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Soldiers Dying in Vain - Obama Says What You Want to Hear
Barack Obama said this during an anti-war speech in 2002:
The consequences of war are dire, the sacrifices immeasurable. We may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of our freedom, and pay the wages of war. But we ought not?—?we will not?—?travel down that hellish path blindly. Nor should we allow those who would march off and pay the ultimate sacrifice, who would prove the full measure of devotion with their blood, to make such an awful sacrifice in vain.
Barack Obama said this last night:
Can you believe anything he says? Can we afford to elect a Commander in Chief he says troops are dying in vain when it serves his political purposes and then changes his tune on the national stage? Is it too much to ask that our next President have some integrity?
H/T: Hot Air
Promise
Joe Biden agress, Barack Obama was playing politics by voting to cut off funding for American troops during war. American soldiers are not pawns in a game of politics. There is no place for a Commander in Chief who values his own political gain over the strength of our military or the support of our troops.
Colonel Sanders visits Fallujah.
Its no Bojangles’, but this is awesome nonetheless. KFC recently opened up a restaurant in Fallujah, Iraq. Who would want to commit their afternoon to suicide bombings or acts of terrorism when you can sit down and enjoy a cold Pepsi and the Colonel’s original 11 herbs and spices?
It would be kind of hard to say the surge hadn’t really worked or downplay the remarkable success of our troops if you can enjoy a meal of honey barbecue wings in the former terrorist stronghold. Maybe Barack Obama will stop by on his tour. Somehow I doubt it though, it doesn’t exactly jive with the defeatist message he wants to send.
Capitalism is a beautiful thing… especially when it comes with new found peace and a bucket of crispy fried chicken. Success never tasted so good.
Obama’s flying circus.
I’m glad Obama is finally going to Iraq to assess to facts on the ground. Thankfully Barack Obama is a “new kind of candidate” who doesn’t play politics with something as important as the war. And thankfully we have professional American media outlets who practice nothing but the highest caliber of journalism and strive to cover this historic political contest in a fair and balanced manner.
Oh wait…. none of that is true… except that Obama is going to go to Iraq… finally.
The Next Commander In Chief?
This week, Iranian Islamist Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad tested his new ballistic missile, the Shahab-3—range 1,250 miles. Next door in Iraq, 550 metric tons of “yellowcake” uranium ore, which Saddam intended to weaponize for use in his non-existent WMD program, were removed from Tuwaitha. (That’s enough for more than 100 medium-sized nuclear boomers.) And while al-Qa’ida has been routed in Iraq, there was plenty of evidence this week that jihadis are putting up fierce resistance in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Seems like this is as good a week as any to pause and ponder, “Who should be our next commander in chief?”
The most important constitutional role of our president is that of commander in chief—which is why every Patriot, every American, every human on the planet, should be deeply concerned about the prospect of a “President Obama.”
Via PatriotPost… well worth reading the whole thing.
The Largest Care Package Shipment In History
From the Frontlines was a huge success. Instead of raising $500,000 for care packages to send to our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, Move America Forward raised over $1.5 Million! And if you haven’t contributed its not too late. Care Packages start at just $15.99, and there’s still time for you to send one to a service man or woman on the front lines fighting for our country.
With a few days until the Fourth, isn’t it a great time to remember not only how we gained our independence but the men and women who continue to keep us free?
Slain Soldiers Family Adopts His Dog.
I saw a report about this morning and had to mention it. Even if you are not a dog lover, this is a great story.
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Marine Cpl. Dustin Jerome Lee and his German shepherd, Lex, scoured Iraq for roadside bombs together, slept next to each other and even posed in Santa hats for a holiday photo.
When a mortar attack killed the 20-year-old Marine in Fallujah a few months later, Lex, whimpering from his own injuries, had to be pulled away, Lee’s father was told.
….
On Wednesday, the Marine Corps finally announced Lex could go home to Lee’s family. It is the first time the military has granted a dog early retirement to be adopted by someone other than a former handler.
“We knew that’s what Dustin would have wanted out of this,” said Jerome Lee, the slain Marine’s father. “He knew that we would take care of Lex and love him, just like our own.”
Inspiration.
Jake Keesler lost both of his legs fighting for our country in Iraq. While a trying experience, Jake and his wife Vanessa have fought hard to stay together, adapt together, and grow. And they have.
Jake and Vanessa both are heroes in the truest sense of the word. They both have sacrificed so much for our country, having their lives altered in ways they didn’t anticipate or imagine. Instead of being discouraged or placing blame… the exude hope. Instead of dwelling on how much they’ve lost, they radiate an appreciation for how much they have. Jake has a new lease on life, and is spending his time conquering things many people with two legs can’t accomplish. While in the hospital, a friend placed a sticker at Jake’s hospital bed that said “Live to Ride, Ride to Live”. While Jake hasn’t driven a motorcycle since loosing his legs, he isn’t giving up hope. And he has already taken on rock-climbing, skiing, and scuba diving.
Click here to watch The Keesler’s interview on Glenn Beck’s show 5 months ago.
