TURNING POINT

TURNING POINT
“In each of our lives, there comes a point where we feel compelled to take a different path. Our age and past experience does not represent a barrier, but we must be willing to open our eyes and accept change” P.I.B.

I felt an inner peace as I waited for the master to enter the room. He had chosen the ideal place for this ceremony. The simple but tasteful building looked out over a well tended garden. Everything seemed to be in its place as I looked out upon an area of carefully raked sand with a large stone in the middle of it. Behind that was a small stream with a red wooden bridge and the sound of water could be heard as it flowed gently over some moss covered rocks. Time seemed to stand still here, a great departure from my everyday life of hard work and training.
I have to admit that I would not have made this visit if my father had not insisted. He is a wise man and I always take his council. My father has taught me well. He has raised me in the proud tradition of the Samurai. I was born into a noble class of people. I have always been aware of the respect that ordinary people showed my father. Heads bowed and people moved out of his way as he walked, with his ever present swords at his waist. Honor and service were his guiding principles.
From an early age I studied the art of the sword, of the bow, and empty hand combat. I learned that power came from strength and the ability to take a life. I had pledged my life, as my father had, to the service of our master. I would willingly fight and even die in his service. (samurai. meaning “to serve”) This was the way of the samurai.
I must admit that for the first time I had questioned my father’s wisdom. I did not understand how watching an old man prepare tea could help in my martial training. Now that I am of the age to go to battle, this was to be my final lesson. My father had told me that this man had been sought out by many samurai and was invited by the emperor himself to perform the ancient ceremony. To be honest, I did not show the proper courtesy to the master. I sat in front of him stiffly, with my arms crossed in protest of being there.
The master soon entered the room and with no emotion or wasted movement, he began his well practiced ritual, the tea ceremony. I watched with great interest as the old man prepared the tea, with his exacting and deliberate movements and total focus. It was like poetry to watch as he carefully laid the ladle down and whisked the powered tea with a flourishing movement. I noticed that he handled his tools with the same reverence that I handle my swords. He set the cup of tea on the mat in front of me as he slowly and purposely turned the cup so that the inscription would face me, his guest.
When he was finished with the ritual, he looked me in the eyes and told me that there was more than one path. When he was a young man he too only knew of killing, but many years ago he discovered that there was another way to serve, to achieve excellence, and to find purpose. He discovered that the sword was not the only way. A samurai had once spared his life in battle, and afterward he changed the direction and purpose of his life.
After that day, I had proudly fought in many battles. Both my long and my short sword had been wet with blood on many occasions. My strength and skill as a warrior had multiplied, and my courage was known to all. I took no joy in killing, nor did I ever sense any remorse. I had always fought with honor and courage; it is the code of bushido, the way of the samurai.
After many conflicts and years of victory on the battle field, I was to at last taste defeat. During my charge on horseback an arrow found its way past my shield and armor and lodged into my side. It seems that my horse had met with a similar fate and as he buckled and fell under my weight, I was thrown to the ground. For a moment I saw darkness but my instincts took over. My katana had been thrown clear, but I reached for my short sword. It was at this moment that my remaining weapon was thrown from my hand by the force of a mighty blow from a fearsome opponent. I looked up from my back to face my assailant, with a mixture of dirt and my own blood in my eyes.
My worthy opponent was standing over me, he stood on my chest and was ready to run me through with his sword. With my free hand I loosened my helmet and invited him to end my life with honor. It seemed like all the noise and furry of battle had stopped for that brief moment as I viewed his gleaming sword held high above me and reflecting the sun.
I had found myself in his position many times and would not deny a fellow samurai the right to die with dignity. It was at that moment that I recited a short haiku ( a brief poem, of strict construction), and awaited my fate.
It seems that my haiku had amused my opponent and his sword hesitated. He looked at me for a moment and then with one fluid movement he shook the blood from his sword, returned it to its sheath and turned away. As he turned to rejoin the battle he said to me. There is another path, the sword is not the only way. A great tea master once told me that a great warrior will sometimes spare a life, and not always take one. I’m not sure if it was luck or fate but my life had been spared by a warrior greater than me.
I laid there for a while, contemplating what had just happened to me. Had I shown fear, had I failed to accept death at the hands of my enemy? If so, I had disgraced my master, myself, and my family. I knew that the honorable thing to do would be to take my own life, but I was too weak. I soon passed out from the loss of blood.
I had awakened many hours latter and the fury of the battle had passed me by. I staggered to my feet and found my way past the remnants of the mighty battle. The fullness of the moon had shown me the way past many dead bodies of man and beast and back out of the battlefield.
Several months later when I had healed, I again visited the tea master. This time I came before him as a more enlightened man and a humble student. There would be time for war and battles later, for now I was open to following a new path.
Please feel free to contact me at: pooritalianboy@gmail.com
P.I.B.

