Plethora of "Phony Soldiers"

By Big Tent Democrat, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 09:44:02 AM EST
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WaPo Op Ed piece:

The Real Iraq We Knew
By 12 former Army captains
Tuesday, October 16, 2007; 12:00 AM

. . . As Army captains who served in Baghdad and beyond, we've seen the corruption and the sectarian division. We understand what it's like to be stretched too thin. And we know when it's time to get out.
. . . [T]he U.S. military has been trying in vain to hold the country together. Even with "the surge," we simply do not have enough soldiers and marines to meet the professed goals of clearing areas from insurgent control, holding them securely and building sustainable institutions.

. . . There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq. To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately. A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition.

America, it has been five years. It's time to make a choice.

This column was written by 12 former Army captains: Jason Blindauer served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Elizabeth Bostwick served in Salah Ad Din and An Najaf in 2004. Jeffrey Bouldin served in Al Anbar, Baghdad and Ninevah in 2006. Jason Bugajski served in Diyala in 2004. Anton Kemps served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Kristy (Luken) McCormick served in Ninevah in 2003. Luis Carlos Montalván served in Anbar, Baghdad and Nineveh in 2003 and 2005. William Murphy served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Josh Rizzo served in Baghdad in 2006. William "Jamie" Ruehl served in Nineveh in 2004. Gregg Tharp served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Gary Williams served in Baghdad in 2003.

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Plethora of "Phony Soldiers" | 53 comments (53 topical)

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You will never find enough (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by andgarden on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 09:57:27 AM EST

to satisfy those who have already made up their minds.

Time for OFV (Our Favorite Veteran) to check in (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Repack Rider on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 10:21:17 AM EST

and tell us how his ten years gassing airplanes was tougher than anything these wimps went through, and if he could take it, so could they.

crickets..... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by scribe on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 10:39:56 AM EST

Did you say you were passing gas?? (1.00 / 1) (#11)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:44:14 PM EST

Thought I smelled something....

Wanna tell me again how the Left doesn't attack children?

hehe


BTW .,,,,,,,,,, (1.00 / 1) (#15)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:59:59 PM EST

I think the operative word is "former."

And taking the opinions of Captains re strategy, whether we can win, etc., is not realistic, and is only of interest because they are saying what you want them to say,


Help me out here (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by Repack Rider on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 06:58:47 PM EST

Are you saying that these people do not have access to the same Internet where you get your information, that they are incapable of watching TV and reading newspapers IN ADDITION to serving with boots on the ground in Iraq?

Do you suppose they have compared what is being reported out of Iraq to what they actually saw, and compared notes with their friends up and down the ranks?

How is it you think that a company grade officer with experience in the field, and with all the same external resources you have, is not capable of assessing the situation AT LEAST AS WELL AS YOU ARE?


Here you go (1.00 / 1) (#18)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 07:27:26 PM EST

I am saying that if the Captains had not agreed with the desire of the Left this thread wouldn't exist.

And yes, company level officers aren't all that qualified in strategies.

Hopefully, for the troops they command, they are very qualified in tactics.

And I highly suspect that they were.


Rationalizing impotence as disinterest (5.00 / 1) (#20)
by Repack Rider on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 08:02:39 PM EST

Bummer, dude.

Why don't you start your own blog and see whether anyone reads it?

As it is, if it weren't for this LIBERAL site, no one on the Internet would know you existed and your lonely life would be without even the stimulation you get from being wrong in public.

I can imagine how much that galls you.


: I don't have to build a house, write a book or (1.00 / 1) (#29)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:09:28 PM EST

start a blog to state a simple fact.
If you think a post on TL would say "12 Captains endorse war effort" you are in serious denial...
Thanks for worrying about my mental health. If I ever think about moving to friendlier places I'll give you a chance to bid on the moving job.
....naw no way I won't....

A Bush shill (5.00 / 1) (#25)
by jondee on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 03:29:13 PM EST

vetting whose qualified to strategize.

That's kind of like a member of the Manson family vetting PTA memberships.


I would say that you don't know Jack (1.00 / 1) (#30)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:11:35 PM EST

about the military, but I am trying to quit repeating myself.


Hahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! (5.00 / 0) (#31)
by Edger on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:13:54 PM EST

Impossible. You'd have to quit commenting....

What? Huh?


I'll stick around (1.00 / 1) (#37)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:24:28 PM EST

just for you

just for you.....


It's ok. It'll be tough, but I'll get by. (5.00 / 0) (#39)
by Edger on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 08:15:19 PM EST

You might take a poll though to ask if there is anyone here who wants you to stick around.


: hehe (1.00 / 1) (#41)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 09:05:05 AM EST

I keep telling you that as a mature adult with average self esteem and confidence, I don't need to run around asking people if they like me.
Now since you seem to think that's the thing to do, I'll vote for you.
Stick around. You make war supporters look good.

back to the actual subject (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by cpinva on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 04:55:51 PM EST

at hand. yes, our military is so depleted, and hard up for making it's quotas, it's doubled the number of exemptions for prior criminal conduct. almost a guarantee to increase the number of bad acts committed.

the republicans will never allow the draft to be reinstated, it would be their death knell, and they know it. the average american would be at risk, which they haven't been so far. we'd have the kind of anti-war protests not seen since vietnam.

no, the draft isn't going to happen on bush's watch.

Hold on there pardner....... (1.00 / 1) (#13)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:51:23 PM EST

almost a guarantee to increase the number of bad acts committed.

I thought these ex-criminals deserved a chance.. You know, right to vote, a job....

At least they do in my world...


What could possibly go wrong? (5.00 / 0) (#23)
by Edger on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 09:06:37 AM EST

Well........ he could take up naval aviating.


: Please be smart enough (1.00 / 1) (#55)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 10:10:31 PM EST

to get the phrase right...
It is "Naval Aviation."
That you don't know the difference demonstrates your total lack of things military...again.
BTW - You claim to be a Liberal.
Let's assume one of these young people from say, East Los Angeles, get's accepted...works their way into a NROTC slot and then on into flight training..
Why can't you celebrate the greatness of that??
Remember. I come from a background of extreme poverty. Anything that gives people a chance to work their way out of the trap of "bending knee to the man" is wonderful to me. That you have no confidence in the ability of people to change shows us your base beliefs.

You just changed (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by jondee on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 03:38:59 PM EST

right to vote to right to my vote.

Social liberalism in action.


LOL (1.00 / 1) (#35)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:19:51 PM EST

Ah, so your position is that once a criminal, always a criminal...


And your point is??? (1.00 / 1) (#42)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 09:12:12 AM EST

And if we had some ham we'd have some ham and eggs if we had some eggs...

If the rabbit didn't stop the dog wouldn't have caught him..

etc....

And no one said it was the mission. Why do you bring it up? Oh. I see. The old "quick change the subject" move... ;-)

Look, you obviously believe that people, having paid their dues for their wrongs as defined by law, should be treated differently..

Hey, a lot of Law and Order folks on the Right
feel the same.

Tehe


: heh (1.00 / 1) (#60)
by jimakaPPJ on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:18:33 PM EST

If you are going to use Judge Judy as your benchmark for intellectual capability, be my guest.

America, it has been five years. (none / 0) (#4)
by Edger on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 11:02:58 AM EST

It's time to make a choice.

Between leaving... or being thrown out.

Walk a mile in their shoes...

I am an Iraki struggling to keep myself and my children alive in the hell that that man's country deliberately and knowingly created in my home and continues to create and has every intention of making worse.
Do not ask me to feel sorry for any member of the American public or their filthy army either. I am utterly uninterested in how miserable the American troops who have slaughtered my people are. As far as I am concerned the more dead and mutilated and terrified and scarred for life American soldiers the better.
For as long as the Americans are here they will behave barbarically and incite barbarism. It is our homeland they have wrecked, it is our children they murder, it is our daughters they rape. The idea that there is any difference between the democrats and the republicans is ludicrous to anyone who lived during the sanctions.
The only thing that will get those pigs out of my country is for the Iraki resistance to keep on killing them. They are not interested in peace they are interested only is smashing my people into the dust and stealing my children's future.
To hell with them and the society that spawned them.

