Elected Representatives : What Were They Thinking Committing the US to War?

"I will fight no more forever" are the famous words of a defeated Indian Chief from long ago that recognized that his efforts were futile. Today, America faces a difficult struggle in Iraq and many of our elected leaders are ready to abandon a cause that was right and just. Over 3,000 of our young soldiers have sacrificed their lives and thousands of others have been wounded in the struggle to introduce freedom in an area of the world that has been denied that opportunity for several generations. As was the case several decades ago in Vietnam, where over 55,000 of our young soldiers were sacrificed, the elected leaders of America are ready to declare that they made a mistake and walk away from the conflict. Over a million Vietnamese ultimately died as a result of the American withdrawal from that struggle. It is likely that the toll on the innocent Iraqi people that embraced the promise of democracy and voted will be high.

I am heartsick that our elected leaders would once again call upon our soldiers to die in a struggle that they do not have the resolve to complete. Who will volunteer in the future when changing events might cause our Congress to vote one day to send our soldiers into combat and months later change their minds because they discover new information or determine that the cost is too high? Who will volunteer to be sacrificed for their next mistaken war?

I am retired now. I was a soldier and in my heart I am still a soldier. I served in war and after that service, I trained other young people about the ideals of duty, honor and country. I wore the uniform proudly for over 28 years. I was proud to serve our nation, knowing that my efforts enabled the citizens or our great country to pursue their lives in peace. My family has a heritage of military service dedicated to protecting our country and serving the needs of the weak to prevail over those that would deny them freedom. My great-grandfather, father, brother and daughter all proudly wore the uniform of our nation. However, if our elected officials abandon this cause now I will join Chief Joseph and declare that " I will fight no more forever", and I will encourage all others that I can influence and all my descendants to avoid military service where they may be called upon to be sacrificed by leaders that do not possess the will to prevail once they commit to combat. I have adapted the words of a speech by Chief Joseph to capture my feelings.

I am a soldier that volunteered to protect our nation, our freedoms and our democratic way of life, but I am tired of fighting. Many of our young soldiers are dead or wounded. While we believe we can prevail in the struggle, our elected leaders talk of abandoning the fight. They called on many of us to sacrifice our lives for the cause, but they have lost their resolve and no longer care about the struggle of the Iraqi people that voted to adopt democratic ideals. Our leaders have forgotten that they voted to initiate the conflict. Did they not consider the consequences of battle when they cast their ballots? Our leaders did this before in Vietnam where over 55,000 of our young soldiers were placed in a grave called a mistake. I want to return to my loved ones and embrace my family. Hear me, my elected leaders! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad that you have now abandoned me and those that have fallen. Once again our youthful soldiers have been cast into the pit of political mistakes. From where the sun now stands I and my descendants will fight no more forever.