“Whether people are willing to admit it or not, there are people in the world who not only deserve death, but require it. These are the ones that will decapitate a little girl and sew a dog’s head onto her body because of the girl giving information, the same people who will decapitate a mentally handicapped man for the same reason, or execute a child and put it in a bombed out building to make it appear to the media that Marines kill innocents.” – Staff Sergeant William Bee quoted in It’s an iconic image from the War on Terror – but the heroic Marine captured fighting the Taliban without his helmet now has flashbacks, violent outbursts and even tried to kill himself… so why won’t the VA give him the help he needs? [via dailymail.co.uk]
Man, I was in the same unit in ’08. I remember this pic (click the link for a sequence of the action). I also remember hearing how his 7 month pregnant wife saw this on national news and was understandably shaken.
It’s a shame to hear he’s not doing well now.
*1/6 Hard*
If it needed to be done, why try to kill yourself? And if Marines are so good at killing, and he is a captive target for himself, why did he fail? This man’s PTSD did not avenge or solve 9/11 or in anyway improve the world’s lot in regards to the evil that apparently permeates it. If there are people in other countries doing horrible things to one another, perhaps they should be left to do them. Let them suffer their low vantage. Some people you just can’t reach. War on terror? The fire was already burning, all we did was poor gas on it, allegedly in an attempt to put it out. Apparently I don’t understand, and I should be singled out for ridicule and scorn by the military cheer leaders.
Not biting…thx855
It’s bad form to pick on the mentally challenged.
By the way…look up the meaning of honor and respect in a dictionary or have someone google it for you.
Follow your own advice. What honor is there invading nations of people that have done nothing to us? What respect is the military displaying by enforcing an embargo in Iraq that killed over 500,000 (60% of which were women and children)? I could write a novel of the atrocities the Federal government and it’s attack dogs (the military) have committed.
Apparently your idea of respect, honor, and virtue are as twisted as the ruling class’.
Whether or not you agreed with the reasons for going into Iraq, our soldiers deserve better than that post.
You sound like a liberal elitist that thinks everything in the world is peaceful and hunky dory. Every bad guy our kids kill in the sandbox is one less person who wants to behead you. I am just amazed we haven’t learnt how to show respect to our troops. I have friends from vietnam that were spit on by people of your ilk when they returned from a war they didn’t know why they were there but still followed when called.
FLAME DELETED
Rambeast, when you ask, “What honor is there invading nations of people that have done nothing to us?” what do you mean by “us”?
Please keep in mind that Afghanistan and Iraq are different countries and different cultures.
I welcome the opportunity for you to describe the atrocities committed by the Federal government that you have actually witnessed. I am not doubting that there are some. I am doubting your experience and credibility.
Politicians have choices, soldiers have orders. The military is a tool, no different then a gun. It goes where it is directed to go, it does what it is told to do.
Your beef is with politicians, not soldiers. Unless of course you blame the gun when someone is shot.
Rambeast = Hilary’s sister.
Mack Bolan, like many, but not all, of my fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines (and even a couple of Coasties, weird) I deployed to Afghanistan because I worked hard to get there. I volunteered for those assignments and had to beat out other people that wanted to go for those slots. I got orders, but I begged for them.
I went because I wanted to go. At first I killed people because that was my mission. When I met the enemy and saw what they were and what they did, I killed them because I hated them and wanted them to die.
If anyone wants to blame me for what I did there, I welcome the blame. Because I did good, and it’s praise.
He did what we, as a nation, asked him to go and do. Contrary to common perception today, the war was widely supported when we got involved, and only reversed in public opinion in 2011. And as happened every time we’ve gone to war, as a nation we’ve failed to take care of those who served.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/116233/afghanistan.aspx
About your book on the human damage of war, I’ll quote what Michael Herr said about Vietnam: “I think that those people who used to say that they only wept for the Vietnamese never really wept for anyone at all if they couldn’t squeeze out at least one for these men and boys when they died or had their lives cracked open for them.”
Check your indignant privilege.
Respect, honor, and virtue doesn’t always happen with the Military. There are lots of reasons, starting with it’s made up of men and women just like you and me. It’s directed by the government, and following that direction is part of the law, respect and honor. All armies have done horrible things for thousands of years, but ‘most’ of us who were there try to live up to the Respect, Honor and Virtue.
You poor souls think I’m a lefty? The sad thing is, I am further right than you could dream of being.
” Every bad guy our kids kill in the sandbox is one less person who wants to behead you.”
Then they can come and try it. I am prepared and unafraid, apparently you aren’t.
” I am just amazed we haven’t learnt how to show respect to our troops.”
Respect is earned, not given. Blindly following orders given by people that suffer no consequences is the last way to earn respect.
” I have friends from vietnam that were spit on by people of your ilk when they returned from a war they didn’t know why they were there but still followed when called.”
The difference is that those guys were forced into service, and have my condolences for that. Today’s soldiers are volunteers that fell for the patriot speech at the recruiter’s office, and didn’t do their homework. They are fighting for bennies and college money. Selfish endeavors. The only thing that keeps them human in my eyes is their commitment to the other misguided americans fighting next to them.
“Politicians have choices, soldiers have orders. The military is a tool, no different then a gun.”
Wrong, they are free thinking individuals, not machinery. Have more respect than that for the people you cheer into a bloodbath.
“If anyone wants to blame me for what I did there, I welcome the blame. Because I did good, and it’s praise.”
You killed people that did nothing to you personally until you invaded their home based on info from unreliable/dishonest sources. Keep lying to yourself, whatever lets you sleep at night.
