I was supposed to be in a conference call this morning with VoteVets, but was interrupted. So I asked them to send me their most recent ad campaign in support of the troops, which unmasks George Allen even further. Eric from VoteVets emailed me the YouTube version above, which everyone is talking about today. It’s damning. George Allen should be ashamed, though we all know he has no shame.
If only this was the only instance of our troops being hung out to dry. Sadly, it isn’t.
With today’s news in Baghdad, not to mention the reality in Anbar province, it’s even more unconscionable than ever that our troops don’t have all the equipment they need. The Republican record on defense is abominable. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is a disgrace.
Nearly 100 people were killed or found dead in a series of bloody incidents throughout the Iraqi capital over the past 24 hours, authorities said.
At least 62 unidentified bullet-riddled corpses–all bearing signs of torture–have been found throughout the city since Tuesday night, said Brig. Gen. Abdullah Mahmood of the Interior Ministry.
Last week, Keith Olbermann showed a report by Lisa Myers on a defense system that is purported to stop RPGs. Take a look at this video.
Sadly, our soldiers may be taking the hit, quite literally, all because of profit.
The NBC report talks about an anti-RPG system called "Trophy" that is supposed to stop RPGs, rocket propelled grenades. The weapons that are killing so many of our brave soldiers. Trophy could save their lives. Officially, Trophy is an "anti-RPG/Anti-missile protection system for APCs and Tanks," which Defense Review covered on their site in April.
Unfortunately, the Army has a contract with Raytheon to build something like "Trophy" from scratch. When will it be ready? 2011. Wait and die, I guess is the Republican plan. Words cannot express… Our soldiers deserve better.
Watch the MSNBC report. It will infuriate you. As for the reports that Trophy doesn’t work, well, much of the stories are in support of Raytheon. There is a lot of money in a contract like that one.
This YouTube illustration of "Trophy’s" effectiveness is very convincing, but we need to know the facts, find out the truth.
Where is Donald Rumsfeld?
Better yet, where is the Senate Armed Services Committee? Shouldn’t they be asking some serious questions?
Oh, Hillary.
Related posts:
- Report Confirms Poor Electrical Work by KBR Endangers US Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Changing of the Guard: US Troops Withdraw from Iraqi Cities; Maliki Declares “Sovereignty Day”
- Disgraceful: In 8 Years, George W. Bush Never Greeted Fallen Troops
- Electrocution Deaths: DOD IG Finds Multiple Failures by KBR, Military
- New Rumors of Obama’s Afghanistan Decision: More Troops or More Spin?
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And with that, the big Terror Terror Terror speech/docudrama campaign already starts to fade from the collective public memory…
Joe No Show
Jim Lehrer!
The News Hour,must see tee vee.
I saw the Myers report and was dumbfounded that any member of the GOP has the nerve to say they “support the troops” while this is going on in the backrooms of DC. These people make me sick.
Amen, Swopa.
I have been seeing the other side of this, over at AnySoldier. The requests for just basic stuff for our troops shows that this sort of thing is endemic.
Bustednuckles @
3
I’m at work. What’s happening?
OT but not really. Last week our good buddy on the War on Terra Pakistan created sanctuaries for al-Qaeda and the Taleban in the tribal areas of Waziristan that border Afghanistan as long as they “behaved” themselves. Right, like if you believe that have I got great business deals for you involving bridges and swamp, err semi-marine real estate.
Well, the Pakistanis are showing that they are just as hard hitting on women’s issues. They have just withdrawn a draft reform of their rape laws. Currently, rape in Pakistan is governed by Islamic law under what is known as the Hudood Ordinance. What does it say?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5337752.stm
With allies like these, who needs enemies?
lying thieving dirty pig fuckers, the whole lot of them. when can we get our country back?
Here’s what the Republicans would rather provide the troops, I don’t see much difference:
Homeland Securi-Tee
Another excellent post Taylor.
OT. OMG! RAW has up that Air America is about to declare bankrupcy. Shit!
