Moral Compromise of the ICRC and It's Members

There are many things I have come to loathe during my years on this earth but nothing so much as the coward. Our country and this world at large, has so given into the forces of darkness that there are people on this planet that can no longer tell black from white, right from wrong, good from bad and who are blissful in their willful ignorance. People have chosen to not stand for anything rather than take a stand that might 'cost' them. Consider the following definitions:

From 'Websters New World College Dictionary 2010' :

Compromise:

1. to settle or adjust by concessions on both sides (legal definition)

2. to lay open to danger, suspicion, or disrepute

3. to weaken or give up (one's principles, ideals, etc.) as for reasons of expediency (personal failure)

Compromise, by most standards is not a good thing. All it says is that two or more people willingly gave up some of what they believed for something they did not, all in the name of reconciliation. What was that Ben Franklin said again? 'Those who would give up essential freedom for a little security, deserve neither'. This principle can be applied to almost any endeavor in life where you are prepared to do that which you know is not right in order to meet some other standard. For those of you who are struggling with this; This is bad; very bad. The fact is there is absolute right and absolute wrong and it is only someone who finds that concept...troubling that won't live his life accordingly.

Back to the ICRC: The ICRC is the Red Cross by any other name and they have decided they are 'above it all' and choose to ignore all of those testy problems of right and wrong when they decide to go somewhere and help people. To be sure, they have helped many people stricken by natural disasters and famine and that is good, and just. They have, however, shown far less concern for the uniformed Servicemen in this country than I would like to see.

But now we are told that the ICRC, that bastion of rising above it all, has decided to bring aid and comfort to the Taliban. Not only are they bringing aid and comfort to the Taliban, they intend to teach them 'Battle Field Skills'. First aid is not a battle field skill you say? Then you Sir, or Ma'am, have never worn a uniform, trained for battle, or served on the battle field. First aid is one of those essential subjects taught to all uniformed men and women in the United States and I suspect, Britain, Canada, Australia and so on.

The intent of this training for our troops is to save lives and ultimately, return them to the battle field. So why is the ICRC intending to train the Taliban? They are our enemy by virtue of the fact they believe in world submission to Allah, by force. And let's not forget they are presently in armed conflict with American, British, Canadian, Australian etc troops. Why is the ICRC preparing to teach our enemy a Battle Field Skill which WILL aid them in sending those healed murderers back to the battle field to fight our men - fellow citizens of the Red Cross members? Well; because they are above it all. They have, apparently been able to compromise their very souls, what they know to be right and wrong and have effectively divorced themselves from their various nations all in the name of some misplaced compassion.

This is not a complicated point. The Taliban are not legitimate soldiers. They are alternately, thugs, murderers, henchmen, drug lords, gang members, 'soldiers of Islam', purveyors of chaos and, oh yeah, the enemy of this nation currently.

If the Red Cross feels the need to ramp up it's mission to dispense compassion, how about showing a little more compassion for the men and women, in uniform, trying to stop these animals who, under any other circumstances, would be just as happy and justified in their ideology to remove the heads of Red Cross workers from their shoulders, use them like footballs and televise the action for all the world to see.

The fact is that this has a lot less to do with dispensing compassion than it has to do with using this act as a 'bully pulpit'. The Red Cross, for all of it's posturing has never stepped away from the fact they abhor war. Of course they assume those who fight, love war. The fact is, the Red Cross's ranks are apparently filled with people who would rather compromise all that they are, their families, their very nation, their beliefs, their right to self-determination and the sanctity of innocent life, rather than to do that which must occasionally be worked out on the field of battle.

Compromise is almost never a good thing. More often than not it brings out that which is most loathsome in men; cowardice and the willing destruction of the innocent through the lack of action and self-sacrifice. The Red Cross personnel who will be teaching the enemy these battle field skills, are sacrificing nothing, jeopardizing nothing. As long as they are giving the enemy, aid and comfort and skills they can use, those morally compromised Red Cross members will remain the safest people in Afghanistan. But what of our American Warriors in harms way under the current ROE ? They will have to face the very same jihadists who will have been returned to the battle field by the efforts of the Red Cross.

Hey ICRC members; does Memorial Day mean nothing to you?

