Presidential Pretentions…
PRESIDENTIAL PRETENTIONS…
NEO-CONTENTIONS VI:
A point-counterpoint debate between a neo-conservative and
A Democratic liberal on the topic of whether Bush’s General
Petreus has Betrayed us, and regardless of that—
Which, in times of war, have told the people more lies…
Republican or Democratic Presidents ?
DW Intro: I have two friends who are constantly debating between themselves issues of today’s politics, especially those involving President Bush and the war in Iraq. During a recent exchange, my neo-conservative friend, Dan Schwalbe sent my liberal friend, Alan Mackeraghan an article denouncing as traitorous Move-on.org’s recent skewering General Petreus for generally betraying us. With no further prologue, I will here share with you that invigorating (and enlightening) exchange.
Enjoy it!
Dusty (DW Foreign Policy Editor, Dusty Schoch)
9-24-07
NEO-CON “DAN” TO LIBERAL “ALAN”
Alan,
Would Moveon.org call General Jimmy L. Cash a traitor or does his report just require the willing suspension of disbelief? (Read what General Cash has to say here…)
Dan
LET’S BE SPECIFIC
By Jimmy L. Cash, Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret.
Posted by The Bear under Global War on Terrorism , Politics
Due to the thunderous applause that I received from the far-left over the I Am Tired letter written by one of our troops in Iraq, I thought it prudent to follow up with one last attempt to be very specific about what I have observed and actually personally encountered during my 36 years of service to this Great Country. This will be a one time attempt to reach some of those who are confused by the far-left and their ilk’s unethical rantings and give some insight through my personal experience as a professional military officer over the years. These examples are but a few. In real life there were many more which space and time will not allow.
As a young fighter pilot, flying F-4s in Vietnam, I was stopped in my tracks by the decisions made by Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara. I was young and naive, but even then I knew their daily interference was wrong and would not allow us to win this thing and go home. Decisions like not allowing us to strike enemy aircraft while still on the ground, keeping real targets off the target list, and allowing us to strike only rusted-out trucks made us basically a toothpick factory. However, the big one for me came the day I saw the President Lyndon Johnson on television, forcefully lying to the American people. I’ll never forget the language, I want to assure the American people that the United States of America has never, and will never, bomb or use force inside the borders of Cambodia. On and on he disavowed the reports that this was happening. I was amazed. Guess where I had put several F-4 loads of 750 pound general purpose bombs every day for the past five days. You guessed it, Cambodia!!! So much for Mr. Johnson. The only question in my mind was simply, was it just Johnson or was it the methodology of a particular political party’s I decided to delay answering that question until more experience was gained.
Years passed, and I ignored politics as much as possible, as a good military man should. Then came Jimmy Carter. Our young people don’t remember 18% interest rates and 18% inflation, but I’ll bet someone in your family does. That is one really bad thing Carter did for our country, but it is not the worst. During this period, I was an F-15 Squadron Commander, located at Langley AFB, VA. Jimmy Carter and his democratic party stopped spare parts procurement for almost every weapon system in our military, and diverted the funds to social programs. The F-15 was brand new at the time with leading edge technology designed to provide air superiority anywhere in the world on a moments notice. That was my job. I loved it, but guess what? In a two year period from 1979 to 1981, there was not one day when more that one-third of my assigned aircraft were flyable. It is amazing the lengths we went to in those days, cannibalizing parts, expending twice the time and energy to fix every little item, and still two-thirds of the birds were always broken because of no spare parts. Had this country faced a really serious military threat during that time frame, only Montana Hunters could have saved us. The military had some equipment, but it was all broken. Do you want to know the really bad part for me and the young fighter pilots working for me? Our flying sortie rate was so low that pilot proficiency dropped to dangerous levels. The accident rate tripled. That obviously was totally unacceptable, as we were losing expensive airplanes and highly trained young pilots at a rate comparable to losses seen in actual combat. All of a sudden, even a Texas Aggie like me began to see a trend.
