Thoughts about Fallujah: I am worried that we're just not built to win anymore

By Master Sgt. Sean Lulofs, USAF (Ret.)


Best Defense guest columnist

Our nation has not won a war since World War II. I think America
is unwilling to win a war.

The United States has won battles and conflicts, but it has not
truly won a war which could clearly demonstrate victory as the defeat of the
Axis Powers did. The enemy leadership was removed and new types of democratic
governments put in place. Their militaries were disassembled and rebuilt so as
to no longer pose a threat to other nations. It was clearly defined who won,
who lost, and how. Our nation has maintained a presence in those countries
since 1945. 

Unfortunately, that was the last time when America believed in
true victory, as demonstrated by the lack of willpower in wars since.

The Korean War is technically still underway and peace is only
maintained by a ceasefire. The Korean Peninsula is still fractured and not
returned to its whole. The leadership of North Korea was never removed from
power and their military remained intact. The North Koreans have remained a
threat to all within their part of the world. They continue to attempt to draw
the world into a symmetrical war by constantly escalating tensions through
hostile actions. We have never stepped up and crushed the aggression they
continue.

The Vietnam War was lost even though we were winning it. We had
pushed our enemies back and they were on the verge of defeat. However, due to
lack of support for the mission (a.k.a. the troops), the national leaders fled
not only the battlefield but their commitment and responsibility to our
military. The communists fully took the nation and their evil spread to other
countries which fertilized the killing fields due to the vacuum created by the
hasty withdrawal. There was no such thing as "support the troops" and our
returning military was spat on, even though it was this nation which not only
asked them to go to war, but many were sent by compulsory service.

The Gulf War was never truly won because, although Saddam
Hussein was turned out of Kuwait, his army scorched the earth and left mostly
intact. Iraq would remain a threat to coalition forces patrolling the skies
over the northern and southern no-fly zones by repeatedly firing upon aircraft.
Iraq would also remain a constant threat to its neighbors for the next 12 years
through the threat of launching SCUD missiles armed with chemical and
biological weapons.

Most recently, our nation entered into combat, and are still
engaged, with non-traditional forces in Afghanistan under the banner Operation
Enduring Freedom. Initially, the United States demonstrated the will to win and
win decisively. This nation, with a multinational force, exacted a swift and
violent response. The enemy and all sympathizers were terrified. Terrorist-supporting
nations around the region began to disarm their nuclear, chemical, and
biological weapons programs because of the resolve shown to win the war and win
decisively. It is a region of the world that only understands strength and
force, which is what we showed them.

Then Afghanistan was forgotten as our nation turned to Iraq for
a simultaneous war known as Operation Iraqi Freedom. This divided attention
neglected Afghanistan operations and allowed the enemy there to regroup and
rearm. Iraq initially appeared to be a quick victory and morale was high in the
U.S. military as we demonstrated our superiority against a sizable military
with ease. The people of Iraq cheered and believed their futures would be
bright as freedom appeared near. However, our country again entered into a
campaign to appease the minority of loud and aggressive pacifists. The
cowardice of our nation's politicians prevented them from making clearly
defined rules of engagement. Years of weak leadership and poor tactical
execution created the powder keg in Fallujah in 2004. Because the fools of
politics are never students of history, it was doomed to be repeated by another
hasty withdrawal of forces from the country. Again, another vacuum was created
and it allowed the very same terrorists which were turned from Fallujah to
return.

If our nation understood enemies in combat can only be defeated
with violence of action, we wouldn't still be in Afghanistan and black flags
wouldn't be flying over Fallujah. Our nation has fought the Taliban and al Qaeda as if they were
sparring in the debate team. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi freedom were
fought in the media, not on the battlefield. The piss-poor leadership this
nation has elected over the past 50 years have caused the current state we are
in because our leaders have failed to fight a war. Instead they fought to keep
public opinion at the cost of our military men and women's lives.

Lastly, our citizenry has failed to hold our national leadership
accountable. Not only have they failed to hold our leaders accountable for
completing the mission of the war, but for all the decisions regarding domestic
and foreign policies. Our citizenry has abandoned their obligation to hold
those in office accountable for their actions.

I lost several friends in Fallujah during those long seven
months in 2004. A few more were lost over the last nine years due to returning
to combat and one close friend was lost to his battle with PTSD.

None of our men or women lost in battle has died for nothing
because they died defending freedom and their fellow soldiers. However, their
loss is in vain when the leadership who sent them there to die refuse to carry
out and complete the mission. If Americans truly did "support the troops," they
would not only shake our hands as we walked through the airport, they would
demand their politicians commit to a swift victory. Don't shake my hand, shake
up your politicians.

"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. You
won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Sean Lulofs is the owner of Cogent K9 Canine Consulting Services . In the Air Force
he was his service's military working dog program manager and Department of
Defense military working dog action officer, as well as the antiterrorism officer
for Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.