Posted on 06/06/2004 10:22:08 AM PDT by Jack Black
It's a wonderful ceremony. Anyone else watching. What a news day. Bush looks wonderful. Even Chirac rose the the occassion and gave a very nice speech. 14 Legion of Honor medals were given to veterans from 14 countries. Not sure I can name them all. The military parade was interesting. Really awesome to see for military buffs. The overflights are taking place now and very impressive.
CNN cut to the Schroeder. Spoke over him. The new media egos think *they* are always the story. We would rather hear Wolf interview then world leaders speak. Who elected Wolf? Pathetic.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/695399/posts?page=31
Hitler's Sea Wall Is Breached, Invaders Fighting Way Inland; New Allied Landings Are Made
One of the blindspots of American media is in showing world events that do not focus ENTIRELY on Americans. Olympic coverage is similarly pathetic.for years I watched many things on Canadian television that were not shown to Americans.
I remember watching the wall-to-wall coverage of the 50th Anniversary of D-Day. It started in England with a Blessing of the Troops on the evening of June 3 or 4, as I recall. It was very moving.
I was disappointed at the music played for the American troops in the next parade. (It sounded a litle like the theme from Laurel & Hardy.)
IMO the Poles looked the sharpest(although Soviet style march) followed by the Royal Marines.
I watched the President speak at the ceremony on television. Being a former military honor guard member, I watched the flag bearers over Bush's right shoulder and watched one Marine pass out. The USAF bearer helped lay him down and the ranks closed without a hitch. I am not sure it was the Marine but having been a part of many a ceremony, standing at attention for an extended amount of time without moving your extremities is a recipe for passing out. Did anyone else see this?
I wish I had video tapes to review the small arms carried by the various honor guards. If I am not mistaken the Austrailians marched *without guns*. I definately saw one (former east block country) carrying SKS's. Cool. And, I may be mistaken but I thought I also saw Mosin Nagants?? If true, this is amazing. A rifle originally fielded by the Czar in 1895 is *still* in use by a military (even in a ceremonial role). Service in **THREE** centuries! Amazing.
I believe the Poles carried SKS rifles.
The parade marching styles of other nations make for nice viewing, but they are impractical. I'll take the simplistic American style that suits citizen soldiers any day of the week. The few American units that practice drill and ceremonies for parade functions can match anyone's troops for discipline and precision. It makes for a nice show, but it takes constant training that combat units can ill afford.
Case in point: the Norwegians marched quite nicely but . . .
Hey, those Nagants can still do more than ceremonial duty!
Sun Jun 6,10:14 AM ET President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland, right, and French Prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin review troops in Urville, northwestern France, Sunday June 6, 2004, during ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. (AP Photo/Frank Perry, Pool)
I think I understand...seeing those fine men standing there being applauded fir a very long standing ovation moved me to tears ( and some of them too). SUch brave young men they were. They did their job and came home and went back to work and school never to speak much about their valiant efforts. It is way past time to give them their due. And like the rest of you I love a good parade...just could have done without Chirac and his effete French snotty attitude
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