“The sad and often unspoken truth of the matter is this: Americans have been conditioned less to understand Iraq’s complex military reality than to feel sorry for those who are part of it,” Robert Kaplan wrote in a Wall Street Journal commentary. Kaplan argues that the comfort and safety we enjoy have disconnected us from the realities of war, causing us to forget that those serving in Iraq are heroes, not martyrs.
Hearing so much about how badly the war is going, we tend to see the military as a pitied group of men and women being shot at in Iraq. Those fighting for us want to be admired for the competency and skill with which they do their jobs, and given the respect they earn every day.
Posted by Kristin Mehler
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Yeah, and while you’re at it, admire the hell out of this kid:
He would have been a hero, had he lived . . .
http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/262339.html
Posted on Sat, Oct. 06, 2007
Guards suffocated teen, examiner says
BY SUSANNAH A. NESMITH
Martin Lee Anderson would be alive today if Bay County Boot Camp guards hadn’t repeatedly kept him from breathing, a medical examiner testified Friday in the guards’ manslaughter trial.Tampa’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Vernard Adams, told the jury Anderson died of suffocation because the guards held their hands over his mouth while pushing ammonia close to his nose three separate times — once for a full five minutes.
His findings contradicted the results of the first autopsy performed by Bay County Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Siebert, who ruled that Anderson died of sickle cell trait, a normally benign condition.
Adams blamed Anderson’s death on the guards, who punched and kicked him for 30 minutes and covered the teen’s mouth while using the ammonia — all of which was captured on videotape.
The teen died Jan. 6, 2006, the day after he was admitted to the Bay County Boot Camp. The seven guards and a boot camp nurse, who watched the entire incident, were charged with manslaughter after Adams released his findings.
Hey, Intern Kristin–
If it’s so f***in’ wonderful over there, why don’t you f***in’ enlist?
Lemme guess . . . “other priorities,” like staying alive, maybe?
You missed the point completely Cap. But that not surprising seeing how you are a “Dim”. heh,heh,heh
WACKED.
The quality of the military person is very high as is their training.
I remember the “draftee” hold overs from the ‘Nam’ era and although some were “gungho” they were not as technically competent and well trained as the military is today.
When I go on the Air Base, every military person I meet is courteous and professional. This was not the case twenty or thirty years ago.
In my opinion, part of the success is the advanced of professional military training (general military studies) and the advancement of skills training.
The “trained” personnel of twenty years ago usually had to be re-trained, because they were often assigned to do jobs not in their specialty. This is not the case (although some of it occurs.)
The military of today has benefited from a finely honed training system and the advancement of technology.
Turning a civilian into a highly skilled soldier, airman, sailor or marine is no longer guess work, it is tried and proven.
I’m very impressed with the young men and women in the Armed Forces today. They take their “jobs” seriously, they know the meaning of duty and can deliver the “goods” when it asked of them.
I salute you all. Thank you very much for your service and sacrifice under these difficult times.
There is no finer military on earth and that’s a fact.
Kristin. Another little right wing suck up.
Yeah dear let’s admire the troops while they die. No skin off your nose. A little stint at ehe Eagle and you are off to…..where? Share that and then come on back.
Oh and welcome to the Blog Kristin.
Beware of the Blogladytes like J R and the Capn. They seldom have anything positive to say and seldom say things that makes the average American roll their eyes wondering what planet they came from.
oops
“seldom say things that”
should be
be sans “seldom”
They want to be admired?
No honey they want to come home.
Kristin must be interning for Fox noise.
“Beware of the Blogladytes like J R and the Capn. They seldom have anything positive to say and seldom say things that makes the average American roll their eyes wondering what planet they came from.”
Posted by whatever.
As if the king of trolldum would have anything of any importance to add to any blog. Being from this planet, but having an intelligence rated somewhat lower than plant life, he’s not happy unless he’s doing one of his futile attempts at slamming someone. Ignore him.
“When I go on the Air Base, every military person I meet is courteous and professional.”
Posted by whatever.
Of course they are. They’ve been taught to be nice to the mentally handicapped.
There is no doubt our fighting forces are doing the best they can in Iraq, however, in my humble opinion, it is the president who should be brought up on charges for putting those same forces in harms way because of the phony reason for the invasion. Lying to the public, and then invading a sovereign nation is not the way a peace loving nation should act. Get em out and get em home.
OK since no one else has pointed it out, this is about what was in the WSJ not Kristin opinion.It seems a wise choice to get a “discussion” going, LOL Ok to reenact throwing a kitten in to a room full of Pitbulls! Personally attacking the messenger is somewhat beneath the old pros here guys especially attacking the new-be to the mix. Let Kristin have a few free chances to get the feel of it all, before her nose gets bloodied. Beside the subject matter has enough scraps to chew on with out biting the hand holding it.
Now Kansas does make the solid point that the military of today is quite different then a draftee military.Even those I have met that say they should have not joined say they knew they could end up in Iraq. But they choose to join and as such they do take the responsibility for what ever situation they end up in.
Since it was brought up yesterday I too had watched Lt. Col Steve Russell on Cspan, he painted quite a rosy picture of our involvement in Iraq. And discounted the stories of our troops going into the fight short sheeted. Though I would have to say the truth may very well be somewhere in the middle, Regular Army would be expected to be better equip then a reserve or National Guard unit solely on the role they are intended to be filling. I do not pity them as much as it angers me, It is should not have been a case of “fighting a war with the Army you have and not the Army you wish you had”. There was no rush in it, it was not WWII and even then this country geared up for the challenge.
“This was not the case twenty or thirty years ago.”
Bullshit
Hooray for military competence! If Kansas is going to the airbase for his medical care, I hope he doesn’t run into the surgeon who botched my wife’s surgery and killed her and then enlisted in the Air Force to avoid a malpractice suit.
I have to agree with the newbe, that might be one of the last things a soldier would want is civilian pity. They volunteered to be a soldier, therfore most probably wanted to be a soldier. I’m guessing some soldiers don’t want to feel like their service and duty is in vain, especially for their fallen commrads. Kind of weird how civilians were down right mean and disrespectful to soldiers during the vietnam conflict, and with a similar situation in the Iraq war, people pity them.
