FITZ!

Thank You All

Fitz!?

Thank you, Christy.

For the several years, I’ve made it a ritual to call those folks in my family, my friends who have served this nation. Those who lost family and friends too.

Just to thank them. Personally. Amazing the conversations I have opened up with some folks who I haven’t related to very well in the past.

Thanks to all FDdoggersL who served and to their family and friends too.

Oh, and … Fitz!

Fitzeriffic

OT-Apologies, from previous thread GSD @ 36 and Gauntanamo Horrors…

One of the things that bothered me about Guantanamo, was the possibility that a ‘conditioning’ of the military to atrocity, and a conditioning of the civilian base in a similar fashion. I feel that Gauntanamo is an ‘open wound’ to american idealism. It’s an American concentration camp, its horrific that the U.S. has become a nation that would permit a kind of clamouring vindictive ‘prison culture’ to exist, a revenge culture that celebrates execution, military strikes, imprisonment, and torture.

The current slow conditioning of americans to prison camps, and the ‘wedge issue’ polarization of american citizenry along social political, ideological and racial lines seems similarly to be the result of strategic social policy.

It really seems as though in the modern context the role of education has been usurped into ‘mass education’ through ‘mass media’. There seems to be a visible tendency of the MSM to ‘add fuel to the fire’, either for mercenary finiancial reasons, or for reasons of farther reaching ’social engineering’. I suspect that in this the very idea of american unity and american exceptionalism has suffered a mortal blow.

I love the theme from ‘Gladiator’, that, “…Rome is a dream…” that the nature of a nation is ephemeral accumulation of the actions and outlook of its leaders, and constituency. The same can be said for the U.S.A, each time a wedge issue is ‘driven home’, it is a ’stake in the heart’ of that dream.

I agree with many commentators on the ‘myth’ of american exceptionalism, that it may have once existed, but has been put to death by the ’soul-less’ corporate industrial/military industrial history of america in the 20th-21rst century. But I believe that myth is the basis of the ‘there is a dream that was rome’, analogy for interpreting america’s role in the world today.

I’d like to hear some public figure take up that message, and focus on a unity behind the greatness of the ideal, the constitution and the ideals of independance, and defend what it means that america is a ‘unity of states’. That would give some hope to see leadership take up the message of unity and freedom, and not merely bastardize a disconnected idea of ‘freedom’ in the cause of war and profit.

A real message on the ideals of unity and freedom would expose the emptiness of the bankrupt linguistics being used to ‘ideologically finance’ the current regime.

Some figure like Murtha with the gravitas, and proven conviction, to fight for what he believes in could credibly deliver a message like that.

Apologies for the prosaic rant, but I believe there is hope in a message of unity, and hope, I believe, is a more positive force than vindication.

http://www.rollingthunder1.com/

MAY, 2006 - GARY’S LETTER TO OUR MEMBERSHIP…

Dear Members,

Well the time is almost upon us again. Artie Muller has just returned from another trip to Washington, DC where he had another meeting concerning Rolling Thunder XIX. All is on track for another successful demonstration. Yes, I said demonstration, because that is the purpose for holding the event in Washington, DC. We are exercising our right to demonstrate because we want better health care for Veterans, better treatment from the VA and no more cuts to an already stressed VA System. When the VA gets cuts the result is always that the Veterans, who use the system, suffer in one way or another, usually financially. Programs get cut as well as health care professionals’ jobs. This is all unacceptable. We need to speak up and let everyone know that we are tired of this and it has to stop. If it was not for the Veterans of this country there would be no VA System because they are the ones who put their lives on the line to ensure that our way of life is protected. Now it is time for the government to take care of those veterans.

We are also demonstrating for the POW/MIA Issue. Always keep them in your minds and hearts, especially when we are in Washington, DC. If it was not for our demonstration and the gigantic, tireless efforts by other organizations the POW/MIA Issue would be swept under the rug. Because we keep alive the memories of those left behind, the government makes efforts return the remains home to be buried with honor in the country for which they so gallantly served. We have forged a relationship with JPAC (Joint POW/MIA accounting Command), who do all of the hard work to locate and return these servicemen home. And, we are not only demonstrating for Vietnam, but for veterans of all wars that this country has been in. Remains of Korean War and World War II servicemen are still being found. Lastly, we must keep fresh in people’s minds that Scott Speicher from the first Gulf War and Matt Maupin from the current Gulf War, are still Missing in Action. WHY??!! We cannot let their memory fade away. They were both deployed to protect us, so now it’s our duty to protect them.

I hope everybody has a safe trip to Washington, DC and I look forward to seeing everyone again. Again, let’s not forget why we are there, and please remember to behave in a manner that earns respect for our cause and Rolling Thunder.

Please keep our troops and the POW/MIA’s in your hearts and in your prayers. Thank you Veterans and God Bless America!

Yours truly,
Gary M. Scheffmeyer, President

For those who have HBO, most cable providers seem to provide a free “HBO On Demand” service (usually channel 1 or something). A few years ago, they aired Band of Brothers, a 10-part series. It’s a truly magnificent work based on the Ambrose book. They’re airing it again. Don’t know for how long, I’d guess at least another week.

It details the formation and progress of Easy Company, a group of elite paratroopers in the 101st Airborne. They jumped into Normandy, were part of Market Garden, and the epic stand at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge before being one of the first into Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. Some great performances by an ensemble cast, and some incredible interview pieces with the real veterans to introduce each episode. One of the most riveting things I’ve ever seen. What these guys did… just, wow.

Just a heads up - it’ll be well worth your time.

On this Memorial Day, here is a resource center where you can help support the troops and their families. It includes links to lists and images of the fallen, sending messages and care packages to the troops, charities offering family services, facilitating donations, and providing care and comfort to the wounded.

For more, visit:
Resources to Support the Troops and Their Families.

