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| Iraq |
| "The smartest people America has are in Iraq." |
| 2007-12-13 |
| Jay Nordlinger, "Impromptus" @ National Review If you follow golf at all, you probably know who David Feherty is. He’s an Irish former golf champion who now works as a commentator. And he’s charming, knowledgeable, funny — pretty much a treat. Anyway, a reader sent me an article, here, describing a trip that Feherty recently took to Iraq. Would like to quote it. The article says that Feherty “returned from a USO tour of ‘forward operating bases’ in Iraq feeling ‘I’d be so proud to be an American, if I was one.’ Trying to hear ‘more than the official line,’ he was ‘stunned by the competence and intelligence of every single soldier we met. The smartest people America has are in Iraq.’” Some more words from Feherty: “I was surprised by the attitude of the troopers. I would have thought they’d just want to get out of there. But the opposite is true. They all said they had a job to do. This war isn’t the disaster I was under the impression it was. . . . I would hate to be at war with America.” Not the kind of thing you hear every day, huh? At least where I live . . . (As for that usage of “trooper,” I don’t know — could be an Irish thing.) (Or a mistranscription.) |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #18 The riderless horse is traditional protocol for a presidential funeral, IIRC. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-12-13 23:14 |
| #17 Actually, Reagan was a Cavalry trooper. He was in the reserves prior to WW2 but made training films during the war. Apparently hs poor hearing made him inelligble for combat. For this reason, I read he turned down a promotion. At his funeral procession, they had his boots in the stirrups of a riderless horse. |
| Posted by: JAB 2007-12-13 23:01 |
| #16 Trooper = Cavalry unit. Also, its an Irish colloquialism, which is why "Trooper" and the Garry Owen are cavalry standards - lots of Irish were in the enlisted in Cavalry in the 1800's which set the standards to which true Cav Troopers have held ever since. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2007-12-13 21:52 |
| #15 I really think y'all are underestimating the Millenium Generation. If the trailing daughters and their friends (both male and female) are anything to go by, our future is safe in their hands. Remember, only 5% of this generation is physically capable of passing the tests to get into the Armed Forces, but considerably more know how to spot the slanted entries in Wikipedia, and believe the Long War is about an existential threat that won't go away if we sing "Kumbaya" at it. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-12-13 21:32 |
| #14 It is the best of times. It is the worst of times. It is reassuring that some of the real best and brightest have chosen the uniform. It is also unfortunate that the rest of what is suppose to constitute the 'leadership' of American's institutions is so bankrupt. The consequences for the republic are not good when the Americans upon which those who 'do' make this country see that the only body that gives a damn about the nation are those in uniform. It makes it so dangerous because the idiots out there make the choice so tempting. That's the choice the Russian people succumbed to this last week. The American model is that of our Washington and Eisenhower, to shed the uniform and to seek the public venue. However, do we have the time to make it happen before we are so jaded that such a transition can't wait? Meanwhile the idiots make ever more mischief. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-12-13 19:03 |
| #13 He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. Only I know what's in the black hearts and empty minds of the American fighting man... |
| Posted by: John Fn Kerry 2007-12-13 17:45 |
| #12 NS, I'd suggest to you that there never has been a generation that to this extent combines combat experience and civil affairs experience. That young captain not only has a chestful of medals -- he's been the de facto mayor of Ramadi or Mosul. Also: we don't have a choice. This is one of those times when we must produce a Washington. |
| Posted by: Matt 2007-12-13 17:35 |
| #11 Our nation has really had three greatest generations so far with the fourth now in Iraq. They fight the wars that save and shape the nation and for that they get our veneration and treasure. But the act of fighting seems to so exhaust them that they have little left. The second gave us the Civil War and then Progressivism and thereby its bastard child the New Deal. And the first won our independence, but then squandered the opportunities after Washington and Adams left office and they took over. It's hard being the Greatest. That's why I get cranky about the adulation of them sometimes. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-12-13 17:08 |
| #10 Very curious observation NS - and even curiouser, IIRC the "one" had the least military background (actually none at all?!?) perhaps only rivaled by LBJ's "war experience". Goes to show, I suppose. |
| Posted by: Glung McGurque2454 2007-12-13 16:50 |
| #9 our next generation of leaders, honed in the blast furnaces of Iraq and the 'Stans, will be absolutely unstoppable. Would that it were true. But remember the legacy of leadership of the last Great Generation; Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush. Well, one outa seven ain't bad. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-12-13 16:35 |
| #8 I would hate to be at war with America. Not after four years of Hillary and the Donks in charge. But then that is up to the American public. Will there be anything worth fighting for by then? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-12-13 16:31 |
| #7 The last hours of Marine boot camp are known as The Crucible, where the Corps pushes its recruits beyond and past their abilities. Those that pass become Marines. And I bet after a tour in Iraq circa 2005-early 2007, the vets have renamed The Crucible to The Spa. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-12-13 15:10 |
| #6 #3 True that, Em. True that. |
| Posted by: Matt 2007-12-13 14:57 |
| #5 I would hate to be at war with America. Yup. The smartest person in Ireland sounds like he was in Iraq. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-12-13 14:33 |
| #4 "The smartest people America has are in Iraq." Which probably explains some of the lunacy we see here. |
| Posted by: James 2007-12-13 14:00 |
| #3 If our current crop of dunderheads leaves them a country to lead, our next generation of leaders, honed in the blast furnaces of Iraq and the 'Stans, will be absolutely unstoppable. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-12-13 13:55 |
| #2 This war isnÂ’t the disaster I was under the impression it was does harry ried know yet? |
| Posted by: Abu do you love 2007-12-13 13:35 |
| #1 Ima thinking Nordlinger and David Feherty are right. Glad to read this as I am suffering from primary debates (?). |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-12-13 13:02 |