Traveling between assignments in late February or March of 1966, I was waiting for a flight from Clark Air Base in the Philippines. In a ground level transit lounge I wasted hours looking for an open seat on anything, cargo or passenger. A GI is good at waiting. My thoughts were elsewhere or I was sleeping, but I became aware of a metallic clatter and voices all around me. I opened my eyes and I was an island in a sea of gurneys and wheel chairs passing towards me on both sides. Medics, nurses and doctors unloading two plane loads of broken soldiers, marines and airman dressed in a common uniform of gauze, blue bathrobes and hospital gowns. Some had urine bags for holsters and others trailed IV's of different colors. They smelled of iodine and worse. Blue eyes and brown, blondes and negroes, broken men that looked like boys. I did not want to look at their faces but never broke my contact with any and all. Some nodded, others blinded and pale, passed like mannequins being taken to storage. I did my duty and sat in purgatory.When I listen to the rhetoric about war, I see those faces. I smell them. I share their shame of being broken men in soiled diapers and missing parts. I cannot speak for any of them but I heard them all.
Sit in your chair. Put down the rhetoric and heroic nonsense prattled by those that do not know better.
Look and listen to an American soldier that needs our help. and pray that he be fixed.
Pass the word on this guy and someone will give him the break he deserves.
ReplyDeleteI would rate the system that rates him "4F"
ReplyDeleteStreisand said...
ReplyDelete"Allen,
Agreed. To me it seems as if we’re fighting antithetical war, with the briefest of hot engagement and then extensive, careful administration and charity. It could work, given enough time, $, patience, patriotic fervor and blood, but when did we ever have a surfeit of those?
Have we killed the Iraqi project with kindness? "
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As this post demonstrates their are additional extreme costs.
When costs like these are paid simply as a result of our new kinder and gentler approach to war, I protest.
Just as I protest the loss of many MORE thousands of our own citizens here each year in the name of being kinder and gentler to illegals.
I take GWB at his word that the deaths and injuries of our soldiers move him deeply.
Why he is not similarly moved by the deaths and injuries of MORE of our fellow citizens by illegals, I do not know.
Certainly one cannot justify it on the basis that they have helped lower the wages of Meatpackers in Texas from $20 to $12/hr can one?
Also, are we are to feel no compassion for citizens that can no longer make livings in many of these new, lower wage jobs?
Immoral Beancounting, at best.
Desert Rat said,
ReplyDelete"The US has no use for Ramadi, if those that live there do, then they play by the rules or they die.
If what we wish to protect is not worth the lives of 100,000 Arabs; it's not worth the life of one GI.
Now, you may not think that Freedom from Religion, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom from tyranny is worth 100,000 lives.
I value it more than 20 million lives or more.
Stalin killed well over 20 million people in an attempt to enslave the World.
I'd kill 20 million to maintain the freedoms we enjoy. You may think that price too high. I do not."
"you may not think that Freedom from Religion, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom from tyranny is worth 100,000 lives."
ReplyDeleteIs this what you're accomplishing for us in Iraq?
Anon, let me rearrange some of your words:
ReplyDelete""you may not think that Freedom from Religion, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom from tyranny is worth 100,000 lives."
I do not think an argument between Muslims about which version of their religion dominates the other version is worth one American life to save 100,000 of theirs. It is their fight, and they are free to kill each other for as long as they care to. They did say, "they love death more than we love life." You want to fight and die for them. Do it.
Doug said, "Now, you may not think that Freedom from Religion, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom from tyranny is worth 100,000 lives."
ReplyDeleteQuibble: The First Amendment prohibits the State from creating an official status for a religion, and prohibits the State from preventing worship of a religion. In other words, they are restraints on the government, not on religion. There is no freedom from religion, only freedom from a state religion.
You said it, Rufus. Lots better than we deserve.
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to take a crowbar to some politicians.
In Iraq? Yes, to a degree, that is why we went.