I immediatly heard the strains of Copland’s “Fanfare for the common man” when I read your post, Christy.
-sofistic

If you do not have HBO access, Info Clearing House has a link to a full version of Baghdad ER -
http://www.informationclearing.....e13192.htm

very appropriate viewing for this day

This year, in particular, I greet this day with much sadness and meloncholy.

There is great honor in serving your country, I applaud most . that do and have (sorry, but I will not blindly thank all (I have seen some acts that do not deserve the honor of calling themselves veterens or being recognized on this weekend, even though they have been put into an impossible situation). While there are many individual acts of of honor in this war, this war is far, far away from being honorable.

This weekend, I’m deeply saddened as to what Mr. Bush has done to our stadning in the world, how he has divided this country so severely. I weep for what he has done to this country.

Oh, and here is a link to Fanfare for the Common Man.

http://memory.loc.gov/cocoon/i.....fault.html

-sofistic

This time last year I was sitting in Germany, waiting for my husband to finish up his 13-month deployment to Iraq. Since I didn’t have anything fun or exciting to report on my blog, I chose instead to remember a Memorial Day several years earlier when we went with my son’s Cub Scout pack to decorate the graves at Punchbowl National Cemetery. It’s a very special memory for me, and you might enjoy seeing the pictures: http://bonald.blogspot.com/200.....l-day.html

I’m off to host Across the Great Divide, my music program on Pacifica’s Bay Area radio station KPFA. As usual it’s topical and more than a little blogosphere influenced. This week the program begins with a set of songs in honor of Memorial Day. Trying to find a way to recognize and appreciate the men and women who have died in our wars without buying into the ‘bring it on’ glorification of war or the mindless acceptance of whatever misguided project our fearless leaders want to get us engaged in. Then there’s a Dixie Chicks kick ass set. A set aimed at the panty sniffing MSMers (think Mississippi John Hurt / Nobody’s dirty business, how my baby treats me%u2026) . A few songs in tribute of GWB’s fishing magic and Pat Robertson’s amazing protein drink powered leg press prowess. And if there’s time I’ll go out with a song about the search for Jimmy Hoffa. A splendid time is guaranteed for all but FDLers are most especially welcome. The show airs on KPFA 94FM in the Bay Area between 11AM and 1PM PST. But it’s archived at kpfa dot org so you can listen after the show’s over at any time during the week. Just click on ‘programs’ and then ‘Across the Great Divide’.

OT-

Confirmed yesterday at the airport that I am on an “FBI Watch List”. What utter boobs. Counting on terrorist to be more incompetent than they are is incredible stretch.

Tony Blair made significant changes to one of his most important foreign policy speeches after bowing to American objections, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.

The Prime Minister changed key passages on possible action against Iran, climate change, and a proposed shake-up of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Objections by President George W Bush’s inner circle played a key role in the alterations, which were made just before Mr Blair delivered his landmark address at Georgetown University in Washington, on Friday, British sources have revealed.

(Telegraph)

baghdad, fallujah,tal afar & haditha

GW Clusterfuck has been termed “President Bystander” by Bruce Springsteen.

President Bystander has turned the proud american military into targets through his “operation sitting duck”- a new stroke of brilliance in the ongoing evolution of military stratergy.

In “operation sitting duck”, american troops sit around and wait for someone to blow em up. They can’t fight back- cause they don’t know who it is who wants to blow em up- until they’re already blown up.

It’s a military intelligence experiment.

Robbie

“Trying to find a way to recognize and appreciate the men and women who have died in our wars without buying into the ‘bring it on’ glorification of war or the mindless
acceptance of whatever misguided project our fearless leaders want to get us engaged in”

wanting to instill the same in our kids, we found plenty of material in Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation - unselfish, light under a bushel sacrifices made not just by the military, but a nation as well -

Interesting locution, Bush’s inner circle.

Laura Rozen posted this link. I never cease to wonder how people persist with the pretense that that smirking asshole (pictured previously) is the real head of state. It is a freaking charade.

Cheney aide is screening legislation …

http://www.boston.com/news/nat.....gislation/

RW I blogged about that today you can find it either on my homepage link or here on gorilla’s guides you might enjoy the graphic. Got to rush I missed mass this morning and the person kindly giving me a lift doesn’t deserve to be kept waiting even for firedoglake

*poof*

Robbie at 15 — if you can put your hands on a Civil War song called “Two Brothers,” its an amazing piece that really sums up the battle experience and its effects on a particular family. The two brothers fought on opposite sides of the war — one comes home, one does not. It’s a beautiful piece of folk music, but one that is a bit too rare, in my opinion. Really beautiful piece, but I can’t remember for the life of me, who sings it.

My eighty year old uncle just visited me here for a week. He was a tail gunner on a B-25 during the big war.

He would feel most honored for his service if the United States would impeach GW Clusterfuck and send him back to Crawford Tx. He hates the little struttin poppinjay- it all started when GW Clustefuck strutted across the deck of the carrier off the shores of San Diego. That was enough for my Uncle. Get rid of the fucker.

RJJ at 21 — I have a piece ready to go on that next. It’s appalling. And weird — the way that things are farmed out and around in this Administration never ceases to amaze me.

