Bottled, Canned or Draft

My first thought when I heard Charlie Rangel was in support of the draft, as a veteran, was "hey, alright, a Democrat who GETS it."

Knee Jerk Reactionism, I've found, especially in things political, isn't the best way to handle things. I had always been a supporter of bringing back the draft, as I mentioned once before in a reply to one of spree's postings here, but like a good thinking individual, I've weighed the facts, listened to what other thinking and educated people are saying, and have taken into consideration the evidence that has been presented.

My work involves a lot of travel time, ergo a lot of time listening to the radio. My two favorites are the Laura Ingraham Show, which I've recently discovered, and an older show by a man who I consider to be a TREMENDOUS fountain of knowledge, wisdom, and insight into the political arena, the G. Gordon Liddy Show (yes, the man has had a tremendous impact on my political thinking, and I HIGHLY recommend his autobiography Will). In listening to them, and to their callers (a great number of them veterans like myself), I have come to the conclusion that my original stand on the draft was all wrong, even though I supported it for the right reasons (yes, one CAN be sincerely wrong in ones beliefs). To whit; an all volunteer military is filled with members who are more committed to what they are doing because they have chosen to be in the positions they are in. Mayhap not geographically, mayhap not in combat, but enlistment or taking a commission as an officer was a choice, not something forced upon them.

Hat tip to Amy Proctor, who points out that Rangel's position is deliberately aimed at insulting the Republicans and showing them not to have the resolve to fight a winning war. Henry Kissinger has also weighed in on the matter stating that we "cannot win in Iraq." What a sad way for Mr. Kissinger to try to make his way once again into the political limelight. I would have personally expected better from him, but I've been known to be wrong before (I'll admit it, sometimes I'm wrong...shocking but true). It turns out, if you take the time to READ the posting that Amy Proctor posts on her site, what he says is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT from the way Reuters would have you believe. Mr. Kissinger is one of the most brilliant political minds around, and he again shows his clarity of thought on international politics. Kudos to Mr. Kissinger for his insights, and a big THUMBS DOWN for the dinosaur media in distorting what he said.

Ahem. I retract my earlier position of being in favor of the draft. If Rangel thinks it's a good idea, it can't be good for us in the long run, in my opinion...

Once and always, an American Fighting Man

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Never Again

Has Europe learned nothing from the lessons of World War II? Is it so easy to slip back into a mindset that was deemed criminal and wrong at the Nuremberg trials when atrocity after atrocity was revealed?

France seems to have taken the mantle of ant-Semitism as we enter the 21st century. Hat tip to Atlas Shrugs for bringing this to our attention and forwards a call to boycott ALL things French; their wine, their perfume, their chocolates, everything.

What in the hell is WRONG with these people that they fall into the same trappings as Nazi Germany during the 1930's and 1940's? We have shown, in this country, our distaste for the lack of spine shown by the French government as recently as our latest military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.


"A few years ago, in 2001 for instance, I do not think we would have discussed an issue such as the one on our agenda. At the end of the 1990s, the Jewish community of France was living in peace. Worrying events did occur, however in the past three decades we never felt the Jewish community being questioned regarding its role within French society. The future of the Jewish community in France was simply not an issue. This situation has changed in the past three years partly due to the large amount of serious events that have occurred, pointing at a deep crisis within French society and due, too, to the comments made by intellectual circles, by the powers that be, by the media, by the public opinion and by the Jewish community itself. "

Why has this come to pass? Radical Islam.

"Many reasons brought to the current situation in France and in Europe, leading to anti-Semitic attacks. I want to highlight the fact that the revival of the new Intifada and the attacks against the Jewish community on the eve of Rosh Hashanah occurred almost simultaneously in September 2000. Synagogues, community centers and Jewish schools were attacked and a great number of buildings were destroyed or burned down. "

Still not convinced?

"A few words must be said about the media's responsibility in the reporting of the Intifada. The French media contributed largely to the deterioration of the image of Israel in the eye of the French public opinion. I remember the case of this young Arab immigrant living in a French suburb explaining he decided to attack a synagogue after a TV newscast showing the Intifada. From this point of view, the media coverage improved in the last months. CRIF, with the support of some intellectuals, helped improving the atmosphere through targeted actions on the media exposing the bias and subjectivity of their reports and their serious consequences on the public opinion and on the Jewish community. "

Read the article here.

The French government, as usual, pays lip service to the matter. In a recent address by Dominique de Villepin at the World Jewish Congress diner, he stated "France is pursuing a determined fight against anti-Semitism in our country and globally." There is significant evidence of anti-Sematism alive and well in France and the European Union as a whole for there to be more than just a concern.

What is to be done? As I said, it's boycott time again. Make the French wake up and KNOW that freedom loving people WILL NOT STAND for this. Make them understand that we defeated Hitler when most of France sat on its collective ass under surrender, and we will NOT let them become "Nazi France."

In the two words that I'm sure every Jew who reads this will understand, I say "Never Again" and call upon others to join with me in putting those two words upon their lips and in their hearts.

Also make sure to visit:
Never again.org. and for updated information keep track here.

[UPDATE]-11/24/06: Charles Krauthammer has an excellent piece here.

