Day: December 22, 2015

“Leave No Man Behind”

How many times have you heard this line used in a movie or TV show?  I guess it would be often…..

The premise is that no soldier is left on the field of battle…..a wonderful concept…..a brave bold statement……however not accurate.  The mission ALWAYS comes first…if that means a person is left behind…so be it.

But this post is about those Iraqis that help the US when it invaded in 2003….

The US has a horrible track record on assisting those that helped in our war endeavors…..in Iraq it was those people that joined with the US forces to defeat Saddam and his minions……once we had accomplished the task what was the future of those brave Iraqis?

Source: The slow death of hope for America’s loyal friends in Iraq – FT.com

Not a very honorable picture in that……now is it?

But Iraq was not the only time that we turned our backs on those that risked everything to help in our war efforts…..

For me it is Vietnam and the people known as Montagnards……indigenous tribesmen of the Central Highlands of Vietnam that joined with US Special Forces to fight the NVA and the VC…..

The bond between America’s elite fighters and their indigenous partners has persisted into the present, but despite the best efforts of vets, the Montagnards have suffered greatly in the postwar years, at least in part because they cast their lot with the U.S. Army. In a war with more than its share of tragedies, this one is less often told but is crucial to understanding the conflict and its toll.

Source: The Green Berets and the Montagnards: How an indigenous tribe won the admiration of Green Berets and lost everything.

We could also use Afghanistan of the 1980’s as an example…..only it was not so much individuals that we turned our backs on but rather an entire country.

After Soviet forces pulled out of the country in 1989. Various factions of mujahedeen — or holy warriors — took control but then quickly began to fight among themselves. And that continued bloodshed among the warlords gave rise to the radical Taliban movement.

And the US saw NO strategic benefit in further funding any ops in Afghanistan….so yes we turned our backs on the country and as they say…..”the rest is history”.

We have done this sort of thing many times…..we turn our backs on those when they are NO longer useful….and it is translating into our society as well…..

When Will Republican Candidates Speak Out About Pentagon Waste?

I have often bitched about the severe waste of cash by the Pentagon….like the multi-billion dollar flying brick, the F-35 or the Navy ship that breaks down everytime it goes to sea trials or a mine sweeping device that cannot find explosives in a room full of them and it only costs $700 million or so….there are so many others too numerous to list here……so my question is…..why?

So far the GOP has bitched about those “freeloaders” and Obamacare and how much is wasted on social programs but not one of them has stepped up and question just what the Hell is going on in the Pentagon.

I understand that they are the prostitutes to the military-industrial complex but eventually someone has got to make these spend crazy asswads to be held accountable……

Source: When Will Republican Candidates Speak Out About Pentagon Waste? | William Hartung

A damn good question that begs an answer!

Any thoughts?

Have You Heard The News?

The good news is that the Saudis have come up with a master plan for fighting ISIS….It seems that they now have a 34 nation coalition that will do the trick…..I said when I heard the news that it was too good to be true…..maybe I am a psychic….or something…..

Some key members of the 34-nation anti-Islamic State coalition announced by Saudi Arabia have a fundamental question: just what is it?

Indonesia did not know it was going to be a military alliance, which it does not want to join. A senior Pakistani lawmaker only learned the news from a Reuters reporter.

And while Western governments welcomed this week’s initiative, there was uncertainty over how it would work.

Comments from several of the countries that signed up to the initiative appeared to reveal a lack of preparation by Riyadh, which approached partners with an invitation to join a coordination centre but then announced a military alliance.

When Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the new group at a sudden midnight press conference, he called it an “Islamic military coalition”, a description that appeared to surprise some of the governments involved.

OOPS!  Our Bad!

Looks like someone may have spoken too soon…..some of the countries have trust issues with the Saudis…..why?

Modern jihadist groups follow an extreme interpretation of Islam’s Salafi branch, of which Wahhabism was the original strain, and whose clerics regard Shi’ism as heresy, laud the concept of jihad, urge hatred of infidels and back harsh penalties for religious offences.

This is a problem….because?

Saudi is the home of the salafist movement and they follow a strict fundamental line of Islam…….sound familiar?

Faith’s archivists

How about a little historical perspective?

We all know that the barbaric group known as ISIS has set on a path to destroy many historical sites all in the name of some BS they think is right…..the recent problems in Mali have put many ancient texts in danger and this piece is about the attempts to save them for the future….

Catholic monks in Minnesota are helping to save a trove of Islamic treasures in Mali

Source: Faith’s archivists | The Economist

I have a problem with anyone that destroys a civilization’s history and heritage and I salute these brave people for their efforts to preserve the history…….may I say that it is nice to see Christians acting like Christians and not just sounding like one…….