There was a time when enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces was truly something to be proud of … something involving the fight for freedom and the defense of our nation’s people and their most basic interests.
Now?
Not so much … and while it’s been the tendency in recent years to blame the policymakers and not their “instruments,” how much longer before these instruments start bearing some of the culpability for America’s consistently misguided policies?
The government of this country spies on its own people (and the rest of the world). It invades other countries and sacrifices thousands of lives based on outdated imperialism and fabricated intelligence. It’s even willing to join forces with the same people who attacked us if it means gaining some geopolitical leverage.
Worst of all, to fund these engagements (and lots of other unnecessary government) America’s leaders print money so they can can borrow money on the backs of future generations.
How is any of that fighting for freedom? And even if America was still the “land of the free” (which it isn’t) – would it be our job to make the world “safe for democracy?”
Heck no …
But there on television (using our money) are commercials which hail America’s Armed Forces as a “global force for good” – capable of reaching the remotest regions of the planet.
Sheesh …
Seriously, though, what additional evidence do young men and women enlisting for military service really need in order to reach the unmistakeable conclusion that America is no longer fighting for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?”
This is why their sacrifice has ceased being admirable in our opinion and started being either gullible or intentionally harmful to true American principles.
But the myth of the American solider as a “hero” rolls on … and playing it up to the hilt (again) is Lieutenant Colonel Bill Connor, who formally announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by liberal Lindsey Graham this week.
Never heard of Bill Connor’s military service?
Just wait … he will tell you all about. And then he will tell you all about it again. He wears it on his sleeve (literally) and actually gets a little pissy if you don’t give him his due for all he’s done to protect you.
In fact just in time for Connor’s big announcement, he’s updated his profile picture on Facebook …
(Click to enlarge)
Classy …
Look, fighting for freedom (either your own or your fellow citizen’s) is indeed heroic … but that’s not what America does anymore. Far from it. Of course if you want to compare Connor’s self-promotion with the bald-faced lying of the “military” man he’s running against … Connor probably comes out on top.
Barely …
Still, we would prefer to see neither man in the U.S. Senate come January 2015.
66 comments
Dude, brave write up and I agree. There will be shit storm coming for you shortly. Especially with a post of this nature on eve of Armistice/Veterans day.
The country is now very militaristic and worships the military for the most part. If you don’t, you’re not a “patriot”, etc. et al.
Good luck.
There is a reason why Patrick Henry referred to standing armies as “engines of despotism.” It’s because they are the tools of the war machine, most of them willingly. And the fawning over veterans by the political class is so sycophantic it makes me sick. This lionization of veterans is calculated, so as to prevent any criticism of America’s imperialistic foreign policy, lest you be deemed a traitor and not supportive of the troops.
“There was a time when enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces was truly something to be proud of … something that involved fighting for freedom and defending our nation’s people and their most basic interests.
Now?
Not so much …”
Go eff yourself, FITS. You confuse those who fight the wars from those who leverage them for personal benefit and acclaim.
They fight in the name of our country with no questions asked; that’s their job. They don’t make the policy. That’s still done in Washington by civilians no less, and frankly, war is a reliable vote getter, particularly in this state.
Which war did you fight in, FITS? In which branch did you serve? Have you always been a keyboard boy?
The kid is thinking, “He will be emptying that weapon very suddenly — if I stick my finger up his ass very quickly!”
Iron Man SC edition is a disgrace to every enlisted man involved in the Iraq/Afganistan wars. Banging his classmate, dropping out of law school and chasing ambulances is a trifecta that even SC Republicans can’t support.
The thirst for power that these cockroaches have (thanks OWB) makes me sick. When will an honest hard-working person run for office in this sorry ass state?
I’m holding my breath.
The problem is no honest, hard-working individuals can afford to run anymore. The high dollars that are required to even get noticed anymore create nothing but corruption. Those that would actually do the system some good can’t even get a blip on the radar. Professional crooks have taken over and will never give up their power.