>Politicians have choices, soldiers have orders
The soldiers volunteered and chose to serve those politicians, either for welfare money, or some patriotic delusion that even government daycare history class should have demolished by 8th grade.
Apparently the irony using the “just following orders” defense when this country hung Nazis by the truckload for saying the same is not obvious to you.
Peter, as long as they are in the “sandbox” they are no threat to behead me or mine. Close the borders and the threat goes away. Nothing the US military has done in the past 125 years has had any thing to do with keeping Americans safe.
>It’s directed by the government, and following that direction is part of the law, respect and honor
Hahahahahahahahaha. Following orders like a dumb animal makes you honorable and respectable. Good one.
>I welcome the opportunity for you to describe the atrocities committed by the Federal government that you have actually witnessed.
The two invasions in and of themselves were atrocities. You gripe about getting shot at by “evil people”, ignoring the fact that you are the invader in the first place.
It’s like Nazis complaining about getting shot at in Russia. Goebbels used propaganda extensively to dehumanize the “evil Bolshevik”. Looks like the US government learned from him.
Do you donate money to charities that help people in poor and oppressed people in other nations, knowing that that money may be used to kill those that are oppressing? Same concept, just no middle man.
As for “countries that did nothing to us”, the Taliban (the de facto government of Afghanistan at the time) harbored the man that claimed responsibility for 9/11, ergo they did do something to us. In Iraq’s case, it would be silly to let the possibility of the collapse of a severely weakened government be taken advantage of by Al-Qaeda (who had been funding groups against Saddam’s government). They were not willing to divulge evidence of the complete dismantling of their biological weapons programs or cooperate with inspectors, and such a thing would almost certainly have been an attractive target for Al-Qaeda.
>Same concept, just no middle man
Right, I “donate” taxes to the US government so the military can “liberate” the “oppressed”. LOL.
>harbored the man that claimed responsibility for 9/11
The Taliban offered to give him up and Bush refused. Moreover, the war was persecuted in such a way that the capture of Bin Laden was relegated to a non-issue, so your casus belli is little more than a poor excuse.
>In Iraq’s case, it would be silly to let the possibility of the collapse of a severely weakened government be taken advantage of by Al-Qaeda (who had been funding groups against Saddam’s government).
If the US government didn’t invade Iraq, that wouldn’t be an issue.
>They were not willing to divulge evidence of the complete dismantling of their biological weapons programs or cooperate with inspectors
The UN and the inspectors who ran the disarmament program disavowed the entire invasion. The US government unilaterally changed the terms of the inspection without UN approval. Why should Iraq bend over for the liars and warpigs in Washington DC?
Rambeast, I note that you did not answer either of my questions. Mouthing ignorance is not discourse.
As far as your statement of “You killed people that did nothing to you personally until you invaded their home based on info from unreliable/dishonest sources.”, I completely agree with part of that statement. I sleep very well at night killing the people that did nothing to me personally. I hated them, and killed them, based on what I actually witnessed them do to other people with my own eyes. If those people had never tried to kill me, I’d still volunteer to drag them out of their homes and kill them for the horrible, actual atrocities I saw them commit.
The part of your statement I find telling of your ignorance is the second part, where you cite the source of my information. The source of my information was my own experience. I doubt you can say the same.
“Rambeast, I note that you did not answer either of my questions. Mouthing ignorance is not discourse.” “what do you mean by “us”?” <–only question I see directed at me.
The people in the sandbox did nothing to the people of the US. The guilty people were caught and killed. Trials would have given them a platform for their grievances, which the US government wouldn't allow. You can't have your propaganda evaporate when it's the best recruiting tool available to you.
"As far as your statement of “You killed people that did nothing to you personally until you invaded their home based on info from unreliable/dishonest sources.”, I completely agree with part of that statement."
Good to see some semblance of recognition is still with you.
"I sleep very well at night killing the people that did nothing to me personally. I hated them, and killed them, based on what I actually witnessed them do to other people with my own eyes. If those people had never tried to kill me, I’d still volunteer to drag them out of their homes and kill them for the horrible, actual atrocities I saw them commit."
The first half of that statement is why I don't want to converse with you. This statement verifies you as a murderer in my eyes, and not worth the time it's taking me to type these responses. You wouldn't be witnessing these other atrocities if you didn't volunteer to invade their home while disrupting the region and killing innocents.
"The part of your statement I find telling of your ignorance is the second part, where you cite the source of my information. The source of my information was my own experience. I doubt you can say the same."
Not so much as your personal experience as your rationalization of your actions and orders. You have done a fine job justifying your crimes to yourself and those that follow the patriotic pied piper of propaganda.
Rambeast, the other question I asked you was to detail the atrocities you have actually witnessed. You made accusations, I was giving you the opportunity to show your experience witnessing these atrocities.
What “sandbox” are you talking about? You seem to be treating the countries, cultures, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as if they are the same thing. They aren’t. I’m trying discus realities here, not what you may have read on the internet, or seen on CNN or Fox news, but your actual knowledge based on your experience. And I’m not getting very far with it because it seems like you have neither.
And yes, I agree that if I had not gone there, I probably wouldn’t know about the men that wrapped little girls in rags soaked in oil and lit them on fire to teach them a lesson about going to school, paid for by Iran, to learn to read the Koran. I wouldn’t have know about the thugs that kidnaped little boys and held them for ransom over poor farmers, who would rape them and beat them for sport until they were dead, throwing their tiny, torn apart bodies into the orchards of their parents. And those thugs would still be alive. For the ones I saw, they aren’t. Because I went there.