Forward a few years to 1986. I am an F-16 Wing Commander at MacDill AFB, Florida, and Ronald Regan is president. His change in attitude and policy toward the military had time to fix the spare parts problem. We were flying 26,000 flying sorties per year out of MacDill AFB, my aircraft fully mission capable rate (FMC) was above 90%, the aircraft accident rate was below 1.75 per hundred thousand flying hours, fighter pilots were flying and proficiency levels were at an all time high. The United States Air Force was ready to defend this Wonderful Country. Proof of the pudding is simple. Look what the USAF, and the military in general, accomplished in Iraq during Desert Storm. And, they did it in less than 100 hours. Yeah, at this point I was starting to realize there was a difference in mentality between Democrats and Republicans, or should I say the Left and the Right.
Then, came everyone’s favorite – Bill Clinton. If there ever was an individual 180 degrees out of sync with the ideals and the values of the US military, it was Clinton. He was a known draft dodger, military hating, self absorbed, unspeakingly shameless and immoral individual, who the Left managed to elect President of the United States of America. Clinton?s antics in the White House would have brought court martial, conviction, and Dishonorable Discharge had he been a military member. We still suffer oral sex on school buses, because the President told the world it wasn’t real sex, and some of our children believed him. It took a lot of years, but now I became certain. There is a big difference in the right and the left on all fronts, and for the first time I started feeling angry and shamed that the majority of the American people were actually willing to vote for such an individual.
Sometimes, an abstract such as the following tells the story in very simple terms: Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden, Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, George Soros, Ted Kennedy, Howard Dean, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Michael Moore, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Nancy Pelosi, Barbra Boxer, John Kerry, Benedict Arnold, and the list goes on. America, wake up. In my opinion, giving in to the likes of these people could allow Abraham Lincoln’s prediction of destruction from within to come true. There is not a country in the world that can be considered a conventional military threat to the United States today. However, this country faces a new kind of threat–one that will not go away. It is a threat even more serious that WWII, because money, industry and technology will not defeat it. It is a threat of defeat from within. It is a threat of a faltering economy because of a lack of resources, or the even the simple threat of such a loss brought on by terrorism. It is a threat created by the American people trusting the inept. It is a threat created by the people wanting change, and perilously believing that the left can successfully deliver that change. Have you seen anything from the left that remotely resembles an answer to the Iraq situation? Have you seen anything more than continued Bush-Bashing? Is that an answer? If there was ever a need for a strong, well trained military, it is now. THE LEFT HAS HISTORICALLY DISMANTLED OUR MILITARY IN THE NAME OF REDISTRUBITION OF WEALTH FAVORING SOCIAL PROGRAMS. We just cannot afford to let that happen now. If we do, the entire country may be bowing to the east several times a day within the next 50 years, maybe sooner.
Now a final thought meant to upset as many as possible on the far-left. As you might guess, I don’t believe in political correctness. So, let’s look at the facts, not far-left rhetoric attempting to empower the democratic party. Initially, I was not a George Bush fan. I am not even a Republican. I normally vote Republican, because of my total despise of Communism, Socialism and the far-left in this country. I am a Conservative. However, during his watch, I feel President Bush just happened to stumble upon the leading edge of the greatest threat this country has ever faced. Mistakes have been made, because of the newness of the threat. Overall, the President has done a superb job dealing the threat, and at the same time held off the constant ranting, raving, deceitful and malicious escapades of the far-left attempting to regain political power. IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME THE COUNTRY NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER AND BACK OUR PRESIDENT, IT IS RIGHT NOW. WITHOUT CONCENSUS WE ARE EMPOWERING THE TERRORIST!!!! I feel the far-left is totally absorbed with a power struggle and regaining control of congress. They could care less about defeating the threat. It literally disgusts me to hear the constant disagreement with everything the President tries to do, all in the name of trying to make him look bad to the voters. Unfortunately, by the time the American people really appreciate how bad the far-left really is, it may too late.
