America is not at war.
The military is at war.
America is at the mall.
Sometimes the truth hurts. it sure pains me!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
"Double Tap"
Playing by the rules with Muslims will get you killed.
This makes it very clear...JUDGED BY 12 OR CARRIED BY 6 ..............
Regarding the news blurb about the Marine who put two rounds ("double tap")in a wounded insurgent's head in Fallujah, here's a response from a Marine:
"It's a safety issue, pure and simple. After assaulting through a target, we put a security round in everybody's head. Sorry al-Reuters, there's no paddy wagon rolling around Fallujah picking up "prisoners" and offering them a hotcup o' Joe, falafel, and a blanket.
There's no time to dick around on the target. You clear the space, dump the chumps, and move on. Are Corpsmen expected to treat wounded terrorists? Negative.
Hey Libs, worried about the defense budget? Well, it would be waste, fraud,and abuse for a Corpsman to expend one man-minute or a battle dressing on aterrorist. It's much cheaper to just spend the $.02 on a 5.56 mm FMJ.
By the way, in our view, terrorists who chop off civilian's heads are not prisoners, they are carcasses. Chopping off a civilian's head is another reason why these idiots are known as "unlawful combatants." It seems that most of the world's journalists have forgotten that fact.
Let me be very clear about this issue. I have looked around the web, and many people get this concept, but there are some stragglers .. Here is your typical Marine sitrep (situation report): You just took fire from unlawful combatants (no uniform - breaking every Geneva Convention rule there is) shooting from a religious building, attempting to use the sanctuary status of their position as protection. But you're in Fallujah now, and the MarineCorps has decided that they're not playing that game this time. That was Najaf. So you set the mosque on fire and you hose down the terrorists with small arms, launch some AT-4s (Rockets), some 40MM grenades into the building and things quiet down.
So you run over there, and find some tangos (bad guys) wounded and pretending to be dead. You are aware that suicide martyrdom is like really popular with these idiots, and they think taking some Marines with them would be really cool. So you can risk your life and your fire team's lives by having them cover you while you bend down and search a guy that you think is pretending to be dead for some reason. Most of the time these are the guys with the grenade or a vest made of explosives. Also, you don't know who or what is in the next room. You're already speaking English to the rest of your fire team or squad, which lets the terrorist know you are there and you are his enemy. You are speaking loud because your hearing is poor from shooting people for several days. So you know that there are many other rooms to enter, and that if anyone is still alive in those rooms, they know that Americans are in the mosque. Meanwhile (3 seconds later), you still have this terrorist (that was just shooting at you from a mosque) playing possum. What do you do? You double tap his head, and you go to the next room, that's what!
What about the Geneva Convention and all that 'Law of Land Warfare' stuff? What about it? Without even addressing the issues at hand, your first thought should be, "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
"Bear in mind that this tactic of double tapping a fallen terrorist is aperpetual mindset that is reinforced by experience on a minute by minute basis. Secondly, you are fighting an unlawful combatant in a Sanctuary, which is a double No-No on his part. Third, tactically you are in noposition to take "prisoners" because there are more rooms to search and clear, and the behavior of said terrorist indicates that he is up to no good. No good in Fallujah is a very large place and the low end of no good and the high end of no good are fundamentally the same ... Marines end up getting hurt or die.
So there is no compelling reason for you to do anything but double tap this idiot and get on with the mission. If you are a veteran, then everything I have just written is self evident . If you are not a veteran, at least tryto put yourself in the situation. Remember, in Fallujah there is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is only now, Right NOW. Have you ever lived in NOW for a week?
It is really, really not easy. If you have never lived in NOW for longer than it takes to finish the big roller coaster at Six Flags, then shut your mouth about putting Marines in jail for "War Crimes.
"Semper fi. Written by an unknown Marine.
This makes it very clear...JUDGED BY 12 OR CARRIED BY 6 ..............
Regarding the news blurb about the Marine who put two rounds ("double tap")in a wounded insurgent's head in Fallujah, here's a response from a Marine:
"It's a safety issue, pure and simple. After assaulting through a target, we put a security round in everybody's head. Sorry al-Reuters, there's no paddy wagon rolling around Fallujah picking up "prisoners" and offering them a hotcup o' Joe, falafel, and a blanket.
There's no time to dick around on the target. You clear the space, dump the chumps, and move on. Are Corpsmen expected to treat wounded terrorists? Negative.
Hey Libs, worried about the defense budget? Well, it would be waste, fraud,and abuse for a Corpsman to expend one man-minute or a battle dressing on aterrorist. It's much cheaper to just spend the $.02 on a 5.56 mm FMJ.