Maybe we learned something.
They are the best of the best. :)
Each time a Lib posts, they further prove my point that negativity is the main focus of their life.
“Each time a Lib posts, they further prove my point that negativity is the main focus of their life.”
Classic troll comment, post a broad accusation that those you disagree with are full of negativity, within a statement that contains a negative generalization. Such a comment, in its sheer inherent contradiction, is bound to get a response.
Like this one, so congratulations dumbass, I bit. You must be so proud.
That being said, I strongly agree with writerdog’s comments. JR’s and Cap’s attacks on Kristen were out of line. I mean, come on, her comments merited responses like “If it’s so f***in’ wonderful over there, why don’t you f***in’ enlist?” or “Kristin. Another little right wing suck up” or “Kristin must be interning for Fox noise”? No, they did not. Period.
The soldiers in Iraq are doing their constitutional duty (following the orders of their commander and chief) and doing it the best that they can. The fact that the current commander and chief and his administration are the worst since Andrew Johnson is not their fault. They still do their jobs as assigned as best they can, they volunteered for service and they deserve our admiration for it, most certainly not our pity. And there is nothing wrong with pointing out that some people, in their zeal to condemn the war, make our armed forces sound like victims, which comes close to sounding like pity (even though it isn’t).
Nice WSJ article. Since the left can’t see beyond a ‘victim or victimizer’ world view, they have been “supporting” Soldiers by painting them as victims instead of recognizing professionalism and dedication when they see it.
agnostic, writerdog
The forum is what it is. If kitten Kristin wants to wade into it with a little clearly right wing mewling, she gets no pass from me on it.
What of the veterans back from and opposed to the war? Are they not to be admired? No they get called phony soldiers and compared to suicide bombers. Let Kristin weigh in on that.
again with the victimization
Rush Limbaugh tells me there’s a bunch of phony soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“What of the veterans back from and opposed to the war? Are they not to be admired? No they get called phony soldiers and compared to suicide bombers. Let Kristin weigh in on that.”
So, because Kristin did not “weigh in on that”, but instead of on the soldiers wanting to be seen as competent, she is engaged in “right wing mewling”? No wonder political discourse in this country is going into the toilet, when writers are immediately graded on whether they are writing about the correct viewpoints of soldiers. I have talked to several Iraq war veterans, and their viewpoint is similar to that relayed by Kristin (and that viewpoint does not seem to be related to partisan politics).
Kristin said nothing about the validity of the war, her comments were unrelated to how the war was being run from the top. It was simply about the people who are having to wage it.
I stand by my comments.
Clever little trap the WSJ sets here.
Admire the troops!
Don’t think about why they are there or for how long.
That’s conditioning for acceptance of the situation. We owe the troops more than that.
“Hey, Intern Kristin–If it’s so f***in’ wonderful over there, why don’t you f***in’ enlist”? – Capn America
“Kristin. Another little right wing suck up.” – JR
——————-
Chuckle….JR and Capn sure don’t like when there is a thread that conflicts with their views. Must be the liberal tolerance I keep hearing of.
Welcome Kristen. We may disagree on ideas, but you won’t get personal attacks from the conservative side.
—————
This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24
I’ll go further. Admittedly before I read Kaplan’s article.
Who the hell is he or Kristin to presume to speak for all the deployed in Iraq?
I would imagine that one way or another, the most universal want of the troops in Iraq is for this sorry mess to be over so they can come home.
You don’t “admire” someone stuck in a bad situation they did not make. You can admire how they deal with it. What the focus needs to be is on how to help them out of it. I don’t think anyone signed up to occupy Iraq.
Having read the WSJ editorial, Kristin distilled the best point in Kaplan’s essay, and left out the worst aspects.
Kaplan does seem to be saying “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” Cheering our troops on at the expense of evaluating the decisions the Wanker’s neo-con (in the actual foreign policy sense, not the overgeneralized sense often used in political discourse now) administration to launch and conduct this war would be to do a disservice to our nation, including our troops. And no Mr. Kaplan, Faux News is not old fashioned, unless one refers back to the yellow journalism so fashionable in the early part of the previous century.
“Who the hell is he or Kristin to presume to speak for all the deployed in Iraq?”
-JR
“They want to be admired?
No honey they want to come home”
-also JR
Kettle, meet pot.
I have actually talked to two veterans who want to go BACK. One of them, at least, is probably a political conservative, but his state reasons have to do with doing his job and returning to his unit.
At any rate, I doubt neither Kristin nor JR are speaking for all those deployed in Iraq.
And oh yes, just to get this out of the way.
Rush Limbaugh is a scumbag.
“Welcome Kristen. We may disagree on ideas, but you won’t get personal attacks from the conservative side.”
Talk about making promises you can’t come even close to keeping.
Give me a break, outlander.
Told ya so ksag.
I read the article through now too. I could smell where this was going.
Kaplan quotes one professional soldier who says “This is my job. This is what I do.”
Hey there’s folks like that and that is fine.
I imagine there are many more folks who never bargained for what they were getting into. To their credit they want to complete their mission. It is OUR job to force their commanders to define that mission and work in best ways to completing it as opposed to continuing it.
“Kaplan quotes one professional soldier who says “This is my job. This is what I do.”
Hey there’s folks like that and that is fine.
I imagine there are many more folks who never bargained for what they were getting into. To their credit they want to complete their mission. It is OUR job to force their commanders to define that mission and work in best ways to completing it as opposed to continuing it.”
Agreed.
So we can’t feel sad, and worried, and empathy for our soldiers without it being considered pity? There is nothing pitiful about our soldiers. What is pitiful is the administration using their lives and their heroism for such non-vital reasons.
Remember after 9/11 when we sent them off with pride that they were doing the right job for the right reason? That’s what we lack now. But we felt the same sad, worried, and empathy for them AND their families.
Empathy is not the same as pity. Caring does not require the creation of a new class of ‘victims’.
The left wants to claim that they ’support’ while simultaneously infantalizing American servicemembers by portraying them as victims of Bush, Limbaugh, Republicans, Big Oil, et al.