Why aren’t our Dem leaders showing this video and speaking out on every network and cable program?
OT…
I googled ” Thank you Keith Olbermann ” this morning and found nothing …….So I took the liberty to do this :
http://thank-you-keith-olbermann.blogspot.com/
Any viral help would be much appreciated.
BOO YA on that VoteVets ad. 1,000 more like it, please.
I need to buy another house to put my extra anger in.
This body armor issue has been front and center on Soldiers For The Truth for several years.
http://www.sftt.org
It is more than just an issue of GOP political failure; it is an example of how the military procurement system is broken, a breakage in which members of both parties in Congress are deeply complicit.
That said, however, we should remember that Harry Truman’s primary avenue toward public recognition prior to being nominated for Vice President in 1944 was as the chair of a Senate subcomittee that investigated military procurement corruption and incompetence under an administration whose President was of his own party. The fact that it is laughable to even think that such an investigation could take place today given the GOP’s control of both the Presidency and the Congress demonstrates how abject has been the surrender of its institutional perogatives by this Republican Congress.
It is long past time for the Democrats to chronicle and timeline the severe and unconscionable failures of this administration to provide for the safety and well-being of the troops it has sent into harm’s way. And these failures should reflect no only equipment and supply issues for troops in the field, but the failures that are making life for the returning veteran and his or her family so much more difficult than it should ever have to be.
It is only by exposing the deliberate negligence that we can finally expose the emptiness of their claims to be such great supporters of the military. It is talk, wholly without substance, and yet, people still have the impression that the GOP is so much better on military issues.
Here’s another thank you to Keith:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..29291.html
Minnesotachuck @ 15
Dude. You’re harshing the wingers’ WWII buzz.
I’d like to believe that the Trophy system works, but I remember too well the crowing about the Patriot anti-missile system during Gulf War I, which turned out to be propaganda. Hopefully there’s some hard evidence out there, but with military equipment, evidence is often even harder to separate from spin than it is in politics.
colorado bob, here you go, I still had this page minimized, it has KO’s transcripts from all of his recent Special Comments:
Bloggermann
- This hole in the ground
- A special comment on 9/11
- ‘Have you no sense of decency, sir?’
- Special comment on Bush’s speech
- Feeling morally, intellectually confused?
LindyH @ 6
I’m at work too.
I have been catching Mr. Lehrer on the toob lately.
In my humble opinion, His is one of the last real news shows we have left.He takes after these repubs with facts. Has repubs and Dems sitting side by side during interviews so you can see the spin for what it is.
I thought a shout out was called for to raise awareness to his excellent program.
BTW, Its on PBS.
What would the late Hack say about all this criminally incompetent and venal shit?
http://www.hackworth.com/
.
Hi, Taylor.
Here’s a bit more, courtesy of Laura Rozen at War and Piece:
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/004881.html
I guess this just completes the arc from the previous thread, from Curt “Faux 4F” Weldon to the comments concerning the Senate hearings, there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to look today without some measure of heartbreak.
colorado bob, meant to include this YouTube, there’s some more listed in the side that you can grab to embed also.
Olbermann Blasts Bush Again 9-11-2006
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-RhrLRoEisg
So why’s this on NBC?
Did GE bid on the military project and lose?
Gulf War One– inadequate or defective MOPP suits, masks and body armor and widespread use of DU.
Gulf War Two– S.O.S.
This country will never learn a damn thing. Money for the political and arms dealers and commercial side of the military industrial complex and not one damn thing for the grunts except a word here and there and a yellow ribbon. We are FUBAR.
Accountability??? MIA.
oh and GO Webb!
Allen is another fake cowboy who never served even by supporting the troops. Racist chickenhawk *&^%!
’scuse me folks for bursting in like this OT but, please take a look at comment #155 next to the end of Jennifer Nix’s post this morning.
