A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
I’ve received a few questions relating to my silence since the inauguration today. People are wondering my thoughts on today’s events. Let me just start by saying that in my mind, President Obama has started out right in my mind. As the President made his rounds to the various balls he averaged slightly less than 60 seconds at each event. However, he spent nearly 10 minutes at the military’s “Commander In Chief’s Ball” in which members from all services of our Armed Forces were present. This speaks volumes about his dedication to our military as well as his understanding that he has a lot to live up to in the eyes of the military.
Today marks a new day for many of us. Not only do we have a new President, but we have a new Commander In Chief. That means the rules are different with regard to how I talk about him as an active duty Soldier. However, it does not mean I cannot criticize him. Just as I did with former President Bush, I will continue to highlight when I think our national leadership has erred with respect to our national security. My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinions of the Army, the DOD, or any government office or department. I was very critical of President Bush on the whole immigration issue. I was critical of him on the bailout issue.
With that said, I want to start this post with a bit of history to put this all into perspective. President Bush never stood a chance in the eyes of many Americans. From day one, the protesters made a point of making it known that they don’t support him. On January 20, 2001, thousands of Americans converged on DC to protest President Bush’s inauguration. They protested abortion rights, the death penalty, the “illegitimacy” of his presidency, you name it! It’s no secret that Obama is a very unpopular President among those that disagree with him. Where were they today? Nowhere to be seen. You see, Conservatives understand how to respect those that deserve respect by virtue of the office. Sure there were a few morons that just didn’t get it, but we all have our whackos!
Video from 2001 inauguration.
Not only that, but the media was highly critical of EVERYTHING Bush. Time had a story that posed the question “Which of the 35 words in the oath of office do you think George W. Bush is most likely to mispronounce?” prior to his inauguration. Interestingly, his oath went off without a hitch, while Obama’s got flustered. The media is already casting the blame in ONE direction and it isn’t at their Messiah. I could really go on and on about the treatment of President Bush by the media, but why bother. The fact is that he was never cut any slack. In addition to dealing with this, he immediately had to deal with a catastrophic national event later that year. While trying to read to little children at an elementary school, his entire Presidency was put in jeopardy. He performed just as admirably, if not more so, than any other president would have done in that situation.
I’m not doing that. I’m not going to treat this President the way “my” President was treated. I say that because I’m a Texan. I had the privilege of casting my first ever vote for him as governor in 1995 (I entered the political world late, convinced to take action by an adulterous president). I voted for him once more to remain my Governor and twice as President. I refuse to allow “my side” to treat President Obama the way “our” President was treated. My inbox has already been inundated with hate mails directed at Obama. “Sign this petition.” “Join this protest group.” Why? Why would I want to fall into the same ignorant rut we so despised in 2000 and 2004? My delete button has been working overtime today. And then these same assholes had the bleepin’ nerve, the utter stupidity, the lack of intelligence, and outright classlessness to disrespect President Bush on his way out. Those are NOT Americans. They’re invaders, fakes, phonies, and should be thankful we don’t live in a Saddam-style “democracy”.
As I said after Barack Obama won the primary election, the President will succeed because of me or he will fail in spite of me. It is the duty of ALL Americans to support our President. You don’t have to agree with all of his policies – I sure don’t. But it is our duty to make the best of a bad situation. As a Soldier, I’ve been in some very difficult positions in which I had no choice but to endure. As an American, I find myself in another.
I’m not talking about a blanket forgiveness or that I will ignore bad choices. I still fear that he will come through on some of his promises. But, I have faith that now that he is the President and is receiving a ton of information in the form of intelligence and security briefings, he will realize the seriousness of the situation in which President Bush was required to make decisions. I think that this information will open his eyes to the threats facing this country, both internationally and domestically. I have confidence that armed with this new information, he will make the right decisions and shy away from some of his campaign statements.