It is almost impossible for an “honest” person to win an election.
I’m a little confused – he dropped out of law school but last I looked he has a law license. How’s that work? Maybe he quit law school for some period of time for some reason you are unaware of?
He’s a disgrace to “…every enlisted man involved in the Iraq/Afganistan war…”? Does this disgrace extend to officers as well and is there a basis for you assertion of the need for this disgrace?
He was apparently “Banging a classmate…” according to you and from your tone, I assume that there’s a problem with that? Hell Will “Banged the Governor…” if we believe his story so why would anybody here have a problem with him “Banging a classmate…”?
Absolutely.
But he still ain’t Lindsey. (meaning he remains eligible for TBG’s vote)
Confirmation of the mentality of some voters as suggested by some of you guys. This white guy outdid Alvin Greene at the polls this week. (Shifty chuckling) …..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2495932/Texan-wins-election-misleading-voters-believing-black-using-flyers-showing-African-Americans-supporting-neighbor-Dave-Wilson.html
“Imperialism”???
The last thing I expect for the waitress at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s to do is slip me a note with her telephone number followed by a description of what she would like to do to my body
The boys and girls running against Graham are wasting their damn time, my damn time commenting and everybody’s time and money
The little fucker has over $7,000,000 bucks. Mace ain’t got that kind of money. Conner ain’t got that kind of money. Bright, hell he ain’t got nothing including no money
By the time the election rolls around Graham’s camp will know the name, middle name and nickname of every voter in South Carolina, what kind of toilet paper they use, even which hand they use. That information will be tailored into direct mailings to convince voters that Graham may not be the Resurrection but give him one more term and he may well be
No one, absolutely no one, is going to knock off a sitting U.S. Senator with his kind of bank roll unless he happens to stop by BOB’S and pick up my note – in that case I will take him out
Dear Shifty Henry,
You use Scott, 1000 sheets per roll, septic safe, one-ply, unscented, bathroom tissue. Oh, and you use your right hand.
Yours truly,
Senator Lindsey Graham
List of Senate Candidates (& others)
http://politics1.com/sc.htm
Gee, need to fire up the hate mail to drive some hits this week? I’ll spare you a long-winded (but exceptionally well constructed and logically unbeatable) response by throwing out just the first three points that popped into my head after reading this moronic, hackneyed piece:
1. If we are no longer the “Land of the Free,” please tell us where you are planning to move. Unlike you, I’ve lived in a dozen or so countries (friend and foe) and even BHO’s America v.2013 beats the shit outta all of them.
2. Imperialism?! Holy tired hippie phrase, Batman. Wait, even most of the hippies have dropped that one now. Only you and the Occupy Movement are still using this tripe.
3. I know that by demeaning the service of those who enlist in our armed forces you are merely espousing your libertarian worldview, but you demean it nonetheless. Of course some service members are clowns who joined because they didn’t have many job options, but in my experience, for every one of those asshats there are 10 or 20 who joined to legitimately serve and protect the US. I don’t remember many “Hey guys, I’m glad we’re going back to get shot at in (insert worthless shithole country name here) to start us another one of those imperial outposts and expand America’s domination of the world!” conversations. Maybe I just wasn’t invited to those parties. Don’t confuse your policy positions (for what their worth) with the need for a strong military. We could cut back to pre-WWII levels if you like and see how that works out for us. I’ll call Iran, China, North Korea and a dozen or so second-stringers and let them know to start getting ready.
Wow, that turned out to be long-winded anyway, sorry all. I guess I should have just said that this piece makes you a real jackass and left it at that.
Long winded, but worth the breath well said.
TBG (respectfully) methinks the Colonel and Capt Mayhem doth protest to much…
TBG believes in a border so secure that a rat couldn’t get through it. TBG believes in retaliatory capability so great that no sane entity would attack us. TBG believes the US Navy should take a large role in ensuring safe transit of the world’s oceans. TBG will grant yiou that spending too much on military preparedness is way better than spending too little.