We have an endorsement by both Jennifer and Rory O’Conner (hope i got that name right) the Executive Producer of the film to really push Eiger and Disney to air “911 Press for Truth” on ABC. i’m not exactly what could be described as a good organizer so i hope some of you movers and shakers will get right on this……….
and if you haven’t seen “911 Press for Truth” you can link right to it at Jennifer’s post “Promotion – It Ain’t A Four Letter Word”. it’s powerful, and very professionally done. it deserves a lotta FDL lurv and affection.
al-Scooter – I saw Ware’s report, too. It was depressingly disheartening.
I’m going to play part of the Bush-Lauer interview on my radio show today. Bush looks horrible and sounds unhinged talking about Iraq.
colorado bob, lol, one more post for you. For your sidebar or something, the addresses to make sure KO is thanked at MSNBC:
viewerservices@msnbc.com
letters@msnbc.com
countdown@msnbc.com
KOlbermann@msnbc.com
dabrams@MSNBC.com
Hope this helps!
angie at 25,
I would offer MAA.
My Achin’ Ass.
This is what we inevitably get with an incoherent (and now messianic) dilettante in charge:
______
______
Even Kristol and Lowry are now calling for a sizable force increase, but the Bushies are now in a suffocating box of their own making.
_
Newer RPGs have a double charge. The first is intended to trigger reactive armor, carried by modern tanks, and the second charge is the actual penetrator. The RPG-29 is an example of this type of RPG, and it was apparently effective in Lebanon against the Merkava 4, Israel’s top-line battle tank.
Even if Trophy is used to trigger the first charge, I would presume that the second is well-protected against premature detonation, otherwise it would destroy itself with the first explosion.
Trophy might give the active armor of a tank a better chance. But for softer targets, the only way it might be effective would be to cause a significant deviation in the trajectory of the remaining part of the missile.
So to give the benefit of doubt, this story may not be quite so simple. But we certainly do deserve a better explanation from the military.
Time to enlist, gentlemen!
fahrender @
27
Ambitious. I like it!
Oh and another thing: They sent our troops in knowingly without cultural training, language skills, and with insane new “rules” of treatment of detainees and POWs that violated the field manuals, the UCMJ, the Geneva Conventions etc.
This war was planned a long while ago…they are criminal in every way– from the top down!
Best get the troops out of Iraq. Now. Bush says they’ll stay there as long as he is president. I shudder at the thought of getting a new president, Republican or Democrat, in 2008, that might keep American soldiers in Iraq. Could happen.
You people jus’ don’t unnerschand.
Christopher Buckley (author of “Thank You for Smoking”) has had enough (Washington Monthly via Americablog):
“Who knew, in 2000, that “compassionate conservatism” meant bigger government, unrestricted government spending, government intrusion in personal matters, government ineptitude, and cronyism in disaster relief? Who knew, in 2000, that the only bill the president would veto, six years later, would be one on funding stem-cell research?
A more accurate term for Mr. Bush’s political philosophy might be incontinent conservatism.
On Capitol Hill, a Republican Senate and House are now distinguished by—or perhaps even synonymous with—earmarks, the K Street Project, Randy Cunningham (bandit, 12 o’clock high!), Sen. Ted Stevens’s $250-million Bridge to Nowhere, Jack Abramoff (Who? Never heard of him), and a Senate Majority Leader who declared, after conducting his own medical evaluation via videotape, that he knew every bit as much about the medical condition of Terry Schiavo as her own doctors and husband. Who knew that conservatism means barging into someone’s hospital room like Dr. Frankenstein with defibrillator paddles? In what chapter of Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom or Russell Kirk’s The Conservative Mind is that principle enunciated?
The Republican Party I grew up into—Dwight D. Eisenhower, William F. Buckley Jr., Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon (sigh), Ronald Reagan—stood for certain things. It did not always live up to its ideals. Au contraire, as we Republicans said in the pre-Dominique de Villepin era—often, it fell flat on its face. A self-proclaimed “conservative,” Nixon kept the Great Society entitlement beast fat and happy and brought in wage and price controls. Reagan funked Social Security reform in 1983 and raised (lesser) taxes three times. He vowed to balance the budget, and drove the deficit to historic highs by failing to rein in government spending. Someone called it “Voodoo economics.” You could Google it.