Blaine Cooper, I seem to have missed one of your posts above, again, where you are just randomly making things up as if the reader can’t actually just read what you said. You state, “You gripe about getting shot at by “evil people”…umm no I don’t. That’s not anywhere in what I’ve said. At all. Please point out where I gripe about being shot at. If not, please be decent enough to at least just admit that you made up that, too. In fact, I welcomed people shooting at me. It was the best way to locate them.
“Rambeast, the other question I asked you was to detail the atrocities you have actually witnessed. You made accusations, I was giving you the opportunity to show your experience witnessing these atrocities. What “sandbox” are you talking about? You seem to be treating the countries, cultures, and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as if they are the same thing. They aren’t. I’m trying discus realities here, not what you may have read on the internet, or seen on CNN or Fox news, but your actual knowledge based on your experience. And I’m not getting very far with it because it seems like you have neither.”
So your defense will be “If you haven’t served, then shut up”? The point I am making is that things have gotten worse, not better since the government decided to push revenge as the solution to the attacks that were provoked by their own meddling in other nation’s affairs. I don’t have to witness each death with my own eyes to know they are happening. Many non US news sources have covered this, and your “word” isn’t worth much in the volume of reports I have read, and researched (no, I will not do the legwork for you look it up yourself). US news and government sources aren’t trustworthy when dealing with foreign invasion and atrocity.
“And yes, I agree that if I had not gone there, I probably wouldn’t know about the men that wrapped little girls in rags soaked in oil and lit them on fire to teach them a lesson about going to school, paid for by Iran, to learn to read the Koran. I wouldn’t have know about the thugs that kidnaped little boys and held them for ransom over poor farmers, who would rape them and beat them for sport until they were dead, throwing their tiny, torn apart bodies into the orchards of their parents. And those thugs would still be alive. For the ones I saw, they aren’t. Because I went there.”
Not my business. If you want to volunteer your time and wealth to fight a fruitless battle on the other side of the globe, go right ahead. When you use the money extorted from me under threat of violence, then I have a problem. If the people there wish to stop the violence, then they need to step up. Sending troops there will only reinforce their lack of will to retaliate.
>I welcomed people shooting at me. It was the best way to locate them.
LOL. Look at this blowhard. Literally every soldier who put their thoughts on paper says the opposite. Look, just because your sheepdog BS is getting torn apart on the internet, you don’t have to lie.
In any case, too bad they missed. They were defending their homeland against an invader. By definition, that makes them better people than you could ever be, no matter how long you bloviate about “confronting evil”.
So, when you said you could fill a novel with atrocities, you meant you could copy and paste things you have read other places from other people that you choose to believe, but have never been to Afghanistan, have no firsthand knowledge, and have gathered no evidence for yourself.
Noted. It seems like you have no personal experience in the matter. I will choose to trust my own experience over your lack of any.
Kids mutilated, raped, and murdered. But you say it’s “non of your business”. Disgusting and pathetic. I wonder if you even felt ashamed when you wrote that.
Blaine Cooper, so, still not just going to admit and apologize for making things up? Where did I gripe about being shot at, as you said I did? Oh, nowhere? You’re just making shit up yet again? Got it.
And now you are speaking for “every soldier who put their thoughts on paper”? Wow, you must read a lot! Guess you must have glossed over the term “move out and draw fire”, in your voluminous research.
What did I make up? That ISIS is in Afghanistan? That a sizable portion of the resistance has gone over to ISIS? That by all likelihood, some of the resistance fighters you encountered are now members of ISIS? That if the US didn’t invade Afghanistan and Iraq, ISIS would just be a fictional organization in a TV show? No, I’ll stand by all that.
>move out and draw fire
And I’m sure everyone in the platoon absolutely *loved* volunteering for that duty. Are you angling for a book deal with that pseudo-courage by the way? Pro-tip: you’ll need a ghost-writer like Chris Kyle.
Blaine Cooper, please try and keep up.
Remember when you wrote I griped about being shot at, but I never said anything like that? Nothing about it, not even close, you just totally made that up. Go ahead and admit it.
And on the other point, you said the people that I fought ended up joining ISIS. Which is six levels of stupid. But then you admitted that was a “statistical” guess on your part. Maybe it’s low blood sugar and you need a snack or some Skittles or something. I mean you are really losing it. I’m being nice enough to let you recognize it, and you still can’t bring yourself to admit where you just made statements up out of whole cloth.
And you made up all the stuff about “confronting evil”. What’s your point? 🙂
I do like your continual denials about ISIS in Afghanistan though. Can’t live up to the reality that your evil-fighting has amounted to absolutely nothing at all at best, or at worst, plunged Afghanistan into yet another civil war? Are you proud of that?
Rambeast and Blaine are cousins of Sexual Tranny. I would not try an reason with them. Like most gadflies they only show up now and then to land on the potato salad and ruin it.
Both of them hate the military, the cops, the NRA, organized religion, and they probably have something to say about your local VFW and your saintly aunt Mildred.
Best to ignore/report trolls like Ram and Blaine.
“You must be pro-government to support 2A”
And pro-organized-religion too, wtf? 🙂
Joseph, not all of us let the government do our thinking for us. jwt, any quick search will show you documentation of the US’ war crimes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_war_crimes. All the references are there on every site. If you don’t like the wikipedia explanation, check the sources cited. Your slavish devotion to an institution used only to enforce political and corporate interests across the globe is truly sad. Maybe one day you will see the military for the evil that it is, but I hold little hope. Their indoctrination is pretty effective according to the responses in this thread alone.
