Charlie Rose

NeilMacCallister  08/19/2010 05:06 AM Report

Gee rob, ..when did I say Americans can do no wrong?

We've just given trillions of tax dollars to American billionaires, ..billions more to Iraqi, Afghani, and Pakistani millionaires (who then take that money and leave their countries), more billions to the highest paid U.S. public and government employees, ..and then form 3,246 overpaid congressional panels to try and figure out why America can't afford to re-hire the 8 million private-industry workers it has laid-off since December 2007!

I never said America can do no wrong, ..it certainly has!

It is the waste in our discourse which I am now protesting!

To wit: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "FRIENDLY FIRE" IN A GUNFIGHT!

Can we be done with that argument now? ..Can we please just let the brave dead rest in peace?

***

And please understand: The drop from 100 killings per day, to 4 killings per day, is the reported drop in ALL killings in the Afghan regions, ..military, tribal, dope gangs, smugglers, robbers, bureaucrats, and all!

The report was, that the TOTAL of public murders, and military deaths COMBINED has dropped in Afghanistan from more than 100 per day, to less than 4 per!

That is a very positive effect!

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Lastly, the "Code Pink" reference was to the group which gathered in Mr. Bar-Lev's hometown of Berkeley CA to bullhorn "Baby-Killer" into the face of any teenager trying to enter the local Marine Corps recruiting office to maybe get job-trained in radio repair, warehouse management, or even typing.

I protest our peoples' enormous waste of time, energy, and thought.

***

Thanks, ..please now feel free to go back to your worrying about the "MI oligarchs who taking over the world".

I'll just go to bed, ..I have to dig-out a bit of sewer line in the morning.

robdverity  08/18/2010 05:59 PM Report

Well Neil - in your we-can-do-no-wrong, even in a story about one of our own done-in by 'friendly' fire, there's not much to dissuade you. Or do you even deny that it was indeed friendly fire?

As to accurate journalism, my knee-jerk response is remember WMD's? The Taliban (gasp, choke) dispute our low number, saying we're responsible for over 80% of civilian deaths. While that may be high, our correspondents have a vested interest, living on extra hazard pay and adrenaline. They are prob as reliable as say the CEO of Raytheon.

Do you think from that, that I'm a 'pinko' (what an archaic ref) peacenik, that thinks the US MI oligarchs would engage in a protracted war-for-profit? As Sarah would say, "You betcha!"

NeilMacCallister  08/18/2010 03:04 AM Report

Yes rob, ..according to Mr. Bar-Lev's story-line, our men and women in uniform are but "untrained, undisciplined, adrenaline-soaked, gun-happy, cowboys" who are responsible for a theater of war where "civilian deaths are so prevalent".

Do you think that is accurate journalism? ..or just "Code Pink" propaganda?

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I heard the war-correspondent and film-producer Sebastion Junger report a much different personal account right here on May 25th.

And his July 5th refutation of your claim toward "civilian deaths" is especially important: He noted on PBS that in the decade of the 1990's there was a daily average of 100 civilian killings per day!

But now, in the most recent decade, beginning with our Armed Forces going there in 2001, ..civilian deaths have dropped to less than 4 per day.

That's quite an improvement in the lives of the Afghan people, isn't it?

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You may send your contribution for the Pakistani flood victims to the Red Cross. Please do it today.

robdverity  08/17/2010 10:47 PM Report

The conduct of the troops was hair raising. No wonder the complaints of civilian deaths are so prevalent. They come off as untrained, undisciplined, adrenaline-soaked, gun-happy, cowboys. Hearts and minds? In a pigs ass.

We would come closer to a more hollywood concept of the good-ole-USA if we pitched our weapons and converted them to Pak. flood-victim aid. But the MI oligarchy would take a hit; so relax - it wont happen.

NeilMacCallister  08/17/2010 03:10 PM Report

Amir Bar-Lev is looting the grave of an upstanding man, and here panders to "lionize" himself as an "uncoverer of truth".

He admits he "stalked" the Tillman family, and is now using Josh Brolin to put a nice face on his personal attacking of Mr. Tillman's decision to defend his country.

I hope Shakespeare's epitath proves true:

"Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare

to digg the dust encloased heare

Blese be the man that spares these stones

And curst be he that moves my bones."

REMant  08/17/2010 02:40 PM Report

Reminds me of the siege of FSB Ripcord, in the A Shau Valley while the Cambodian incursion was on. It was the last significant battle involving US forces in Vietnam, costing 74 American lives and 400 wounded, and was kept from the public for decades.