American politicians love to brag about how strong the US military is. How we have all the best military technologies and how we have overwhelming fire power. The only problem is that US hasn’t actually won a war since the 1940s, namely World War II. Few people are alive still that can remember a time when we actually won a war.
We lost the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War. While we don’t like call them losses, and we point out to stragetic gains to the war, at end the opponents in those wars ultimately won. It’s kind of an embarrassing thing for our country, something our leaders don’t like to point out.
The reason is pretty simple, and it obvious to any student of American history – home front advantage. People know their homeland far better then any foreign invading army, it’s a lot easier to engage in sabotage and to blow things up then it is to rebuild them. It’s really hard to control millions of people if they are not willing consenters. If a majority of a local population wants to go along with the invading army, and you have a handful of rebels to arrest, punish, shoot or kill, then that’s a reasonable objective – stable democracies do that all the time. But the key is that in stable democracies the majority of people consent to their government.
The lessons of the American Revolution should not be forgotten. Why does the US think time and time again that other countries will simply bend over when they come knocking on the door with their guns and canons? Even when local leaders acquiesce due to invaders having guns pointed at their heads, there is very little evidence that the people are willing to roll over and go along. When you have millions of people willing to engage in terrorism and sabotage or at least look the other way when their fellow citizens do such things to the invaders, then it’s an awful hard for invaders to impose their will on foreign countries.
American oil companies are rightly skeptical about investing into Venezuela. Who says that the Venezuelan people won’t just blow up foreign-run refineries or look the other way when their fellow citizens engage in sabotage? Not only do American oil companies risk losing a lot of money, they also risk losing personnel and their reputations in the process. While their may be benefit in playing a shell game, and telling President Trump their playing ball, one can’t help to be skeptical.
I used to be a lot more involved in political activism back in the day. But I’ve lost interest and have frankly been turned off by some much of the political ideology that goes along with it. I don’t like the idea of supporting groups that have only one limited world view on our country and are unwilling to see beyond what their group believes is right.
Maybe I’m too much of an iconoclast, too ready to jump ship when I only agree on seven out of ten points. Maybe I’m just too comfortable on where I stand today that I don’t feel like being involved with political movements is that important. Maybe loud and obnoxious protests aren’t my style.
Things could change in the Trump era. I like the man the lot but I am concerned with some of his policies and what they mean for the future of our country. Maybe I will be back out on the streets demanding change. Or maybe I’ll just go back in my fishing rod and shotgun, and forget about the world around me.
My dad is skeptical that dealers will give me out-the-door pricing on cars without stepping foot in dealerships. I don't know, but this video had some good suggestions on how to be clear and conscise on what you need and expect and it's part of the hours and hours of videos (and two library books) I've been reading on the automobile industry. I want to be both an informed consumer and not get hosed in the process, and end up with a truck I love that is reliable, takes me on many great adventures camping and the back country, and serves me well through my early retirement/start of the homestead.