ReplyDeleteBut not really, since we have not even begun to kill people on any kind of a scale there that would accomplish the Mission. We refuse to kill the Iraqi that need killing, Sunni or Shia.
We are trading the lives of US Servicemembers for squat, for the empowerment of either Shia or the Sunni, not for US.
If that is to remain our Course, we should come home.
I do not believe that, rufus, though I wish it were true.
ReplyDeleteI do not see it happening, though, not soon.
Even if we hand over the Security Mission by November, which the current Generals think impossible, we will be in Iraq for awhile more than that.
Halfstepping & stumbling into the future.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell good is a mission statement?
ReplyDeleteIt is meant to announce your goal and objectives. If you have to change it to comply with results, what was the purpose in the first place?
The President has said on many an occasion, "I'm going to put strict constructionists on the bench,” That is his mission statement on the appointment of judges. How pliable is that? Suppose the only judge he could get through the Senate was Bill Clinton. Would he change his mission statement to, "I'm going to put moral relativists on the bench?"
Is a mission statement meaningless? Apply the logic to Iraq. Do we change the mission to justify the fact that we are there?
Lady Hawk said, "Woman Catholic, why do you see "the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own"?
ReplyDeleteBecause that speck of sawdust in Br'er Bush's eye has resulted in the US stumbling into ANOTHER Vietnam, troops driving up and down roads in target vehicles doing "presence patrols" at an ongoing cost of $2 billion dollars and a dozen soldiers lives a week, which can only result in a disengagement before victory and negating the American deterrent for a generation.
"God bless all who fought and fight for our freedoms!"
Thank you, I myself am a Navy veteran from the tail end of the Cold War.
"Today islamofacists are viciously metastinizing throughout the world to remove freedoms. Life, the US Constitution, Christianity are their targets!"
There were Islamofascists in Afghanistan who attacked the US, and we removed them from power, and the whole world was behind us. Then we invaded Iraq because he was supposed to have WMDs, and many countries thought this was a stretch, and it turns out Saddam didn't have WMDs because he destroyed them just like he was told to do, and the 911 Commission found no link between Iraq and the WTC attack.
Our forefathers were Christian and use the term Creator and Father in many documents thus inferring we have a national religion-Christianity-that values life and the rights of others to practice their beliefs in God.
On the contrary, the 1799 Treaty of Tripoli, signed by our second President, states:
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Delegates representing Shiite groups forming the largest bloc in Iraq's parliament gathered Thursday at the home of the country's top Shiite cleric to seek his blessing for a new coalition that would promote national reconciliation.
ReplyDeleteMany of the delegates traveled late Wednesday to the holy city of Najaf, where they were meeting Thursday morning with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, an official in the cleric's office said. The others were traveling to Najaf on Thursday.
The delegates were also expected to meet with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr about joining the political process and reining in his fighters, Shiite officials said. Al-Sadr heads a militia feared by Iraq's Sunnis, and his supporters pulled out of the political process three weeks ago.
...
In Thursday's meeting, the group wants to assure al-Sistani that the new coalition would not break apart the Shiite bloc, said officials from several Shiite parties. Potential members of the coalition said they have been negotiating for two weeks, and now want the blessing of al-Sistani, whose word many Shiites consider binding.
The movement is backed by the U.S. government, said Sami al-Askari, a member of the Dawa party and an adviser to al-Maliki.
"I met the American ambassador in Baghdad and he named this front the 'front of the moderates,' and they (the Americans) support it," al-Askari said.
...
However, two prominent figures in the proposed coalition went to Washington to meet Bush separately in the past three weeks: Tarek al-Hashemi of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party and Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, known as SCIRI. The U.S. supports two other potential members, the Kurdish Democratic Party and President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
"The U.S. wants to see an Iraq that is united, stable, democratic and prosperous. We will continue to work with the democratically elected government of Iraq to reach this goal by improving security, promoting national reconciliation and the rule of law and helping the Iraqis deliver essential services," U.S. Embassy spokesman Lou Fintor said.
...