“If it needed to be done, why try to kill yourself? And if Marines are so good at killing, and he is a captive target for himself, why did he fail? This man’s PTSD did not avenge or solve 9/11 or in anyway improve the world’s lot in regards to the evil that apparently permeates it.”
Fail, on your part. I don’t even know where to start.
These kids were only doing what they were told. You dont have to agree with the wars but we must always support our troops when they return.
In closing….go choke yourself.
I am not sure if I understand thx855 correctly. At any rate I believe he brings up a good point that would hopefully provide comfort/healing to combat veterans.
And that good point is this: if the people you (as a combat veteran) killed were truly evil people who decapitate little girls, those evil people are a cancer on the Earth and you did a great service for all decent people when you exterminated such evil butchers. Good and decent people do not ascribe any guilt or shame to you and we encourage you not to ascribe any guilt or shame to yourself.
Was that activity horrible? I don’t doubt it. Was it necessary? Yes. Hopefully you (combat veterans who exterminated evil butchers) will take a great measure of solace in these facts.
The depression and anxiety felt by many of my fellow brothers and sisters who have been in combat in Afghanistan are very rarely due to feelings of guilt or shame about killing the enemy. I’ve spoken to a whole lot of them, and this has never been a sticky issue I’ve encountered. It is not for me. In fact, for those like SSG Bee in the original post, it is a matter of satisfaction that they have recognized evil in the world and rid the world of some of it. It’s not the war that causes the anxiety and depression, it’s home.
For instance, my blood pressure and heart rate were both significantly lower during my tours, including my times of peak conflict, than my first couple of years back home.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply Mr. Taylor.
I imagine the conflict being at home is major uncertainty about business/job, income, family, crime, and especially turmoil in our nation due to opposing political views … where that turmoil could lead to major upheaval and suffering in our nation.
I have also heard that it is difficult to transition back to home life because we have to tolerate a lot of @$$holes in daily life. Such people don’t last very long in military service and are few and far between … but they are a permanent fixture of civilian life. It is hard to imagine anything much more frustrating than dealing with such annoying, disrespectful, and dishonorable people.
>recognized evil in the world and rid the world of some of it
Yeah, you really helped destroy evil by killing people who resisted your invasion, and was so pissed off by your continual presence they joined up with ISIS affiliates. Good job. 🙂
ISIS has existed since 1999. Anti-American sentiment and attacks have occurred long before either the invasion of Iraq or Afghanistan. The Taliban harbored Bin Laden and were the de facto government of Afghanistan at the time.
Let’s see how you would feel if someone crashed a plane into your house, and then came out and claimed responsibility for it while hiding in someone else’s house with said homeowner’s consent.
Nice revisionism. ISIS was originally AQ in Iraq. AQ was a non-player on the world stage until the US invasions motivated thousands to join. ISIS as we know it now didn’t even exist until the US meddling in Syria blew back in spectacular fashion.
>Let’s see how you would feel if someone crashed a plane into your house, and then came out and claimed responsibility for it while hiding in someone else’s house with said homeowner’s consent.
Again, the Taliban offered to give Bin Laden up. But let’s not let that fact get in the way of your analogy. And since OBL was killed over a decade later in Pakistan (not Afghanistan), one wonders about the continual presence of the US imperialist murder machine in Afghanistan. They must be there to “stop evil”. 🙂
Blaine Cooper, the Pashtun men I fought in Afghanistan joined ISIS? The sad part is that you are too ignorant to understand how stupid that statement is.
Nice revisionism. ISIS was originally AQ in Iraq. AQ was a non-player on the world stage until the US invasions motivated thousands to join. ISIS as we know it now didn’t even exist until the US meddling in Syria blew back in spectacular fashion.
>Let’s see how you would feel if someone crashed a plane into your house, and then came out and claimed responsibility for it while hiding in someone else’s house with said homeowner’s consent.
Again, the Taliban offered to give Bin Laden up. But let’s not let that fact get in the way of your analogy. And since OBL was killed over a decade later in Pakistan (not Afghanistan), one wonders about the continual presence of the US imperialist murder machine in Afghanistan. They must be there to “stop evil”. 🙂
No jwtaylor, learn to read. I said the some parts of the Afghan resistance the US military are now joining ISIS. This is undeniable fact: ISIS now has a foothold in Afghanistan and is fighting a civil war with the Taliban for control. Yet another unintentional consequence of your evil-fighting.
Don’t you military types pride yourself of being geopolitical experts? How did you miss that development in Afghanistan?
Blaine Cooper, you are delusional. To quote you, just a few lines above; “was so pissed off by your continual presence they joined up with ISIS affiliates.”
You never said anything about “parts of the Afghan resistance”. You said the people I fought joined ISIS affiliates. That’s completely asinine.
It’s one thing for you to remain uneducated, it is an entirely different thing to just make shit up.
Some of the people you fought in Afghanistan (i.e. the Afghan resistance) joined ISIS by now. That is a statistical certainty.
Your delusion knows no-bounds, sheepdoggy-dogg.
>very rarely due to feelings of guilt or shame about killing the enemy. I’ve spoken to a whole lot of them, and this has never been a sticky issue I’ve encountered
Textbook example of rationalization. For people with the moral fortitude to realize that “the enemy” is not what the propaganda depicts it to be, the nagging feeling of cognitive dissonance will eventually overwhelm the minds of the non-psychopathic veterans, requiring self-medication, and failing that, lead to suicide.
>It is hard to imagine anything much more frustrating than dealing with such annoying, disrespectful, and dishonorable people.
