The Public, The Vets and The Ongoing Wars...Small Rant...

We recently celebrated Veteran's Day and well wishes, verbalization's of respect and patriotic fervor was seen all around.

If anyone knew you served then they lauded you with well wishes and their appreciation.

But it was only words.

Our nation has been "at war" for almost 20 years.  Take a beat and drink that in.  OUR.  NATION.  HAS BEEN.  AT WAR.  FOR ALMOST.  20 YEARS.

I watched football on Sunday and saw the salute to our veterans.  I saw service members at games with the announcers telling packed stadiums to give tribute (poorly worded but you get my meaning) to the "brave men and women that protect us!"

But despite the promotional offerings at various restaurants, the adulation at games and the personal well wishes every Vet heard, the public has allowed OUR NATION TO BE AT WAR FOR 20 YEARS!

I'm personally stunned.

I never thought a democracy/republic/whatever we are would allow such a thing to happen.  Additionally the idea that we've been involved in CONTINUING OPERATIONS for such a long period of time with no end in sight is mind blowing.  The fact that NO ONE has been held accountable for the strategic and now TACTICAL failure that we're seeing in Afghanistan is beyond my comprehension.

A LCpl in the Marine Corps would suffer badly for losing his weapon on a training exercise.  A General (several) that participated in losing a war suffer no repercussions?

Maybe there is a larger strategic goal that I'm not privy too.  Maybe this is about containing China.  But that's besides the point.  The public hasn't been made aware of it.  The war is ongoing and there is no outrage.

So for all the military guys in my audience drink that in.  Saying thank you for your service might not be enough....its a nice gesture but considering everything I really wonder if its close to being enough. Demonstrations in the streets for x, y and z issue but nothing about an ongoing war?  Are we that silly?  Is the nation that easily distracted.  I don't even want to take a shot at answering that question.

Rant over.