Read with Caution

[Murgatroyd]

Originally posted by Colonel Ingus
The thing I fear the most is Spain. Because of their basic capitulation they have shown the terrorists they do have power and can have an effect. What kind of message does this send Al Qaida? Especially during an election year here in the U.S.

Absolutely. Not to mention the fact that these other countries are reacting in similar fashion.

The latest - Italian citizens are calling for the removal of their troops because one civilian was kidnapped and killed inside Iraq. Russia pulling all of it's citizens out of Iraq.

Precidents, people! Fools! You wish these people to think of you as cowards who will bend and break as soon as people start dying? The war is lost for you already! You are already slaves to the terrorists.

[Bagginses]

I have to admit that I am afraid of big "things" that could happen in the months before election day. By "things" I mean, I'm afraid of a terrorist attack that will sway votes one way or another, or Bush magically finding Osama or WMDs in Iraq, or Kerry unrooting a corruption scandel involving Bush. I just don't want things to happen for the sole purpose of swaying votes one way or the next. I think when they happens, people become impulsive and then they fail to make a reasonable decision.

-Bagginses

[Jeffro Profile YIM]

Originally posted by Bagginses
I have to admit that I am afraid of big "things" that could happen in the months before election day. By "things" I mean, I'm afraid of a terrorist attack that will sway votes one way or another, or Bush magically finding Osama or WMDs in Iraq, or Kerry unrooting a corruption scandel involving Bush. I just don't want things to happen for the sole purpose of swaying votes one way or the next. I think when they happens, people become impulsive and then they fail to make a reasonable decision.

-Bagginses

I think Kerry is the "lesser of the two evils"...

I really do not trust both, however, Bush has proved himself worthless in office.

[Murgatroyd]

...or somebody burns down a Reichstag. Old tricks, people. Old tricks.

[Colonel Ingus Profile]

...or somebody burns down a Reichstag.

Whats a Reichstag?:D

What do you mean history repeats itself?

[Murgatroyd]

January 30, 1933
Weimar Republic President Paul von Hindenburg appoints Adolph Hitler Chancellor.
February 27, 1933
The German Parliament (Reichstag) burns down. A dazed Dutch Communist named Marinus van der Lubbe is found at the scene and charged with arson. [He is later found guilty and executed].
February 28, 1933
President Hindenburg and Chancellor Hitler invoke Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution, which permits the suspension of civil liberties in time of national emergency. This Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the People and State abrogates the following constitutional protections:
Free expression of opinion
Freedom of the press
Right of assembly and association
Right to privacy of postal and electronic communications
Protection against unlawful searches and seizures
Individual property rights
States' right of self-government
A supplemental decree creates the SA (Storm Troops) and SS (Special Security) Federal police agencies.

Cut & Paste from a website - not my words. Relatively accurate though (Except SS stood for Schutzstaffel which loosely translates into "Security Network")

[Colonel Ingus Profile]

DOH! I knew what you were refering to:D

That was a sarcastic/rhetorical type post.

[Colonel Ingus Profile]

Really important info I found on another site. Please read as this person puts things into a new light that we are not being informed of.

Moqtada al Sadr does NOT have universal support in Iraq. He doesn't even have universal Shia support! His followers are a decided minority in Iraq and even Baghdad, despite the scenes you see on television.

In a society that reveres its elders and looks with disdain on youthful exuberance Moqtada al Sadr is 28-29 years old. The Hawsa barely tolerate his presence as respect for his father and even more so for his descent (note the black turban) from the Prophet (all praise to him and his progeny). He is considered a novice at best in those circles.

Despite his standing as a Sheik and descendant of the Prophet (all praise to him and his progeny) Moqtada al Sadr is woefully educated, ignorant of most things outside of the Quran and teachings of the 12 Apostalic Imams. He has been often described as a thug. His actions and pronouncements are brutish at best.

However, Moqtada al Sadr is surrounded by better educated young firebrand clerics who use his standing as the son of the revered Muhammed Baqir al Sadr as the pulpit to spew their views. These young firebrands are supported by fanatic factions within Iraq, Iran and elsewhere. Theirs is an opportunity to seize control in the hierarchy of Islam. They routinely denigrate the elders of Islam as doddering old fools. This message does NOT resonate within the majority of the Shia community.

Moqtada al Sadr's flame will be hot, but brief.


David Couvillon
Lieutenant Colonel of Marines;
Former Governor of Wasit Province, Iraq;
Righter of Wrongs; Wrong most of the time;
Lover extrordinaire; Chef de Hot Dog Excellance;
Collector of Hot Sauce; Avoider of Yard Work

Interesting stuff there methinks.

[Bagginses]

Originally posted by Colonel Ingus
Interesting stuff there methinks.

Agreed, it almost makes the whole mess seem like youthful rebellion at its worse.

-Bagginses

[Colonel Ingus Profile]

Here's another one. Its a letter from a marine over there.

Dear Ladies,

The last two days have been the hardest two days this battalion has faced in over 30 years. Within the blink of an eye the situation went form relatively calm to a raging storm. You've known that since arriving there has been violence; attacks have been sporadic and mostly limited to roadside bombs. Your husbands have become experts at recognizing those threats and neutralizing them before we are injured. Up to this point the war has been the purview of corporals and sergeants, and the squad they lead.

