THE ELECTION - A DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE

THE ELECTION - A DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE
by Andy Weddington
Saturday, 22 October 2016

We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal. Tennessee Williams

"Attack" best describes the election.

"Defense" the opposite.

An infantryman, all sorts of strategies and tactics I studied, practiced, and taught, to carry out an attack. And, too, defense. 

Some simple. Some complicated. Simple best. Odds for failure increase, exponentially, with each additional and moving part. 

Frontal assault; single and double envelopments; ambush; day; night; reverse slope are but some of the basics that come to mind before first sip of coffee. 

Our candidates for president do not have military training. That is bothersome.  

Nonetheless, they have been on the attack (on each other and us), relentlessly, to seize our Oval Office - the coveted high ground.

Yet it is (national) defense and security that concerns me, my net of fellow Marines, and tens of millions of plain old God-fearing, country-loving Americans. 

So, in context of defense, the top four candidates for president summarized ...

Mr. Trump: Ever under attack. Constantly on defense. Usually counterattacks. Promises to build "de fense" (aka: the wall) and defense (military). Qualified. 

Mrs. Clinton: Ignored an attack. Has no defense. Does not want "de fense" and not-so-secretly anymore advocates open hemispheric borders (which would set us up for attack). Disqualified. 

Mr. Johnson: No service but joint experience. (Note: Though smoke is effective to screen movement not that smoke.) Does not want "de fense." Disqualified. 

Mrs. Stein: Too green (and not as in Marine nor Army). Does not want "de fense." Disqualified.

Without borders and defense, there's no United States of America. 

Under attack we'll remain - Mr. Williams's opening thought germane; from individual to nation. Humans will be extinct before distrust and betrayal is exterminated from the human condition. 

Alas, for contemplation, a painting from years ago. Nothing in design - shapes and colors - accidental. Symbolism - of war - in play. Simple. But complicated. Note elements of attack and defense. 

'A Tack! A Tack! A Tack!' 

20 x 24 in. acrylic on canvas

The fittest (in defense) survive.

Vote! Defense. "De fense."