I ran across a thread on the Democratic Underground, upset about a USA Today story about three former Marines and Iraq veterans-turned-anti war activists set to stand trial for participating in anti-war rallies in uniform. This conduct, of course, breaks military policy forbidding any member of the military to participate in any political activities or demonstrations while in uniform.
When can veterans stop saluting and start speaking out?
The question is more than a matter of protocol. As some returning Iraq veterans join anti-war protests, free speech advocates say disciplinary cases against three outspoken former Marines could stifle dissent by those who may know the most about conditions in Iraq.
The cases involve members of the Individual Ready Reserve, a group most servicemembers enter after active duty. Unlike regular reservists, they receive no pay and are not required to drill or attend annual training. Their only obligations are to inform the military of a change of address and to return to active duty if called. There are 150,000 members of the IRR.
Adam Kokesh, who served in Fallujah, is one of them. A member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Kokesh wore his camouflage uniform, with all insignia removed, on March 19 during a mock “combat patrol” past the White House. Soon after his picture was in The Washington Post, Marine Maj. John Whyte e-mailed him that he may have violated regulations that forbid wearing all or part of a uniform “while engaged in political demonstrations or activities.”
Kokesh, 25, e-mailed back, addressing the officer with a profanity.
Monday, Kokesh faces an administrative discharge hearing that accuses him of violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Pentagon policy on the wearing of uniforms and being “disrespectful” to a superior. A military board could convert his honorable discharge into an “other than honorable” one, which could reduce his veterans benefits. Today, he and supporters will board a “peace bus” in Washington to take him to the hearing in Kansas City.
“I’m a civilian with the full rights of a civilian until I am called back by the Marine Corps,” Kokesh says.
The military doesn’t see it that way. The Marine Corps would not comment on specifics of Kokesh’s case because it is pending. Marine Maj. Stewart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman, said all troops are instructed that they are forbidden from wearing a uniform at a political event, regardless of whether they are on active duty or retired. “If he says he’s a civilian, then why is he wearing the uniform?” Upton asks. “What is he trying to communicate by his action?”
Two other Iraq veterans, Sgt. Liam Madden, 22, of Boston and Cpl. Cloy Richards, 23, of Salem, Mo., also face disciplinary proceedings because of anti-war activities.
From what I can glean from the story, it seems to me that the military’s only objection is participating in the demonstrations while in uniform, and not necessarily the participation itself. But, DU members responded with the typical hysteria:
It’s amazing. It’s not enough to send ‘our troops’ over to Iraq without armor, without any real plan to accomplish ‘the mission,’ and without proper long-term medical care for them if they get hurt. No, now we have to remind them that they are slaves for life to the military and can’t have any civil rights, even when they get home. Excuse me, what are they fighting for again in Iraq. Oh yeah, freedom. You shall not speak… unless you agree with all your government says. If veterans can’t speak out, then who can? When can veterans stop saluting and start speaking out? That is the question; when can vets who are OUT not have to fear condemnation and perhaps punishment from the government they so faithfully served? 5. You’re not supposed to wear the uniform to a political event… whether still in the military or not…but, this is weird, too. I can’t begin to count the times I’ve seen service members in uniform at republican political events and yet nothing happened to them. I hope the lawyer shows photographs and explains these guys are being singled out because of their opposing views.
Given the response on the Democratic Underground, I thought I’d ask a buddy of mine, a Marine fresh out of Iraq, his thoughts on this “controversy” and the Iraq war in general. He asked for his name to be left out, but here is what he had to say:
Rank:
Lance Corporal.
Position in the Corps:
Gunner
Length of time served:
4years
Where have you been stationed/served?
1)Marine Corps Security Forces Battalion
2)1 Bat 6th Mar 2nd Mar Div Camp Lejeune, Deployed to the Anbar Province in Iraq
What is your opinion about the USA Today article criticizing the military’s Uniform Code of Military Justice, stating that all troops are instructed that they are forbidden from wearing a uniform at a political event, regardless of whether they are on active duty or retired?