Why don't the Iraqis support the troops? (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by Repack Rider on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 12:03:42 PM EST

Wait. I think I know.


: Ingrates... (none / 0) (#6)
by Edger on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 12:57:25 PM EST

Do you have a calender?? (1.00 / 1) (#12)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:49:08 PM EST

Does this guy have an email address?
If so, how about asking him how come his fellow Iraqis are blowing up car bombs in markets packed with innocent women and children...

How come his fellow Iraqis are blowing up mosques... destroying hospitals.....schools... oil pipelines...electrical grids...

Seems a might peculiar way to be fighting the Americans..


Maybe it's because (5.00 / 2) (#24)
by jondee on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:56:39 PM EST

those criminal morons you've been shilling for have completely destabilized the region, after lying about their ability to provide "security"; lying about having a workable strategy and a clear understanding of the risks involved?


Oh really? (1.00 / 1) (#34)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:18:41 PM EST

Let me see... The enemy has come into my country and I want to throw them out... so what do I do??

I know... I'll blow up some Baptist Churches and car bomb the nearest mall....

Well, duh.... (sarcasm alert)

: Yeah, terrorist activity (5.00 / 1) (#44)
by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 03:22:00 PM EST

in a "War On Terror"; who could've forseen or planned for that?

BTW (1.00 / 1) (#16)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 06:03:28 PM EST

BTW - Have you vetted this guy?? How do you know he is real? Couldn't he be a terrorist mouthing words to get all the Lefties jockey's in a wad??


Nur Hussein Ghazali, (none / 0) (#9)
by Edger on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:18:59 PM EST

the commenter quoted, is one of the authors of the site Gorilla's Guides

More people have died in Iraq as a result of the invasion and occupation than were killed by what we did to Berlin. Or to Hiroshima or Nagasaki, for that matter.

I doubt they and he are much interested in whether anyone is utterly disinterested in how utterly disinterested he is, really.

They are more interested, it appears, in not having their country occupied...

And (5.00 / 0) (#10)
by Edger on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:35:32 PM EST

Irak is a common spelling of Iraq.

As common as is the spelling Iraki:

Iraki - a native or inhabitant of Iraq; "the majority of Iraqi are Arab Shiite Muslims although Sunni Muslims control the government"

and this lovely comment came from Gorilla's (1.00 / 1) (#14)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 05:56:59 PM EST

Jonathan said, on July 14th, 2007 at 2:06 am
The more I read about what is going on, the more I despise my nation and my people. I look at this empire my nation has built and I hope this horrible war we started with break my nation and drive it into ruin. At least then the rest of the world will be spared our ignorance and pride.

How about that sports fans!!

Tell us edger, can you join me in condemning Jonathan's comments???


About as predictable (5.00 / 2) (#27)
by jondee on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 03:42:28 PM EST

as your attitude toward protecting children (unless they appear in ads attacking Rethugs).


Jondee.... that's a big, bad, fib.. (1.00 / 1) (#32)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:14:31 PM EST

and of course I have the link to prove it.

I mean, did you think otherwise??

Did you even think??

;-)


The real proof (5.00 / 1) (#45)
by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 03:30:53 PM EST

is that in all the time you've been posting here, this is the first time you've ever expressed any concern over child welfare.

Prove me wrong. What a transparent fraud you are.


: Baloney is a sandwich meat... (1.00 / 1) (#53)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 09:57:39 PM EST

Not something that goes well in a comment.
I have been promoting National Health Care for over four years.
Are you capable of understanding that this would provide health care for ALL children?
Your complaint is a typical Demo tactic. Attack anyone who doesn't fall in line.
BTW - I never disagreed with S-CHIP, just this grossly unfair expansion of it. What the Demo's plans would do is have people who can't afford their own insurance pay for the insurance of middle class families in other states.
If you are you are going to claim to be a Liberal, at least have the decency to support the concept of fairness.

Can you join me? (5.00 / 2) (#28)
by jondee on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 03:51:46 PM EST

Is that the righteous crusader phrase of the week?