There were foreign misadventures, terrible ones: Vietnam (the ’69-’75 chapters), Beirut, Iran-Contra, the Saddam Hussein tilt. But there were compensating triumphs: Eisenhower’s refusal to bail out France in Indochina in 1954, Nixon’s China opening, the Cold War victory.
Despite the failures, one had the sense that the party at least knew in its heart of hearts that these were failures, either of principle or execution. Today one has no sense, aside from a slight lowering of the swagger-mometer, that the president or the Republican Congress is in the least bit chastened by their debacles.
George Tenet’s WMD “slam-dunk,” Vice President Cheney’s “we will be greeted as liberators,” Don Rumsfeld’s avidity to promulgate a minimalist military doctrine, together with the tidy theories of a group who call themselves “neo-conservative” (not one of whom, to my knowledge, has ever worn a military uniform), (my bold) have thus far: de-stabilized the Middle East; alienated the world community from the United States; empowered North Korea, Iran, and Syria; unleashed sectarian carnage in Iraq among tribes who have been cutting each others’ throats for over a thousand years; cost the lives of 2,600 Americans, and the limbs, eyes, organs, spinal cords of another 15,000—with no end in sight. But not to worry: Democracy is on the march in the Middle East. Just ask Hamas. And the neocons—bright people, all—are now clamoring, “On to Tehran!”
Christopher Buckley is a noted conservative humorist/writer. “Thank You for Smoking” is an absolutely hilarious read-great satire, you might say, black lung humor. But while I personally don’t agree much with his political philosophy, when a Buckley (and, at last count, there are now two) says its time for Bush and this Congress to go, you know something is seriously amiss with this current government.
“Incontinent conservatism,” indeed.
tommy yum (#34):
glad you do. this sounds like something we could make happen because their team seems keen on it. do you know how to contact Siun, Pach, *ilson, etc. ? i don’t have a clue, and those are the people that could lead this thing for us.
Bustednuckles @
21
I don’t get PBS. Is the News Hour anywhere on the blog?
But a huge increase in moronometer readings.
Taylor:
From your post, one gets the impression as if the loss of life by our soldiers was just collateral damage to the Pentagon. The Pentagon makes estimates of causualties under different conflict scenarios. There is a balance between the number of causualties and the investment in body armor. Obviously, the investment in body armor won, and the soldiers lost. Several hundred soldiers would still be alive if there was any concern for their protection.
sandlin @ 39
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/
USAtoday has an article that reports that the federal deficit is estimated to decline to around $260 billion. This is based on a CBO estimate that has been out a week. Talk about breaking news! Most of the decline comes from an increase in receipts from corporate taxes. All those high profits and all. The current fiscal year btw ends at the end of this month. As I try to point out since these articles never do, this $260 billion does not reflect $180 billion borrowed from Social Security making the total deficit more like $440 billion. This, of course, does not include the interest that will have to paid over the years on this $440 billion.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/75x…..06-MBR.pdf
http://www.usatoday.com/news/w…..htm?csp=24
Another point that comes to mind is the $63 billion that has been budgeted for Iraq and Afghanistan in next year’s budget. We are currently spending around $10 billion a month for these operations. So it is pretty much a certainty that there will be another supplemental of at least $60 billion in 2007.
Sorry to blog wh*re.
Back to topic.
Hugh @ 12:42 pm
Have you seen this? http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/105
Unlike the network news which has become essentially infotainment, the NewsHour still does news but it is still a very Establishment, don’t rock the boat format.
Please help me smackdown an idiot on another board I visit. Somebody posted about the Trophy story, as an illustration of the Republicans not supporting the troops.
Immediately, this guy came back with “Raytheon has the contract, what are Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry doing?” Because Raytheon is in MAssachusetts. I have to believe it would be a cold day in Hell before ths administration would award a contract that might in some way benefit Kerry or Kennedy. I would like to know if they have any position on this story.
