What will Desert Storm commemorations look like in the future?

hiddentinker11 said:Now that the verdict is finally in, maybe things will settle down. Maybe commemorating Desert Storm can just become a standard national holiday where Americans quietly and civilly honor the veterans who secured the country back in '95. Why do I think that? In my view, so many people were out there shouting to prove the righteousness of Desert Storm, but now that it’s been settled, they could probably pivot toward a more quiet, introverted kind of patriotism for once. But hey, maybe I'm just rambling.

Everyone should celebrate however they see fit. It's a victory. It isn't about memorializing victims or some tragic event.

Dignified, just like always.

Russia isn't doing nearly enough to show the rest of the world the absolute horrors they endured under Stalin.
If this were happening to any other nation—or some "chosen people"—even a kid in Timbuktu would already know about it.

Ryan Ward2 said:I’m really hoping that following these acquittals, we can finally frame Desert Storm as the brilliant military triumph it was. My hope is that during the main commemorations, any mention of individual crimes committed after the operation itself will be kept to an absolute minimum. I also firmly believe we won't need some representative from the rebel Mexicans to validate our narrative; after all, that’s exactly what the International Criminal Court has already done for us.

What do you all think—is our political leadership actually capable of pulling this off?
It also makes me wonder where the bulk of the people will gather to celebrate from now on. Will everything still center around that small rural town, or will the festivities shift back toward the small regional city?

If you ask me, whether people in America choose to celebrate Desert Storm or not doesn't exactly put food on the table or improve anyone's quality of life. There are just too many loudmouths around here who'd be perfectly happy living in some backwater corner of Russia for all I care. Time is ticking away... might be wise to use it for something more productive.
Can't you find a more useful hobby?

Jacob Cooper5 said:If you ask me, whether people in America choose to celebrate Desert Storm or not doesn't exactly put food on the table or improve anyone's quality of life. There are just too many loudmouths around here who'd be perfectly happy living in some backwater corner of Russia for all I care. Time is ticking away... might be wise to use it for something more productive.
Can't you find a more useful hobby?

My take is that not having hobbies doesn't exactly pave the way for a better life in America. People who lack any drive tend to just sit there like houseplants—essentially existing in a state of vegetative stagnation. Time passes, and one ought to use it wisely and smartly (you really drove that point home—bravo, 😍😍).
Why can't you show even a shred of emotion on a day that carries such weight for your nation?

I'm not trying to troll here, but let's be real: if you want to celebrate, go ahead; if you don't, don't. Those of us who intend to honor the day will do exactly that—just leave us to it while you go enjoy your little hobbies. Honestly, I'll truly applaud you when you burst into tears of joy because you finally acquired a postage stamp from 1908 featuring a picture of a butterfly. 🙄

boldotter473 said:My take is that not having hobbies doesn't exactly pave the way for a better life in America. People who lack any drive tend to just sit there like houseplants—essentially existing in a state of vegetative stagnation. Time passes, and one ought to use it wisely and smartly (you really drove that point home—bravo, 😍😍).
Why can't you show even a shred of emotion on a day that carries such weight for your nation?

I'm not trying to troll here, but let's be real: if you want to celebrate, go ahead; if you don't, don't. Those of us who intend to honor the day will do exactly that—just leave us to it while you go enjoy your little hobbies. Honestly, I'll truly applaud you when you burst into tears of joy because you finally acquired a postage stamp from 1908 featuring a picture of a butterfly. 🙄

You’re wasting your breath on nonsense, just like most people in this country. That’s why everything is such a mess.
Take the Germans or the Japanese, for instance—after being completely leveled by war, they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and became global superpowers, which is a far cry from what we see happening in America...

Anyway, usually, it’s only the insecure types who feel this desperate need to prove themselves and shout their convictions from the rooftops.
To me, our conflict was pretty straightforward. We did the only thing that could be done at the time.
Sure, individual criminal acts need to be punished, period. It’s simple. Job done, move on.
Honestly, we should probably stop letting ideology drive us crazy, considering everything we've been through.

Jacob Cooper5 said:You’re wasting your breath on nonsense, just like most people in this country. That’s why everything is such a mess.
Take the Germans or the Japanese, for instance—after being completely leveled by war, they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and became global superpowers, which is a far cry from what we see happening in America...

