Posted on 11/13/2009 10:19:31 AM PST by Notoriously Conservative
From the Sand Pit: It's freezing here. I'm sitting on hard, cold dirt between rocks and shrubs at the base of the Hindu Kush Mountains, along the Dar 'yoi Pomir River, watching a hole that leads to a tunnel that leads to a cave. Stake out my friend, and no pizza delivery for thousands of miles.
I also glance at the area around my a-- every ten to fifteen seconds to avoid another scorpion sting. I've actually given up battling the chiggers and sand fleas, but those scorpions give a jolt like a cattle prod; hurts like a ba---rd. The antidote tastes like transmission fluid, but God bless the Marine Corps for the five vials of it in my pack.
The one truth the Taliban cannot escape is, believe it or not, they are human beings, which means they have to eat food and drink water. That requires couriers and that's where an old bounty hunter like me comes in handy. I track the couriers, locate the tunnel entrances and storage facilities, type the info into the handheld, shoot the coordinates up to the satellite link that tells the air commanders where to drop the hardware. We bash some heads for a while, then I track and record the new movement.
It's all about intelligence. We haven't even brought in the snipers yet. These scurrying rats have no idea what they're in for. We are but days away from cutting off supply lines and allowing the eradication to begin.
I dream of Bin Laden waking up to find me standing over him with my boot on his throat as I spit into his face and plunge my nickel-plated Bowie knife through his frontal lobe. But you know me, I'm a romantic. I've said it before and I'll say it again...
(Excerpt) Read more at notoriouslyconservative.com ...
Although this letter appears to be a couple of years old ( the reference to Aaron Brown at CNN ) it’s still timely .
I might add that the GOP and their talking heads/spinners now have a vested interest in hyping the negatives in Afghanistan as well. Out of power, the GOP and their spinners have taken just as naturally to talking down the economy and talking down progress in the war as the DEMs did when out of power.
Great post!
What I love about our service people besides the obvious, is their language (military) and their rye sence of humor. I respect them all. HOO RAH!
This recon Marine is very very right...we (civilians) did send him over there to do the job he is doing. Whatever happens to him....whatever losses our military suffers for what he accurately calls a sh_ _ hole is 100% our fault.
We need to remember that as we get ready for work each morning...eat our lunches....watch FOX or other news channels....read to our kids...go to religious services on Sunday...visit our friends....and crawl into our lovely beds each nite for some sound sleep.
And don't whine the old saw about, "he knew what he was getting into...he volunteered."
True enough....he volunteered to join the military with the sure and certain knowledge that he was defending our freedom and was honor bound to perform the tasks we set before him - and his brothers.
Well...he's doing his job.
Now....what exactly are we doing to use his willingness....his honor....his life in the best and most effective way?
Af-gan-ee-stan??? I-rack???
Nah....
What is transpiring over there, now that the new islamic muslim-in-chief and his administration have taken over control is a complete waste of these brave men (and women). And any harm that comes to either him or his fellow service personnel (how do you like that a PC phrase!!!) is - without a shred of doubt - 100% our fault!
IMHO, here is what needs to happen....
"When in doubt, hit harder than you think necessary. Success will be forgiven. Even the best-intentioned failure will not. When military force is used against terrorist networks, it should be used with such power that it stuns even our allies. We must get over our cowardice in means. While small-scale raids and other knifepoint operations are useful against individual targets, broader operations should be overwhelming. Whenever possible, maximum force should be used in simultaneous operations. Do not hesitate to supplement initial target lists with extensive bombing attacks on nothing if they can increase the initial psychological impact. Demonstrate power whenever you can. Show; don't tell! (Do – don’t talk!)
Kill terrorists on the spot (do not give them a chance to surrender, if you can help it). Contrary to academic and MSM "wisdom", the surest way to make a martyr of a terrorist is to capture, convict and imprison him, leading to endless efforts by sympathizers to stage kidnappings, hijacking and other events intended to liberate the imprisoned terrorist(s)(or as just announced - public civilian trials of confessed islamic muslim terrorists). This is war, not law enforcement!
Never listen to those who warn that ferocity on our part reduces us to the level of the terrorists. That is the argument of the campus and the MSM, not of the battlefield, and it insults America's service members and the American people. Historically, we have proven, time after time, that we can do a tough, dirty job for our country without any damage to our nation's moral fabric (Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not interfere with American democracy, values or behavior).
Spare and protect innocent civilians whenever possible, but: do not let the prospect of civilian casualties interfere with ultimate mission accomplishment. This is a fight to protect the American people, and we must do so whatever the cost, or the price in American lives may be devastating. In a choice between them, and us the choice is always us.".
I was in Afghanistan for 1 year. There are no chiggers there like in North Carolina. I am suspecting this whole article.
I’m with you.
USMC Force Recon & "nickel plated Bowie knife" are for the most part mutually exclusive.
PC is dead w/him...awesome. Thanks for the ping.
Same here. Good for you Huck. I told them why too. Liberal propaganda, Larry David urinating on a picture of Christ and on and on. They offered me the Christian package.
If there is a sporting event - I can probably get it off the Internet Tv but who cares anymore.
How many Marines will islamist In Chief FUBAma help kill today?
This is war, not law enforcement!
Never listen to those who warn that ferocity on our part reduces us to the level of the terrorists. That is the argument of the campus and the MSM, not of the battlefield, and it insults America’s service members and the American people. Historically, we have proven, time after time, that we can do a tough, dirty job for our country without any damage to our nation’s moral fabric (Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not interfere with American democracy, values or behavior).
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SEMPER FI
Turn blind eye to rules of engagement or risk losing them both.
Fair winds and calm seas, sir!
Thanks for the ping! Definitely enjoyed it!! God bless this Marine.
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