Posted on 11/22/2004 12:38:01 PM PST by conservativecorner
The subject of the young Marine in Fallujah is very near to my heart and emotional for me. See just a year ago there were sleepless nights for me and countless tears. A year ago I was the subject of a military hearing where my fate would be decided, possibly an eight year jail sentence. See, I stand firmly on the side of this Marine as many stood for me a year ago.
First, let no person that has never laced up a pair of combat boots, gone on a combat operation, been shot, or shot at offer their “opinion” on this issue. These Brave young Men and Women who volunteer to leave their families to secure the freedoms of others are the best of this Society, not actors and sports figures!
Second, Kevin Sites, MSNBC reporter, should, Nationally, apologize to this Marine, his family, and the Marine Corps for his shameful, dishonorable, and borderline treasonous action. He should be removed from the Iraq Theater of operations and forever be prohibited from covering issues of military relevance. I can think of nothing more damaging from an embed reporter other than just blatantly giving away unit operational information.
Thirdly, what have we become in America when we prosecute our Warriors and coddle the enemy. Look, they are terrorists, take it from a guy that has been on the opposite end of an AK-47 and discovered countless arms caches. They are not insurgents, they are simply killers. It is time that we stop having our benevolence used against us, shoot at Americans from a Mosque, run and hide behind women, children, dress as women, and now play dead or wounded (actually an old trick, ask the French about German tanks with their guns facing the rear, or any Vet that served in the Pacific or Vietnam). Therefore, what would America rather have? More dead US troops, perhaps that is truly what the liberal media would like to see? Seems to me that they do not want us to hurt any insurgents. And just earlier this month, these were the people that wanted their candidate to be Commander-In-Chief?
Fourth, stop talking about Geneva Convention! Terrorists are not signatories to this document. They are not uniformed troops serving under the flag of a recognized Nation or State. We really need to reexamine the so called “Rules of War", there are none especially when you are dealing with an enemy that has a completely different culturalization and religious base than yours! In WWII the Germans took Soldiers that were proficient in English and parachuted them into our rear areas in American uniforms, what happened, when captured they were shot. Boy howdy, what would our current media say to that? Gen William Tecumseh Sherman stated, “War is Hell” and having seen two combat operations and nothing similar to the furnace that was the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, or Vietnam, I would still agree. We need to look at how do we deal with these Terrorists, look you play a certain game, playing possum, well first time shame on us, second time, shame on you!
Ok, in conclusion, where is the Code of Bushido or the Honor of Sparta in our American society? Here we are on the media condemning a young Marine that was just recently shot while celebrating Officers refusing to return and serve their Nation. I ask, what defines character in America? If they ask me to return, my only question is where? If the episode that I experienced or this Marine was part of a Hollywood action film (check out “The Untouchables” and you will see a clip that parallels my situation) the audience would shout and cheer. Our kids play ruthless Video games and we do not condemn them, yet a young Warrior of this Nation takes action and we say, “First Degree Murder". Funny, War is murder isn’t it? Perhaps we have forgotten that people really do shoot at you, unlike the movies and video games.
Have we heard anything from Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, or the Dictatorial Monarchies we call the Middle East condemning the beheading of civilians? Ask yourself, how would TERRORISTS treat a wounded US serviceman or woman? No, I do not say lower yourself to the level of these fiends, however, as we used to say in street ball, “You make it, You Take It!”
Regards, LTC Allen B West (USA, Ret)
while i fully support the military is seems asinine to believe that they fought so that they alone can have opinions.
Bump!
I agree. Our citizens and government officials should first and foremost take the side of our soldiers who have sacrificed their personal security a countless number of times all so assholes who want this marine charged with war crimes can further their no war anti bush anti military terrorist appeasement horse manure. What is the media doing in a war zone anyways? Wars are fought by soldiers not by pencil neck geeks with a political agenda. As the Geneva convention goes you hit the nail on the head. Geneva convention only applies to combatants who wear a representative uniform of a state. Terrorists have no representative state although Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Spain, UK, Afghanistan, Lebanon, UAE,France, and the Phillipines have been breeding grounds for terrorists and anti American military/Government nonsense. I support my soldiers to the utmost extent I can as a citizen and will never oppose upgrades in pay, equipment, benefits, and unfortunately legal protection via dissent with the left wing media.
Thank you, Colonel West. Your viewpoint is well stated, articulate, and irrefutable. Of course, I am not a member of the MSM, so I can say that.
Let our troops do their duty. No American journalist should have a greater loyalty than to the country that gave them the First Amendment. Seems to me that they forget that on a regular basis.
Some opinions are worth more than others, especially informed opinions!
Col West is truely a great American. I raised hell over his situation when it occured as I now do for this young Devil Dog. We will not stand for this insanity.
LTC West...that name is familiar. What controversy was he involved in recently?
}:-)4
I'm sorry about your ordeal --we here at FR were supporting you at the time, because you surely did the right thing. Thanks for your service, and for looking out for your men.
I have laced up combat boots, I have been shot at, I have shot at VietCong targets. I did two tours of combat duty in Vietnam.
You, sir, LTC Allen B West (USA, Ret), are right on the money.
LTC West was charged for intimidating "terrorist" by shooting his personal weapon close to their heads. He said at the time that he'll do it exactly again to find out who were behind killing his troops.
A Democrat Gets it Right
As all of the Arab press, the majority of the European press and most of the liberal press in the U.S. denigrate the young marine who killed a terrorist faking to be dead, Texas Democrat Sylvestre Reyes is, in his own way, defending him.
Congressman Reyes suggested that the U.S. rethink it's policy of allowing embedded reporters in combat zones. The Democrat from Texas added: "we don't want to know everything that's going on on the field."
"We should not be providing the Al-Jazeera the kind of propaganda they've had the last couple of three days," added Reyes.
Finally, a democrat demonstrates logic and patriotism, with regards to the War in Iraq. Unfortunately, the left is likely to ridicule him for defending our troops.
"LTC Allen B West (USA, Ret) is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but his heart is in the right place."
Please elaborate - What causes you to denigrate someone who fought for you - and who sounds very articulate to me?
From the Corner at National Review:
MORE FALLUJAH [Rich Lowry]
E-mail, from a professor at military-related institution:
“Rich,
Re. your NRO post on Fallujah. I just received an astounding PowerPoint (what else) presentation from one of my former students who currently commands a brigade in Iraq. The insurgents used 60 of the Mosques as fighting positions and weapons caches during the battle - that's 3 of every 5 Mosques in the city. 653 IEDs were found and detonated by coalition forces - 11 IED "factories" were also found, not to mention the slaughter houses and just run-of-the-mill weapons stockpiles.
Where's the media in all this? Or, how about a better question: Where is our information offensive?”
Ah, yes, I remember him now. He got the information he needed to keep his men alive, kept the terrorist alive with no more damage than one ringing ear and soiled underwear, and got cashiered for it.
Our technology and our rank-and-file military men and women are strong and brave enough to win any war, I believe that. The question is, will the media, politicians, and perfumed princes actually LET them?
}:-)4
Two words, self destructive.
We are very powerful militarily and we've developed this self destructive mentality that when we go to war we need to keep our power in check so as not to look like international bullies. When a country's war machine is hamstrung by a PC mentality it can only lead to disaster for our fighting men. I wish we could bring back the mentality that our fathers and forefathers had when fighting a brutal enemy. Get just as down and dirty as they are and defeat them swiftly and decisevely.
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