They deserve more respect than that.
“I imagine there are many more folks who never bargained for what they were getting into.”
A young man or woman joins the military and never contemplated that they might go to war? You do realize that these are adults we are talking about, not 4 year olds?
Ohhhh….but they got duped, they are poor, they needed college money. They aren’t smart enough to figure these things out. They are (say it with me) victims.
“Welcome Kristen. We may disagree on ideas, but you won’t get personal attacks from the conservative side.”
Sure. Quote moveon.org and see how long that promise lasts.
Do you support the troops trn? Or do you “support the troops”?
Tell us your take on Rush Limbaugh and his “phony soldiers” trndobrd.
Support the troops is the right thing to do. Too bad some want to turn it into a jingle in support of a politicians foreign policy.
That is an EXCELLENT idea Steven/
Kristin?
Put up a thread. Post Rush Limbaughs famous “phony soldiers” transcript uncut alongside the edited version he broadcast to Armed services radio.
You think the left has been hard on you? Put up that thread and you’ll see to the very depths of the “support the troops” crowd.
You heard it here first folks. Trn says don’t empathize with the soldiers. Tell em to suck it up and don’t complain or think for yourself. You’re fighting for a myth of ideals, not for the actual practice of those ideals and values.
Charles Krauthammer and Joe Lieberman have turned the WSJ into a Zionist propaganda sheet for Israel. All this to use the US Military in ways it was never intended.
The current mission is to commit genocide against Arabs, while stealing their oil and land, as the Zionists have done against the Palestinians in stealing their farms and land in Palestine.
At one time the Wall Street Journal was a great newspaper before the Zionists converted it into what it’s become today { a Zionist Tabloid Rag }.
Our soldiers know that they’re being “had” and that’s what should be being reported { if you want to lose your job}.
It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?
Henry David Thoreau
So the soldiers are busy and “professional.” Fine.
But any thinking person still pities them, for we know that their noble purpose of protecting America has been perverted into dying for oil empire and Bush buddy’s profits.
Worst.President.Ever.
Very well put Capn.
Ya know . . . it just dawned on me that this entire point of the WSJ editorial is a type of logical fallacy called the “either / or” fallacy:
“Admire, don’t pity soldiers.”
I both admire AND pity the soldiers in Iraq.
And let’s put to rest the old, “they volunteered to be in the military” canard. Ours isn’t a “voluntary” military anymore than Learjets are built by “volunteer” workers.
The military is a career choice. But the NeoCons have abused the employment contract with our soldiers and Marines. The Bushies recruited National Guard “volunteers” by promising “one weekend a month and two weeks a year.” When they were sent to Iraq, the Bushies promised the troops they’d be deployed for 12 months, then upped it to 15 months. And the Republicans fought against Democrats’ attempt to assure an equal length of time home for time served in multiple deployments.
Last week, Minnesota National Guard troops were quicky brought back from Iraq after serving more than 24 months at war. Know why? Turns out, if National Guard troops serve 730 or more days at war, they’re elegible for full military pay and benefits. Many of the Minnesotans were brought back to the states on day 729…precisely to deny them the deal they were promised.
“Admire don’t pity,” if a false dichotomy. Those are not the only choices.
Praise the troops even as you vilify “false” soldiers who don’t agree with you. Slap a magnetic yellow ribbon on your pick-up, but let cockroaches infest Walter Reed Medical Center.
Great post, MH. Totally kick a**.
When does the new intern get to post a thread that starts with an editoral like this one:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-gans6oct06,0,1155563.story?coll=la-opinion-center
I survived Blackwater
A former U.S. official received the security company’s services — and witnessed its disregard for Iraqi lives.
By Janessa Gans
October 6, 2007
. . . One particularly infuriating time, I was in the town of Irbil in northern Iraq, being driven to a meeting with a Kurdish political leader. We were on a narrow stretch of highway with no shoulders and foot-high barriers on both sides. The lead Suburban in our convoy loomed up behind an old, puttering sedan driven by an older man with a young woman and three children.
As we approached at typical breakneck speed, the Blackwater driver honked furiously and motioned to the side, as if they should pull over. The kids in the back seat looked back in horror, mouths agape at the sight of the heavily armored Suburbans driven by large, armed men in dark sunglasses. The poor Iraqi driver frantically searched for a means of escape, but there was none. So the lead Blackwater vehicle smashed heedlessly into the car, pushing it into the barrier. We zoomed by too quickly to notice if anyone was hurt.
Until that point I had never mentioned anything to my drivers about their tactics, but this time I could not contain myself.
“Where do you all expect them to go?” I shrieked. “It was an old guy and a family, for goodness’ sake. Was it necessary for them to destroy their poor old car?”
My driver responded impassively: “Ma’am, we’ve been trained to view anyone as a potential threat. You don’t know who they might use as decoys or what the risks are. Terrorists could be disguised as anyone.”
“Well, if they weren’t terrorists before, they certainly are now!” I retorted. Sulking in my seat, I was stunned by the driver’s indifference.
The quality of the military person is very high as is their training.
I remember the “draftee” hold overs from the ‘Nam’ era and although some were “gungho” they were not as technically competent and well trained as the military is today.
The “trained” personnel of twenty years ago usually had to be re-trained, because they were often assigned to do jobs not in their specialty. This is not the case (although some of it occurs.)
The military of today has benefited from a finely honed training system and the advancement of technology.
Turning a civilian into a highly skilled soldier, airman, sailor or marine is no longer guess work, it is tried and proven.
I’m very impressed with the young men and women in the Armed Forces today. They take their “jobs” seriously, they know the meaning of duty and can deliver the “goods” when it asked of them.
I salute you all. Thank you very much for your service and sacrifice under these difficult times.
There is no finer military on earth and that’s a fact.
Posted by: Kansas
you’re a big ass idiot.you must think after the recruiter lies and covers up facts and pays a recruit $20,000.00 to be sent to iraq A.S.A.P. that there is some fairy land training going on where every person is utilized to their fullest extent as far as skills are concerned.
and, the felons, gang bangers, and drop-outs are so far ahead of what the draft produced during nam you are totally nuts.
how’s your fav boy, larry craig doing??
is lar still on the board of directors at the NRA ??
you are too dumb to live in america.