Friday, June 16, 1995

After the thirteen hour overnight train from Vienna and arriving this morning in Brussels I took a little time to relax and get situated at the Hotel Siru. The train had passed through Liege on the way to Brussels so I knew I could get there and back even though it was foggy and had been raining continually since dawn.
During the one hour trip back to Liege I was thinking about how to make the last leg of and decided to take a bus to the cemetery. After arriving I walked a mile or so towards the city center when a man passing by on the street saw me looking at a city map. He asked if he could help and after I explained I was going to the American cemetery he said that I would need to make a couple of bus changes. And that still wouldn’t get me all the way to the cemetery outside the small village of Neuville so I should take a taxi. This was my first encounter of kindness by the Belgians going out of their way to help.
I wrote out a short note saying ‘Neuville-en-Condroz, Ardenne U.S. Military Cemetery’, and was able to find a cab driver that spoke English and knew the way. He asked if I knew someone there and he would be glad to wait for me. We negotiated a price (2,000 BFr, US$80) for the 20 minute drive both ways and a 20 minute stay for a total of 1 hour. I was taken directly to the cemetery, through the entrance and up to the visitor’s center.
I was barely out of the taxi when a man came out to greet me. He was American said his name was Mr. Thompson, a retired military officer who volunteered there. This was in itself emotional since I hadn’t spoken to another American since I had left the States six weeks earlier.
When we walked into the visitor’s center he announced to the rest of the staff that I was an American and there to visit a relative. They all came out to greet me and then took me into the side office when they found out I had some historical pictures and information. We discussed the material I had which was from when the cemetery was just being started. They then went to work to get the correct grave number since what I had was from the original, temporary, layout.
With a light rain still coming down Mr. Thompson took me out to the cemetery. It was beginning to be very difficult to control my emotions.
There are over 5,300 Americans buried there in the shape of a Celtic Cross. Lyle is buried a little ways down the bottom segment. As the first kin to visit his grave my emotions for the whole family were almost overwhelming. Mr. Thompson left me quietly alone for a few minutes.
I said a prayer and then left Lyle a letter I had written to him on the drive over. I told him about Grandmother and Arlis passing away but that was probably something he knew already. And that I thought he would be pleased with Belgium and this adopted American soil. And how kind the Belgium people were towards Americans, especially since I had just come from Vienna where he had died.
I also left a picture of Dad’s side of the family from his and Mom’s 50th wedding anniversary. Before we walked back I took a few pictures and Mr. Thompson also took a Polariod for me to have.
We then went to the Memorial Chapel where he explained the history of the cemetery and the reasons and circumstances for its existence. The murals on the walls fittingly describe the battle fought by those who rest there. The cemetery was originally established because of the Battle of the Bulge and then brave men from other battles were shortly thereafter included. My own guess is that the cemetery had begun only a month or so before Lyle was killed. As I write this I am again having difficulty controlling my emotions and seeing.
We then went back to the visitor’s center where they had prepared a special packet for me. They said they normally only get a few visitors a year there and so I also was able to speak with the Belgian historian for a little bit. He explained that the local population still tends and cares for the graves out of gratittude to those resting there and that the tradition had been started when the cemetery was established. And that one of the pictures I had was of a local volunteer who specifically took care of Lyle’s grave. This is probably the same woman who wrote to Grandmother. I let him make copies of what I had, thanked them for their work and dedication then we said goodbye.
On the train trip back to Brussels, all I could do was watch the rain and the grey/green countryside pass by out the window. Without ever having known him, all I could do was grieve for all of us and him. May you rest in peace, Uncle Lyle.

Home of the ‘brave’ eh, does this include cowardly marines that shoot 3 year old girls??

just askin’

Now the poodle has to face a UK who has just been told that their Prime Minister agreed to avoid the truth cause the crapheaded president of the United States ordered him to change his speech.

If the UK is to be under the control of President GW Clusterfuck- should brits be allowed to vote in US elections? It’s becoming obvious that their vote in their own elections is subject to presidential veto.

If the UK stands still for this bullshit they’re - well nearly as stupid as americans.

Did it ever occur to Prime Minister Poodle that he could have politely said “no”? Just wondering.

Balzar — don’t be a jackass. Anyone who shoots someone in cold blood, be they in uniform or out of it, is a criminal. Period. You either follow the rules or you pay the consequences for not doing so. Anyone who has read anything I write knows exactly how I feel on that score — as do all those asshats I’ve sent to the penitentiary for failing to follow the laws in my prosecuting days. But dropping by to try and score cheap points at the expense of men and women who have served valiantly and for honorable purpose is just so much crap, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

My father served with the army in the infantry at Normandy. And my family has several people serving Uncle George. I had buddies that didn’t make it back from Nam alive. So I honor those who serve. But Viet Nam was not a war of choice. We were drafted. Iraq is not just a war of choice for chickenhawks like Bush, Hillary and Cheney. It’s also a war of choice for those men and woman who sign up for the military. And I cannot somehow understand why anyone would volunteer for the illegal and immoral war that is Iraq when they don’t have too. Let alone serving under our commander in chief. My advice would be don’t volunteer for the military. And thereby force the possible reinstitution of the draft. That would be far fairer, assuring that rich and well connected kids would serve too. Bringing back the draft would stop the Bush killing machine in the Mideast.

when you have criminal helmsmen at the head of the ship -cheney, buch, rumsfield, gonzales etc - it is little surprise that we are seeing a mutiplication of war crimes - demonstrably so, even within the empire’s own corrupt jurisprudence in both afghanistan & iraq on a scale in this three years that would humble that mass murderer lt. calley

in vietnam there were many my lai’s but the pure concentration of criminal behaviour in iraq & afghanistan mirror exactly the criminals of a ‘higher’ calibre - especially that brute cheney

what is horrifying however is the complicity of the cheerleading journalist who will crawl up any ass to ingratiate themselves with ‘power’

they do not understand that the ‘power’ that the murdered hassan family & their surving daughter - is more luminous, more illuminative of the real & concrete revelation of power

As we face another painful Memorial Day- we must aknowledge that our president is no FDR- and Blair is no Churchill.

Are we now grading on the curve?

Christy,
I don’t know that song but I’ll find it for another program. This week’s show starts (after the usual theme song) with a stunning Richard Shindell song written in the voice of a woman who loses her husband in the civil war. It’s called Reunion Hill. It may have a similar feel. I think you’ld like it. Streaming audio at kpfa dot org. I’m out the door.

