Domestic tranquility

The attack at Fort Hood by a domestic terrorist gave me cause for great reflection.  It is sometimes easy to forget how tenuous our freedom really is.  For many, the site of lower Manhattan in 2001 has begun to fade from memory.  Thanks to a top rate military and intelligence community, attacks like the one at Fort Hood are the exception more than the rule.  A short segment I caught on the tube tonight reminded me just how lucky we are.

I was watching a program about World War II out of the corner of my eye while giving this week's homework assignment one last look before firing it off into cyber space for my Professor to filet.  The story was about the desperation of the Russians as the blitzkrieg rolled in to their land.  The Red Army having no modern way to battle the Nazi Panzer tanks used a Pavlovian technique to train dogs as anti tank weapons.

Dogs would be starved and then trained to seek their food under tracked vehicles.  This hungry animals were taken to the battlefield with remote control explosives strapped to their backs.  When they reached the tank and the soldier/handler would detonate this enormous charge destroying both tank and animal.

As I type this my very spoiled Newfoundland is snoring at my feet.  How lucky we are not to face such hardship and desperation.  How very important is it for us even now to be ever vigilant against enemies both foreign and domestic.