TBG also believes that the USA had no business wasting it’s soldier’s lives and treasure in WWI, Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia etc.
George Washington and his troops fought for your freedom. Robert E Lee and his troops fought for your freedom. Generals Pershing, Westmoreland, Schwartzkopf, Petreaus et al. (some who were honorable men) accomplished many things—many of them positive: but while, even they might have thought it, they did not fight for your freedom.
Name one freedom that we lost after Ho Chi Minh’s guys drove us out of Viet Nam.
The freedom to believe that we were invincible?
Ha! Well put!
Making small adjustments to Smedly Butler’s peace amendment based on technology changes, I’d say this would be a good start:
http://justwarriors.blogspot.com/2009/11/smedley-butler-amendment-for-peace.html
Smedley, a largely unsung American hero.
Bobby Lee was fighting for whose freedom?
Whose freedom? That little kid beside him in the picture – Hopefully, we have finally learned that not everyone wants to be free. I’ve come to the conclusion that we would have been better off just flattening every city in Afghanistan and all of the terrorist training camps and then getting the hell out.
I did not know Robert E Lee and his troops were in Afghanistan. Are you sure about that?
My bad – I thought Ruffus was referring to Connor.
Interesting fact about Robert E. Lee is that he had freed all of his family’s slave well before the beginning of the war. Grant’s family still owned slaves at the end of the war.
I did not know Robert E Lee and his troops were in Afghanistan. Are you sure about that?
Maybe Clive Cussler had it wrong and the real Lincoln and all that Confederate gold wound up in the Hindu Kush!!
Hopefully, we have finally learned that not everyone wants to be free.
Hell, most Americans don’t want to be free.
Most people, also, would rather be misruled by “their” guy than be “free” under the rule of someone from “off”.
Bobby Lee was fighting for whose freedom?
The citizens of the CSA.
No way of knowing now, but I believe that slavery was on the way out anyway and that black and white folks in the south would be freer today if the South woulda won.
TBG, Not too sure the blacks were ‘citizens’ of the CSA back in the day.
TBG didn’t say that they were.
You had the 3/5 rule. You had some free blacks that owned land and *gasp* slaves…but I don’t know if even they could vote or were classified as citizens.
Many fall for the (erroneous) belief that the north was fighting for the black’s freedom. Truth be told, freedom for blacks was not high on the agenda of northern or southern leaders. *Please note the Colonel’s comparison of Lee and Grant.*
I have heard that line of reasoning and don’t discount it entirely but nor do I believe it substantially correct. The Southern states were working to have slavery spread into the various Northern states and new territories. With the invention of the cotton gin and steam engines slavery was actually on something of a resurgence. Many Southern politicians were particularly happy with the SCOTUS decision of Dread Scott and other rulings and felt that for slavery to continue to exist they had to see it spread to non-slave areas.
I believe slavery would have atrophied but not completely died out naturally. A form of slavery would exist today if not for the “Civil War” and the 13th Amendment much like slavery is still a de facto, if not acknowledged, institution in a number African and Arab states.
TBG is familiar with the “Slave Power” arguments but cannot conceive that slavery would have survived in the Western (civilized) world into the Twentieth century.
Recall that, though the origins of slavery are lost in the mists of time…it is (much maligned) Western Civilization that has made the great strides in eradicating it.
“no business wasting it’s soldier’s lives and treasure in WWI”
========
Forsooth! The shade of Mencken sighs in solemn satisfaction, there in the simmering sulfur.
.
With the centenary almost upon us, I am surprised we are not hearing of some more objective historical analysis of us entering that war.
The argument can be made that, had the US not involved itself in WWI, WWII would never have happened.
And the same argument can be made for 1991 and 2003 – had we killed Saddam in 91, we might not have ever gotten involved in Iraq. There are lots of what ifs…
We could cut back to pre-WWII levels if you like and see how that works out for us. I’ll call Iran, China, North Korea and a dozen or so second-stringers and let them know to start getting ready.