It isn’t regardless — he wasn’t retired, he was on IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) which means he is still held to the UCMJ until his time is served. He caused his own problems by failing to obey the regulations. Rules are Rules.
Do you feel that this policy would be considered censorship?
No, we chose the day we enlisted to set aside some of our rights to defend those of others. We live with set rules and regulations, It was our decision to join so the “censorship” technically is self imposed.
What kind of progress do you feel we have made since our occupation in Iraq began four years ago?
More than you could possibly imagine. We have reopened countless schools, hospitals, and police staions. Area’s which once rivaled Baghdad for the worst area in Iraq, now have gone a couple months without a single firefight, when averaging 60+ a week less then a year ago.
How does negative press in American media affect soldiers serving overseas? Does it affect the level of support you (soldiers) feel you are receiving?
It does and it doesn’t. It does not affect the level of support we are feeling, because everyday we received letters from people across the nation that none of us knew thanking us for our sacrifice. As for some of the media, at times it angered us passionately, such as with Cindy Sheehan. But for the most part it didn’t bother us, though I think we all could agree it would be nice if they [the media] showed what we accomplished while over here, rather than concentrating all of their efforts on finding the negatives.
What was/were your job/duties while in Iraq?
To provide security for my convoy.
Given the chance, would you go back to Iraq again? Yes or no, and why?
Yes…I just have to think back about my time there and I can think of an endless amount of reasons, so it is kind of hard to narrow it down. I love my job. And I can’t stand the fact that there are men out there [in Iraq] hurting innocent people.
Did you get to meet anyone interesting while in Iraq?
I got to meet Chuck Norris in Iraq. Real nice guy. He was cool, thanked us for our service, posed for close to a quadrillion pictures, don’t even want to contemplate the amount of fake punches he threw. He wore Marine Corps cammies and he thanked us for our service and sacrifice. He treated us like we were the famous ones and he was just a fan. It was pretty awesome.
Thanks to my friend for the interview and the invaluable service to our country — he is truly a hero.
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Loading ...Well, Ingrid Newkirk is back (she’s ba-a-a-ck)!
The crazy animal lover who kills animals while ridiculing (and paying the defense funds of crazies who commit arson against or bomb) shelters that kill animals wants vegetarians to get federal tax breaks because — wait for it — it helps fight global warming.
Are you kidding me?!
That is the most ludicrous thing I think I have ever heard.
The notorious animal rights crusader, who famously uttered the words “A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy”, and asked Yasser Arafat not to use a donkey in his bombings (without, ya’ know, worrying about the actual bombings themselves), says she got this information from a University of Chicago study switching to a vegetarian diet is more effective in countering global warming than switching from a standard American car to a Toyota Prius, the favorite car of enviro-moonbats — you know, the car which causes more environmental damage to make it than it does to make a Hummer.
How vegetarianism helps against non-existent global warming, I have no idea. But hey, Ingrid Newkirk says we should do it, so that’s all that counts.
Unfortunately, I got news for Ingrid Newkirk, her hypocritical PETA followers, and all of the other enviro-moonbats: I ain’t giving up steak no matter how big the tax break! I won’t give up chicken, or fish, or seafood, or beef, or pork, or any other kind of meat. I like my hamburgers. I like my steak. I like shrimp, I like chicken, and pork chops. I know that the “slaughterhouses” where chicken are killed for my dinner are just as bad as the Holocaust for Newkirk, but oh well. She can cry herself a river.
I’m still gonna enjoy myself a nice, juicy, medium rare steak.
Hat tip: Moonbattery.
A kid-friendly comic from PETA.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, anyways.
From Yahoo! News:
In a clear reference to the United States, he harshly criticized “imperialism” in global affairs and warned that Russia will strengthen its military potential to maintain a global strategic balance.
