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2008-04-14 Iraq
An e-mail from Basra
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Posted by Mike 2008-04-14 09:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ]  Top

#1 The behavior of certain Democrats towards Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker was really hard to stomach...

Pretty much everything the dhimocrats do nowadays is hard to stomach.
Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader  2008-04-14 09:53||   2008-04-14 09:53|| Front Page Top

#2 Pretty much everything the dhimocrats do nowadays is hard to stomach.

Treason is one horrible dish to digest, Darth.
Posted by RD">RD  2008-04-14 11:50||   2008-04-14 11:50|| Front Page Top

#3 The Democrats have been breathing their own exhaust for too long. They are invested totally in defeat. They attempted to recreate Vietnam in order to recreate Nixon in George Bush but they failed. Now there is little left but sour grapes.

And now they have apparently seriously damaged the economy since being seated in 2007.
Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-14 12:40||   2008-04-14 12:40|| Front Page Top

#4 sorry pal, Bush recreated Vietnam when he ordered the U.S. into Iraq. The Democrats just saw an opening to rebound back into power by criticizing the war. I think Biden made fair commentary and asked relevant questions here and there. Go back and review old footage of the Vietnam era and it's like watching tonight's 6 o'clock news. Thank God there are some people in Congress who don't want tens of thousands more Americans to die before we realize ( or rather all the chicken hawks realize ) that these people will not be "won" over. We had a much better chance in South Vietnam than we do any place in Iraq.
Posted by Galactic Coordinator Unomoting5108 2008-04-14 14:06||   2008-04-14 14:06|| Front Page Top

#5 Oh Goody, a new chew toy!!!!!!


Now remember people don't feed the troll........cut up, beat, annihilate, fine; but don't FEED it.
Posted by AlanC 2008-04-14 14:14||   2008-04-14 14:14|| Front Page Top

#6 Thank God there are some people in Congress who don't want tens of thousands more Americans to die before we realize ( or rather all the chicken hawks realize ) that these people will not be "won" over.

Tens of thousands? Of course we mourn the loss of even one soldier. But when donks deliberately exaggerate like this merely for the sake of hyperbole it brings into question their credibility as well as their sincerity.

C'mon now, Galactic, isn't your real complaint the way that mean, old George W. Bush stole the election from Gore?
Posted by Abu Uluque 2008-04-14 14:31||   2008-04-14 14:31|| Front Page Top

#7 well I don't understand exactly what you're trying to say Abu but if you're accusing politicians of "exaggerating" casualities I would think you were an arm-chair general giving third rate opinions about our people. You can't exaggerate 4,500 dead Americans. Same goes for the thousands in Vietnam. It sounds like you're saying a democrat isn't credible if it's pointed out that losing tremendous amounts of American life should be necessary only when it is absolutely so, and not anytime before then. That somehow decreases credibility? Like I say, you're a little too flippant when it comes to casualties.
Posted by Galactic Coordinator Unomoting5108 2008-04-14 15:09||   2008-04-14 15:09|| Front Page Top

#8 and yet galactic, i saw no mention or remorse for Pol Pots 3 million souls liberated under your internationals guidance.

No remorse at all.....we could go on and on....but of course you already know that.

Look no further than your own red hands to remind you everyday, what you stand for.
Posted by Thraviper Panda2099 2008-04-14 15:35||   2008-04-14 15:35|| Front Page Top

#9 You can't exaggerate 4,500 dead Americans.

You just did, idiot. Death toll as of today: 4034.

Same goes for the thousands in Vietnam.

Try this out for size. In Vietnam, the US lost 58,209 dead plus at least 2,000 MIA.

Posted by Iblis 2008-04-14 15:51||   2008-04-14 15:51|| Front Page Top

#10 Don't forget the million of Vietnamese civilians who have been murdered in your re-education camps because the DEMOCRATIC congress reneged on its commitment to support South Vietnam after the pull out.

The democrats (and media) have been trying their best to turn Iraq into another Vietnam. Look at what Ted Kennedy has been saying - its the exact same bullshit he said back then. Look at what the MSM has been putting out - its the exact same bullshit Walter Cronkite spewed after the Tet Offensive.

Unfortunately, as Dan Rather found out, the Donks MSM lapdogs no longer have a monopoly on information and news. You can't simply declare 'The War is Lost' anymore because bloggers will not only call you a liar - but provide the proof! (But don't tell Reid that - he's kind of train-wreck interesting when he embarrasses himself like that...). People can bypass the talking heads and go find out for themselves. How many Iraqi Bloggers are there? Each have their own story to tell. Look at freelancers like Michael Yon.
Posted by CrazyFool 2008-04-14 16:01||   2008-04-14 16:01|| Front Page Top

#11 Seems I recall having a similar diatribe from a Long Beach commenter before.

Frankly, sir - you are out to lunch.

Iraq is not Viet Nam. I don't recall the UN being consulted, nor a mandate issued (and renewed). I don't recall the prelude to war being so drawn out, the errors so publicly displayed, nor the advances so consistently ignored.

The only thing you have right so far is that the Democrats see it as a way to regain political power. Just like they did during Viet Nam. And I suspect that they will be just as blind to the after-effects of a pull-out and abandonment. The only real difference is that the USSR isn't around to fund things and those with a reasonable amount of intelligence remember what happened. If you're hazy on that, I suggest a short trip to Westminster.