Army Regulation 600-20, Army Command Policy, lays the groundwork for how leadership should be exercised. I have read the thing from cover to cover and understand my limitations on what I can and cannot say; what I can and cannot do. One of the things it mentions is, “If leaders show loyalty to their Soldiers, the Army, and the nation, they earn the loyalty of their Soldiers.” President Obama mentioned during his campaign that he understood he would have to earn the respect and loyalty of the troops. Let me state definitively that Obama does not need to EARN the loyalty of the troops. Our oath of enlistment states “I will obey the orders of the President of the United States…” Additionally, troops are required to respect rank. They don’t have to respect the person, but they MUST respect the rank at all times. However, if Mr. Obama thinks he needs to earn anything from the troops, if he “shows loyalty to [his] Soldiers, the [Armed Forces], and the nation, [he will] earn the loyalty of [his] Soldiers.”
As troops, it is our duty to respect our CINC. Duty is obedient and disciplined performance. Soldiers with a sense of duty accomplish tasks given them, seize opportunities for self-improvement, and accept responsibility from their superiors. Soldiers, leader and led alike, work together to accomplish the mission rather than feed their self-interest. I will not feed my self-interest. My interest lies purely in the safety and security of this country and my fellow Americans.
So, you wanted to know my thoughts, there they are with respect to my new President.
Now, let me address the ignorant Rev. Joseph Lowery and his racist remarks today. He is a man living in the past and out of touch with himself. This is man no better than racist skinheads, KKK members, and Al Sharpton. I find it highly ironic that at the inauguration of a President who is bringing “hope” to America, that the man responsible for providing the benediction (a prayer to almighty) would stoop as low as he did. We might as well have had Jeremiah Wright up there giving the prayer. Ayman al Zawahiri provides a better invocation of the Spirit of God.
I’m not offended though. I’d have to actually care about the “Reverend’s” opinion. I’d have to actually pretend that I’m “white”. I’d have to believe in classifying Americans, not by their heritage and nationality (American), but by the color of their skin and I do not. After praying for the ability to remain “true to our God”, he launched into a racist tirade that should have been immediately, or at least sometime since, been repudiated by the new administration. Interestingly, the major media outlets have yet to even mention this little tidbit of the “Reverend’s” so called “prayer”:
“Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around — (laughter) — when yellow will be mellow — (laughter) — when the red man can get ahead, man — (laughter) — and when white will embrace what is right.“
Guess what, false prophet? That day of “getting in back” went away decades ago. Did you fall asleep in 1970 and wake up this morning? When was the last time a “black” was required to “get in back”? I know he’s old, feeble, and that most of his brain cells have probably already gone to the hell that awaits him, but even my kids understand – especially the day after Martin Luther King’s birthday – that civil rights ended that insanity. To those of you who may classify yourselves as “white”, I say to you don’t be offended. This is an ignorant man, delusional and most likely suffering the onset of Alzheimer’s. I’m surprised he didn’t try to eat the microphone before speaking into it the way he spewed his neanderthal hate. Hell, I didn’t even understand the first half of what he was saying. I thought some drunk bum had wondered onto the stage and hijacked the microphone.
What a way to begin an era of hope and change – with hate speech and disrespect!! Let all those who rejoice in REAL justice and mercy cry for this man to be shipped to Gitmo! Can I get an Amen? Say Amen! …and Amen…
Now, let’s show the libtards how to do it right when we disagree and fix this country.
Eric probably said all this better than I just did. Check out his post as well.
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Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
I got a phone call from CapitalCargoCourier@hotmail.com today at 7:48
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
For Rachel Green: I do believe that was a scam. Military men do not n
Bob the Liberal
First of all, it was Roberts who screwed up the oath, not Obama. Obama had it memorized. Roberts couldn’t be bothered. If those were going to be the most important words you were ever going to say in your life, you’d have them memorised too.
Second, there was NO STAIN on Obama’s legitimate election. There was on Bush’s. Did those who acted up on Inaguration Day in 2001 do the right thing? No, absolutely not. They were wrong, in my not so humble opinion. An Inauguration is NOT the place to do this. I don’t support them, but I do understand why.
Yes, the Democrats did alot of bad namecalling and character assassination. I was actually ashamed of that. But I believe that they were so frustrated that they just lashed out. As I said before, I don’t support it, but I do understand it.
Lowery is a bigot. Always has been. Ignore him. He’ll die soon anyways.
I for one, and sick of hearing “Emperor Obama” every single day. Give the man a chance. He may actually surprise you.