WAR

WAR

It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it.
Robert E. Lee, Statement at the Battle of Fredericksburg (13th December 1862)US-Confederate general (1807 - 1870)

I am always patiently waiting, waiting for my time to rear my ugly soul

Like a seed that lays dormant in the soil, waiting for that single drop of moisture or sunshine to spring to life.

I lie still in every man’s heart and mind, like a dreaded and repressed truth that no man wishes to speak.

I wait because I know my time will come, thru all the ages, it always does.

Knowing that once my power is unleashed, man’s hate and fury will carry me forth

Since the birth of time, I have taken my toll. Many a brave mother’s son has fallen to my call.

I side with no man or army, let them pray to their Gods for that. I seek only the battle.

I will cloud men’s thoughts and turn their compassion and reason into rage

Like a fire burning thru a dry forest, I will consume all that is before me.

Only when all the hate is vanquished will I release my hold, and even then with great reluctance

Then, grudgingly, I will retreat again into the deepest chasms of a man’s heart and soul

They will bury me deeply after all the horror and death, and say “Never Again”, but I know better.

So then, I lay again in wait. Waiting to be re-lived like a horrible dream. To be sure, my time will come again.

Please feel free to contact me at : pooritalianboy@gmail.com
P.I.B.

THE CRADEL OF CIVILIZATION

THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION

Of course, no one knows for sure but it is widely believed that life on earth got its fragile start some where in the middle east. That area has always had a tumultuous history since then. War and threats of war have been common place. The map has been drawn and redrawn many times over the centuries as well as the peoples that have lived and ruled there.

According to the Bible somewhere in that particular piece of dirt (or in this case sand) is where the final battle or Armageddon will take place. Now it really doesn’t matter to me if you believe in the Bible or Not (I happen to subscribe to its account of the ending days). The fact of the matter is that this region is a hot bed of violent activity, hatred, and long (and I mean long) standing feuds. Even the most casual observer recognizes this part of the globe as being extremely volatile.

The entire region has polarized itself against Israel, against each other, and against varying religious and political sects. The political landscape has long been littered with egotistical and fanatical leaders. The hatred that permeates the populace is strong and deeply imbedded into the culture of the people. It is some ubiquitous it is almost hereditary. Fathers hands down the venom to sons and the dogma is almost half the curriculum of the schools and madras’s.

The United States has attempted to intervene in the area and while our actions have done some good, the interventions have not endeared us to the people there; in fact many learned to hate “the Great Satin”. We currently have a large military presence in the area with no plans to exit the theatre at this time (despite the political promises of our leaders). Rest assured we have many new battles we will fight in those deserts.

Of course I would hope and pray for a political or diplomatic solution to the unrest in that part of the world, but in truth I don’t believe that will be our destiny. I’m not a war hawk, just a realist, and we can not reverse what has been set into action so many thousands of years ago.

Trouble is brewing, with much of it centered around the hatred of the Jews. Again, this is more than a passing conflict; this is a cultural divide between two peoples. Israel has used some restraint but the tome will come where she must defend herself with all its might and fury. I believe that time is eminent.

Once a full scale war is engaged in by Israel, the area will be further polarized with leaders and nations forced to take sides. Some of the alliances may be temporary and quite strained but governments will gravitate towards religious and cultural bonds. Of course the U.S. would have to side with Israel as one of our true friends and democracies in the region.


Watching from afar one can see the entire region inching towards one painful yet inevitable conclusion. The dynamics of the region coupled with the religious and political aspirations of the leaders make the march to violence hard to defuse.

