Teflon Don, a recently promoted specialist in Iraq, on the IED deaths of three of his platoon:
"Time is supposed to slow down when you’re in the moment, not when you’re hearing of it. The next four hours are glacial- slower and colder than I could have thought…the breeze twisting dogtags around a rifle like a devils windchime, and carrying once again the plaintive notes of the bagpipe playing Amazing Grace."
A good, although sad, read. Condolences, Don.
Support the troops–except when it comes to Iran, which has killed 170 and wounded more than 600 in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But the Bush administration apparently has done nothing about it, and now that it is talking about doing something about it, the Democrats are threatening to retaliate–against the administration. Doesn’t anybody here know how to play this game?
UPDATE Among the arms Iran is sending into Iraq are these .50 caliber Austrian sniper rifles.
Fifty of them, from all fifty states, including Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan M. Rubio, of Texas.
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Posted in Afghanistan, Iraq, The War, Troops
Tagged 50 heroes from 50 states, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan M. Rubio
William M. (Malarky) Arkin is revealed as the WaPo’s "anti-military" blogger, in this WaPo ombudsman piece, in which it is nevertheless "explained" that his work is separate from the print newspaper.
"Arkin’s column did not meet Post standards, but then, newspaper editing isn’t perfect, either. But ‘mercenary’ surely is live ammo; such an incendiary word should have popped out in flames to Post editors."
Nevertheless, he apparently was "edited," just not to the fullest extent, and he insists that he works for the newspaper. So which is it? And does it matter? An "anti-military blogger" with MSM backing. Charming. Just what America needs. But it’s good, I suppose, to have the objectivity mask off. Or, as LGF puts it:
"See, if Arkin’s hate screed had been edited, no one would have known that the Post’s ‘military analyst’ was a hard left anti-military moonbat. The editor would have come in and sanitized it, and no one would have been the wiser."
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Posted in Troops
Tagged Malarky Arkin, the Washington Post's "anti-military blogger", William M. Arkin
Very jerky al Q video (with, oddly, a singing chorus) of the missile shootdown of the CH-46 Sea Knight over Iraq this past Wednesday, Feb. 7. The crew and passengers obviously had plenty of time to realize what was happening before the helicopter was engulfed in flames and crashed. Freelance embed Bill Roggio, a former Army officer with signal and infantry experience, says his sources say it could have been a Russian-made Strela 3 shoulder-fired missile provided by Iran. If so, how long will we let this go on?
The 26 Americans killed in five helicopter shootdowns in Iraq since Jan. 20 were the latest casualties in our unheralded war with Iran inside Iraq, according to Bill Roggio’s intelligence sources. The action the Democrats in Congress seem determined to keep from becoming obvious with a strike against Iran itself. But it’s another underscoring of the fact that until we take the fight to Tehran and Damascus, no amount of Baghdad neighborhood scouring is going to work for long.
Comments Off on Iran, again
Posted in Iraq, The War, Troops
Tagged Bill Roggio, helicopter shootdowns, Iran, Iraq
Good piece in the Dallas Morning News about members of the 1st Cav in Iraq, some on their third rotation back to the sand box:
"’They (the Iraqis) stood up for us and we stood up for them," Sgt. Rountree said, adding that he had been looking forward to going back. ‘We’ve seen it blown apart,’ he said. ‘I want to see it put together. I want to see what we fought for the first rotation. People who say it’s not worth it, it is.’"
Meanwhile, according to the Harvard Crimson, the Marines are getting a track star for a new infantry lieutenant:
“’I think this is my generation’s greatest calling,’ said [Sean] Barrett. ‘Fighting for the freedom of others is a uniquely American value. Protecting my family, my country, our values and way of life is of the utmost importance to me…This isn’t something that’s going away. We have to win.’”
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 