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A Crazy Horse Policy

At least 5,000 horse mounted Sioux, Arapaho and Northern Cheyenne appeared on the hill opposite the small contingency cavalry under the command of General Armstrong Custer. In one of the greatest miscalculations of enemy strength in history, Custer brazenly tossed aside all warnings to the contrary that there were perhaps 10,000 Indians encamped in the valley below along the Little Bighorn River. They were well armed and feeling rather warlike after a stalemate battle a few days earlier against other federal troops and Crow Indians. Led by the charismatic Lakota Sioux chief Crazy Horse, who had already proven himself to be a brilliant tactician, the huge force of angry Indians engaged Custer. The battle lasted perhaps just twenty minutes, but the outcome still rings in American legend.

Custer's entire command was completely wiped out, including General Custer, himself. The United States had suffered a humiliating military defeat and news of it spread around the world. The women, filching the dead bodies of the soldiers, came across Custer's bullet-ridden body and cut off his ears because in their words, "He did not listen to our warnings, he will listen to us now." After the battle, the Indian chiefs decided on having a council meeting. Crazy Horse was absent. Each chief spoke in turn and voiced his concern that the army would want revenge for this annihilation of a popular military leader who had Presidential hopes. After they finished fretting and hand-ringing, Crazy Horse entered the council circle, and all eyes turned to him, expecting some sort of explanation or apology for his actions. A man of few words, Crazy Horse sat, took his two puffs from the council pipe and stood again and uttered his immortal words, "What I have done, I have done."

Jump to modern politics and world events. Saddam Hussein threatened the Middle East with weapons of mass destruction and hosted terrorism. He openly hated Israel and lent support to Palestinian terrorists. In fact, he was suspected of supporting global terrorism, especially against the United States. In the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, President Bush pressed Saddam Hussein to either retire in exile, disarm, or face annihilation. Bush brushed aside all advice to the contrary. He and the U.S.A. was in no mood for appeasing a dictator, and despite a growing peace movement, Bush aggressively pushed for military action against Saddam. In spite of global opposition, Bush decided to go it alone, though Great Britain ultimately decided to lend support, but Bush was willing to expend American military might alone, if necessary.

The United States bided it's time, built up a vast military force, and when Bush and his military planners felt the time was right, we attacked. Saddam had not listened to our warnings. The United States, even while the invasion was a few days old, declared that Iraq must submit to unconditional surrender, a term not heard since before the fall of Nazi Germany.

Saddam's army was no match. It was hardly a contest. Even if it were, the shear logistical might of over 250,000 well trained soldiers could not be deterred. Even if it were a contest, Iraq would have lost to the high tech forces of the United States, who has the most sophisticated, most awesome army in human history. Before Iraq knew what hit them, the war was over and Saddam Hussein probably lies dead under a mound of rubble after being hit with a 2-ton bomb.

And now, as the smoke of war wisps in the evening breeze of Saddam Hussein's twilight, Bush and the United States stands like some triumphant giant, bloodied but not defeated. All tyrants shudder in fear, wondering which among them may be the next to fall to our sword. There is a strange hush all over the world as opinions are muted, and while other leaders sit fretting about what the terrorists or Moslem world might do in the wake of this awesome exhibit of military might, the United States enters the fray of discussion and if history has any way of repeating itself, when President Bush is asked to explain or apologize for his actions, he should stand and utter those immortal words, "What I have done, I have done."

I did not agree with the use of force against Iraq. As an American, that was my prerogative. Whether invading Iraq was right or wrong is a moot issue. It has been done and now Iraq and the United States will be viewed in very different ways.

Regardless of the future though, I am an American, and Americans hate tyranny. Death to all tyrants, I say. And as a warning to future tyrants, so long as Americans can still draw breath, I say disarm or face annihilation and unconditional surrender. And for all those nations who cowered in the shadows while the United States acted alone, our flag may fade, but the red white and blue never runs.

by

Fred Roe
18th April, 2003

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