The story touched me and I know it touched countless others, including Bill Hattan, a listener of Beck’s radio show. In 2002 a car struck a guard rail at 80 miles per hour while Bill was working in a construction zone. Bill lost both of his legs. A co-worker lost her life.
Like Jake Keesler, Bill Hattan hasn’t spent his time feeling sorry for himself or blaming the world. I’m sure there were moments like that, but it hasn’t consumed him. Bill Hattan has taken what life has dealt and adapted. Hattan now owns Cool City Customs where he designs and builds custom motorcycles.
On Glen Beck’s show tonight, he updated his viewers on this story and talked about Bill Hattan’s latest custom motorcycle, and probably his most imporant: the custom bike he and his shop are building for Jake Keesler right now.
Jake Keesler will ride a motorcycle again.
At a time when everything on the news is full of skepticism, political attacks, or lack of personal responsibility, I’m thankful to watch a story that lacks all of the above. The Keesler’s like Mr. Hattan have every reason in the world to place blame on others and give up. But they haven’t. Instead they are taking what life offers and making the best of it… on the way offering a lesson or two for us all.
Blogroll Addition.
A good read, and new addition to the blogroll.
An Inconvenient Truth About Iraq. I particularly liked the editorial the author linked to in an update: The Clinton-Obama-Bush Doctrine.
On the Amendment (Cornyn Amdt. No. 2934 )
To express the sense of the Senate that General David H. Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, deserves the full support of the Senate and strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the United States Armed Forces.
Please note that the above resolution mentions nothing of support of the administration’s Iraq War Policy, or how long the troops should remain and fight. Yet, the following 25 Senators voted against the resolution anyway.
NAY
- Akaka (D-HI)
- Bingaman (D-NM)
- Boxer (D-CA)
- Brown (D-OH)
- Byrd (D-WV)
- Clinton (D-NY)
- Dodd (D-CT)
- Durbin (D-IL)
- Feingold (D-WI)
- Harkin (D-IA)
- Inouye (D-HI)
- Kennedy (D-MA)
- Kerry (D-MA)
- Lautenberg (D-NJ)
- Levin (D-MI)
- Menendez (D-NJ)
- Murray (D-WA)
- Reed (D-RI)
- Reid (D-NV)
- Rockefeller (D-WV)
- Sanders (I-VT)
- Schumer (D-NY)
- Stabenow (D-MI)
- Whitehouse (D-RI)
- Wyden (D-OR)
And another three Senators couldn’t be bothered to make the vote, including Barack Obama would somehow made it to another vote 20 minutes or so earlier.
DIDN’T VOTE
- Biden (D-DE)
- Cantwell (D-WA)
- Obama (D-IL)
Thankfully 72 Senators did vote in favor of the resolution, condemning personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all members of the United States Armed Forces. And I thank them for maintaining some semblance of honor and respect in the Senate.
YAY
- Alexander (R-TN)
- Allard (R-CO)
- Barrasso (R-WY)
- Baucus (D-MT)
- Bayh (D-IN)
- Bennett (R-UT)
- Bond (R-MO)
- Brownback (R-KS)
- Bunning (R-KY)
- Burr (R-NC)
- Cardin (D-MD)
- Carper (D-DE)
- Casey (D-PA)
- Chambliss (R-GA)
- Coburn (R-OK)
- Cochran (R-MS)
- Coleman (R-MN)
- Collins (R-ME)
- Conrad (D-ND)
- Corker (R-TN)
- Cornyn (R-TX)
- Craig (R-ID)
- Crapo (R-ID)
- DeMint (R-SC)
- Dole (R-NC)
- Domenici (R-NM)
- Dorgan (D-ND)
- Ensign (R-NV)
- Enzi (R-WY)
- Feinstein (D-CA)
- Graham (R-SC)
- Grassley (R-IA)
- Gregg (R-NH)
- Hagel (R-NE)
- Hatch (R-UT)
- Hutchison (R-TX)
- Inhofe (R-OK)
- Isakson (R-GA)
- Johnson (D-SD)
- Klobuchar (D-MN)
- Kohl (D-WI)
- Kyl (R-AZ)
- Landrieu (D-LA)
- Leahy (D-VT)
- Lieberman (ID-CT)
- Lincoln (D-AR)
- Lott (R-MS)
- Lugar (R-IN)
- Martinez (R-FL)
- McCain (R-AZ)
- McCaskill (D-MO)
- McConnell (R-KY)
- Mikulski (D-MD)
- Murkowski (R-AK)
- Nelson (D-FL)
- Nelson (D-NE)
- Pryor (D-AR)
- Roberts (R-KS)
- Salazar (D-CO)
- Sessions (R-AL)
- Shelby (R-AL)
- Smith (R-OR)
- Snowe (R-ME)
- Specter (R-PA)
- Stevens (R-AK)
- Sununu (R-NH)
- Tester (D-MT)
- Thune (R-SD)
- Vitter (R-LA)
- Voinovich (R-OH)
- Warner (R-VA)
- Webb (D-VA)
NOTE: I find it especially interesting that John Kerry, who was disgusted that anyone questioned his military credentials and record during the last campaign, wouldn’t condemn anyone making personal attacks on General Petraeus and our troops. I find it not surprising at all that every single one of the Democrat presidential candidates in the Senate voted against the amendment or didn’t vote… apparently it is more important for them to have the support of MoveOn.org than to support our troops.