I see ongoing issues in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, (and all the other little stans) Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, India, and Africa (not to mention Korea), and maybe most importantly a nuclear Iran. Sure we can act as a buffer and agent of peace, but there are also a thousand political landmines between us and our objective, waiting to draw us in deeper into each of the conflicts.

Although each of these countries and regions is autonomous and has there own agenda and set of priorities, I maintain that they are all inextricably tied together in the security of the region. Each country is like so much dry kindling, that if ignited by the smallest spark, can throw the whole region into flames. Adjoining countries like Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon would be quick to choose sides, and possibly along ancient allegiances.

I the short term I’m concerned about Israel attacking the nuclear facilities in Iran, (which I believe is a matter of national security for them and unavoidable and Iran counterattacking the Israelis’. Every one knows the stakes have been raised now that all the boys have joined the exclusive “we’ve got the bomb” club. I also worry about the threat posed by the rouges that could soon take over Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities. (Along with that fragile government)

As for us, I think we need to realize that we can’t protect everyone and we can’t fight 3 separate wars at once (and hope to win any). Like the other players we better push for peace and choose our battles wisely. We can hope for the best, but we better plan for the worst.

In mind, it would be naive to think that any one of these conflicts, if allowed to fester wouldn’t have global implications. (and of biblical proportions) It’s a lot to plan for and worry about, but the issues that fuel the hatred and discontent in that part of the world will not go away by themselves. Could it be fate or mere coincidence, that the part of the world that was the cradle of civilization could also hold the seeds of our ultimate battle?

Also: see my previous article: “The War that no one wants”

Please feel free to contact me at: pooritalianboy@gmail.com

P.I.B.

FIRST STRIKE

FIRST STRIKE

“Civility only resonates with Civilized people, and Violence only registers with violent people”
P.I.B.

For centuries fathers have given this sage advice to their sons: “don’t ever look for a fight, but if you must; fight to win”
My dad told me: “ Don’t look for a fight, but if one is unavoidable, Hit first, hit fast, hit hard, and hit last. Win at all costs.”

Most civilized peoples and countries abhor violence and war. The vast majority of people would always prefer to live in peace. We have all been taught that war is not only something to be avoided, but it should always be the last option.

“ Peace is always preferable, but in the course of human events, sometimes conflict and even war is unavoidable”

In keeping with this desire to avoid war, yet recognizing each nation’s undeniable right to self defense a tactical dilemma exists. If war is eminent and unavoidable does a nation have to wait to be attacked in order to offer a defense? Is it necessary to suffer casualties in order to maintain the moral high ground.

With today’s advances in weapons and warfare, the one who strikes first has a decisive advantage. In years past, an Army could afford to take the first blow and then counter with their own offensive counter attack. In today’s war fighting arena, we can not afford to turn the other check. The defender, who waits, can not afford to absorb a lightening fast crippling blow that could literally neutralize an effective counter attack.

Despite our best wishes and concerted efforts to handle all situations in a political, diplomatic, or peaceful forum, it takes two to talk peace. Like it or not there are those, that would do us great harm. The genie is out of the bottle. The exclusive club of nuclear nations is soon to be joined by some new and highly volatile members.

Today, the risks and stakes are raised significantly with weapons that are capable of taking out entire cities. A determined enemy can inflict more damage in one day (possibly into the millions) than was done in any war of the past. A single war head can kill large numbers in a 3-10 mile radius. In this type of scenario, there are no do-overs, and there is no second place winner. Past wars were just as brutal and unthinkable, yet the causalities might seem minor to the effects of a Weapon of Mass destruction. (although each and every death is tragic) Here are a few statistics from previous wars. (not counting wounded and deaths out of theater)

American Revolution ( 1775-1783) 4,435 battle deaths

Civil War ( 1861-1865) 140,414 “union” and 74,524 “conf”

Gulf War (1990-1991) 147 battle deaths

War on Terror as of 2006 over 4,000

American wars Total 653,708

Even the smallest and most economically challenged countries of the world can now garner highly advanced armament as well as weapons of mass destruction (either chemical, nuclear, or conventional). Using these indiscriminate weapons can lead to hundreds of thousands if not millions of casualties. In the wrong hands weapons such as these could be purposely brought to bear on non-combatants and innocent civilian populations.

