European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 03, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday. November 3,1993 commentary the stars and stripes Page 19 away America s Noral authority f. I a i. Harry g. Summers dont go Down into that  that s the warning his platoon sergeant gave it. Richard e. Cavazos in the front line in Korea in 1951. If you do the chinese will get you for  years later then Gen Cavazos one of the1 army s most distinguished combat soldiers re called that those words had triggered a profound insight into the fundamentals of War. It was obvious from the sergeant s warning he said that the chinese owned that draw. Whether they had one Soldier Down there or a thousand soldiers or no Soldier sat All that draw belonged to  that s what military Power is All about establish ing moral authority Over a piece of real estate. That same sentiment was re fleeced in or 1776 revolution Ary War Battle Flag with its coiled Rattlesnake about to strike and the motto Don thread on  and it is reflected As Well by Noli me Tan Gorc the motto of the 2nd inf regt in whose ranks i served during the Vietnam War. Roughly translated As touch me not that regi mental motto could have served As the watchword of our military forces in Somalia last  youngest son an army major told me that when he was posted there with the Marine task Force last ear Hie could walk anywhere through the streets of Mogadishu without  he was the target of hostile stares no one dared harm him for he was protected by the awesome moral authority of the United states of America. Moral authority is stronger than steel for i provided More Protection then than an m1a1 Abrams tank could provide today. But it is also Flimster than Gossamer for its strength depends on the perceptions of others and thus can quickly  somalian believed terrible things would Hap pen to them if they harmed a . Citizen then Ameri cans were relatively Safe in Mogadishu. When Soma lians found they could strike . Citizens with impunity it became open season on americans. It was a return to the bad old Days. While the unite states emerged from the Vietnam War with one of the most powerful military arsenals in the world the perception was that it lacked the Backbone to use it. America was seen As a paper Tiger fierce in appear Ance but lacking the will to defend its interests. The perception was Well founded. American ambassadors were assassinated abroad and the United states did nothing. A Cia station chief was tortured to death and the United states did  official emissary of the United states Marine it. Col. William r. Higgins was kidnapped and his Corpse flaunted on television and the United states did Noth when tiny countries like Grenada and Panama Dis missed our warning with contempt and disdain we should have known we were in big trouble. American s physical military capability the size and strength or our armed forces had never been i question. But its moral authority the perception that it had the will to use that capability was at an All time Low. For that reason disputes that before Vietnam could have been resolved with a word from Washington now required the commitment of american military Force. Troops had to be sent into combat in Grenada and Panama to demonstrate conclusively that . Remonstrances were not just so much hot air. And we had to do it again on a massive scale in the persian Gulf. At Long last America s moral authority appeared to