On The Wars

Calling for an exit from Afghanistan from an unlikely pair of sources.

I find in America today we are both too hard and too easy on people and institutions. Where is the public anger over the fact our military - which is supposedly the best in the world - can't defeat a rag tag army like the Taliban in over 10 years and at an expense of billions per week? This is like having Kobe, LaBron, Wade, Dirk, and Dwight Howard on your team and losing to a team of journeymen. What is the problem? I'm no war expert, but it strikes me, the only reason to fight is to win. If you can't win, don't engage the fight. How else can you justify the expense in blood and treasure?

On the other hand, Joe Paterno died today of lung cancer. It is too bad the final chapter of his life ended on such a strange note. It sickens me how much the mass media jumped on this story and loved the "irony" of Joe Pa, this supposedly moral pillar of the community, turning the other cheek toward child molestation by one of his assistants. What did we expect Joe Pa to do? Be a football coach, cop, district attorney, super hero? What would any person do if they found out someone close to them - a friend or family member - might be a child molester? Would we all conduct a perfect investigation like Columbo and corner the evil person into admitting his/her guilt? What did the world realistically expect Paterno to do? Be as good at dealing with law and justice and child rape as it is at coming up with football game plans? Isn't this asking a bit much of an individual? I didn't realize it was our job to be police as well as coach, parent, husband, and all the rest.