Semper Fidelis;

John Bernard

Devolution Defined

I grew up in a society that had not yet accepted Darwin's theory of evolution as 'fact'. Since those early years of my education we have watched as our society has redefined what our Founding Fathers 'knew' to be true as the quaint meanderings of the feeble mind. The six day creation story succinctly detailed in the early pages of Genesis have been discarded as folly and in it's place, a mega-billion year old Universe with a many times billion year old earth; this not based on anything observable but rather on tests geared toward determining the decay of carbon etc.

As time marches on; most of what was believed is trampled under-foot, not because of any new 'revelation' but just because it isn't convenient anymore. After all everything is said to evolve. The problem is, there is absolutely no evidence of that in the world around us. The very scientists that have been quick to tell us we all evolved from some lower form of life (arguably to something better), and that everything is evolving tell us that the sun is somewhere near it's half life. Scientists also tell us that our DNA is in a continual state of corruption as well. A curious thing to happen to something that is supposed to be 'evolving'.

This argument can go on for ages because the truth is, it takes a fair amount of faith to accept either proposal; One from God, the other from Science.

The one thing that is observable, however, is the state of society and the decisions that it makes, over time. One thing always seems to lead to another and it almost never seems to end well.

In the last several days, there have been notes flying across the net concerning weapons condition status while on duty, in Afghanistan. Discussions of 'condition' and how it reflects on weapons carry abound. There isn't any way of knowing at this point in time, how pervasive the practice of carrying weapons in condition 3 is right now. My absolute prayer is that it is anomalous. But just in case it is happening with any degree of frequency, I feel obligated to give you a little lesson about weapons condition, threat perception and training. As Follows:

This is for the physical 'carry' condition of the M16 A4, M4, rifles/carbines:

Condition 1 - Weapon is carried with magazine in the magazine well, a round in the chamber, action closed, weapon on safe.

Condition 2 - (does not apply to rifles)

Condition 3 - Weapon is carried with a magazine in place, empty chamber, action closed, weapon on safe.

Condition 4 - Weapon is carried, magazine removed, empty chamber, action closed, weapon on safe.

For those who aren't familiar with any of this, you need to understand that the 'weapon condition' defines the readiness of the weapon, not the element of danger in the area of operation. However; the perceived danger on the ground helps Commanders determine the weapon condition. As a point of reference; when I was stationed at Quantico (quite a number of years ago), the interior guard carried weapons in condition 1 or 3 as determined by the facility we were guarding - on a US base, on US soil. So if Marines while on patrol 'outside the wire', are being required to carry weapons in any condition other than 'condition 1', the suggestion is that the threat level or condition of perceived threat, is low to non-existent........Does anyone want to suggest that a safe, low threat or non-existent threat to the safety and well-being of our troops exists - ANYWHERE in the Middle East, much less Afghanistan?

Let's remember one other thing while we're at this; these men and women that have been trained on the various military installations and in all of the intense schools related to warfare around this country today are without a shred of doubt, the finest war fighters this country or the world has ever seen! They are meeting an asymmetrical threat (the armies of Islam) in various cultures, under the most stringent guidelines ever girded to a warrior. They are being led by an upper echelon, doing the bidding of a Sec Def, an administration and a President, that are clearly playing in the wrong league while indirectly delivering hell-fire on our own men and our Warriors, are performing superbly in spite of it.

Before they go out on Patrol, our Marines and Soldiers run through a series of steps referred to as the Troop Leading Steps, which uses the acronym BAMCIS as a memory aid:

· Begin the Planning

· Arrange for Reconnaissance and Coordination

· Make the Reconnaissance

· Complete the Plan

· Issue the Order

· Supervise

The overall 'outline', in short firm, is some 14 pages in length. Don't think this is cumbersome; it becomes a matter of routine and each Squad Leader and Fire Team Leader - at a minimum carries a book full of order formats and forms to aid him as he prepares his Squad/Fire Team for each mission. It is worth a stop by the Marine Corps Institute Web Page and this PDF file to get an idea of the level of complexity these young men and women are required to know and use, proficiently before and during every mission; it is impressive. It is also important to know that there is intentional redundancy with layers of inspections imbedded in this format that cover, among other things, equipment, navigational aids, map overlays, briefings with local intelligence and operations, communication checks, food, first aid, ammunition, selection of primary and alternate routes, points of entry and egress, pre-designated target points, special equipment and yes, weapons preparedness and condition all prior to 'stepping off', outside the wire.