For vets, not being able to murder disagreeable people without consequence is sure to cause blood pressure to rise significantly. 🙂
Blaine Cooper, nice glossing over that you just totally made up what you claimed to have said in an earlier post, but in fact did not.
And thanks for admitting to the “statistical” surety. So you have zero evidence of that the Pashtun men I fought have joined ISIS, but “statistically” its a done deal. That’s awesome. So, are you adding up those stats? You making that statistical projection? Doing it right now in Pre-Algebra are you?
Statistically, the Pashtun men I fought have joined ISIS? Maybe you know their names. I still remember the names of the local commanders in my area. Throw some of the ones that have joined ISIS out and I’ll let you know if I recognize them.
>Blaine Cooper, nice glossing over that you just totally made up what you claimed to have said in an earlier post, but in fact did not.
Heh. Even your rephrased version of what I said is still a statistical certainty. The presence of ISIS in Afghanistan is again, undeniable. Why do you deny this?
Let’s flip your argument around: do you personally know all of the resistance fighters you fought against? And by extension, how do you know they didn’t join ISIS, as again, ISIS is now established in Afghanistan?
And let’s face it, the ASVAB isn’t exactly demanding mathematically. Of all people, soldiers shouldn’t be challenging others on intellectual prowess. 🙂
Blaine Cooper, So this is the third time you’ve changed your argument when you got called on your bullshit, with just this one argument.
Let’s use quotes:
BC ” and was so pissed off by your continual presence they joined up with ISIS affiliates.”
JWT “Blaine Cooper, the Pashtun men I fought in Afghanistan joined ISIS?”
BC ” I said the some parts of the Afghan resistance the US military are now joining ISIS”
Full Stop. No you didn’t. Nowhere did you say that. You said that the people I fought joined ISIS affiliates. You did not say “some parts of the Afghan resistance…”
Blaine, if I can read, copy and paste what you wrote, why can’t you even keep track of your own arguments? I mean come on, that is really just disappointing. You’ve got to up your game.
Wait, let’s do this with another comment on this post:
BC “You gripe about getting shot at by “evil people”
JWT nothing, because I never said anything even remotely close to that, didn’t mention being shot at, or complain about it in any way. You just made it up entirely. And you still won’t admit it.
Look, even if you are a lousy human being, you can be good at debating. Just try harder. I mean come on, this is just sad.
>Full Stop. No you didn’t. Nowhere did you say that. You said that the people I fought joined ISIS affiliates.
Did you not fight the Afghan resistance? Who’d you fight, make believe foreign Arabs?
Let me be clear: you helped ISIS establish themselves in Afghanistan. Period. You can quote that.
I will admit you did not gripe about getting shot at, unlike many of your fellows. That said, too bad they missed. At least the heroic resistance did kill a bunch of your friends. Every dead invading soldier is a blessing for humanity. 🙂
Thanks for finally admitting that you just completely made up quotes and lied. Doesn’t that feel better now? No, getting caught in your bullshit still sting? That’s part of growing up.
And thanks for finally admitting that you actually have no idea who I fought against. You have chosen to embrace your ignorance. Experience would have been a better teacher. But your arrogance means that you will have to settle for shame.
>Experience would have been a better teacher
Says the guy who blabbers on about doing good in Afghanistan in spite of all evidence to the contrary. 🙂
You helped ISIS. End of story. Still feeling self-righteous?
Gave of himself and spent time in the Arena. Unfortunely this is not enough for a government that care not of the Covenant.
Rambeast would be one of the first ones to drop his rifle and run away screaming for mommy when the S hits the fan. I’ve seen his type before. He exhibits a jealousy from deep within; a jealousy that he doesn’t even cognitively realize, of the stones that military members carry between their legs. You talk about a situation of which you have no personal knowledge or experience. That’s okay, Rambeast, that’s okay. You may slither back into your hole now – The hiss of your forked tongue has been heard.
Childish ad hominem. Revel in your victory, you seem to need it. Apparently critical thought and substantive communication aren’t high on your list of values.
If you want your opinions to hurt, it would help if you knew me, because your post proves the opposite.
In the same way your arguments have been nothing but ad hominem?
Asking uncomfortable questions about the nature of US warmaking is now an ad hominem, says the militarist. 🙂
“Asking uncomfortable questions about the nature of US warmaking is now an ad hominem, says the militarist. :)”
Quoted for truth!
“If they be like to die they ought to do it, and decrease the surplus population!” – Ebineezer Scrooge.
Please feel free ( by the losses of this American and thousands like him/her) to go Fuck yourself.Your whore mother must be proud.
Yeah, and the Left wants government Healthcare for us all.
It’s sad. Very sad. I won’t get too into politics, but I hope we can elect better leaders soon.
Yep. Single payer will turn every healthcare outlet into the VA.
“… so why won’t the VA give him [heroic Marine] the help he needs?”
Simple: if he goes bonkers and harms someone, Progressives can use his outburst as justification to disarm the Good People of our nation — including combat veterans who Progressives view as especially dangerous to their totalitarian rule.
The 20th century showed us what happens when neglected veterans radicalize politically.
DiFi did state that all veterans are crazy.
Three totally separate questions going on here:
1. Were the soldier’s actions heroic in-the-moment, following orders in support of his mission?
2. Do we, as a country, owe him better for executing the mission – we. gave. him. – to the best of his ability?
3. Is sending in our military the best way to help the residents of those hellholes solve their problems?
They can all be answered separately. And, we each may have different answers.
