Monday, February 26, 2007
A Guardsman's Response to Criticism of Escalation
Rod Dreher posted this on 2/22/2007:
This burns me up. Excerpt:
If this is the kind of thing we have to do to keep the Iraqis from killing each other, to hell with the mission. In my hometown -- a very small town, of the sort where a disproportionate number of the soldiers dying in this war come from -- a lot of men are in the National Guard. I can just imagine how the news that the military is breaking its promise to the Guardsmen, and sending some of them back into the war zone early, with inadequate training and possibly without sufficient equipment, must feel to Guard families and their friends. This has gotten real personal to me since finding out the other day that my brother-in-law's Guard unit has been put on alert for mobilization to join the surge. George W. Bush and the Republican Party are going to reap the political whirlwind from this abuse. It's a long way from 2008, but I can't see myself voting for any Republican who backs this surge.
Then Collins commented:
"I realize everyone is rushing to attack the war on any grounds possible but the story you cite Rod is grossly misleading. From the story"Nearly half of the more than 3,100 U.S. military fatalities in Iraq have come from towns like McKeesport, where fewer than 25,000 people live" Yet, also from the story "The Census Bureau said 56 percent of the population in 2005 lived in towns under 25,000" So that's roughly proportionate.You know as a person from one of those steel towns mentioned in the article it ticks me off to see the pity party and disdain shown for the soldiers who serve from here. They are good decent people, they don't need an AP reporter to fabricate facts to show how dumb and poor they are because it fits nicely with the AP's Marxist worldview."
Collins Homepage 02.22.07 - 1:58 pm #
Emphasis mine. Laughing, I replied.
"The Census Bureau said 56 percent of the population in 2005 lived in towns under 25,000" So that's roughly proportionate.
Whoops. Like Dilbert's boss complaining that 40% of call-in sick days are on Mondays and Fridays.
Pauli Homepage 02.22.07 - 3:55 pm #
Other people gave their bits of Armchair General advice. Then we were treated to a little lesson from an Oklahoma Guardsman calling himself RTO Trainer.
"As an Oklahoma Guardsman who may be affected by the call up that inspired this post, let me say that if called, we will go. It's just how it is. Some are looking forward to it. Some are looking for a loophole. Some dread the very idea. But go we will, if it even happens, which is not yet a certainty. In addition, for those of you worrying, about the 1-180th, presently deployed to Afghanistan, facing a deployment almost as soon as we come home, the NYT article conveniently left out that our command is doing all it can to keep us from having to deploy that quickly. Some of will volunteer anyway. 80% of those of us here didn't have to deploy this time, but we volunteered to do so, because servicemen serve.
Broken promises? Sorry, here, you'll have to do some explaining. Changes in policy are not broken promises, so I'd need some more details here about what you refer to.
Servicemen sign up to serve. Guard enlistments are up because we are deploying. It’s not a universal trait either, any more than the destitute reservist, but it’s enough to stave off the fulfillment of the “broken army” warnings I’ve been hearing every three months or so since the end of 2003. It’s my opinion that they keep making their predictions either because they think they may actually come true and can say “toldjya” or because it’s a plausible scary story that might convince people to join the white flag/white feather crowd.
Don: If it's a slaughter, it's the smallest slaughter in history (If we extrapolate Desert Storm fatalities over the duration of the GWOT, you'd have had 71,000 deaths by now). And it's not affecting Guard troops in any particular disproportionate way so Anonymous Also's point is moot.
Patrick, check your chronology on that. An Army troop increase of 30,000 was mandated by Congress over the recommendations of the SECDEF, the JCS and the CSA. The 70,000 Army/Marine increase was called for and approved before Rumsfeld resigned.
redoppto: You don't appear to be familiar with the mission of the National Guard. I recommend this post: http://www.donaldsensing.com/index.php/2005/05/23/wherefore-the-national-guard/. And none of us are victims, thank you very much.