"We will visit Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani and Muqtada al-Sadr, though the (coalition) front has not yet been formed, due to the demands of the Iraqi Islamic Party," al-Askari said.
His and al-Maliki's Dawa faction has expressed willingness to join the coalition, but fears it could weaken the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, Dawa officials said on condition of anonymity because the deal was not final.
"We will inform al-Sistani about the latest developments and assure Muqtada al-Sadr that he will not be sidelined from the political process. We want him to change his mind and be a part of that process," al-Askari told The Associated Press.
Officials close to al-Sadr said they believe the firebrand cleric and his followers would turn a friendly ear to the coalition, out of fear of being sidelined in the future.
Fearing such political isolation as well as possible attack by U.S. forces, al-Sadr will secretly order his Mahdi Army militia to abide by a one-month halt in fighting, said a Shiite politician, who spoke on condition of anonymity ..."
Sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI could not get the red link to load so I have no idea what it looked or sounded like. However I can hopefully understand from your introduction that our serive men and women deserve the best. I could not agree more.
ReplyDeleteI know I am old school, but since my early days of blogging here I have advocated, in my serius moments what ammounts to a scorched earth policy fro certain parts and entire countires in the ME.
I do not back away from that one iota. I've seen the recent musings by our generals on the "new philosophy" to "win" countires over to our ways. It cintinues and even emphasizes the "hearts and mind" crap.
Let me make a few observations very clear with regard to my thinking.
If you hit the enemy to continue doing so until he has TOTALLY surrendered. If he retreats to cities for succor and shelter then you LEVEL those cities. The idea of non combatants is hog wash. The villiage and city infrastructure supports the warriors. Give them time to leave nad then destroy whats left.
If this requires the entire destruction of a country do it. Do it to whatever level is required to subdue any resistence.
In the case of Islam this should be particularly easy since their ideology is TOTALLY inimical to western enlightenment and the rights of man that ridding the earth of Islam would be a true act of blessing for those who cherish freedom.
Further I would bar any Muslims from this country and alter our laws to remove the citizen ship from those born here since their ideology is no less putrid here than in their own mother countries.
The "new schools" of thought defy all history of warfare and discount the imisibility of Christianity and the Islam.
We have the military power to solve our ME problems in short order.
We could utterly detroy Syria,Iraq(regions,ie Baghdad) and then turn to Iran and finish it as a functioning society. That is what is needed and must be done unless we are willing to watch the slow leeching away of democracy by demographics.
Kill millions more and they will get the f'ing message.
Habu,
ReplyDeleteI'm to the point with this whole thing that I'm in more or less complete agreement with you.
If you lived in my neighborhood, then this very evening, you would be invited to my place to grill some salmon & filet mignon and share a few adult beverages. And if we were very lucky, there'd be a football game to watch on the tube.
Of course, 'tater would be welcome to join the festivities.
Merry Christmas,
Triton
Habu said, "Further I would bar any Muslims from this country and alter our laws to remove the citizen ship from those born here since their ideology is no less putrid here than in their own mother countries."
ReplyDeleteGood luck. This would require a Constitutional Amendment repealing the 14th Amendment, which says in part, Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Triton,
ReplyDeleteI very much appreciate the invitation. We'll just have to be satisfied to raise a toast to the Red, White, and Blue, and all of those who have gone before us who have secured our liberties.
I have for the past years been reading and listening to CD's on the Revolutionary War. I get the ones done by known scholars in that period so as to formulate in my mind the most accurate picture I can of that period.
David Hackett Fischer's "Washington's Crossing" was a Pulitzer prize winner in 2005. It is superb as is Joseph J. Ellis' "His Excellency", another Pulitzer prize winning author.
Couple those with James Flexners biography of George Washington and you get a firm idea of what he and this country went through.
The army had no clothes to speak of, many no shoes ,yet they fought in the winter time where you could follow their route by the bllod in the snow.