‘Do you support the troops trn? Or do you “support the troops”? ‘
-Sorry, no clue what you are asking here JR. I don’t have a take on Limbaugh, nor do I listen to him.
‘You heard it here first folks. Trn says don’t empathize with the soldiers. Tell em to suck it up and don’t complain or think for yourself.’
-I didn’t say “don’t empathize”. I said, “empathy is not the same as pity”. Seriously, if you are just going to make up stuff, why not go with ‘trn said soldiers should ride purple unicorns’?
I’ll simplify it for you…
Empathy=goodPity=bad
Empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another…
Pity: sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed, or unhappy. implies tender or sometimes slightly contemptuous sorrow for one in misery or distress
Interesting lingual gymnastcis there trn.
I remember how much play the right made of it when Bill Clinton said “I feel your pain.”
Empathy?
To have empathy for the troops in Iraq, people would have to have some clue as to what they are going through. They’d have to have a stake in or some sacrifice of their own.
THAT is what Kaplan and Kristin are telling us NOT to talk about!
“Welcome Kristen. We may disagree on ideas, but you won’t get personal attacks from the conservative side.”
Sure. Quote moveon.org and see how long that promise lasts.
Posted by: Steven Davis
ACTUALLY I’M NICE TO YOU BECAUSE I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU WROTE.
IF YOU TELL THE TRUTH I WILL SWIFT BOAT YOU BEFORE YOU CAN CALL MOM FOR BACK-UP
wowthe wall street journal ??
have they adopted the fair and balanced p.r. slogan yet ??
who believes this crap anyway.
oh… you do.
i saw the perfect movie for neo-cons and other assorted right wing wackos.
although, i doubt you will recognize yourselves in it.
Idiocracy is the movie. you all fit right in.
Welcome Kristen. We may disagree on ideas, but you won’t get personal attacks from the conservative side.”
I’ve noticed that the libs throw a tantrum if there is an even slightly conservative-oriented thread introduced. I suppose because it hardly ever happens here libs have not evolved the ability to deal with it rationally.
In this case clearly the author was making a subtle point (ie.. libs probably won’t get it) about the lack of coverage of the trials and successes of our military. Instead, our military, the most powerful fighting force in the world is seen more as an object of pity. They don’t want your pity.
Someone should ask the National Guard troops if they expected to shipped overseas. After all, during Vietnam, some regarded that service as “uniformed draft dodging.”
Monkeyhawk nailed it. False dichotomy.
They don’t need the selective support of your buddy Rush either there outie.
Get us that Rush Limbaugh thread Kristin.
“Get us that Rush Limbaugh thread Kristin.”- J R A
JR, you silver-tongued devil you! You do have a way with women. Kristin will probably fall all over herself trying to please you.
Especially after you called her “another little right wing suck up”.
“I’ve noticed that the libs throw a tantrum if there is an even slightly conservative-oriented thread introduced. I suppose because it hardly ever happens here libs have not evolved the ability to deal with it rationally.”
And the tragedy is, outlander probably thinks the above is a rational comment.
And the tragedy is, outlander probably thinks the above is a rational comment.
Posted by: ksagnostic | October 07, 2007 at 02:24 PM
And the tragedy is, ksagnostic probably thinks the above is a rational comment.
The Libs throw a fit? What, can we not disagree with this without pitching a hissy?
Oh lets see what whining in the past the cons did throw when before the last election, they whined about not having enough press for Barnett and negative about Kline. So whatever.
I’d do her no favors to coddle her Outlander. You know that.
If she posts a thread such as I suggest, she’ll REALLY get a going over.
Kansas,
DNFTT
Oooops!
That should be:
Re Kansas:
DNFTT
New one for me:
http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/DNFTT
Thanks and concur.
I see Bush is having General Betray Us accuse Iran of everything under the sun, right on cue. Same number as just before Iraq! “Terrorism! WMD’s! Terrorism! WMD’s! There’s Iranians under our beds!”So, when does the new war start?
“I see Bush is having General Betray Us accuse Iran” Jed
Is that short for Jed Clampett?
A real piece of work you are.
Bet they gave you a reward for having a brain which if converted to gasoline, would not have enough gas to drive an ants go-cart halfway, around the inside of a Cheerio.
Thank you Medusa!
You presented no arguent of your own. You attacked another poster with no refutation only insult. AND you tried to be funny doing it. Encore! Author!
It does start to sound like a song we’ve heard before Jed.
Hey Jed Clampett, will J R let you come out and play? Or will you continue to hide behind her skirt?
Jed,Don’t you get it? Victory is elusive in Iraq because of Iran – they’re to blame … and thus it is our duty to bomb the sh*t out of them.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/10/08/071008fa_fact_hersh
Haven’t you heard the news? It was Iranians flying those 747’s on 9/11.
Hell, even France wants to take out Iran.
Instead of “arguent” try using the English word, “argument” for the noun meaning fight, altercation, beef, or brawl.
So go piss off and save the world.Make sure you have a full fifth to take with you. You inebrianted fool.
Oh Pat H, you’re reichwingnutholierthanthouchristian attiude is shining through.
“attitude”
dropped a “t”, and it had nothing to do with alcohol!
Not really, just my loathing for braggarts like J R who announce their arrival with flare and insist on a trumpet call. As if it is God’s gift to the blog.
And I am still waiting for this English Professor alcoholic todo what he said he would and
save the world……….
Still waiting for the Beverly Hillbilly Jed to show up. Maybe Jed is really short for Jethro Bodine.
I’m typing this real slow so as you can keep up while reading it:
If you call our Army commander and general by names, you are no different character than Rush calling individual soldiers names.
Your insult to one, insults them all.
Ah I see.
Medusa = Pat
Sweetums?
Inebriated. A state in which you seem to be posting. Guess you’re a mean drunk huh?
I’m not sure I’m worthy of all your love.
Who is the English Professor?
Who is the English Professor?Posted by: Blaidd_Drwg
It has to be none other than J R.How else will he save the world on a blog if not through his mastery of the English language?