By the way, in our view, terrorists who chop off civilian's heads are not prisoners, they are carcasses. Chopping off a civilian's head is another reason why these idiots are known as "unlawful combatants." It seems that most of the world's journalists have forgotten that fact.
Let me be very clear about this issue. I have looked around the web, and many people get this concept, but there are some stragglers .. Here is your typical Marine sitrep (situation report): You just took fire from unlawful combatants (no uniform - breaking every Geneva Convention rule there is) shooting from a religious building, attempting to use the sanctuary status of their position as protection. But you're in Fallujah now, and the MarineCorps has decided that they're not playing that game this time. That was Najaf. So you set the mosque on fire and you hose down the terrorists with small arms, launch some AT-4s (Rockets), some 40MM grenades into the building and things quiet down.
So you run over there, and find some tangos (bad guys) wounded and pretending to be dead. You are aware that suicide martyrdom is like really popular with these idiots, and they think taking some Marines with them would be really cool. So you can risk your life and your fire team's lives by having them cover you while you bend down and search a guy that you think is pretending to be dead for some reason. Most of the time these are the guys with the grenade or a vest made of explosives. Also, you don't know who or what is in the next room. You're already speaking English to the rest of your fire team or squad, which lets the terrorist know you are there and you are his enemy. You are speaking loud because your hearing is poor from shooting people for several days. So you know that there are many other rooms to enter, and that if anyone is still alive in those rooms, they know that Americans are in the mosque. Meanwhile (3 seconds later), you still have this terrorist (that was just shooting at you from a mosque) playing possum. What do you do? You double tap his head, and you go to the next room, that's what!
What about the Geneva Convention and all that 'Law of Land Warfare' stuff? What about it? Without even addressing the issues at hand, your first thought should be, "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
"Bear in mind that this tactic of double tapping a fallen terrorist is aperpetual mindset that is reinforced by experience on a minute by minute basis. Secondly, you are fighting an unlawful combatant in a Sanctuary, which is a double No-No on his part. Third, tactically you are in noposition to take "prisoners" because there are more rooms to search and clear, and the behavior of said terrorist indicates that he is up to no good. No good in Fallujah is a very large place and the low end of no good and the high end of no good are fundamentally the same ... Marines end up getting hurt or die.
So there is no compelling reason for you to do anything but double tap this idiot and get on with the mission. If you are a veteran, then everything I have just written is self evident . If you are not a veteran, at least tryto put yourself in the situation. Remember, in Fallujah there is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is only now, Right NOW. Have you ever lived in NOW for a week?
It is really, really not easy. If you have never lived in NOW for longer than it takes to finish the big roller coaster at Six Flags, then shut your mouth about putting Marines in jail for "War Crimes.
"Semper fi. Written by an unknown Marine.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Remember rule #1.
To all you old law dogs now just lyin' in the shade, current pistoleros and other fervent Second Amendment believers: I would rather be your friend, but if you are not interested in that, I am prepared to be a capable and efficient enemy.
This is the law: The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental.
As John Steinbeck once said :
1. Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.
2. If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
3. I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy.
4. America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall.
5. When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away. (So, shoot first then call 911)
6. A reporter did a human interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him 'Why do you carry a 45?'. The Ranger responded with, 'Because they don't make a 50.'
7. An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.
8. The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his sidearm. 'Sheriff, I see you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?' 'NO Ma'am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle.' (Winchester Model 94 30-30 Cal. and loaded with Winchester Silver Tips, no doubt).
9. Beware the man who only has one gun. HE PROBABLY KNOWS HOW TO USE IT!!!
To this I will add my comments. I was once asked by a lady visiting if I had a gun in the house. To which I said I did. She said 'well I certainly hope it isn't loaded!' To which I said, 'of course it is loaded.' She then asked, 'Are you that afraid of some one evil coming into your house?' My reply was, 'No not at all. I am not afraid of the house catching afire either, but I have fire extinguishers around, and THEY ARE ALL LOADED.'
To all you old law dogs now just lyin' in the shade, current pistoleros and other fervent Second Amendment believers: I would rather be your friend, but if you are not interested in that, I am prepared to be a capable and efficient enemy.
This is the law: The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental.
As John Steinbeck once said :
1. Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.
2. If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
3. I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy.
4. America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall.
5. When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away. (So, shoot first then call 911)
6. A reporter did a human interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him 'Why do you carry a 45?'. The Ranger responded with, 'Because they don't make a 50.'
7. An armed man will kill an unarmed man with monotonous regularity.
8. The old sheriff was attending an awards dinner when a lady commented on his wearing his sidearm. 'Sheriff, I see you have your pistol. Are you expecting trouble?' 'NO Ma'am. If I were expecting trouble, I would have brought my rifle.' (Winchester Model 94 30-30 Cal. and loaded with Winchester Silver Tips, no doubt).
