tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post116715614261976866..comments2024-03-18T16:10:41.673-04:00Comments on The Elephant Bar: Iraq, A sober assessment from McCaffrey.Deuce āhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167186634754046822006-12-26T21:30:00.000-05:002006-12-26T21:30:00.000-05:00re: Baby BumsRight On!There is hope. With the ill-...re: Baby Bums<BR/><BR/>Right On!<BR/><BR/>There is hope. With the ill-trained and ill-equiped Ethiopian military making mincemeat of about 1,000 "foreign" jihadists (some Brits), the public might (a big might, I know) come to say, "Hey, if they can, why can't we?"allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798524644256471907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167183309791354962006-12-26T20:35:00.000-05:002006-12-26T20:35:00.000-05:00Few pundits,pols,or top military people say anythi...Few pundits,pols,or top military people say anything other than a US pull out from Iraq would be a disaster. Here I mean pull out in the sense of we just boogie, but even timetables are give aways to the enemy.<BR/>The hour arrives, we're gone and the entire region where most of the worlds oil reserves are falls into chaos.<BR/> That is followed closely by Iran gaining ICBM's that can reach NYC and DC. Oh, yes they'll get them for the proxy war is now back in vogue, the Cold War again. Russia or China will make sure Iran gets the ICBM's and the warheads. Iran in turn will get them to Hugo Chavez.<BR/> To buy into the program that we are not the worlds TARGET is to live in a fantasy world. Be it jealousy, envy, whatever they don't like us.<BR/> So where do we make a stand? Do we allow ourselves to be economically blackmailed as Russia is getting ready to do to Europe? Do we await a nuclear attack so that we can "justify" our response?<BR/> General McCaffery says time is running out and that we have one last chance. Well until the lights go out globally buried under nuclear rubble then it isn't the last chance.<BR/>Our problem is not in our stars but in ourselves. We are too nice. We worry about image over substance.<BR/><BR/>To train warriors to also be "big brothers and big sisters" is THE greatest, most devistating exercise in cognitive dissonance I have ever witnessed and can only lead to the total failure of both. To have the military at the top levels buy into this requires them to suspend all knowledge of victorious armies throughout history.<BR/> President Bush has some time in office. No one can say what will happen in that time.<BR/>Whoever we elect in '08 will face a<BR/>world I believe will be at least as perilous as the one we have now, perhaps worse. A big group hug by the 101st Airborn or the 2nd Marine Division, or an Air Force Air Wing is not going to tamp down hostile forces. War is the natural state of man, peace just a ephemeral wisp of vapor. Somehow we must configure an armed force that can and will win regardless of the cost inflicted on the enemy.<BR/> Personally I do not believe our citizenry has the guts to back that military action, and thus, like the very world itself the US is wobbly and soon to be in retrograde.<BR/><BR/>Too bad the Greatest Generation raised the Baby Bum Generation, enough of whom bought into Joan Baez, and harmonic balance to end up giving away two hundred and thirty years of grit and hard work.Habuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15883037170077821624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167182286806615752006-12-26T20:18:00.000-05:002006-12-26T20:18:00.000-05:00re: "To save Iraq, the U.S. must commit money, res...re: "To save Iraq, the U.S. must commit money, resources - and remove some troops"<BR/><BR/>Or<BR/><BR/>Bring in the Ethiopians. <BR/><BR/>"Have Gun Will Travel"allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798524644256471907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167180336760842192006-12-26T19:45:00.000-05:002006-12-26T19:45:00.000-05:00Bipartisan Effort to Draft Immigration Bill Now al...<A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/washington/26immig.html?ei=5094&en=852240d3f06e6cdf&hp=&ex=1167195600&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all" REL="nofollow"><B>Bipartisan Effort to Draft Immigration Bill </A><BR/>Now all the Bush-loving "Conservatives" Can Tell us that Ted Kennedy and John McCain have just the ticket for what's good for America.<BR/>Odd "Conservatives," indeed.</B><BR/><BR/>WASHINGTON, Dec. 25 ā Counting on the support of the new Democratic majority in Congress, Democratic lawmakers and their Republican allies are working on measures that could place millions of illegal immigrants on a more direct path to citizenship than would a bill that the Senate passed in the spring.