August 22, 2005
Who Is Chuck Hagel And Why Is He Crapping On The Military?
A lot of anti-military stuff in the news today, and there are still those that don't think the MSM leans left. The USS Iowa was in the news when the idiotarians in San Francisco voted to NOT have the venerable battleship be permanently docked there. At least, that's what this report says:
The USS Iowa joined in battles from World War II to Korea to the Persian Gulf. It carried President Franklin Roosevelt home from the Teheran conference of allied leaders, and four decades later, suffered one of the nation's most deadly military accidents.Harrumph; that's got to be the FIRST time I agreed with Feinstein. But this story has a happy ending at least, Stockton, California is ready to give the grand old lady a home.Veterans groups and history buffs had hoped that tourists in San Francisco could walk the same teak decks where sailors dodged Japanese machine-gun fire and fired 16-inch guns that helped win battles across the South Pacific.
Instead, it appears that the retired battleship is headed about 80 miles inland, to Stockton, a gritty agricultural port town on the San Joaquin River and home of California's annual asparagus festival.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a former San Francisco mayor, helped secure $3 million to tow the Iowa from Rhode Island to the Bay Area in 2001 in hopes of making touristy Fisherman's Wharf its new home.
But city supervisors voted 8-3 last month to oppose taking in the ship, citing local opposition to the Iraq war and the military's stance on gays, among other things."If I was going to commit any kind of money in recognition of war, then it should be toward peace, given what our war is in Iraq right now," Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said.
Feinstein called it a "very petty decision."
"This isn't the San Francisco that I've known and loved and grew up in and was born in," Feinstein said.
The real reason for this post is that idiot Charles Timothy (Chuck)Hagel, Idiotarian-Nebraska. Now, don't get me totally wrong, Hagel is not a bad man, he is just not a wise man at this juncture. He is a Senator, he has been elected several times, he is a loving father and husband, he has a distinguished biography, is a Vietnam Vet, and has a pretty significant record of supporting the military. But not now, not when he can garner microphone time, headlines and the sure knowledge that the MSM loves nothing more than a contrarian Republican (How much play time will Feinstein get for supporting the Iowa vs the Board of Supervisors of SF?).
Hagel has stated:
We’re past that stage now because now we are locked into a bogged-down problem not unsimilar, dissimilar to where we were in Vietnam..."
Hagel also said.
The longer we stay, the more problems we’re going to have.
Hagel mocked Vice President Dick Cheney's assertion in June that the insurgency in Iraq was in its "last throes," saying the U.S. death toll has risen amid insurgent attacks.
"Maybe the vice president can explain the increase in casualties we're taking," the Nebraskan told CNN.
"If that's winning, then he's got a different definition of winning than I do."
Hagel wouldn't call for immediate withdrawal, agreeing in principle with President Bush, but he did believe that we would be "withdrawing troops from Iraq next year."
Now, it doesn't take rocket science to know that the VP was correct, the terrorists are running out of time, they are losing their base and the effectiveness of the Iraqi army and police forces are increasing. At the tail end of WWII, both the Germans and Japanese grew more brutal and fought harder, just as the terrorists are now. And notice, I didn't call them "insurgents." That is something they definitely are not. They are terrorists, plain and simple and while they have killed and maimed US Troops, they have done far more harm to the Iraqi civilians and police.
When a RINO like Hagel takes to the microphone and makes pronouncements like the ones above, he lends strength to the nay-sayers. "Oh, My, listen to that Hagel fellow and he is a member of the President's party... maybe the Democrats are right."
Well I've got news for you Senator, our troops are taking casualties; that goes along with being in a war. They volunteered for duty, they knew what they were doing. What they didn't volunteer for is some idiotarian in the states making their job harder. What they didn't volunteer for was a group of US Government officials calling them Nazi's (Are you listening Durban?) What they didn't volunteer for is the negative attitude that you are giving off. Don't like the war? Fine, take your case to the President. But what the hell happened to disagreements stopping at the water's edge?
