If you're a terrorist, then you might have a different reaction. The Officers' Club:
Let me tell you why I’m optimistic about America in the coming years. We’ve got a global counter-insurgency fight against Islamic extremism, new countries across the world experiencing the growing pains of industrialization and commercialization at the same time, we’re connected with each other more closely each day through the internet and transportation technology, and the country seems more domestically partisan than it ever has. Some may view all of these as insurmountable problems, but my generation views them as challenges to be met. We live in a new world, and the leaders of tomorrow will be the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of today.
Despite everything the left has thrown at the war effort, a robust anti-war movement simply has not materialized in America today. People support the troops, period. This type of atmosphere used to be seen all the time in America, but for the last thirty years it lay dormant.
The American spirit that fueled our progress westward, drove us to build a new society, and was fueled by self-reliance, rugged individualism, and teamwork is not dead, but alive and flourishing. Young Americans that saw the Twin Towers fall have now grown up in a world that requires decisive action abroad to deter attacks at home. The American people understand this, and the generation that answered the call of duty is gutting it out in isolated FOBs and airbases far from home, and maturing in dog years as they are doing it.
The Gex-Xers we watched on TV growing up have been swept into history’s bin of irrelevance. American action on the world stage will continue as it is into the near future, because it is necessary to the survival of our society that those who seek to destroy it are hunted down and delivered the harshest violence in the dark corners of the world, rather than be allowed to plot and plan and strike at their leisure. Our volunteer military is now and has been doing an outstanding job fighting the world-wide counter-insurgency, and those that fought will return to the country to lead.
You won’t see these leaders making speeches, or taking undue credit for their actions abroad, no matter how heroic. These men and women will be the quiet professionals who achieve and succeed because of the drive and disciple they acquired while serving this country. In ten years, there will be about a million people who have served their country abroad, in combat, support, or diplomatic missions.
The “Greatest Generation,” our grandparents, accomplished the enormous task of securing freedom for this country for 50 years, its time for us to continue the job. We will continue to step to the plate, deploy, and fight to defend America, and everyone who joins knows that they are putting the greater society ahead of themselves. That is the key to leadership, and that is why America isn’t going anywhere as long as we man the watch.
Thank you, Charlie.
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