A substitute for victory

The Washington Times
By Tony Blankley

"Pray the American people never develop a taste for retreat and defeat."

"When Gen. Douglas MacArthur delivered his farewell address to Congress in April of 1951 after President Truman had fired the general during the Korean War, he gave advice that yet can be of value both to President Bush's Democratic Party war critics and to Mr. Bush and his generals: '[In war], there is no alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end. War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision. In war there is no substitute for victory.'

At the time, Gen. MacArthur was criticizing Truman's decision not to seek victory in what was technically called a U.N. 'police action' in Korea.

While playing 'what if' games with history is destined to be mere speculation, it is worth noting that if victory had been gained over North Korea in the early 1950s, we probably would not be facing a nuclear stand off with North Korea in 2006. Of course, we will never know what price we would have paid in blood and lost life for such a victory back then. And unless and until the nuclear day with North Korea (or the terrorists it sells its nukes to) comes, we will not know the price of not gaining victory in the 1950s. The river of historical consequence runs deep and long." Read more.