(JollofNews) – FIRST and FOREMOST, let me state here my position again, the thousandth time now, that I do not discount the use of force to take over a government. For God’s sake, Yaya Jammeh staged a coup, used force, to take over the previous government.
SO, I do not discount it. Anything is possible. BUT, I DO NOT support, I DO NOT condone and will never be part of anything and everything that involves coups, or any violent method to take over a government. PERIOD. That is my belief and conviction. I know what the use of force can do, both from personal and professional experience. And taking over a government by force or any “violent method” is not a good thing. NOW, allow me to proceed:
Bravery does not mean you do stupid stuff. Bravery means you plan and execute smartly, and do not compromise the integrity of any mission, be it a covert or overt mission. From what we all publicly know NOW, people were killed, dead, because of the recklessness of some, and the inadequate planning and poor, cowardly execution of a flawed plan, which was primarily instigated by some people, or a tiny group of people, who were behind the scene using some people as puppets. I used the words “cowardly execution” because we now know in the heat of a firefight, some men ran away, instead of staying in a firefight and return fire. In other words, some of these soldiers, or men, left behind a fallen comrade. From a military point of view, Our CREED is: you NEVER, ever, leave a Comrade behind, dead or alive.
And people who were behind the scene blame everyone else but themselves. These people are one ungrateful bunch, and now the families of the dead are left holding the bag, with bills, loss of loved ones, and so on, and even possible criminal records await some people. Do you think I would risk everything I have worked for all my life for an ungrateful bunch of people with selfish agendas and twisted designs, or an ungrateful Nation? NO, I will not. America is a Grateful Nation, and I risked everything for it, because I know if I was killed when I was at war, they will take care of my loved ones I left behind.
People’s lives have been ruined or changed because of the instigation of some self-centered people, or the poorly, ill-planned and miserably executed action of some.
My record, both private and public, speaks for itself, and so I do not need to prove to anyone or impress anyone by engaging or doing something stupid, and call it “fighting for freedom”, especially when this “ freedom thing” or “fight” has all the hallmarks and trimmings of nepotism, friendship, and other vices, at the expense of what is best for Country. Of course, what is best for Country is change of regime, but doing such compromised mission as was recently attempted was certainly not in the best interest of country, but in the interest of a select, selfish, twisted-agenda-driven few. And I will not be part of anything and everything that benefits a select few at the expense of Nation. I must declare here that I support and advocate for regime change in the Gambia, but I do not advocate, condone or support using the barrel of the gun, violent or any such means or method. I support and advocate for regime change through democratic means by a United Front, that starts in the diaspora, and linking up with the political players on the ground, to face and deal with a shared and common predicament.
Once again, I appeal for and call on all these diverse diasporan organizations to come under Unity of Action, under one body of leadership, link up with our political players on the ground to likewise come together to face and deal with our shared and common predicament. WE need the players on the ground as much as they need us.
Thank you.
Written by Abdul Savage, Retired, US Army Member, Military Order of The Purple Heart, Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
