Sacrifice preserves our freedom
As we celebrate our Independence Day, we should remember that our nation has won and maintained its freedom by taking risks and enduring sacrifices from Valley Forge to Afghanistan.
We are not alone. Nothing compares with Winston Churchill's decision to stand alone for a period against the awesome German military. Without his courage and resolve, things may have turned out differently.
In a costly Korean War, millions were saved from falling under the oppressive North Koreans by the sacrifice of 40,000 Americans who lost their lives. More importantly, by showing that the United States would stand up to aggression, the Korean War was pivotal in stopping the spread of communism around the world.
Should we ever forget that freedom is not free, we are destined to lose it. That is a message that wasn't lost on an Englishman I met as I traveled on a train from London to York recently. Upon hearing that I was a retired US Naval officer, he explained how proud he was that Prime Minister Tony Blair supported President Bush in Iraq and that his son was a British Royal Marine who was involved in liberating Basra in southern Iraq.
We cannot maintain our freedom in an isolationist cocoon; 9/11 proves that we must engage our enemies on their soil. A proactive policy that spreads freedom and democracy cannot stop all terrorism, but it can eliminate dangerous terror-sponsoring regimes.
Of course, America has its detractors. It seems like the French undermine us at every opportunity even though we liberated them 60 years ago. In the end, they will again benefit from our resolve.
As proven in Vietnam (America's only failure), the most likely threat comes from within. We lost in Vietnam because anti-war activists and their allies in the press undermined American support, which in turn, emboldened the communists. While the "peace movement" celebrated our pullout, millions died in the aftermath at the hands of the tyrannical communist regimes that swept across Southeast Asia.
The current anti-war movement apparently wants to replay the Vietnam playbook, arguing that we are failing and that we have increased the suffering of the Iraqi and Afghan people. The truth is that we have liberated two nations with historically low casualty records and we are transforming the most dangerous part of the world.
Prior to the American liberation of Iraq, Kurds and Shiites were routinely massacred and buried in mass graves. Children were tortured in front of their parents and women were raped in front of their husbands. Sources ranging from Amnesty International to the State Department document methods of torture that are too horrific to describe.
The screaming victim was often videotaped as he was tortured and mutilated so that Saddam and his sons could later watch. A number of these disgusting videos have reached the Internet. After the victim "confessed" or divulged his secrets, he often endured a hideous and slow death.To compound the terror, the mutilated bodies were returned to the families in garbage bags.
Prior to their liberation, life in Afghanistan was as bad. A Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times story documented the punishment for adultery administered by kangaroo courts. The "convicted" were buried up to their waists and stoned to death in public ceremonies as their families were forced to watch. Small stones were selected to insure prolonged suffering.
The atrocities of the past have been replaced with freedom and hope for the future, just as the tyranny of the Nazis had been replaced with democracy and freedom in Europe.
In Iraq, an elected government and a free press have replaced Hussein's barbarism. While there are still dangerous pockets, a growing portion of Iraq is now stable and safe. A free press of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 TV stations covered the presidential election and the candidates held a televised debate.
Citizens defied death threats to vote in percentages that shame our own. A free Iraqi government is defending itself with new and improving police forces and military units. Over 4 million Iraqi children attend primary schools.
While the Middle East has come a long way, it is not surprising that it has a long way to go. We should not expect miracles; after all, it took over 50 years to bring freedom to Eastern Europe.
The United States holds a unique distinction in that we rebuild our defeated enemies and improve their lives. Granted, we have self-interests but we understand that spreading freedom improves our own security.
Ironically, those that make the sacrifices (the military) remain loyal to the cause and only ask that we provide them with the best equipment available and that we continue to support them. The inspiring letter in Monday's Standard-Times by Sgt. Angel Rivera-Laboy of New Bedford is typical.
The naysayers will continue to attack our mission, but as an American I am proud of what we have done in the Middle East, just as I am proud of how we defeated fascism 60 years ago. I am reminded of Winston Churchill's words, "Never have so many owed so much to so few."
Dr. Friedman is a professor of mechanical engineering at UMass Dartmouth and a retired submarine officer who lives in Dartmouth. His e-mail address is ConservativeCorner@hotmail.com
This story appeared on Page A14 of The Standard-Times on July 7, 2005.
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