St_Irinaeus: Your ire for Rumsfeld might well be misplaced. Undoubtedly one of the recently lamented "promises" was the "24 months deployment over 6 years" policy. I'm personally getting an extra $1000 a month in my paycheck because I volunteered for a deployment that would take me over that 24 month threshold.
And that policy was Rumsfeld's. No accident that the policy changed when he left. The law only requires that any one contiguous deployment for a Guardsman not exceed 24 months.
Kit: If you don't have a "stake in the Guard," I feel for you. I take it to mean that you don't know any National Guardsmen and you would not feel the loss of any of us. Too bad. Guardsmen are some of the finest people this country has to offer. You should make an effort to get to know us. That you haven't speaks poorly of you.
Andy, Pauli, Collins: Rock on."
RTO Trainer Homepage 02.25.07 - 10:20 am #
So, Jonathan, what's the over-under that Rod has learned his lesson from this little smackdown?
This burns me up. Excerpt:
The Pentagon is planning to send more than 14,000 National Guard troops back to Iraq next year, shortening their time between deployments to meet the demands of President Bush’s buildup, Defense Department officials said Wednesday.A journalist friend, quoting a source in military intelligence who had been deployed in Iraq, told me the other day his source said it is "criminal" -- the intel guy's word -- what the military is doing to the National Guard. He meant specifically deploying them into a combat zone with inadequate training.
[snip]
Changing the reservists’ schedules means abandoning previous promises that they would get several years between deployments. And the acceleration means that soldiers who usually drill just once a month and for a few weeks in the summer will have to begin intensive preparations right away.
[snip]
Given that they would be in Iraq for about nine months, that would leave only three months for training before they go. In the past, six months of training has been the norm before heading to the war zone.
If this is the kind of thing we have to do to keep the Iraqis from killing each other, to hell with the mission. In my hometown -- a very small town, of the sort where a disproportionate number of the soldiers dying in this war come from -- a lot of men are in the National Guard. I can just imagine how the news that the military is breaking its promise to the Guardsmen, and sending some of them back into the war zone early, with inadequate training and possibly without sufficient equipment, must feel to Guard families and their friends. This has gotten real personal to me since finding out the other day that my brother-in-law's Guard unit has been put on alert for mobilization to join the surge. George W. Bush and the Republican Party are going to reap the political whirlwind from this abuse. It's a long way from 2008, but I can't see myself voting for any Republican who backs this surge.
Then Collins commented:
"I realize everyone is rushing to attack the war on any grounds possible but the story you cite Rod is grossly misleading. From the story"Nearly half of the more than 3,100 U.S. military fatalities in Iraq have come from towns like McKeesport, where fewer than 25,000 people live" Yet, also from the story "The Census Bureau said 56 percent of the population in 2005 lived in towns under 25,000" So that's roughly proportionate.You know as a person from one of those steel towns mentioned in the article it ticks me off to see the pity party and disdain shown for the soldiers who serve from here. They are good decent people, they don't need an AP reporter to fabricate facts to show how dumb and poor they are because it fits nicely with the AP's Marxist worldview."
Collins Homepage 02.22.07 - 1:58 pm #
Emphasis mine. Laughing, I replied.
"The Census Bureau said 56 percent of the population in 2005 lived in towns under 25,000" So that's roughly proportionate.
Whoops. Like Dilbert's boss complaining that 40% of call-in sick days are on Mondays and Fridays.
Pauli Homepage 02.22.07 - 3:55 pm #
Other people gave their bits of Armchair General advice. Then we were treated to a little lesson from an Oklahoma Guardsman calling himself RTO Trainer.
"As an Oklahoma Guardsman who may be affected by the call up that inspired this post, let me say that if called, we will go. It's just how it is. Some are looking forward to it. Some are looking for a loophole. Some dread the very idea. But go we will, if it even happens, which is not yet a certainty. In addition, for those of you worrying, about the 1-180th, presently deployed to Afghanistan, facing a deployment almost as soon as we come home, the NYT article conveniently left out that our command is doing all it can to keep us from having to deploy that quickly. Some of will volunteer anyway. 80% of those of us here didn't have to deploy this time, but we volunteered to do so, because servicemen serve.
