Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Picking at Scabs


                                                                                                                              
                                    PICKING AT SCABS

Isn’’t it possible for us to have news that doesn’t constantly try to open old wounds? It is what I call picking at scabs. They want to make political points for their side, what ever side that may be, so we constantly hear judgments that were made in the past called into question, not to help us make better judgments in the future, but to make political hay. You know when this is happening when our pols get on whatever grandstand they can find, or call a press conference, and try to make an issue, where there is no clear issue. They are calling half truths and un truths. the truth. in the middle of a scenario that hasn’t played out. They are screaming for details that could possibly be harmful for an action still in play. if should be discussed within the chambers of those who made the calls or have a responsibility in making the calls, quietly, maybe even secretly, to do no further harm. Otherwise we are just picking at scabs, trying to open wounds that were better off left to heal and better left for a longer term historical judgment, not HYSTERICAL  judgment that is only looking for political gain.

It happened in the past when Reagan went into Grenada. The liberal press beat up on him about this. Having been in Grenada both before and after, I couldn’t believe anyone wouldn’t have seen the action as good and appropriate, and was shocked to find some of my best friends who considered themselves so well informed had bought into this. They too should have been there a year before and immediately after to see how wrong they were.

Nobody has ever declared the Korean war a disaster, except for MacArthur’s actions that brought the Chinese into it, but we now all see the mistake of the Viet Nam war and we can throw in Iraq and Pakistan, but lets give it a few more years to really make judgments on the last ones.  Beating up on those who made the bad choices doesn’t help us from repeating our mistakes and that is what we are trying to accomplish.

So here we go with Bengazi all over again. Just an attempt to make political gain. We are in the middle of a mess all over the Mid-East, and trying to pick the perfect way is like trying to find your way in the middle of a sandstorm, with booby traps and enemies and friends scattered all about, hoping you will find the shelter of friends and not blow yourself up. Picking at scabs doesn’t help. Broadcasting  how we make choices  and the complications of choices, letting the enemy know how strong we are and aren’t, how long it may take to respond, if we can respond, does no one any good except our enemies.