Three score ago, after a long history of service, superior, and yet segregated, Black soldiers were recognized as equal, or at least consideration for the possibility was put forth. In truth, then and perhaps now, manpower needs took precedence over racial prejudice in name only. The story begins on July 26, 1948, or perchance, years earlier.
From the pages of The American Conservative can be found this article entitled Admitting Failure. It is an interesting read that I suggest all peruse at their leisure; true from a "conservative" perspective, but it discusses at length the harm being done to our military.
Sgt. Thomas X. Hammes knew that, unlike some bad Hollywood movie, the band of thieves, social misfits, even murderers under his leadership would not transform into perfect Marines through some magic formula of tough love and fatherly motivation. Half the men in his platoon needed a swift kick out of the service, not more time in it.
"We kind of got the worst of the guys at the time," said Hammes. "Probably the worst in the history of the Marine Corps."
The year was 1976. Young T.X. Hammes was a platoon leader at one of the most inglorious times in the Corps’ proud tradition. The Vietnam War had just decimated the nation’s Armed Forces, the draft was gone, and the fabled Third Battalion, 3rd Marines was being infused with new recruits brought in under dramatically reduced standards.
This is my first time posting to Kos! Being an armchair politician as well as a daydreamer, I often find myself thinking: "If I were President, I would..." Today, it would seem, is no different. With all the talk about stop losses, deplorable conditions, casualty rates, and GI Bills, I felt like proposing my own legislation to honor those who serve this country.
With so many promises made, and so few of them kept, it’s time we establish the honor that we proclaim, by serving those who so nobly serve us. I am hereby proposing my own legislation to whatever body politic will give it consideration (knowing full well that a lack of consideration is not only the possibility, but also the likelier). Herewith is what I am calling: The American Honored Service Act:
In a "glowing" statement, perhaps meant to glorify the horrific deaths of the soldiers slain in Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney offered, "I think it's a reminder of the extent to which we are blessed with families who've sacrificed as they have." The man who, in his youth sought five deferments in order to avoid service during the Vietnam War, went on to state, "A lot of men and women sign up because sometimes they will see developments."
"The surge is working." John McCain says this constantly, claiming vindication for his support of the surge for the past year and a half. And although many of us here at DKos and elsewhere protest, the bottom line is that the surge has indeed worked ... sort of. Political progress in Iraq is still slow as molasses, of course, and shows little sign of speeding up. Oil production and electrical power levels are still below pre-war levels. Sunnis and Shi'ites, well, they still don't like each other very much (after all, it's hard to erase 1300 years of animosity in 14 months). Nevertheless, where violence and death is concerned, make no mistake, the surge has been a success. To McCain, this is proof that the U.S.'s misadventure in Iraq is turning around, and torpedoes all arguments for an immediate or gradual, staged pullout. So far, his argument has been gaining traction in the MSM.
"Another child will die in the time it takes to read this sentence. And the death of that child, a child who had a name and a personality, a family and a future, is a rebuke to all humanity. It is no longer necessary. It is therefore no longer acceptable." State of the World's Children -- UNICEF
Almost 10 million children -- 27,000 a day -- die needlessly every year.
Their only crime was to have the misfortune of being born on the "wrong" side of the tracks -- both globally and within their own countries. So successful has been the dehumanization of these, the wretched of the earth, that year after year the holocaust of 10 million children remains invisible and silent to those with full bellies...
with the subhead noting that the decline is some 58% since 2000. The Army is the hardest hit branch, with black enlistment declining from over 42,000 in fiscal year 2000 to just over 17,000 in fy 2005. Overall, black enlistment in all branches peaked in fy 1997, when just under 90,000 signed up, dropping to just over 44,000 in fy 2005. White and latino enlistments are both also down over the same period, but only by 10% and 7% respectively.
Ok the haters are right – this Hillary supporter is pissed as hell over the way some folks are comparing her to satan because of something she said recently.