CJ
Bob, I hope you were watching live. Obama spoke OVER Roberts initially, which THEN translated into Roberts’ mistake. They BOTH screwed it up, but the media – and you apparently – can’t accept an imperfect President, I guess. It’s hard to swallow for his swooning fans that the man is human. But, I digress.
As to the rest of it: it doesn’t make their actions any more right nor does it take away the tone it set for the next eight years. Bush did nothing wrong in 2000 and was chastized and blamed for a system that has been in effect for over 100 years. I’m kind of glad he was reelected in 2004 just as a poke in the eye to those morons (not you, Bob – you’re not a moron).
Not sure if you caught the message of this whole post. I AM giving him a chance. That is what I’m encouraging others to do.
Bob the Liberal
Believe me, I can accept an imperfect president. I voted for Clinton twice.
And you may be right, CJ. I’d have to listen to it again.
And honestly, thinking about it, who cares? He became president at noon, oath or not.
My hope is all the stupidity can end, and we can all get to work. There is alot of work to be done, and we need to roll up our sleeves and get to it.
CJ
Amen! Let’s get to work rebuilding this country! You can count on us Conservatives…I hope.
Kat
Bob, just respectfully wondering, honestly you didn’t find any STAIN in the Acorn scandal? I personally requested to vote 72 times and was denied.
Bob the Liberal
You blame him for THAT? That is just plain stupid.
Kat
I saw the video of him asking them all for their help, you didn’t see that? And yes, when it came out what was done and when he realized people were commiting voter fraud he should have spoke out about it.
Kat
I mean, you’re blaming Bush for dangling chads, I guess I learned the stupidity from your side.
NY-David
Bully for you in taking the high road on this. You show character by giving they guy his due.
I have to agree with Bob that actually Roberts is the one who flubbed the inauguration.
I think Lowery’s words were a lighthearted jab at the past and not racist at all. In a manner of speaking, he said basically that its time to put all racism behind us. To be fair to the subject, the civil rights movement didn’t end racism entirely. Blacks found restaurants suddenly “all seats taken” when they showed up. Even traveling members of the NFL couldn’t stay at certain hotels as the “No Vacancy” light went on as they pulled up. This was mid-70′s.
NY-David
CJ
David, are you serious? “a lighthearted jab at the past”? Not racist when the only negative comment in his colorful tirade is against white people? He said in his own words (that I emphasized) that the day had not yet come, so he wasn’t talking about history at all.
Were his comments about the rich also lighthearted? Normally, I can count on you to see things as they are, but you missed it this time. You’re a white man, right? He said you need to “embrace what is right”, implying you are not currently! Actually, there’s no implication at all; he pretty much said it straight out.
NY-David
Yep, I’m a white guy. I guess my point is that if I’d been on his side of the game, I might have a jadded view of white people. Same as I’ve made some older Jewish people who survived the death camps uncomfortable because of my German last name. I understand their anger and distrust and don’t pretend that just because I wasn’t part of it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Lowery is a old guy who’s seen a lot of hatred that I haven’t. Many people heard what he said and just laughed at its less then relevancy.
NY-David
Michael in MI
“Many people heard what he said and just laughed at its less then relevancy.”
Well, personally, I saw it as a pattern with Obama. 20 years with a racist pastor and mentor and among a racist congregation at TUCC. Then marrying a racist woman. Then working closely with a racist, America-hating terrorist. Then writing books decrying the White Man and their greed destroying America and hurting the Black Man. And now this guy at his inauguration.
Were it just this guy at the inauguration, that is one thing, and I could shrug it off too. But this is a pattern. This is Obama. This is who he is: a man who always wants to put anti-White Man racism into every single thing.
If people are proud of that and laugh it off, then there are a lot more problems in this country than I thought.
As Ace at Ace of Spades stated: “For Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream to be realized, it requires not just whites to move past racism — but for blacks to move past it as well.”
Obama’s actions the last 2+ years in the public forum have proven that he intends to make sure Blacks do *not* move past racism and he, in fact, has brought it right back to the forefront. This election was all about race and nothing about character, the complete opposite of MLK Jr’s dream. And Obama is going to milk that for all it’s worth, along with help from the leftist mass media, during his Presidency.