<BR/><BR/>The lawmakers are also considering denying financing for 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico, a law championed by Republicans that passed with significant Democratic support.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167175731433194922006-12-26T18:28:00.000-05:002006-12-26T18:28:00.000-05:00"I just think that I knew not to let things make m...<I>"I just think that I knew not to let things make me despair, not to break. If I want something, I'll persist."</I> - Haifa beauty queen<BR/><BR/>http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1164881979664&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFullAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167169279368873732006-12-26T16:41:00.000-05:002006-12-26T16:41:00.000-05:00While Ethiopia claims to have killed 1,000 jihadis...While Ethiopia claims to have killed 1,000 jihadists, with the survivors in full retreat. <BR/><BR/>1,000 dead jihadists<BR/><BR/>in full retreat<BR/><BR/>1,000 dead jihadists<BR/><BR/>in full retreatallenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798524644256471907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167168135716590472006-12-26T16:22:00.000-05:002006-12-26T16:22:00.000-05:00How's that for a medical prognosis? :)How's that for a medical prognosis? :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167167967111720462006-12-26T16:19:00.000-05:002006-12-26T16:19:00.000-05:00ppab,Simple common sense tells us that if it quack...ppab,<BR/><BR/>Simple common sense tells us that if it quacks like a duck.. It's time for new elections.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167167928547215222006-12-26T16:18:00.000-05:002006-12-26T16:18:00.000-05:00I much prefer the medical analogies to the sports ...I much prefer the medical analogies to the sports ones (Go home, go long etc).Martian Baristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289251598469195052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167165440017542992006-12-26T15:37:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:37:00.000-05:00Another True Christmas Story:Son's best friend jus...Another True Christmas Story:<BR/>Son's best friend just arrived from Calif just as his dad was hospitalized w/diabetes.<BR/>---<BR/>Not quite as dramatic as yours.<BR/>...or mine.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167165186678027532006-12-26T15:33:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:33:00.000-05:00Doug,She would have Vanilla Sky'd your ass and you...Doug,<BR/><BR/>She would have Vanilla Sky'd your ass and your conscience would be externalized into Jason Lee.Martian Baristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289251598469195052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167165121231837682006-12-26T15:32:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:32:00.000-05:00Samson also knew the intent of the Philistines, he...Samson also knew the intent of the Philistines, hence the improvisation with the donkey's jaw bone or w/e.Martian Baristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289251598469195052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167164899276168022006-12-26T15:28:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:28:00.000-05:00ppab,My wife and I went to Church on Christmas Day...ppab,<BR/>My wife and I went to Church on Christmas Day:<BR/>Suddenly she shouted:<BR/>"My Gawd, he's acting like a raving lunatic."<BR/>---<BR/>If we had not gone to church, she would have been institutionalized.<BR/>Luckily, there were several Psychiatric Professionals there that convinced her that she's coped with me this way for years, and if she just got hold of herself and calmed down, everything would be OK.<BR/>Think if she'd been driving!Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167164649788585742006-12-26T15:24:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:24:00.000-05:00Menses: Ya just can't stop em.Menses: Ya just can't stop em.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167163907180989832006-12-26T15:11:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:11:00.000-05:00ppab,Samson knew Dalilah's intent. But he loved pu...ppab,<BR/><BR/>Samson knew Dalilah's intent. But he loved pussying around.