Sorry all. Pat has sorta taken to following me around. What else she does here I aint sure.
I’m not sure I’m worthy of all your love. Posted by: J R
You love any attention you garner on the blogs. You hunger for it. You thirst for it almost as much as for your next drink. Your true name knowns this. But you live on a blog to provide your ego every little stroke it can reach out for. You want to be loved, but don’t know how to achieve it in the real world.
I am me. I’ve always been me. You can call me other names, or try to say I’m others, but you know the truth.
You know that I am here watching you. Waiting for you to save the world as you said you would.
Every breath she takes…..
“Get us that Rush Limbaugh thread Kristin“
She tried JR, but he was busy, will a Bozo the clown thread due?“What do you mean he is taking about all of us when he said “the unwashed masses”?”.
JR
I too think Pat H is under the influence of something.
Unrequited distant love and booze is a bad mix. No wonder she’s all pissy with me.
reichwingnutholierthanthouchristian attiude is shining through.Posted by: Blaidd_Drwg
You are an amazing poster. You got the Hitler and christian thing outta my one post?
Conservative yes. The rest is hogwash, except maybe the holier part. I do wear my socks until they are holier than thou.
By lumping us altogether, does that make it easier for you?
It’s probably too difficult to understand that conservatives have a myriad of views that are not all encompassing.
Of course, in your mind – there really is only one of us. And we are a small minority.
Pat said the other day that he to go pick up his “wife.”
I’m starting to think that Pat’s wife is Mike Herron.
All I know pat is that conservatives = bad for America.
That’s enough for me.
In order to feed the military it’s neccessary to make heros out of those who join up…just like the jihadists, make everyone believe that dying for one’s cause and country is glorius and honorable. The war machine is only too happy to put it’s soldiers up on a pedestile so that even families can be proud when a loved one sacrifices his/her life for the “freedom” of us all. A war must have it’s pawns in order to do business as usual, you don’t see any of the “masters of war” willing to sacrifice their life for their war now do you? Of course not, let the vulnerable shed their blood and make us all proud that they’re willing to do it.
JR,”It does start to sound like a song we’ve heard before Jed.”
Yeah, it was a big hit about 5yrs ago, By Milli Vanilli?I don’t know, it might be true, but the people telling it blew their credibility with all those guaranteed WMD’s in Iraq. We went to war on the basis of a lie once, I’d sure hate to see us fall for the same bullshit again. It’s really a bad situation we find ourselves in, where our own government can no longer be trusted to level with it’s constituents, but I’m afraid any war on Iran is just going to have to wait on a government we can trust.
“masters of war”
This Dylan song title reminded me that John Fogerty has a new album out that has current war protest songs on it (more accurately, they are Bush protest songs).
In the audio link below, Fogerty compares Bush to Johnson.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15045634
Steven,That’s an interesting comparison, Johnson=Bush, and I’m not sure it’s altogether accurate, but it should be a reminder to us all that bullshit comes in all political flavors.
For those who haven’t heard the song, here are the lyrics. It’s just as appropriate today as it was when Dylan wrote it in the 60’s.Come you masters of warYou that build all the gunsYou that build the death planesYou that build the big bombsYou that hide behind wallsYou that hide behind desksI just want you to knowI can see through your masks
You that never done nothin’But build to destroyYou play with my worldLike it’s your little toyYou put a gun in my handAnd you hide from my eyesAnd you turn and run fartherWhen the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of oldYou lie and deceiveA world war can be wonYou want me to believeBut I see through your eyesAnd I see through your brainLike I see through the waterThat runs down my drain
You fasten the triggersFor the others to fireThen you set back and watchWhen the death count gets higherYou hide in your mansionAs young people’s bloodFlows out of their bodiesAnd is buried in the mud
You’ve thrown the worst fearThat can ever be hurledFear to bring childrenInto the worldFor threatening my babyUnborn and unnamedYou ain’t worth the bloodThat runs in your veins
How much do I knowTo talk out of turnYou might say that I’m youngYou might say I’m unlearnedBut there’s one thing I knowThough I’m younger than youEven Jesus would neverForgive what you do
Let me ask you one questionIs your money that goodWill it buy you forgivenessDo you think that it couldI think you will findWhen your death takes its tollAll the money you madeWill never buy back your soul
And I hope that you dieAnd your death’ll come soonI will follow your casketIn the pale afternoonAnd I’ll watch while you’re loweredDown to your deathbedAnd I’ll stand o’er your grave’Til I’m sure that you’re dead
Copyright © 1963 Bob Dylan
A great video to “Masters of War”.
ww.youtube.com/watch?v=iWkWSLEW-Ds
Anyone not suffering from BDS (Bush Deity Syndrome) should know this.Report says war on terror is fuelling al Qaeda By Kate Kelland
1 hour, 20 minutes ago
LONDON (Reuters) – Six years after the September 11 attacks in the United States, the “war on terror” is failing and instead fuelling an increase in support for extremist Islamist movements, a British think-tank said on Monday.
ADVERTISEMENTA report by the Oxford Research Group (ORG) said a “fundamental re-think is required” if the global terrorist network is to be rendered ineffective.
“If the al Qaeda movement is to be countered, then the roots of its support must be understood and systematically undercut,” said Paul Rogers, the report’s author and professor of global peace studies at Bradford University in northern England.
“Combined with conventional policing and security measures, al Qaeda can be contained and minimized but this will require a change in policy at every level.”
He described the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq as a “disastrous mistake” which had helped establish a “most valued jihadist combat training zone” for al Qaeda supporters.
The report — Alternatives to the War on Terror — recommended the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq coupled with intensive diplomatic engagement in the region, including with Iran and Syria.
In Afghanistan, Rogers also called for an immediate scaling down of military activities, an injection of more civil aid and negotiations with militia groups aimed at bringing them into the political process.
If such measures were adopted it would still take “at least 10 years to make up for the mistakes made since 9/11.”
“Failure to make the necessary changes could result in the war on terror lasting decades,” the report added.
Rogers also warned of a drift toward conflict with Iran.