Heartfelt thanks to all who have served our country. My dad was a transport pilot in WWII and an AP stringer in Korea.

When he flew, he and his crew realized at the debriefing after their first combat rescue mission that although THEY had parachutes, the wounded soldiers did not. The crew all agreed that they would not wear theirs, either, so they wouldn’t be tempted to abandon their charges in the face of an attack on their aircraft.

That’s what I call sacrifice.

OT and EPU’d:

Somewhere, someone linked to H2Oman’s post on DU Forums, wherein he mentions that Tweety (that’s matthews, right?) called Joe Wilson to warn him the WH was after him. That’s the first time I’ve seen that. Am I just out of the loop?

When a beaming Blair was chosen to receive America’s highest civilian honour in July 2003, amid thunderous applause from a joint session of Congress, no one could have imagined how reticent he would prove in picking up the thing.
The official explanation is that, as each medal is individually designed, Downing Street is having the damnedest time trying to decide what image and words to put on it. If so, for a Prime Minister acutely conscious of the record books as he makes his way towards a decade in power, he can already claim to have set a standard for slow design of a Congressional medal. Mandela’s took three months to produce and pick up.

A more likely explanation is that with Blair’s plummeting poll ratings and backbench hostility to the Iraq war, the last thing he needs is a ceremony celebrating his steadfastness as an American ally.

Guardian

Probably the very last thing the Poodle needed was a story coming out that he edited his speech under orders from the President of the US.

Read an article on the importance of remembering those who are gone this Memorial Day weekend…here:

www.thoughttheater.com

I remember several years ago going to the cemetary on memorial day. There were several services for different organizations, throughout the grounds.

I happened to come by the veterans service. It was clearly smallish, with very few people in attendance, some of whom were even paying attention to the speaker. He was a tall, elderly gentleman, who proudly wore his uniform and was clearly upset with the lack of attention, crowd, and respect were receiving that day in his corner of the universe.

I sat in one of the many empty chairs and listened. I know of no one personally who has ever fought for our country. But I don’t think praise or honor is what drives people into service, as much as it is duty. If the speakers country called, all his feelings of dismay would vanish into a puff smoke.

This is why it is so important for the civilian leadership to get it right when sending the sons and daughters of America into foreign lands. The sense of duty cannot be polluted by misleading a country into war for nefarious purposes.

Democrats should not run from the investigation of this most serious question of making war, and how did it come to pass, as a campaign issue. If people are guilty of falsely leading us into war, which led to the deaths of thousands and the financial cost in the billions they must be held accountable so this never happens again.

It is all so very sad. I don’t know if the US will ever be able to pull itself out of the hole dug by Bush, Cheney, Powell, Condi, Gonzales and the rest of the sordid imperial wannabes.

As Kurt Vonnegut said, I feel like a man without a country.

-GSD

Redd (30): Amen. Balzar, your remark is disgusting. It serves no good purpose.

all the fallen, especially the innocents ought to be remembered

Mommybrain,

That is the infamous call where Tweety was told by Karl Rove that Valerie Wilson was “fair game”.

This is one of the reasons why I occasionally have respect for Matthews….Not often, too much lemon panty sniffing going on for my taste, but Tweety will step up to the plate of decency on rare occasions. Sorta like Scarborough without the dead intern.

-GSD

rememberinggiap at 41 — amen to that as well. I keep seeing in my minds eye the image of a child who is trapped in a war zone, and then juxtaposing my own child in that situation. As a tiny child, all you would know is the terror of the situation, not the why or the bigger picture issues, and that would be interspersed by some play and some loving family moments — but mostly a lot of uncertainty and fear. And I can’t help but ache for those people trapped in that world — in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in the Sudan, in any area of conflict. And for all those who have lost family members — be they soldiers or innocent casualties of war — the pain is beyond anything I can imagine. All of them are caught up in this, and you have to wonder how and when it will end.

During the Vietnam War, when I was a pre-schooler, my grandfather, his brothers, and neighbors would gather to shoot the breeze in living rooms, on porches, on front steps, around an outdoor fireplace by the brothers’ lakehouse, or when out hunting and fishing. They were all veterans of World War Two, were of Germanic or Czech extraction, and I had the privilege of eavesdropping on them when there were no women around. I also to go to the cooler or fridge for cans of Genessee and Schmidt’s beer. They’re all gone now, but I listened closely wherever I could follow, and paid particular attention when their talk turned to the war.

As I recall, they were almost completely devoid of ideology, and viewed their experience as something fateful and much larger than they. Some of them had survived the worst close combats of the war, some had only been in harm’s way, but there seemed little difference in respect accorded amongst them. They were well aware of their good luck, both on a personal and a common level. All were blue-collar family men except “The Professor,” my grandfather’s youngest brother Frankie, who had become CFO of a national paper company.

What strikes me still today is how well-adjusted they were compared to the veterans who would return from Vietnam, get married, often have trouble finding good employment, and almost without exception get divorced within a decade; probably the primary reasons for the contrast is that my grandfather’s generation believed the war they fought was just and obviously necessary, they were financially well-supported by their government for doing so, and were accorded honest respect by their families and society for having served. The veterans of the Oil Wars won’t share those advantages.

I remember one particular exchange between my grandfather and Dick Gugenberger on the porch steps. The talk was about troops smoking pot or taking drugs while on patrol. This would’ve been 1967 or ‘68. My grandfather made some disparaging remark about long-hairs, and Dick Gugenberger, who while a Marine sergeant fought from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, replied, “Oh, I don’t know. When it was bad we got drunk on swipe as fast as we could. One time we drank it right out of the stills before it was ready with Japs charging down our holes. I wish we’da had some pot right about then, we sure would’ve smoked it–let ‘em smoke all the pot they want.”