So given all of this expertise gained from the money and hours spent in training, how is it that there could be even one patrol sent out into 'Indian Country', outside the wire with weapons on anything less than condition 1? I can tell you in a heartbeat; because somebody from this side of the big pond, from some air-conditioned office has predetermined that the Islamic peoples of Afghanistan are largely friendly, without ideological malice, void of deceit or potential collusion with the Taliban while also having determined that the indigenous force is 'largely competent'. And because this is their vision, from their air conditioned offices, paid for by the Mothers and Fathers of the young men and women serving in the God-forsaken land known as Afghanistan; they feel 'comfortable' letting those children of America walk into a desperately dangerous land with weapons set at less than condition 1.

So tell me, American citizen, Electorate, Voter, Tax payer, Father, Mother, Neighbor, Left-Wing Ideologue, Right Wing Conservative, Christian, School Teacher, Policeman, Fireman, Congressman, Senator; what are you going to do about this? You need a hint as to whether or not what I just told you is good or bad? It's bad and it's bad because I tell ya it's bad. Anyone sending our Warriors outside the wire with weapons on anything but condition 1 is guilty of dereliction of duty. In my estimation, they are guilty of the murder of every Marine, Soldier, Airman, Sailor or Coastguardsman that is killed with a weapon in less than condition 1 status.

Clear enough?

Now get out there and let's vote these boneheads out of office before they get any more of our guys murdered.

Semper Fidelis;

John Bernard

A Tale of Duplicity

Does anyone remember Rifka Bary? The media certainly doesn't. The fact is the media was nearly silent. They barely mentioned her case and then barely mentioned the fact that she was seeking, essentially, asylum from her parents and her Muslim 'neighbors', fearing for her life because she had converted to Christianity. Remember?

Does anyone remember the decision of the courts? The court in Florida, essentially played Pontius Pilate and washed their hands of the case saying it was a case for her home state of Ohio. She and her family had migrated there in 2003, having immigrated from Sri Lanka in 2000. The family, Muslim groups and left wing activist groups cried foul and demanded she be returned to her family. In a signed affidavit, she expressed concern that the family was being pressured to 'deal with the situation' - and this is important; she believed that meant honor killing. The court in Florida relented and sent her back to Ohio where she was placed as a ward of the state pending 'mediation'. Remember?

This morning I woke up to news that Rima Fakih, a Dearborn Michigan resident since 2003 and a Muslim, had won the Miss USA contest. Needless to say there is a controversy broiling over the selection and as would be expected, the left wing - on every court, is crying foul. They are incensed that the 'right' would be concerned. The problem is that there is growing evidence that she may well have been supported in her efforts by Hezbollah members and in fact may have members of her family who are members of Hezbollah, 'in good standing'.

She and others have justified her views and her life by stating her family recognizes both Christian and Muslim holidays and there was even a mention of the family having a picture of Jesus Christ hanging in the house. Does anyone remember President Obama's explanation when he was pressed by Cathleen Falsani, in one of the many interviews he did where he answered the question of his faith? He has made it clear, several times, that he was 'brought up in the Christian Tradition'. For those of us who are in fact Christian, that is tantamount to saying you believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and that you hang lights on an evergreen around the winter solstice but not that you are sold out to Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

The point is, of course, that saying something kind about a religious ideology or hanging trappings of a religion in the house, hardly makes you an ardent follower. And let us not forget the more salient point here; it is not the individual's view or position that defines the ideology, but the ideology itself. If in fact Rima is as she has described herself, she is certainly Apostate in the eyes of the true adherents of the faith. Walking onto the runway in a bathing suit, face uncovered, is not the accepted behavior of female chattle in the Islamic faith. She, in fact, could be a target for permanent 'chastisement' by true believers.

No, I have no real problem with Rima. My question is for the 7 Judges who selected her, this year, when we are embroiled in two wars, on two fronts, with Islamic forces. When we have a President who has made it clear in his meetings, gestures, snubbing of Israel, selection of questionable military leadership, prosecution of these wars through Counter Insurgency strategy that demands - and enforces a set of Rules of Engagement that are so strict that they are counter-productive to any serious prosecution of war and horrendously murderous to our own troops. Does anyone really believe there wasn't some pressure - from somewhere 'on high' to 'lean' in favor of the pretty Muslim, Dearborn Michigan girl with the connection to Hezbollah? Does the left and the CIC really think we are all that completely blind and do the 7 Judges who voted for her really expect us to believe that she just happened to rise to number one over all 51 contestants?