“Going to war with Iran,” he said, “will make matters far worse, playing directly into the hands of extreme elements and adding greatly to the violence across the region. Whatever the problems with Iran, war should be avoided at all costs
Poetry! I love poetry!
The Grave of the Hundred Head
There’s a widow in sleepy ChesterWho weeps for her only son;There’s a grave on the Pabeng River,A grave that the Burmans shun,And there’s Subadar Prag TewarriWho tells how the work was done.
A Snider squibbed in the jungle,Somebody laughed and fled,And the men of the First ShikarisPicked up their Subaltern dead,With a big blue mark in his foreheadAnd the back blown out of his head.
Subadar Prag Tewarri,Jemadar Hira Lal,Took command of the party,Twenty rifles in all,Marched them down to the riverAs the day was beginning to fall.
They buried the boy by the river,A blanket over his face–They wept for their dead Lieutenant,The men of an alien race–They made a samadh in his honor,A mark for his resting-place.
For they swore by the Holy Water,They swore by the salt they ate,That the soul of Lieutenant Eshmitt SahibShould go to his God in state;With fifty file of BurmanTo open him Heaven’s gate.
The men of the First ShikarisMarched till the break of day,Till they came to the rebel village,The village of Pabengmay–A jingal covered the clearing,Calthrops hampered the way.
Subadar Prag Tewarri,Bidding them load with ball,Halted a dozen riflesUnder the village wall;Sent out a flanking-partyWith Jemadar Hira Lal.
The men of the First ShikarisShouted and smote and slew,Turning the grinning jingalOn to the howling crew.The Jemadar’s flanking-partyButchered the folk who flew.
Long was the morn of slaughter,Long was the list of slain,Five score heads were taken,Five score heads and twain;And the men of the First ShikarisWent back to their grave again,
Each man bearing a basketRed as his palms that day,Red as the blazing village–The village of Pabengmay,And the “drip-drip-drip” from the basketsReddened the grass by the way.
They made a pile of their trophiesHigh as a tall man’s chin,Head upon head distorted,Set in a sightless grin,Anger and pain and terrorStamped on the smoke-scorched skin.
Subadar Prag TewarriPut the head of the BohOn the top of the mound of triumph,The head of his son below,With the sword and the peacock-bannerThat the world might behold and know.
Thus the samadh was perfect,Thus was the lesson plainOf the wrath of the First Shikaris–The price of a white man slain;And the men of the First ShikarisWent back into camp again.
Then a silence came to the river,A hush fell over the shore,And Bohs that were brave departed,And Sniders squibbed no more;For the Burmans saidThat a kullah’s headMust be paid for with heads five score.
There’s a widow in sleepy ChesterWho weeps for her only son;There’s a grave on the Pabeng River,A grave that the Burmans shun,And there’s Subadar Prag TewarriWho tells how the work was done.
Rudyard Kipling
Great poem, Hank (heavy sarcasm)
You forgot his most famous work–”The White Man’s Burden”
Take up the White Man’s burden—Send forth the best ye breed—Go, bind your sons to exileTo serve your captives’ need;To wait, in heavy harness,On fluttered folk and wild—Your new-caught sullen peoples,Half devil and half child.
Unlike this blatant apologist for white racism and Empire, Wilfred Owen actually fought in battle. In fact, he later died in battle in WWI.
Here’s the real deal:
DULCE ET DECORUM EST1
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets8 just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.
October 1917
http://www.americablog.com/2007/10/why-i-fight-and-why-we-all-must.html
Another “phony soldier” demands an end to the war in which he served:
We pushed into Baghdad facing heavy resistance from the primarily Shiite populated cities in southern Iraq. It was strange being that the Shiites were Saddam’s enemies who he had oppressed for decades. To me it was clear that they hated us more than Saddam because we were invaders from the west. Saddam might have been a horrible man, but we were worse in their eyes. It was frightening to realize that the people who Saddam murdered by the thousands actually preferred him to us.
My stay in Baghdad was not much different. It was very confusing because the enemy was so unidentifiable. We didn’t know who we were fighting, and that made it extremely difficult to distinguish between the civilian population and the insurgents. As time goes on you stop distinguishing between the two. My perception was that we were fighting the Iraqi people who resented our presence in their country — not Al-Qaeda as George Bush kept drilling into the minds of the American people.
We were attacked almost on a daily basis by rocket propelled grenades, AK-47 assault rifles, improvised explosive devices, and mortars. This kind of violent activity led to thousands of pre-dawn raids on Iraqi homes. And when you kick in the door you enter the homes as if you are going after Bin Laden himself. In a sense we started to treat the Iraqi people as if they are all terrorists causing them to resent us even more. In the following days of each raid violent activity would double and for some reason no one could understand why.
I participated in the training of the Iraqi Security Forces. Their training cycle was one week long and it was extremely insufficient. There was no trust factor between us and them. During their weapons qualification I can recall being told by my range NCO to stand directly behind the Iraqi soldier just in case he tried to turn the weapon on us. My instructions were to “jump him and kill him.” When the training cycle was over we incorporated them into our units to accompany us on missions in order to train them. Prior to the missions we never told them where we were going because we were positive that the insurgency had infiltrated the Iraqi Security Forces. If they knew where the mission would take place they could tip off the larger insurgency element and set us up for an ambush. Almost all of them covered their faces out of fear or shame of being seen with American troops in their communities. As a rifle team leader leading a team of Iraqis wearing hoods and carrying AK-47 assault rifles down a narrow alley in Baghdad it is needless to say that my anxiety level was through the roof.
Before I left Iraq I made a promise to myself that I would do everything in my power to stop this war if I was lucky enough to make it home.
Good evening Captain!
I beg to differ with you my friend. I would bet that if you took a survey and asked anyone Rudyard Kipling’s most famous work Jungle Book would win hands down.
From the Jungle Book:
The Law for the Wolves
Now this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky,And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back;For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.
Wash daily from nose tip to tail tip; drink deeply, but never too deep;And remember the night is for hunting and forget not the day is for sleep.
The jackal may follow the tiger, but, cub, when thy whiskers are grown,Remember the wolf is a hunter—go forth and get food of thy own.