Killing people, even when they’re soldiers charging at you with fixed bayonets, sucks. So does getting torn up or killed. Dick Gugenberger knew that better than any man on those porch steps, and my grandfather, his brother Hank, and Moose Havlicek had a moment of silence and then agreed. On this Memorial Day I know they would not envy our troops in Iraq.

The function of this holiday is to honor the dead- and we must do that- but we must also not forget the living- the poor sonsabitches who are now in Iraq- many of em for the third time- knowing that the heat is coming- both the devastating furnace created by the sun- and the furnace of hatred that threatens to consume them. They much deserve our pity and our support. Bring the poor fuckers home!

The only real cowards are those that have set the nation on the path of a ruinous foreign policy based on trumped up fears, global hegemony and personal power grabbing..all while dodging their own culpability and while holding those in the lower echelons to standards that are impossible to meet.

The poor fucked up soldiers and Marines and sailors on repeated deployments in dangerous places with no moral leadership are as much victims as the innocents caught up in the rape of humanity foisted upon the world by Bush and his maruaders.

-GSD

Christy:”To all those who have served our nation with honor, we salute you.”

Thanks, for the salute, Christy. I was proud to serve. The GI Bill allowed me to go to college.

US Army, Staff Sgt., honorably discharged.

Happy to be in the company of true patriots here.

We choose today to honor the 2686 dead members of the coalition of the willing- who have given their lives so that the profits of Exxon-Mobil will continue well into the century.

MarcLord @ 44

This is what I’m talking about. Soldiers should not be the ones to pay for an illegal war for the rest of their lives. These same guys from Nixon are back and have foisted another war on us. A stake must be driven through their heart publicly so this never happens again.

rwcole,

here’s Chamberlain’s Blair’s medal

http://www.naddak.com/store/catalog/DCP_6040.JPG

Gotta go. Later folks

And the wounded, let us not forget them. Men and women missing limbs, faces, eyes, brain tissue; the thought of the physical pain atop the anguish of being mutilated is more than I can bear.
Don Stegink, you made me weep. A melancholy and beautiful post.

cbl- funny as hell- thanks!

Today we honor death.

To understand exactly what we are honoring- I suggest this from the WaPo:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01578.html

christy
i still see that photograph, in fact a series of photographs of the daughter hassan literally pooling the blood of her executed family & her saying that when she grew up she would drink the blood of americans

yes it was a horror what she said but it was clearly matched & is completely matched by the obscenity of this war

the powerful have always lied their people to war & it is a disproportionate number of innocents who do the dying

the cry of that everyman jack lemmon in the film, ‘missing’, “what kind of world is this” resonates with terrible force

on this memorial day - you have this terrible massacre haditha revealing itself, but you also have the dishonouring of soldier pat tillman - there are lies then there are lies that are deep in heart of a state’s being - what wilhelm reich would have called the death instinct - that makes a mockery of laws & of rights & of men

It simply amazes me that no more than 10 people, with the complicity and advocacy of perhaps 100 others, have managed to push this country over a cliff where it is now hurtling toward the rocks below. Can we wait until November to realize the possibility of a change in what has happened and continues to happen? Is our disbelief so paralyzing that we cannot fully comprehend the measure of this disaster? Is there no one in a leadership position except Cindy Sherman, John Murtha, Russ Feingold, John Conyers, Al Gore, John Edwards and Patrick Fitzgerald, willing to take a stand and take bold action? It seems the answer is no.
And so, once again, we must see how crucial it is for us, we at the grass roots level, to hammer away relentlessly for accountability and relentlessly demand a return to the ideals which give us pride and hope.
If we are to win the support of the rest of the country we would do well to take care with our words and consider carefully how we can rally others to our cause. It isn’t enough to be idealistic and passionate. We must also keep the discourse at a high level. We must do this if we hope to defeat the enemy at home as well as the enemy abroad.

Rwcole @ 10:02
I certainly understand your Uncle’s feelings.

I just wonder what goes through George Wrong Bush’s mind when he looks at himself in the mirror….do you think he perhaps sees Napoleon or Alexander the Great…..a few Walter Middy dreams for someone who didn’t have the guts to go to Viet Nam but is now one of the biggest war mongers in history. But of course he could swagger across the deck of an aircraft carrier and declare “Mission Accomplished”.

I had a room mate whose last steps on earth was the walk to his aircraft across the deck of the carrier on a flight over Viet Nam never to return. I had a fraternity brother who was killed in a fire on a carrier. I’m a Navy vet who belives carrier decks are hallowed ground and George Wrong Bush’s swagger and smirk on the carrier was a disgrace to the memory of all those who have fought and died for this country.

The original idea of this day was to honor the war dead. The point is to take our young men and women aside and say to them- “See those grave markers- those represent the men and women who gave their lives for their country- and for you- and you must be prepared to do the same one day- for your country- and for your children and grand children- and for their grandchildren- so that the light of freedom will never be extinguished in these United States”

That’s what it’s for- to pass the torch of liberty to another generation.

What parents now engage in that torch passing? Which parents turn to their sons and daughters and say- “We expect you to be prepared to give your life on foreign soil for the future of this nation”.

I, for one, cannot.

Who among us will say to a young person we know or whom we are related to:

“Join the military- serve your country- go to Iraq and join in the sacrafice for liberty”

Who among us will say these words today?

Now it is “the other” who joins- “the other” who serves, “the other” whose shattered corpses we honor with flags and flowers. It is “the other”- those who hope to find a path to college. Those who hope to be given the gift of citizenship- and of course- the career soldiers- for whom this is one more bloody stop on the road to a pension.

The citizen army is gone- and the army of the “other” has taken it’s place.