Well; maybe she did. And just maybe she is just a pawn in the vile game of Jihadist deceit being played out (of all places) in the Halls of governance in the District of Columbia. Do we really believe, this evening, May 17th 2010, that the same media who couldn't give a 17 year old convert to Christianity the benefit of the doubt and a little moral support, won't be swooping down in support of yet another Muslim - this time with ties to a batch of murderers known as Hezbollah?

Semper Fidelis;

John Bernard

The Unity of the 'Collective'

Not that many years ago, 1996, 'Star Trek; First Contact' was released to the world and a hungering fan base. The story revolves around two distinct story lines; on the one hand the historically significant advent of 'time-warp travel' and the personal battle/vendetta of the captain of the new Enterprise-E to obliterate the cyborg 'culture' known as the Borg. Even if you have never been a fan of the series, there are several interesting concepts presented in the series and in this particular movie. One is our seeming eternal fascination with space exploration and the continual pursuit of proof of life on other worlds, the absence of God and the supremacy of man. If you think that last comment is over the top; revisit the series and Gene Roddenberry's bio.

The other story imbedded in the larger tale is that of the Captain, Jean-Luc Picard who is obviously tortured by an event in his past that has him obsessed with seeking out and destroying 'the Borg'. The Borg are a cybernetic organism that propagates by 'stealing' the bodies of humans and fusing them with mechanical/electronic components. Once this is accomplished, they become Borg - both singular and plural. This 'culture' is referred to as 'the Collective'. They see alike, feel alike, think alike, move to the same 'music', if you will and have one purpose and intent. It's all very George Bernard Shaw. Sound like anything else you may have heard about here on this dismal little rock?

We are faced with our own 'collective' here in this country. They have been taught the same mantra, fed the same revised history, nurtured in the same ideology, preened for 'government service', taught moral relativism, indoctrinated in gender/cross-gender norming, reducing education and excellence to the lowest common denominator, protecting the 'rights' of the indefensible, redistribution of wealth, elevating demonic forces including Islam and hating the military. The hope is that all in the collective will come to the true light of truth and take on all of this, but not all are ready to dive in that end of the pool yet. So you still see some who are 'believers' (and as of January 2009 become worshipers), taking jobs and putting on uniforms even in places you would not expect to find them.

Case in Point: This past Saturday, May 1st, started a chain of events that has led all except the most ardent 'worshipers' to what most of us knew to be true. The truth that all Islamic Jihadists have the same goal; world domination and a desire to export terrorist acts to the United States. The few simple facts that emerged about the event/non-event that took place in Times Square in the first 36 hours pointed to a Taliban blessed attack as surely as a compass needle points north. Law enforcement officials took a wait-and-see-where-the-evidence-leads approach that they should have even though they almost certainly knew the answer. Members of the administration stayed silent.

Eventually even members of the administration had to admit it looked like there might be 'an international connection'. As of this writing, all except dreamers, ardent apologists for Islam, left-wing ideologues and the residents of la-la land, know what we knew 5 days ago; Shahzad, who made a trip back to the motherland (Waziristan), had indeed met with elements of Terik-I-Taliban and returned with a fire in his belly to set a bomb in New York City. Of course the left-wing media found nothing but compassion for this would-be mass murderer who 'fell on tough times and couldn't realize the American dream'. It's too bad; if he'd waited a little longer, P. Obama would have dreamed up another program that would have helped him 'achieve' that goal.

So why is General Petraeus, today, announcing that Shahzad was a lone wolf? Probably for the same reasons he finds Scripture addresses on American Warrior's ACOG's offensive and why he deemed Israel a threat to the safety of American Servicemen, and why he felt compelled to jump into the fray of social-engineering our Armed Forces. A member of the collective has little choice but to do the will of the collective. The problem is, the collective assumes they are right not because they believe there is absolute right and wrong but just because they feel they are always right sans God and any troublesome admonishment from him in Scripture.

Is that what is expected of Generals in the United States Army now? Political commentary, social engineering, anti-Christian rhetoric hurled at a largely Christian armed force. How about re-visiting a strategy and it's ROE that gets your wards murdered, General? How about making uncomfortable recommendations to a CIC who clearly doesn't care about the cost of his desires for the Islamic nations of the world to American Warriors?

