"What will amaze me the most in the months and years to come, will be how quickly the lessons learned this week will fade from the conscience of the American populace. I am more than certain that once calm has been restored, the shock and anger has abated and the perpetrators punished, we will fall back into a state of apathy and denial. Should the past be any indicator, I will not be too far off base. Personally, I do not believe we possess the resolve to fight the type of battle that is needed to eradicate present, nor future, adversaries of this breed." - The Pavo News 09/14/2001

    We have now marked the second anniversary of the depraved assault upon our great nation. Even with the lessons learned on 9-11 and all that has transpired since, we still have a large body of Americans that refuse to face the facts and accept reality. It must be understood, we are at war! We are at war with ALL terrorist and ANY nation(s) or leader(s) that support terrorism. This war is not of our choosing but we can choose how it will end. We must not return to the apathy, neglect and inaction of the nineties. We must not return to 'The Way We Where'. A review of events leading to the present have left me with a sense of worry and anger.

   Following the attacks of 9-11, we determined the responsible parties and their base of operation. We formally asked the rulers of Afghanistan to turn over Osama bin Laden, but they stalled and then refused. They were issued an ultimatum and failed to comply. We took military action and quickly toppled the Taliban regime. What was frightening, was the small, but vocal, group of "Americans" that disapproved this action. The motivations behind these protests were certainly dubious, at best. Analysis of polls at the time revealed an approximate 6 percent of "Americans" whom felt the US had no right to take action against our attackers or those that harbored them. There were predictions of large military and civilian casualties as well as a long drawn out battle. The neah-sayers were wrong on all accounts and received little media attention at the time. Operation Enduring Freedom was an unprecedented success; a definitive and crushing blow, foreshadowing the fate of Islamic terrorism and those willing to support their actions.

   The United States next turned its attention toward Baghdad. Iraq, long a financial supporter and safe-haven of terrorism, possessed and had readily used 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' against enemy troops and Iraqi civilians. Having refused to comply with UN resolutions for over 12 years, the US forced the hand of an impotent United Nation by demanding a 17th and final resolution concerning Iraq. Even this logical step was met with resistance, both at home and abroad. Once again, we had to question the opposition. Not the French, Germans or Russians, their motives were quite transparent, but segments of the American public which also opposed Iraqi accountability. An in-depth look behind the sponsors and representatives of this opposition, or "anti-war" movement, reveals the truth about the promoters. The list consist of such organizations as, ANSWER (a front for the World Workers Party), Progressive Labor Party, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, World Socialist Web, Cuba Solidarity, Spartacist League, Revolutionary Communist Party USA, the Communist Party USA and Muslim and pro-Palestinian groups. We can certainly understand the antipathy these groups have toward the US, democracy and liberty, but what of the unwitting thousands that participated in these protest? The answer is provided by Lenin himself; he called them "useful idiots".

   We cannot fault any American their right to dissent as long as that dissent is legitimate. But, we could find little legitimacy in the shrill rhetoric, abhorrent behavior and protest slogans of the demonstrators. Sensibility would dictate that the protest would, at least, be equally matched with dialogue addressed to Saddam Hussein, President Bush and perhaps the United Nations. What we had was a singular condemnation of President Bush, the USA and a glaring absence of any denunciation toward Iraq's 12 year refusal to comply with the UN mandates. Why? Only the "useful idiots" know for sure.

   Whatever side of the issues you fall, you cannot deny the Taliban and Saddam had to go. If, after all the evidence that has come to light, you can still disagree, then you must be one of the following:

1. Al Qaeda sympathizer
2. Islamic zealot
3. A relative of Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf ('Baghdad Bob')
4. Communist
5. Anarchist
6. Socialist ("Progressive")
7. Sean Penn's intellectual rival
8. Self-indulgently ignorant
9. Howard Dean supporter
10. One of my liberal friends
11. Useful idiot

You are also a large part of the problem and more than marginally responsible for American deaths; past, present and future. You are 'The Way We Were' and in great measure, the reason we stand on the brink of terrorist exploitation. You are apostates to the spirit of all that is American, traitors to humanity and frankly, cowards.

   Those of us that possess a grasp of geopolitical dynamics, a sense of history and a set of cojones must remain vigil and keep the 'useful idiots' and their leaders from hijacking our country, our security and our resolve. Remember 'The Way We Were' and the results it wrought. Look at the way we are and work to continue this determination so we may rid the world of despots, tyrants, terrorists and fanatics.