thedrifter
08-19-04, 05:59 AM
08-18-2004
On The New Front Lines
By Raymond Perry
On a recent trek from the east coast to Denver, my car had a blowout in western Kansas. It was not a big deal. I put the spare on and it worked fine.
But as I finished, a Kansas State Trooper stopped to check that all was OK. It was. We chatted for a few minutes and we were both on our way.
I appreciated his courtesy and I saluted him as he drove off. It was just the appreciation of a 29+ year military veteran for him doing a simple duty.
But as I drove on, I began to think about what he and his fellow officers face every time they get out of the cruiser. They do not know what they will face in each car. Each decision to stop or to assist someone can be a life-or-death decision.
I do not think the trooper was too worried with me. He saw a picture of a lone man changing a tire. The stuff removed from the trunk to get to the spare tire included a standing lamp, several boxes marked kitchen stuff, and other assorted items for a child setting up a household. It just was not the kind of thing that characterizes a threatening stop.
Yet, as I consider the gathering evidence that Al Qaeda is inserting its henchmen across our southern borders, this gives me pause. Each time a trooper or policeman stops a car on the road, there is potential for that encounter to become the frontline in our global war on terrorism.
Those henchmen who infiltrate across our border will travel to their targets. Nearly all of these targets will require extensive travel from the southern border. They will be at risk for discovery during traffic stops. I know that some of them will attempt to continue their mission by gunfire to silence the trooper who stopped them.
I believe that it is of great importance that we recognize that in this war – unlike nearly all this nation has fought – the frontlines can and will be within our borders. The enemy will not be apparent by a uniform. He will not honor the warrior’s concept of quarter for those that are hors de combat. Clearly he has no respect for innocents.
During my military service, I took on some jobs in places that you would not think were places. I faced some tough, threatening situations during the Cold War. But these troopers more and more will face a life-or-death decision every time they leave their cruisers to question or assist.
Military members pride themselves on their courage. In the combat that characterizes Iraq today, we know who our teammates are and we know that all others are potential enemies.
But these front lines here at home call for a different kind of courage.
With this front line, potentially somewhere on any highway, every choice to stop someone calls for a different kind of courage. To keep doing it, day in and day out, can grind away at one’s guts.
So I repeat what I did on that lonely stretch of I-70 in Kansas: I salute you, trooper, and all of your teammates across this nation. I respect your sense of duty and courage each time you get out of your cruiser.
Lt. Raymond Perry USN (Ret.) is a DefenseWatch Contributing Editor. He can be reached at cos1stlt@yahoo.com. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.
http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=DefenseWatch.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=601&rnd=644.0362250200961
Ellie
On The New Front Lines
By Raymond Perry
On a recent trek from the east coast to Denver, my car had a blowout in western Kansas. It was not a big deal. I put the spare on and it worked fine.
But as I finished, a Kansas State Trooper stopped to check that all was OK. It was. We chatted for a few minutes and we were both on our way.
I appreciated his courtesy and I saluted him as he drove off. It was just the appreciation of a 29+ year military veteran for him doing a simple duty.
But as I drove on, I began to think about what he and his fellow officers face every time they get out of the cruiser. They do not know what they will face in each car. Each decision to stop or to assist someone can be a life-or-death decision.
I do not think the trooper was too worried with me. He saw a picture of a lone man changing a tire. The stuff removed from the trunk to get to the spare tire included a standing lamp, several boxes marked kitchen stuff, and other assorted items for a child setting up a household. It just was not the kind of thing that characterizes a threatening stop.
Yet, as I consider the gathering evidence that Al Qaeda is inserting its henchmen across our southern borders, this gives me pause. Each time a trooper or policeman stops a car on the road, there is potential for that encounter to become the frontline in our global war on terrorism.
Those henchmen who infiltrate across our border will travel to their targets. Nearly all of these targets will require extensive travel from the southern border. They will be at risk for discovery during traffic stops. I know that some of them will attempt to continue their mission by gunfire to silence the trooper who stopped them.
I believe that it is of great importance that we recognize that in this war – unlike nearly all this nation has fought – the frontlines can and will be within our borders. The enemy will not be apparent by a uniform. He will not honor the warrior’s concept of quarter for those that are hors de combat. Clearly he has no respect for innocents.
During my military service, I took on some jobs in places that you would not think were places. I faced some tough, threatening situations during the Cold War. But these troopers more and more will face a life-or-death decision every time they leave their cruisers to question or assist.
Military members pride themselves on their courage. In the combat that characterizes Iraq today, we know who our teammates are and we know that all others are potential enemies.
But these front lines here at home call for a different kind of courage.
With this front line, potentially somewhere on any highway, every choice to stop someone calls for a different kind of courage. To keep doing it, day in and day out, can grind away at one’s guts.
So I repeat what I did on that lonely stretch of I-70 in Kansas: I salute you, trooper, and all of your teammates across this nation. I respect your sense of duty and courage each time you get out of your cruiser.
Lt. Raymond Perry USN (Ret.) is a DefenseWatch Contributing Editor. He can be reached at cos1stlt@yahoo.com. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.
http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=DefenseWatch.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=601&rnd=644.0362250200961
Ellie