Broken promises? Sorry, here, you'll have to do some explaining. Changes in policy are not broken promises, so I'd need some more details here about what you refer to.
Servicemen sign up to serve. Guard enlistments are up because we are deploying. It’s not a universal trait either, any more than the destitute reservist, but it’s enough to stave off the fulfillment of the “broken army” warnings I’ve been hearing every three months or so since the end of 2003. It’s my opinion that they keep making their predictions either because they think they may actually come true and can say “toldjya” or because it’s a plausible scary story that might convince people to join the white flag/white feather crowd.
Don: If it's a slaughter, it's the smallest slaughter in history (If we extrapolate Desert Storm fatalities over the duration of the GWOT, you'd have had 71,000 deaths by now). And it's not affecting Guard troops in any particular disproportionate way so Anonymous Also's point is moot.
Patrick, check your chronology on that. An Army troop increase of 30,000 was mandated by Congress over the recommendations of the SECDEF, the JCS and the CSA. The 70,000 Army/Marine increase was called for and approved before Rumsfeld resigned.
redoppto: You don't appear to be familiar with the mission of the National Guard. I recommend this post: http://www.donaldsensing.com/index.php/2005/05/23/wherefore-the-national-guard/. And none of us are victims, thank you very much.
St_Irinaeus: Your ire for Rumsfeld might well be misplaced. Undoubtedly one of the recently lamented "promises" was the "24 months deployment over 6 years" policy. I'm personally getting an extra $1000 a month in my paycheck because I volunteered for a deployment that would take me over that 24 month threshold.
And that policy was Rumsfeld's. No accident that the policy changed when he left. The law only requires that any one contiguous deployment for a Guardsman not exceed 24 months.
Kit: If you don't have a "stake in the Guard," I feel for you. I take it to mean that you don't know any National Guardsmen and you would not feel the loss of any of us. Too bad. Guardsmen are some of the finest people this country has to offer. You should make an effort to get to know us. That you haven't speaks poorly of you.
Andy, Pauli, Collins: Rock on."
RTO Trainer Homepage 02.25.07 - 10:20 am #
So, Jonathan, what's the over-under that Rod has learned his lesson from this little smackdown?
Labels: military, smackdown, war
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Dallas Orthodox Priest Scandal
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/022207dnmetabuse.15b1a8b.html
Please read the following post from Rod Dreher's blog regarding this debacle.
"I pray for the people of this parish, which I've visited. It's a vibrant parish, and Fr. Nick, who has overseen lots of evangelical efforts there, has been a major figure on the Dallas religion scene for a long time. Those people are hurting, undoubtedly, and will continue to hurt. But the truth must out, and there must be severe consequences for clerics abusing children. Period. The end. I'm sure some will say to me, "See, you left Catholicism over the sex scandal, but it exists in the Orthodox church too." Again I say: I didn't leave Catholicism only over the sex scandal, and moreover, I never believed, nor have ever claimed, that the Orthodox church, or any church, is free of this evil. All I can say is that through bitter and heartbreaking experience, I'm better able to deal with this kind of horrible news now than I once was."
Does that square with what you remember of Mr. Dreher's departure? If you think it does than consider the following post he gave regarding Fr. Ramon Alvarez at Amy Welborn's
blog.http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2006/06/dallas_verifies.html
"One recent Dallas story that might not have made Amy's blog was the sudden disappearance, the day after Easter, of Father Ramon Alvarez, the rector of the cathedral. The diocese removed him from ministry without explanation. Naturally people wonder what must have caused this, inasmuch as Bishop Grahmann left Alvarez in place even after it became a public matter that Alvarez had -- what was the euphemism they used? -- "inappropriately touched" (or something close to it) an adult male. The man said he'd come to Alvarez for prayer because of a physical malady, and that Alvarez had stuck his hands down his pants and grabbed his goolies. Even though Alvarez admitted publicly to nonspecific inappropriate acts with this guy, Bishop Grahmann left Alvarez in position. So you really have to wonder what on earth a guy like that has to have done to get unceremoniously yanked by the same bishop that was willing to tolerate goolies-grabbing and the public scandal that came with it."
