B-Kris in da hizz-ouse!
Posted on 09/01/2007 12:06:22 PM PDT by Kaslin
Surely most critics of the war still have a sense of decency.
On August 19, the New York Times published an op-ed by seven enlisted soldiers critical of the Iraq war. At midnight on August 24, THE WEEKLY STANDARD posted on our website a response by seven Iraq vets. The Times had rejected the vets' response.
The piece carried the straightforward headline "Iraq Vets Respond . . . to the New York Times seven." It was a sober rejoinder to the arguments in the Times op-ed. It suggested the antiwar soldiers' analysis was incomplete and "misguided." The vets emphasized, "We understand the frustration our fellow soldiers feel. All of us were in Iraq before the 'surge' and lament never seeing a coherent, security-based counterinsurgency strategy. In truth, we were only clearing--not holding." But, the vets argued, "We also know what's possible when even small portions of counterinsurgency strategy are applied. . . . It's unfortunate that soldiers in the 82nd Airborne have not yet benefited from the new strategy, but it will ensure that their actions, and those of their fallen brethren, will not have been in vain."
And the vets concluded, "Meanwhile, we applaud our brothers in the 82nd Airborne for their courage under fire, thank them for their commitment to our nation, and pray for the recovery of their injured coauthor."
At 10:21 that morning, Joe Klein of Time posted the following on his blog, under the headline "Heroes Trashed":
Well, I suppose it was inevitable that THE WEEKLY STANDARD would figure out some way to trash the 7 enlisted men from the 82nd Airborne, who wrote the courageous Op-Ed piece about the unreliability of our Iraqi allies in the New York Times last Sunday. At least the piece is written by other Iraq war vets and the tone is respectful . . . although the neocons continue to try to use Anbar, an all-Sunni province, as an avatar of what will happen in the rest of Iraq, which is utter nonsense.
But where on earth are the Democratic politicians on this? Why haven't they embraced the grunts from the 82nd the way the Republicans have embraced the "liberal" Brookings scholars? It's just very frustrating and truly outrageous.
Now Joe Klein prides himself--quite often, in print--on being different from nutty, hysterical, suffering-from-Bush-derangement-syndrome left-wing bloggers. But here he is exhibiting nutty, hysterical, Bush-derangement syndrome himself. After all, how had THE WEEKLY STANDARD "trashed" the seven enlisted men? By publishing a substantive op-ed that called no one's motives into question, that expressed good will to the seven antiwar soldiers--and whose tone Klein himself called "respectful"?
It would be silly to make too much out of one item on a Time blog. But it does suggest that even the respectable elements of the antiwar movement have jumped the shark. Unwilling seriously to debate the choices before us, and the consequences of those choices, antiwar advocates are now down to name-calling.
Meanwhile, a motley crew of antiwar groups, including Iraq Veterans Against The War, CODEPINK, ANSWER, and MoveOn.org, are organizing a week of demonstrations in Washington beginning September 15. The "mobilization" will be kicked off with a "Die-In," sponsored primarily by ANSWER and Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). As they explain, "IVAW is asking that participants in the Die-In/Funeral select the name of one of the almost 4,000 soldiers who have been killed in Iraq. You can select a family member, friend or someone from your city, town or state. Please bring a photograph of that person and a sign with his/her name on September 15." Needless to say, the protesters who will be appropriating the names of soldiers and Marines killed in action have no intention of asking the permission of their families. But why should the families think their loved ones' sacrifices are being exploited in an unbelievably offensive way? After all, as one organizer explains, "The die-in will be led by an Honor Guard of Iraq Veterans Against the War who will simulate a 21-Gun Salute before taps is played to initiate the die-in."
Grotesque.
Will mainstream antiwar groups and antiwar politicians denounce this action, which is scheduled to begin the weeklong protest? Will the respectable parts of the antiwar movement stand with veterans and veterans' families who intend to protest this disgusting appropriation of their loved ones' names? Surely most critics of the war still have a sense of decency.