Thanks.
Speaking of body armor; does anyone know if there were Republican earmarks to DHB Industries? David Brooks, the ceo of DHB Industries got the armor contract for the Marine Corps, and delivered body armor that wouldn’t protect the wearer from a 9mm pistol round. David brooks is also known for his pump and dump stock scam with DHB stock and for the $10 million Bat-Mitzva for his daughter.
Were any congressmen bribed for the contract?
tommy yum — skip the house, go straight for a warehouse for all that anger.
#@^%(*&)&^%*@^!!!!!
If I’d known HALF of this stuff while my stepson was in Iraq, I don’t know how we would ever have slept in this household. It was bad enough knowing he and his peeps weren’t getting enough water to drink, or that the conditions were hideous. But to have motherf*ckers like Allen systematically undermining our family members??
Gawddemn his motherf*cking *ss to hell.
Hugh @ 12:42 pm
You might find this of interest: http://www.fms.treas.gov/fr/index.html
Tortoise @
32
Thanks Tortise, this is very helpful.
I also want to add, however, that from a military standpoint, there are other ways of defending against an RPG. The first would be taking out the RPG, before you get within its range. Of course, our soldiers can’t do that, because they are an occupying force in an urban area with lots of civilians around. These factors make them
sitting ducks, excellent targets. Worse, it’s very difficult for us to find whomever launched the RPG. From a military perspective, the investment in armor is incredibly wasteful. In WWII, our faster Sherman tanks were no match for German Tiger tanks. No problem, we just told the Shermans not to engage any Tigers they found, but to call in air power or a tank destroyer, to kill the Tiger. (It didn’t always work out that neatly, but at least they had a plan.) Also, we had a lot more Shermans to support our infantry than the Germans had Tigers to support theirs.The problem is, Bush has put our forces in a lose lose battlefield situation.
In his speech. Bush claimed to be following the example of FDR and Truman in fighting the “great enemy” of our generation.
Suppose FDR had used the methods of GWB. In the Hitchcock film Saboteur, a short scene shows the ship Normandie lying on its side at a dock after an act of not Nazi, but Mafia sabotage.
If he had used the rationale of Bush, FDR would not rely on law enforcement to go after the culprits. No, he would declare a military war on the Mafia. Bombings followed by a rapidfire occupation of New Jersey, then an all out assault on Sicily itself. Germany and Japan could be ignored while we went after the real enemy.
While Germany solidified its hold on the rest of Europe and Japan scooped up China, they could fight over India while our president was braying about the security of our “Homeland”.
Oh well, historical comparisons can be tricky things.
Rayne #50:
If you don’t mind some company with your sentiments re: Felix, et al, may I please join you?
I don’t believe in an afterlife, but I’m coming around to the belief that there should be an especially hideous one just for souls like his.
Hugh -
Here’s a link to an earlier USA Today article about the federal deficit: http://www.usatoday.com/news/w…..usat_x.htm
1,262 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ JEST GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Taylor Marsh:
Thank you for your post and all the work you do in the battle to restore some small measure of humanity and integrity in our world. As some a the long time FDLers know, I am a Viet Nam vet and I have kids who are at risk of bein’ placed in the line of fire if the fascists are not stopped in their tracks this November…and I have an admission to make. I have been playin’ ostrich with the truth that kids are bein’ killed and mutilated because the anarchist, Antichrist in the White House deliberately withholds equipment that can save their lives. I have avoided dealin’ with this truth because I was afraid I couldn’t handle it…I was afraid I would lose what little bit of my soul I have been able to salvage in the 40 year struggle with my experience in the last big corporate war for profit and empire. But, thanks to you and the demands of history at this moment, I can’t avoid it any longer. So here is what I am doin’ to justify my existence in the face of this criminal murder bein’ done in my name as an American:
1. I am again active in my county Democratic Party.
2. I am a volunteer in the state assembly race in my district that is pivotal in efforts to take back both houses of the state legislature.
