"U.S. Marine Corps Ends Role in Iraq [January 23, 2010]

BAGHDAD - The U.S. Marine Corps wrapped nearly seven years in Iraq on Saturday, handing over duties to the Army and signaling the beginning of an accelerated withdrawal of American troops as the U.S. turns its focus away from the waning Iraqi war to a growing one in Afghanistan."  -Reference (1) at bottom.

Will our Marines get a victory parade?  Silly question.  We no longer speak of victory.  And that should tell us volumes about some of our national difficulties.

Let's see now:

The Obama substitute term for war on terrorism is overseas contingency operations;
The Obama substitute term for terrorism is man caused disaster;
The Obama substitute action for military trial for a terrorist is civil trial for a lawyered-up, non-citizen jihadist. 

What is Obama's substitute term for victory?  Détente with terrorists?  We'll just all like each other?  Surreptitious appeasement? 

Wait...I've got it:

Victory = An affirmative action outcome!

We have to let the enemy kill a specified quota of our soldiers and win a specified number of battles, else they will accuse us of discriminating against them, and the rest of the world (especially the feckless Europeans) will accuse us of being an imperialist bully.

"I'm always worried about using the word 'victory,' because, you know, it invokes this notion of Emperor Hirohito coming down and signing a surrender to MacArthur," -- Obama told ABC News

[Jerry Note: I don't know which is worse, Obama's pantywaist ideology, or his laughable, arrogant ignorance of American history (Emperor Hirohito did not sign the surrender).   Strike that last statement, I do know which is worse, it's Obama's get-Americans-killed, pantywaist ideology.] 

Why can't we have some sort of national day of thanks and recognition for our soldiers?  I don't mean a traditional day such as Veterans day.  I'm talking about a special day, with events all over America, with parades and speeches, and even (shudder...ACLU forbid) prayers of thanks.

Our Marines and all of our soldiers are givers.  They give of themselves.  They sacrifice for all Americans. They sacrifice for our liberty, and security. Many of them have given the supreme sacrifice, their life.  Why do they do this?

The psychologist Erich Fromm has written a great description of giving:

"Giving is the highest expression of potency.  In the very act of giving I experience my strength, my wealth, my power.  The experience of heightened vitality fills me with joy.  I experience myself as overflowing, spending, alive, hence as joyous.  Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation, but because in the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness. [all emphasis mine]" 
 -- Eric Fromm, The Art of Loving (Perennial Classics), Page: 21-22

Jesus preceded Eric Fromm with the most concise, and accurate comments on giving and sacrifice:

“... 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 
– Acts 20:35 [NASB]
“ "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. ”
– John 15:13 [NASB]

 Our Marines, our soldiers, our fighting men and women have done themselves and us PROUD! 

They are giving people.  People of highest potency. Don't they deserve a day of national thanks?  Led by the Commander-in-chief? 

Obama is a great pretender.  Couldn't he just pretend to like the military for at least one day?

FOOTNOTES:

(1) U.S. Marine Corps Ends Role in Iraq