From: pcharles_lunsford@yahoo.com
 
Chuck:
 
If I may reply to a couple of recent posts, all wars have reasons and sparks which set them off. Churchill said that our war of 1861-1865 was one of the most unavoidable in history. Simply stated, the inviolability of the union of the states was a question which would have to be answered sooner or later. It almost happened in 1803, 1814 and 1832. It finally did in 1861. We, both north and South, agreed to put the contest to war. That’s why our Confederate leaders after the war said it had been settled, we would be one nation. Not all of the other related issues, of course, were settled. But the one which caused the outbreak of war, the Southern declaration of independence, was.
 
As for Korea and Vietnam, I believe that these were valient efforts to stop the worldwide communist movement. At that time we were not sure whether communism would fail on its merits because in every single country where it had succeeded, it had become a draconian totalitarian regime, just like the kings of ancient times. A small elite group were taking over countries and then living in splendor in palaces while everyone else worked in factories or farm collectives. Same old game, new deceptive methods. Our fathers knew that there was a danger that they might either succeed here or surround us and thereby squeeze us into oblivion. Our fathers were not idiots. They did what they thought was right. Remember, we left Vietnam when we were winning and just afterward, nearly two million were slaughtered by the communist takeover. THAT is a blight on America.
 
The Kennedy brothers have done and are doing great research on the connection between Karl Marx and Lincoln. We will see that as it develops, but we should not discount the horror of the communists. In the 20th century, the socialist / communist movement was responsible for 200,000,000 deaths. We would have been remiss to have ignored that and we would be remiss to ignore their efforts today. The current inflammation of the Middle East is an effort described in their written works.
 
As for the Middle East, our only interest is in doing business with them. We buy their oil and make them rich. The fact that some cults in their own area hate their own leaders and attack us to get back at them is obvious. We should attack any of them who attack us. Thomas Jefferson was the first to send troops to the Middle East. Why? Because they attacked our merchants. We were not trying to destroy them or take them over, something which would be very easy to do today.
 
My granddaddy was constable of Stone Mountain, Georgia in the pivotal year of 1914. Back in his day, if some lowlife on the other side of the hill was causing harm and danger, the men would ride over in the night and make it right. I see nothing wrong with that.
 
I’m an old observer. Please indulge my 2 cents.
 
Charles Lunsford