And when the Left takes pride in the accomplishments of Black Americans such as Clarence Thomas, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Walter E. Williams, Thomas Sowell, and stops giving them names such as “Condoskeeza” and “Uncle Tom”, only then will I believe this country has gotten past race and we can all unite in Hopenchanginess. Until then, anyone celebrating Obama’s rise while smearing any Black conservative is an utter hypocrite for whom I have no respect.
NY-David
NY-David’s open letter to CNN,
Guys, the party’s over. Time to end to swoon and pomp. Time to stop acting like you created history instead of reported on it. Time to be, wait, what’s the word… reporters. Ask the tough questions of your elected officials. Make them sweat. The pundits tell us its time for Americans to ask the tough questions, yet, I’m never on the opposite side of a political figure and frankly there are those among you who could and should put my midwest education to shame. Please do so. Congress professes to do it, but its really ineffective at best. They need to be in the hot seat. Believe it or not, they do possess the collective talent to get some good stuff done, if properly held accountable. Many years ago, a British governor had his atrocities and inadequacies put into print. The newspaper publisher was held to task and put on trial for nothing more the reporting the truth. An attorney from Philadelphia so inspired the jury that they voted for the publisher to be free. A few things came out of this trial.
1. It gave birth to the phrase “Philadelphia Lawyer” as in “It would take a Philadelphia Lawyer to get him off”.
2. The lawyer’s nephew was a young Alexander Hamilton. This emboldened him for an eventual life of public service.
3. It set into motion the idea that a press needs to be free. Naturally, there are common sense restrictions, but the general idea holds.
Pay attention to number three when you punch a clock tomorrow morning. You can be the unsung heros in all this. I will get over whatever decision the Obama’s decide about getting a dog. Please spend more time with the bailout. Trust me, I will respect you when you do.
Thanks!
NY-David
Michael in MI
Nice letter, NY-David. Unfortunately, wasted breath/print. Journalism today is not about reporting or objectivity, it is about advocacy. It is not going to change anytime soon, and, in fact, has been getting progressively worse and worse since they realized their true power of influence, propaganda and indoctrination during the Vietnam/Watergate era.
This is not to say that you shouldn’t express your opinion to them. But I would bet my house that our concerns are as seriously taken by the mass media as Sarah Palin’s concerns are taken by Keith Olbermann (or anyone on the Left for that matter).
NY-David
Not sure if I’m doing this right, but here was a great post about the note that Bush left Obama as part of the inauguration day festivities -
http://conservativeoasis.com/presidential-tradition-bushs-note-to-obama/2009/01/20/
Enjoy!
NY-David
Michael in MI
I just heard this morning that the Bush daughters also wrote a note to the Obama daughters on being Presidential daughters. I thought that was pretty classy and genuinely kind.
Doug
“While trying to read to little children at an elementary school, his entire Presidency was put in jeopardy. He performed just as admirably, if not more so, than any other president would have done in that situation.”
By sitting there with a blank look for seven minutes until someone fetched him?
CommanderMom
A huge AMEN from here, CJ! You are right on, as usual!
pbriggsiam
You said:
“Now, let’s show the libtards how to do it right when we disagree and fix this country.”
It betrays your true feelings and marginalizes the value of most of what you wrote. I’m not sure how you expect to rebuild America with such a complete disrespect for over half the country who voted for President Obama.
By the way, it was Republican policies that put our country in this mess. 9/11, Iraq, torture, illegal wiretapping, corruption of the Justice Dept, diminishment of science, Katrina and New Orleans. . . .to say nothing of this economic mess – http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/bushs-economic-mistakes/ .
You really don’t get it do you.
CJ
I guess you’re right. Just look how broke the country is after eight years of “such a complete disrespect for over half the country who voted for” President Bush. Maybe your intelligence far exceeds your intent. Too bad you didn’t lead by example!
The rest of your comment simply serves to qualify and reinforce my “libtard” comment.
pbriggsiam
Facts elude you, don’t they. I don’t and did not claim to need you and your Republican pals to rebuild the country. You did. As far as I’m concerned, you losers are THE problem and can never be part of the solution.
I’m pointing out your logical inconsistency in falsely claiming non-partisanship and fairness while on the other hand labeling liberals (you know the half of this country that supported Obama and has sense enough not to elect into office such a destructive set of criminals as the Bush administration).
