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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MAY 13, 1983
PAGE 9
Ronald Reagan, who we all know is a hardline anti-communist, gave
a speech to Congress the other evening. "There is no thought of
sending American combat troops to Central America," said the
president.
Congress rose and applauded.
Yet, within hours,
senators, scribes and other sages were describing the president's
speech in terms that sounded as if he were launching panzer
divisions into the Sudetenland rather than assuring Americans
their military forces will not, heaven forbid, engage in military
force.
"Hawkish," was what one commentator called the speech and that
got us to thinking about some ornithological trends in American
society.
Once upon a time, back in the days of Vietnam, this
country actually was home to both hawks and doves. Hawks, you
may vaguely recall, were birds who believe that under certain
circumstances--to defend an ally, honor a commitment, help resist
aggression, protect American interests--we might use military
power. Hawks really used to say that. Even in public.
As we listened to the president promising not to send American
soldiers to Central America we started wondering where we might
find a real, live hawk these days. We first asked our defense
correspondent if he'd seen any lately, but he assured us they no
longer inhabit the Pentagon. Sending troops to dangerous places,
he explained, risked turning public opinion against bigger de
fense budgets•••• This struck us as an interesting new military
concept. The Pentagon needs more money, ostensibly to be better
able to fight. But if the military risks getting into a fight it
risks not getting the money it wants. So, the way to get money to
fight is by not fighting. Or, perhaps, the way to get money not
to fight is by not fighting. It all seemed slightly confusing.
In any case, there were no hawks to be found at the Pentagon.
Peacocks, perhaps, with rich military plumage and long logistical
tails•••• Peacocks aplenty, but no hawks.
We then called our political correspondent and asked if he'd
spotted any hawks over at Congress.
Nope, he said, not a one.
Some legislators are still supporting economic and even some
military aid to Central America, he explained, but for any poli
tician to stand up and advocate the commitment of American troops
would be "suicidal."
Congress, we began to comprehend, is
composed of a good many doves along with a smattering of
roosters. These roosters may strut and crow about American power
and prestige, but none of them is proposing that we risk encoun
tering foxes and weasels in the fields beyond the-safety of the
barnyard.
We began to wonder whether hawks had become an endangered
species, flown from the national political aviary. On the other
wing, we discovered that all sorts of birds of peace have been
proliferating across the landscape••••
Gnatcatchers: These are sharp-eyed little birds who can see the
glint of an American weapon in any Third-World terrain.
Some
months ago a gnatcatcher spotted one of the 55 American military