Where are the Chesty Pullers, Norman Swartzkoffs, John A. Lejeunes, Curtis Lemays and even Teddy Roosevelts when you need them? God help us!

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams

LEST WE FORGET;

Semper Fidelis;

John Bernard

Answer to 'tjuan'; The time to Act is NOW!

I received a comment of frustration from a reader at the bottom of the last entry and I was compelled to give an answer that was a little more of a rant than normal. I feel the substance of the answer however is the core of this cause. As you read it, I hope you see that; and act. We have all been speaking to our 'sphere's of influence' and that must continue but a more direct hit in the way of calls, letters and e-mails to those in positions of influence is also vitally important. As follows:

tjuan;

As we all know, the government in place is self-serving and corrupt to the core. Any sitting President that would place the lives of Sovereign US Warriors as less valuable than foreign peoples is in violation of his oath. The Armed Forces of this nation are in fact an asset of this government which is supposed to be a servant of the King (the people). Those 'assets' and all elected members of the government swear oaths, as I did, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. How you translate that to mean to-be-the-saviors of the Islamic world is beyond a reasonable man's ability to answer. There is, of course, only one rational answer and that is that the President has chosen the Islamic peoples of the world over the Americans who voted for him - much less those who did not. How this is not seen as a clear violation of his oath can only be explained in one way.

How you get 536 members of a governing body (Congress), the entire Judicial Branch and all other members of State and Local governments to stay silent while the President of the United States wastes the lives of our Warriors for what is now obviously his perverted personal pursuit, can also only be explained in one way. Why the vast majority of the population of this country is not enraged and taken to the streets over this, again, can only be explained in one way. How a sign ' The Marine Corps is at War; America is at the Mall' placed in a hooch in Afghanistan does not cause the vast majority of this country to feel shame for, essentially, abandoning our Warriors to the madness of this administration, again, can only be explained in one way.

In the Bible it is referred to as Spiritual Blindness. This country stepped away from it's entire heritage - Judeo-Christian and Secular, a long time ago. Some say in the last 100 years. I believe it was heading there almost as soon as the final shots were fired during the revolution. History records it took 10 years to get the Constitution ratified and then only after the Bill of Rights was defined and agreed upon. A scant 40 years later, Thomas Jefferson was complaining to Justice Warren (in a letter) that the government was out of control. Of course the events we are witnessing right now are far beyond what the Founders could have imagined or would have stood for.

As late as this morning, on FOX News (which I don't waste much time on anymore), they were bemoaning the fact that the Pentagon, presumably under the direction of the administration, uninvited Franklin Graham to their prayer service because he prays as a Christian - and this while American Servicemen, in uniform, are pressed to help rebuild Mosques in Afghanistan; this while pressing United States Marine Corps Officers and their Senior Enlisted Advisors to don Afghan garb and to be paraded through the streets there?! And let's not forget the 'hand-holding' exercise as we were 'egressing' from Korengal.

I have made several attempts to get FOX to speak to me or for that matter anyone who has a focused understanding of the elements of this discussion; a discussion which must be had and which can-save-lives. To date....Silence. I will now try through this more public forum to reach out to them. I have been asked by many of you what can be done. I will tell you; call FOX News and ask them why they are not paying closer attention to this. This self described bastion of the 'Fair and Balanced' discourse has remained as silent as the dead in DC. In the meantime, our Warriors are paying a horrific price. Call FOX and call them now. If the dead in DC can't listen; maybe a shot from FOX can raise the dead.


jb

Still Dancing; but Who is Leading?

On May 1st, Police observed a vehicle located on the streets in Times Square suspiciously flashing hazard lights. Upon closer inspection and some popping sounds they determined that it contained elements of what we now know was a bomb. After several frantic hours which included evacuating people from the vicinity, they defused the bomb and an investigation was underway.

On May 2nd, Al Jazeera reported that the Pakistani Taliban cell known as Tehrik-I-Taliban was claiming responsibility for the failed attempt in retaliation for the US killing 'Al Qaida' agents!? Later that day Police said it was unlikely that they had anything to do with it. No reason for this suspicion was given.

