AFTER ACTION REPORT: White House Pro-Iraqi Vote Rally: DEC. 17,2005

In order to get this report up without delay, it is being posted without photos. BillF will add photos later, so please check back on the thread.

This past Saturday a group of die hard supporters of the U.S. Troops, President Bush and the Iraqi people gathered at Layfette Park in front of the White House. The people in attendance were (asterisk " * " denote lurkers): BillF, Tom the Redhunter, Sam*, Fraxinus, Mr.Mrs.RedWhiteBlue (New FReepers - daughter & son-in-law of Trooprally), trooprally [Mr. and Mrs.], Doctor Raoul, Justanobody, BufordP, kristinn, Iraqikurd, Landry Fan, and Shiek Ahmed Subhy*, the guest speaker. A Flat Stanley* character also stood briefly with us.

It was cold (low 40s, lots of sunshine) but after several Friday nights at Walter Reed we were dressed accordingly. Dr. Raoul brought a podium with microphone and set it up. Due to regulations, the speakers could not be turned towards the WH. Everyone was pleasantly surprised that the batteries still had power.

After we purpled our right index finger, Kristinn started the event with his ever so familiar eloquent oratory about the excellent job President Bush and military is doing, about the bravery of the Iraqi people and of course how the leftists politicians and Cindy She-Shrew types are hurting the military's efforts against terrorism around the globe. Kristinn's speech attracted many tourists who were walking by. Most gave a thumbs up or an acknowledge nod. But we did have several who disagreed with us.

One person, who claimed that he served 13 years as a Marine before getting out, was spotted by BillF and BufordP before he even became vocal. I heard them saying to each other that this guy was going to say something. Sure enough, he said something barely audible from where we were standing. Then he finally got his courage and said louder that we were wrong about Iraq, that we should have stayed in Afghanistan. With that, I walked over to him to engage him, carrying my "We support our troops mission" sign. But you know, in my 35+ years of being around real Marines, I've yet to know one to be bashful.

He started with how the military is doing everything wrong and we have no authority to be supporting Bush. I informed him that my authority comes from having a brother killed in Vietnam and being buried in Arlington Cemetery. At least that put me on some type of equal footing with him that he had a civil conversation with me. As we further discussed the merits of the war against terrorism, he occasionally interrupted Kristinn. So while talking to him, I slowly moved away from our group, keeping his back to Kristinn, and he followed. After some time BillF came over and told me that Iraqikurd is starting to talk. I shook the Marine's hand and he thanked me for talking to him. I went over to our group and he went over and sat on a bench. The bench was close enough to hear what we were saying because he came back later.

The other person was a pseudo-intellectual kid(Landry Fan's words). He said a few words off to the side of our group. Again I went over to try to distract him by engaging him, but to no avail. He tired of me quickly and slowly meandered between Iraqikurd and our group, looking around the ground and at some of our spare signs, and mumbling comments about Iraqikurd's speech.

As he walked by Landry Fan, she offered him a purpled foam finger. He declined and Landry Fan said "Not even a U.S. is #1 finger (The blue styrofoam football type hand)?" He responded saying something about not needing that to show his patriotism. Well what does he need, a swift kick in the a**.

Lucky for us but not him, when he finally looked up, he was face to face with "The BufordP". BufordP (6 feet plus tall) engaged him (Short!) and had better luck than I did. BufordP kept him occupied and off to the side for the remainder of our event. Their discussion centered around what the U.S. has done wrong in the war against terrorism. It is always easy to discuss what happened with 20/20 hindsight. BufordP said the guy was not obnoxious, just talkative.

During this side line interruption, Iraqikurd continued to talk about his personal knowledge of the Iraqi people, how the people are really thankful for the U.S. and coalition forces, how there is tremendous progress being made in Iraq that the MSM do not report. (For excellent articles by Iraqikurd, see Iraqikurd and Interview.

The tourists who stopped by took many pictures of our group. That is why we were out there, to let others know that thepull out now" cry babies are wrong. Most passer-bys stopped and listened for a while.

It was time for our guest speaker to talk. Shiek Ahmed Subhy was excellent. (See ARTICLE for more on him and his speeches). He is truly against the terrorist. He spoke about the real Muslim beliefs, about how their American Jihad is really a jihad against Democracy, how some Muslims are trying to silence him, and about how appreciative he is of the U.S. for our war against terrorism.

After Shiek Subhy finished talking and the applause died down, Kristinn got up to talk some more. This time it was about the "pull out now" traitors Cindy She-Shrew and Rep. John Murtha among others. At this time our former "Marine" raced over, the hair on the back of his neck standing straight up. "How dare we talk disparagingly about Sheehan and Murtha. We have no right to criticize them. We have not lived through what they have" he said loudly. Kristinn calmed down our people who were drowning him out with Dr. Raoul's chant "WAR FREED THE SLAVES, WAR SAVED THE JEWS, ANTI-WAR RACISTS, GO HOME. I wondered later how Sheehan and Murtha can criticize the President and our generals if they have never lived through their decision making process.

As Kristinn further engaged the visibly upset "Marine", a large crowd of tourists gather around to listen. I watched the policeman assigned to our area come in closer and start talking on his shoulder mike. Looks like the situation was heating up. But Kristinn kept things under control and calmly countered every one of the Marine's arguments. As usual, the antiwar people don't like rational answers.