Where is the indignation over this Orthodox priest going to Greece and no one telling the congregation until Ash Wednesday? But that is just me.
Finally Mr. Dreher said:"I'm sure some will say to me, "See, you left Catholicism over the sex scandal, but it exists in the Orthodox church too." Consider the following post he gave to explain his conversion.
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/crunchycon/2006/05/orthodoxy-and-me.html
"What moved us to consider Orthodoxy? It's a long story, but to cut to the chase, there were two things. The most acute was complete burnout over the Catholic sex-abuse scandal."
What are your thoughts? email me or post them to my blog: www.scrappycons.com
Jonathan Carpenter
Please read the following post from Rod Dreher's blog regarding this debacle.
"I pray for the people of this parish, which I've visited. It's a vibrant parish, and Fr. Nick, who has overseen lots of evangelical efforts there, has been a major figure on the Dallas religion scene for a long time. Those people are hurting, undoubtedly, and will continue to hurt. But the truth must out, and there must be severe consequences for clerics abusing children. Period. The end. I'm sure some will say to me, "See, you left Catholicism over the sex scandal, but it exists in the Orthodox church too." Again I say: I didn't leave Catholicism only over the sex scandal, and moreover, I never believed, nor have ever claimed, that the Orthodox church, or any church, is free of this evil. All I can say is that through bitter and heartbreaking experience, I'm better able to deal with this kind of horrible news now than I once was."
Does that square with what you remember of Mr. Dreher's departure? If you think it does than consider the following post he gave regarding Fr. Ramon Alvarez at Amy Welborn's
blog.http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2006/06/dallas_verifies.html
"One recent Dallas story that might not have made Amy's blog was the sudden disappearance, the day after Easter, of Father Ramon Alvarez, the rector of the cathedral. The diocese removed him from ministry without explanation. Naturally people wonder what must have caused this, inasmuch as Bishop Grahmann left Alvarez in place even after it became a public matter that Alvarez had -- what was the euphemism they used? -- "inappropriately touched" (or something close to it) an adult male. The man said he'd come to Alvarez for prayer because of a physical malady, and that Alvarez had stuck his hands down his pants and grabbed his goolies. Even though Alvarez admitted publicly to nonspecific inappropriate acts with this guy, Bishop Grahmann left Alvarez in position. So you really have to wonder what on earth a guy like that has to have done to get unceremoniously yanked by the same bishop that was willing to tolerate goolies-grabbing and the public scandal that came with it."
Where is the indignation over this Orthodox priest going to Greece and no one telling the congregation until Ash Wednesday? But that is just me.
Finally Mr. Dreher said:"I'm sure some will say to me, "See, you left Catholicism over the sex scandal, but it exists in the Orthodox church too." Consider the following post he gave to explain his conversion.
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/crunchycon/2006/05/orthodoxy-and-me.html
"What moved us to consider Orthodoxy? It's a long story, but to cut to the chase, there were two things. The most acute was complete burnout over the Catholic sex-abuse scandal."
What are your thoughts? email me or post them to my blog: www.scrappycons.com
Jonathan Carpenter
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Muslim Radical shoots Female Pakistani Minister
Isn't it interesting how we spend hours worrying about Brittanny's shaved head and Anna Nicole's decaying body. but when a Muslim Radical shoots a woman in Pakistan for refusing to wear a viel we hear next to nothing? Also, how many heard about this Muslim radical in Nashville who tried to mow down two students because they did not share his beliefs? It shows where our priorities are. Where is the outrage from the CINOS over this?
http://www.wsmv.com/news/11048353/detail.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/4162471.stm
http://www.wsmv.com/news/11048353/detail.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/4162471.stm
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
British withdraw from Iraq
It appears that tommorow Prime Minister Blair will be annoucing the British pullout from Iraq in stages. Almost immediately our favorite CINO (Conservative in Name Only) Rod Dreher, began dancing for joy at the prospect of our withdrawl because we will be alone.
