Cannon Fodder
The term “cannon fodder” is a expression used to describe combatants that are regarded as expendable by their superiors. The expression means, literally, “food for cannons” and, in my mind, reflects badly, not on the unfortunate combatants that are held in such low regard, but, rather on the callousness and lack of empathy of the leaders and commanders that hold such a view.
I am bringing this up because over the past few years I believe we have seen many examples of just such callous disregard by governmental leaders, both nationally and internationally. Only now, this disregard is directed by our leaders at their own CITIZENS! In the ongoing war of jihadi violence vs “political correctness”, the casualties are often among the civilian populace. The grotesque loss of life to terrorism has, I’m afraid, become “ho hum”. Our leaders go through the motions of solemnity and mouth tired nostrums when necessary, but underneath it all, appear to care not! It’s as if our own citizens have become “unavoidable casualties” in the forward march of liberal ideas. A modern “cannon fodder”, if you will. I’ll present some examples.
Following the truck attack last summer in Nice, France, the French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, was quoted as saying that, in regard to jihadi violence, that the people of France would just have to, in effect, GET USED TO IT! In other words, it’s the NEW NORMAL. Is that an acceptable position for a Prime Minister to hold? Hardly, and I think it belies the type of callous disregard I have referred to above.
I remember there were a number of our own president’s speeches following jihadi attacks, in which he NEVER EVEN BOTHERED TO STAND UP while giving his remarks. It seemed, on more than one occasion, that Mr. Obama was just so PUT UPON to be forced to comment on such mundane occurrences as jihadi attacks! He musters more vitriol when referring to Republicans! Callous disregard.
In another incident, I recall that less than an hour after Mr. Obama gave a speech on the Chattanooga attack, which had just taken place, there was a video showing him yucking it up with his buddies on the golf course, “high fiving” his group! Less than an hour later! VERY callous disregard. And the Chattanooga victims? Cannon fodder.
I still haven’t gotten over the fact that when Ambassador Stevens and his security team at our embassy in Benghazi, Libya, were attacked on Sept 11, 2012, that we did not immediately mobilize EVERY asset in the Mediterranean to come to their aid as soon as was physically possible. Help was eventually sent, TWELVE HOURS LATER, long after our men were dead. Ambassador Stevens and his security team? Cannon fodder.
And then, with CONTINUED callous disregard, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking about the attack, chose to gloss over the tragic loss of life and dwell instead on the “insulting nature” of an anti Islamic video that she, falsely, claimed incited the attack. Callous disregard.
And then, I recall Hillary Clinton’s jaded response, during the Congressional Benghazi hearings, to all those annoying questions from Congress. “What difference does it make?” she exclaimed. What difference indeed. Callous disregard.
I also can not forget Mr. Obama’s response to the Orlando night club massacre, concentrating not on the horrific loss of life, but, rather, on a cautionary narrative against”homophobia”! Callous disregard, again. And all the lives lost? Cannon fodder.
So, in the face of all of these instances of callous disregard, it is heartening to occasionally hear messages of genuine concern. I’ll end with my favorite recent example. On December 7, 2015, retired Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters spoke on Fox TV, responding to Obama’s exhortation that Americans not “succumb to fear” in response to jihadi violence. On that program, Colonel Peters famously said: “We’re not AFRAID Mr. President. We’re PISSED. We’re FURIOUS.” And I believe that he WAS indeed pissed! And furious! Jihadi victims, to HIM, were more than just cannon fodder! Too bad he’s retired. We NEED more leaders like him.