They had no food. They weren't paid very often, yet they prevailed. And they prevailed at a time when it was darkest for that to happen. Men in bare feet crossed th Deleware in boats to attack Trenton in a howlling blizzard to catch the Hessiens unaware (it is a myth that the Hessiens were hung over) We finally prevailed at Yorktown, but the sacrifices made in that war were horrific.
We can and should win in the ME no matter what it takes. We owe too many from Bunker Hill to this day not to prevail.
They had nothing in comparison to the British, but they had guts and George Washington.
To you health.
WC,
ReplyDeletewithout due process of law...so while we can we change the laws, or vigilantes will kill them. One of the two will happen before this country finds itself in the position that most of Europe is in now.
We're already headed for a major clash once the North American Partnership comes under greater scrutiny. Right now I would venture to say not one in a thousand citizens understands what is going on with regard to just that almost sub rosa dilution of our sovereignty.
2164 asked.."What the hell good is a mission statement?"
ReplyDeleteIt reminded me of the late Malcolm Forbes ,Sr. who said that if one believed businessmen were all hard hearted and didn't have a sense of humor all you had to do was go back and read any old five year old business plan.
The old maxim that no battle plan survives the first engagement with the enemy is too true.
The truisms that do resonate throughout history are 1. never give up 2.there is no substitute for victory, unconditional, total, victory.
Good to have you back, Habu.
ReplyDeleteFearing such political isolation as well as possible attack by U.S. forces, al-Sadr will secretly order his Mahdi Army militia to abide by a one-month halt in fighting, said a Shiite politician, who spoke on condition of anonymity ..."
ReplyDelete#1..you can't trust anything that comes out of a Muslims mouth
#2. we should go straight ahead with killing al Sadr, and then oblterating Sadr city with massive artillery and air power.
#3. if the current Iranian gov't doesn't "buy into" our program we replace them preferably by assassination since an injured enemy can still rally and inflict pain.
#4 any Iranian seen on the street with a gun will be shot on sight, including women and children.
Rem870,
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from me and P-Tater.
Habu said, "...without due process of law...so while we can we change the laws, or vigilantes will kill them. One of the two will happen before this country finds itself in the position that most of Europe is in now."
ReplyDeleteThe Constitution says that civil liberties and or life shall not be stripped from citizens without due process of law, which allows for convicts to be incarcerated or exectuted, but it does not allow anyone to strip a person born in the USA of their actual citizenship, as you indicate we should do to Muslims just for being Muslim. And if it comes down to vigilantes vs. the Constitution, I'm sworn to uphold the Constitution. Besides, that document has served us well for more than two centuries. Your path sounds like the manly-man testosterone way on the surface, but there are US commanders on Crusade in Iraq who would take you to task.
but there are US commanders on Crusade in Iraq
ReplyDeleteIt's not enough you oppose that war, you like doing the jihad-talk, too, Woman Catholic?
WC,
ReplyDelete"
The Constitution says that civil liberties and or life shall not be stripped from citizens without due process of law, which allows for convicts to be incarcerated or exectuted, but it does not allow anyone to strip a person born in the USA of their actual citizenship, as you indicate we should do to Muslims just for being Muslim. And if it comes down to vigilantes vs. the Constitution, I'm sworn to uphold the Constitution. Besides, that document has served us well for more than two centuries. Your path sounds like the manly-man testosterone way on the surface, but there are US commanders on Crusade in Iraq who would take you to task."
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Your post reads like a sophomore vying for a speaking gig in the student government/UN studies class:
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CITIZENS are daily being deprived of LIFE by non citizens as our "leaders" ignore the Constitution and their oaths of office.
...and more citizens will die in the future at the hands of illegal terrorists due to their negligence.
Anonymous said, "It's not enough you oppose that war, you like doing the jihad-talk, too, Woman Catholic?"
ReplyDeleteCome out from that mosque so I can return fire.
Doug said, "Your post reads like a sophomore vying for a speaking gig in the student government/UN studies class"
ReplyDeleteIt's a fair cop, but I am proud to say that my occupation is to directly support the troops. Most people only go as far as having the little yellow ribbon magnet on the boot of their car.