Plucking a Daisy
Will he, or won't he, meaning Rummy stay as Defense Secretary?
The generals have found their voices. The press is pressing the issue, there are many sources out there repeating the postions now being revealed by an increasing number of military officers.
Will all of it be for naught? Given "w"'s personality - that is probably going to be the case. His prompt issuance of a statement regarding his unwavering support of Rummy demonstrates his deaf ear.
What will it take for him to realize how much jeopardy he is placing the troops over there in? This month is another record breaking one for fatalities of our service personnel. I just finished watching The Nightly News Report on PBS which is one place that regularly publishes the list of those making the supreme sacrifice and tonite they had sixteen that the Pentagon had released names and other information about.All were so terribly young, nineteen year-olds up to early twenties. Other broadcasts seldom make any mention of the KIA individuals. How different this is from other wars.In WWII you couldn't walk a block without noticing in practically every home the window - hung with a blue flag with a gold star, maybe about six by eight inches, indicating a member in the service, or more than one family member in many cases.
Currently I am reading a book that is a memoir written by Alvin M. Josephy and in it there are several chapters about his experiences in WWII - first as a civilian radio employee involved in programming and other features of radio at that time - then he enlisted so he could be a combat correspondent. Reading those chapters, revived many memories since the war took place during all my years of high school. Those who did not live through those events don't have as much contrast in relating this AUMF to war, most are using their lenses of experience from either the Korea or Viet Nam police actions. I would recommend that if you weren't in your teens or older through WWII that maybe reading some history would provide a glimpse into how that war soaked itself into every area of daily life. We were dependent on radio and the print press, that alone gives it intense contrast. But without the visual impact offered by television and video coverage, there was a greater sense of personal involvement. In fact, I think televison's 24/7/365 coverage has probably desensitized the general public, that plus the culture of violence in much of pop
tv and film.
One has a responsibility to try to find the truth amongst all the spin, disinformation, manipulation, misrepresentation. It becomes a time consuming search, best advanced by using C-Span and PBS and books for sources. The one I am refering to is "A Walk Toward Oregon" - start around Chapter 10 for the WWII memories, you may find a lot of surprises. Like learning what OFF was, that later became OWI etc.
Or how the Japanese military was so underestimated and how tough the battles were in the Pacific because of that. And how propaganda was dispensed under that era.
Put it all on the scales and you will realize why this is an AUMF - a deadly one true, but this fight is so different, that all the comparisons are for naught, so when you hear some of the blab about "we did this then" etc, please remind the person that this AUMF is in a new class. Terrorists are not going to be defeated militarily, they thrive on violence and what for them is martyrdom and in my opinion that is the trap this administration has fallen into and doesn't know how to extricate itself. But none of the promulgators of this misadventure have the ability to admit this, now it is up to the officers to exhibit the courage to speak up.
Thankfully this is happening at last.
Better now than after two or three more years of this. Let's hope it doesn't turn into a terrible trap for the troops.
Rummy, where is your soul?
graysmoke
The generals have found their voices. The press is pressing the issue, there are many sources out there repeating the postions now being revealed by an increasing number of military officers.
Will all of it be for naught? Given "w"'s personality - that is probably going to be the case. His prompt issuance of a statement regarding his unwavering support of Rummy demonstrates his deaf ear.
What will it take for him to realize how much jeopardy he is placing the troops over there in? This month is another record breaking one for fatalities of our service personnel. I just finished watching The Nightly News Report on PBS which is one place that regularly publishes the list of those making the supreme sacrifice and tonite they had sixteen that the Pentagon had released names and other information about.All were so terribly young, nineteen year-olds up to early twenties. Other broadcasts seldom make any mention of the KIA individuals. How different this is from other wars.In WWII you couldn't walk a block without noticing in practically every home the window - hung with a blue flag with a gold star, maybe about six by eight inches, indicating a member in the service, or more than one family member in many cases.
Currently I am reading a book that is a memoir written by Alvin M. Josephy and in it there are several chapters about his experiences in WWII - first as a civilian radio employee involved in programming and other features of radio at that time - then he enlisted so he could be a combat correspondent. Reading those chapters, revived many memories since the war took place during all my years of high school. Those who did not live through those events don't have as much contrast in relating this AUMF to war, most are using their lenses of experience from either the Korea or Viet Nam police actions. I would recommend that if you weren't in your teens or older through WWII that maybe reading some history would provide a glimpse into how that war soaked itself into every area of daily life. We were dependent on radio and the print press, that alone gives it intense contrast. But without the visual impact offered by television and video coverage, there was a greater sense of personal involvement. In fact, I think televison's 24/7/365 coverage has probably desensitized the general public, that plus the culture of violence in much of pop
tv and film.
One has a responsibility to try to find the truth amongst all the spin, disinformation, manipulation, misrepresentation. It becomes a time consuming search, best advanced by using C-Span and PBS and books for sources. The one I am refering to is "A Walk Toward Oregon" - start around Chapter 10 for the WWII memories, you may find a lot of surprises. Like learning what OFF was, that later became OWI etc.
Or how the Japanese military was so underestimated and how tough the battles were in the Pacific because of that. And how propaganda was dispensed under that era.
Put it all on the scales and you will realize why this is an AUMF - a deadly one true, but this fight is so different, that all the comparisons are for naught, so when you hear some of the blab about "we did this then" etc, please remind the person that this AUMF is in a new class. Terrorists are not going to be defeated militarily, they thrive on violence and what for them is martyrdom and in my opinion that is the trap this administration has fallen into and doesn't know how to extricate itself. But none of the promulgators of this misadventure have the ability to admit this, now it is up to the officers to exhibit the courage to speak up.
Thankfully this is happening at last.
Better now than after two or three more years of this. Let's hope it doesn't turn into a terrible trap for the troops.
Rummy, where is your soul?
graysmoke
posted by graysmoke @ 7:42 PM
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