<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">During the last presidential debate, President Obama commented to the affect that our military is beyond the age of horses and bayonets. I consider him to be only half right. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">As weapon technology advances, and targets further and further away can be engaged and destroyed with ever-increasing armament, the bottom line remains forever constant. It is something I learned after twelve years of service while undergoing transition training from administration to infantry. My training consisted of two stages; Basic Infantryman (military occupational specialty 11B) training and Bradley Fighting Vehicle Infantryman (military occupational specialty 11M). Throughout the entire six months of training, it was hammered into us constantly . . .</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">You do not own a piece of land until you put your boots on it.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">So, no matter how advanced the weapon technology . . . from the very first battle of the very first war to the last round fired of the last battle of the last war . . . the need for battle horses may degenerate, but the absolute necessity will ALWAYS be . . .</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The Man With The Rifle"<br><br>Men may argue forever on what wins wars,<br>and welter in cons and pros,<br>and seek for their answer at history's doors,<br>but the man with the rifle knows.<br><br>He must stand on the ground on his own two feet,<br>and he?s never in doubt when it's won.<br>If it's won he's there; if he's not, it's defeat.<br>That's his test, when the fighting is done.<br><br>When he carries the fight, it's not with a roar<br>of armored wings spitting death.<br>It's creep and crawl on the earthen floor,<br>butt down and holding his breath.<br><br>Saving his strength for the last low rush,<br>grenade throw and bayonet thrust;<br>and the whispered prayer, before he goes in,<br>of a man who does what he must.<br><br>And when he's attacked, he can't zoom away.<br>When the shells fill the world with their sound,<br>He stays where he is, loosens his spade,<br>and digs his defense in the ground.<br><br>That ground isn't ours til he's there in the flesh,<br>not a gadget or a bomb but a man.<br>He's the answer to theories, which start afresh,<br>with each peace ever since war began.<br><br>So let the wild circle of arguments rage<br>on what wins, as war comes and goes.<br>Many new theories may hold the stage,<br>but the man with the rifle knows.</span><br style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); background-color: rgb(236, 237, 243); "></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">------------------------------------</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br><div>Seeya at the polls, Moscow, because . . .</div><div><br></div><div>"Moscow Cares"</div><div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div> </div><div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."</div><div><br></div><div>- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div> </div></div></div></body></html>