What You Put up with, You Get more of

This post originally appeared on my previous blog on Feb 4th 2024.

Today, as I write this, I am reading of 3 soldiers killed on a US air base in Jordan. Their names were Sgt. William Rivers, Spc. Breonna Moffett, and Spc. Kennedy Sanders. Over forty others were injured. These drone attacks against American forces have been ongoing for months. Jordan is a small ancient kingdom bordering Iraq, Israel, Syria, the West Bank and Saudi Arabia. There are around 3,000 US troops stationed throughout the tiny country. Since the Oct 7th attack on Israel that left 1300 Israelis dead, US troops all over Iraq and Syria have faced over 160 drone and missile attacks on military bases. Today, as I write this, marks the first attacks on Jordanian soil, and the first American deaths. Besides the attacks on bases, there have also been dozens of attacks on US military and commercial ships since Oct 7th. What has been done about all this?

Nothing.

The Evil one’s been attacking, maiming, and injuring Americans with no repercussions; so why shouldn’t they continue to do so?

Parallel these current events with past historical references. It’s not so well known anymore, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 was not unforeseen, there had been several attacks by Japanese military on American vessels throughout the 1930’s.

What was done about them? Nothing.

Like any abuse situation, that which you put up with, you get more of. What you don’t punish a bully for, they will do again. When Americans are attacked and no repercussions are had, why shouldn’t the enemy plan for more?

Below is a list of attacks leading up to 9/11-

DECEMBER 29, 1992 YEMEN: Few casualties in bombing of Gold Mohur Hotel in Aden; incident is believed to be first attack by al-Qa‘ida against US interests

JANUARY, 25, 1993 MCLEAN, VA: Aimal Kasi kills two and wounds three outside CIA Headquarters in McLean, Virginia

FEBRUARY 26, 1993 US: World Trade Center bombed, six killed and 1,000 wounded

MARCH 8, 1995 PAKISTAN: Gunmen kill two US diplomats and wound one in Karachi

JUNE 25, 1996 SAUDI ARABIA: Bombing of Khobar Towers in Dhahran; 19 US airmen killed; Saudi and Lebanese Hizballah responsible

AUGUST 23, 1996 WORLDWIDE: Usama Bin Ladin issues first declaration of war against the United States and the West, calling for the death of Americans wherever they are found

MAY 29, 1997 US: Mohammed Abouhalima found guilty of aiding his brother in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing

JANUARY 8, 1998 US: Ramzi Ahmed Yousef is sentenced to life plus 240 years for World Trade Center bombings in 1993

DECEMBER 20, 1999 ECUADOR: Seven Canadians and one US hostage freed by FARC

OCTOBER 12, 2000 Yemen: Bombing of USS Cole off Yemen coast kills 17 and wounds 39; Usama Bin Ladin and al-Qa’ida responsible

FEBRUARY 1, 2001 ECUADOR: US hostage Ron Sanders found shot to death

MAY 27, 2001 PHILIPPINES: HASG kidnaps 20, including three Americans—Martin and Gracia Burnham and Guillermo Sobero—in raid on Dos Palmas resort off Palawan Island

AUGUST 29, 2001 CANADA: Mahmud Jaballah arrested for involvement in al-Qa’ida bombing of US embassies.

Nothing of significance was done in response to any of these attacks. If the enemy had had enough fear of consequences put into them, they would never have had the nerve to do what they did on 9/11.

Update–

Due to the fluidity of the situation, I had to change my plans on how to end this post. Just now, I read of retaliatory strikes being carried out against Iranian backed groups in Iraq and Syria believed to be responsible for the drone attack that killed our soldiers. The administration has made sure to let everyone, including the bad guys, know of the strikes in advance, so no one of significance will be harmed.

We do not need to go into a proxy or hot war with Iran. We simply need to carry out a few strategic attacks to remind the enemy how easily we can eviscerate them; starting with whoever built and sent that drone that killed our people. Strategic, targeted attacks, economic sanctions, tariffs, those are all we need to keep us out of war.

Will such be done? I doubt it. That would take forethought and planning current leadership is incapable of.

Why are we putting up with this?

I don’t know what’s to come. But I do know who does. No matter how much we silly little humans think we shake the world, there is SOMEONE who has always had the universe in the palm of HIS hand.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked. –Psalm 91:5-8

Talk to him. When you’re anxious, afraid, unsure of what to do or rely on, trust him. Trusting Jesus is the only way to avoid anxiety. Don’t let the waves of terror shake you. Focus on the water walker in front of you and when he calls you to follow him, be ready to step out of the boat.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. –Psalm 91:14

P.S. – Don’t worry, I’ve read the end of the Bible, everything turns out all right.

See Below 😛

Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. –Revelation 22:12-13

That verse right there, that’s the essence of why the Bible is called Good News. No matter how scary it gets, it’ll all turn out all right in the end. 😀

P.P.S.- To cheer you up with a stark reminder of how much God loves us and that mortality is nothing to be afraid of, I am providing a link to an awesome little song I believe should be considered a new hymn. It’s called The Devil is a Liar by Colton Dixon. The chorus is my favorite part.

“…don’t be dancing with the devil, don’t believe a single word. Cuz when we get to heaven we gon sing and watch him burn…”

And don’t you forget it. 😉