Tuesday, August 17, 2004
THE END OF AN ERA
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/08/17/germany.troops.ap/index.html
Forst off, this blog is in no way an indictment of the proposed restructuring of our military posture. I am simply waxing nostalgic for a time and a place that is fast disapearing.
I often tell people that I was born in a country that no longer exists - West Germany. My father was a career military officer and he did tours in Germany, like so many did. In 1965, when he was stationed in Pirmasens, I came into the world. By '68 he was off to Vietnam, and we (his family) took up residence outside Washington D.C., however in 1979, he took his sabbaticle in Heidelberg, and I got to live in Germany for a year at a very impressionable age. I loved it. I loved exploring the history and culture, and am happy I got a chance to reconcile my German heritage with my disgust of the holocaust by visiting Dachau. I was fortunate enough to be able to travel throughout Europe, visiting Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland. The experience has shaped me, and I am a better man for it. It has helped me understand our nation's place in the world, how our ploicies affect the lives of average people around the world. It may indeed be time to pull most of our forces out of Europe, but in doing so, again, we affect the lives of decent hard working people who's lives and livelihood are/is tied with our prescence there. Never, in my time spent in Germany, was I treated with anything other than respect by the citizens of that nation. It is only right that we should at least consider what this pullout will do to them, and work with the German government on ways to ease the transition. Many will say "Fuck them, they blew us off in Iraq", and that may be, but for the past fifty years they have been a willing host to our forces and I don't see how screwing them over is going to profit us any.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/08/17/germany.troops.ap/index.html
Forst off, this blog is in no way an indictment of the proposed restructuring of our military posture. I am simply waxing nostalgic for a time and a place that is fast disapearing.
I often tell people that I was born in a country that no longer exists - West Germany. My father was a career military officer and he did tours in Germany, like so many did. In 1965, when he was stationed in Pirmasens, I came into the world. By '68 he was off to Vietnam, and we (his family) took up residence outside Washington D.C., however in 1979, he took his sabbaticle in Heidelberg, and I got to live in Germany for a year at a very impressionable age. I loved it. I loved exploring the history and culture, and am happy I got a chance to reconcile my German heritage with my disgust of the holocaust by visiting Dachau. I was fortunate enough to be able to travel throughout Europe, visiting Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland. The experience has shaped me, and I am a better man for it. It has helped me understand our nation's place in the world, how our ploicies affect the lives of average people around the world. It may indeed be time to pull most of our forces out of Europe, but in doing so, again, we affect the lives of decent hard working people who's lives and livelihood are/is tied with our prescence there. Never, in my time spent in Germany, was I treated with anything other than respect by the citizens of that nation. It is only right that we should at least consider what this pullout will do to them, and work with the German government on ways to ease the transition. Many will say "Fuck them, they blew us off in Iraq", and that may be, but for the past fifty years they have been a willing host to our forces and I don't see how screwing them over is going to profit us any.
Comments:
Sounds like playing to both sides of the fence to me. Our European allies need to come back to the table and stop playing politics re: Iraq first. I'm not looking for troop help from them, but a recognition that it is in THIER best interest to stabilize the middle east WITH us. I'm not one to say "F'em...", but I'm not willing to go to any added length while they continue to bash us and act like assholes. I certainly won't be paying them any mind over our American interests to say the least. What happened to all the isolationist positioning?
I see this post as just another "Bush/Rep's et al can't do anything right..." You're just being kinder about it.
I see this post as just another "Bush/Rep's et al can't do anything right..." You're just being kinder about it.
Now who's looking for a fight. I'm simply saying it would be nice if we could bring this chapter to a close without causing any MORE friction. I know how you feel on this, and you and the 43% of americans who have no problem with this war stand frighfully alone in the world.
And the isolationist tag doesn't fit. I want america to a part of the intrnational community, and this war is what is isolating us.
Yep, Can't say I wasn't spoiling for a duel. Guess I was just fired up after jumping over to Jeff Jarvis's blog and having to endure 10 minutes of Bill Maher the night before (what a piece of sanctimonious shit that guy and his show are). I also believe as you do that our NATO drawdown should be done in a manner that least negatively impacts the real people of Europe who are just trying to make a living at our bases. I just wanted to counter any suggestion that Bush's plan was a "I'll take my toys and go home" response to Europe's cold reception to war in Iraq, which, I'm sure, will be forthcoming from the Dem's any minute. I will ask the question that Shark posted as a response to Jarvis's post re: Change This (only without the profanity) "Can I see just one (person) from the left who can disagree with Bush w/o turning him into some evil, america-destroying figure of menace?"
All the love,
TA
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All the love,
TA
