Terms, slogans mislead (BIG TIME BARF ALERT)

Above is a column penned by a Vinnie Bevivino from the University of Maryland. After reading his column, I penned a response and email it to him. I am sure that Mr. Bevivino would like to hear from many of you, especially the veterans who have fought and defended his rights.

Mr. Vinnie Bevivino -

I have read your column. The following is my response.

First, in an effort to be kind, I suggest that if you are going to speak outside of your major of environmental policy, you need to pick up a history book or two; not only to read about past foreign policy decisions the United States has made, but also to read about past military accomplishments. The military devise operational terms not only to indicate to our troops what the nation’s intention is, but also to inform the world as to our intentions.

Next, you never answer your question as to why the United States is interested in the freedom of Iraqis. To answer your question, we are interested in the freedom of the Iraqis because that is the spirit of America – freedom and independence. This is where knowing your history comes in handy. The abolishment of slavery, child labor laws, breaking up monopolies, equal rights of women, ending segregation, Civil Rights laws; are a huge part of our history. The defeat of Nazi Germany, a militaristic Japan, the Soviets in the Cold War, and recently freeing the Afghanistan nation from the Taliban, is also part of history. America has a history of achieving freedom not only for our own people but also for the people of other nations.

During this short war in Iraq, our nation and the rest of the world has become aware of the evil of the Saddam regime. Breaking the bones of babies feet, raping women in front of their husbands, feeding feet first people into shredders, gouging out the eyes of children, and gassing the Kurds are just a few of the acts of evil performed by Saddam and his followers. Yesterday, our Marines witnessed the freedom of hundreds of children from a prison. You are suggesting that since we cannot free all the peoples of these oppressed nations at one time, we should not even try to free one. That view is as cynical as it is evil and morally lazy.

Yes, there are dozens of dictators in this world who has done as much as Saddam, if not more. My answer to you is pay attention to President Bush as the world has paid attention to this little war. Reading your terrible column, I can tell that you are not a student of history, which is sad because we are living in a momentous and historical time. Just as the United States has led the world in new freedoms by defeating tyranny in Germany, Japan, the former Soviet Union, Afghanistan, and now Iraq, we are beginning to lead the world to a new era of freedom unseen in the history of the world. As for spreading our resources, as the saying goes – there is more than one way to skin a cat. Stay tuned and be amazed.

To answer the point of your wasteful column; yes, it does mean the anti-war movement is against the freedom of Iraq. To be perfectly blunt, to believe that the peoples of a nation under the fist of a totalitarian regime can rise up and free themselves by themselves, indicates a thought process of vast ignorance of human history as to be branded stupid. This operation, which is now winding down as I write, does the anti-war movement on the outside, as the over 70 percent of Americans who support the freedom of Iraq see the anti-war protesters as appeasers and cowards. It does not take courage to protest a war in a country that guarantees you this freedom, right, and ability. It takes outstanding courage to go to these totalitarian regimes and protest the dictators who torture, maim, and kill their people.

We – and I speak for those on the right – are not advocating silencing dissent. We recognize your right to protest, as we on the right also recognize our right to question your motives. In essence, those who protest this war are against the troops. Those in power in Iraq see these protesters and mistakenly believe in a divided America. They envision that by using these protesters – do you recognize the term useful idiot – they can drag out the war, hoping that the current administration will crumble from the protestations of a mangy statistical few that get the majority of media coverage. These evil individuals in Iraq are as ignorant of our history and system as you are. This strategy would have succeeded under the last administration. However, while the Iraqi regime – and by extension, yourself - think that Americans are weak and will crumble after the first death or two of a soldier. This indicates a vast ignorance by them and you of our President, our system of government, and our military. With your admittedly squeamishness of fighting, if individuals such as yourself were the norm during World War II, we never would have been victorious. Normandy Beach and D-Day alone would have caused you to faint.

