Posted on 04/06/2007 8:19:29 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
In some ways, Army Colonel Jack Jacobs [ret.] is the perfect military analyst for an MSM outlet like MSNBC. His Medal of Honor won for exceptional heroism in Vietnam [read account here] puts him above reproach. Yet his take on Iraq and other military affairs is anything but a parroting of the Bush administration line.
But while MSNBC might see him as one of their own, there come moments, as today, when Jacob leaves no doubt that he remains altogether a military man, upholding the highest traditions of valor and sacrifice. At about 10:30 AM EDT this morning, he was brought in to comment after the just-concluded press conference by a number of the British sailors and marines who had been held captive by the Iranians. A clearly outraged Jacobs made no effort to hide his contempt for them. Excerpts from his comments:
View video here.
"I don't know where to begin. I've gotta tell you, that was the most disgusting, disreputable, dishonorable performance I can remember in more than forty years of my relationship with the military service. I think every man, every woman who wears the uniform, or who has ever worn the uniform of his country, no matter what country it is, ought to be disgusted by this."
Your captors demand that you take a shower and put on a suit or else "Davey" gets whacked. What are YOU going to do Colorado Tanker?
You won’t find me arguing about this one way or another...I have never been in the military, been a hostage...or know exactly what they had to go through.
These fu*king fops in the British press put the word "torture" in quotes, as a way of lessening what the sailors went through. Not that they went through anything that stressful. It's not like underwear was put on their head.
Then they throw in a remark like "while it stopped short of physical abuse" designed to separate the Iranians from the brutal TORTURERS in the United States.
The liberal press, quick to scare the public with hyperbole at everyother opportunity, could have called this torture, but didn't. This is proof that our press is deliberately trying to sabotage this war.
“As I have said elsewhere, I believe that the much-touted Code of Conduct - or at least the part about POWs - was quietly scrapped when the government realized - very belatedly - that its only effect was to give the enemy an incentive to torture prisoners.”
That is absurd, teaching, and training, and mentally equiping soldiers on the military reality of capture by the enemy, is a fundamental part of preparing the warrior for the battle field, we did not just “move on” from that.
http://www.answers.com/topic/stuart-lockwood
About the helo I do believe it was a anti sub type from the British ship. I saw video id by Iranian sources as video from the capture which showed a British copter shadowing the group of Iranian ships with the Brits taken captive.
pablo H
Since Mar 8, 2007
I was kicked out of the Marine Corps during boot camp and even I know you don't "win" a Medal of Honor.
The sentence should read "His medal of Honor, awarded for exceptional heroism, "
Someone needs an editor.
Incident occurred in August of 1990. Saddam took over a thousand foreign nationals who worked in Kuwait and Iraq and put them under captivity. In a propaganda ploy to show that he was not the thug he was he brought in a British family and tried to be Mr. Niceguy to the little boy. The little boy acted how some of those Royal Marines and Sailor should of acted. He answered the questions by Saddam but it was obvious the boy was upset and did not think much of Saddam. I think my issue is not what the 15 Brits said but how some of them appeared. Physical body gestures and body movements can tell the whole story. The way some of the Brits acted with the Iranians it reinforces what they were saying.
Also Mike Durrante who was held captive in Somalia after his Blackhawk was shot down appeared better than these Brits and his back was broken, his crew killed and he was shot! I think he was asked why the Americans were killing children and his reply was "Killing is bad". Obviously he had no control on being taped but he answered his questions tactfully enough to show that he was not fully cooperative. Here's the links about the little boy. http://www.answers.com/topic/stuart-lockwood
yes indeed
Another hero!
On June 15, 1985 Hezballah (sponsored by Iran) brutally beat, tortured and then killed 23 year old Robert Dean Stethem as he was being held hostage aboard TWA 847 commercial airliner. Robert was on his way home after a tour of duty with the US Navy in the Middle East. The terrorists had hijacked the plane with 153 passengers in Athens Greece forcing the pilot to fly twice to Algiers and twice to Beirut during the 17 day siege. The hostages were released after Israel released 435 Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners.
“When the plane was at the Beirut airport in Lebanon, Petty Officer Stethem was singled out because he was in the US military. After many hours of being cruelly beaten, tortured, and finally killed by the terrorists, they threw his body from the plane in a final disgraceful, cowardly act. The wounds were so terrible that his body had to be identified by its fingerprints.
Throughout the ordeal, Robert Stethem did not yield, and instead encouraged his fellow passengers to endure by his example. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for heroism and bravery. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery.”
–Mark Crawford, Bryantown from “Who Was Robert Stethem
Bump, best post of the year.
Wrong.
Iran and other thug countries have taken note of the spinelessness and cowardice of the Royal Marines and they will repeat the act. Weakness and cowardice always invites more thug behavior.
That's why you resist in cases like this: to put the thugs on notice that there will be absolute hell to pay if they try. It's for the deterrence value.
Which one?
Your post, #123!
I haven’t been online much, so it’s taken a while to get back to you.
The man is a true hero. Sometimes such people can forget that not everybody is.
We can reasonably expect our military personnel to do their duty. We cannot reasonably expect all of them to go above and beyond the call of duty.
Otherwise it wouldn’t be going above and beyond the call of duty.
Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen who do their duty as they have been taught is their duty, and who behave according to the orders they have been given, should not be criticised. Even by a hero who would have done something differently.
Saying that they shouldn’t be criticised in no way implies that we should not praise and honour those who choose to do much more.
From what I can see, none of the British personnel in this case were heroes.
None of them went above and beyond the call of duty.
But not everyone has to be.
The vast majority of military personnel will never be heroes.
But if they do their duty, that should be enough.
That was pointed out to me yesterday and I edited the original NewsBusters item accordingly.
Thanks,
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