“It wasn’t us who initiated a new round of arms race,” Putin said when asked about Russia’s missile tests this week at a news conference after talks in the Kremlin with Greek President Karolos Papoulias.
Putin described the tests of a new ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile as part of the Russian response to the planned deployment of new U.S. military bases and missile defense sites in ex-Soviet satellites in Central and Eastern Europe.
He assailed the United States and other NATO members for failing to ratify an amended version of the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty, which limits the deployment of heavy non-nuclear weapons around the continent.
Putin described the tests of new missiles conducted by Russia on Tuesday as a necessary response to the Western action.
“There is no reason to fear these actions by Russia, they aren’t aggressive. It’s merely a response to tough and unfounded unilateral actions by our partners,” he said. “These actions are aimed at preserving a global balance.”
Why is this not bigger news? I’m interested to hear how the Bush administration will handle this.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Some kid caught a Rosie-monster out in the wild!
Hat tip: MJ Morning Show
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...From ABC News:
NASA administrator Michael Griffin is drawing the ire of his agency’s preeminent climate scientists after apparently downplaying the need to combat global warming.
“I have no doubt that a trend of global warming exists,” Griffin told Inskeep. “I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with.”
“To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth’s climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn’t change,” Griffin said. “I guess I would ask which human beings — where and when — are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that’s a rather arrogant position for people to take.”
Griffin’s comments — released in transcript form by NPR — immediately drew stunned reaction from James Hansen, NASA’s top climate scientist at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.
“It’s an incredibly arrogant and ignorant statement,” Hansen told ABC News. “It indicates a complete ignorance of understanding the implications of climate change.”
Interestingly enough, James Hansen was featured heavily in Al Gore’s mockumentary, An Inconvenient Lie, I mean, An Inconvenient Truth. Mixed interests, much?
This is exactly the way enviro-moonbattery always seems to work. Global warming should just be accepted as an absolute truth, and any climatologist or scientist who dares dispute or question that truth is out of their mind.
Funny thing is, Griffin wasn’t even really disputing that there is some global warming going on — he just wasn’t buying into the apocalyptic hype that Al Gore, Laurie David, Sheryl Crow, and the rest of the moonbats are spewing. Temperatures rising one degree will cause the world to end! Start building dome cities on the moon! We must abort Earth now! ABORT, ABORT, ABORT!!
He said it perfectly: which human beings are allowed to say what is causing global warming, and what makes them more authorized to do so? And how is it that Al Gore is the most knowledgeable person on the planet when it comes to global warming? He usurped that position at the forefront of “the fight against global warming!”, just like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton appointed themselves leaders of the civil rights movement.
And funny, again, how questioning the validity of global warming “draws the ire” of climatologists at NASA. Aren’t scientists supposed to be continually questioning and testing their theories? I didn’t realize that science was so easy to predict, especially climatology.
If that’s the case, then why can’t the local meteorologist even predict whether or not it’s going to rain this afternoon?? Maybe he needs to drink some of Al Gore’s Kool-Aid.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Over at Chuck Ziegenfuss’ blog, he posted a Memorial Day entry about a simple memorial site that I found rather touching (and at the same time, infuriating):
I’m not that good a neighbor. I was even cutting anyone’s lawn. I was cutting the knee-high grass in the divider strip. And no, I’m not that civic minded. I was doing was cutting the grass around a memorial site erected at the start of the war. it’s not that much, a few flags stuck in the ground, a streamer or two and a message board. But it is a memorial.
To me, this simple memorial across the street has more meaning than all of the marble and granite memorials in Washington D. C., Arlington, Gettysburg, and every town square and post office/fire hall in the country. Those memorials all have meaning. A remembrance of was gone by, sacrifices made, fathers, brothers and sons lost for the cause of liberty. Those memorials stand in mute testimony of all we hold dear– the values, lifestyle and freedom for which we will sacrifice our brightest and bravest.