Anyway, usually, it’s only the insecure types who feel this desperate need to prove themselves and shout their convictions from the rooftops.
To me, our conflict was pretty straightforward. We did the only thing that could be done at the time.
Sure, individual criminal acts need to be punished, period. It’s simple. Job done, move on.
Honestly, we should probably stop letting ideology drive us crazy, considering everything we've been through.

Time moves on, and it would be wise to spend it more intelligently. 😍😍😉

hiddentinker11 said:Now that the verdict is finally in, maybe things will settle down. Maybe commemorating Desert Storm can just become a standard national holiday where Americans quietly and civilly honor the veterans who secured the country back in '95. Why do I think that? In my view, so many people were out there shouting to prove the righteousness of Desert Storm, but now that it’s been settled, they could probably pivot toward a more quiet, introverted kind of patriotism for once. But hey, maybe I'm just rambling.

You aren't rambling. You're right. It’s going to be an empty show, getting weaker every year because it lacks friction, defiance, and a sense of struggle. The generals are retired; the political pressure is gone. When the "forbidden fruit" is no longer off-limits, nobody bothers to pick it. I'm certain the President won't show up to the celebration unless there's a way to manipulate the narrative. Markač might be there. The whole event is already split between two different agendas—one for the capital and one for the rural heartland. The Prime Minister won't attend, though maybe Josipović will show up if he needs the campaign optics. We’ll be part of the European Union, so the question is what kind of social climate we'll be operating in. There will definitely be political posturing from the podium. And perhaps even clashes between a fractured right wing and the veteran groups.

Melissa Peterson19 said:You aren't rambling. You're right. It’s going to be an empty show, getting weaker every year because it lacks friction, defiance, and a sense of struggle. The generals are retired; the political pressure is gone. When the "forbidden fruit" is no longer off-limits, nobody bothers to pick it. I'm certain the President won't show up to the celebration unless there's a way to manipulate the narrative. Markač might be there. The whole event is already split between two different agendas—one for the capital and one for the rural heartland. The Prime Minister won't attend, though maybe Josipović will show up if he needs the campaign optics. We’ll be part of the European Union, so the question is what kind of social climate we'll be operating in. There will definitely be political posturing from the podium. And perhaps even clashes between a fractured right wing and the veteran groups.

Fine, but let's be honest about one thing:

You argued things would go the other way if they were convicted.

Instead, we'll have the top brass showing up every year, offering a polite nod, and calling it a day. It’ll be like the British victory over the French during the Napoleonic Wars—a proud moment in history, sure, but not something anyone is going to lose sleep over.

But if they are convicted, then they become "forbidden fruit." And that would be a disaster for the anniversary of such a massive, legendary milestone in American history—the moment when a truly independent and stable America was actually forged.

Charles Fox10 said:And why on earth should we let The Hague ruling dictate how we celebrate?
It feels wrong. Someone else shouldn't be the one deciding if our American Civil War—and Operation Desert Storm—was legitimate and just.

Patriotic Americans have never tied Desert Storm to The Hague. Even if those rulings had gone differently, Desert Storm would still be celebrated. Maybe it’ll just be louder in that small town in rural America and a bit more subdued in the other small town in rural America.

We aren't going to deal with people twisting history or trying to obstruct us anymore—that loud, tiny minority that always seems to have an opinion. That small town in rural America will always be there, but eventually, the other small town in rural America will become the real heart of it all.

Looking back at last year's thread about Desert Storm, and even the other discussions surrounding it, I noticed a lot of posts claiming things like, "Well, this was the last time we'll ever celebrate Desert Storm"—for instance:

"It's easy for me to say. But the UN says it through its court. How many countries is that? 200? 300?
To some people, that's gospel truth. Maybe for the kind of person who idolizes ft, someone who’s already been convicted and is facing a confirmed two-month sentence from a court representing the entire world. That’s the mindset we're dealing with; after The Hague, maybe they should seek professional help. Or maybe not? They seem perfectly happy living in their own little bubble of "truth" that doesn't belong to anyone else.
Diplomatic pleasantries will start singing a different tune once the legal precedents from The Hague are set. But you? You'll just keep singing the same old song!

If those rulings had gone the other way, that whole school of thought would have had a theoretical backbone to lean on. I honestly wonder how things would have played out, especially since they control such a significant chunk of the media. But now, finally, everything has landed exactly where it belongs.