| …As I stood on the parade field at Fort Bragg, one retired four-star general, grabbed my arm, shook me and shouted, “I don’t like the Democrats, but Trump is destroying the Republic!” | |
| Those words echoed with me throughout the week. It is easy to destroy an organization if you have no appreciation for what makes that organization great. We are not the most powerful nation in the world because of our aircraft carriers, our economy, or our seat at the United Nations Security Council. We are the most powerful nation in the world because we try to be the good guys. We are the most powerful nation in the world because our ideals of universal freedom and equality have been backed up by our belief that we were champions of justice, the protectors of the less fortunate. | |
| But, if we don’t care about our values, if we don’t care about duty and honor, if we don’t help the weak and stand up against oppression and injustice — what will happen to the Kurds, the Iraqis, the Afghans, the Syrians, the Rohingyas, the South Sudanese and the millions of people under the boot of tyranny or left abandoned by their failing states? | |
| If our promises are meaningless, how will our allies ever trust us? If we can’t have faith in our nation’s principles, why would the men and women of this nation join the military? And if they don’t join, who will protect us? If we are not the champions of the good and the right, then who will follow us? And if no one follows us — where will the world end up? | |
| President Trump seems to believe that these qualities are unimportant or show weakness. He is wrong. These are the virtues that have sustained this nation for the past 243 years. If we hope to continue to lead the world and inspire a new generation of young men and women to our cause, then we must embrace these values now more than ever. | |
| And if this president doesn’t understand their importance, if this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs, both domestically and abroad, then it is time for a new person in the Oval Office — Republican, Democrat or independent — the sooner, the better. The fate of our Republic depends upon it. | |
| — William H. McRaven | |
| Retired Navy Admiral | |
| Former commander of the United States Special Operations Command and former chancellor of the University of Texas system. | |
| Excerpt from his opinion / editorial: “Our Republic Is Under Attack From the President“ | |
| Found on the web site for The New York Times: https://wwww.nytimes.com | |
| The link to the on-line version is: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/opinion/trump-mcraven-syria-military.html | |
| . | |
| On This Day In: | |
| 2018 | Maps For Those Difficult Times |
| 2017 | A True American Hero |
| Or Desserts | |
| 2016 | What #AmnestyDon Is Really Afraid Of |
| 2015 | What Are You Doing? |
| 2014 | The Ideal Man |
| 2013 | Daring Ripples |
| 2012 | Evermore |
| 2011 | Unpredictable Opportunity |
| 2010 | Giants Fall In Game 2 (1 to 6) – Leave PA With 1-1 Split !! |
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