Veterans Anger Ignited by Conduct of Congress and Media

Harlingen, Texas, September 17, 2007:  Veterans are as varied and unique as America.  They have different political beliefs, different views on war and peace, and different feelings about the future of the country. If there is anything that unites this special band of men and women, it is their faith and loyalty to each other.  Thus when one of them is maligned, it is felt by all.

Eric Muth is a disabled veteran residing in Milford, Connecticut.  He sees our Congress being dominated by reactionary politicians searching for quick return issues that will win them the upcoming election.  “What we need,” he says, “are visionary politicians and they are hard to find.  The revisionist politicians all point to what they would have done and done differently, but those are useless points.”

Muth further believes that “At this time it is unlikely there is a truly pro-war crowd, though there may be a ‘nuke-em’ faction.  There certainly is an anti-war crowd and perhaps unknowingly they demoralize soldiers in the field who bear the brunt of duties assigned them.  These men and women of honor are being dishonored.”

Ronald J. King is a retired Army Master Sergeant living in El Paso, Texas.  His feelings about our politicians are even stronger.  “There are too many in congress that are no better than the judges and lawyers that shaft military retirees.  The best thing that can happen to this country is to vote everyone that is in office out, and start over.  This won’t happen and what is being done against our military retirees will not be published in any of the big newspapers…I see nothing in the foreseeable future that will change my mind.”

“Man do I have opinions”, says Kenneth Howe, a Navy veteran from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  “On the ‘General Betray Us’ ad, I think it is as close to treason as one can get.  Pure partisan BS in search of power, but not in search of knowledge.

“ I am against the war in Iraq and would bring our troops home today, if I could.  I would also bring our troops home from Germany, Korea, Japan and anywhere else are armed forces are deployed.  The regular Army would then be deployed along our southern border with orders not to let anyone pass without legal permission to do so.”

In Lubbock, Texas, George A. White, a retired Air Force Captain, was angry enough at the conduct of congressmen during General Petraeus’ report hearings that he wrote to Fox News.  He closed his letter to the media saying, “ I spent 26 years active duty in the military.  I was, and am proud of my military service, and I am proud of the brave men and women who now serve to insure our continued freedom.  I was not a military hero, although my duties during the Viet Nam era many times placed my life at risk.  I simply did my job, as many others did, and as many others continue to do today. “Our liberal politicians (which include both political sides) are an extreme danger to our military and an extreme threat to the freedoms that this country has stood for so long.  If the American people do not wake up and vote out these weak-minded menaces, we are going to be over run with people who do not believe in individual freedoms.


“You need some new voices on your news programs (Fox News), and you won’t achieve that by giving the American people the same old disgruntled politicians and the same old media reporters who all proclaim to be experts. “

Vietnam veteran Richard Ask makes his home in Traverce City, Michigan.  He is angry about many things; including the war, the treatment of service personnel, veteran’s health care, the VA in general and what he feels are manipulating politicians in both parties.  Some of what he has to say includes, “When I returned from VN and landed in Washington I had feces thrown on me and was called a baby killer…When Bush came to my home town I was again called a baby killer by many who picketed him.  I felt that every vote for John Kerry was another person calling me a baby killer…I am opposed to the war for many reasons.  First because Congress shirked its responsibility to declare war…As a life member of the VFW I feel no disrespect toward any who serve. They are holding up their end of a contract.  The question is will the government hold up their end?  The answer is NO.  They never have and never will.  Bush manipulated the veterans for their vote.  He promised he would get the VA back on track.  Bull Crappy.”

The message from Army retiree Thomas P. Skaug up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin is, “The national news media are, in my humble opinion, one of the driving forces behind what is coming out of Washington.  Being both a Vietnam and a Gulf War (veteran) my blood boils knowing we have politicians running for President that are in the pockets of the far left wealthy.  They have truly lost touch with both reality and the American people, with the exception of far left liberals.

