[GretchenEE]

fyi

and may God bless the memory of those who died under x42's ineptness.

[Lazamataz]

Clinton is incapable of ever doing the right thing. He is incapable of ever accepting responsibility.

Ever.

[Kevin Curry]

Another stroll down memory lane . . .

A Tough Encounter With [Clinton] Policy Survivors

Copyright 1993 Newsday, Inc.
December 8, 1993, Wednesday
By Patrick J. Sloyan.

For President Bill Clinton, the results of his policy decisions in Somalia came into sharp focus during a Sunday-morning visit to soldiers wounded in Mogadishu.

Reporters were barred from Walter Reed Army Medical Center during the Oct. 24 session when an uneasy Clinton met with some of the 77 Americans wounded during an Oct. 3 battle that marked the end of a covert operation to seize Gen. Mohamed Farrah Aidid . . . .

One soldier had lost his left hand, right leg, sight and hearing. Another had had his hand grafted to his stomach so a shattered arm could heal. Bullets, shrapnel and fire had maimed a young private. A sergeant had his leg in a steel birdcage after the first of a series of bone grafts . . . .

. . . Sgt. John Burns, 26, of Philadelphia, whose leg was shattered, balked at an offer to have his picture taken with the president. "I don't want to end up in some political propaganda picture - you know, 'President Visits Wounded Soldier,' " Burns said while Clinton was in his room. of a damage-limitation strategy devised by David Gergen, Clinton's adviser . . . .

. . .[T]he president's visit to the hospital was prompted by a call from an angry Walter Reed physician. According to hospital sources, the doctor called the White House. "He said these men have been here for three weeks, and no one had paid any attention to them," said a source informed of the exchange. "The White House called back and said, 'The president will be there tomorrow morning.' "

. . . Burns, who balked at the White House photographer, resents the perception that his mission in Mogadishu was a failure. "That's what kills me," he said in an interview later. "We did our job. My friends did not die in vain."

. . . Within the administration, there was even a debate over whether Clinton should write the families of the 18 men killed in Somalia on Oct. 3. "Some argued the letters should be written by [Defense Secretary Les] Aspin - not the president," said one insider. In the end, Clinton wrote personal notes to everyone.

. . . . Clinton is scrambling to achieve a political settlement there before his March 31 withdrawal deadline for remaining U.S. combat troops.

As had Lake, Christopher had seen covert efforts backfire on presidents before. He was No. 2 at the State Department when President Jimmy Carter ordered a Delta Force unit to rescue U.S. hostages in Iran in 1980. The Desert One disaster contributed to Carter's election defeat later that year.

So far, Aspin has been the focus of criticism for the disaster in Somalia. The defense secretary admitted it was a mistake for him to turn down requests for armored vehicles to protect U.S. troops there. Some members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would like to see Aspin fired.

For Aspin there has been trouble at every turn - including at Walter Reed. The day after Clinton's visit to the hospital, the defense chief showed up there.

One soldier Aspin visited was Sgt. Christopher Reid, 24, of Brooklyn. On Sept. 25, while retrieving the bodies of three Americans killed when their helicopter was shot down in Mogadishu, Reid was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. The blast blew off his left hand and right leg and riddled his groin with shrapnel. The explosion broke his eardrums and blinded him.

His hearing has returned, and after a series of operations, most of his vision was restored. But Reid had to shield his eyes from the overhead light when he talked to Aspin.

"We could have used that armor, sir," Reid said.

* * * * *

Complete article here.

Aspin didn't decide on his own. Clinton was involved in every bungled, crass decision.

[mondonico]

Bump for mainstream media's attention. Bill O'Reilly, this is your kind of story, where are you?

[Darlin']

May the Good Lord bless this courageous man for his service to our country and for the strength of his convictions in defending the honor of his son and of President George H.W. Bush. He looked evil in the eye and he was unbowed. Thank you Capt Smith.

