Happy Armistice Day!

Thrones shall crumble,
Kings shall perish,
Howsoe'er their legions strive;
But the liberties men cherish,
They shall triumph and survive.
--Clinton Scollard

On this Armistice Day, peace should be on all of our minds. It is the anniversary of the official end of World War I on November 11, 1918, less than ninety years ago. It is a commemoration of the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect on the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month." The very term, "armistice", means a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to peace negotiations.

What a glorious word, PEACE. No organized violence on the part of any group, any nation. Property boundaries are respected and honored. Individual responsibility reigns, not power politics. But this can only occur where diplomacy is not defined as lies³, as politics is defined as lies². It may be that we can mediate an honorable way out. It is necessary.

I have opposed war my entire adult life, from the Viet Nam War to today's cruelty. I neither support war against some criminal in another country, nor would I ever support making war against our kids in this one.

I have seen too many who signed up with the State Guards with the expectation of a weekend per month for college in the future to believe that they are killers who should be killed. The U.S. military has never been designed for seiges, nor long-term occupation. The continuation of our occupations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere is an aberrant abomination contrary to American tradition and will not last.

It is the classical liberal's responsibility to keep the flame of libertarian principles alive for all to see and to experience. It is our responsibility to constantly extend and expand those ideas into all areas of our lives--personal, social and political.

I've worked in mediation for too many years not to realize that there are viable, reasonable alternatives, such as VOM, VORP, mediation and alternative dispute resolution. There are many already long established organizations which provide effective tools for resolving international problems.

It is time to settle the American affairs in Iraq and Afghanistan as quickly as possible. Peacefully. Our soldiers need to leave now and give the citizenry of those countries the opportunity to make their own decisions.

May you find peace.
May you be free.

Just a thought.
Just Ken
CLASSical Liberalism