I would really appreciate it if you defended your statements using other than stock boilerplate rhetoric. You surely can't be serious about comparing "old footage of the Vietnam era and it's like watching tonight's 6 o'clock news". The only similarity I can see is the media's bias hasn't changed (except that they've lost the 'Uncle Walter' touch).

Lest you think this is another armchair general, I'm stationed at a little base about two hours west of you. I'd like think I'm a bit more in tune with what's going on.

Now, are you going to intelligently defend your assertions, or should I chalk it up to yet another 'casualty of Vietnam'?
Posted by Pappy 2008-04-14 16:20||   2008-04-14 16:20|| Front Page Top

#12 The war in Iraq will have to move on at the same pace it is now for the next 72 years before we reach 58,000 killed.
Posted by Grenter Protector of the Geats4975 2008-04-14 16:33||   2008-04-14 16:33|| Front Page Top

#13 Grenter - why, that's only 72% of John McCain's 100-year war.

- snark off - I'm just guessing the comeback to you calculations.

Another interesting comparison is total military deaths during the Clinton and GWBush presidencies. Last I saw, I believe it was actually higher under Clinton, largely due to larger military, higher accident rates, and so forth.

The reasonable conclusion, though baffling to so many on the left, is that the military at war is so good, learning so fast, and so focused that its casualty rate drops compared with peacetime. There's a lot to be analyzed there, and the tragedy, of course, is that nobody on the left seems willing to learn, even if only to argue to different conclusions.
Posted by Albemarle Hupert6384 2008-04-14 17:36||   2008-04-14 17:36|| Front Page Top

#14 Galactic Coordinator Unomoting5108 and the rest of the folks who think we are chicken-hawks: Been mobilized once, and am ready to go again. Son is Basrah as I write. Piss on you.
Posted by anymouse">anymouse  2008-04-14 18:37||   2008-04-14 18:37|| Front Page Top

#15 Galactic Coordinator Unomoting5108 and the rest of the folks who think we are chicken-hawks: Been mobilized once, and am ready to go again. Son is in Basrah as I write. Piss on you.
(shoulda turned syntax-check on before I hit the enter button)
Posted by anymouse">anymouse  2008-04-14 18:39||   2008-04-14 18:39|| Front Page Top

#16 Hmmm.... a working democratic government instead of a dictatorship, a military that can and does hold its own instead of collapsing like a house of cards, the native population mobilizing against terrorists and working with the Americans, the military (both Iraqi and American) learning from their mistakes and making changes, US casualty rate at a historic low and re-enlistment rates with front line units at 127%.

Yep, just like Vietnam.

Liberal troll. Trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Oh, and many of us here are vets and know EXACTLY what a military death and wounding means. Flippant? No. Gallows humor, yes. It is part of the job and one we have WILLINGLY signed up for in the past and watch our children go into hell as well. We are willing to fight on ground of our choosing instead of letting the terrorists gain strength and strike our homes and families and fellow countrymen. For that simple reason, the war is not unjust. Radical Islam has lost close to two infantry corps fighting our soldiers. Two corps worth that are not forming in failed Islamic countries and planning to strike us. Two corps worth that aren't trying to kill your dumb ass. For that simple reason, we will continue to sign up and fight for you. You don't like it, don't sign up. Get behind the troops or get in front of them.
Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader  2008-04-14 18:51||   2008-04-14 18:51|| Front Page Top

#17 I wouldn't be too harsh. If it's the same gentleman that posted here some months back, then it's a matter of relating Vietnam experience to today. It's also anachronistic.

We aren't children, we aren't stupid, we aren't 'mindless tools', and we certainly aren't 'victims'. This isn't Viet Nam. There isn't a draft. The social and cultural elite may be missing in action, but I'll put my people up against any Harvard graduate.

It's condescending and insulting to infer that my Marines and corpsmen are here because they a) couldn't find a job, b)got conned into joining and c) are the 'unfortunates' of society. With all the news, and the war having gone on for four years, it isn't a matter of 'not knowing'.

His concern is noted. That said, I expect more than boilerplate rhetoric. It isn't Viet Nam, no matter how much certain parties wish it to be so.
Posted by Pappy 2008-04-14 19:19||   2008-04-14 19:19|| Front Page Top

#18  I wouldn't be too harsh.

I know... but I'm tired of liberals spouting the same, no thinking, party-line, lemming mentality that is constantly spewed by the left.

...'ll put my people up against any Harvard graduate.

I'll put any military man or vet (Even Marines ;) ) against Harvard graduates. Ivy league graduates are taught to theorize and plan without any real world experience. The military teaches you to adapt, overcome and win.
Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader  2008-04-14 19:27||   2008-04-14 19:27|| Front Page Top

#19 I take points away from him for not mentioning Global Warming or No Blood for Oil.
Read your playbook, son...
Posted by tu3031 2008-04-14 20:47||   2008-04-14 20:47|| Front Page Top

#20 I bet our little troll didn't realize the nature of a lot of the posters here. Been deployed, are deployed, will be deployed. Fairly high percentage considerin all branches and agencies.
Posted by OldSpook 2008-04-14 20:50||   2008-04-14 20:50|| Front Page Top

#21 Nowadays lots of our military people have gotten interesting advanced degrees from Ivy League and other "name" schools. I've forgotten where and for what General Petreus got his PhD, but I remember being pleasantly surprised.

Unlike so many other Rantburgers, I guess I'm a chicken hawk... or a liberal hawk
Posted by trailing wife 2008-04-14 23:53||   2008-04-14 23:53|| Front Page Top

23:53 trailing wife
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