Posted on 11/03/2001 7:21:21 PM PST by Solitar
Dear Friends, The following letter was sent to me by my best friend whose husband is a Capt. in the USAF stationed (for now) down in Arizona. The letter itself was apparently written by a harrier pilot serving in the USMC. For Liberty, Michelle K.
Begin Forwarded Message:
(Long...but very true) (I wish I had written it!)
Forwarded from a Harrier pilot, USMC. His view......
Dear Americans:
When I opened my e-mail this morning I had about twenty forwards of the article written by Gordon Sinclair, the Canadian who so eloquently praised the United States. What most of you do not realize is that this commentary was written many years ago. Those of us in the Military Service have known about it for a long time. Now, Americans are flooding the net with it as if it were new. It is not. When it was written most Americans didn't read it, because most Americans did not care. The tragedy that befell all of us on September 11th shocked America. America no longer feels safe. Many of you have said, "The government should have known! 30 Billion Dollars is spent on intelligence! What about the Military!?"
Just a reminder America, you voted our government into office.
For years you allowed some dishonest politicians and twisted television media personalities to shape your ideas about the defense of our nation.
Why?
Because most Americans were too lazy to look beyond the three minute sound bites on the evening news. Here's a news flash not being broadcast much, "On September 11th, America had the exact level of protection, both militarily and intelligence, that it was willing to pay for".
Only yesterday the Congress and the Senate approved 40 BILLION dollars as a "Down Payment" to fight this War. A short time ago, our politicians said a 100 Million dollar increase for the Navy budget was substantial. In that same bill they ordered the Navy to conduct an 85 Million Dollar Study on...guess what America?
Missiles Defense? No. Desperately needed parts for our fighter aircraft? Wrong again. Training for Navy Seals? Nah uh. They wanted Breast Cancer research. Yes, America, your elected officials decided that the US Navy needed more mammograms and less missiles.
Was this an under the table, sneaky move? No, it was right out in the open. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy both opposed it. A New York Senatorial Candidate (Yes, she's the one) was enraged that the Military would be so sexist and irresponsible to the needs of civilians and wanted the Navy to give the money back immediately! But the media paid it little mind. So, America paid little attention.
Did anyone ever watch CSPAN? Particularly when the Heads of our Armed Services essentially begged OUR representatives to give the Military more money to fight terrorism and maintain a strong defense? Did you see the debates by the Heads of the Intelligence Services that terrorism was the new threat?
They told the committees of Congress that the CIA, the FBI, and the Secret Service did not have the money to build the necessary intelligence networks in the areas where terrorists were being harbored. They warned again and again that there was clear and present danger within America's borders. America must have been watching one of the other 114 satellite channels. The Military said: "We need more money to maintain military readiness and Combat Training." America Answered : "What the Military needs is Sensitivity Training! You're all sexist homophobes! I saw it on 60 Minutes!"
The Military said: "We need money to build ships, planes, tanks, and 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!" The Military said: "We need to recruit more Americans into the military. We need to increase our force."
America Answered: "You're not taking my kids! We're going to shut down The ROTC programs at our high schools and universities, because you discriminate against alternative lifestyles! ROTC teaches CHILDREN (under 21) how to
shoot guns! You just want another Columbine! Rosie and Oprah say so!" The Military said: "We can't keep interfering in the civil wars of small insignificant countries. It wastes our time, expends our resources, decreases training, and demoralizes our troops. The men and women of the United States are Warriors trying to defend OUR nation, we are not the Third world's police force."
America Answered: "You heartless bastards! Can't you see the tear in the eye of that starving child!! There are flies on her face for Christ's sake! Get moving! Jesse Jackson on CNN said, that is what we pay you for!" The Military Asked: "Why isn't America enraged over the terrorist attack on the USS COLE that killed seventeen AMERICAN Sailors? How about the Air Force barracks bombed in Saudi Arabia? The embassy staffs in Africa? The soldiers mutilated and dragged through the streets ?" America Answered: "We don't have time right now! We're busy defending Animal Rights! Our schools are handing out automatic weapons! The federal government is discriminating against cross dressing Bolivian hermaphrodites!The police are all members of the Ku Klux Klan! The lack of Ozone is ruining my tan! If they cut deeper into Food Stamps those poor women will have to move down to Size 18/20 Channel dresses! AND THE WORST! Corporations are raising the prices of there products so high I might not be able to afford the multi-disk DVD Player for my 36'" digital ready TV!
Besides, YOU GUYS ARE PAID TO DIE!
So, America, 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, 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 don't believe there is anything else to be said.
Amen.
Oh, the article should be named 'USMC Harrier Pilot on why 9/11 happened'
Either way's good to go. I always thought if the Air Force wants to get rid of the Warthogs, in favour of something more 'zoomy', give the A-10s to the Marines! One of my DIs was a Helo crewman who had the best insight about the A-10: 'You take this big gun, and you build an airplane around it...'
REaad this. You'll nod your head in agreement, and then maybe read some parts of it on the air.
Billybob
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, Lieutenant 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 of a life spent defending something. You use them 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 that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand at post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.
That's pretty much what was done. Except they built two airplanes around that gun, the YA-9 and the YA-10. By Northrop and Republic respectively. Then they wrung 'em out to see which was best. The Hog won, by being uglier I think, anyway it was close and actually came down to the A-10 being slightly more surviable, while the YA-9 had a slight performance advantage. In any event, they really did start with the gun, and each design team figured out how to build an airplane around it.
The A-10's wing is so draggy that even adding a third engine would only gain a few tens of knots of top speed. It's so slow that after they make a pass they have to fly off behind a hill or other wise out of range of the defenses to build their energy, what they call "smash", back up. The YA-9 might have been able to do that faster, if it had survived the first pass that is.
I've seen video of an A-10 tapping on a main battle tank with that gun. Tank was bouncing up on down and side to side on its suspension. Latter close ups showed the top, including the top of the turret to be full of 30mm holes. 2 or 4 thousand rounds a minute of depleted uranium will do that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.