Whats up with haters trying to qualify his statement with “yeah but”s? He’s just, right. Im okay with this.
Also, I may be mistaken but didn’t he lose his right to own firearms when he was offically tagged “PTSD”? Every time I go to the VA they ask me “have you had “sucidal thoughts” etc…. and my answer is NO……..because of this. I think alot of people say yes to try and get a check and the end result is a loss of their 2a rights.
Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.
Thank you for your service.
Fine line there.
They will have your firearms taken away (this according to the VA’s psychiatric team in conversation with me) if you admit to any desire to harm yourself or others.
It’s more than just suicidal thoughts that would be a concern.
So if you’re having any ‘concerns’ be aware that any desire to harm anyone is going to be a trigger for them. No jokes about shooting people, please!
“Every time I go to the VA they ask me “have you had “sucidal thoughts” etc…. and my answer is NO…”
It’s not just the VA.
Two years ago I was in the ER at a local hospital with a kidney stone flare-up.
After the initial see by the doctor, as I was zapped out with Demerol and waiting for a kidney X-ray a woman walked in with a clipboard and started asking me questions.
Rather pointed questions along the lines of “Have you had any thoughts of hurting yourself or others?” I looked over at her and asked (along the lines of) “WTF kind of questions are these?”
“Just routine” she replied.
I wonder if it’s a part of Obamacare making it’s presence felt in the ER nowadays.
I get irritated when I get asked that question. If I’m at the doctor for a cut, pulled muscle or otherwise, I am not there to talk about my mental state. You even get asked that at the dentist now!
For the guys who are boots on the ground, having sworn an oath to faithfully execute the orders of those in command, it’s not relevant to argue about the politics, or to question whether or not fighting wars is a good thing. For the guys that are the tip of the spear, it only matters that they get themselves and their fellow soldiers (or Marines, in this case) home safely after doing the best they can given what they have to work with; and for the government to fulfill its promises to heal their injures and make them whole again.
As someone who has been 2 1/2 years on one of the “nonexistent” waiting lists for treatment for a service-connected injury, all I can say is: hang in there, be tougher than they think you are, because they (the VA and government in general) think they can drag this out so you die before they get around to doing anything.
Certainly made me rethink the value in my oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.”
This also brings up an interesting thought. I bet after WW2 mercia was chock-full of PTSD veterans, I mean a shitload. Think about it. What happened to them and how were they able to deal with these problems without the USG to hold their hands?
There were quite a few WWII veterans with what we now call PTSD, tens of thousands at least. However, as a percentage, it was probably a lower amount. There are a few reasons for this we are sure of, and a bunch we are squishy on.
1. The entire nation was at war. There was a combined purpose and mission. Service members were part of that effort, but so was everyone at home. In short, returning service members had a much more supportive and understanding community.
2. And this is a HUGE one, probably the biggest, units deployed together, had intense periods of conflict sometimes lasting weeks, and then had significant downtime together as a unit. Giant, bloody, vicious battles occurred, but then, because of the pure logistically challenge of getting to the next place, units would travel together, sometimes for weeks, to get to the next major battle. They were still in a combat zone, but safer than in active combat, and together. Units were allow to decompress as a whole, surrounded by the only people who could truly understand them, and were able to do that while still being mission focused. And then they were sent home, again, as a unit.
Now we are in a 24 hour battle cycle. Units are regularly chopped up and reorganized, with individuals being augmented as the norm, not the exception. Zero rest is given as a unit, R&R is done at the individual level. When units deploy home, roughly 1/2 of them (reserve and national guard) are immediately split up and often never see the members of their home unit again.
As an example, on my first tour to Afghanistan, I was sent in as an augmentee for a team that had lost it’s medic. I pulled mission with one unit during the day, and another unit during the night. I had over 100 combat missions in my first 90 days on the ground. One unit rotated home and I was assigned to another. That unit rotated home and I was assigned to another in a different part of the country. I got leave, 9 days. When I returned I was assigned to another unit. When my tour was up I was sent to the US, spent 4 days wandering around Ft Riley without my unit, and then sent home. Not to my reserve command, home. 5 days later I was out of the army, as my service contract was up.
That is typical of quite a few members of the military.
Interesting.
On WW II, reading Stephen Ambrose’s ‘Citizen Soldiers’ he went into that in some detail.
What you described was true in the early part of the war in the ETO, towards the end of the war the replacements were tossed into units wherever they had holes to fill.
The veterans weren’t really interested in getting to know the FNGs, as they were the ones usually killed in short order. This ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy when the veterans didn’t bother to pass down the vet’s hard-earned skills in staying alive.
If you liked his ‘Band of Brothers’ you’ll enjoy ‘Citizen Soldiers’.
http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Soldiers-Normandy-Beaches-Surrender/dp/0684848015
It really is true that the seasoned veterans such as my Father In Law did not get too close to the green replacements. Usually the green replacements were more easily killed or wounded than the vets.
And then they were sent home, again, as a unit.
Maybe, maybe not, depends on your points.
Dad’s battalion did not go home as a unit.
Dad did not make it to the USA until April 1946.
The difference may be how they were treated when they returned. They were hailed as the heroes they are.
Sadly, returning troops now are treated worse than serial killers by some (including the media).
A lot of WW2 soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines suffered from what we now call PTSD. How did they survive without the G “holding their hands?” The fact is that returning WW2 vets got more and better care than their sons and grandsons are receiving now.
Mostly, the WW2 veterans didn’t have to put up with all the mealy-mouthed bullsh!t from the American left and its fellow travelers.
WW2 veterans had more problems than what people think.
