In a world where winning the war means winning hearts and minds, we have some of those troubling realities messing up the plan once again. An enemy that we still can't quite identify in the midst of a population whose hearts and minds we are buying...sorry... winning. Many questions arise from the piece that follows not the least of which is; how can these attacks continue to happen in the midst of a population of people whose hearts and minds have been won (spelled bought). Conflicting guidance and orders from upper echelon that borders on schizophrenia and a growing frustration among our men and women is taking its toll. In the midst of this insanity comes this little gem;
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This note was written just before a recent attack where a number of CIA agents were murdered.
In paraphrase:
"Our Base is well inside hostile territory. All serious attacks here have been within a few hundred meters of us, including a successful attack on a UN 'Safe House.'
Everyone here is, however, completely unarmed! This is what they say to us, and I am quoting directly:
'... all personnel will have their weapons GREEN (we call it "Storage Mode") at all times. All weapons will be cleared immediately upon entering the compound... at no time are weapons to be loaded, nor is any weapon to have a magazine inserted'
When attacked, we've been directed to run and hide in bunkers, but still not load our weapons! I've tried, unsuccessfully, to get our allowable weapons status upgraded. I'm told, 'We'll have NDs, and that will generate too much paperwork,' another direct quotation! I've even confronted star-wearers, saying 'Why
do we have soldiers in an overseas combat zone, including officers and staff NCOs, under arms, who are apparently so poorly discipline and trained that they can't be trusted with loaded small arms?' With a sneer, the general replied, '... it's just too dangerous having people walking around with loaded guns.' (SOUNDS LIKE CHIEFs Of Police Depts)
After years of continuous lethal contact with an implacable enemy, most reasonable people would think we would have long-since weeded out such emasculate fools, sheep, and attaboys. No such luck. In fact, we've promoted them! As for me, and a number of others, we've long ago decided to ignore stupid rules that endanger our lives, about which no one apparently cares, except us. My pistol is always in "Carry Mode" (called "Red" here), no matter where I am. When stopped by someone who points out that I have a magazine inserted in my pistol. My response is as follows, depending upon the rank of the person who noticed:
(1) 'Go find something else do to, Sonny!'
(2) 'I've never been able to understand violence in any form. Have you? Actually Bud, that is not a magazine. It's a dust-cover. It renders then pistol completely useless. You should get one!"
(3) 'Sir, that regulation negates my ability to defend myself, which is my inalienable right, a right I claim, fearlessly and unapologetically. If you think you want to charge me, go for it!'
Most of the time, my pistols are concealed, and the issue never rears its ugly head. Like so many other capable and dedicated officers and NCOs, I'm getting out, leaving in disgust!" Comment: Although we've made some progress, particularly with the Marines, the foregoing nauseating catastrophe is still all too typical.
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If this seems like a break-down in discipline and order, you are wrong. I would give up my nice quiet life to be back in the struggle in the midst of the Warrior community in a heartbeat! What has broken down is common sense, common decency, any sense of nationalism, the courage to call a spade a spade (in this case our enemy as Islam - self identified by the way), the ability to find truly qualified people to represent us in Washington DC, an educated electorate and General grade Officers with any sense of obligation to tell the truth regardless of ramifications for their careers. The Officer/NCO that sent this to the rear did so anonymously, knowing his career would be jettisoned and might in fact face charges under the UCMJ if identified with these remarks.
The two things I take away from this is first, the ability and willingness of our Warriors to adapt in an environment of insanity and second that they should have to simply to protect themselves - from the enemy. It should be duly noted that upper echelon leadership and their civilian counterparts rarely, if ever, subject themselves to the horrors they project on our Warriors. I wonder how willing our elected representatives would be to spend even one week in the conditions they subject our Warriors to? The answer is pitifully obvious after all, just 21 of the elected in DC have ever worn a uniform.
With the latest political broadside, coming out of Massachusetts, there is undoubtedly a movement afoot that we can only hope will affect foreign affairs and specifically as it affects our Warriors. 'Business as usual' is not being tolerated on the domestic front anymore. It is now clear that the country at large is incensed by the callous, self-centered ideology of the political elite and has effectively put all of DC on notice. Scott Brown does not represent what an election might have been in years past. His was not a 'masterful' sales pitch nor is his career any great study. What this election does represent is a super-charged electorate that is finished with politicians who think they deserve their 'jobs'. One can only hope that the population will be spending as much time reconsidering our non-strategy in handling our Islamic foes and 'throw the bums out' that are responsible for this great travesty.
In the meantime consider this last piece of depravity; Trijicon, which provides many of the scopes currently in use by all branches of our military, has been inscribing its scopes, discreetly, with Biblical references. Today; they announced they were conceding to demands from the DOD due to a 'complaint' from an unnamed person or group. The story is as follows:
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Trijicon:
No more Bible references on
scopes
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 21, 2010 17:00:27 EST
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
A company under fire for etching biblical references on rifle scopes used by the U.S. military said Thursday it will stop the practice, and offered to provide modification kits to the Pentagon to enable their removal on existing optics.
Michigan-based Trijicon Inc. made the announcement in a statement released by Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that specializes in crisis management.
“Trijicon has proudly served the U.S. military for more than two decades, and our decision to offer to voluntarily remove these references is both prudent and appropriate,” Trijicon president Stephen Bindon said in a statement. “We want to thank the Department of Defense for the opportunity to work with them and will move as quickly as possible to provide the modification kits for deployment overseas.”
Trijicon also said it will remove the inscriptions from all products it has made for the military, but not yet shipped, and that it will provide foreign military services that purchased Trijicon products the same options.
Company officials said Monday in a report on ABC News’ “Nightline” news program that it included coded references to Bible passages on its products, including optics used by U.S. troops currently in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a statement released Tuesday, the company said it adopted the practice “as part of our faith and our belief in service to country.”
The admission led to a maelstrom of media attention and criticism that the practice would allow Muslim extremists to claim that the U.S. is waging a holy war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Marine Corps officials said in a statement Tuesday they were “aware of the issue and concerned with how this may be perceived,” and said they planned to meet with Trijicon.
The inscriptions gained attention on the company’s Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, which is mounted to M16A4 and M4 service rifles used by tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In one example, an inscription included “JN8:12,” a reference to John 8:12, a Christian gospel passage: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The inscription on another optic includes “2COR4:6,” which refers to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
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It will be interesting to watch and see how far the electorate comes this year and how successful we are in turning this vessel around we call a nation.
Semper Fidelis;
John Bernard
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