Once and always, an American Fighting Man

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Honor

I’m confounded by the thought process of “cut and run” that seems to have taken the prevailing mindset of our national leadership today. The democratic majority have espoused the idea of withdrawing our troops from Iraq, citing the loss of lives we suffer there as one of the main reasons for leaving. Do they EXPECT to conduct military operations without loss of lives? Do they not realize that the loss of lives in Iraq is lower than any other sustained, large scale operations we have conducted since the inception of our military? Or are there other reasons behind this mindset?

I have to admit, when this first started in Iraq, I was skeptical. Not because I wasn’t behind our troops and the mission, but because we didn’t have a “clear cut exit strategy” in place for ending the operation. But, being the student of history that I am, I referred back to the World Wars to look for “exit strategies.” I can’t say that I was truly surprised not to find anything concrete in place for one. I came to the conclusion, in my research, that there is a reason for this, that being that one side cannot truly and fully predict the actions and reactions of an opposing force, and military leadership has to have the flexibility and capability of adapting strategies in the face of an enemy that is constantly adapting and changing their own strategies.

It was also pointed out to me, in my research, that the Second World War ended in 1945, but we STILL TODAY have bases in both Germany and Japan. Do the cut and run democrats propose that we withdraw our troops from these strategic locations as well (actually, a great many of them would love nothing more than for that to happen, but that is a discussion for another time)? Does it matter that we, as a nation, as a government, as a people, gave our word that we would find those responsible for 9/11 and take them to task for their actions? Where is the honor found in a cut and run policy?

Our nation has, since the inception of the modern day Jewish State, been committed to the defense of and the alliance with the nation of Israel. Is there honor in abandoning the Middle East as rogue nations such as Syria, Lebanon, and Iran maintain that their purpose is to rid the world of the nation of Israel?

Our country, our nation, a nation comprised of peoples from literally every other nation on the face of the planet, is being bested by a number of our parent nations, who have declared that they will continue to offer their support and defense of the work that has been done to date in the Middle East in the years since 9/11. We have forgotten so much of the heritage that our ancestors brought with them from these countries, the concept of honor being one of them. Our military understands honor; the members of our armed forces stand ready and willing to continue the fight for as long as necessary that freedom might be the law of the land for people other than those just on our own shores. They stand ready to fight an enemy willing and committed to our total and complete annihilation. Honor dictates that we support those willing to defend us as a people, and yet the mindset of cut and run has so heavily infected our thought processes that we have no concept of the lack of honor that we are showing not only to our troops, but to the world.

The message we send is “when the going gets tough, the Americans will cut and run.”

Men and women of honor, stand up, stand tall, and proclaim loudly in a unified voice, “we are a nation of honor and commitment, and we will stay the course and defend that which is right and just, and defeat that which is vile and evil.”

If the silent majority remains silent, cut and run will not be an option; the enemy will bring the fight to us, rather than us taking it to them. When this happens, there will BE no place to which we can cut and run.

Stand ye warned, America, reclaim the path of Honor and Valor that we once walked, or we invite with open arms our own destruction.

Once and always, an American Fighting Man…

Hawk Coeur de Lion

From Merriam-Websters Online.

Main Entry: hon·or
Pronunciation: 'ä-n&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French onur, honur, from Latin honos, honor
1 a : good name or public esteem : REPUTATION b : a showing of usually merited respect : RECOGNITION honor to our founder
2 : PRIVILEGE honor of joining the captain for dinner
3 : a person of superior standing -- now used especially as a title for a holder of high office Honor please
4 : one whose worth brings respect or fame : CREDIT honor to the profession
5 : the center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon
6 : an evidence or symbol of distinction: as a : an exalted title or rank b (1) : BADGE, DECORATION (2) : a ceremonial rite or observance honors c : an award in a contest or field of competition d archaic : a gesture of deference : BOW e plural (1) : an academic distinction conferred on a superior student (2) : a course of study for superior students supplementing or replacing a regular course
7 : CHASTITY, PURITY honor and her life -- Barton Black
8 a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : INTEGRITY honor b : one's word given as a guarantee of performance honor, I will be there
9 plural : social courtesies or civilities extended by a host honors
10 a (1) : an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit in bridge (2) : the scoring value of honors held in bridge -- usually used in plural b : the privilege of playing first from the tee in golf
synonyms HOMAGE, REVERENCE, DEFERENCE mean respect and esteem shown to another. HONOR may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition honor. HOMAGE adds the implication of accompanying praise homage to Shakespeare. REVERENCE implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe reverence for my father. DEFERENCE implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence deference to their elders synonym see in addition HONESTY

Main Entry: val·or
Pronunciation: 'va-l&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English valour worth, worthiness, bravery, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin valor, from Latin valEre to be of worth, be strong -- more at WIELD
: strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness : personal bravery

Quick item of interest: Syria and the Democrats seem to be on the same page. Syria sponsors terrorism...what does that say about the cut and run party? Just an observation here.-----

[UPDATE] Then you have a man with NO honor that once again, in a political stunt wishes to send a bill to the floor, reinstating the draft. Yep, you got it... Charlie Rangel.

[UPDATE #2]- Knowing the nature of our enemy means we will need to at least consider this, because if we do not handle Iran, Isreal will.

Others Discussing this:
Reuters.
AP.
Blue Crab Boulevard.
Rottweiler.
WizBang.
Keep track of these discussions here.

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