“When in Vietnam the politicians had no back bone and it appears history is going to repeat itself once again.  The surge is working and the military leadership is now well established and turning the corner.  We as Americans must stand firm with our military and let them do their job.  MoveOn.org is providing far left liberal Democrats with biased and unjustified information that a number of Democrat Presidential candidates have embraced.  True Democrats should voice condemnation and demand full accountability for their actions.”

Colonel Daniel K. Cedusky US Army, Retired and writer of the “Colonel Dan” column, sends this from Champaign, Illinois.  In his words, “I don’t like ‘Wings’ left wings or right wings or amateur war fighter ‘Chicken Hawks’. President Bush listened to them far too long.  It would have been a different war if he had listened to more of the generals, instead of retiring/firing them, and he had sent enough troops to Afghan in the first place and finished there.  Saddam would have waited a year or two.  Cheney and Runsfeld were his two biggest mistakes.  They started screwing things up in the 80’s and 90’s.  We have to get construction, water and electricity going in Iraq and Afghan.  We are way too slow to date.”

Heading south, we have word from Bob Thompson in Panama City, Florida. He has been a member of the Retired Military Veterans since 1968.  “I do not claim to be wise enough to get us back to a government controlled completely By the People and For the People.  But, I do know that if we continue down this present destructive path of permitting the elite to control us, the constitutional Republic of the United States of America will cease to exist…and soon.

“Our only chance for survival is to identify and install true and tested patriots, as a nucleus to begin necessary change, and direct that change until wise men and women step forward and lead the way back to the Republic, under God…with Liberty and Justice for All.”

Former Army Ranger Rick Redman really has harsh words for both the media and the liberal left.  “It never ceases to amaze me how the pundits and the New Age Demo-communists are full of condemnation of President Bush and ‘His War’.  Funny, I haven’t discovered that they even have a clue about our adversary.  They certainly don’t offer up any solutions as to how to win the war.  Their only response to things is ‘Damn the consequences.’

“The last I read, it took longer than 4 years to establish our government.  After the events of the past 40 years or so, these jackasses expect the Iraqis to do things the way the Demo-communists think they should do it.  Their idea seems to be ‘Go out in the street, find someone who looks like he isn’t doing anything, appears to have the IQ of a bunch of carrots and put him in office.”

Retired Air Force Technical Sergeant Kevin Healy lives in Little Compton, Rhode Island.  He thinks, “The greedy bunch of power mongering professional politicians in Washington are killing this great nation as they strive to garner the votes they need to retain their positions.

“There is no honor left in the majority party and even some on the other side of the aisle.  The slandering of our troops, General Petraeus and the Commander in Chief is nothing short of treasonous.”

Ingram, Texas is the home of Retired U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Dan Decker.  His view is, “It is my firm belief that the Democratic Party will do anything to bring down the Bush Administration, including the destruction of America.  They have no clue as to the results of leaving Iraq too early and losing the war.  They would not be a friend to the military.  Their list of priorities is Party… Self...God…Country in that order.  Very few of them have a list longer than the first two items.  The General Betray Us ads were paid for by MoveOn.org, but were firmly backed and supported by the Democrat Party.  They bring shame to America and they do not respect the military or what the military has accomplished.  The anti-war crowd is shameful.  They embarrass me as an American citizen.”

CMS Noel K. Pritzi, U. S. Army Retired is 100% disabled from wounds received in action.  He makes his home in Clarksville, Tennessee and often visits with soldiers at Fort Campbell.  He says, “I saw the times article presented during the General’s hearings on Capital Hill and I must say it was a shameful act.  General P surely does not deserve that remark.”

“You know this is the home of the 101st and it is preparing to deploy.  Spirits are high and they are ready to start another tour.  Some for the third time.  Do they want to go?  Hell no!  But asked if they would go if their country asked them to. Hell yes! Hurrahs!  Personally I am for calling up the draft again.  There are too many of our men sitting in jails, prisons and becoming couch potatoes to suit me.  The draft made better citizens of men and women my age.”