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/crunchycon/2007/02/brits-to-begin-iraq-pullout.html
As much as I hate to agree with his Phoniness he is right, without stalwart allies like the British the goal in Iraq may not be reached. What I do not agree with is his blindness to the danger of Radical Islam and the dangers of having a state like Iran in such control of the region. Look, I am not saying Iraq will be a Democracy, but dont we deserve to support people so long as they are our SOBS? Then again what would he care?
http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/crunchycon/2007/02/brits-to-begin-iraq-pullout.html
As much as I hate to agree with his Phoniness he is right, without stalwart allies like the British the goal in Iraq may not be reached. What I do not agree with is his blindness to the danger of Radical Islam and the dangers of having a state like Iran in such control of the region. Look, I am not saying Iraq will be a Democracy, but dont we deserve to support people so long as they are our SOBS? Then again what would he care?
Monday, February 19, 2007
The Next Senator from New York, Bill Clinton
If Hillary Clinton is elected to be President, New York's Governor Elliot Spitzer is considering appointing her husband to fill out her remaining term. If this goes through he would be the first President since John Quincy Adams to ascend to the Senate after their Presidency. It would give new meaning to the term "Power Couple."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,252741,00.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,252741,00.html
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Amazing Grace Movie
There is a movie scheduled to be released on February 23, 2007. It is about John Newton the former slave ship captain turned Vicar who penned the hymn Amazing Grace. It also shows the life of William Wilberforce. He along with William Pitt lead the charge that outlawed slavery in the British Empire. The website address is:
http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/
Their is a companion website called Amazing Change. It brings a coalition of various groups together to fight the scourge of slavery that still exists today.
http://www.theamazingchange.com/
Tell me what you think. Take Care.
http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/
Their is a companion website called Amazing Change. It brings a coalition of various groups together to fight the scourge of slavery that still exists today.
http://www.theamazingchange.com/
Tell me what you think. Take Care.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Islamofascists
Please read the following links. You will find them informative as well as see why the use of the term "Islamo-fascists" is not to far off the mark.
http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~jkatz/baath.html
http://www.bankingonbaghdad.com/archive/hnn20041018Farhud/7773.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_al-Husayni
No they are not all Nazis. However, they have coopted some of there ideas because they are compatriots if you will. The Nazis also supported the Arab uprisings in 1941 because the Arabs had a deep hatred of the British. Just some food for thought.
http://www.eretzyisroel.org/~jkatz/baath.html
http://www.bankingonbaghdad.com/archive/hnn20041018Farhud/7773.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amin_al-Husayni
No they are not all Nazis. However, they have coopted some of there ideas because they are compatriots if you will. The Nazis also supported the Arab uprisings in 1941 because the Arabs had a deep hatred of the British. Just some food for thought.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Worst Ex-Pres
Hmmmm.... wonder who that could be? This piece on Carter by Joshua Muravchik provides a great snapshot of the man behind the "born again" mask. Here's my favorite paragraph:
I guess using just the handle on blacks without the axe blade epitomizes the compassion of the Southern Democrat.Topping it off was Carter's reaction when, as a result of the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Lester Maddox emerged as his running mate. Maddox, a restaurateur and Sanders's successor as governor, had gained notoriety by distributing to the customers of his whites-only establishment ax handles with which to batter any blacks who might seek to be served there. Carter took the pairing in stride, characterizing Maddox as "the essence of the Democratic party."
Labels: history Democrat Party, politics
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Gary Sinise raises funds for Disabled Vets Memorial
The star of one of my favorite shows CSI NY, Gary Sinise is raising funds for a memorial for Disabled vets. We always hear many times about liberal stars doing God knows what or saying something stupid. Let us support a star who does something right.
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=42175&archive=true
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=42175&archive=true