On May 3rd, Stratfor reported that the Washington Post had reported that 'US Officials' believed the attempted bombing increasingly looked to have international ties. Later that day smaller elements of the investigation and the origination of the car were reported. Late in the day and reported by Stratfor and other Media outlets, the Police announced they had arrested a man in connection with the failed bombing attempt. It turns out he is from Pakistan, a naturalized US citizen who had returned to Pakistan in July of 2009 and had spent 'several months there'.

On this same day, May 3rd, Stratfor reported that Azam Tariq, spokesman for Tehrik-I-Taliban, said they did not release the video and had no information about it. Curious he didn't step away from any claim of involvement in the act itself...

Curiously; on this same day, May 3rd, Stratfor reported that Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud threatened to retaliate against the United States within a month for the killing of Islamist militant leaders.

On May 4th, the suspected bomber, Faisal Shahzad, implicates himself by saying 'he acted alone'. Officials say the investigation is still ongoing and let's not forget Taqiyya.

Of course, there is a point to this. For the last nearly two years we have been told that the Taliban were not Afghan but an outside element that the Afghan people wanted removed from their homeland as much as we wanted to marginalize them. Many of us have contended that they were in fact as much an Afghan phenomenon as anything else and that the mere presence of the Durand line did nothing to lessen that fact. Almost anyone with any historical or first-hand knowledge of that area will tell you so. So the fact that the Taliban can be vaguely divided into Afghan and Pakistani 'cells' does little to bolster the claim that the Taliban is a classically defined 'Insurgent' presence in Afghanistan.

In addition; arguments have been floated that say that the Taliban does not pose the same threat to the US as Al Qaida because they do not have an international focus..... This argument has always been wrong, generally, and because, generally, Islam's ultimate goal is to force world submission to Allah. (By the way; again, Allah is not the God of the Bible). So making the argument that an armed fundamentalist Islamic organization has no interest in the furtherance of this Islamic goal is preposterous.

So let's sum this up:

1. We have a naturalized US citizen from Pakistan who clearly is a Jihadist who spends a significant amount of time back home before returning to his 'chosen' home and then assembles and attempts to detonate a bomb.

2. We have a convoluted series of statements that seem to be pointing to involvement by a Taliban cell in Pakistan - where this Jihadist is from.

3. We have US and NYPD officials not wanting to jump to any conclusions even as the evidence is mounting, that there is a Taliban connection.

4. There is a knee-jerk reaction by the Pakistani Government that has been widely reported to have treacherous fellows in their midst who are 'sensitive' to Taliban doctrine. By the way, the relationship between Pakistan and the US is tenuous at best.

5. We also have continuous claims that the Taliban and Al Qaida not only have different goals but are often at odds even though we have statements from one of the leaders, Mehsud (whom we thought we had killed in a UAV strike), claiming to be prepping a strike against the US for killing 'Islamist Military Leaders'!?

Is anyone starting to question where this is going? What possible motivations could there be for not wanting to 'call a spade, a spade'? At what point do we look at someone like Hassan and say the man is in fact a Jihadist who defiled his oath as an Officer in the Army in lieu of following the warped ideology of his religion? MJ posed a great question to FOX news: quoting General Casey; 'if we lose diversity because the Ft. Hood shooter is a Muslim, it is a greater tragedy than the loss of life.' ; Why are we still referring to him as Major? Why hasn't General Casey been publicly castigated for equating the rights of a suspected mass murderer with those of whom he butchered? (Hey MJ; I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for an answer).

When do we step out of the COIN paradigm and take a broader look at the problem; the real problem? When are the strategic ideologues going to put away their holy power point presentations, DOD jargon and go back to the one place that will give them the perspective they need; history and specifically a history as defined by the Islamic Scholars?

Hey MJ; I'm not holding my breath either.

Any questions?

Semper Fidelis;

John Bernard

The Price of Arrogance: 2nd MEB honors it's Dead

I just returned, with my family, from the Second MEB's Memorial service honoring those who fell in the past year which included my Son. As is always the case; the United States Marine Corps showed incredible compassion, grace and heart. Truly, only Warriors can feel that level of compassion on such a grand scale because only Warriors put so much on the line for their Oath and for their Brothers. Theirs is not a life of luxury, self-ingratiation, seduction of power or arrogance of spirit. Theirs is a spartan existence and a life bearing the great cost of loss and personal suffering. They pay that others might live.