Brigadier General Robert Clements, US Air Force Retired, reflects on the congressional hearings.  “I will never forget the feeling of disgust and outrage listening to Senator Clinton make her statement bluntly calling General Petraeus a liar…The look on her face was that of a psychotic.  It wound back the pages of history and time to when I personally listened to the McCarthy-Army hearings of 9 June 1954 when Mr. Welch said to Senator McCarthy…’You’ve done enough.  Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?  Have you left no sense of decency? ‘

“I would like to paraphrase Mr. Welch by saying…You’ve done enough.  Have you no sense of decency, Senator Clinton, at long last?  Have you left no sense of decency?”

Finally, out of Las Cruces, New Mexico comes word from a friend, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Revie.  “I think Congress has swung too far to the left, too fast, with the likes of Kennedy, Edwards, Kerry, Murtha, Reid, Pelosi, Clinton, etc. and is really going overboard with the ‘cut and run’ philosophy they thought was their mandate from the electorate.  If I recall correctly many of these same individuals supported the president’s call to go into Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Of course we got run out of Vietnam by our Democrat controlled Congress, which cut off funds for the war.  But, everybody fails to acknowledge that a Democrat controlled Congress and the Johnson Administration got us into Vietnam in the first place.  Democrats ignore their own mistakes. As is much evident in the 110th Congress.

“America is not at war.  The military is at war.  America is at the mall.  Congress is out of touch!”

Graying Devil Dogs Still Growl

(Note:  This is a commentary from Marines.  A second article on the comments of the other military services veterans will be written next)
 
 
Harlingen, Texas, September 15, 2007:  They are mostly old now and many are long retired.  Still, these Marines, these graying alumni of the warrior band who were called “Teufel Hunden” or Devil Dogs by their World War I German enemies, remain protective toward both Country and Corps.  They also keep a watchful eye on the Young Lions now wearing the uniform who are waging heroic warfare against a fanatical enemy.  These veterans are very up front with how they view the actions of our national leadership, the media and the anti war movement.  The MoveOn.org ad calling General David Petraeus “General Betray Us” that was reportedly given a very favorable discount by the New York Times, has generated rush of negative comments.

 
Most former Marines think the media is completely anti war - anti military and do not accept either print or electronic accounts as truthful reporting.  Many of them rely on email communications from Iraq and Afghanistan to assess how the conflict is progressing.  Emailed reports from Marines in Iraq tell their retired brothers and sisters at home more about the war than is ever presented by the media.  Those now in the war zone say the death toll of terrorists is supposedly between 45 and 50 thousand.  This is why, they say, our troops are seeing few armed attacks and more of the IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) and suicide bomber attacks.

 
Our Marines report Iraq is a mixed bag with some Iraqi troops fighting well. Most of the Iraqi Army is thought to be all right if they have American support, and some still not worth being called military units.  Marines say the Kurds are very pro-American and fearless fighters.  There is more and better intelligence because everyone is sick of insurgent attacks on civilians.

 
They also are stunned and dismayed by what they see in the American news media.  Marines and most of the armed forces in Iraq see the media as being against them.  Reporters are despised and distrusted.  Those few who are embedded in units are neither trusted nor respected.

 
The morale among Marines remains very high.  They not only believe they are winning, but winning decisively.  They have few complaints about food, equipment or their in-country leadership.  That does not keep them from saying they don’t have enough troops in-theater to shut down the borders with Iran and Syria.

 
The same feelings exist in those Marines now in Afghanistan.  One now engaged on that battlefield is Colonel Wayne Morris.  Already retired, he returned to active duty and has served a full tour fighting the Taliban.  He has already extended that tour of duty to continue a fight the needs to be won.  “It is really sad,” he says, “to be over here fighting a war that we hope will keep the bad guys from more overt action in the States…and watching so many remaining asleep at the switch.  Sure, the vast majority are Dems, but there are also Reps who just don’t get it.  More sadly, and as you and I well know it to be a prophesy of truth, it will take another horrific event to mobilize Americans again…and even then, who knows for how long?”

