Posted on 12/09/2004 9:22:17 AM PST by Nascardude
Edited on 12/09/2004 10:05:10 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
I could accept that, were we talking about a minority of the Guardsmen. But the crowd at the Rumsfeld town hall errupted in applause and whoops when the question of the lack of armor was brought up by the soldier. I don't believe that we have that many whiners, I think the problem is real and needs to be addressed - I have read too many articles quoting soldiers and even their commanders. I think that Rummy was wrong in his response and that the National Guard does NOT get an equal amount of the better armored vehicles.
The real problem is the mission is more difficult in Sunni cities then anticipated. I guess with 20/20 hind sight we could bash Rumsfield, he was warned, but I won't, not in this case. Let's get the job done, I say flatten any Sunnis city that resists then we won't need any damn armor.
Why is everything on Freerepublic "us" versus "them"? Just because you disagree with something doesn't make it some big Democrat conspiracy. God forbid somebody questions our precious Defence Secretary or our beloved president. Sure, the administration is mostly made up of good guys doing a good job, but they aren't perfect. They aren't the guys getting shot at, and they need to hear first-hand what's going on over there. We aren't over there, either. It's so easy to sit here in our living rooms eating Doritos and plugging away at our computers about how those soldiers should suck it up and stop whining, but we aren't there.
I don't give a damn if the reporter in question is a conservative or a damned communist. The question he 'planted' obviously stuck a nerve, because all the other soldiers cheered. There is no excuse for us to send America's bravest into harms way ill-equiped. "It's difficult to arm a Hummer, blah blah blah blah...The armor isn't perfect anyway, yadda yadda yadda.."
I don't buy any of that crap. Something is better than nothing, and if those trucks have nothing, than damnit, they better get something. Hard-earned American tax dollars go to giving friggin' Egypt billion$ every year. That being the case, I don't EVER want to hear another account like that of my buddy who just got back from Iraq and had to buy his own damn boots.
If a person can't bear to look into the weaknesses of their leaders whom they support, that person is weak himself.
we should have gone to war with iraq. we also should be attacking iran and syria. you are lumping in the war with the rebuilding and i think that like myself many conservatives dont feel that the war should obligate us to hundreds of billions of dollars, thousands of lives and years in building up those nations and giving them things they never had before.
This comment is so priceless, it almost makes his actions today forgivable...
DOBBS: You know, Jamie, to hear the words "taking an issue seriously and addressing it aggressively" 19 months after the end of major combat operations in Iraq says something either about the public relations center or the Pentagon's command structure itself.
48% Guard and Reserve fighting in Iraq -- might as well say 50%, but as you say it's the regulars that are equipped and treated more favorably. The regulars serve a 6 month tour of duty while there are Guard units that are on their 4th rotation. The Pentagon finds it cheaper to have the Guard and Reserves in Iraq than the Regular Army -- the Guard and Reserves don't get the benefits of the Regs, aren't equipped like the Regs and aren't allowed the 6 month tour of duty like the Regs. Those of us with loved ones in the Guard and Reseves know that -- we've known it long before now. And there is no excuse for treating one soldier with more concern and care than another. It's all about $$$.
"and aren't allowed the 6 month tour of duty like the Regs."
SIX MONTHS??? Ok I'm pi$$ed. I'm a "reg" and I got stuck over there for 12 MONTHS!!! Who can I complain to? /sarcasm
You're talking out your butt about the length of a tour. In terms of equipment, there's a preference for equipment to those "First To Fight" but that's equal opportunity for whoever that is, Guard, regular or Reserve.
Enlightiator,
This thread is NOT about accountability at the top.
This thread is about the appropriateness of a civilian (in it for himself for fame, advancement and money) to be slinking around in an active military unit in a war zone, encouraging the soldiers to question their superiors (in a not so respectful way, in my opinion), basically corroding troop morale and unit cohesiveness.
That is what this is about. I suggest you go to one of the other threads if you want to discuss that issue, there are plenty. Nothing personal there, but this is an important issue that doesn't deserve hijacking.
Not to be a dick about it, but that's basically what's going on here.
There's a difference between not having the tools to do your job, and not having everything on your wish list. I could easily come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of reasonable equipment requests that my team could really use. So could every team, squad, and section in the military. You have to be able to make due with reasonable limits, because it's unreasonable to expect otherwise.
Everyone can come up with 'If I don't have this I might die' scenarios for every piece of desired equipment under the sun. So what? You have adopt the mindset of 'We'll make this work, to the best of our ability, with the tools we have', or you're setting yourself up for failure.
You and I are in complete agreement on this.
Enlightiator,
Ahh. Never mind. I re-read that after I posted it-it sounded excessively harsh, and...the thread has already gone anyway. Sorry bout the tone.
And I agree with you guys. Well put.
PNTR = Permanent Normal Trade Relations?
There's no difference in MTOE for a type of unit regardless of RA, Guard or Reserve, right?
I observed he echoed and amplied what Rumsfeld said.
"There's no difference in MTOE for a type of unit regardless of RA, Guard or Reserve, right?"
It depends on how you look at it.
Let's say you have three general aviation units that fly ash and trash missions w/the UH-60 Black Hawk. One unit is from the Guard, one is from the Reserve and one is Active Duty.
The NG unit will have the "A" Model of the UH-60
the Reserve unit might have the "B" or early "C" models of the UH-60
the Active unit will be flying the "D" model with all the newest shiny stuff that's been added.
All the UH-60's are essentially the same. All can perform the same mission.
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