People have pointed out time and time again on those threads that this thinking is more than common thinking in the military. You need to be prepared to whatever’s coming down the pike and goddess-dammit people – Hillary’s on the (HELLO????) Senate Armed Services Committee. You know... where they’re thinking pretty much 24/7 about how to best rebuild the military that Junior’s decimated since stealing the White House 6 and a half years ago?
Yet people seem to have conveniently ignored this fact.
This week the House and the Senate will go into conference committee to reconcile the differences in their versions of the Iraq Supplemental Appropriations Bill. Both versions have provisions for a timetable for withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. HRH George W Bush has threatened to veto any bill with a timetable for withdrawal.
So where does this leave us? It's an argument we have already won and from which we should not back down. Follow me and I'll explain...
Military recruiting during wartime is hard werk, y'know. Almost as hard a clearin' brush offa ranch that don't have no cows.
We've been hearing for some time that the military has had a rough time recruiting and there's been some hoopla made over the fact that recruiting standards have been lowered, but two recent new stories have suggested that it's now so bad that recruiters are trolling internet job sites and ... paintball businesses.
So many lies, so little time. I was going to write next about the lie that all these horrible consequences would necessarily follow a withdrawal of US troops from combat duty in the Iraq Civil War. I still intend to deal with this topic. However, a new Big Lie has emerged from the Iraq War Supporters.
I am sure you've have heard it. Any mention of placing conditions , or restrictions on the supplemental funding for the war brings forth immediate cries of "micromanagement" from the Iraq War Supporters. Is this really true, or is it just one more Big Lie?
Come below the fold where we'll deconstruct this one and perhaps find some Truth....
You know, I’ve had it just up to here with those tree hugging, terrorist supporting, lib’rul, hippie, blame America first, chickenhawk, er, troops?
Yup, brave republican (and CFL) "victory-supporters", it is now our own troops (in addition to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the generals on the ground, the Iraqi Prime Minister and government, 70%+ of Americans and a great majority of Congress) who are questioning the direction and "winability" of the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam (yes, that applies to the escalation, but it certainly also applies to the current occupation).
I originally called this post "An encouraging sign for the future of the republic," but that got no response, so I changed it to "future of the nation." Still no response. So I changed it again.
A front-page post by kos about the upcoming Army, Navy, Air Force (and perhaps) Marine Times calling for Donald Rumsfeld's resignation is certainly unprecedented. But it is a great deal more than that. I originally intended to leave a comment on kos's thread, but I believe that it requires a more thorough discussion.
There is no doubt in my mind that once Congressional hearings begin under a Democratic Congress (assuming we get over the vote-stealing hurdle), impeachment will once more be on the table. Even without WH documents subpoenaed by the Congress (the turning over of which will be denied on the grounds of executive privelege or state secrets, or both), enough evidence will surface from other testimony to warrant the impeachment of Bush, Cheney and Gonzales, for starters.
Once upon a time, I spent the whole night awake with a bunch of sailors aboard the USS Trent, a naval vessel which specializes in transporting Marines. Man, what a night it was. I was really tired but decided it was much more valuable to stay awake all night (we were on a mission to flee Israeli atrocities in Lebanon) and joke around with the sailors, Quinty, Art and "LeBron" and many, many other lonely men at sea.
As reported yesterday, at least 65 active duty service members intend to petition their Congresspersons to end the War in Iraq. Here is the link to the group, An Appeal for Redress, sponsoring their actions. This is the message that they are urging all like minded active duty service members to send to their Congressional representatives:
As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.
This is a great message and one we as a community need to support. I urge each of you, whether current military, former military, or (like myself) someone who has never served in the military, to support this message and the brave Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who will be sending it to their individual members of Congress. Please join me in taking the following action:
SAN DIEGO - Thousands of U.S. troops are being barred from overseas duty because they are so deep in debt they are considered security risks, according to an Associated Press review of military records.
