No Vote for the Troops - WSJ.com

Ran across this article. From my point of view it's the same old, same old I've seen for the last 35 years. While I don't care that much for the GOP I absolutely can't stomach the Dems anymore.

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"You don't have to practice being miserable. Everything else we're gonna work on." - A wise Platoon Sgt.

If you attempt to lay the reduction in Iraq violence at the feet of 'the surge' you're going to get laughed at. There are far more pertinent reasons for the lull which you haven't even mentioned. In addition, there was only a dip in the violence and the fall in US casualties was largely because the ground troops stayed off the streets and the airforce began , sometimes indiscriminate, attacks.
Levels of violence in Iraq are still high, for example the horrific bombings on Thursday, and US troops are still getting killed. 'Dignitaries' visiting Iraq do so unannounced , in secret, and spend their time there inside armoured shelters. The violence is off the front pages, even here, because people are sick of reading about it. The 'surge' wasn't even a political success and yarns concerning it are belated attempts to pin some sort of miniscule success on the fag-end of Republican tyranny.

In future, for the record, there won't be any puffed chests and vet's pride in what happened in Iraq. The murders, slaughters, rapes and razings were never anything to be proud of, never will be as long as anybody with an eye for the truth can write.

If you expect any commendations for that total clusterfuck you're in for a long wait.

Believe it or not I don't really have much interest in your thoughts. When I occasionally respond to one of your posts it's like poking an ant hill; sometimes you can't help yourself.

But there is one thing you could tell us that I would find interesting. How did you find a cave that's also a WiFi hotspot?

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"You don't have to practice being miserable. Everything else we're gonna work on." - A wise Platoon Sgt.

is this senor juan cole speaking? the Bandit of Basra?...moon, this only works with folks that don't know you.....the jig is up....

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No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)

Bah. You salutebots don't know what honor is. The invasion of Iraq was illegal for starters.
That doesn't mean that there weren't incidents of individual honor and extreme bravery, far from it. But to try to treat the entire campaign as something worthy deserves slapping down.

Are you William Ayers?

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"On my signal, unleash hell."

Treasach

Semper Fi

And why should anyone consider this to be anything other than cosmetic, photo-op glad-handing?

Troops have a job to do. Looks like they did it.

'Nuff said.

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All things serve The Beam

Seriously.

Do the troops really give two shits about some nonbinding resolution that doesn't actually do anything for them (like make their jobs easier, safer, or better paid, or providing better benefits for when they muster out)?

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Yes, it is a dog and pony show. It only underscores the fact that any praise offered by these people is a load of PC crap. As the article said, "the troops are allowed to die and be maimed, but not allowed to succeed". Like a cop killed in the line of duty; just doing his job, don't bore me with the details.


The troops generally don't give a rats ass about this kind of thing. They've seen it enough to know it's the lead in to getting screwed on those safety, pay and benefit issues. Just another example of what the politicians, and many who support them, really think of the troops and their efforts.

As I said before, I've seen this shit for 35 years. Same old, same old.

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"You don't have to practice being miserable. Everything else we're gonna work on." - A wise Platoon Sgt.

It's unfortunate. Both sides seem to take our men & women in uniform for granted. Honestly, given the stances that the GOP has taken in regards to post-discharge benefits and care for our veterans, I'm surprised that those in the military so strongly lean towards the Republicans.

From the outside, it seems like neither party will give the veterans what they're actually worth.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Because they realize that Democrats would be even worse...

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Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

My perception is that the GOP pols are marginally better. My experience is that Dems are usually dismissive, condescending and somehow offended by the very presence of the military. Barry Mcaffery comes to mind, extremely successful commander of the 24th Inf Div in the 1st Gulf War. When called to the White House about being drug czar he was told by Clinton staffers that they disliked the military and his association with it.

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"You don't have to practice being miserable. Everything else we're gonna work on." - A wise Platoon Sgt.

If Clinton said that, it's unfortunate.

From my outside perspective, it also seems that the Republicans are more callous towards the military in how they're seemingly over-eager to use the military as a first-resort (instead of a last).

That could be just the tint of my glasses, though.

I think that we can both agree that, given the sacrifices and dangers involved in military service, neither party has worked with sufficient dilligence to make sure that our troops are cared for and compensated adequately, whether on the battlefield or after leaving the service.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Clinton didn't say it, his staff did. But you have to wonder how far those apples fell from the tree.

Presidents of both parties have misused the military. The difference I have seen is the Dems are more likely to play backseat driver. In Somalia in 1993 the US commander requested armor be assigned for better force protection. Clinton and his SecState refused to give him the support on the grounds that it would look "too aggressive". Then when the blackhawk went down there was no support from the UN forces who had armor.

In Congress there is no question that both parties have used and abused the military; both in terms of appropriations for active / reserve forces and veterans affairs. This problem is as old as the republic.

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"You don't have to practice being miserable. Everything else we're gonna work on." - A wise Platoon Sgt.

that may be true in the surface but that’s not my point, my point is, that the warrior ethos is strong, very strong .......I know guys that have never heard a bullet fired anywhere but the rifle range after a 20 year career and are pissed, its like a prize fighter training for a fight for years and never getting to throw any leather......nuts? no doubt, but true. I have never met a troop who held his service in combat against the military, ( well draftees are different to an extent, but not as much as you think) oh we bitch, it’s the third most popular thing behind getting uhm, sex, and drunk when you’re in the military, but in the end there is a deep and profound pride.

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No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)