3. I have pledged a monthly sum that we really could use elsewhere to Howard Dean’s DNC and the 50 state strategy.
4. I am goin’ broke by inches givin’ $25 a shot to candidates that are featured on FDL.
5. And I continue to post on FDL
This is not enough…my wife and I are committed to do more. In addition to these efforts I am challenging my fellow FDLers to think about doin’ some little things that can advance the anti-fascist progressive movement.
1. Use the “f” word when talkin to friends, neighbors and other good folks about the enemy we fight. Use every opportunity to brand the Republican Party with the word “fascist”.
2. Make the connection between the fascists in national power and the crisis in your schools, businesses and local economies.
3. Write a letter a week to your local newspaper callin’ bullshit on local Republican officeholders and connectin’ them to Bush.
4. Continue to read and post on this site and support the greater FDL community.
This is not a typical “Norske rant”…this is as close as I can get to beggin’. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE folks don’t waste any more time questioning yourselves, analyzing political vocabulary, or egagin’ your brothers and sisters in “faggot hassles” about strategy or political philosophy…please just DO whatever you can.
KEEP THE FAITH, THIS IS THE REAL THING AND THESE PEOPLE ARE KILLIN’ OUR CHILDREN!!!
Stephen Parrish, CPA #46,
Thanks, for the link. I heard Cooper talk recently on PBS’s Now. I think that the deficit can be discussed in a number of ways, none of which is contradictory. I find the on budget figure of $440 billion more honest than the politically convenient off budget number of $260 billion. Like Cooper, I would agree we need to talk about how much the obligations we have made in the past and are making today are going to cost in the future. In this regard, Medicare is a bigger concern than Social Security. We should also be talking about the cost of our debt. In short, I am for honesty and transparency, something I find in remarkably short supply.
There’s the problem, right there.
I wish that YouTube ad above could be shown on every channel on every commercial break every day.
The body armor ad is a killer. Literally.
How wide a distribution does it/can it get? If enough Virginians see it, Felix ought to be an ex-Senator soon.
Thank you Norske.
How many of the military voted for Bush? How many will vote Republican this November and in 2008?
Sally @ 62
Traditionally the military is a pro-Republican vote. Remember the military overseas ballots dust-up in 2000? The one where Lieberman betrayed Al Gore and his party?
Now, I’ll wager not so much. After all, the overwhelming majority, by like 12 to 1, of vets running for national office are Dems.
Stephen Parrish, CPA #51
I looked at the FMS link. It had figures for 2004 and 2005. I tend to look at the CBO and to a lesser extent OMB sites. I find the CBO historical data is especially helpful and easy to use. For debt information and balance of payments, I look at the Bureau of Economic Analysis:
http://www.bea.gov/
But more people think they are great for soldiers and defense…isn’t that more important than being so in point of fact?
Sad.
Freshly EPU’d:
Norske, you are always inspiring in a Patton-esque kind of way.
Damn that was funny when *ilson jumped on marky for using the term “faggot hassle”.
That was many moons ago…
That ad is devastating. Why aren’t they using it against Chaffee and all the others who voted against body armor??? That ad should be NATIONWIDE … 24/7.
And Jesus H. Christ – what were these idiots thinking? How could they possibly have voted against body armor? It’s incomprehensible to me that a single senator from either party could have voted against it.
Another place I look at debt is:
http://www.publicdebt.treas.go……htm#years
uh oh. moderated. am i in trouble?
obsessed @ 66
VoteVets does plan on taking it nationwide according to their website;
votevets dot org
“But Senator Allen isn’t the only one that veterans are holding accountable with this ad, just the first. Help us continue to run this ad by donating now. Those who donate will get a say in where this TV ad runs next and who is held accountable.”
