After Action Report: Appointment at Aberdeen

Self | Feb 23, 2003 | Sauropod

[sauropod]

The "weapons inspectors" from France and Germany and elsewhere trooped up to the Edgewood area of Aberdeen Proving Grounds this morning to "inspect" the chemical and biological weapons that were produced there and are being destroyed there.

Some background: Over the past several years, there has been a substantial effort on the part of the U.S. Army to incinerate chemical weapons such as mustard gas. Also, due to 9-1-1, this is now a closed post. Unless one has a DoD ID badge, one does not get in the front gate.

I arrived on site about 9:30 AM. I went and talked with the guards at the front gate. I was told no protesting on Federal property and that extends to the bridge on Rte. 24.

I indicated that I understood and set up on the other side of the bridge away from the post's front gate.

Doctor Raoul showed up shortly thereafter and we had several signs that we used for the traffic flowing in and out of EA APG. "If Osama was a piece of ass, Clinton would have nailed him"; "We gave peace a chance, we got 9-1-1", "First Iraq, Then France", "The only gas around here is coming out of your leaders' mouths"; and "Why aren't you in Iraq?"

The "Weapons inspectors" were late (they were supposed to show up at 10:30) and arrived in a convoy of cars. Doctor Raoul and I shouted at them to go home. I saw one car that had a Clinton/Gore sticker on it. Most of the occupants looked like Dupont Circle (sorry FTH) older yuppie types. I guess they look European.

Raoul and I heckled them for a while. Raoul had a bullhorn (I didn't need one ;-) and told them "genocidal dictators go home!"

I repeated chants of "Free Iraq Now" and "You'd better hurry up, the West Wing is on!"

Well, that's pretty much it. The "weapons inspectors" weren't gonna get in the front gate and we knew that.

[bmwcyle]

bttt

[Doctor Raoul]

they filming themselves? Did they give you dirty looks?

THe brought their own film crew with them. They weren't happy with us. Lots of sour looks. We told them as they passed us that they took the qrong exit, Baghdad was the other way.

Gave them a bit of their own medicine. Asked Medea Benjaumin how long it took to get the blood off her hands from last Saturday.

Reminded them that they wouldn't dare try this kind of thing in Iraq.

Asked them if they brought the Germans with them, otherwise they might not have a home to go back to.

[Doctor Raoul]

You & Dr. Raoul - you must have had a lot of fun!

It was a blast. Also was able to pass a few flyers to people there today. Knowing that at least some soldiers now have an idea somebody's doing something for them Saturday is rewarding.

[hellinahandcart]

Medea was there again today? Good Lord, she's like a bad penny. Or a bloodsoaked little Energizer bunny.

I am glad they gave you dirty looks. This is war.

[hellinahandcart]

Sorry about your battery!

[Doctor Raoul]

4-way flashers ran it down.

[dware]

SWEET!

Oh, and BTTT!

[Domestic Church]

APPLAUSE !!!!!

[Jabba the Nutt]

A piece of ass or a 5,000 year old mummy.;^)

[RaceBannon]

Outstanding!

As a side bar, in 1997, I was a project engineer for a device that was created to specifically destroy chemical and biological wepons and I installed it in Edgewood!

So, I know for a FACT they are destroying weapons there!

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings Freepers, et al:

Your Freeps and after action reports have not gone unnoticed. The troops love ‘em.

[Libertina]

Active as always, Pod. :) Good work.

[Angelwood]

Medea was there complete with "PINK" pants -- must be a requirement for members of the Code Pink brigade to wear pink.

She zipped by tgslTakoma's welcoming sign to Suzie "Medea" Benjamin and wanted to hold a one-sided conversation with us. Unfortunately, we like to talk, too. She didn't stay outside long, especially when she heard our questions about the blood on her hands and the photo op showing her donating blood in Iraq. She certainly didn't answer our question of who paid for her trip to Iraq.

It was cold and extremely windy today. We had trouble holding up the large flags and a sign. A few times the wind just whipped the signs out of our hands and off down the sidewalk. And our bag of signs was picked up by the wind even though there was a heavy backpack on top to hold it down.

Before the press conference, the so-called inspectors and their entourage were in the coffee shop of the hotel, which just happened to face where were were assembled with our signs. We spent our time turning back and forth to show our signs and chant to the people standing at the coffee shop windows or showing the signs to motorists and pedestrians across the street.

[hellinahandcart]

Okay, I have to know---WHO found out her real name?

When a gal adopts a name like Medea, it tells you something about her...

[FreeTheHostages]

Bump!! Good work, you two.

[FreeTheHostages]

Hmm. None of these after-action reports note that at one point Sauropod held his sign real high and I could see his stomach.

:)

I leafletted a lot.

[Fred Mertz]

One of the uniformed guys working inside the base worked in my building about six months ago. Small world.

[SLB]

A TDY bump.

http://www.dayspring.com/movies/webmovies/america.html

[sauropod]

Hey, I'm on a DIET!

[FreeTheHostages]

Hey, I'm just joking. (BufordP says I can't pick on him any more, so I'm transitioning to you.) :P