So, the question remains, Is a tactical first strike capability a viable option? And, will the countries leadership be ready, willing, and able to use it if that need or opportunity should occur. Having this first strike capability and having the will and ability to use it, are two different things. Any leader or commander that would knowingly take the First Strike option off the negotiating table or the battle plan would severely weaken his position.

Israel for one, is now in a dilemma where this issue will need to be decided. I believe they have the capability, they have the resolve, and they have the internal support to utilize a first strike strategy. In their mind waiting only exasperates the problem and lessens its viability as a military option. They believe that their right to self defense usurps the demands of the United Nations and international law. Due to the small size and population of their country they cannot fight a war of attrition.

Let’s face it, the stakes are much higher today. Modern weaponry is capable of great destruction, of both military and innocent civilian targets. Especially when our opponents are less technologically advanced, they will seek out soft targets such as civilians to exact a toll on our country. In our culture we prefer to hold to our higher standards and want the world to view us as the reluctant participant in any conflict. I can assure you that our enemies will harbor no such moral dilemma.

You heard it before and it is true. “The best defense is a good offense”. The threat of a massive pre-emptive strike and its horrible aftermath has given pause to many an evil world leader. The sad and unfortunate truth is that someone starts all wars. I deplore the use of war as a political tool, however, I am a strong believer in Self Defense. (in the home, on the street, and on the battlefield)

Please don’t judge my political leaning or intent by the scope of this information. Just as you would surely use any means at your discretion to stop someone that entered your home with bad intentions. I feel that If someone has the intention to do great harm to America..all I can say is.. “Not in our house”

Please feel free to contact me at: pooritalianboy@gmail.com

P.I.B.

FAILED FOREIGN POLICY

FAILED FOREIGN POLICY

Sometimes we all choose to believe something is real, even though intellectually we know it isn’t so. Some times we just want to believe in something and allow it to pass our reality test, and at other times it’s just good honest fun. Most of the time, its harmless for us to perpetuate these myths and go about of lives in the real world. So, I’ll give a pass to all of you who believe in Wrestling, Santa Claus, and the Easter bunny.

However, we clearly lost the recent contest of wills with the North Koreans. They announced they were going to launch a “communications” satellite and we postured up and told them we would shoot it down. We bandied about some other strongly worded political rhetoric and then sat back and watched as the North Koreans did what they wanted to do. They knew the odds were strongly in their favor because we had backed down on the much larger nuclear proliferation contest already. Not to mention the fact that we prosecuted a half won war there many years ago that we are still supporting with troops.

To make matters worse they threatened us and the world community with superlatives as to their retaliation if we tried to interfere.( their bluff worked). We retracted our own statement regarding shooting down the missile, and of course they took that as intrinsic permission to move ahead. There is no doubt that their regime gathered important scientific data that will enhance their ability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile at the U.S. (giving them even more tactical and political capital to use against us at the next showdown). We could have stopped the missile pre-flight or had our Japanese Allies shoot it down (we have given them the means to do so). There is no question in my mind that they will both use, and export this technology to our enemies. (some have bombs and no delivery systems, others have delivery systems and no bombs.. go fish)

I think what concerns me most is when we incorporate this “wishful” thinking into our foreign policy. When we knowingly accept the word and propaganda of another country that intends to do us harm. I get upset when we are being intellectually dishonest with our self and the American people, in matters that concern national security. The worst part is we do it over and over again, with every despot and half baked dictator around the world. What naiveté, “Come on, let’s not make waves”, maybe they really are doing what they are telling us.

There is a game that children pay called “Mother May I”. In the game the children all stand obediently in a line before the all knowing “mother”. One at a time they each ask mother for permission to take a step forward. Mother plays a strategic game allowing each to make some forward progress, some by baby steps and some by giant steps (based on how pleased Mom is with each of their behaviors and how eloquently they each ask for permission.) But, Old Mom is no fool, she knows that if she allows one participant too many steps forward, they will eventually “catch” her. To insure she stays in power, Mom appears gracious in her allocation of small successes, but in the end always sends the advancing participants back to the starting line. It’s great fun as a kid’s game, but is this the way for us to conduct ourselves on the world political stage?