Isn’t the most appropriate reading for Memorial Day in the U.S., the book, Rogue State, by William Blum? It’s a complete fiction that the U.S. has somehow stumbled into aggressive domination in Iraq after two centuries of our troops virtuously defending freedom for ourselves and others. Anybody remember the Indian Wars, the Spanish America War, hey, how about the Vietnam war? Sure, the troops there were draftees and not all volunteers like they are now committing war crimes in Iraq–but “fighting to defend our freedoms”? Tell me another… Christy (aka ReddHead), let’s not pretend anymore about our cultural/national myths, but “cast a cold eye, on life, on death, horseman pass-by” –Yeats tombstone

As the specter of Haditha looms larger and larger, it is important to remember -

It was Marines in Haditha who immediately informed the chain of command -

soldiers at My Lai refused to take part in the massacre and again it was soldiers who informed the world of those atrocities

it is evident from the story of Pat Tillman that the young soldier cradling a dead Pat Tillman also did the right thing - and the military establishment made him do it again and again - until someone paid attention

why these soldiers and marines were somehow spared the brutalization that can turn earnest young men in to cold blooded killers is way outside my pay grade - but spared they were and although I suspect they will be paying for it in a myriad of ways for a long time - god bless them for adhering to the true meaning of Honor and Duty

Every generation of my family has served, including my brother and sister. There will be no more. Within the family there are many divisions of thought on politics and religion, but on the war, we all agree. If congress declares another war in my lifetime I will eat your hat, lawnmower, and all the crows in your yard. It won’t happen. Since Vietnam (does everyone remember what an angry two decades that was?), our nation has devalued and disrespected the men and women who serve; choosing to blame soldiers for the failings of fat, white men who are only interested in their own personal gain. The politicians have used the bodies of soldiers as political tools, never once in the 61 years since the end of WWII having the nerve to actually declare war, and accept the responsibility that entails. 25% of the enlisted in today’s military are recieving some form of public assistance. 50% of returning veterans never receive any counseling or follow up. Waits of a year or more are common for wounded vets needing treatment for amputated or lost limbs. This nation, that once made me proud, now only brings shame to an uncaring, uneducated, and apathetic society. Someone once said, in a democracy, we get the government we deserve. We now have the military we deserve as well. On this weekend of remembrance, it would be good for all Americans to feel shame along with gratitude. Our soldiers deserve that much, at least.

I forgot to mention the atomic bombing of civilians in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Utah… When you think about it, the list is lengthy and runs the complete gambit of our history as a nation!

It is important for a nation to retain the moral authority to call upon it’s young citizens to risk their lives in the nation’s defense. It is not something a nation should have to apologize for - or beg for- it is something that it should have the right to EXPECT- This requires sacred honor. This requires that the nation will NEVER make that request in vain- that it will never ask for one drop of american blood unless it is absolutely necessary for the survival of the nation.

That trust- that sacred oath of honor- has been breached- by an AWOL Air National Guardsman from Texas- a silver cokespoon trust account baby from a family with connections.

For this- and for many other things- this president must be remembered as the man who tried his best to destroy the United States of America.

Just Asking at 61 — you know, you forgot to list the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Why is that exactly? Doesn’t fit into your personal world view? Try reading more history than just that which confirms what you want to see. Of course there have been wars which were fought solely for inappropriate political purposes — but there have also been wars which were fought because they had to be. This is an enormous shade of gray area — there is no true black or white, good or bad. And anyone who wants to haggle that clearly has had no relatives or close friends who have had to deal with the aftermath of battle, and the wounds both physical and emotional, that stay with them for a lifetime. Denegrate the policy all you like, but don’t you dare denegrate a soldier who serves with honor, with dignity and with a sense of duty to country — not without taking the time to talk with some of them and understand why it is that they stood up to fight. Take some time and watch Band of Brothers, or talk with some old guys who fought in WWII, and learn something about honor and duty.

My friend and attorney, a Viet Nam veteran, will give a Memorial Day speech tomorrow in the town square. Our republican state house rep, will speak first.

My atty was asked to provide a democratic viewpoint in rebuttal of what is fully expected to be a rather politically biased republican styled crapola-speech. He rehearsed his speech with me.

First, he established, rather solidly, his military service and experience and that of his two sons. Then he brought up the subject of patriotism; and discussed the concept that, just because someone expresses dissent, they are not automatically unpatriotic. We defend our nation so that we are free to express ourselves as we desire as individuals.

He went on to say that patriotism is not just putting a sticker on your car and saying support the troops. He said, in short, that people who seemingly espouse so much patriotism should put their money where their mouth is and sign up for duty. (I was reminded of “Operation Yellow Elephant”) And/Or (they should), encourage others to enlist, especially members of their own families. If they believe so much in the war, they should do this. He also talked about draft/non draft times and that a draft is more fair because everyone gets to serve - even the wealthy.

Also, he said that Memorial Day (May)is for remembering the dead who served. Veterans Day (Sept) is for all Veterans. And Armed (Services? Forces?) Day is for all who currently serve.

My father, born 1912, volunteered just after Dec 7, 1941. What I know is that he trained near Lake Ponchatrain, LA and used his mechanical skills in the Army Air Corps. Flew a bit. Stationed in Weisbaden during occupation. Had memories of major German cities flattened by Allied bombing, as seen from the air.

Now I think on it, he had Shirer’s “Rise and Fall”. I know he reread it several times in my lifetime, the last time was with the assistance of a magnigying glass (even though he already was wearing bifocals).

At the time, I thought he was just kinda showing off, like, see, I’m reading this huge thing again.

With all the newhistory I’m living thru, and alot of FDL comments citing Shirer, I must reevaluate the value and relevance of that work.

