“Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Beside, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of Nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.”
Taliban?
“Our properties within our own territories [should not] be taxed or regulated by any power on earth but our own.”
Terrorists?
“Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny […] we will not tamely submit — appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free.”
Suicide Bombers?
Nope, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and Joseph Warren, respectively. Different times, same words. And I think the British generals of the time would have understood this man in his rage too well:
What I don’t think people that aren’t in the military, and aren’t in conflict, understand is that the danger of these kinds of leaks. I think that it’s irresponsible and could very well end up in loss of lives.
Oh and don’t take that as me saying the West should pull out of Afghanistan ASAP and leave the Taliban to beat veil their wives and shoot any infidels. I have no answer to this war, really. Damned if you stay, damned if you leave. I am happy not to be asked for advice here. But what I note is what war does to language and minds: It makes even otherwise smart people think like terrorists: (and that in the Washington Post): “It is your fault that those people died, you forced us to pull the trigger. We have to kill you, too, and you are yourself to blame.” Oh land of the free.
As if the soldiers weren’t there on their own free will, as if the terrorists weren’t there by their own decision, as if weren’t the women, the children, the old those who suffer the most.