The question of moral duplicity often arises in relation to war, particularly when it comes to the political end-game, with the debacle of the US and Allied forces withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 serving as a prime example. Apart from leaving an untold number of Afghan allies literally hanging, not the mention the billions of dollars spent to no good advantage, it speaks volumes about the use of disproportional force in pursuing a so-called lasting peace. Ultimately playing out in contradiction to that intended purpose, it might be well be worth asking what about its impact on military morale, as well as the enlisted’s growing disenchantment with business as usual? As a nation founded upon the mantra of “liberty and justice for all,” potential recruits now give pause to question just what they might be getting themselves into?
Yet, while there may be an undercurrent of disillusionment with America’s faltering lack of foresight and leadership, there are those who, while acknowledging the fact, see in that problem a unique opportunity; believing that they can make a difference by choosing the honorable path rather than one that may only lead to further disappointment. That, and the very fact that a nation comprised of every race, culture and creed could be fashioned into a singular people is not only something worth celebrating, but defending. Yet going a step further, when we consider those select few within our military that have closed ranks to uphold and defend those very principles, they are not unlike the advance guard of the Lord’s host itself, preparing the ground for the main event, while wreaking havoc on our adversaries in the interim. A scenario which in fact has biblical support. – “…From the days of John the Baptist until now there has been war in Heaven, while on earth the Kingdom continues to advance, albeit violently, as violent men lay hold of it. (Mat. 11:12)
And yet, while it can be argued that the best defense is a good offense, many of our soldiers have returned home to find increasing divisions over the future of our military and this country. The question then arises, how can hard men stand idle when necessity demands an appropriate response? And in that regard, perhaps it was Churchill who said it best: “We shall fight them on the beaches and on the landing grounds; we shall fight them in the fields, we shall fight them in the streets and in the hills; we shall never surrender!”
Although the Hydra has many heads, its nature remains the same. Its origins are of the Pit, while the agent of chaos itself is the false pretender and not the natural heir. And, while God may have brought us safely home, it was not for nothing that we survived. And with a sword in one hand and a plowshare in the other, we’ll defend this “land of the free and home of the brave” until the eventful harvest.
CoupStick Chaplain 