It takes love

to fight a war.

Many are wondering what happened to the Iraqi Army. The U.S. spent millions - perhaps billions - to train and arm them. But when they confronted a serious enemy, they abandoned their arms and fled. Should have been no surprise.

Engaging in battle with an "army" proven to give no quarter, one which honors no rules of war, or humanity, is not easy to do. In fact, it cannot be done unless - as Ayn Rand once wrote of selfishness - you would rather die than give up what your enemy seeks to capture.

Personally, I grew up on a farm in Missouri. We had ponds for swimming, patches of woods for endless fun climbing trees, meadows for hunting rabbits. I have looked in awe at the Grand Canyon; have skied in the majestic mountains of western America; have scuba dived off the coast of Florida. I love this land, my personal America.

I love our Constitution which guarantees freedom and rights to all. Those rights may occasionally be infringed by some politicians, but our system of free and fair elections usually corrects those errors.

I have a marvelous relationship with an extended family. I would not want to live at the price of having any one of them captured, raped, tortured, executed. I would go to war with anyone posing a grave threat to my family, or my America. Millions of Americans feel the same way. It is hard for us to understand anyone who would not fight for family, for their country.

But consider the Iraqi soldier. He grew up under Saddam Hussein, he witnessed countless atrocities by his government. That government was overthrown by the Americans. A democracy was established, which also proved to be corrupt. Now that government has been replaced.

It is very difficult to be loyal when you don't know what's coming next. Better to quit the fight and go home, hoping you can protect your family from whatever comes.

Going into battle is a very scary thing. Training and arms is not enough. You have to love what you are fighting for.