I had an Uncle who really lost it flying P-40s in the Med.
The Uncle who flew B-26s over Germany would break up from time to time over all the friends and classmates he lost in the war.
Dad could get interesting a few times if jungle combat was shown on the TV.
The HBO movie The Pacific was for real.
Solve the nations debt crisis. Give a million dollars to every enlisted soldier that has served in hostile quarters. 25 million to everyone that was injured physically and/or mentally or the family of a soldier who paid the ultimate price. Cheaper than entitlements to all the sloths and undocumenteds.
As much as I’d love the cash, it’s not the deal I signed up for. But even after paying in for decades, I’d let the government keep all my social security, forgo any future benefits, if they would just agree to not take anymore out.
Meanwhile you work for a government who invades a country to pay back political favors and murders hundreds of thousands of people on the merest suspicion of resistance to said invasion.
As Smedley Butler said, war is a racket.
Oh right, the same Smedly Butler that made his career as an officer in the USMC fighting in the so-called Banana Wars, but was only critical about those military endeavors he was in command of AFTER he retired from the service.
I guess in your world it’s ok to use the quote of a career Marine to attempt to make the point that every other person who volunteers in the military is “stupid”. I would ordinarily say that’s a bit hypocritical, but your reasoning seems too convoluted for me to say for sure.
God forbid Butler provide retrospective insight on the criminal nature of his service. The horror. It’s called recognizing one’s mistakes, something the modern US soldier refuses to do.
Is there any evidence that the US government today is any less vile than the colonialists and progressives that Butler worked for? No? Then the people who sign up today are stupid. And greedy too. No welfare back in those days.
I’ve been torn of late from my service. Personally I never shot at anyone who didn’t shoot at me first, but sometimes the person shooting at me was a farmer or a kid who was told do it or die by the local Timmys. We got to help a lot of people in Helmand, kids with farm injuries that were life threatening in Afghanistan because they didn’t have access to basic medicine and antibiotics. There was a little girl who was shot when her father NDed his rifle who have died if it wasn’t for our corpsman and Doctor.
We had people die, and then we left, and it all went back to shit because we couldn’t commit to it as a country, so what was even the point? I understand this guys feelings, his depression, and I’m betting a large part of it is what the hell were we even doing if we were just gonna leave it all to go to hell anyway.
TravisP, I can’t tell you what our nation’s mission was in Afghanistan. I know what my mission was. I know what my team’s mission was. In the end, we can be proud of our individual service or not. I’m proud of mine, I hope you are proud of yours. If you helped people the best you could, and served with honor and respect, you should hold your head pretty high, in my accounting.
There’s a lesson to be learned here. Obama hates the military and all the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who serve. He would like disabled veterans to just go away, because they don’t matter even a little. Besides, POTUS has social programs to fund, and the VA isn’t one of them.
>because they don’t matter even a little
Why should they? The soldiers stupidly volunteered their cheap labor and were used and disposed of as politicians see fit, as they agreed to on the terms of their contract. Deal with it.
The soldiers stupidly volunteered their cheap labor and were used and disposed of as politicians see fit,
Sadly true. What is really sad is that a lot of the young men probably signed up with the best of intentions.
I currently work transporting special needs people. That can mean a 6 yo school kid in a wheelchair to an inmate at Santa Rita county jail, a registered sex offender, being transferred from criminal custody to a secure mental health facility.
I do what’s referred to as “court escorts” where I take a “patient” from a secure facility to a court for his due process.
I’ve done this for 3 years. It’s my keep busy in retirement job.
And I can honestly, no bullshit, say that none of my transportee”s, and I mean none, are as in need of therapy or help as much as Blain Cooper aka sexual tyranasaurus aks good riddence, aka waco bike, aka more dead soldiers, on and on.
This man is so full of self hatred and anger that he’s just a tick away from the evening news.
I’m not a religious man. But I would pray that he gets help or supervision before he steps off the deep end, further than he already has.
Jwm, I hope your optimism is correct, and that they are all the same yahoo. That would be good news. If, instead there are several people this mentally deficient out there, there will be more trouble.
.
+1
It’s not even his rhetoric that really bothers me. It’s the fact that the guy has been lurking here with multiple usernames for so long (Blaine Cooper is definitely older than the past year), his frat boy levels of competitive dickishness, and the total lack of comments on anything gun/gear related. If only that glowing ball of hate could be at least partially repurposed towards the antis. Then I’d worry less.
I’m sorry that pointing out your war crimes in Vietnam makes you so uncomfortable. You should ask the VA what to do about this severe case of butthurt.
I recommend euthanasia. Preferably performed by a Vietnamese villager. With a booby trap.
Seriously, dude. You need help. For realz. You know it even if your ego won’t allow you to admit it. Get help before you take that step that can’t be undone.
Before you create misery and a pile of innocent victims, seek help. It’s not too late til you pull the trigger. Or detonate the van.
>pile of innocent victims
Look, I know you relish the memory of the rows of corpses you left behind in Vietnam, just have the decency not to project your fetishes onto everyone else.
OK, BC. Deflection is just a sign of your need for help. Again. Get help. I got broad shoulders, if it’ll help you get the help you obviously need to call me a murderer, fine. Go for it. But set aside a moment to truly reflect on the course you’re on. That way lies misery. Don’t ruin what’s left of your life and those around you out of stubborn refusal to see your need for help.
I hope you wake up one day and realize that all you’re doing is picking fights with grandpas on the internet. We heard you the first million times dude, we get it, you don’t like cops and soldiers. Go be productive and comment on a gun review for once. Or better yet, channel some of that anger at the Feinstein and Cuomo types we read about daily. You’ll even get bonus points because they’re gov employees.