Why don’t you write a post that is less schizophrenic. Make up your mind and quit pussy-footing around. It’s really pretty clear your another Republican, war-machine loving, extremist kook.
At least I’m logically consistent and open about my distaste for people like you. We’ll try running this country now. Remember, “my friend”, if you believe government is the problem (hate the government), it shouldn’t surprise you if Conservatism/Republicanism always finds a way to mismanage it.
Kat
We’ll leave it to you pbriggsiam and your liberal friends. Feel free to buy the “detainees” at Gitmo… or terrioist scum who tried to kill my sister a first class ticket to your new house in Iran. They can’t stay here in my free America! The nation and people they attacked!!
And don’t talk solutions as long as you are among the party that would drive surgical sissors into the scull of a third trimester fetus and suck out it’s brain in the name of women’s rights.. all the while you scream bloody murder over waterboarding of the ememy of America. That’s “Change we can believe in” right there! And what “high moral ground” are you and obama on?
Can’t wait to see your “fix” over the next 4 years. My guess is we’ll all be standing in bread lines and be shot on sight if we fail to hail obama.
It was so nice too, for you Acorns to allow Mickey and Minnie in your vote for obama, wouldn’t want to leave any of you characters out now would we.
Critical Facts
Kat:
Still feeling a little bitter over the election?
Gtmo has been a failure and a black eye on America; it is time to close it down. Nobody is talking release of terrorists into American cities as you suggest; but if there is no evidence of terrorism, then they should be freed (not all of them, but certainly the ones where no evidence of terrorism exists). Why would you disagree with that stance?
As for your comment to Bob re abortion, you need to grow up and recognize the real issue, which is to keep the government out of family-physician decisions. I find it interesting how so many conservatives constantly cry too much government, until it comes to something they want stopped, then all the government intervention possible is just fine. America has never been about torture and shame on you for suggesting that it should be condoned by our government.
I recommend taking a bill pill, having a few cocktails and chilling out. You are carrying around a lot of anger that is likely not too helpful to you, your family or your friends. Give Obama a chance to right certain of the myriad things that are wrong in our country at the moment – he was elected by a mandate to do exactly that.
Kat
Critical,
Let someone fly a plane into your sister at her work and see how bitter you get. She’s a single Mom, she just wants to be able to go to work and be safe the same as you, and come home and hug her kid at the end of the day. The scum at Gitmo are terrorist. They aren’t prisoners of war! They don’t abide by the Geneva Convention and they don’t deserve to be protected by it either. They hide behind women and children!! We have documentation that 61 of them that have already been released have killed American service members again!You have to admit that is a little like stacking the deck against the home team now! From your lack of concern for our troops my guess is you don’t care how many of our American service members they kill, because you aren’t invested. As long as no one flys a plane into you family members it’s all good? You’re probably a card carrring liberal who sleeps sound under the blanket of protection provided by our service members at a high cost and yet you want to complain about how they provide it! Shame on you for suggesting that we tie one hand behind their backs and send them out into the field. This is war not fishing there is no such thing as “catch and release” in war, at least their wasn’t until the far left took up the cause of the terrorist! I greatly appreciate our military and the terribly hard job they do to provide this American freedom we all so richly enjoy.
The majority of Americans don’t want them released. I did not suggesting they intend to release them into American cities, but yes, there is talk of bringing them to a military base within the US. Watch the damn news and catch a press breifing for goodness sake! Do you want them in you local jail? Well the families at Leavenworth don’t want them in their back yard either.
Currently, my nephew is in the middle east and I would much appreicate an end to the war bashing and the Bush bashing until AFTER he, and all of our troops return home safely. You see, he’s only 25, he has a new wife and a whole life ahead of him! Oh but let me guess, you support the troops, just not the war, right? How conveient for you. How inconveint for our troops in harms way. You are ungrateful for your freedom, shame on you!! You should get down on your knees and thank God for my nephew and men and women like him who still love this country enough to fight for it. So those of you who don’t can still enjoy it’s freedoms while you throw darts at them.
You need to grow up and face the abortion issue with your eyes open, I said third trimester abortion, which is murder. Investigate the proceedures yourself if your stomach can take it. It’s actually much more inhumane than waterboarding! And don’t talk about keeping government out of “family-physican decisions”. These abortions are not done in a family physician setting. Further, you’re the party that wants government to FUND health care! That will REALLY keep them out of your family physician decisions!!!