Then I noticed another Marine had quietly positioned himself about 3 feet behind the first. He was proudly wearing a black leather jacket with the red and gold Marine patch over his heart. He looked impressive, standard Marine buzz, mid height, broad shoulders, stocky. As the first "Marine" started saying that the Iraqi war was a mistake, the real Marine, who had served in Iraq, stepped in and gave his two cents. After some back and forth bantering, the first "Marine" left the area and the crowd dispersed.

As we were deciding to call it quits or not, Squeegie Guy, from our Walter Reed FReeps, showed up wearing an over sized card board Cheney face mask. It was good to see a Cheney 2008 supporter. He met several others over by the sidewalk in front of the White House fence. They also had a Condi Rice face mask. (Hmmm, Cheney/Rice in 2008!). Squeegie got some good-natured cheers and some jeers from our crowd until we decided that it was time to leave. We had already been there for almost two and a half hours.

Author's Note: This post was written with the help Landry Fan & [Mrs] Trooprally, who both provided photos to BillF. BillF will add photos later, so please check back.

Thanks to Tom the RedHunter for his pictures and a great blog report. A special Thanks also goes to Justanobody who travels an hour and a half and Dr. Raoul who travels 3 hours to come to the D.C. FReeps. They should be held up as prime examples to those keyboard FReepers who just can't seem to make a difference. We all need to get out and make a difference any way we can or the leftist will win this war of words for the hearts and minds of the undecided.

Before presenting my photos and some photos taken by Landry Fan (her photos are marked with an asterisk *), a few comments here.

After 9 months of FReeping Code Pink on Friday nights at Walter Reed, it was great to be going to an event in the sunshine. Although it was cool, the sun felt wonderful. We had great people in attendance and excellent speakers.

Thanks to Mr. trooprally for writing an outstanding report.

Tom the Redhunter has a great account of the event and includes some outstanding photos at his blog (click here).

Landry Fan has her photos here and also check out her great blog here.

The photos with a border are hyperlinked. Click on one and a new window should open with a high resolution larger version. Click on another photo with a border and it should appear in the same window as the previous large photo. Depending on the settings of your display, the larger version of a photo may generate horizontal scroll bars for you to see the whole photo.

Lurkers are noted by (L) after their names.

Here's a group shot with camera-shy Iraqikurd really in purple.

Another group photo of some great patriots.

Reverse angle group shot.

Front row of the group at a particular time.

Group shot from near the podium. *

kristinn speaks with White House in background

Mr.Mrs.RedWhiteBlue, Sam (L), and Shiek Ahmed Subhy (L)

From behind the podium

Another view from behind the podium

Fraxinus, Landry Fan, and Mrs. trooprally

Mr.Mrs.RedWhiteBlue surrounding camera-shy Justanobody

Mrs. trooprally, BufordP, Mr. trooprally, Iraqikurd, and
Doctor Raoul

Justanobody's hat with our first potential disruptor approaching.
I don't think the guy was really too disruptive, but he wanted to
debate when it wasn't time as we were having speeches.

Potential disruptor is talked away by Mr. trooprally.

Doctor Raoul, Sam (L), Landry Fan, Mrs. trooprally

Mr. trooprally, Fraxinus, and BufordP

Iraqikurd at the podium as taken by Landry Fan *. When I
took my photo of him at right, the shield protecting his face was
different. It's strange. Must be a difference in the cameras,
although her camera produced the helmet effect before mine.

Iraqikurd speaks from behind shield.

Shiek Ahmed Subhy speaks. Note Washington Monument
at far left behind trees.

Landry Fan, Mrs. trooprally, and BufordP listen

BufordP, kristinn, and Tom the Redhunter

Doctor Raoul speaks

kristinn at podium, Doctor Raoul at left, try to deter potential
disruptor #2. Note that the first potential disruptor is sitting on a
bench in the background.

Close-up of second guy with first guy in background on bench

kristinn looks as second guy points, first guy in background
starts to move closer

Now first guy points again, Mr. trooprally at right with second guy
peaking over his shoulder.

kristinn at podium still as BufordP prepares to talk the guy into
walking away from the group so the two of them can talk.
It all worked out and neither the first or second guy really
caused much trouble.

As BufordP got the second guy to move to a non-disrupting
location, the first guy appears to be ticking off points on his fingers.
A police officer and tourists watch as events unfold.

As we prepared to leave, Eric Squeegee Guy walked by us. Squeegee has provided us with great laughter at the Walter Reed FReeps for months now.

Squeegee stood in front of the White House with a sign about Halliburton, see left. All I can say to him is, "Is that a great stock or what?"

Squeegee is clearly pushing for VP Cheney to run in 2008. Guess we'll have to elect Cheney as President. Don't want to disappoint Squeegee, not after all the comic relief he provides.

Squeegee had a comrade in the guise of Sec. of State Rice per the below photo.

When Squeegee gets his own sit-com, will he remember those of us who knew him when, who cheered him on his path to success? Go Squeegee, go!

Eric Squeegee Guy as VP Cheney provided comic relief.

Squeegee as Cheney with a comrade as Condi Rice.

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