The blogswarm has already begun (got up late), but it seems an old Army colleague of long ago, William Arkin, has stepped in the proverbial doggie-doo with his blog entry at the Washington Post.
Basically a slam against a NBC report last Friday showing soldier frustration about the antiwar movement back home. Arkin’s take:
“These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President’s handling of it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.
Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order.
Sure it is the junior enlisted men who go to jail, but even at anti-war protests, the focus is firmly on the White House and the policy. We just don’t see very man “baby killer” epithets being thrown around these days, no one in uniform is being spit upon.
I’m reading this and thinking that it was written by one of the Kos Kids after too many Starbucks Mochas, and then remember it’s “Bill” and outside of Ray McGovern one would be hard pressed to find a more anti-military veteran. He could have stopped there, but nooooo.
“But it is the United States and instead this NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.”
Blackfive speaks for all us vets with words that need not be reflected here. Suffice to say for my old friend - F-K you!
If the outrage through the blogsphere is any indication look for Bill to buy the farm over this one as families of the dead read his screed, ponder and then pound the Washington Post’s editors and demand his ass be nailed to a wall. If it helps, I have the hammer.
Gateway Pundit with more on Arkin and on the Ny Times running a story and video of a soldier dying even before the family was notified.
The Media, or the Soldiers, who are the REAL mercenaries?
UPDATE: Arkin responds, but as usual in this case just more gas on the fire.
Take it from an old friend Bill, shut up.
No Response
Cindy
February 1st, 2007 at 9:26 am
1IS this guy kin to John Kerry? LOL, what a nut case. I sent this to hubby at work so all of the other arrogant military brothers and sisters could get a good laugh at this guy. He sent me back a very interesting email, you and your readers might find interesting that our new Madame Pelosi is asking of the Pentagon. Add this article to one of those things that make you go hmmmm. One of his responsibilies at work includes the VIP planes. He also wants noted they DO NOT have open bars on these planes.
Washington Times
Speaker Pursues Military Flights
“The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pressing the Bush administration for routine access to military aircraft for domestic flights, such as trips back to her San Francisco district, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The sources, who include those in Congress and in the administration, said the Democrat is seeking regular military flights not only for herself and her staff, but also for relatives and for other members of the California delegation. A knowledgeable source called the request “carte blanche for an aircraft any time.”
“They are pressing the point of her succession and that the [Department of Defense] needs to play ball with the speaker’s needs,” one source said. The request originally went to the Pentagon, which then asked the White House to weigh in.
Mrs. Pelosi’s request is not new for a speaker, who is second-in-line in presidential succession. A defense source said the speaker’s regular access to a military plane began after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Illinois Republican, who was speaker at the time, started using U.S. Air Force planes for domestic travel to and from his district for security reasons. A former Hastert aide said the congressman did not use military planes for political trips or regularly transport his family.
The defense source said Mr. Hastert requested a plane with good communications so he could conduct legislative business. The military flights increased to the point the speaker used a military plane for many, if not all, flights to his Illinois district, the former aide said.
Sources said Mrs. Pelosi’s request goes beyond what Mr. Hastert received. The speaker’s legal counsel is spearheading the talks.
An aide to Mrs. Pelosi, who asked not to be named, confirmed yesterday that discussions are ongoing with the administration. “It would be done for security reasons,” said the aide, adding that the speaker has used military aircraft for at least one trip back to San Francisco.
The aide asserted that the administration was using a Washington Times reporter, in effect, to negotiate with the speaker’s office by leaking information about Mrs. Pelosi’s request. Asked if the speaker was seeking increased access to military planes, the aide took the question, but did not call back.
A Pentagon spokesman referred questions to Mrs. Pelosi’s office. A White House spokeswoman said last night she had no information on the request.
The rules for congressional travel on military aircraft are contained in Defense Department Directive 4515.12.
Congressional access to military passenger jets is generally restricted to official trips abroad, or for domestic flights to military bases or events to which the Pentagon invited the lawmaker. Al Qaeda attacks on the U.S. changed the procedure in the case of the speaker.
U.S. Air Force travel for VIPs such as members of Congress is first-rate. The planes are staffed with stewards who serve meals and tend an open bar. Communications suites allow members to conduct business while traveling.
Such flights are one of Congress’ cherished perquisites, providing lawmakers a chance to visit foreign lands at government expense.
Official duties are often mixed with sightseeing and fine dining.
But trips to war zones are not junkets. Since the September 11 attacks, the Air Force has flown hundreds of congressional delegations, or “co-dels,” to various war theaters. Mrs. Pelosi just completed a fact-finding trip to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Upon her return, she repeated her demand that President Bush not send more troops to Iraq.”
Leaning Straight Up
February 1st, 2007 at 12:15 pm
2William Arkin responds, misquotes me and further insults the troops…
I should feel honored, he responded to me directly. Of course he grossly misquoted me.
I said that he was telling the troops to shut up and quit whining, whereas he quoted me as saying that to him.
Whatever. the point of my article was that…
Blue Crab Boulevard » On Arrogance And Intolerance
February 1st, 2007 at 2:10 pm
3[...] UPDATE: Oh, man. If Arkin thought he'd gotten bashed around before, this one just poured a tanker full of gasoline on the fire. Others, already: Simply Kimberly, Blackfive, Sister Toldjah, Andrew Olmsted, AJ Strata, PJM, How Deserted Lies The City, Java Zen, Candy Slice of Life, Rick Moran, LGF, A Jacksonian, Villainous Company, bRight and Early, CDR Salamander, QandO, Zen Pundit, Brandodojo, Confederate Yankee, Jules Crittenden, Pink Flamingo Bar, Urban Grounds, Transterrestrial Musings, Leaning Straight Up, Don Surber, Redstate, Mac's Mind, GTL, Wake Up America, Ray Robison, Jammie Wearing Fool, 7.62mm Justice, [...]
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