9. Beware the man who only has one gun. HE PROBABLY KNOWS HOW TO USE IT!!!
To this I will add my comments. I was once asked by a lady visiting if I had a gun in the house. To which I said I did. She said 'well I certainly hope it isn't loaded!' To which I said, 'of course it is loaded.' She then asked, 'Are you that afraid of some one evil coming into your house?' My reply was, 'No not at all. I am not afraid of the house catching afire either, but I have fire extinguishers around, and THEY ARE ALL LOADED.'
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
A letter home from the Front
This Soldiers name is Mike, and we will leave it at that. Mike is a Chopper pilot in Iraq.
He starts his return home this Christmas after 15 months of serving not only his country, but his friends, neighbors, and fellow countrymen.
This is his final letter home before his return.
Family and Friends,
In the next week, most of my comrades and I will complete our tour of duty in Baghdad and begin our journey home to those we love and the way of life we battled to preserve. Unfortunately, not all of us will enjoy the homecoming we dreamed of from the moment we arrived. Many are now at rest among the generations of heroes at Arlington. Many more have returned to their home towns across America, covered with the Stars and Stripes of Old Glory, commemorating their devotion to the hopes and dreams of many current and future American generations.
In October of 2006, we were sent to Iraq to hunt Evil and deliver hope in an area of the world where Islamic Extremists desperately feared that Freedom and Democracy might take hold. Street to street and house to house your sons and daughters hunted, fought, built, bled and died. In doing so, Al-Qieda and other extremists were killed or captured on an unprecedented scale, bringing about hope in the day to day lives of the Iraqi people not seen in years. Mothers and daughters are now shopping freely in open markets and toy stores. Fathers and sons are enjoying city wide soccer tournaments and afternoon outings in the many city parks and playgrounds now open without the constant threat of suicide bombs and random sniper fire. By no means am I saying that Baghdad is now the safest place in the world to raise a family, but it is certainly far from the war torn city of chaos and me-hem often portrayed on TV and in the newspapers.
Our achievements have been many and our hard fought progress indisputable. Scores of my comrades made it possible with their lives, their limbs and their peace of mind. As you celebrate this Christmas and New Years with your family, I ask only that you not forget my brothers and sisters in arms, particularly those who remain on the hunt, so that the rest of us might enjoy this holiday season at home with those we love.
Thank You Mike, and those like you!
You may not like War, but our life would cease without Warriors like him.
Merry Christmas Mike.
My thanks to his family for their sacrifice while he was away!
He starts his return home this Christmas after 15 months of serving not only his country, but his friends, neighbors, and fellow countrymen.
This is his final letter home before his return.
Family and Friends,
In the next week, most of my comrades and I will complete our tour of duty in Baghdad and begin our journey home to those we love and the way of life we battled to preserve. Unfortunately, not all of us will enjoy the homecoming we dreamed of from the moment we arrived. Many are now at rest among the generations of heroes at Arlington. Many more have returned to their home towns across America, covered with the Stars and Stripes of Old Glory, commemorating their devotion to the hopes and dreams of many current and future American generations.
In October of 2006, we were sent to Iraq to hunt Evil and deliver hope in an area of the world where Islamic Extremists desperately feared that Freedom and Democracy might take hold. Street to street and house to house your sons and daughters hunted, fought, built, bled and died. In doing so, Al-Qieda and other extremists were killed or captured on an unprecedented scale, bringing about hope in the day to day lives of the Iraqi people not seen in years. Mothers and daughters are now shopping freely in open markets and toy stores. Fathers and sons are enjoying city wide soccer tournaments and afternoon outings in the many city parks and playgrounds now open without the constant threat of suicide bombs and random sniper fire. By no means am I saying that Baghdad is now the safest place in the world to raise a family, but it is certainly far from the war torn city of chaos and me-hem often portrayed on TV and in the newspapers.
Our achievements have been many and our hard fought progress indisputable. Scores of my comrades made it possible with their lives, their limbs and their peace of mind. As you celebrate this Christmas and New Years with your family, I ask only that you not forget my brothers and sisters in arms, particularly those who remain on the hunt, so that the rest of us might enjoy this holiday season at home with those we love.
Thank You Mike, and those like you!
You may not like War, but our life would cease without Warriors like him.
Merry Christmas Mike.
My thanks to his family for their sacrifice while he was away!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Tis the Season
While we are so busy with getting ready for Christmas it is easy for some to loose sight of some simple truths. 1st is the fact that we are able to celebrate this Holiday season as we wish because of the small percentage of our population that stands the line between US and our enemys.
The embers glowed softly and in their dim light
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas that 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
The embers glowed softly and in their dim light
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas that 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
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