Sunday, June 27, 2010

One Last Question About Rolling Stone Vs McCrytal:

Y'all don't get me wrong, I am not sure I am sorry to see McC gone. I have had some serious questions about how our forces are deployed over there and their rules of engagement. There was that small outpost in a valley with the bad guys running free on the hills overlooking it and no air or arty when they got pounded. Sorry, I'm old school. I know we are going to lose men (and now women) in war, I just want our guys to know that they will have the chance to kill the bad guys and if they get into a tight spot that a curtain of air and artillery goes around them until the bad guys are dead and ours are safe. I did not feel that with McC.

Still, here is something I don't quite get. That "reporter" was with the McC group in Paris, after the McC team had spent I dunno how long in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a major league Muslim country. Our troops, from Private to General do not get to drink anything alcoholic, including the fuel of the military, beer.

So, they get stuck in Paris, for longer than expected because of the volcano, and they all get a little chance to blow off some steam. Now it's been a long time since I wore the uniform and I never did wear one in a Muslim country. I did spend some time at sea, though, on some amphibious ships. No drinking, the durned ol' Navy is as bad as the Muslims. So, when we hit Okinawa, on the way to Viet Nam, we had more than a couple. Now, granted, I didn't have much truck with Generals or, for that matter, First Lieutenants, but I heard more than a few comments about LBJ and that bunch from Gunnery Sergeants (ie, Gods) and other NCOs.

It was then understood that what was said in the bars and cathouses didn't count for much. Today, not only do we have to go try to save the sorry backsides of a bunch that, until we got there, were getting killed en mass by a bunch of punks, meanwhile having to do it under rules of engagement that get good men killed, but we can't even have a beer when off the line. and then, when we have our guys out of theater, they get held responsible for bar talk at a party?

I dunno, gang.
seems like the Muslims we are trying to save might try being a little repectful of our culture. It also seems that troops should be allowed to blow off steam when out of the fighting. Lastly, I realise that civilian control of the military is all well and good. It's just that, from Private to General, our troops are US citizens, with First Amendment rights, the same as reporters and politicians. No one made then Senator Obama resign for talking bad about George W. Bush. How come our soldiers don't have that same right? Actually, they do. They just may not disobey lawful orders or advocate unlawful acts. Too bad the Pencil Neck In Chief does not understand, nor like, freedom of speech. Oh well, it's still the law of the land for us civilians, at least for now.

In more local news, today was my grandson Karson's second birthday party, I have pictures for a later post.

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