Keep peace with the lords of the jungle, the tiger, the panther, the bear;And trouble not Hathi the Silent, and mock not the boar in his lair.
When pack meets with pack in the jungle, and neither will go from the trail,Lie down till the leaders have spoken; it may be fair words shall prevail.
When ye fight with a wolf of the pack ye must fight him alone and afar,Lest others take part in the quarrel and the pack is diminished by war.
The lair of the wolf is his refuge, and where he has made him his home,Not even the head wolf may enter, not even the council may come.
The lair of the wolf is his refuge, but where he has digged it too plain,The council shall send him a message, and so he shall change it again.
If ye kill before midnight be silent and wake not the woods with your bay,Lest ye frighten the deer from the crop and thy brothers go empty away.
Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need and ye can;But kill not for pleasure of killing, and seven times never kill man.
If ye plunder his kill from a weaker, devour not all in thy pride,Pack-right is the right of the meanest; so leave him the head and the hide.
The kill of the pack is the meat of the pack. Ye must eat where it lies;And no one may carry away of that meat to his lair, or he dies.
The kill of the wolf is the meat of the wolf. He may do what he will,But, till he is given permission, the pack may not eat of that kill.
Lair right is the right of the mother. From all of her years she may claimOne haunch of each kill for her litter, and none may deny her the same.
Cub right is the right of the yearling. From all of his pack he may claimFull gorge when the killer has eaten; and none may refuse him the same.
Cave right is the right of the father, to hunt by himself for his own;He is freed from all calls to the pack. He is judged by the council alone.
Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw,In all that the law leaveth open the word of the head wolf is law.
Now these are the laws of the jungle, and many and mighty are they;But the head and the hoof of the law and the haunch and the hump is—Obey!
In fact, I would list more than a dozen works by Kipling more famous than the White Man’s Burden. Well, on second thought, I would have a dozen that I like more than White Man’s Burden.
Thanks, Mary. That was one excellent post. ^5.
My guess is that at this point, Kristin the Intern (and the rest of the editorial staff) is rather enjoying this onslaught of poetic and blog-informed commentary…I know I sure am.
Personally, I’d like to see a return to discussion on, say, the posture of Americans toward soldiers engaged in an extremely unpopular war. Or, maybe we could talk about which foreign policy strategies promoted by Democratic presidential candidates are most tenable for achieving even nominal stability in Iraq in advance of dramatic troop withdraws…but that’s not quite as fun as all this slandering, now is it?
Just a thought.
Or, maybe we could talk about which foreign policy strategies promoted by Democratic presidential candidates are most tenable for achieving even nominal stability in Iraq in advance of dramatic troop withdraws.
Posted by: onlooker | October 08, 2007 at 12:07 AM
Huh? Name one, for example.
Right, there isn’t one proposed strategy in Iraq by Democrats except for:
SURRENDER!
Wahawk,
Stuck on stupid at 12:24 AM, I see.
This particular argument is another iteration of the pro-Administration contempt for the people who actually fight America’s wars. “They knew what they were getting into!” is something one hears increasingly from the Neocons and their various Wingnut minions, as if it forbids the rest of us who DIDN’T want to invade Iraq from raising any objections to the unreasonable and unsustainable demands being placed on members of the military and their families.
Another phony argument brought to you by the proponents of War in Iraq, Forever and Ever, Amen, inc.
The Parable of the Old Man and the YoungSo Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,And took the fire with him, and a knife.And as they sojourned both of them together,Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,Behold the preparations, fire and iron,But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?Then Abram bound the youth with belts and strops,And builded parapets and trenches there,And stretched forth the knife to slay his son.When lo! an angel called him out of heaven,Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,Neither do anything to him. Behold,A ram, caught in a thicket by its horns;Offer the Ram of Pride instead of him.
But the old man would not so, but slew his son,And half the seed of Europe, one by one.
—-
The poet (someone the Limbaugh-tomized Masses would call a “phony soldier” was Wilfred Owen. He was killed in France one week before the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. As his mother was delivered the telegram announcing his death, church bells were peeling to mark the Armistice of World War I.
maybe we could talk about which foreign policy strategies promoted by Democratic presidential candidates are most tenable for achieving even nominal stability in Iraq in advance of dramatic troop withdraws…but that’s not quite as fun as all this slandering, now is it?
Just a thought.
Posted by: onlooker
Graffiti Troll, since this is a public forum in which people can post their views, why don’t you do that instead of superciliously snarking on the comments already posted?
I guess it’s easier to feel smug and self-righteous than actually post, eh?
Too true, MH, too true.
The same people who are the most gung-ho to kill others in another needless war are always those who call themselves Judeo-Christian.
Wow.
Kristen:
You’ll hear how the left here is tolerant and rational; the right is intolerant and does nothing but personal attacks.
Don’t you believe it for one second. Judge for yourself. You won’t need me, or anyone else, to see which “side” immediate jumps to the personal attacks, attacking the messenger while blithly ignoring the substance of the post.
You’re smart enough to see for yourself.
Welcome. I hope you brought your flame-proof underwear; around here, you’ll need it. And a thick skin. Just remember this blog is NOT representative of Kansans (thank God).
GMC70,
“Don’t you believe it for one second. Judge for yourself. You won’t need me, or anyone else, to see which “side” immediate jumps to the personal attacks, attacking the messenger while blithly ignoring the substance of the post.”
Oh. You mean like when Hank Price told me to “ESAD” (eat sh*t and die) when I asked him to substantiate his claim that the New York Times was the official “propaganda arm of Al Qaeda?”
This is a weblog–not a boardroom, not a classroom, not a church, not anything else. Nobody has to give their names, but everybody can give as good as they get. Nobody makes anybody post here (as far as we know, anyway).
Folks can yell if they like, or argue, or reason, or whine. They can play the victim, martyr, or attacker.
They can, at time, exhibit great analytical subtlety and insight, and in still rarer cases, magnanimity and compassion. And in any number of cases, over time, individual posters run the entire gamut of these possible ways of being.
CF2K wants to disagree, therefore, with GMC70: this Weblog is as representative of the State of Kansas as it is possible for anything to be. It is as close to Democracy as any of us is likely to get.