Our folks over there have a job to do and they are doing a damn fine job of it. Read Michael Yon's reports, Black-five, The Mudville Gazette's Dawn Patrol, find out what progress we are making against a determined enemy that doesn't care about anything but killing. Grow up Senator, next time you want to speak out, think about the consequences to the troops, and not just your pretty face on TV or in print.
Posted by GM Roper at August 22, 2005 08:48 PM | TrackBackA couple of things you failed to mention about Sen Hagel. He and his brother served together in Vietnam as an infantry squad leaders. Sen Hagel was twice wounded and counts two Purple Hearts among his many decorations.
Given his history, he probably has a pretty good idea of the "consequences" our troops face in combat.
While one might not agree with what Sen Hagel has to say about the war in Iraq, hasn't he earned the right to treated with, and addressed with, respect? I think so.
Are names like "idiot," "Idiotarian," and "RINO" really appropriate to Sen Hagel? Of course, not. What good does name-calling do anyway?
Posted by H at August 23, 2005 03:44 PM
Well said H, and as I mentioned in the post he does have a distinguished bio. I also mentioned that he was a vietnam vet. But, that doesn't mean that his status gets him a pass when he does something really stupid, and in my opinion, his remarks are stupid, idiotarian and if he DOES have an idea that there are consequences for the grunts on the front line when comments like that are made, why in God's name did he make them. Doesn't he remember the effect of the anti-war people on his generation fighting in Vietnam?
My criticism stands, but thanks for commenting and if you wish to respond to this one, please feel free to do so.
Posted by GM Roper at August 23, 2005 04:17 PM
George, you are so full of BS that its difficult to know just exactly you are espousing. Hagel was NOT dumping on the military, he was dumping on Dubya.
Dubya, the stinkeroo that got the entire US of A into a conflict (No war has been declared by congress), because he was steered by some folk that thought they saw a wonderful opportunity to make another fortune.
Dubya and his cronies were so supremely egotistical that they thought that a muslim country would embrace a representative democracy. A concept that muslim minds cannot and could npt conceive. The chances that a US like government will ever happen in Iraq is about the size of a buckyball.
Ergo Hagel is right. Get a Iraqi constitution written and then wave bye-bye. If those folk want to revert to a Saddam like situation, more power to them. A country get the government that it wants, not the kind of government that an invading country wants.
Posted by james Melbert at August 24, 2005 04:00 PM
Jimmy, there is one of us that is full of BS and it isn't me. :-)
Hagel knows from personal experience the effect on the military when protest becomes supportive of the enemy efforts. the NVA stated clearly that the anti-war protests gave them the encouragement to fight on, even though they didn't have a gnat's ass chance of winning on the battlefield. So Hagel knows that his protests will encourage the islamofascists which will result in their hanging on. That my dear and beloved friend is dumping on the military, just as the VVAW and other idiots dumped on him when he was in Vietnam.
"A concept that muslim minds cannot and could npt conceive" Kinda ethnocentric don't you think, and you a liberal? If Muslim minds cannot conceive of participatory-representative democracy, please explain Turkey in 1000 words or less. Perfect, perhaps not! Do-able? You betcha!
Congress did not need to "declare war" and you know it. They did authorize the action, it was authorized by numerous UNSC resolutions, all of which SH was in violation of and this was also a continuation of the '91 war which HAD NOT been resolved. ONLY a cease-fire/armistice had been done, and SH was in violation of that as well.
Lastly, get off of the tired old "enrich his buddies" meme, it's old, it's trite and it's false and you know it. Further, by espousing any kind of backup for Hagel, you show that you too have bought the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" routine. At any other time, you would say how much you dislike Republicans, but since Hagel is now spouting off at the mouth, you defend him.
Lastly, you note: "A country get the government that it wants." You are right, and this country wanted a government headed by Bush and the Republicans. Get over it.
Posted by GM Roper at August 24, 2005 06:10 PM