Those 90 men honored on Friday, served with dignity and personal honor. They did not go to Afghanistan to hold a sword at the throats of the people and force convert them to another religion. They did not go there to tell them of Peter's White Sheet Vision (Acts 10:9-19) and to force Muslims to eat pork. They went in obedience to the calling placed on their lives and in obedience to orders from above. The manner in which they were used and the strategy and ROE under which they performed is what is in question. I have never shied away from what I believe to be the underlying reasons for what I feel is a failed strategy and you can read my thoughts throughout the history of this blog. If you have misunderstood my intent or my heart in this matter, read, again, the opening comments that are listed at the top of the blog for all to see. All else in this country at this point in time pales in contrast and in level of importance.

We have men and women in harm's way and our Politicians and the vast majority of the Media apparently do not care and know nothing about the elements of this age long battle. These are the same people who have ascribed to the current CIC's idea that only people who do not go to college and are therefore unworthy, join the Service. A sign of the times.

I am frequently questioned about my stand on the value of human life. These questions are born out of some interesting sense of moral indignation by the inquisitor who has not apparently studied both sides of the question, ever served, ever had anyone in harm's way nor has any other 'horse in the race'. Their sense of fair play and right and wrong is exclusively individual and without any of that troublesome prompting from God; 'But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.' 1 Cor 2:14.

I am a Christian and have never nor will ever apologize for that. I will always feel compelled to answer questions when pressured by a knee-jerk response to an apparently 'Biblical Truth' when it is appropriate and this is one of those times. Any suggestion that God does not care for or hold Warriors in high esteem; doesn't know the Bible. Anyone who thinks that government 'Service' is unbiblical, has never read Romans 13. Anyone who uses a biblical expression or biblical commentary to justify skewing a heart-felt concern for one's country and Warriors, first and above that of others in the world, probably needs to re-think who he truly is. As follows:

ragnhild71 said...

Hold on, is this site actually claiming that American lives are more worth others? So the rest of the world is populated by what? How ignorant of me to believe that all Human Beings were created equal...

Ragnhild71;

Actually I hope you aren't suggesting I should hold American Warriors lives in lower esteem than anyone else in the world because that is what is presently happening. If you are not an American, I do not expect you to hold American Warriors lives even equal to that of anyone else; the world has made that clear but as an American Warrior, an American citizen and one who has sworn the Oath, I can promise you that for me, all life on the earth comes in second to our Warriors. I recognize that 'all men are created equal' and can show you many places in the Bible where God says as much; but he also says that they are equal to choose while here on earth. I find it curious that those who do not believe in the truth of the Bible are always ready to quote it. The Bible is clear that even the Devil and his Demons know the Bible (God's word) and they 'tremble', (James 2:19). Most of the people who use the Bible against our arguments use it in this perverse way. You use it, but don't believe it and refuse to accept the God who 'wrote it'. Then you are prepared to see our Warriors murdered by those whose lives you find 'equal' to our Warriors, using the Bible or Biblical commentary to make your case; curious.

The standard you are demanding by your comment is one way; You want to spare the lives of those whose religion requires murder but are incensed that I would say that our Warriors lives are more valuable than those murderers and those who support them financially, in spirit, through cowardice, intrigue, treachery and; oh yes adherence to taqiyya.

These have used their religion, the words of the 'Prophet', the Koran and the consensus of the Islamic Scholars, to propagate by killing those who don't agree, after offering them an opportunity to submit to Allah and the Prophet, of course. As Americans, we believe in live and let live. If others see it differently, they will find that the majority of us as Americans, won't comply. If you are asking me if we as Americans have an innate responsibility to die for other peoples of the world - both those who like us and those who would rather see us dead, the answer is no. If you are asking me, if given the option I would rather someone else die instead of our Warriors, the answer is decidedly, yes. I am not looking for any death; this was not a war of our choosing but is just one more battle in a war that is 1400 years long. Stop engaging in Jihad, stop teaching Allah prefers death for the infidel and stop sending your children to commit suicide/murder and this conversation will be over.

If the killing is to stop, those who perpetrated the first blow will have to agree to stop as well as those who give them aid, comfort and who agree with them ideologically. Short of that, this war will continue for another 1400 years and yes, I then choose the lives of my fellow Warriors and Countrymen above all on the earth - equal or otherwise.

Semper Fidelis;

John Bernard