A day early, I guess, but I’m in the mood for it. This is a decal made up for my 1968 infantry OCS class by our one computer jockey, with representative places where we served in Vietnam, some more than once. We’ve had two reunions since 2003, and another one planned for next summer.
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Posted in Infantry OCS, The War, Troops
Tagged Army, infantry, Veterans Day. OC 504-68
This would be amusing, if it wasn’t so pathetic, Hamas outrage at the UN over 18 Gaza civilians killed by Israeli artillery trying to counter the Hamas rocket shooters who’ve been bombarding Israeli civilians in surrounding towns every day for months.
This time, even al-Reuters doesn’t try to overlook the obvious.
"’Although the Palestinian civilians killed in this incident may have been killed by Israeli fire, they are in fact the victims of Hamas terrorism,’ Carmon added, referring to the militant movement heading the elected Palestinian government, which refuses to recognize Israel or renounce violence."
Given it’s the longtime anti-Israel UN, though, you can’t be sure it won’t produce something.
The probable greatly-expanded future of the American military mission in Iraq, the advisery effort–photo explained in this in-house report from Central Command–is what was tried in South Vietnam, in a sort of half-assed way in the beginning, but with much more committment towards the end, and it was making a difference when Congress cut the last check. It ain’t easy, but it has the virtue of marrying light infantry to all that technology of ours, similar to what we did in the beginning in Afghanistan, but cheaper because no special operators are required.
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Posted in Iraq, The War, Troops
Tagged Central Command, Iraq, US Army advisors
Blackfive reminds that the new Army recruiting campaign, with its stirring video, begins tonight at 7 p.m. CST on most television networks. Ironic timing, though, given the new peace-at-any-price makeup of the Congress. Also Blackfive’s nice Rummy memorial/celebration.
UPDATE Even before the video aired, the Army made its new recruit goals for October, and had no trouble with re-enlistments: "Re-enlistments in October far surpassed the goals for the active army (30 percent), the reserve (14 percent) and the national guard (43 percent)."
I like him and will miss his gruff disdain for stupid questions from the news media. I hope he just got tired of wearing the bullseye, rather than Bush caving to the hysterical and getting rid of him, but we’ll know what happened in time.
Meanwhile, there’s a good postmortem on him and the elections by military historian VDH.
Rumsfeld, VDH says, "Tried to take a top-heavy Pentagon and prepare it for the wars of the postmodern world, in which on a minute’s notice thousands of American soldiers, with air and sea support, would have to be sent to some god-awful place to fight some savagery—and then be trashed live on CNN for doing it."
UPDATE Rummy spoke today at Kansas State U.
"As we look back on those critical years during the Cold War, so too our grandchildren will one day look back on this time as a defining moment in America’s history. History will judge whether we did all we could to defeat a vicious extremist enemy that threatened our security, our freedom, our very way of life. Or, if we left it to the next generations to try to fight an enemy strengthened by our weakness, and emboldened by our lack of resolve."
Comments Off on Adios Rummy
Posted in The War
Tagged Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, Victor Davis Hanson, war on terror
There’s no better time than after an election to see exactly what the president said, as opposed to the way the media uses his remarks to flesh out their narratives. Here’s one quote I have already seen truncated to the point of being almost unintelligible. Perhaps on purpose.
"I know there’s a lot of speculation on what the election means for the battle we’re waging in Iraq. I recognize that many Americans voted last night to register their displeasure with the lack of progress being made there. Yet I also believe most Americans and leaders here in Washington from both political parties understand we cannot accept defeat."
Get out your American history book to figure out the headline. Let’s just say, in 19th century Southern American vernacular, the war on terrorism could be about to go up the spout. Appeasement of dictators, group hugs and singing kumbaya with the French and the EU could soon be the order of the day.
"Okay, the House has flipped. How about the Senate? We seem to be moving into darker territory with every quarter-hour."
And impeachment–don’t let’s forget impeachment. The Democrats sure won’t. The American people seem either to want Bush’s head on a pike, or a standoff between him and Congress. It looks like they’ll be getting one or the other before next summer. Then, while the cat’s preoccupied with all those congressional hearings and subpoenas, the Jihadis can play.
Hysterical? Unwarranted gloom? Maybe. Bruce Bartlett at RealClearPolitics thinks so.
"Indeed, I think that Democratic control of Congress has the potential to rejuvenate Bush’s presidency, just as Republican control gave new life to Clinton’s."
We’ll know in a few months, when the investigations show trials begin.
UPDATE On the other hand there’s Ralph Peters best-case prediction of what the party of Michael Moore will do. I think he’s way too optimistic. I also don’t see the point of sending more troops, which is not the way to fight an insurgency. But he’s right about the Iraqis having to get off their butts and eliminate Mookie and his thugs.
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Posted in Civil War, Iraq, The War, Troops
Tagged Copperheads, Democrats, impeachment, Iraq, Jihad, Mark Steyn
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 