By Dave Masaitis
In Motion Staff Writer
Recent attacks in Paris illuminate an ongoing and irrefutable problem for the United States.
One Daytona State College veteran, Brian Jones, reminds us, “Yesterday it was the Taliban, today it’s ISIS, and tomorrow it will be someone else.”
Americans span the spectrum of speculation as to why this country keeps facing an asymmetric threat from radicalized Muslims, but one thing is understood by our veterans: to vanquish a threat, it must be confronted.
Major media outlets fill time slots with debates between panels of experts, but rarely does anyone ask the perspective from the point of view of those who actually have to conduct that military action once a decision is reached.
Thomas Collins, a former Army mechanic, reflects, “I feel like they’re waiting for something instead of acting.” He is referring to federal authorities who appear to have been, and continue to be, dancing around the threat at hand rather than preparing to address it.
Veterans understand warfare at its core. Like any other fight, countries cannot get into a fight and then attempt to withdraw without surrendering or winning. American foreign policy in the Middle East may have been a debate in previous years, but with long-standing allies like the French now suffering from attacks from a mutual enemy the time for debate has passed.
NATO nations are gearing up for war and America has a duty to back its allies. Collins says, “I think we need to support those who support us.”
Regardless of the opinions of individual citizens, America has an obligation to finish the fight, before that fight gets finished on America soil by our enemies who are intent on nothing less.
Writer’s Note: Veterans! Please write in, and share ideas on what you would like to see in this column. This is your column too! Email Dave at david_masaitis@daytonastate.edu and say what you think!