 
The Graying Devil dogs at home are growling too. “The cheap shots at General Petraeus are intolerable”, remarks Dr. John W. Schmidt of Troy University in Alabama.  This retired Marine Colonel says Petraeus has “given his best military opinion and advice as was requested by his civilian leaders.  He is not a politician or an elected official.  He is a soldier doing the job that he swore to uphold and defend.  To call him a betrayer is another prime example of pure partisan politics voiced by someone who knows neither sacrifice or honorable service to this nation.”

 
Clarence “Bart” Bartolomeo is a retired Marine Captain who also served in every enlisted rank during his more than 27 years on active duty.  “It is hard to believe that MoveOn.org has taken over the Dem Party, but the facts are there.  Their ad is an insult to the U.S. military.  If the American people had any smarts they would throw out those Dems and Republicans who think and act like Dems”.

 
John Wear is a former Marine Sergeant now living in New Hope, Pennsylvania.  He thinks, “Our president made some serious decisions early on…and at least did something about the hate-filled Muslims in the Middle East.  He had the support of just about the entire Legislative branch of government.  They are now against everything and all things George W. Bush.  They would accept defeat if it meant winning against Dub Ya.  They all need to be taken out in a field an summarily shot for treason.”

 
Master Sergeant Bruce Halm, USMC (Ret) now lives on Okinawa.  He feels those in elected office “are only interested in their own political agenda and there are only a few who voice their support, although meekly.  When you have ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and the others slanting perspectives, intentionally misrepresenting and reporting facts, having lost their sense of fair play and honest reporting, coupled with an idiot generation of Americans who only believe in their own personal success and wealth and have no sense of comradery, loyalty to others, or commitment to ourselves as a nation…. it is no wonder we follow the losers.”

 
Richard C. Erck, another former Marine Sergeant has similar views.  He says, “I feel there is no hope for our government officials.  It is already too late to reel them in.  They have become so pompous and fat on the backs of their voters…and the government has become so top heavy that ‘We the People’ can no longer support it.  They need to be held accountable.  They are not above their electors and should be reminded that they are servants of their individual states as well as our great nation.  If we go to war for another nation it should be no different than one friend helping another.  We don’t quit helping our friend until he is able to fend for himself.  Our leaders should keep that in mind.”

 
From Jacksonville, North Carolina, retired Marine Major Art Furtney writes,” One would think that our so called leaders in Washington would have some clue of what this war is about, and the fact that WE ARE AT WAR.  As you know, they don’t know or have their collective head in the sand.  Those that probably do know are so full of hate and so far left that they are willing to ‘sell’ our country to the devil to gain power.  Or is it that they hate President Bush so much?  I for one, and most of the former and retied Marines that I am acquainted with, admire President Bush’s leadership although we are not in total agreement with all of his policies i.e. the illegal immigrant situation.  The General’s briefing to Congress was truly professional and it is readily apparent that the present strategy is working.”

 
Two of this writer’s former Marine Combat Correspondent brothers-in-arms also weighed in on the current media firestorm about falsely accused betrayal.  John Boring makes his home in Arizona and Ed Evans writes from Tennessee.

 
Says Boring,  “The tone of certain liberal-left Washington politicals - read Democrats and a few Republicans - is a bull-headed stance that is focused on walking away from a war in Iraq regardless of consequence.  This stance, in my opinion, is in open defiance to a setting president and is taken to answer political polls that state the American public supports a cut-and-run answer to the situation in Iraq.  I don’t agree with these polls.  No one has ever asked my opinion, so therefore these polls are suspect.  I’m concerned that Congress is not focusing more of their energies and skills on correcting what is wrong in America, instead of trying to slap down a president who may be more right than we know.”

 
Ed Evans concludes the Marine reports saying, “Those who put out the ‘General Betray Us’ ad are without honor.  The actions of the MoveOn.org people make it clear they are all about politics and either (a) don’t understand the Global War on Terror, or (b) don’t believe it is real.  Either way, they need to get out of the way and let those who understand do what is needed to protect them, so they will have the freedom to continue to be useful idiots for our enemies.
“In the conflict that faces this generation, and may well face the next two, it goes much deeper than the feeling that ‘if you are not for me you are against me’.  There is no place to sit on the sidelines and wait this one out.  If you are not actively taking part in the Global War on Terror, your inaction, your ambivalence, your ignorance is helping the enemy.  War is like that.”