CNN….Big Dawg and Bloggers. Coming up on The Situation Room
al-Scooter @ 58
Right about that. Truman accepted responsibility and FDR worked to comfort his country through words and deeds. They were both Democrats too.
here’s the link to the roll call vote on the vote vets website cited by Dru above:
http://www.senate.gov/legislat…..vote=00116
Reuters says the wiretap vote was straight partyline, 10-8. At least the Dems didn’t fold this time.
ya know in the past a report like that went over the airwaves and the next day a senator ot congressman would stand up in the house and start asking questions, bring it to the attention of everybody.
this should be shown to every person who has or will be considering joining up.
it shows the true motives of the pentagon
I know this thread is over but in light of Taylor’s post I must post this; I just got a email from a friend in Germany. It’s not good:
Wolfie to Duncan Hunter: “Is he [Murtha] more interested in protecting terrorists than Americans?”
Exact quote. I’m losing my last little grasp on my sanity.
Hugh -
Thank you for the information and link in your 1:19 pm comment. In reply to your 1:02 pm comment, I agree; that’s why I advocate the use of accrual basis financial reporting, which is the best method to use to provide the honesty and transparency you mentioned in your 1:02 pm comment (provided that the financial statements are presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting standards applicable to governmental entities and accompanying notes to financial statements provide adequate disclosure of relevant financial information.)
How far are we from a civil war in this country when we constantly get hits to democracy from this band of thugs?
And, just heard Rep. Murtha on the Situation Room mention the dreaded “D” word–Draft. That will get a lot of people’s attention.
Aw gawd, Hopie. All the words I have left, you just got.
CNN SitRoom upcoming: Bill Clinton meets with bloggers!
among “george allen, body armor” search results:
STATEMENT OF
MR. GEORGE H. ALLEN
DEPUTY COMMANDER, DEFENSE SUPPLY CENTER PHILADELPHIA
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
OCTOBER 5, 2000
subject: Federal Prison Industries
subsequent,”FPI” search result:
Anyway, this is George H. Allen, not George “Macaca” Allen. It’s old [’99, ‘00] stuff here. Just found it interesting.
While turning on the TV to catch Bill (re: TSF), the first thing I hear is, “The most watched show last night was ‘dancing with the stars’…”
WTF?? America is fast asleep and they don’t give a shit about the fact that our country has slipped off its foundation and is about to go over the cliff.
The list of Republicans that have served is so short it is ridiculous. On this site I noted something I didn’t know:
“Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) – website used to claim service as a “Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm veteran.” A current biographical website makes no such claim. In reality, was a National Guard lawyer who never left South Carolina during the Gulf War.”
Kept scrolling down the page and they have a new deck of Republican Chickenhawk cards, scrolling down that page they have all four suits listed:
http://www.chickenhawkcards.com
We sure could use a podcast of all the names of Democrats that have served (it’s lengthly), juxtaposed against the very brief list of Republicans that could fit on the head of a pin. I can see the camera panning out to show that head of a pin with their meager list of names. I think that’s counting in the pundits not just Congress!
This shit about ‘war on several fronts simultaneously’ is part of the PNAC plan. I’m not making this up, check for yourself (I’m linky-ed out right now). Iran is next. This is not a joke.
HopeSpringsATurtle @ 84
I hope we’re just fast asleep. The alternative is comatose, a state from which it is much harder to arouse someone.
Remember the old “Bread and Circuses” deal? We’ve got the circuses, all right. What will wake people up is when they take the bread away. Coming soon to a housing bust, debt crisis and depression near you.
HSAT @ 86
To which I say: Yeah, you and what army?
FWIW, Greenwald is saying he thinks the Judiciary Committee is sending all three bills to the floor. The Specter-Feinstein bill is the only one that wasn’t straight party-line voting. Filibuster seems to be the best we can hope for on this one.
Morris at 87:
Ever heard of the United States Air Force?
As a Virginian, I say BUH BYE George. I have written a op ed and a letter to the editor about this HORRIFIC senator of ours. Got blasted in the media by the 3 Rethugs here in C’Ville.
Unfortunately, one of our DEMOCRATIC African American state senators has endorsed Allen because of Webb’s stance on affirmative action. I hope Webb isn’t screwing this up.