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167163398676241542006-12-26T15:03:00.000-05:002006-12-26T15:03:00.000-05:00Mat,It's a good point - its not as if our enemy's ...Mat,<BR/><BR/>It's a good point - its not as if our enemy's capabilities are built like Superman. I just know in my lifetime, should I live that long, the Atomic Bomb will have been invented a century ago. My children and grandchildren will know of this technology like that. Now, its not as if the human brain is going to intrinsically evolve and propagate some Enrico Fermi neurology, but Fred Ikle posits that harmful agents of many kinds await those ambitious enough to wield them. Software itself could rampage through a whole nation. A bomb is limited to a city, for instance.<BR/><BR/>My worry is that attacking capability will not pay off as well as attacking intent. That is, you must find the bad humans, not just their tools. In a sense, both those factors (capability & intent) reside inside a human's skull, but one is far more prevalent and "infectious" and therefore demands a different kind of attack, one that Jack Bauer, James Bond and Superman cannot implement. That we see how fearsomely prevalent such intentions are, one must correlate a response proportional to the breadth of what is maligned against us. Otherwise, the game is mere refereeing, policing tool distribution instead of bad ideas. Perhaps Pakistan lost Waziristan because it refereed when it should have been fighting. Taliban intent won the day, with plentiful access to soviet hardware to help then articulate their thoughts. <BR/><BR/>Oddly enough, at the end of <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_The_Dark_Knight_Returns#.22The_Dark_Knight_Falls.22" REL="nofollow">The Dark Knight Falls</A>, Batman beats the boyscout Superman before faking his death and starting an underground army, one that could better defend civilization from the carnival of threats that beseiged it. Superman was helpless, a dinosaur of the Cold War, while Batman knew the fight was still on, and what was needed was more power, not less. Whatever thats worth... <BR/><BR/>But, hey, maybe we can JIT our adaptations and be the Michael Jordan of global policing! At the buzzer...Martian Baristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289251598469195052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167162924531134872006-12-26T14:55:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:55:00.000-05:00To: President George W. Bush,As a citizen of the U...To: President George W. Bush,<BR/><BR/>As a citizen of the United States I am outraged to learn that two U.S. Border Agents have been convicted of lengthy prison terms for doing their jobs-- pursuing illegal aliens who cross our border, and Iām calling on you to officially pardon them for their actions.<BR/><BR/>I am even more outraged to learn that this illegal alien (who was attempting to smuggle about 800 pounds of marijuana into our country), was tracked down by a Department of Homeland Security Investigator and granted immunity for his testimony against these two agents!Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167162745442129602006-12-26T14:52:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:52:00.000-05:00A Gift from GWB Appointee, and the Compassionate C...A Gift from GWB Appointee, and the Compassionate Citizens of Texas.<BR/>(THEY can join Mexico,<BR/>instead of US becoming Mexico)<BR/>---<BR/><A HREF="http://www.grassfire.org/142/petition.asp" REL="nofollow"> Americans demanding President Bush </A><BR/><B>Pardon Border Agents Ramos and Compean </B>Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167161752806187572006-12-26T14:35:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:35:00.000-05:00ppab,Look on the bright side. With all the Iraqi e...ppab,<BR/><BR/>Look on the bright side. With all the Iraqi engineers being killed off by the Islamists, there's little chance of Iraqi WoMD program(s) being revived any time soon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11132252460964519368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167160174538587272006-12-26T14:09:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:09:00.000-05:00Its the spirit in the air, Olmert will free prison...<A HREF="http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=23778_Olmerts_Cave-In_is_Nearly_Complete#comments" REL="nofollow">Its the spirit in the air</A>, Olmert will free prisoners, remove checkpoints and Israel will net security! <BR/><BR/><B>You needn't be constrained by a problem's internal logic when you conform to really cool morality!</B>Martian Baristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289251598469195052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167159890478497232006-12-26T14:04:00.001-05:002006-12-26T14:04:00.001-05:00Doug,The Aussies have a stout, in fact impeccable ...Doug,<BR/><BR/>The Aussies have a stout, in fact impeccable record of backing the US.