 
Semper Fidelis,
Tom Segel, Another Graying Devil Dog Still Growling
 
 
 
 
 
 

We Need More "Remember When" In our Lives

Harlingen, Texas, September 7, 2007:  The town of Smithville, Texas has sat there snuggled up against the Colorado River since about 1836 when it was a riverboat landing site.  The town was actually incorporated in 1895.

This antique little town of about 4,500 rural Texans is a place I love to visit for several reasons.  My son Jason and his wife Jodi have elected to make it their home and the place where they are raising my three grandchildren.  I also like to view Smithville from the vantage point of nostalgia.  It holds a taste of an America that can now only be found in those small towns that dot the landscape of this great country.

Smithville is one of those traditional “railroad towns” that could once be found everywhere.  That it clings to this important spot in history and still embraces those bygone railroad days only adds to the flavor of the town.  The city has a Railroad Park, where even the jungle gym is in the shape of a train.  The old station is a museum and next to it is a train for children to explore.  Active railroad tracks run next to the park and trains chug by on a regular timetable.

There are two other significant facts about Smithville, Texas.  It is the location of the 1998 Sandra Bullock motion picture “Hope Floats” and it holds title to making the world’s largest Gingerbread Man, a cookie that measured more than 26 feet.

This is a town of community.  Everyone knows everyone else.  Even though children seem to have a town-wide leash, they know any misconduct is only a telephone call away from their parents.

Folks still sit on their front porch swings and watch children playing in the yard, or riding bikes on streets where almost every car moves along at a slow, child-wary pace.

The annual fish fry is a fundraiser for several local non-profits and the guys at the volunteer fire department always cook it.  The Smithville Jamboree held just after Easter brings out the whole town.  The Fourth of July is always fun, food and a parade.  Christmas is celebrated with the Festival of Lights and music abounds in January at Opry Night.

You travel back one hundred years and more as you walk past the buildings on Main Street.  Historical homes are everywhere, half hidden behind a curtain of shade trees that line every street.

Yes, for me Smithville is a time capsule that brings back “Remember When”.  We have all played that word trip down memory lane in various forms.  But, for me it is recalling those bygone days of playing ball with the neighborhood kids.  No officials, no uniforms, no coaches…it was one bat, one ball and maybe a couple of mitts.  You divided up sides as evenly as possible.  It could be three or four to a side…. or 10 to 15, depending on who was allowed to come out and play.  There was “Kick the Can” in the street, building forts, making orange crate cars, the old swimming hole in the summer and everyone played outside until it was so dark that Mom was yelling for you to come home.

We didn’t have Nanny Government demanding that everything conform to its set of rules.  There were no car seats, no seat belts; everything had lead in it from our toy soldiers to the gasoline in the cars.  We only drank bottled water if we happened to be away from the front yard hose and someone else had filled up a jug. Kids shared drinks, candy, ice cream and every other product we consumed.  We had sleep outs in the woods, build tree houses and rafts, and played countless pranks on teachers, cranky old people and ourselves.  And guess what…. we all grew up healthy, happy and without the assistance of any political hack.

It is a shame there are not more places like Smithville, Texas in all our lives.  We were much better off when we kept things simple, and made our world family, friends, neighbors, and community.  We were happier when we watched as the kids played outside until the fireflies started darting around the yard.  We were closer as a people when we knew the family across the street and down the block.  We were united when our flags flew at almost every home and church bells heralded in every Sunday.

Perhaps we should all search out our own Smithville, for surely that is the only way we can escape from these red-state, blue-state, hate filled media, endless political babble filled existances we call living.  We need to find our own Smithville… and a little more “Remember When” in our lives.