In closing I would like to thank the service members at Gitmo,hope some of you are reading. Thanks to them for the job they do, that I don’t want to have to do. I support them, their mission and I don’t think their work has been a failure and is not a black eye on the nation they so proudly serve. And forgive the liberals, it is ignorance that comes with lack of knowledge and sacrifice that makes them say these stupid things.
Critical Facts
kat:
My point is simple. If we condone torture because the other side condones torture, we have done nothing more than engage in a classic race to the bottom. We, as Americans, are better than that.
PS. I reject your assertion that I do not care for our troops. It boggles my mind why some folks constantly resort to such assertions because others have differing opinions about the “war” and the way it is being run.
Kat
Critical,
Your point is well taken, and I would agree with that. However, I again feel you aren’t military and you don’t have military ties. Because until you live what our guys and girls out there on the front lines live, and see what they see… you deserve only to keep your mouth shut about what they do, and enjoy your highly paid for freedom! Have you ever been in a situation where you have had to resort to a behavior you aren’t partically proud of? And the reason you do it is because, “it’s the only language” the other side understands!! WE can’t have a another terror attack on our soil, biological weapons, bombing schools, what will be next and what length should we go to to prevent it? I say, any. Since, I was lucky the first time, and my sister lived, I was damn lucky and I will NEVER forget it, or question those who protect her every day at work.
Do you have children? Wouldn’t you die to save their lives? Well every service member out in the field has the weight of your kid, my kid, his or her own kid, all the little kids on their shoulders. Don’t for one minute think you can know what a burden they bear! You don’t unless you have done it your self. And that is why I say you don’t care for out troops, because you talk smack about their work (Gitmo) and their boss (Bush) and you make light of the situation they are in. Who follows you around in your job and talks smack for the world to hear about how you get it done? They aren’t perfect, they will be the first to admit it, but I personally don’t care. THEY are American heros and how ever they get the job done for the chump change pay we give them, is fine by me. Join up, spend 4 years in the service of your country and then and only then will I give one hoot about your opinion. But then I will listen to it, stand behind it and fight to the death to protect it! Mail you packages, take care of your family while you are away and pray for you every night that you are protect as you provide unselfishly this wonderful priceless blanket of protection that my children sleep under every night! And if you mess up, I will defend you and I will forgive it and understand that you are in the worlds’ worst possible situation and I would never pass judgement on you.
Here’s your chance, what have you done to support our troops? Did you mail care packages, did you send school supplies for the new girl’s schools in Iraq, maybe you sent phone cards so some of them could call home. Did you make or buy cards and send them over so they would have decent cards to send home to their loved ones? Or did you just grumble, pass judgement and then again fall safely asleep under your blanket of protection every night for the past 8 year?
Cindy
Something that confuses me as far as racism is that the media and the nation keep separating him out by his race, isn’t that racism?
I could care less what a person’s skin color is or what color their eyes or hair are. I care out the person that they are inside. For the people out there that voted for Obama because he is black, that is racism.
It seems the only group that is allowed to have negative comments directed towards them without being called on it are the people that are white. Wake up and smell the coffee, that is racism.
Personally I don’t care for Obama’s politics and that is why he didn’t get my vote. I pray that I am wrong and he turns out to be an awesome President and can set aside his personal agenda and do what is right for this country.
Cindy
Please ignore my typo’s. I didn’t read before submitting.
Michael in MI
CJ – Did you see Obama blew off the Salute to Heroes Ball? First time in 14 inaugurations.
http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=7224
CJ
Michael, I’m not going to fault Obama for this. It’s a difficult decision. President Obama spent over 10 minutes at the Commander In Chief’s Ball last night. That’s ten times longer than pretty much any other ball. The ball was attended by junior Soldiers and Officers, wounded warriors, and family members. Perhaps it would have been nice for him to skip one of the other balls he went to or chosen the Salute to Heroes Ball over the CINC Ball, but then he would have been criticized for not going there.
Listen, you all know me. I greatly respect our Medal of Honor recipients. I try to get interviews with them as much as possible to show my respect. But, this is a petty thing that we’re complaining about. President Bush was crippled by this kind of partisanship. I wish he would have gone to both as President Bush did in ’05, but there is only so much time in a night.
