It looks like we’re right back in a familiar situation … the United States fights a war and everyone else does the follow-up.

How many times since World War II have U.S. troops been in the forefront of fighting to protect some country, or people? Korea, Vietnam, the Balkans, the First Gulf War and now this one.

We get the bad PR points. We do the killing. We sometimes cause civilian casualties. We become undesirables among the people we’re trying to help. The other members of the United Nations hold back. They give minimal support, sometimes none at all. In some rare cases, they even try to hinder our efforts.

But when the fighting’s all done, it is these same nations who are eager to rush in and rebuild the country and help the people that we have fought to free from oppression.

They will rush with food, clothing and shelter.

They will rush to rebuild infrastructure.

They will get the good PR points for humanitarian efforts.

Granted, we’ve got the best armed forces to do the fighting. But a little more physical help and support when the bullets are flying would be nice. A little more coalition on the battlefield would also be nice, one to match the coalition in the rebuilding.

Frank Wicker

Alumnus