Dear Joe Erkes,
"It is natural to man to indulge in the illusion of hope. We are apt to shut
our eyes against the painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren,
till she transforms us into beasts." Patrick Henry
History has a way of repeating itself. Field Marshal Douglas Haig, the
British commander, had convinced Marshal Foch that it was time to launch a
massive assault to roll back the entire German position in France by
attacking from the left, front and right. Foch wanted Pershing to reduce the
American offensive to little more than a demonstration against the St.
Mihiel salient's southern flank and give him two-thirds of the First Army's
troops, which he was going to distribute to Haig and several French generals
Pershing absolutely refused to comply.
"Do you wish to take part in the battle?" Foch shirked..
"As an American army and in no other way!" Pershing retorted
Pershing already had told American President Woodrow Wilson he favoured
fighting until the Germans surrendered unconditionally. Wilson had furiously
informed him that politics were none of his business.
There was a clear goal and a price to be paid. In World War I both the
French and British armies were close to exhaustion, and the combination of
117,000 Argonne casualties, influenza, and a total lack of replacements
rendered the ability of the First and Second American armies to fight a
battle of annihilation against a determined enemy. On the key to victory in
the Argonne, however, there was no disagreement, pay the price in blood. The
iron American General Black Jack Pershing confessed on Armistice night in
Paris "The men were willing to pay the price."
In one dastardly and horrific act terrorists brought home to Americans what
they are capable of. We, in Europe and the British Isles have lived in this
war called peace thought many terrorists acts since World War II. IN 1989
International terrorists attacked the citizens and property of 74 countries
in a total of 60 countries The United States State Department made the
following remarks in 2000 before 11 September. "UK authorities focused
primarily on the threat posed by dissident Republican and Loyalist terrorist
groups in Northern Ireland, while continuing their efforts to combat
transnational Islamist terrorists settled in or transiting the United
Kingdom. France maintained its traditional tough stance against terrorism.
On the legal front, Paris was the first to sign the International Convention
for the Suppression of Terrorist Financing, which was a French initiative.
The French Government's nationwide "Vigi-Pirate" plan--which uses military
forces to reinforce police security in Paris and other major cities to
prevent a repeat of the Paris metro attacks by Algerian terrorists--remained
in effect. Vigi-Pirate increased security at metro and train stations,
enhanced border controls, and expanded identity checks countrywide Spain was
wracked by domestic terrorism in 2000. After abandoning its cease-fire in
late 1999, the terrorist group Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) began a
countrywide bombing and assassination campaign, killing 23 and wounding
scores more by year's end. ETA traditionally targets police, military
personnel, and politicians, as well as journalists and businessmen. As 2000
progressed, however, the group appeared to become increasingly
indiscriminate in its attacks, targeting, for example, intersections and
shopping areas. The public responded with huge demonstrations in major
cities, demanding an end to the violence'
Article 1 section 8 of the American Constitution allows only the Congress of
the United States to "To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal,
and make rules concerning captures on land and water; " the United States is
now engaged in a undeclared war. The war maybe just and necessary but it is
not legal. The representatives of the people in the great and powerful
Republic of the United States have the only right, duty and obligation to
wage war. The American President has the duty to uphold the law of the
United States of America. My remarks about minority presidents goes to
malady of a disinterested electorate. One vote does not count some say. It
should not take a calamity to inflame an electorate. Support for any Prime
Minster or President comes primarily at the ballot box.
We are selling our values to fanatics and bigots. We do not turn the other
cheek we fight but we fight within the terms of our law, our customs and our
traditions. We are surrendering our cities to an alien religion. The heir
apparent to the British Throne has stated that he wants to be known not as
The Defender of the Faith but as The Defender of the faithful.
By our tolerance are we sweeping away 2000 years of Western History? Our
willingness to blindly follow, without question, is a greater danger than
all the terrorists.. What do we do now? What place do we common people have
in this war? Watching a TV news report? Contributing to a relief fund? Or do
we demand that the Rule of Law be equally administered to everyone,
terrorists, street sweepers and Presidents alike. I wish the preservation
of the Judo-Christian tradition. There is no lack of resolve in Europe. In
my heart's most fervent wish is that we walk the face of this earth with
pride. Pride that we did not yield and throws away the blood that has been
spilt to make us free men and women in the most open tolerant society the
world has ever known.
Pay the price is what we must do. We do not throw away our law and the human
rights that we have over the centuries battled for. There can be no
bargaining with a terrorist. To meet terror with terror comprises our
values. We are no longer independent nations, we are inter-dependent
nations.
The battle must be for the hearts and mind of all right thinking men.
Magnus, Earl of Caithness and Orkney and Henry St. Clair both signed the
Declaration of Arbroath "It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor
honours that we are fighting, but for freedom -- for that alone, which no
honest man gives up but with life itself."
Those cowards who have set there sights on our societies as targets must be
brought to the Bar of Justice. We must have a clean hand and steadfast heart
that our way is correct. Our way is Law and everyman must stand equal
before it or The Rule of Law has no value.
Sinclair
-----
From: "Joe Erkes" <erkesjoe@nycap.rr.com>
To: <sinclair@quarterman.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 9:13 AM
Subject: Histrionics 101 - on "Engulfing the world in flames"
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