War Weary

I was just reading a pretty good report coming out of Syria about the progress being made by the rebel forces. It also discussed arms being supplied to the rebels by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and now very likely by France and Britain. I did not read the entire article. I stopped about halfway through it and looked for something else to read.

It’s not that I am not interested in what’s happening in Syria. It’s not that I don’t know how critically important all that may become to our national interests. It is something much simpler than that. I am “war weary”. I am tired of bombings in Iraq and ambushes in Afghanistan. I am tired of the Arab Spring with riots in Cairo and assassinations in Benghazi. I am bone tired of reading about the spread of Al Qaeda. I don’t think I can physically read one more analysis about how close Iran is to making a nuclear weapon or how hard it would be for Israel to stop them without direct US support.

I need a break before I start suffering from PTSD. –And I suspect that many of you are starting to feel the same way. We have been entertained by a barrage of catastrophes’ across the Middle East since 1979 when the Shah of Iran was overthrown. We have been engaged in ‘shooting wars’ 3 times in the last 20 years (don’t forget the First Gulf War) –and one of them is still being fought.

We need a break. A nice, clean cut victory would be very nice, thank you. But that just ain’t gonna happen. So, instead of that, I think I’ll just play hooky for a day or two. I think I just stop reading headlines and blogs and reports and analysis papers and let the entire Middle East get by on its own for a couple days without my sage guidance and advice.

I’m going to take some time and spend it working on my book, playing with my dog and listening to Bing Crosby sing ‘White Christmas’, Frank Sinatra sing ‘Jingle Bells’ and Burl Ives sing ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’.

Oh, I’ll get back to worrying about the world –and I’ll do it in plenty of time to earn another ulcer or two. But not today. This is the start of the Holiday Season and a time to be getting into that special, happy spirit. That spirit is hard to achieve waking up each morning and reading headlines from the Middle East. 

So I’m just not going to worry or fret about any of it for a few days. –And I suggest you do the same.

Getting into the “Peace of Earth, Goodwill to Man” spirit is far better for you than reading a “Flash” bulletin out of Damascus.

This quote made me know it's time for a break...

Live Long and Prosper...