I don't believe it's all about oil, but even if it were, are they saying they don't use oil or any of its byproducts? Reminds me of like a vegetarian who wears leather shoes...
You seem to be a jarhead, so I will point out that as far as mustering the manpower, I don't think we have to worry as long as a recruiter can pull his quota in. Parris Island will make them what they need to be, regardless of what they have to work with.
Briman, excellent post. Very true.
I found it interesting here when some who were not impressed or shall I say, were wondering why Pvt. Lynch was such a hero, were criticized for speaking there mind. Maybe there's a lot more PC things here than some of our regular posters want to believe about themselves?
I was just wondering about another PC topic a few minutes ago. The goofs who do not want us to Profile people at airports and other places that need security.
With a terror alert on the Amber or 2nd highest level who are you going to be looking at while you wait for that plane Truth has little to do with what make this country go around.
I'd rather step on a few PC toes than step on my dicX and not live to argue the point.
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Now you have to picture a combination of PeeWEE Herman and Wally Cox but with less muscle tone, trying to be intimidating None of this is funny! Message edited by Cougar Mag -- 1/7/2005 1:16:42 AM >/b]
Political Corectness denies reality and is therefore a lie.
Those that had questioned the Jessica Lynch episode were being neither politically correct nor even fair to either her or the military, as I recall those starting those posts were and had been negative about the war, president Bush and anything related that had any positive spin to it at all. Now I may be mistaken in that regard, but it seems to me that is why their psots were questioned.
As far as Heros are concerned, there are and will be thousands of very deserving Men and Womwn who's actions are never acknowledged in this and every other war we fight or have fought while others will be accorded honors far beyond what they actually accomplish. This is a simple fact of life that you are just going to have to live with. You may protest all you want that it just isn't fair, but then again, life isn't fair and that is a plain hard fact.
In all fairness to the military, Captain Hornbuckle and his unit will probably be awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V (for Valor) Capt. Hornbuckle will no doubt be awarded the Silver Star medal as well regardless of whether he personally did anything more courageous than any other individual within his command. While this is not "Fair" either, it is the way things work.
I did a bit of research after I had originally posted the above and find I was only partially correct. Capt. Hornbuckle did in fact receive the Bronze Star with combat V (no mention of his men) and his unit commander was the one that received the Silver Star Medal. As I said, life is not fair.
For a bit of added perspective, my brother Al, was awarded the Bronze Star with combat V in Viet Nam. He and his trusty M60 held off an estimated Company sized force of VC for upwards of an hour until a gunship could get in to them and work "Charley" over in a proper manner. He doesn't say much about that day but I have read the citation that came with the medal.
They are ALL heroes in my book. Just to get on a plane and go over there has to take a huge amount of guts. I'd be scare sh!tless if I never even fired a gun over there. It's a team effort, so every last member of the team is a hero.
Hollywood is in the business of making money. If getting all weepy over one female soldier is the best way to make money, that's what they're going to do. I'ts NOT like they actually give a crap how the war turns out, as long as they can make a million off of it.
Incidentally, if you haven't seen it, 'Sgt. York' with Gary Cooper is a helluva good movie, true to the facts, and has a good Christian message, as well. It is, however, in black and white, so you may not get any of the 'today' generation to watch it.
Yes, it is! In all respects but one! Sgt. York actually used a 1917 Enfield in his exploits, NOT an '03 Springfield!!
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"Bitte, trinks du das Wasser nicht. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
The American media is the #1 reason why this continues to occur. The Jessica Lynch story produced millions of dollars for stations such as FOXnews and CNN. They produced false information throughout the whole ordeal trying to make her out to be this big hero who "fought bravely" before being captured due to running out of ammo. about 10% of everything that was told was true. it's all about the money folks. people love to see and hear happy endings, and there's nothing better than a happy ending with a little drama behind it. I will tell you this: nobody can tell me that the big wigs at these news companies aren't licking thier chops everytime something drastic happens. it's sad to say this but 9/11 was the greatest thing to happen to network television since the first Gulf war. you don't even want me to start on Jeraldo Rivera...... he should be tried for treason for the crap he pulled while he was in desert.
Political correctness!
Truth has little to do with what make this country go around.