Thank God the WeBlog is here.
CF: Really?
Look up this very thread, and tell me which “side” jumps to the personal attack. Immediately.
—–”This is a weblog–not a boardroom, not a classroom, not a church, not anything else. Nobody has to give their names, but everybody can give as good as they get. Nobody makes anybody post here (as far as we know, anyway).
Folks can yell if they like, or argue, or reason, or whine. They can play the victim, martyr, or attacker.”
–
Again: Really? I’d like to agree with you. However, we seem to have a vocal contingent (Capn chief among them) insistent upon attempting to enforce “rules” of posting, and throwing about the term “troll” generally to mean anyone with whom they disagree. We’ve further got The Great JR, Savior Inc., only a day or two ago threatening litigation over a perceived slight; this, after proclaiming himself a public person by proudly announcing his imminent return to his “many readers” not so long ago (and I have to admit, I actually giggled at that thought – imagining the judge looking at JR’s counsel, bringing the suit, and asking, incredulously “you’ve got to be kidding me!?).
It is, in other words, the usual left mantra: free speech for me, but not for thee. Not if they can shout the other side down, anyway. Please don’t insult my intelligence by pretending otherwise. And BTW, CF, though you and I often disagree, I’ll note in fairness you are NOT one of those bitter folks.
As to being representative: do the opinions here, both in vitriol and relative number, represent the general population of Kansas? Not even close. Thankfully. Most of us are saner than that, and realize that not only must we live with our friends and neighbors with which we disagree, we can disagree without hating our friends and neighbors. We can even enjoy each other’s company even as we disagree (shocking!).
That’s more than some here, mostly on the left, can say.
Nice to know where YOU come down on the matter of people of your politics posting outright lies GMC. I expected better of you.
But then the right never ceases to find new depths to explore.
GMC?
“percieved slight”?
Maybe you’d like me to post lies about you.
This place IS rough and tumble and that is fine with me. But the poster you are referencing croseed the line.
JR
I don’t know what was posted. I don’t know if what was alleged was true or not; I caught only the very end of it (I have a life, thankfully). And I don’t care. I do know, however, that once one makes oneself a public person (which you proudly proclaimed yourself to be) essentially much of the usual libel/slander protections are gone. The gloves are off. Once you enter that rough and tumble world, which you proudly announced your re-entry into (as if we missed you . . .) you get what you get. You knew what you were entering. And it would not take much of just about any day’s posting on this blog, printed off for a judge, to said judge to dismiss your complaint as nothing more than what seems to be usual fare.
I guess in this case that would put you in the “whine” category, as CF defined it.
Dismissing something as a “percieved slight”.
And then claiming ignorance of the incident.
Why reference it all if you don’t know what you are posting about?
Hey, “J R,” –
If the cons on this forum were restricted to knowing what they were posting about we’d never hear from them.
JR
You percieve the slight as a slight; it may be. But that’s not the point. IT DOES NOT MATTER whether it was “true” or not.
You know that, of course. You’re self-absorbed, but you’re not an idiot. You’re just too busy nursing your own ego.
Copy that Monkeyhawk
If, in fact, “GMC70″ does not butt-fuc# rabid chimpanzees and rape kindergarten girls, I apologize.
But that’s a big “if.”
I’ve actually MET GMC face to face and can offer no proof that he does not molest small animals.
MonkeyHawk must has a lot of familiarity with chimpanzee copulation as he brought it up.
In fact look at his name – “Monkey” Hawk.
I bet he is deep into primate porn of all species. I bet MonkeyHawk goes to the zoo regularly to see the Chimp manumission exhibit – you know he does-why else would he have that name?
GMC says “I don’t know what was posted” but let me pass judgement on it . . .
Don’t let the facts get in your way of forming an opinion or anything GMC.
Especially when you’ve already made up your mind that JR is wrong.
I hope you have to argue in front of judges who think (or actually don’t think) like you do.
;-)
Maybe a small animal will come forward on this forum and assure us that “GMC70″ has not molested him.
Certainly there’d be one of ‘em.
Especially when you’ve already made up your mind that JR is wrong. Posted by: CapnAmerica | October 08, 2007 at 03:39 PM
J R is wrong every time he opens his mouth.
Go change nics again Kansas. You’ve been in tha one almost a few hours now.
I’ll give GMC the benefit of the doubt.
He didn’t molest any small animals in my presence.
Gosh, JR, I guess I should sue . . .
Sheesh.
I’ll be blunt, JR. I gave you the benefit of the doubt, and assumed you were not an idiot.
My bad.
Try again tomorrow.
One thing I noticed about being a Democrat is the way that no one apparently expects that you will have any class or morals. Then, when you prove you don’t, like our friend Monkeyhawk, no one even call you on it. Take the example below:
“If, in fact, “GMC70″ does not butt-fuc# rabid chimpanzees and rape kindergarten girls, I apologize.
But that’s a big “if.”
Posted by: MonkeyHawk | October 08, 2007 at 03:33 PM
Obviously Monkeyhawk is very profane and nasty person. Or at least plays one on the blog. Even a Democratic like me can see that. But did anyone say anything about it? No!
I guess ‘cuz he’s on our side.
I’m 45 years old, an Army veteran from the Cold War, and I just joined the KS National Guard.
I have a great job (earning over $45K/year), have nearly completed an MS degree, and am married.
I’m not poor, nor poorly educated.
I fully expect to go to Iraq sometime.
I don’t need your pity, or your empathy. In fact I don’t care about your opinion of me or my brothers one way or the other.
If you want to oppose the war, fine by me. After all, that right was won by the blood of those who came before me, and will be guaranteed by me and those that follow.
I am, and will remain, “Vigilant Always.”
I’m 45 years old, an Army veteran from the Cold War, and I just joined the KS National Guard.
Not to doubt you or anything. But I can’t square how someone 45 years old is a “cold warrior”. The cold war was over when you were still quite young. You served in the 80’s?
Eithher way, you shoulda checked out Blackwater. They pay way better.
Stay safe.
I first enlisted in 80. Cold war ended in 91, or so the certificate on my office wall says.
Blackwater pays better, yes, but it’s not the same.