It seems to me that all the world leaders that would threaten and defy the United States and the world community all know how to play this game, very well. They have learned the game of patience; they know that the leadership of the United States will play by the rules. They move forward with their destructive agenda and allow us some small successes along the way. As we get closer to making any real progress they cry foul and send us back to the starting line. The whole time these devious leaders have no real intention of complying with our wishes or objectives, as they slowly make progress to their ultimate goals.

Two steps forward and one step back, appearing to comply or feigning the desire to negotiate, while inching ever slightly towards their ultimate objective with each passing day. ( Insert the Iranian nuclear contest of wills here) They allow us to rejoice in our perceived diplomatic momentum, offering us just enough apparent success to keep us in the game. (and avoid the penalty phase). These rouge governments also realize that we have allies and detractors in the United Nations and the world community. They alternately seek approval from one sympathetic ear and then the other, much as a child that was told not to do something by one parent.

How foolish our efforts truly must appear in their eyes as they play a careful and well calculated game of cat and mouse. They know that time and public opinion will dilute the resolve and attention span of the American people. We are always so willing to trust and forget the lessons of the past. While we couch our foreign policy statements in carefully constructed, politically ambiguous, and correct terms they threaten us with blatant and inflammatory statements and threats of retaliation.

We adulterate our demands with the use of politically correct language such as “ We are leaving all options on the table” (a watered down reference to the possible use of force), or we may need to take “extreme measures”. Of course, none of these veiled threats ever deter the “evil doers” from their mission at hand. For a threat to be effective, you have to occasionally back that threat with action. Our enemies know that we are a paper tiger, and rarely if ever, back a diplomatically correct “threat” with any action. They also know that we are increasingly reluctant to act unilaterally, and God forbid acting preemptively to defuse a threat. (We need to learn a lesson from our friends in Israel) Those that would defy us and do us harm, realize that we would first go to the United Nations or try to form a coalition before taking any action.

Over time when you don’t say what you mean, and mean what you say, you loose creditability. When you loose creditability you loose the “fear factor” and perhaps more importantly, also the ability to “bluff”. In any negotiation, when you loose the ability to bluff, you are left with only a few options including walking away with your tail between your legs and all out war.

We need to revamp our foreign policy and regain our international creditability. I think the reputation we need to portray to the world is that we are fair, but tough. We need to lead with diplomacy, but not rely solely on it. Mostly we need to be consistent in our demands and expectations so that others can tell where we really stand on matters of national and global security.

Remember, there are others out there who would doubt our intentions and our resolve. There are many who will confuse our compassion for weakness. It’s vital that we respond to threats and intimidating gestures with the right posture, and measure reactions, the World is watching.

Please feel free to contact me at: pooritalianboy@gmail.com

P.I.B.

CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG ?

CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG ?
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we could all just get along? Well, I hate to drop this little reality bomb on you, but we can’t. (Please stop holding your breath, with your fingers crossed behind your back saying pretty please with a cherry on top). People and countries tend to be afraid of what they don’t know and will always be inclined to put their own interests in front of that of others. (sorry, but that’s human nature). Also as in any argument between two parties, there are usually 2 sides, 2 opposing points of view, and both parties are equally sure they are right.(not to mention that God is on their side) Now, give both of those opposing sides a big army, some tanks, and maybe some nuclear weapons and there is going to be trouble.
Now maybe, if it was just a couple of citizens from each country engaged in this disagreement they would work things out. Or maybe, they would just throw down with a few well placed punches. At the end of the day the two “warring parties” would most likely end up at a bar and buy each other a few drinks. But, add a few politicians and diplomats into the mix and all of a sudden nobody can back down. A lot of politicians actually like a good conflict; it takes their people’s minds off of other important things like hunger, oppression, and a failing economy. It works especially well when the “politician” is more of dictator, or guy with a small mustache. The people can not object to, or oppose the conflict. (it turns out, those mothers don’t want to send their kids off to war either..imagine that)
Behind the scenes, each country is always jockeying for position, stature, and even relevancy. The leaders that represent these countries can’t let themselves be seen as soft or a sell out. To make matters worse, big countries love to exert their power, and small countries have to make it known that they won’t be pushed around. Now further aggravate the situation because everyone is saluting a different color piece of cloth on a flag pole, and throw in National Pride, and that’s how fights start.
Countries for centuries have gone to war over a myriad of things including border disputes, invasions, religious differences and political ideology.(not to mention the drop of a hat). There is also a deep seated desire to demonstrate to the world, that their own specific brand of religion (affiliation), culture, economics, or social structure is the best.
Self defense between people used to mean you could punch a guy in the eye if he tried to hurt you. Now, we go to war if “our interests” are being compromised. “Our vital interests” can cover a lot of gray area that might entail a shipping lane, oil, natural resources, or even fishing rights. To complicate things further, countries also compete for friends, Clients, exports, imports, and allies, all on the world stage.
There is no such thing as the “status quo” in world affairs anymore. Remember, friends and allies are always in a state of flux, based on current needs and conditions. It sometimes comes down to who is chipping in with the largest handout.
At the end of the day, the real danger for all of us is that we become so indoctrinated to our own particular way of life that by default, we become somewhat intolerant to all other ways. Perhaps we even consider them to be wrong or even sinful, by our own standards. But the real trouble starts when one ideology feels compelled to force another group of people, into “doing it our way” (for their own good, of course). I think that’s why I like the Scandinavian countries so much, they tend to stay neutral. (Not to mention the Swedish Bikini Team)

