Posted on 02/06/2005 9:00:32 AM PST by ILL
Mattis told about 200 people at the San Diego Convention Center: "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight, you know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right up front with you, I like brawling."
Do we mean to say they shouldn't use all the goodies they were given in order to kill the enemy? Hell no. They should kill as many of the enemy as possible. A verbal "faux pas" is not something that these generals are schooled at. If they were schooled as politicians they would have given us some sort of a hogwash story how heartbreaking it was to kill an Iraqi unit that set their convoy with road blasts. Sorry, but I just don't buy it. Rush to judgment has traditionally been easy for all of us and moralizing has never won a war. OK, he was a little too open or clumsy but he's not paid to be a speaker, his job was to command a unit in combat. If he's ever judged for anything that should be the scope of our interests. It is unacceptable to train these men to kill and later hold them liable for having killed (who cares if they enjoyed it or not). Such similar stupidities have befallen some other great American generals like William Tecumseh Sherman, George S Patton Jr. and Dwight D. Eisenhower. During their tenure they were severly criticized but after a few decades have elapsed we glorified their exploits. Let's not be that hasty and that hypocritical. We trained these people to do exactly what the General said he was doing, and we equipped them with plenty of toys to accomplish that goal (kill as many of the enemy as possible).
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I read every post on this thread. Yours were the most inane.
Kaffee: I think I'm entitled to them.
Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!
Kaffee: Did you order the code red?
Jessep: (quietly) I did the job you sent me to do.
Kaffee: Did you order the code red?
Jessep: You're goddamn right I did!!
OTOH, I made absolutely no references to gays or any kind of gay bashing. If you can find a post of mine gay bashing, please point it out to me. I think you, sir, are guilty of making generalizations with this charge!
Mission: Accomplished
OK I am confused by your answer as it pertains to the questions asked in post 106. Perhaps there is a language barrier?
Anyway. Can you please explain the 3-pointer reference?
OK we all saw "A few good men". So? What's the point?
Unless it escaped you that Jessep ordered Santiago to be "trained" - not knowing abouth his heart condition. It is neither Jessep's nor Santiago's fault.
But we seem to live in a society quick to judge and that's plain WRONG. Jessep did do the right thing. So did Mattis. So did Bush. Does it always have to take us 10 years after they die to understand how lucky we were to have them?
I have read this entire thread again and cannot find the gay bashing you claim.
Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
I suppose the questions you asked were either infantile, stupid or irrelevant (take your pick) that's why it was pointless to answer them as well as many others. I can't take you all back to Kindergarten and teach you how to count..... Some growing up, you have to do on your own. It's obvious that some people DID understand the post, I feel sorry for the rest.
Actually this was more fun than I expected. Although it seems that some of us are not very well developed thinkers. Talking (and trash-talking) has been rated very highly.
Does every statement I make have to be exactly about you? On what grounds?
I answered that one in full and with a far-reaching insight, having mentioned that our children will be grateful for the gutsy decissions Dubya made at critical times - why should I fear the man whom I admire? There has to be some mental breakdown in this type of communicating.
You posted it to me! (See the TO: line above)
Are you Dr. iliya Pavlovich?
Yes, it is me. That is my full name (first and last) and that's how it's spelled. I can't write about somebody else's views because I have never been inside another person's mind. Mine, I know fairly well.
I don't watch TV - ever. Therefore no FOX news in my home. Our president, Mr. George W. Bush, I do call Dubya out of endearment.
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