The reason there were no documents surrounding the previous strategies was fairly obvious. No one wanted to admit to failure and their own level of incompetence.
The embarrassment they all felt when the academics penned ‘military intelligence’ as the newest oxymoron to be added to modern lexicon didn’t give them a lot of reason to explore the thought or rather lack of thought that surrounded the futile practices of the war.
It was a blight on the powers that be that so many were sacrificed in battles doomed to failure in the planning stages, but as they saw the common soldier as expendable and necessary collateral damage, so they persevered safely stowed away in their bunkers miles from any danger to them.
I surveyed all this and wondered what my next move might be.
Clearly, present strategies were not working, except if you were an undertaker and they were overwhelmed by the carnage.
My suggestion was frowned upon. They scoffed at the idea of not having a war. “It’s what we do,” they said. “Our economy is thriving thanks to this war.”
“But,” I said, “what happens when you exhaust the community? When there is, no one left to sacrifice. No one left to buy the goods you seem to think are so precious to us all?”
“Impossible, won’t happen,” they all laughed as one, and the General in the front row ordered another futile assault.
Out in the community tears flowed, resistance began to build, mother’s banded together, they stood as one and said NO!
Written for: https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/reenas-exploration-challenge-week-5-think/
Morpethroad 
Mothers banded together and said, “NO!” And Grandmas, Aunts, and Sisters. Take that, Military Intelligentsia!
Touching tale, indeed! This is no longer a story of the Soviet Union or some terrorist outfit. The war is being fought at many levels – in the names of business, entrepreneurship, politics and the masses are being expended.
A leading politician faced a question from a young lad in a public meeting, which started with “The nation and youth want to know …….”. Her reply was “Focus on your employment and settling down issues. We are here to manage the country at a macro-level.” This is the level of partnership we enjoy in so-called democratic countries. Corporates have just imitated the model.
Thank you for the special effort for participation, Michael! This topic pains me so much, that I can go rambling on and on ….
Thanks Reena, I too feel “This topic pains me so much, ” as having studied history and seeing the same mistakes being made you wonder how smart our leaders are, then again as was once pointed out to me you don’t have to be the brains of the outfit to become leader of anything let alone your country.
Thanks to, for the re-blog.
Smartness with negative intentions is Evil.
Very much so.
Reblogged this on Reena Saxena.
Very apt as I have been watching the series Viet Nam on PBS. Talk about the futility of war and fighting a war that can’t be won.
Eerily, there are so many parallels about a divided nation, protests, police actions, that the images from the late 1960s, early 1970s could be now — except for the hair and clothing!
Civil unrest, civil disobedience. There is a movement to have burning the flag made illegal again.
God, what comes around goes around in the most vilest of ways.
Your story truly points this out!
Not much changes does it.
Beautifully executed – although ‘executed’ is perhaps not the most appropriate word in this instance.
Thanks so much Jane..