Those pre-WWII levels seemed to work out fairly well for us When WWII came around, considering we mopped the floor with the Krauts and Japs in under 5 years.
North Korea?
Iran?
Please.
Even China is years away from becoming a comparable military power to 1940 Germany or Japan.
” I’ll call Iran, China, North Korea and a dozen or so second-stringers and let them know to start getting ready. ”
Which begs the question? Ready for “what”?
I wish I had a nickel every time the scare tactics over US land invasions or the need for a “global police force” to “keep the peace” were brought up.
How about this concern: What happens when China stops subsidizing our foreign policy and welfare state?
The Pentagon only started playing financial war games seriously in 09′, so they are WAY BEHIND THE CURVE in that area. The last small story(and the stories about them are ALWAYS small) I read was that the brass are “concerned” but know they can’t do anything about the spendthrift way of our politicians.
I hear you, but see above reply. My point is simple – without the ability to project force at (or near) the level we can now our security is weakened. Still not the main point I was making, but since it’s the one that interested you the most I’ll respond anyway. Say what you like, but there are plenty of countries who choose to leave us alone because they fear the repercussions; I know because I have talked to the clowns in their own backyards. Of course they couldn’t storm our beaches, but that’s not really the way things are accomplished these days. My bottom line was that no one (including Will) should have to demean the service of fair-minded, good hearted military kids to make their point that our political leadership sucks. That point almost makes itself…
Oh come on now brother…not the main point I was making, but valid at any rate. Things are a little different (technologically and socially) now. Enemy nation states no longer need large fleets or squadrons of heavy bombers to invade our shores. To serve as a deterrent, we must retain the ability to project force for positive and negative reinforcement. Humanitarian aid (or the protection thereof), or bombing the shit outta people.
Technologically and socially one would still need a huge military to invade, much less occupy the US. Even we have found that a “shock and awe” defeat of a country does not equal a successful occupation.
I guess TBG is more conservative than most conservatives.
When he hears, “This time is different.”, “Times have changed.”, “The founders could never have envisioned [fill in the blank].” his BS alarm sounds and he protectively grasps his wallet.
TBG’s favorite Allstate Mayhem ad
I agree brotha. Please all those out their give the respect to Veteran’s because I believe that if you are reading this in peace w/in your home or place of business that it became possible because of Servicemen(Men/Women). So enjoy your freedom because their blood, sweat, & tears let us have it not those who nag & bash Servicemen.
I like him.
Our Funding Editor is wondering what kind of cologne Conner was wearing when this staged photo was taken. Conner is such a legend in his own mind.
Notice the kid is looking to his right; probably towards his Mom who is saying to her son, “It’s okay, that sorry son of a goat paid me 100 Afghani to take a pic with you.”
Conner is looking at the camera saying to himself, “This pic should get me a few votes when I get home.”
My grandfather fought in WWII, had two boats shot out from under him, almost died a couple of times, and he came home and worked his ass off. He didn’t talk about it. He didn’t put a sticker on his car. He didn’t get a personalized plate. He didn’t wear a hat or shirt advertising his service, and sure as hell didn’t expect to be fawned over. He did what needed to be done and didn’t expect anything in return.
“…He did what needed to be done and didn’t expect anything in return.”
True dat but let’s make a little comparison. We had about 131,000,000 Americans in 1941. By the end of the war in 1945, 16,000,000 of those Americans had served in uniform and almost 3% never came home. 1 in 10 Americans were in engaged in or supporting combat operations. Every American was touched by the war through rationing, the draft and the innumerable programs designed to support the war effort (many of them totally unnecessary except that they made us all feel like part of the team).
Right now, we have about 315,000,000 Americans and just under 3,000,000 Soldiers, Sailor, Airman and Marines (And Coasties too) in uniform. That’s less than 1% of the population. Most folks at home are vaguely aware that we’re fighting somewhere but few can find Afghanistan on a map and even fewer have felt the war in any meaningful manner. No draft, no rationing for the most part, you’d not know we were fighting if it wasn’t on the news.