I can tell you form my travels and interactions with other people and cultures. We are all more the same, than different. It’s a small world, and getting smaller by the minute. Maybe it is time that “We All Got Along”


Please feel free to contact me at pooritalianboy@gmail.com

P.I.B.

D DAY

D DAY
June 5Th 1944

(From a note found in the pocket of an American serviceman on Utah beach.)

Dear Mom: This may be the last chance I get to write to you for a while. I wanted to tell you one more time, how much I love you and how important you and Lois are to me. I know in my heart that you did not want me to join the service, but I had to do what I felt was the right thing. I’m sorry I lied to you about what I was doing, and to the recruiter about my age. Every since dad passed away I felt a duty, a debt, to serve my country the way he did. I think today, you would both be proud of me. Besides, as soon as this war is over, I’ll be coming home, and I promise I’ll finish school and become a doctor, just like you have always wanted, I promise.

This is what we have all been training for all these months. Tomorrow I get a chance to help make a difference. We were called into action to help save the people of France. We had been confined to base for several days leading up to operation Neptune with a few false starts. The time has finally arrived, all of my skill and months of training will now be put to the test. I want you to know that everything will be alright. I’m here with a lot of my buddies from basic training and also with quite a few of the Brits that we trained with for the last few months. I’ve made friends with many of these English soldiers and despite the fact that they have a great sense of humor, they are ferocious fighters. It’s actually quite exciting, I’m on board a ship heading from England to France. At this point I’m not sure if we are part of the diversionary force or the actual main attack force. I’ve never seen so many ships in my life. The fleet is getting bigger as we meet up at sea with other ships from all over Southern England. We are part of a giant armada of sailing vessels and part of the largest invasion force the world has ever known.

The fleet is made up of everything that will float. There are literally thousand of ships, and several hundred thousand men from several countries, but mainly the U.S. and England. There are battleships, destroyers, cruisers, mine sweepers, submarines, (LCT) Landing Craft Tank, LCI (Landing Craft Infantry), and transport ships. The water is so thick with ships, that I could almost walk between ships as we left the port. Our invasion force also has in tow our own docks and artificial breakwaters to aid in getting men, tanks, and material onto the shore. I have to admit that it’s not exactly what I expected. I had envisioned myself on the newest state of the art Navy ship, bristling with huge guns and plenty of armor. Instead I find myself on an old transport ship, that has no weapons at all. It really doesn’t matter because I will get to the beach right along with the other guys.

We’ve been underway now for several hours and the channel is getting rough. Many of the men are already seasick, and the pills they have given us are making us more drowsy than well. Our commanding officer has instructed us to all get some food and rest, because the next few days are going to be tough. All of the men are preparing themselves for battle. Some are trying to sleep, others are playing cards, and some are reading and writing letters. I swear, some of the guys have checked their provisions and weapons at least ten times. I guess, at a time like this, every man has to deal with his own fears and uncertainties in his own way.