Let’s stick to holding him to task on his policies and leave behind this petty stuff.
Kat
CJ,
I respect your thoughts here and I most certainly thank you for your service to our nation!! Many many members of my family have served in the Armed Forces, and some still are. Although my sister served in the Army, she was a civilian and single Mom when she was attacked on 9-11 at her job in the Pentagon. Even though she survived the attack,today is a hard day for me, with the president deciding to close Gitmo and possibly bring the terrorist to America. I just can not accept this administration’s protection of terrorist. Too many of these bad actors have already been released only to kill again. How can we as citizens feel safe under this administration?
CJ
CF, how has Gitmo been a “failure”?
Critical Facts
CJ:
GTMO has been a failure for several reasons. One, it has cast a black eye upon America for allegations (well-supported by former interrogators, etc.) of the use of torture. Two, it has brought into question our commitment to our own Constitution where we now routinely deny the right of habeas (a cornerstone of Western legal principle since circa 1215). Third, and perhaps worse, we now try people using evidence obtained from torture (or at the very least, exceedingly harsh methods of interrogation) and deny the accused to confront those witnesses against them. While I agree that there are bad folks at gtmo who have not committed acts of terrorism (and who would if given the chance) because of their detention, there are others there who were in the wrong place at the wrong time; the process was flawed in deciding guilt or innocence from the beginning. Indeed, even today there is still practically no process for making such decision – 7 years after starting gtmo. Finally, I will not place the entire fault at the feet of the Bush administration for the mess, as I think Congress is equally complicit in passage of the MCA of 2006, effectively allowing the president to detain persons indefinitely without ever being told why. This is not the America I honor and respect.
CJ
1) the key word there being “ALLEGATIONS”, which negates your third comment
2) they’re lucky they’re being tried at all. They’re illegal enemy combatants on a battlefield and we’re authorized by convention to keep them as long as want WITHOUT any trial, “until the cessation of hostilities”. I’ll have a post up about this hopefully tomorrow, if possible. I’m on the road right now and slowly writing and researching it as I have time. I’ve also got a massive headache that is preventing me from staying focused. So, I’ll stop there in response.
Kat
I am still missing the reason you want to give American rights and privilege to those who seek to destroy us.
NY-David
As a matter of comparison, what is being done with POW’s in Iraq and Afgahnistan?
To be clear and try to keep politics out of it, my understanding is that the Gitmo detainees aren’t being wholesale released into the public. Also, if sixty odd detainees ended up on the battlefield, then I think the process needs to definately be reviewed because something got missed.
Obama doen’t want to get tarred in the way that Bush was done, rightly or wrongly.
NY-David
Kat
David,
I guess I don’t really know. I do know that they happily behead Daniel Pearl and run the video for all to see. I don’t know how many others there are. My friend who was there said they like to hang people in the city square. I haven’t read the convention, but I am pretty sure those two tactics are out!!
At least for civilized nations.
I’ll ask my nephew what he knows.
NY-David
Actually, I meant what US Forces were doing with POW’s in both places. What rule or proceedure do they follow in that circumstance?
My point is rather simple. If Gitmo is the place where high value detainees have been sent and nothing has been spared in interrogating them, and we’ve goofed on sixty of them that someone let go, the process needs to be reviewed.
NY-David
Kat
David,
I missunderstood. Sorry, I don’t think of them as POWs, our guys would be POWs, these are terroist. They don’t abide by the GC so, they aren’t soilders of an enemy nation, they will only ever be terroist. But, I don’t know again, how they are held in the field. can ask my nephew. Hopefully, they shoot first and ask questions later.
I wouldn’t say nothing has been spared in interrogating them. I know we have stopped any form of interrogation that makes them “uncomfortable”. Which makes me sick. That aside, we have gained valuble info that has stopped terror plots! The left wing media won’t tell you that though. Never any good news, it’s Bush hating at the cost of national security.
The only detainees that have been let go were let go under left agenda pressure. Otherwise, it is as CJ says, “They’re illegal enemy combatants on a battlefield and we’re authorized by convention to keep them as long as want WITHOUT any trial, “until the cessation of hostilities”.