Though I completely support the citizens right to protest peacably, this “die-in” is despicable and disgraceful. If the protestors are agains the war effort, protest the President, the Congress, if they must - but do not make a mockery of the fallen by taking and misusing their names to attempt proving a point.
Great post!
Many of those from the anti-war camp to whom I have spoken are not receptive to any other views but theirs. Evidence that the surge is working? Preposterous! They are quick to point to the many Iraq veterans who are on their side. Point them to mil blogs where there are vets with a different viewpoint entirely? Propaganda!
There is room for differing views, but many anti’s need to remove the blinders, and get over their BDS.
In all the history of man there can be no greater example of a politically motivated people trying their hardest to lose a war for their own political gain.
We live in an age with the worst human element, the treasonous Left, that has ever been known to mankind. The greatest country the world has ever seen has now produced the worst human beings history has ever recorded.
In all the history of man there can be no greater example of a politically motivated people trying their hardest to lose a war for their own political gain.
We live in an age with the worst human element, the treasonous Left, that has ever been known to mankind. The greatest country the world has ever seen has now produced the worst human beings history has ever recorded.
You got that right - the left-wing democrats comprise the most despicable group of people ever spawned in the USA. They are takers with no sense of decency yet believe in their tiny minds that they are enlightened and on the correct side of virtually any political or moral issue. Not surprisingly, some of the most rabid are Baby Boomers and the rest are their feckless, anything-goes, lazy offspring.
I really have to agree with this statement.
It always sickens me to see Veterans, and Military Families jump on board with groups that hold them in contempt. Antiwar psyops is cruel beyond words.
Same here.
Even in the worst moments of the decadent Roman Empire the citizens did not hate their own troops and their own country.
I don’t think there is an instance in recorded history where this happened.
And besides, we already had a die-in. It happened at the Twin Towers.
“The die-in will be led by an Honor Guard of Iraq Veterans Against the War who will simulate a 21-Gun Salute before taps is played to initiate the die-in.”
Yep. They have freedom of speech but I have such a fierce pride in my heart for what my husband died for that I will protect him and his name with my last dying breath. I WILL find the person who thinks they are going to represent my husband that day....and I promise you they will not want to be standing there. Not ONE person on this earth will hold his picture in this circus.
No doubt there are people in America who'd be happy to step forward and play that role (if the victims were "right-wingers" or "Christian fundamentalists" or "neocons") but so far they haven't had the opportunity.
So many on the Left are so determined to lose the war in Iraq, and abandon the war on terror, out of their hatred for Bush, that they never look ahead to what would follow. The Islamofascists were perpetrating outrages long before Bush took office, and they will not call off the struggle just because Hillary or Obama or Gore bugs out of Iraq.
Reportedly the inhabitants of Babylon hated King Nabonidus so much that when Cyrus the Great attacked in 539 BC, he was able to capture the city without a battle, and the inhabitants welcomed him into their city with joy, spreading twigs before him and kissing his feet.
Sorry, Bill, no they do not. And just why do you find this surprising?
ANSWER is a Communist organization. You expect them to show proper respect for fallen American servicemen?
We shouldn't kid ourselves about the "anti-war left". Sure, there are many sincere, patriotic Americans within that group. Our disagreement with them is an honest one.
However, the leadership of the "anti-war left" is determinedly un-American and virulently anti-American. Yet, they are given credence by the MSM and support by the moneyed elite.
Lenin had a term: "useful idiots"...
Do not let deb approach them alone. She needs a company of witnesses.
Deborah, I think we need to join forces up there early before anything happens. First and foremost so we can talk about Don and Karl. Then we can deal with the “pukes”. I’m not particularly worried about the latter.
I didn’t mean to put the leftists in the same categroy as the likes of Hitler and such. I meant these “anti-war” types are some of the worst “citizens” ever seen in the USA in terms of their apparent hatred and disrespect for the President, the Administration, and seemingly accepted US mores and customs.
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