When two serious students of history declare that President Trump has made a fatal error in eliminating Quasem Soleimani, as have Johnathan Kraut and Lois Eisenberg, we must seriously look at the facts. William Shakespeare gave Henry V a speech that has played well for us through the subsequent years:
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother; be ne’er so vile. This day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in England now abed, Shall think themselves accursed they were not here.”
Shakespeare sure had a way with words.
Steven Ambrose wrote of men of the 101st Airborne in Well that pointed out the connection that happens when men are thrown together under extreme stress. The normal feeling of fear is replaced with the need to care for your buddies.
George Patton had a saying. “I never want to pay for the same real estate twice.” His point is that he didn’t want to spend blood twice because it had not been done right the first time.
President Trump has those same instincts that guided George Patton. You have to be able to correctly judge your opponent and forecast what he will do based on intelligence and their past performance. President Trump has a working group of people around him that complement his native instincts. What some call rash, is, on the other hand, a carefully thought-through action with the outcome carefully calculated in advance.
Former President Obama is not a good example to compare to President Trump. If we look back to his announcement of the hit on Osama bin Laden, you could see the fear in his eyes as he told us of the death of one of our most wanted terrorists. From all outward appearances, it would seem that his wife had more courage than he had.
The fear of consequences is human frailty that a lot of people don’t control well. Jonathan Kraut does write some good pieces but then his bias will kick in and he starts to rave. Lois is always upset with President Trump and seldom makes much sense. In the history that we are living, it is important to keep and hold a proper perspective about what we are living.
Fear begets fear. As Shakespeare has told us through Henry V, those that stand with me today will join the ranks of my brothers.
Jim Horton
Santa Clarita
