Walk Softly and ...

another post from John Galt

I saw beauty today.  On my walk to a meeting, there were six deer lying in the morning sun next to the office building.  Though they must have trusted me in order to stay put, they were still cautious.  Their eyes kept me in their periphery, they were listening to my footsteps, and they were spring-loaded to respond if I violated their space.  I contrast this moment of beauty and caution against the discord between the US and Russia over their aggressions in the Ukraine.  America sits cautious, but trusting, that Russia will do the right thing and not challenge our peaceful co-existence.     

If I trend recent events, I discover that we have regained a sense of peace every time Russia has crossed into another country, and then receded.  Afghanistan and Georgia come to mind.  After each invasion, we exhibited our disagreement, but we didn’t escalate the situation.  Although tensions are now higher than ten years ago, the US has maintained a healthy relationship with Russia.  We remain cautious, but trusting.  But, are we spring-loaded to respond if Russia continues its aggression?

Unlike the past events, we are no longer considered the baddest dog on the block.  Our “sleeping giant” status has been sissified.  I don’t think anyone fears involving us in their conflict.  This has nothing to do with our military talents or available technology.  We still have the smartest, toughest military.  We just don’t have the leadership in the White House that strikes fear in the world that we just might pull the trigger and unleash our military might.  I’m not saying we should add to the conflict.  But, I recall all the situations in my life when my words or my bearing kept situations from escalating and kept bullies at bay.  Perceived weakness is a magnet for bullies.  So, wasn’t the US’s self-assured swagger what kept other countries from provoking us in the past?

Now, our swagger is broken by unemployment, a struggling economy, political in-fighting, Presidential rules of engagement levied on our military, Department of Defense budget constraints and our elected leaders’ squeamish mentality toward leadership.  Our President has apologized to other countries for our past behaviors.  He assumes that global battles will be handled fairly. However, a group hug won’t ease world tensions.  The meek may inherit the earth, but they will also get stomped in the school yard.  Just think of the middle-school playground.  It was the meek kid that the bullies targeted.  The bully knew they would win or at least humiliate the meek kid.  Well, we are the meek kid on the world’s playground.  Not only will the bully target us, but so will his third-string minion if we keep carrying our hat in our hands and telling everyone that we won’t fight back, we don’t have the resources to fight back and our leaders won’t be willing to pull the trigger.  A moral code is vital for our leaders; war is bad because war means loss of life.  But our leaders also have a moral obligation to use our strength to protect the weak and the oppressed. 

I grew up in the times of duck-and-cover and having drills to hide under my desk in case of a nuclear strike.  Our leaders kept a level head while understanding and implementing a show of force.    My kids are fearful of the next world war.  So am I.  We all have too many tools of destruction in the tool box.  There is a lot of crazy in some of the world leaders’ decision paradigms.  There are dictators seeking power.  There is a lot of unrest in the world we live in.  What I’d like to see our leadership adopt is a walk softly and carry a big stick mentality to keep us safe.  It worked well in the past.

This country is beautiful in the early morning light.  But the shadows sometime hide things that may require us to respond in force.  In our desire to be a peaceful nation, we should also be prepared for conflict.  Negotiation and non-military solutions should be used.  All the while, our leadership should walk softly and carry a big stick.  I’d suggest a stick made from a live oak from Texas.  Texans know how to walk the walk and you should hear them talk the talk.  And, you never know who is carrying a gun.