In WWII, everybody fought even “Lucky Strike Cigarettes have gone to war”. In 2013 only those with a propensity to serve fight. The guys who were “just looking for a job” might be in uniform but they’ve studiously avoided deploying. Few of us like how things have worked out – nothing would make me happier than to have left Iraq and Afghanistan embracing freedom – sadly, that ain’t gonna happen. Many of us, myself included are on our 3rd (or more) deployments – it isn’t your grandfather’s war.
A LtCol that’s spent most of his adult life in uniform doesn’t have much more of a record to run on. That’s why I don’t mind the pic with the Afghani child or the dress uniform pic on bookface.
Being a LtCol, however, means you have a college degree and you’ve studied a lot of history. Being so well read, one must be aware and very concerned with the issues raised in this article. Anything short of that is willful ignorance at best, co-conspirator at worst.
Oh man, what a worm, he put pictures he took in his backyard in East Bumble, SC of him in uniform holding a knife and the decapitated heads of Taliban soldiers that he
bought on the black market – wait, what? All he did was change his Facebook picture?
Connor has done nothing illegal, immoral or fattening by posting pictures of himself in uniform on his Facebook –quite the contrary, the vast majority of us who’ve worn a uniform and are even remotely tech savvy not only have a Facebook page but you’ll find pictures of us in uniform there. In fact, I just perused my page to confirm that the vast majority of my friends who have served have pictures of themselves in a combat zone or some other unusual place up today. Most will only stay up for a day or so and
then they’ go back to pictures of their kids or dogs or whatever but for Veteran’s Day, Flag Day and Memorial Day, most of us will post something patriotic.
If you want to see the applicable regulation on the use of a photo of a candidate in uniform go here: http://www.dod.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/ethics_regulation/1344-10.html
If you want to attack him for his politics or his law practice – have at it. However, since you don’t know the first fricking thing about wearing a uniform or standing a post, feel free to STFU about it. I don’t know Connor and probably won’t be voting for him because I see no record of fiscal conservatism in any position and I’m done with lawyers in general.
BTW – that ”global force for good” BS is a Navy slogan – not an “Armed Forces slogan” or an Army Slogan. Ours in “Army Strong”. The Guard’s is “375 years of value and vigilance”. The truth is the “…Myth of the American Soldier…” lives on – from the French and Indian Wars to Camden to Shiloh to Flander’s Field to Normandy to the Liberation of Kuwait to that little boy in Helmand, the “myth” is very much alive. Have we fumbled and floundered from time to time – most certainly, who hasn’t, but you feel free to enjoy the day off cause all us “…Mythical Soldiers…” have your back. Are we all heros – most definitely not but we are hero enough.
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BTW Fits, if you have not gone through Parris Island you can not gain any appreciation for the men and women in those boots. Back in the day, up till 1973, Americans were drafted to serve two years in those boots. Imagine graduating High School then receiving a draft notice for the USMC then bootcamp, Vietnam, bodybag all in the span of four months. I was at Parris Island and saw what they saw. I saw what was their last days of life: the squad bays, the sand pits, the obstacle courses, the sacrifice, the guts, the patriotism, the American Spirit. If you think today’s threats are any different, you are right. The threats against American values and traditions are stateside as much as over there. When our military boots fight our enemies, I hope you can appreciate the fact that it was the drafted boots that preserved our society. I hope you can appreciate every day of what it takes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud9ZOIyMO7Y
Fitsnews, 11, 11, 11 have a nice day and thank a Vet for it.
Here’s news from the (Evil) Imperial Senate: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/11/us-sends-water-generators-and-troops-to-aid-storm-survivors/
“The U.S. military has dispatched aid and troops to some of the areas of the Philippines that were hardest-hit by a deadly typhoon Friday, providing the first outside help of what is expected to be a major aid mission in the coming days and weeks.
