Feeling a bit of a bastard, Frustrated contemplates war

Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and calm pulse to exterminate his kind. He is the only animal that for sordid wages will march out…and help to slaughter strangers of his own species who have done him no harm and with whom he has no quarrel ... and in the intervals between campaigns he washes the blood off his hands and works for "the universal brotherhood of man" — with his mouth. ~ Mark Twain, What Is Man? (1906)

The events of the past week, nay, the past year or so, have lead me to do some contemplation on the idea of war. For a history nut, war is the part that makes it an exciting read, it brings out the best and the worst in people. It can almost be romantic at times as those with vision are required to obtain their dream through the rivers of blood from heroic soldiers who have gone to fight for the idea of freedom; whether it be freedom from oppression, taxation, starvation, regulation, extermination, etc.

In reality, however, we sometimes forget the art of war is based upon the ruthlessness of the conductor as they lead their band through the crescendos and decrescendos of the piece, creating a blend of thematic melodies in what they hope is their masterpiece. Rhetoric and political posturing aid in the selling of their muse as they convince their audience of their genius. So no wonder these conductors cringe when the "musicians" stand up and tell the audience what is really going on. Some of those speakers were blunt, crude, and vile in their exposition, but they were accuate.

Just a few quotes for you to sample, lest we forget what war is really about...

Nobody ever won a war by dying for his country, he won it by making the other bastard die for his. — George S. Patton

War is a continuation of politics by other means. — Karl von Clausewitz

It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell. — General William Tecumseh Sherman

I have to add the next quote from ol' Willy T. as it shows you the paradox of reality vs. politics when Generals deal with the subject of war...

I regard the death and mangling of a couple thousand men as a small affair, a kind of morning dash — and it may be well that we become so hardened. — General William Tecumseh Sherman, 1864-07, letter to his wife, July 1864

And one more for all of you Mark Twain fans...

O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle-be Thou near them! With them, in spirit, we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it-for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen. The War Prayer, Mark Twain.

So is Frustrated anti-war? The cynicism in me says that as long as there are men, there will be evil. As long as there is evil, there will be power hungry predators who seek to devour the weak. As long as such predators exist, there will be a need to stop them (funny, this smacks a lot of Amos and Micah...) and to be complacent and do nothing to stop them is perhaps even a greater atrocity than to engage in conflict. Which brings us to the "equals" (=) part of the equation, there will always be war. If I had my way, we would settle these issues on the battle field with water balloons and squirtguns. The loser goes home wet and perhaps muddy, the winner gets to celebrate their victory by going out and buying a pizza. Again the cynic in me says, even this wouldn't work as both sides would work on a bigger water balloon or a better super soaker in order to vanquish their enemy.

Willy T. Sherman did have one thing right... War is hell.