I will now go out on a limb but I believe I can safely state that the majority of those protesting the war have no family in the military. I will even go farther and state that you and your ilk probably do not know many people in the military. If you did, you would know that this is what we – I say we because I am a retired veteran of the United States Navy and I stand proud of my time in the service and believe and support the military – train to do, 24/7. These men and women are proud warriors who volunteered knowing the call, to go in harms way. They, and millions more before them, ensure the rights you have so that the ill-conceived, vastly ignorant, and pointless drivel that you wasted our time with can be printed. As I finish my reply to your column, the United States Marines have toppled a statue of Saddam in the center of Baghdad and the citizens of Iraq are now celebrating their freedom. In less than three and a half weeks, we have freed another nation from tyranny.

As to your rights, no one has ever said you do not have the right to protest. However, the same rights you possess, I do also, such as the right to post your screed on the internet to a site called Free Republic – along with your email address. I am sure they will take great pleasure in pointing out how drastically wrong and uninformed you are. I hope that the citizens of Iraq will find out that you, and people like you, protested against their freedom and independence. I am positive they would like to thank you for exercising your right.

Attention!

Our troops give so much of themselves, and we all benefit from their efforts. The next time you look at your bank balance, why not find some way to take some money and put it towards supporting the members of our armed services in some way? Maybe find a family who has someone serving, and buy them dinner, or some groceries, or a gift for their children? Maybe find a way to contribute to a fund for the memory of any of those who have fallen? Our armed forces deserve our support in tangible ways.

Attention!

Our troops give so much of themselves, and we all benefit from their efforts.

The next time you look at your bank balance, why not find some way to take some money and put it towards supporting the members of our armed services in some way? Maybe find a family who has someone serving, and buy them dinner, or some groceries, or a gift for their children? Maybe find a way to contribute to a fund for the memory of any of those who have fallen? Our armed forces deserve our support in tangible ways.

Dear Vinnie, you are so last week.

You forgot to add, "Get a haircut."

I did add a barf alert, though. Give me credit for that
8-)

Bevivino needs to lay off the vino.

This is the picture of himself he selected to head his columns in the paper.

What more needs to be said.

So9

Vinnie Bevivino - an obvious dipsh#t.

I just sent this response, focusing on what supporting troops really means.

"Dear Mr. Bevivino,
I read your piece on how the names of military operations, and that of "Iraqi Freedom", can be misleading or disingenuous. In this case, I agree...I think "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is a stupid name.

I will disagree with you on another issue, what "supporting our troops" means. I understand that you are not a veteran, and are not likely to be. I offer the following to educate, not to belittle or berate, and hope you read it in that spirit.

American soldiers, to include Marines, sailors, and airmen, are professionals. Professionals don't do things half-a--ed, and strive for excellence. To support troops means to give them everything they need to successfully complete the mission that has been given them.

Those peace protestors who argue that supporting soldiers means bringing them home where they are safe have started from a misconception. They have presupposed that those soldiers who have deployed are clambering to exit the warzone, and that's simply false. These soldiers are mindful of the risks, but will nevertheless continue to execute their missions to the best of their ability until they are completed. Anything else is failure, and failure is unacceptable to a professional.

Sincerely,

Gefreiter
via Free Republic

Your letter is much better than mine. I got carried away and added more venom than I attended.

"Is anybody wondering why we are so interested in Iraq while we are blind to other human rights violations throughout the world?"

Nope, not wondering at all. Saddam is evil personified, and he represented a direct threat to America through his very public support of terrorism.

"I think "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is a stupid name."

What name would you have picked?

Tell you the truth, I dunno what I would have picked.

What I don't like is that someone, somewhere in the Pentagon (or, more likely, civilian leadership) decided a named which had very specific wording which reads like marketing; sort of a like commercial for a war.

My attitude takes nothing away from those who execute the operation. I have to wonder, though, why execrcises get adj/noun randomly generated names, like "Nifty Dolphin" or "Simple Toolhouse" or some such.

What's wrong with Gulf War II?