Letter from a USMC pilot

Email from a Marine ^ | 2 Oct 01 | A USMC Pilot

[Rokke]

I'm guessing this will generate some comments.

[Betteboop]

Bump

[EaglesUpForever]

Great post. The destruction of our military is largely the fault of the dumbed-down television zombies that failed to see through our media: the worst, most decisive defeat of this country was the re-election of Bill Clinton. Everyone who supported that is to blame.

It would be nice to blame just Democrats, but it was a bi-partisan effort that supported our incredibly wasteful war in Yugoslavia and much of Clinton's inept policy. Hopefully one bright part of this is that we will learn something before it's too late. But I would suggest that as long as the Clintons parade around with no accountability, we are still in deep trouble.

Is there an impeach Hillary campaign of any sort? What is the equivalent of impeachment for a "senator"?

[Gadsden1st]

There is no adequate response.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Excellent points. America didn't get what it deserved in the plane tragedy-It got what it ignored.

[real saxophonist]

USS Cole's Namesake Was 'Fighting Field Musician'

[section9]

You dadgum right there is no adequate response.

My only fault with this piece is that it strikes me as being too partisan. The fact is, there was enough criminal negligence to go around on both sides of the aisle during the Clinton years for us to get away with blaming the Clintoon and his outriders for this. We loved the gogo years and the paper wealth that it created. Meanwhile, this Marine and his comrades were being told by their Toon buttkissers on the JCS to "do more with less" and "work smarter, not harder". Indeed, I suspect that if Sept. 11th had not occured, we'd be still in a fix. If you'll recall, there was a spectacle going on between Bush and Daschle about that ridiculous, nonexistent, Social Security "lockbox". The military was once again at the short end of the stick.

Now massive numbers of casualties have been inflicted on the American people in the American homeland. Now we know the price for "doing more with less". Now price is no object for the defense of our nation and its children.

But there was a terrible price that was paid for the obvious, wasn't there?

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Sparky760]

Ditto!

[WOSG]

This is the kind of column that is sorely lacking from the New York Time editorial pages!!!!

[Florida native]

God Bless that Marine! Bump.

[GOPJ]

Well said:

The military said: "We need money to build ships, planes, and tanks and to improve our technology. America still has credible threats throughout the world. Terrorism will come to America's doorstep." America answered: "You're all part of a vast right-wing conspiracy. There is no more Soviet threat! My Senator told me so! He/she says we do not need such a big military! You're dinosaurs trying to hold onto the Cold War! We need social programs!"

[VOA]

bump

[Cap'n Crunch]

I am outraged!

How dare this Marine point fingers at the American people at a time like this? He should be flogged!

What a Sanctimonious hypocrite! Boycott all such posts my fellow FReepers!

(exchange the military jargon for religious jargon and that would have been the response du jour)

[vaudine]

"What is the equivalent of impeachment for a senator?

Impeachment.

Vaudine

[Cap'n Crunch]

Oh, that reminds me, today while I was at work I saw a bumper sticker that said:

"Dont blame me, I voted Democrat"

[Rodney King]

It's a fine letter, but it has made the rounds now a few times - from a soldier, and air force pilot, now a USMC pilot. Sometime with the Semper Fidelis, sometimes not. Makes one wonder if it is from a soldier at all.

[eternity]

Huh?

[longleaf]

People are still not noticing. Just one big event was not enough. We are being lulled back to sleep by our leaders, who care more about money and the economy than the "enduring freedom" they talk about in slogans.

Many in the younger generation will not truly "take notice" unless and until they learn of the draft being reinstituted. I remember Vietnam and the real reason the protests broke out. It wasn't about idealism so much as fear of having one's butt drafted and blown away in a faraway jungle. There is no new "greatest generation" on the horizon eager to sign up.

That's another reason few of this Marine's civilian contemporaries cared about the losses he detailed. He "volunteered" for it, they'd say.

Al-Qaeda is trying to "give a war," but so far "nobody has come." If I had to guess, I'd say Al-Qaeda will keep trying, though.

As the saying goes, "You may not be interested in war; but war is interested in you."

[LouisianaJoanof Arc]

So - while you sit on your couch or around your office coffee pots and ask, "Why did those terrorists kill innocent civilians? Why didn't they go after the military?" - remember this, America: They already had gone after the military - but America didn't care. These terrorists realized that they needed to kill American civilians - and lots of them - before they could have their desired reaction from the people of this country. Well, now they have it.

I read this paragraph twenty times......and each time I read it - it hurt a little more. We must never again allow our leaders to ignore the military when it pleads for help on our behalf.