And why don’t you tell the militarist and the bootlicker to stop their obscene pro-government circle-jerk? After all, how many times have we heard them mouth the tired old lines, “thank you for your service”, etc?
And aren’t you tired of the hypocrisy of the 2A community that drones on about 2A being the guard against government tyranny, even as they worship the very same government agents that execute said tyranny?
*Sigh* alright here goes. Very few people get riled up like you, Blaine, because currently the military is not much of an OVERT threat to the American public. It is still largely populated by people who love the Constitution and Bill of Rights (some snobby Obamabot officers not withstanding). When I’m in my 80’s, everyone serving is post 9/11 born, and if this country hasn’t seen a massive cultural shift towards Libertarianism, then I will panic. For now, I am significantly more worried about having my life ruined or ended by the cops I see almost daily because they’ve murdered more Americans in the past five years than the Army has since 1900 and have a much more active presence on the streets of America.
As for your comment on tyranny, I’ve read enough books and memoirs by soldiers and about militarized societies dating back to 1,000 AD to know, perhaps pessimistically, that in the minds of most people the world over, it’s not tyranny if war is being waged outside your homeland’s borders, especially if it’s against people who are culturally alien and/or simply don’t look like you. Also, so long as it’s not John and Jane American’s kid being conscripted at gunpoint by the state, very few people truly care what an all-volunteer army does, so long as what it does is also far away and preferably in some third world country, regardless of the war’s legality. It’s all about maintaining the tranquil status quo at home, and quite a few people today see perpetual oddball affairs like Afghanistan/Iraq as the cost of keeping the military from waging war against American citizens, however foolish that rationale may be given political blowback a la recent ISIS atrocities.
I know what I’m saying is callous and harsh, call me a heartless bastard if you want, but it is the way I have come to accept human nature and how it functions after reading as much as I have. It’s why you’ll never see me get upset and start calling out the “oorah go military!” folks as you do, but also why I will not join their chorus. Their opinions do not tire me and I will defend their right to say them any day of the week. On the other hand, I will always defend your right to share your opinion as well, no matter how many people you piss off because hey, 1st Amendment. But you may want to try sounding less like a broken record or at least stick with one username if you don’t want to eventually get IP banned by the owners of this site.
>It’s all about maintaining the tranquil status quo at home, and quite a few people today see perpetual oddball affairs like Afghanistan/Iraq as the cost of keeping the military from waging war against American citizens, however foolish that rationale may be given political blowback a la recent ISIS atrocities.
As you said so yourself, the mindless militarism this country indulges in has resulted in an increase in terrorism both at home and abroad. That is why militarism needs to be called out for what it is: a deliberate, planned propaganda campaign waged by the government to cheapen the political cost of their rogue overseas adventures, at vast financial cost and quantifiable increase of physical danger to citizens at home.
If you care about human rights for all peoples, not just “Americans” (which is little more than a piece of government paper), then you will recognize that the military actions of the US government represent tyranny.
For the love of God and everything that’s decent, won’t you just please go away and shut your pie hole.
Enough of your sanctimonious judging. No one here cares what you think about anything.
There are enough sh*t stirrers in the world without you droning on.
Eck-Troll invasion. I hope Santa(or satan) brings you coal for Christmas.
A statement to all the trolls in this ‘discussion’. If you ain’t been shot at by a raghead, your opinion don’t mean squat! Shut your pie hole’s you self righteous, self indulgent, crayon eating, window licking morons!
That kinda sounds like an anti-gunners argument, “if you’re not in our club then your argument or point of view isn’t valid”.
Perhaps it does. I refuse to offer an apology for it. Yet, when those that have no firsthand experience in any given situation begin to pontificate about the validity of the feelings, opinions, and experiences of those that have ‘been there’, it is time to tell them to pack up their diaper bags and go home. The self imposed indignation and supposed superiority of their own opinions serve only to inflate their ego’s. A pin prick to the balloon is necessary once in a while.
>Government murderers demand non-government-murderers stop judgement, as they have not committed murder for the government.
OK then. 🙂
Have to say…
Crayon eating, window licking is pretty damn funny.
Hadn’t heard that one before.
New for the tool box
The government most likely doesn’t offer good medical care to returning vets because they would prefer if the veterans just killed themselves. That’s one less 2A supporter back home.
Like in Office Space, just let the problem work itself out. Most excellent.
These are the ones that will decapitate a little girl and sew a dog’s head onto her body.
They do this to mess with your mind and become reckless.
but the heroic Marine captured fighting the Taliban without his helmet now has flashbacks, violent outbursts and even tried to kill himself…
I had an Uncle who was a P-40 pilot in the Med that fit that description.
He really lost it and was put in a caged ward several times during his life. The guy was on 100% disability and was heavily drugged for the rest of his life.
The P-38 Ward is real.
I still think the Iraq War was stupid.
My Cousin’s kid ( who is now a Major in the 82nd) stated that the Iraqis think they are civilized because of their Muslim religion, but they really are not. He served in Afghanistan as well. Iraq and Afghanistan are really not countries.
I just do not see the people in the middle east having a civilization as we would know it.
I still think Eugene Sledge and his book With The Old Breed nailed the war experience very well.
Pics or it didn’t happen on the sewn on dog’s head.
There won’t be any, US soldiers will say anything to justify their own criminality.
Troll.
Please, post said dog/girl picture instead of regurgitating Pentagon disseminated propaganda.
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