The Yanks ............

I was born just before World War II started in Europe, namely, in September of 1939 and ever since I was old enough to know what was what, the British have felt somehow cheated about it. Don’t get me wrong now, the British are rightfully proud of their stance alone and their acceptance of a crippling share of the burden imposed but they feel resentful and I think I know why …….

Rodney Dangerfield put it as well as anyone when he said. “I don’t get no respect!”

Part of their issue can be traced back not just to “loss of Empire” but also to a loss of perceived respect or, more pedantically, a loss of respect as they perceive it. Never mind what actually happened before 1945. Hollywood; seems to insist that D –Day was all about Omaha beach and the Battle of Britain was won by American-manned squadrons of the RAF. Well we and history know that’s not the case but the resentment persists.

The problem was then, and still is the same; the “Yanks”.

I remember two lines above all others from my childhood about this period. One was, “they only come in when the war is won”. The other was, “they’re overpaid, oversexed and over here”. They, of course, was us, the big us, the US, the United States.

Clearly with this post I risk the wrath of my British readers. And I do care about that because, equally clearly, I have many allegiances over there except for one, my citizenship. But I do admit an intellectual foot in both camps.

Now, why would I bring this up now and what relevance can it possibly have?

And, the answer is Afghanistan and the war that is going on there. Way back on the campaign trail, Obama declared that this was a “just war” and, indeed, he’s cranked up the American participation in that theater so now it’s Obama’s War with a vengeance. This month, July of 2009, has seen the greatest loss of life since the conflict began almost 8 years ago.

That fact is drawing very little media attention here in the US precisely because it’s Obama’s war and the love fest continues. Not so much in the UK and other NATO countries where murmurings of dissatisfaction are turning into a clamor. And that hasn’t been reported here either.

Where is Code Pink? Where are all the Hollywood “limousine liberals”? Where is Cindy Sheehan?

It may be Obama’s “just war” but the brave young men and women are just as dead.

But there is more and, to my mind, it makes it more shameful; the new “rules of engagement” require that the US Military must not use deadly force if civilians may be hurt. Consider that and then go further. The Taliban do not wear uniforms. The Taliban, just like Hamas in Gaza, site their rocket launchers next to schools and hospitals.

So Obama sends more and more of our brave young men and women into harm’s way with one hand tied behind their back.

Let’s see the flag-draped coffins being unloaded at Andrews AFB.

It’s one thing to die for your country but quite another to have been stopped from fighting back.