I’ve been too excited to sleep, but I did go up on deck and get some fresh air. The seas and currents have picked up quite a bit and some of the men are sea sick. I’m really not affected by the rolling waves at all, thanks to all those deep sea fishing trips with dad. In fact, if I could block out the other ships and the mission we are about to undertake, I could really enjoy being out at sea on a night like this. There are more than a few men on deck staring out into the darkness, on alert for an enemy sub, plane, or floating mine.

I can tell we are getting closer now, the ships are all slowing down, as we wait for the large fleet of mine sweepers creeping along ahead of us to clear a path for the rest of the fleet.. They have marked a channel for us that is only about 800 yards wide. We’ve been told that at least one of our ships has hit a submerged mine and has been lost. Many of the ships are struggling against the waves and currents to stay within the area between the lighted buoys. Our ship has been struck several times by smaller ships as they have attempted to fight the currents and stay within the safe zone.

We have been instructed to fly a large inflated balloon or dirigible above our ship to help ward off low flying attack aircraft. Our captain has decided to ignore the order because he feels it would help announce our position to any fighter plane in the area.

As we get closer and the sun begins to rise, more details and gossip about our mission are spreading through out the ship. Many of the men have joined together to hear a sermon by the Chaplin. There are very few who would admit to being disbelievers tonight. I think the reality of the situation is sinking in. We were told that some of us would not be going home. Our group is part of a large task force in an operation named Overlord. The plan calls for us to land on several beaches in Normandy. From there we are to take the beach, establish a beach head and then push inland.

We were just told that our group would not go ashore with the first wave, we were assigned to H-Hour plus 2, but somehow that didn’t ease the sick feeling in our stomachs. We hear the roar of our own planes racing ahead of us to deliver ordnance and drop parachute troops behind enemy lines. Reports of vicious fighting are now filtering through. My heart races as I hear of mounting casualties and loss of landing craft. I’m not sure if it’s harder to remain behind in these first hours or be on the front lines with our brothers.

Mom, please don’t worry about me, I will be fine. Thanks for always being there for me, in fact just writing this letter to you has restored my confidence. I’m confident that the Americans and our allies will prevail. My hope is to be back home, and with you soon, and that the French will never forget our work and sacrifice here. It’s time to go …remember..I love you.

Authors note: This story although fictitious, rings eerily true. I salute the men that served that day and all of our fighting men and women for their bravery and service to our country.

Part of speech from General Eisenhower on 6/6/1944
“ ……..I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory! Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”

SIGNED: Dwight D. Eisenhower

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P.I.B.

THE WAR NO ONE WANTS

THE WAR NO ONE WANTS

(Author’s note: No matter what side of this issue you fall on, no one wants this war. However, the story below represents a “likely” scenario.)

We’ve been training out in the desert for 6 months now. Boredom and monotony are punctuated with urgent and realistic drills. They never really tell us if we are being called into action or is this just another training maneuver. I really can’t complain because I volunteered for this mission. We were told at the start that our success would be vital for the survival of my people.

Over and over, we have practiced negotiating the desert terrain in almost complete darkness, training for a mission we all hoped would never be put into action. Our role was to make a stealthy entry into enemy territory and locate key defense fortifications, determine troop strength, locate weapons production facilities, and missile sites.

Today, we are called into readiness and told, “this is not a drill”. I take a short helicopter ride back to Tel Aviv for an important briefing. It seems our intelligence people (among the best in the world) have conclusive evidence that the Iranians are now producing nuclear weapons. They have been allowed to continue their nuclear development program under the guise that it was for peaceful use in power generation. Now, even the passive and largely inept Nuclear Regulatory Committee has acknowledged that the Iranian program is very suspect.

The Israeli people do not want war, we are a peaceful people, however, our tiny nation is surrounded by countries that choose to deny us our very existence. The rhetoric lately has reached a feverish pitch, as leaders of foreign governments swear to “wipe us off the map” or “push us into the sea”. These are threats that we do not take lightly. Our history dictates that we face these threats or suffer unacceptable consequences. If these madmen are allowed to develop and posses nuclear weapons, our chances of defending our nation are seriously compromised. I hope the rest of the world understands that waiting is a risk we can not afford to take.