Steve @ 49
I just got back home. Tahnk you.
Jan– the best of luck to you all! I have lots of buddies working on the Webb campaign. Allen screwed this up all by his big fat racist self. That’s one dumb State Senator, btw.
GO Webb!
PS- I used to live in C’ville– what a great town.
At what point does war profiteering become morally and legally equivalent to murder? These villans who would play fast and loose with the safety of United States soldiers just to make more ducats need to see the insides of prison cells!
You profit from the defense contractors you HAVE.
Yup. Big fat cowboy hat wearing, racist bigot. Arrogant as hell. BUT folks love George Felix Allen.
Too weird.
Re. Trophy and body armor
You’re missing the point. The real point is not sub-Rumsfeldian reliance on tech-fixes, it is:- there aren’t enough troops.
First, Trophy.
Even the IDF won’t buy this expensive boon-doggle. (### ref) Why? Because the main problem with RPG’s is not technological, it’s tactical. And the USDF are very good at understanding this. See this for a introductory discussion of the RPG-7, how it is used and the challenges in dealing with it:
http://fmso.leavenworth.army.m…..weapon.htm
Basic summary:
“The RPG-7 and asymmetrical future combat
The RPG-7 will be around for a good while yet. It is a proven, cheap killer of technology which will continue to play a significant role–particularly when conventional forces are pitted against irregular forces. Russian veterans are enthusiastic about the RPG-7 and have suggested that the Russians need to develop an antipersonnel round, an incendiary round, a smoke round, an illumination round and other special-purpose rounds to give the RPG-7 more flexibility in future combat. (27) US soldiers need to be aware of the RPG-7 and how it has been deployed. The chances are, whenever a US soldier is deployed to a trouble spot, the RPG-7 will be part of the local landscape.”
The take away is my interpretation (but I don’t think any militarily knowledgabe person will argue with it). “The effectiveness of any weapon lies not in its technical properties but in its deployment”
Body armour is a similar argument. The video shows an AK47 being fired at a Vietnam era jacket from about 10m.
The video is truthful in that modern jackets will stop the fire of an AK47 at 10m but is disingenuous in suggesting that the AK47 is “new”. It isn’t. The AK47 is a pre-Vietnam weapon – actually a WWII weapon – and was used in Vietnam.
The real question is how the enemy is getting to within 10m.
That is a numbers question. Too few troops, and the enemy can get too close.
The US Army is configured for a “mongolian horde” strategy and is invincible (in all seriousness) if it uses it.
Rumsfeld however wants to turn it into the German Wermacht of WWII. But he can’t do it – it doesn’t have the equipment, it doesn’t have the doctrine, it doesn’t have the training. He is asking an elephant to dance and he is killing its soldiers.
That’s the real issue. Rumsfeld is an amatuer GROFAZ (German ironic term – Greatest Leader of all Time), playing with the lives of the US military.
The Pentagon needs to explain why it won’t buy something off-the-shelf to protect against RPG’s vs waiting until 2011. If Trophy is ineffective against RPG-29’s, but works against RPG-7’s then Trophy should be fielded. The reason is that the older RPG is much more common in Iraq, where the insurgents aren’t getting the latest and greatest weapons from Russia and its former satellites.
So, are the villians of this story uncaring Pentagon officials and GOP politicians, a enemy-of-the-good-enoughis-the-best mentality, or something else?
Ultimately, this is tactics, soldiers will still be wounded and killed in other ways until we’re done fighting in Iraq.
Stay the Course —- Does Not Include Defeating the Enemy
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09…..nted=print — ”The senior Marine commander in Iraq said Tuesday that he had sufficient forces to carry out his mission but that the mission did not include defeating the insurgency. “For what we are trying to achieve out here I think our force levels are about right,” said Maj. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer, who defined his primary mission as training the Iraqi forces who ultimately would be responsible for security in the area. — The Marines are fighting a war of shooting, killing and dying but they have no mission to defeat the enemy thanks to Bush’s incompetence.