The Young Turks

So...what is this about?

I am a retired Canadian Regular Force Military Officer, and a former Non-Comissioned member of the Canadian Naval Reserve. Having watched what happened to General Clark, and by extenion his friends and family, I was at a loss to understand what had happened. As I watched what occurred over those few terrible, awful days, I felt my heart sink, and my soul hurt. I was depressed, angry, and outraged.

As I indicated above, I am a former Regular Force Naval Officer, a Naval Lieutenant, who retired after 11 years service, receiving the Canadian Forces Decoration for long and honorable serivce. Prior to that, I was also a Naval Reserve musican of many years. I am also husband, friend and confident to my wife of many years, a retired career Canadian Forces member, who retired after 20 plus years of service having attained the rank of Sargeant, and Canadian Forces Decortion with first cluster for long and honorable service. It is from this vantage point that I am penning this blog.

We in the milary, both past and currently serving, share an unique, really unbreakable bound between one another, regardless of branch, or country served. Common to us all is an understanding of the honor, integrity, and nobility of military service. It binds us, and obligates us to honor one another. For many of us it indelibly molds our lives, both within and without the service. It sets a benchmark by which we conciously or otherwise subsequently conduct or lives. It is rare that any of us forget any of this, and even more rare that we allow ourselves to stray, abuse or indeed forget our duty to honor and uphold this ethos, regardless of where our lives take us.

So, we come to Senator McCain. I have though long and hard about what he and his surrogates have said as they seemingly have chosen to abandon and more incredibly, dishonor both themselves, General Clark and all who are close and important to him. I don't need to repeat the truths regarding General Clark's honorable life. However, I am at a loss to understand Senator McCain. I don't think I can find it in myself to allow that Senator McCain is acting believing somehow it is his duty, indeed his honor bound duty, to so attempt to despoil General Clark's noble life's record of service and devotion, to country, family, and the world itself.

Instead, Senator McCain has acted so incredibly without honor, and with such callous vendetta and shamelessness, that I must conclude he either has forgotten the legacy of the military ethos which shaped his life, or worse still, never understood or embraced it. 

I don't think I am unique in thinking that we former military members realize this is so much the case, and that as a result, it leaves us with option only of always holding ourselves to a higher standard of honorable duty and service throughout the remainder of our lives as we move through the world in which we live. This is a a righteous, welcome and dutiful yoke. We are of rare priviledge in having such chance to carry such honora ble bale.

I will not cower from what I have asserted; I owe apology to  no one for what I have penned above. I will not be bullied. Senator McCain, the ends do not justify the means, and the responsibility for the shame and dishonor of the past few days events is yours alone to bear. This is not a "bale which someone else can tote for you", to paraphrase the old song. 

Shame on you Sir. Shame on you for dishonoring the country you have served. Shame on you for so calousley dishonoring the military community of which you were once part. Shame on you for dishonoring my wife and me. Shame on you for forcing me "duty bound", to needfully and gladly rise to General Clark's defence. And finally, shame on you for leaving it to me to apologize for your unbelivably twisted and dishonorable words and conduct. General Clark was right, "flying fighters, being shot down, and being a prisoner of war", truly does not qualify you to be President of your country, or leader of anything.

So, I close as I started. I apologize to General Clark, Wes Clark Junior, and all those who are important to them. I also apologize to all of you my fellow citizens of the world. Senator McCain I offer you this chance, pick up this yoke and apologize with me.