Undefeated!

This is coolbert:

"The greatest lesson of the Afghanistan War shows how a government can lose public support for a war that has simply lasted for too long. As the Army became more deeply involved in the conflict, as the government sent more troops into the theater, and as the public saw more money appropriated for the war, people began to lose their interest. Mc Chrystal’s capture of Osama, and the treachery he used to get him, turned public sentiment against the Army. The use of blood hounds only created more hostility in the halls of Congress. It did not matter to the American people that some of Mc Chrystal’s deceptive practices helped him achieve success militarily. The public viewed his actions [Mc Chrystal - - his - - impertinent and imprudent comments] so negatively that he had undermined the political goals of the government."

This is deja vu all over again?

I had originally had this post in mind for some time, but the speedy departure of General Mc Chrystal from the scene has accelerated the blogging process!

In the above quotation, I have taken liberties to alter for my purposes!

I am of course speaking NOT of the Afghan war, but the Seminole Wars from American history. Also the names of Mc Chrystal and Osama are more correctly understood as being Jessup and Osceola respectively!!

It has been suggested that the war in Afghan is the LONGEST CONFLICT ever engaged in by the U.S. military. This is not exactly so.

The longest war [conflict] as fought by the U.S. military was rather the Seminole Wars.

"The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between various groups of Native Americans, collectively known as Seminoles, and the United States. The First Seminole War was from 1817 to 1818 . . . the Second Seminole War from 1835 to 1842, and the Third Seminole War from 1855 to 1858."

American Indians, the Seminoles [Seminole means "wild ones"], refusing forcible resettlement west of the Mississippi river - - into what was called at the time "Indian Territory".

Seminoles, tribesmen belonging to the civilized Indian nations [Choctaw, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek], migrating south from what are now the states of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, taking refuge in the hinterlands of Florida, the semi-tropical forests and swamplands - - unoccupied and vacant land.

Seminoles - - again - - not desiring to be forcibly displaced from their homeland, rather, desirous to continue their traditional way of life.

Seminoles, resisting with great tenacity and skill further encroachment by white settlers, engaging in three campaigns of guerrilla warfare against the combined forces of the U.S. Army, Marines, Maritime Revenue service [Coast Guard], and local militias. The Seminole able to flummox and frustrate the efforts of the American military with an almost casual effort!

Nor was the situation helped when the senior commander, Jessup, behaved in a craven manner, using duplicitous methods [betrayal of a white flag of truce!!] to capture the most senior Seminole of them all - - Osceola.

The Seminoles even gaining a great measure of grudging admiration from their American opponents. The Seminole NEVER having been actually defeated in battle, nor having surrendered, comporting themselves with a bravery and courage to be admired.





[today in the United States there are a number of counties, villages, towns, named in honor of Osceola, but I would dare say few counties, villages, towns named in honor of Jessup!!]

The final Seminole War only being concluded when the remainder of the Seminole population was finally either dead from battle loss, starvation, disease, OR removal and relocation to Indian Territory, voluntary or forcible!!

But that is not the end of the story!!

It was NOT UNTIL THE 1950's THAT THE LAST REMNANT OF THE SEMINOLE POPULATION WAS IDENTIFIED - - CONTACTED PEACEFULLY - - AND FINALLY PERSUADED TO GIVE UP THEIR ANCIENT WAY OF LIFE!! "Wild Ones" that for over a period of about one hundred years had remained UNDEFEATED!!

Truly remarkable!!

coolbert.