Posted on 03/26/2014 10:11:31 AM PDT by DJ Taylor
Let me be clear about what I’m writing here. This is not only a story about disgraced U.S. Army Special Forces major James Gant. This is also a story about a story about Jim Gant.
On March 24, David Wood at Huffington Post published a glowing profile of Gant that carefully, even elegantly, talks around the shocking reality of Gant’s rise and fall as a commando officer in the Afghanistan war.
Gant had invited his girlfriend Ann Scott Tyson, a Washington Post reporter, to accompany him and his team on secret missions in a remote province in eastern Afghanistan in late 2010. And according to Wood quoting Tyson, Gant armed Tyson, teaching her to use “almost every weapon” in the Special Forces inventory.
Gant and Tyson, who are now married, lived close together in Afghanistan while unmarried—a big no-no by Islamic standards. Gant also kept alcohol in Afghanistan, where drinking is illegal. And he had unauthorized drugs and unsecured classified documents.
This long list of violations got Gant fired, demoted and kicked out of the Army. Tyson wrote a hagiographic book about her disgraced husband called American Spartan. I have not read it.
In his Huffington Post profile, Wood helpfully promotes the book and attempts to rehabilitate a rogue officer who clearly possesses essentially zero regard for Islamic customs, military regulations and common sense.
Gant, Tyson and Wood’s combined tale is a cautionary one about military hubris, cultural insensitivity, unsafe firearms practices and, on top of everything, piss-poor journalism.
(Excerpt) Read more at medium.com ...
Was that Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore?
He uses “zero regard for islamic customs” like its a bad thing.
“U.S. Army Special Forces major James Gant”
Sorry pal, unaccompanied means unaccompanied and that’s the fact Jack.
Broke Islamic rules:
How can I NOT like this guy...?!
Also there are no objectives wrt our presence there.
The whole intervention is without merit.
“officer who clearly possesses essentially zero regard for Islamic customs”
I have no problem with this part.
Great article, thanks for sharing!
There were better looking goats over there.He didn’t need to bring his own goat.
Bo?
Bow Wow !!
What part of “embedded media” don’t you understand?
Maybe he thought he was a 4 star general.
"Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have more responsibility here than you could 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 that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. I know deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you don't 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 I provide, then question the manner in which I provide it. I prefer you said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand to post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!"
Col. Nathan R. Jessup
> In his Huffington Post profile, Wood helpfully promotes the book and attempts to rehabilitate a rogue officer who clearly possesses essentially zero regard for Islamic customs, military regulations and common sense.
One of out those three ain’t bad.
I assume you’re referring to Bo Gritz, but no it wasn’t him, although I did know him in Vietnam.
That Huff Post article does make an interesting read, but you can’t post from Huff post on FR, but maybe the Mods will allow this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/24/afghanistan-jim-gant-american-spartan_n_5008520.html
Thx.
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