Enough about actions that harm children, we've moved on to condemning hateful remarks (that only "the Left" make). lol

What a clown.


It is a simple question. (1.00 / 1) (#33)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:15:28 PM EST

Your no answer is an answer.


I'll answer it (5.00 / 1) (#43)
by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 03:18:59 PM EST

when you answer my previous questions about your commitment to protecting children.

Btw, Nobody here is obligated to answer your idiotic do-you-still--beat-your-wife, qustions.


Archives are great. (1.00 / 1) (#46)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 04:33:07 PM EST

You write:

I'll answer it (5.00 / 1) (#43)
by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 02:18:59 PM CST
when you answer my previous questions about your commitment to protecting children.

Okay, here is what I wrote.
Here is a link from the archives.

We need National Health Care (none / 0) (#37)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 07:57:20 AM CST
It appears that we have a guy here who is struggling to start his own business and got dealt a terrible blow. If NHC was in force all of these political points would never come into play.

Instead we have the Demos using a 12 year old child, because "no politician will attack a child." It is an old strategy, and mostly successful. What I would like to do is ask her parents why they would do that. I would have thought that their home has had enough tumult and stress to last a lifetime, yet they decide to invite more. Perhaps unthinking, but the result us the same.
So shame on them. And shame on the Demos for using her. And shame on the bloggers who say nasty things about the family. And shame on the Repubs who don't tell those on the Right to shut up.

But they won't because the Demos won't try and shut down their attack teams. So we are stuck in a nether world of heated uncivil rhetoric and nasty politics that solves nothing.
I find that sad.

Protect the children? S-CHIP? What a piker you are. I called for NHC to protect them all!

Protect the children? While you dithered and postured, I had condemned everyone who uses them as political pawns and who attack them.

It is helpful to remember what you have said, and be able to produce to shut down people like you who make false charges.

Now. Answer my question.


Again, you've (5.00 / 0) (#47)
by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 04:37:36 PM EST

expressed any concern about child welfare in, what? Five years.

Coincidentally, right after an add attcking your pals.

FOS


: Actually (none / 0) (#50)
by squeaky on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 05:08:44 PM EST

It had less to do with children than his fear that the s-chip will be a stepping stone to socialized medicine. Giant steps are sure to fail, that is why he can break ranks and support NIH with no little steps.

Jondee (1.00 / 1) (#54)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 10:00:25 PM EST

I answered your question.

Yet you don't answer mine.

I have never placed any value on your comments, having observed early on that you are not a man of his word. Time and again you will twist and turn...

Thanks for demonstrating this one more time.


No need to shout. (none / 0) (#48)
by Edger on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 04:39:12 PM EST

No one listens to you anyway.


I've urged Jim (none / 0) (#49)
by jondee on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 05:05:15 PM EST

to join me in condemning the spending of tens-of-billions in Iraq -- much of which, it now appears, was stolen by overcharging contractors -- while thousands of kids in the U.S live in virtual war zones, but he refuses.

Ditto with condemning those who profit off child labor.

If the above mentioned kids appear in any adds atacking Repubs,then his "concern" for them will manifest itself -- surely.


: One day later (5.00 / 1) (#58)
by jondee on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 07:53:50 PM EST

And still there's nothing worse than adults putting kids in untimely ads that criticize republicans.

: I'll join you. (none / 0) (#51)
by Edger on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 05:27:07 PM EST

ppj should be along any second now...................(tap, tap, ahem)

Three hours later (1.00 / 1) (#19)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 07:58:58 PM EST

Fifty three hours and 25 minutes (1.00 / 1) (#36)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 07:23:10 PM EST

The condemnation has nothing to with the fact they exist...

The condemnation is about the content..

Nice try but you didn't get there.


You have become a (none / 0) (#52)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 09:51:40 PM EST

caricature of yourself.

My point was simple. In all of this back and forth, shouldn't we be able to agree that such comments by "Jonathan" be condemned by anyone who believes in the country?


: Thanks for the giggles (1.00 / 0) (#59)
by jimakaPPJ on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:14:44 PM EST

Do you ever actually make a comment about something?