Two U.S. C-130 transport planes containing water, generators, and a contingent of Marines flew from Manila’s Vilamor air base to the city of Tacloban, where officials fear that Typhoon Haiyan may have killed as many as 10,000 people.”
Veterans who politically grandstand on thier service do so on the graves of the fallen.
As do those knuckleheads who broadly impugn the motives of those who serve in order to make political statements directed at our national leadership.
You got that one right! Thanks.
Mr. Folks,
I must strongly disagree with you in your appraisal of the American military. There have been times when the political masters have misused this extremely valuable asset but that shouldn’t cause you to feel ill of them for doing their jobs exceedingly well. Our history is littered with the dead of these men and women because at various times we, as a nation, chose to ignore rising threats and reacted to attacks rather than acted in our own best interests.
You are as wrong, on this, as wrong gets but people believing as you do hopefully is what keeps the “political masters” in check so they don’t send these fine people into harms way needlessly. Do not squander your position futilely for some day it may mean the life of someone dear to you (or me).
Connor got in trouble in his Lt. Gov’s run for using military images improperly and without disclaimers. Let’s see how long it takes for that to happen again…
Probably not the best day to throw this rant out.
If you have to tell everyone what a big deal you are, you aren’t a big deal.
— don’t know anything else about the guy, but he’s wearing a Combat Infantry Badge & Bronze Star – so he was somewhere other than ‘in the rear with the gear’…. like SC’s First Dude.
Hey Moron, that Bronze Star does not have a “V” for Valor Device. Which means he was awarded it as an end of deployment atta-boy award. People deployed to Kuwait and Bahrain get them too and never see combat. His rank and authority and the fact he probably didnt screw up is why is was awarded a Bronze Star as an end of deployment award, which is typical of E-7 and above for a deployment. It is not for VALOR.
You sound like a SPEC 4 who didn’t get one. With an attitude like that, wonder why.
Right, because in the Army we award valor and bullshit bronze stars based on attitude? ETADIK and GFYS
Stick a daisy up your ass, flower child.
And yet “SC’s First Dude” is in a combat zone and can at any time be killed by incoming fire, IEDs while in transit or have his plane/helicopter shot down. I would say he is in a degree or two more danger than even the most frequent user of Malfunction Junction.
Well this writer is an IDIOT. War is War. We fight for Freedom(& a few other things), but the problem is everything is Propaganda, Politics, & Saving Face these days. USA tries to prevent the future problems of Dictators, Genocide, World Thieves(Oil, Gold, Uprisings,Digital Espionage, Resources, Etc). Just because we don’t always get our way doesn’t mean we failed. Look at the bigger picture. If the USA didn’t intervene their would be more Genocides, Resources/Land being taken & Bullying which happens everywhere(including by America@times). Point is if there’s NO LAW, the FULL OUT CATASTROPHE is much worse then a little CATASTROPHE. Also if an American Soldier cooks, does laundry, repairs vehicles/rifles/equipment, grunt, medic, or is a SEAL, MARINE, DELTA FORCE , RANGER(all riskier soldiers)they all deserve a Hero’s respect. They are ONE team(Army,Navy, Air Force, Marine, National Guard)so they survive with each other, not without each other. Now think about FREEDOM which includes your Free Speech(other countries would SACK people like you). Your sorry excuse for a human being gets to write about them,bash on them, & make them look bad, because these Soldiers (FUTURE/PAST/PRESENT) have served so you get a good life(you don’t deserve it though). So get the F!#K out if you want to be a D-BAG because even scum like you & other parasites who hate on the US Military have a good life because we fought for freedom & liberty. Also we are losing freedom because..ONCE AGAIN…PEOPLE LIKE YOU have to always write about crap, throw others under the bus, give away secrets, inside info, snitch, turn your back on your country, etc. Too much to list. Try writing about the good & not the DRAMA. Life/The world has many great stories so let them be heard(pay it forward, don’t take us back)…JIT
too long, but I like the caps, it makes me feel your point