We Need To Learn The History of Islamic Radicals

Harlingen, Texas, September 1, 2007: It is fast approaching one year since Abu Dawood, an al Qaeda commander in Afghanistan announced preparations were complete for the American Hiroshima, a major attack on this country.  He also urged Muslims living in the United States to leave without further warning.  His announcement included a statement that the al Qaeda operatives who will launch the attack are awaiting final orders.  They remain in place throughout the country. Many are masquerading as Christians and have adopted Christian names.

There is really nothing new in such a report.  Time and time again Islamic radicals have announced that they are at war with western civilization and will destroy the United States.  What is difficult to understand is why those with liberal or left leaning political beliefs do not believe what the enemy keeps telling them.  For some strange reason, those with a “progressive” mindset seem to feel these threats are over stated and that common sense, understanding and rational discourse will solve all problems.  In other words, using their progressive approach, all will be well and everybody will live in peaceful coexistence.

It is clear to political observers that these advocates of harmony have spent little time examining what is taking place across Europe and even less time learning the history of Muslims or the Islamic belief in their expansion and domination of the entire world.  Westerners should learn these things and understand that Muslims have held a deep hatred of “Crusaders” for more than 1000 years.

Many believe the heart of heated feelings on all sides of the issue is the Holy City of Jerusalem. Muslims invaded the city in 1076 and murdered almost every man, woman and child within its walls.  From that point on any Christian wanting to pay a pilgrimage to the Holy Land faced great difficulties, including kidnapping for ransom, paying tributes, and death.

After being called upon for help, Pope Urban II proclaimed a war against Muslims so that Jerusalem could be regained for the Christian faith.  Those who volunteered wore red crosses on their tunics and the fight against Muslims was considered a Holy War.  The Crusades were born.

In 1099 Jerusalem fell to the Crusaders in a battle that Muslims later claimed took the lives of 70,000 people.  Those whose lives were spared were forced to collect all the bodies and dispose of them outside the gates of the city.

War between Muslims and Crusaders continued for the next 200 years.  In all, eight separate crusades were assembled to free the holy lands.  Victories and defeats were traded back and forth, with only the first and third crusades being considered successful.  The initial purpose of the crusades was to liberate Jerusalem, but that city was never to remain free for any extended period of time.

With the war in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989 Islamic radial belief grew, bringing in Muslims from all over the world to fight with the Mujahidin.  The final withdrawal of the Soviet Union only served to reinforce their belief that they would dominate and succeed in any prolonged battle. The radicals now inflicting terror upon the coalition forces and the people of Iraq grew out of those Mujahidin forces.  It should also be noted that they use the invasion by modern day “crusaders” as a rallying cry to increase their fighting strength.

It is difficult for western minds to understand that Islamic radicals are motivated by what they consider to be divine command.  They truly believe God is sending them upon their missions.  This makes compromise or coexistence impossible.  Their non-western thinking also makes understanding their views and objectives extremely difficult.

The Institute for Contemporary Affairs published the goals of al Qaeda and Islamic radicals in June of 2005.  According to their own statements and postings on Islamic websites, the first targets are “All the main Arab and Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, the gulf countries, Jordan, Egypt, and Syria.  The second stage includes surrounding states - Turkey, Chechnya, the Islamic republics of the former USSR, western China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and North Africa.  The final stage is to spread their version of Islam all over the world.”

Into this mix must be added the fate of all non-believers, particularly “crusaders” and western infidels, but not excluding moderate Muslims.  All must convert to the beliefs of the radical Islamists or die.

There must be some way to get those of the left to learn this historic message of western hatred and make them aware of the radical Islamic mindset. To date, nobody has been able to get this message accepted by those who would withdraw our forces in defeat.  This attitude is almost incomprehensible to those now seriously engaged in the battle.  It is particularly baffling to those Americans who already know that less than 20 Islamists can take the lives of more than 3,000 people.  If that small band of terrorists could not see the evil of their actions, how can thousands more be expected to change their way of thinking about the world? They won’t ever change…and we can never accept their philosophy of life.