We certainly don’t send them back out into the field to kill again! We didn’t “goof”, it’s as Critical says, the evidence aren’t enough to support a “fair trial”. Which again, I don’t know why we owe them a fair trial. They aren’t Americans and we have to stop treating them like they are! Again, they don’t even qualify as POWs.
One more thought for you and for Critical…
If we bring these terroist to America… the left argument (Sen. Murtha feels!!) they are no threat in an American prison. This idea shows his ignorance because they create a terroist interest within America. Their friends will come for them, will they create a plot to free them, or will they send a suicide bomber to just take out the area? I mean if someone is going to fly a plane in to them to kill them(remember they want to die) do you want that to be in your back yard? Again I will say, it can’t be on our soil! It can’t be on a military base. Don’t bring the war to our back yard. At Gitmo, the soilders there KNOW their risk and they take it without agrument. Would you? Can they come to your city?
Shannon, Army wife
So, he failed to show up at the “Heroe’s Ball.” You military men know what that is, correct? That is the ball that honors the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. No President, in 56 years and 14 inaugurations has ever missed that. What a slap in the face to those men. I think that speaks volumes as to what he deems as important.
Kat
Shannon,
Unforgivable. No questions here. This only shows he isn’t military and he has no respect for military, he’s like Critical, he’s ungrateful for his freedom!
He can lay 100 wreaths at the tomb of the unknown, it won’t mean anything to me because it’s all show. He wants everyone to think he cares, but he’s too ignorant to care. He thinks we’re stupid and that we are going to take his every word at face value and not investigate the truth, he forgets that would be his constituents…
Critical Facts
kat
You are out of control! You appear to have but a single criteria: being a part of the military or not. All your comments have the same thread – I am not a part of the military and, therefore, have no respect for the military. As stated elsewhere in this thread, I flat out reject your assertion. I have continued and will continue to support our military and, at the same time, be critical of those who control the military.
Kat
Well that says it all:
“I am not a part of the military and, therefore, have no respect for the military”
Agree… one of us is out of control.
NY-David
Actually, Shannon, as CJ indicates, he did not only make it, but spent the most time at.
NY-David
Kat
Re-read CJ’s comment. Or look it up on the net for yourself, he skipped over the Hero’s Ball and went to the CIC ball.
Shannon, Army wife
NY David,
He went to the CIC ball, NOT the heroes ball. Do you understand the importance of Medal of Honor recipients? Do you realize how highly decorated, how special, how important that honor is? These men are so highly decorated that even the POTUS must salute them. They did not deserve to be shunned, overlooked, skipped, however you want to term it. A majority of those who receive this award get it posthumously, therefore those that are alive and receive it are a blessing. They did the ultimate for their country, and deserve to be treated with respect.
CJ
Shannon, I truly do understand the importance and meaning of being awarded the Medal of Honor, believe me! I think we were lucky that Obama even went to the CINC ball and that we’re sweating stuff that is disappointing, but not worth making issue of considering the individual.
Shannon, Army wife
When you have had every President, in 14 inaugurations, show up to this ball to honor these recipients, and only Obama is the one to break that chain, that is most definitely eye opening. We are talking about a man who couldn’t even give the military the credit for what they accomplished in Iraq, until it became necessary to do so while campaigning. How many other “events” will this man blow off during his tenure? What else will he deem not important enough when dealing with the military? It’s shameful to say the least. Is this the “change” we were told about? I’ve been a military wife for a lot of years, through a lot of Presidents, and this POTUS does not give me a warm and fuzzy in regards to his feelings, respect, or regard to our nations military.
NY-David
Shannon,
I stand corrected, he did miss the ball you’d indicated and I stand with CJ’s comment on knowing how important the CMOH recipients are to this country.
I’ll be honest that I never realized how many balls were involved in a presidential inauguration. My advice would have been to have a nice turn on the dance floor with Michelle at the CINC ball and then go to bed. It will probably be the last decent night’s sleep in a long time.
And for all of you railing on the guy’s treatment of the military is getting rediculous. There’s a lot to be said about the previous CINC’s treatment of the miliary before his time in the Whitehouse and his service. I don’t feel that detracted from his committment to their purpose one bit, despite my disagreement with it.
Just some food for thought about not taking our eye off the ball (pun intended).
NY-David