Yesterday the enemy upped the ante.

Early in the morning we exchanged gunfire with a group of insurgents without significant loss. As morning progressed, the enemy fed more men into the fight and we responded with stronger force. Unfortunately, this led to injuries as our Marines and sailors started clearing the city block by block. The enemy did not run; they fought us like soldiers. And we destroyed the enemy like only Marines can. By the end of the evening the local hospital was so full of their dead and wounded that they ran out of space to put them. Your husbands were awesome all night they stayed at the job of securing the streets and nobody challenged them as the hours wore on. They did not surrender an inch nor did flinch from the next potential threat. Previous to yesterday the terrorist thought that we were soft enough to challenge. As of tonight the message is loud and clear that the Marines will not be beaten.

Today the enemy started all over again, although with far fewer numbers, only now the rest of the battalion joined the fight. Without elaborating too much, weapons company and Golf crushed their attackers with the vengeance of the righteous. They filled up the hospitals again and we suffered only a few injuries. Echo company dominated the previous day's battlefield. Fox company patrolled with confidence and authority; nobody challenged them. Even Headquarters Company manned their stations and counted far fewer people openly watching us with disdain. If the enemy is foolish enough to try to take your men again they will not survive contact. We are here to win.

The news looks grim from back in the States. We did take losses that, in our hearts, we will always live with. The men we lost were taken within the very opening minutes of the violence. They could not have foreseen the treachery of the enemy and they did not suffer. We can never replace these Marines and Sailors but they will fight on with us in spirit. We are not feeling sorry for ourselves nor do we fear what tomorrow will bring. The battalion has lived up to its reputation as Magnificent Bastards.

Yesterday made everyone here stronger and wiser; it will be a cold day in Hell before we are taken for granted again.

[Murgatroyd]

I knew you were being facetous, Ingus, but I decided to post it anyway to put some emphasis on the subject.

Before I said that I've been avoiding American media, and pretty much only paying attention to foreign media, and I feel as if I have a better perspective on the situation. In fact, one of the BBC articles I read said just that - nobody, especially the ruling clerics in Iraq, like that al-Sadr punk. In fact, they told him to stop.

I also got a good gist of world opinion. As far as I can tell, people hate us alot less than you'd believe. On some of the forums and other user-submitted texts I've read, people are split on this pretty much up the middle, regardless of their country of origin. For some reason, our media is lying to us, making it sound much worse than it is. I invite anyone to do what I have and see this for yourself.

[Colonel Ingus Profile]

And another one from the Marine Colonel (he's got a good rank:D )

Guardian Unlimited Special reports Iraqi polls bring secular success.

Dr. Sandoz, as you know I've been saying this from the beginning. The CPA and the administration's apparent fear of an electorial Islamic state's victory is unfounded. Provide for FAIR and SECRET BALLOT elections and the Iraqi people will choose a secular government. They see what the Iranian state looks like and they want no part of it! Furthermore, the marjority of the Shia want to distance themselves from any extremism. We conducted municipal elections in An Numinaya last June. In a city with a population of ~45000, there were ~27000 votes cast! That's 60% of the population who voted - and those 18 years or younger were not allowed to cast ballots! Thus the actual voting percentage would have been around 90+! These people are hungry to flex their democratic votes. AND, I feel they will still choose secular government (of course, with Islamic overtones).

This needs to ignite the CPA and the Administration to conduct elections at the local levels; towns, cities, districts, and provinces. Democracy starts at the bottom and works it's way up. When this starts happening, President Bush's (and the US) prestige will skyrocket everywhere EXCEPT in totalitarian regimes and islamo-terrorist circles. The Islamic extremists will be embarrassed worldwide by the very people they purport to speak for.

Couv
David Couvillon
Lieutenant Colonel of Marines;
Former Governor of Wasit Province, Iraq;
Righter of Wrongs; Wrong most of the time;
Lover extrordinaire; Chef de Hot Dog Excellance;
Collector of Hot Sauce; Avoider of Yard Work.

[PudriK Profile]

Wow. Where'd you get that, Ingus? Gotta love the Marines!!

And some people want the UN to run this... made up of of all those countries previously listed who have cut and run when the going got hard. Hell, the UN itself was too cowardly to stick it out.

Even us Americans are not so strong willed. Look at the number of us whose reaction to the attacks was to give up. (It crossed my mind, too.)

We've made our choice, we need to finish the job.

The we have to figure out how to keep our Government from going on these little expeditions so readily.

[Colonel Ingus Profile]

Got those from a blog, perhaps THE original blog.

http://www.jerrypournelle.com/

Dr. Pournelle is an extremely well educated and informed individual. Any of you who had ever read BYTE magazine might recognize the name from his weekly columns. He's also a prolific sci-fi writer who actually knows science when he writes about it.

I usually check his site out daily from work and he always has interesting information on a variety of subjects.

[SavageParrot Profile]

Originally posted by Irish
After all is said and done.

Who owns the moon?

And are they charging the moon lander rent?