But not across the street. Across the street is a simple memorial made by one man, a man whose only real connection to this fight is a cousin who works rebuilding Iraq. He’s had the memorial of since the first day of the ground war, He’s even had legal battles with neighbors who didn’t appreciate what he was doing. Those neighbors accused him of creating an eyesore, (out of American flags!) Of not having “the right” to display the flags in the public’s space, and of not asking permission from the landowner of the rental community he lives in. He fought them tooth and nail, and even though he received many letters of support, the landowners wrote him a letter telling him to either take down the memorial or face eviction. Eventually, he had to take the flags down. He said it was the saddest day in his life, and he cried the entire time he was doing it. In the end, a few of our state representatives became involved, and told him in no uncertain terms: “go ahead and keep the memorial off and let us know if you have any more problems.”
I’m glad all this happened before I moved here or I would have a few less neighbors to sit around and b*tch. I would also, had I known sooner, have completely lined my yard with flags, covered the house in banners and bunting, and generally made the largest red-white-and-blue eye sore you’ve ever seen.
I’ll never understand people who get “offended” by displays of the American flag. Maybe I’m delusional, but isn’t this… well… America? Agree or disagree with the war or not, the proper and decent thing to do is keep your mouth shut and stand behind your troops. Obviously, no one has to. But again, it’s just the decent thing to do. Be patriotic — it ain’t gonna kill ya! Our soldiers need our support — they need to know that their country is standing behind them, more than I think some people know. Just imagine how it must feel to hear, as a soldier who is or has been fighting in Iraq, or Afghanistan, that a memorial with American flags is being forced to take down because it is an “eyesore”. I mean, my God… how much more unpatriotic can you get?
And even if — IF — this was in “public space” in a neighborhood and he wasn’t “allowed” to have it up, does it matter? Is it a fight that needs to be fought? Seriously now. What these neighbors should have done as good, principled, decent, proud, and patriotic Americans is follow his example and hang a few flags of their own. But no. It’s an eyesore.
Chuck is an Army officer who fought in Iraq and was injured by an IED. He’s undergone over 30 surgeries in, I believe, a little more than two years. And he’s out there cutting the grass for memorial of a war he not only fought in, but was injured in — and seriously so. Chuck, and the man he’s speaking of who built the memorial to begin with, are true patriots. We should all follow their examples.
Make sure you read the whole story.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Political Analyst Ben Affleck picked Mitt Romney to be the GOP’s nominee for the presidential election in 2008:
Chatting about the upcoming presidential race on the season finale of “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the Cambridge homey said he thinks the GOP will end up with Romney because the ex-gov looks good, has nice hair – and the Republicans really don’t have anyone else.
“He says he doesn’t like abortion and he’s all clean-cut and he looks like a Ken doll,” said Affleck who was doing a rather amusing imitation of our ex-gov during the Romney rant.
“The Mormonism thing is really suspect,” he added, “but they’ll take it at this point. I mean, who else do they have? Crazy (Rudy) Giuliani and (John) McCain who’s completely insane? They don’t have any other options.”
“‘I hate liberals,’ is what he’s [Romney's] basically now saying. He’s holding his nose saying, ‘I wish I didn’t even have to be in Massachusetts. I’m sorry I was there. I hated them when I was governor. I hated Massachusetts. I was governor because I wanted to kill them all!’”
The GOP has no one better than Romney, McCain, or Giuliani?
Well, we have Duncan Hunter, a Vietnam Veteran who was an Army Ranger as well as a member of the 173rd Airborne Division, and was the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and also wrote the Secure Fence Act to build 854 miles of fencing along our border. He’s my pick, anyways.
And at least we aren’t stuck with Shrillary “Let’s-socialize-all-industry-and-turn-into-a-communist-nation-because-I-know-better-than-you” Clinton; or Barack “I’m-so-tired-that-I-keep-saying-stupid-things-but-I’m-only-in-my-forties” Obama; or John “I’m-on-my-way-to-a-$400-haircut-but-is-that-an-ambulance-I-hear??” Edwards.