[Paradox]

I finally got to see BHD, and I was floored, totally wasted, by the end. And yet, there was some triumph at the end, as they managed to get the rest of the guys out alive.

All during the action, in the back of my head, I was picturing a Spectre overhead, raining hell on the "skinnies".. didn't happen, but you couldn't help but wonder...

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

"They knew how the White House works. They knew there was no way Les Aspin made that decision on his own."

Well that's probably true...Why didn't Aspin resign in protest over a wrong-headed policy?

[upchuck]

THE SCUMBAG and The Hildebeaste built a very tall, very thick wall of lies, deceptions and irresponsibility.

But, now that their spin machine is somewhat muted, little bit by little bit the wall is being chipped away. Someday, soon I pray, it will collapse under it's own weight because the foundation is nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Eventually the truth, ALL the truth, will come out. What a crying shame that in the meantime these grifting sleasebags can continue to damage our precious country.

I am VERY much looking forward to taking my place in the pissing line :)

[PJ-Comix]

Instead of taking responsibility, the Vietnam vet said the president "blamed Les Aspin, he blamed the Defense Department, he blamed the Joint Chiefs.... he blamed everybody except himself."

The buck stops....THERE!

[agrace]

I heard this interview live on ABC Radio here in NYC Sunday morning. This guy is a disabled Vietnam vet, lost a son in Somalia, has another who just returned from Afghanistan, and a third who is also in the military. What a family. He said that shortly after meeting with the president about what happened to the rangers, he read a bunch of books on Clinton, and the main thing he came away with was that Clinton has never been "a stand-up guy" (his words) and will never take responsibility for anything. He had nothing but scorn for the Clintons and says he returned the condolence card they sent him after his son was killed.

I have yet to see Black Hawk Down. How accurately is it portrayed?

[cake_crumb]

"At one point, Smith recalled, Clinton even attempted to blame the Rangers 'for being too aggressive.' "

That statement sums up Clintoon's utter contempt for the military. It sums up the reason that Somalia turned into a total disaster.

It proves that Somalia WAS CLINTON'S FAULT.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Clinton,the worst president in American history!He didn't have the right to be in the WHITE HOUSE!

[timydnuc]

The beautiful symbolism by that Father was lost, completely, on Bill Clinton. It had no meaning because the man had no soul. The Devil will come to collect his due one day Bill, and he will be right there in front of you, with his withered, and blazing hand on your soul. He will come to collect his contract. I hope you still have that Ranger patch in your hand. God will rip it from you, and let you go straight to the Hell that you so rightfully deserve.

A coward dies a thousand deaths, a brave man dies but one. That's the promise of a God Clinton never knew, nor had any intention of getting to know.

The real Presidential Library is being prepared by Lucifer, as we speak. Be ready Mr. Clinton.

I wish you a long life, a life free of strife, a life as full as you can make it. But I think we both know where your soul is going.

[Paul Atreides]

In the movie, didn't they exclude anything that would shed light in Bubba's travesty?

[terilyn]

The country is at war. If anybody doesn't think that a story like this, told from the heart and soul of a man that lost a son in Somalia wouldn't impact Americans they're nuts.

Fire up those keyboards folks. This story needs to be reported far & wide.

[terilyn]

A "in case you haven't seen this one" ping.

[Valin]

"He MAY not be the worst president we've ever had,
but he IS the worst man we've ever had as president."
George Will.

[Valin]

"There were three fathers there," he told Malzberg. "The three of us just leaned over instantaneously and he backed off of that one."

To bad the secret service was there.

[ladyinred]

Oh how I detest that despicable man.
Typical Clinton MO, blame everyone else for his failures as a human being.

[Lancey Howard]

After a moment's hesitation, Smith said the commander responded, "Sir, we've got a real Commander-in-Chief this time. This time we're doing it right."

Yep.
Thank God for George W. Bush.

And congratulations to Steve for another great interview and to NewsMax for another excellent report.