Senators, General Petraeus has not betrayed anyone. I’m not sure that the 25+3 of you could honestly say the same thing to our troops.
MIKE HUCKABEE RESPONDS TO BUSH SPEECH
First, Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman are schmucks. Governor Huckabee on the other hand comes across more professional and more genuine than 95% of the people who ever make it to either Mathews’ or Olderman’s shows. I agree with Governor Huckabee’s comments 100%.
The Necessity of a Response?
I’m only 28, so forgive me if I am naive, but when did having the opposition’s response become necessary after a Presidential Address? Has it always been this way? I know its been going on for a while, but when did it start and why? Does the idea of “equal time” really apply to the President addressing the nation? Is it really an important practice when the Commander-in-Chief is speaking during a time of war?
I’m tired of watching people placing more importance on politics at the expense of patriotism. Yes, I am calling the need to have an opposition response after a Presidential Address unpatriotic. The President articulated a clear plan of reducing our troop deployments gradually over a specific period of time, having commanders give a report to Congress again in March, and making necessary transitions from troops in everyday security missions to playing advisory and counter-terrorism roles. The President presented a plan and gave a time driven reduction in our troops. He also gave us a new deadline to expect additional progress. That should make the left happy. But it doesn’t. Instead the Democratic Response was full of attacks on the President and a litany of talking-points designed to undermine his message and question any plan.
The opposition continues to be more about hatred towards Bush, obstructionism to Administration policies, and the priority of political gain in exchange for national security. The opposition response was blatantly political and intellectually dishonest.
God help us if this is the path our country is going to continue upon. God help us when we can’t stop trying to score political points when lives are at stake. I hope one day we can rise above this pettiness and find a way to place our love of country over our desire for political gain. God help us.
Very important read.
The Big Picture, a post by Karl and Protein Wisdom deserves everyone’s attention. Make sure you have half an hour or so on your hands. I have not seen a more very detailed account of the accurate reporting (or lack thereof) of the war in Iraq. Draw your own conclusions as to how the reporting on the war has shaped popular opinion.
If you only pay attention to one thing online today,
this should be it.
Today is the day.
I’m not sure it was such a good idea to make today such an important day. Liberals and conservatives alike have been waiting with baited breath to see what General Petraeus is going to say as he reports on the war in Iraq and the success of the surge. We already have a good idea of what he is going to say, and the media will be abuzz all day with further speculation and preliminary strikes. You can probably judge if politics are more important than the success of our troops or security of our country by which politicians try to short-circuit the process today and come out against General Petraeus’ comments even before he has made them. MoveOn.org’s ad calls him “General Betray Us”? Really? Does anyone take this group seriously? Amazing that an ad of that calibre makes it in the New York Times, while an ad supporting the troops and the war can’t even be run on cable news. I don’t know why I’m surprised… but I am.
The importance of today’s speech by the General was a handout to everyone calling for a “timeline” or “deadline” in Iraq. You can’t fight a war telegraphing to the enemy when you are going to pack up and go home… and anyone who has any political honesty knows that. Nonetheless, it has been politically advantageous to use that fact against the administration as some supposed-proof of “no plan”. The administration theoretically bought some time a few months ago by setting this date as a quasi-deadline… although even that didn’t stop the anti-war crowd from a constant drumbeat of surrender pleas. And now, this deadline that isn’t really a deadline is upon us. Since the surge is working, I wonder if the administration will set a new deadline for another report and buy the troops some more time? If WE THE PEOPLE really trust the commanders more than Congress and the White House, shouldn’t it be enough to silence the people clamoring for a pullout because the war isn’t popular?
Only time will tell, but I doubt it. I think the war will do better in the polls, if only briefly. Within a few days everything will get back to normal, as Dianne Finestein, Harry Reid and their ilk attack General Petraeus as a man and continue their chorus of withdrawal, the General’s comments not withstanding. Obama and Edwards will lash out too, because why not continue and score political points at the detriment of national security? And Hillary will carefully craft her message of support but not really, which will morph over the days back to pleas of troop withdrawal, the severity of which will only be tempered by the beliefs of whichever group she is appearing before.
And this day will be like any other day. With the troops fighting against an insurgency in Iraq, and fighting for their honor and the right to complete their job at home. Oh yes, they are fighting for the rest of us too… and our children… but somewhere along the way we have forgotten that.
Letter from General Petraeus
Real Clear Politics has a copy of the letter from General David Petraeus to our troops in Iraq. The letter is dated September 7th. After reading the transcript of Bin Laden’s tape released on the same day, I find it even more important to read General Petraeus’ accounts of what is happening on the ground, directed to his troops. It should give us some insight on the General’s upcoming report to congress, and provide contrast to the words of Bin Laden.