Bless those who’ve served.

stephen & rw
have just seen on cnn ‘coming home’ (already an appropriation of a sensitive film by hal ashby) & what is not to be seen is ‘honour’

cnn & its partners in crime (using all the military language they so love) make pornographic mush

they really do not possess decency

& cbl - on haditha you are quite wrong - it was reported through local people, then through a video by a non govermental agency & then through time magasine

on my lai there was no dissent within calleys group - it was as is well known the duty of a helicopter pilot who risked the life of himself & the troops to stop calley

the sadness is that these are not exceptional incidents - they occur with a great regularity - which for example any reasonable history by fighting men & women will recount

this is not a baton with which to hit americans, other nations have been as guilty of these terrible crimes but what is happening in iraq & in afghanistan mirroring their government - is an army adapting itself to criminal character -abhu ghraib - is only the most illustrative example

here more than any other war people are being turned into monsters because they are directed into war by monsters

I know this is EPUd but what a pleasure to see the wise words of Rgiap here …

and the lovely tributes from so many

brought back a memory - one of my dad’s best drinking buddies was a congressional medal of honor winner, purple heart, war hero from the days before vietnam … he and I argued vietnam heatedly on the mid-60s nights when I was invited to sit with the men as they drank jamesons and talked … but he always stopped and gave a friendly wave and thumbs up when he drove by our weekly silent vigil and made sure people saw that the town’s recognized war hero approved of our often taunted peace vigil and so tonight I’ll toast the Daley boys and soldiers of true honor.

Thanks to all good Americans, former and current VETS.

I grew up on military bases around the world. My Green Beret Father spent 20 years w/2 tours of Nam defending our Country, like his Dad before him, and now his only Grandson currently station on a Navy ship in the Gulf.

CHICKEN-$HIT corporate jerks need to get out of their MEDIA FANTASIZED and self-constructed world to see THE TRUTH.

AMERICANS are finally waking up.
It will take all GOOD Americans to stand up, get in the streets and off the couch - to get this MADNESS stopped. I cry tears of sadness for my Country today, for we have much to learn, much to un-do.
——–
“There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.” — John Adams, 1772

Christy,
I wasn’t attacking you, but myself being a history grad student who studied WWII extensively, you should know that the beginning of that war was the partitioning of Poland by Hitler and Stalin, yet we fought only Hitler and aided Stalin’s subjugation of Europe… We (you are I) were taught certain cultural myths about all those wars in our public school texts. The Civil War, for instance, was not fought to “liberate the slaves” (which Lincoln himself often said he would keep in slavery if he thought it would “preserve the Nation”) but to prevent succession (& overturn the Declaration of Independence as having any political relevance!). You don’t believe me? Read the detailed history of the Civil War, and imagine if say, Utah, were to declare its independence! In point of fact, it did under Brigham Young and was invaded and crushed by the U.S. Army in a war of subjugation not mentioned in our history texts… The U.S. Army, in fact, appointed the new leadership of the territory of Utah–so much for self-determination and so much for our War of Independence and the inalienable right to it… It was all a one shot deal and most of the Colonists fled to Canada to avoid living in the new United States. Again, I admire and really appreciate all you do and write; but “cast a cold eye” and, yes, an objective eye on all your cultural/national conditioning…as I had to do. It’s painful, I know.

Would the US have been a different place had Utah been allowed to go it’s own way? Guess we’ll never know.

Just asking - it’s the thing that made Lynn Cheney go ballistic over the new history pamphlet - was it from the GAO? She commissioned it, shepherded it and after Dicko decided he was the best choice to run this country - er, run for VP - she went ballistic and had them all destroyed for not being pro-American enough. As in, told the truth a little too much about well, the things to which you refer.

mommybrain, thanks. RCcole, the Mormon polygamists actually fled the United States and thought they would be settling in Mexico, away from the US, then that Mexican-American war broke out and, alas to them!, they found themselves on the shores of the Great Salt Lake in the U.S., again! Don’t get me wrong: I’m not Mormon or even pro-Mormon. But I did learn something, and that is that most of the citizens of our country are the most ignorant people on earth (myself if not also Christy, included). Here’s why, as explained once by a Russian emigre who was astounded to discover the same fact. He explained that in Russia under the Soviets “everyone knew” that what they were taught and read in the newspapers were lies, but in the U.S., apparently, everyone thinks they are righty informed in their public schools and by reading their newspapers, and that is, NOT!

MarcLord @ 10:36 am (#44) - There’s another point that makes the newer wars different from WWII and before. In most of the older wars, we - both civilian and military - were in them together. During WWI and WWII the civilian economy was reorganized to produce what the soldiers needed. The news reports covered the war. Everyone who wasn’t living in the wilderness was aware of what was happening.

Today, it’s more like “please don’t interrupt our game shows”. Read, or re-read, Michener’s The Bridges At Toko-Ri for an idea of how different Korea was from WWII in that regard. It’s gotten worse ever since. Now we just send other people’s kids off to places we can’t even find on a map to kill people we hadn’t heard of before.

I think only soldiers can really understand what they’ve gone through. I have an idea, but I don’t have the emotional understanding needed. They do things in wars that many can’t bring themselves to talk about with people who haven’t been through it, because most of us just wouldn’t understand. Now, even the idea that we’re all somehow in it together is gone, further isolating the veterans from the rest of us.

Oh, and WWII and WWI veterans had PTSD. It was called “combat fatigue” back then. It was there, but for many reasons it was handled better than we do now.

cbl 62 -
Your comment (and rwcole’s re: operation sitting duck) reminds me of what is surely happening in Iraq. And Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Uzbekistan are the tip of the iceberg.

The pundits’ discussion about shutting down Gitmo (and Abu Ghraib as it were) is so much fluff. An educated guess says that there exist more camps for what is tantamount to torture/extraordinary rendition/disappearing folks in lots of secret places. Shutting down the high profile Gitmo, for example, would be, at best, purely symbolic. Uzbekistan, anyone?

A fish rots head first. The problem is at the top - in the neocon doctrine/ concept/leadership. When they get caught, they sacrifice a few grunts and continue. But, alas, I am preaching to the choir.