Several times in the past we have acted preemptively and aggressively against foreign powers, when we felt our national security was at stake. A small country like Israel can not afford to rely on a purely defensive posture. In our preemptive strikes against Iraq and Syria, we risked the wrath of global opinion and condemnation. Fortunately we consider global opinion a distant second to national security in our planning. Afterward diplomats from many countries, even those that are friendly to us, were speaking out against our actions. The truth is, that many of those same foreign leaders knew of our actions in advance, and secretly aided us in our efforts. I asked myself if the other world powers would turn against us if we act first again this time, but I console myself with the fact that I am just a soldier. The protection of my country and my people are paramount to me.

In any case, the prime minister has determined that we must strike first and we must strike now. It has also been determined that my small group of IDF special forces will be the tip of the spear, we are to ordered to be ready to deploy within 24 hours. It is made known to me that the Americans have knowledge of our plan and will “turn their back” and open a land and air corridor thru the Iraqi territory that they occupy for our planes and troops.

Because of our history of “first attack”, our targets have been hardened and our adversaries are on alert for our possible attack. The facilities we are going after have been embedded deep in the earth, covered by tons of concrete and protected by batteries of anti aircraft instillations. We are also faced with the formidable task of simultaneously taking out several production facilities scattered about the country. Logistically, this is much more distant and difficult than our previously successful missions. Fortunately we already have operators and agents on the ground providing us valuable real time intelligence. Every day we wait to react now, only lessens our chance of success.

Our goal will be to so damage these facilities as to negate their ability to produce weapon grade material, and set back their progress a dozen years or so. Unfortunately, now that this horrible technology exists, we can no longer “put the genie back in the bottle”

I am told that our government has authorized the use of force, using any and all means at our disposal to accomplish this mission. That is military speak for all out war and even the use of the terrible weapons that our country has at it’s disposal. This was not a decision that was made lightly, and we are all convinced that our success is a matter of national survival.

Our military has been war planning for this strike for several years now, but we have delayed taking action. We have waited at the urging of the United States, and have pursued every diplomatic channel. Many say we have waited too long. We have run thru every possible variation of the attack, carefully weighing the effects on both Israel and the entire Middle East.

Our planners were 100% correct in assuming that the Syrians would not retaliate after we bombed their secret Korean inspired nuclear facility in the desert, in fact they quietly buried the remains to hide them from satellite view. We have no such delusions this time around. For starters Iran has one of the largest and most well equipped armies in the world, and we consider a counter attack eminent.

A counter attack would immediately escalate the incident into an all out regional war. We are confident that we would face missile strikes and troop incursions on at least two fronts. We anticipate that Syrians, and their clients Hamas and Hezbollah would quickly join the battle. We feel confident that the U.S. would then be forced into the battle, despite being seriously over extended in Iran and Afghanistan. American troops in Iraq would be overrun by both Iranian troops and rebels sympathetic to the Iranian cause thought the region. There is also a high likelihood that other more moderate Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, and Egypt would be under great pressure to join the cause of their Muslim brothers, and if they did not act, face a possible uprising by their own people. It’s possible that even some previously Russian countries could be drawn in, due to economic and military interests in Iran.

In short we feel this war would be the greatest threat to the existence of our people and our nation that we have ever faced. Faced with overwhelming odds, we would almost certainly have to use our weapons of last resort, including those that we have historically denied as ever possessing. As a lowly solider I do not know the extent of our weapons stockpile, but it is generally acknowledged as now exceeding even the capabilities of the British. We also have land based, and sea based delivery platforms, as well as the very formidable Israeli air force option.

Our estimates show that we could lose almost a million Israeli soldiers and citizens in such a strike and counter strike scenario, offset by enemy losses numbering almost 20 million. There is no question that this battle will be of Biblical proportions.

The time is at hand, I can only hope and pray for a last minute diplomatic solution, or that our enemies will find their potential losses too high a price to pay. As for myself and every Israeli, we will gladly give our lives as many of our brave countrymen thru out history have done before us, to insure the life of our country. I pray that, God, once again will allow us to defeat our adversaries.

P.I.B.