<BR/>They are the ONLY country that has been allied with us in all our travails, although they have an active anti war segment. Google Pine Gap 1975 or take a look at this link<BR/><BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_constitutional_crisis_of_1975<BR/><BR/>I was at Pine Gap and at times we were locked and loaded literally waiting for a car train of anti war dopeheads to assault Pine Gap. Instead we engineered a change of government.Habuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15883037170077821624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167159886187974402006-12-26T14:04:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:04:00.000-05:00***** on a F****** Crutch!!Any of yous remember at...***** on a F****** Crutch!!<BR/><BR/>Any of yous remember at the end of the Odyssey when Athena/Minerva wafts down from Olympus and tells the Ithacans and Odysseus to just stop the bloodshed? And that's that.<BR/>Two generations of ithacans slain as a result of Odysseus' adventures. Alot of greivances and humiliation in those Ithacans. Those who came to kill Odysseus were bloodthirsty and foolish, but were saved from their fate by the magical pleadings of Athena, an agent of goodwill towards foolish bloodthirsty men! Mutualism applied to murderers! Fin!<BR/><BR/>Anyone care to comment on how this half baked plan similarly wishes security wafts down from the sky at the beck of our $10 billion a year aid packages & less powerful force? Anyone want to take a stab at how reduced power means reduced ability to cause things? This is like some infernal drama where our leaders propose <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex_machina" REL="nofollow">literary devices</A> instead of destroying the harmful agents that machinate against us night and day. Good will to Sauron! Americans have abandoned the Uruk-hai economy!<BR/><BR/>Next time you have cancer, ask your doctor to just feed the tumor so maybe it will slow angiogenesis, invasion of surrounding tissue and lymphnodes as well as bound the inflammation! All those chemokines are signals that the tumor just wants to the immune system to think of it as "self!" It tries to play by the body's rules and yet us barbarians have the patriarchal gaul to cut them out! <BR/><BR/>The desperate entreprises of bloodthirsty foolish entrepreneurs in waiting! Can't you see them waving their Series A! They have all the power tools but don't haven't American money to build cabinetry with them, of course! <BR/><BR/>The jumpers get to watch it all, our hilariously foolish "first principles" and our faith that "right" will make us stronger and that we can hedge our depreciating "might" with yet more righteousness imbued into our virginal "principles in waiting." <BR/><BR/>Bet they're thankful they're free of having to rely on such a fickle public!Martian Baristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289251598469195052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167159496371784512006-12-26T13:58:00.000-05:002006-12-26T13:58:00.000-05:00One of my favorite quotes from McCaffery:"As a com...One of my favorite quotes from McCaffery:<BR/><BR/>"As a company commander in combat . . . crawling around in the mud with an enemy machine gun hammering over my head . . . the crotch ripped out of my uniform . . . constipated . . . hungry . . . huge bug bites under my eyes .. .exhausted with days of intermittent sleep . . . I could always comfort myself by saying . . . 'it could be worse . . . I could be back in Ranger School."<BR/><BR/>As far as his plan goes? Like Deuce said, it's better than what we're getting from the administration. His most plainly spoken comment?<BR/><BR/><I>Our troops and their families will remain bitter for a generation if we abandon the Iraqis, just as another generation did after we abandoned the South Vietnamese for whom Americans had fought and died. We owe them and our own national interest this one last effort.<BR/><BR/>If we cannot generate the political will to take this action, it is time to pull out and search for those we will hold responsible in Congress and the administration.</I>Tigerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957481158914778546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167159445545064442006-12-26T13:57:00.000-05:002006-12-26T13:57:00.000-05:00Trish, if we were smart enough to pay them coming ...Trish, if we were smart enough to pay them coming in, too bad we ruined a winning strategy by firing them all later.Deuce āhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-1167158834429480972006-12-26T13:47:00.000-05:002006-12-26T13:47:00.000-05:00Habu:"Australia"Habu:<BR/>"Australia"Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770268554450465514noreply@blogger.com