A preemptive apology: I realize the timing of what I feel compelled to ask is bad given the sincere reverence of the initial post and its replies. But then on so few other occasions do I mark such an unquestioning embrace of a disputable article of faith from the civil religion — disputable, because from my perspective, this article of faith has been heartily and repeatedly abused by the government. Thus, I admit I find the conclusion “so that we can remain free” perplexing.

Can somebody explain the truth of this belief to me without resort to sentimental and self-evident (as in evident only to the self, or those that agree implicitly, intuitively) argument? The idea presumes that the role of the soldier is one of innocent and noble defender of our cherished common value of liberty. It is an appealing idea and might certainly be possible. But in every decade this century, wars of choice are foisted on the military by the civilian leadership. It is often difficult to determine why they are initiated when one compares the government’s stated and public reasons for incepting them with what turns up later in the historical record.

Unfortunately, Iraq is not unique in this regard. If you scratch the surface of the conventional public narrative of any war in the twentieth century, you find ambivalence and duplicity in the intentions of the civilian leadership that, for me at least, detract comfort from the simple sentiment of “so that we can remain free.” What am I missing that, given these gross inconsistencies and the consequence of misery and slaughter (always on foreign soil) that flows from their need, leaves “so that we can remain free” sounding unconscionably naive?

Regarding the soldier’s potential as defender of the nation and its values, are there any among us that would not fight to defend our homes and the humblest expressions of our way of life from brutish encroachment? Yet, what brutish encroachment has our government foisted on others - often with the grudging complicity of the common soldier? By what tortured argument does the guarantee of our liberty follow?

If I have offended anyone in asking these questions, again I apologize. Please believe that I intend no disrespect. My own experience with war comes only from a grandfather who won the Purple Heart at the Battle of the Bulge as a paratroop, whose legs are nearly useless and have been riddled with pain for 60 years. It is quite intense to hear him recall through tears at Thanksgiving or Christmas every year, with perfect clarity and startling eloquence all these decades later, the young German man with red hair he shot in the neck and who fell against a tree shouting out “mother! mother!” in German, a word my grandfather would have known and used, my great-grandparents being German immigrants.

My grandfather was the brother of an admiral and congressman from Missouri. He suffered “combat fatigue” from World War 1 (gassed by the Kaiser) and was never able to return to the law career he was training for before the war.

In this little example- and millions more serious- one can see the countless sacrafices americans have made through our history for their country. Ir is crucial that we make certain that the country remain worthy of their sacrafices.

Tom at 78. You haven’t offended me, but have it said it exactly and very eloquently! Thank you. Patriotism is at root a word that means love of home and family, and often it has no true relevance to country, which, unlike community and family is a purely political construct, often foisted upon people against their will and self interest (e.g. the history of the United States).

Christy, you mentioned at the end of your memorial to the war dead, that they died to protect our freedom, but, surely, the young men and women who died in Viet Nam and Iraq were not protecting our freedom here at home. Their patriotism, their gift of duty and life to the country was rewarded with betrayal by the political leadership of this country which led them through that quagmire of an unjustified war.

On the other hand, the men and women who died fighting or serving in WWII shared, equally, in a fight against a genuine enemy. Their deaths represent a democratic apportionment of suffering. That they served with a sense of genuine purpose against a tyrant like Hitler, and so valiantly, was a sacrifice shared by everyone, here, at home and in Europe. But the current war in Iraq has not produced any sacrifice on the part of citizens at home, and, since the military no longer draws on everyone to fight, but has become a professional army, then, the sacrifice is a very strange and lonely one. And one, which, in spite of yellow ribbons on cars, unnoticed.

All war is avoidable. No one should have to die in a foreign land to protect our freedom here. What will we do to protect ourselves against the tyrants at home? What sacrifices will we have to make to save the Constitution, which is the guaranty of our freedom?

Sophist at 6

Speaking of conditioning, I have always felt that the show Cops was an attempt to get the public used to the idea of having their rights violated

My father died two years ago. He entered the Marine Corps at age 16(lied about his age to escape an alcoholic family). He served in the North Atlantic, North Africa, and in the worst combat of the Pacific on Pelilu and Okinawa. He was awarded the silver cross for bravery under fire in the battle of Bloody Nose Ridge on Pelilu and wounded on Okinawa. As he was returning to the US at the end of the war on a hospital ship he promised that after seeing the worst cruelty and barbarism of war he wanted to learn to become a kind human being. He spent much of his adult life helping veterans who suffered from alcoholism and PTSD. And I saw him become a kind and compassionate human being who wanted to make his life worthwhile, as a promise to his friends who had died.

Two weeks before he died of progressive kidney disease he changed his party registration to Democrat after being Republican most of his adult life. He was disgusted by the willingness of corrupt men who had never seen combat who were so willing to send young women and men to their deaths and lie about the reasons. He was disgusted at what had become a party of extremism and deceit, that was so careless about our environment and about the responsibilities of governing. He was a veteran who served his country and saw the party in power as spitting on the values so many had died for. To his last day he suffered terribly from the psychological impact of the extreme violence of war and thought every effort should be made to avoid war.

I’m the one that posted about Uncle Lyle above.

This past holiday season I became the family possesor of my Uncle Lyle’s personal effects including his Purple Heart and medals. I never met him, of course, but wished to share with you memories of his life to honor a life lost.

In all the pictures I now have he’s always smiling; and you could always tell a letter from Uncle Lyle since he drew pictures on the outside of the envelope.

He was a B-17 pilot who’s bomber was shot down over Vienna by AA fire; he went down with his plane, staying at the controls while most of his crew was able to get out. I have the letters the survivors wrote my grandmother expressing their sympathy and gratitude for my uncle’s actions during those last frightening moments.

All people have and are family; war is a horror of mankind that destroys families and mankind’s future. My we all learn together a better way some day. Just dreaming…

One thing stands out in this post it’s thread and all the ones like it I have read this