But on to the real juicy part: Ben Affleck called someone else a Ken doll as an insult?!
Uh, Ben, honey? You might wanna take a look in the mirror before you insult someone for being a pretty boy-Ken doll look-a-like. Just a suggestion. I mean, hello! Pot, meet the kettle. Notice how you’re both black?
Maybe he and John Edwards can go to a spa and get $225 in “services” together!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Russia announced it successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of penetrating through any missile defense systems.
From The Guardian:
The missile tests follow months of anger in Moscow over the Bush administration’s determination to install parts of a controversial missile defence shield in eastern Europe.
President Vladimir Putin has been incensed by the Pentagon’s plans to site missile interceptors and radar shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. The row has contributed to the worst relations between Russia and the west for 20 years.But as well as confrontational rhetoric from Mr Putin, Russia has also been preparing a secret military response, analysts said yesterday. They said the new RS-24 missile was capable of:
· carrying multiple independent warheads, making it almost impossible to shoot down
· travelling inter-continentally to hit targets thousands of miles away
· using sophisticated navigation systems which allow the warheads to lock on to different targets
… The treaty between the US and the Soviet Union banning intermediate range nuclear weapons was no longer effective, warned Mr Ivanov, Russia’s former defence minister, because it did not apply to Russia’s neighbours such as China.
The Bush administration insists its new missile defence system is aimed at rogue missiles fired by Iran or North Korea. But Russia says the system destroys the strategic balance of forces in Europe and is a direct threat to the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Interesting development. Are we looking at another Cold War arms race between the United States and Russia? And if so, what presidential candidate do we have that can accomplish was Reagan did in putting a stop to it?
All we can do for right now is watch and wait.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...From Fox News:
An American member of Al Qaeda warned President Bush on Tuesday to end U.S. involvement in all Muslim lands or face an attack worse than the Sept. 11 attacks, according to a new videotape.
“Your failure to heed our demands … means that you and your people will … experience things which will make you forget all about the horrors of September 11th, Afghanistan and Iraq and Virginia Tech,” he said in the seven-minute video.
Gadahn, who appeared in an Al Qaeda video last September in which he called on Americans to convert to Islam, demanded that Bush remove all U.S. military and spies from Islamic countries, free all Muslims from U.S. prisons and end support for Israel. He said a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq alone would not satisfy Al Qaeda.
Ben Venzke at IntelCenter, a U.S. government contractor that monitors Al Qaeda messages, said the group likely did not believe any of its demands would be met.
“It essentially allows Al Qaeda to say that it has provided fair warning and is thus no longer responsible for the outcome,” Venzke said in a statement.
But… but… but Islam is a religion of peace! And… and… its really the United States who are the terrorists! And Al Qaeda was never in Iraq to begin with! It’s our own fault anyways, for murdering 650,000 “innocent civilians”, eh, Rosie?
Every now and then something like this pops up. Let it be a reminder to all: this is why we’re fighting. Al-Qaeda will never rest, and neither can we.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...So I guess now the big question is, who will replace Rosie on The View? My guess is it will be another conspiracy-theorist liberal. The first guest host they had to fill in for Rosie’s now-vacant spot was Whoopi Goldberg, who is definitely drinking the Kool-Aid.
You know who I would love to see join the panel? Michelle Malkin or Mary Katherine Ham. Seriously. They’re both smart, talented, beautiful women who could eat Joy Behar and Baba Wawa for breakfast — and then, the panel would actually be (gasp!) balanced, as far as the conservative-liberal ratio goes. Ratings go up whenever there are heated debates, right? I’m sure there’d be a lot more than that when you put a strong conservative voice on the panel along with the moonbat liberals.
Unfortunately, it is never going to happen. They’ll find someone else who has the same opinions as Rosie and poor Elisabeth will be there all by herself.
Mary Katherine Ham and Michelle Malkin: next hosts of The View
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