What are the real facts? On the home front this country’s economy is the strongest that it has been in my lifetime. Interest rates are as low as they were when I was in high school forty years ago. Inflation does not exist for all practical purposes. For you youngsters, please remember the Jimmy Carter comments? The Dow is approaching 13,000. Unemployment is nonexistent. Wages are at an all time high. Home ownership is at an all time high. Taxes have been lowered to an almost acceptable level. Because of the surging economy the deficient is under control and projected to go away far ahead of schedule. The far-left is rich beyond its wildest dreams, so Mr. President when are you going to 1Ž2fixŠ all these domestic problems? Give me a break!!!!
On the war front this country has not been touched since 2001. I remember being part of a seminar at the USAF War College in 1983 discussing the terrorist threat. There were some good minds at that table and a lot of disagreement. However, one common thought was that the US would be hit within the next five years. Answers to the terrorist threat were just as hard to come by then as they are now. Well, it took a little longer than the projection, but the attack occurred. For an old military guy like me, the main point here is that it has not happened again. We have suckered the bad guys into entering the fight somewhere other than in our country. To hell with political correctness. The President can’t say this, but I sure can. I smile every morning when I get up and realize that one of our great cities has not been blown away. And, there is zero doubt in my mind that if we pull out of Iraq prematurely, that will happen within a short period of time after our departure. I don’t care what you might think of President Bush personally. He has done the best he can with what he has, and this country is not smoking because of it. So, the anti-American, Bush hating far-left should back off. They honestly don’t have a clue about what they are talking about, and they are doing irreparable damage to our country.
I realize there are different points of view on war, and I do not believe the meek will inherit the earth, at least not in the next few hundred years. To those of the far-left, who will undoubtedly respond to this letter, let me say, this is a strong country! It has survived the uneducated thinking of the far-left before, and I’ll just bet it will again. Regardless of who is President, the people will not tolerate mass explosions on a daily basis, as our good friends in Israel have been forced to do. To protect that position of power, even Hillary will be forced to become a true hawk. To guarantee a few more votes Ted Kennedy may be forced to begin supporting a strong military. One more attack on America might even wipe the giddy, ŒI-am-finally-somebody? grin from Nancy Pelosi’s face, and make her realize that is not about votes and personal power. IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING THIS GREAT COUNTRY FROM ALL ENEMIES, BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.
ALAN’S COUNTER-POINTED REPLY TO DAN
Dan,
You lose all credibility as a participant in this conversation when you promote such far right-wing demagoguery . Just the fact he is still invoking the name of Jane Fonda in his diatribe tells me he is not marching to any drummer I hear. Your article is jam-packed with lies and falsehoods:
To begin with, it was not Johnson who ordered the illegal bombing of Cambodia, but rather Nixon. Yes–a Republican. Thus, it was Nixon, not Johnson, who lied to the American people. In fact, his administration was taken to court by (drum roll) a Congresswoman and four Air Force officers, represented by the ACLU to halt the illegal bombing. Here is his exact quote:
”There are no American combat troops in Cambodia. There are no American combat advisers in Cambodia. There will be no American combat troops or advisers in Cambodia. We will aid Cambodia. Cambodia is the Nixon doctrine in its purest form….” – President Richard M. Nixon, November 1971.
By the way, we did not use F-4’s to bomb Cambodia; we used B-52’s. Yet another problem with this story.
Yes, the economy was in crisis while Carter was in office. But it was precipitated by the OPEC oil crisis in 1973 (while Nixon was still in office). Additionally, productivity had stagnated during the 1970s. The Federal deficit had grown, long before Carter took office. Carter inherited a bad economy and did not make it better. I think it was the Japanese kick the ass that got U.S. industry to focus more on quality and customers, as much as presidential leadership, that turned around the U.S. economy in the 80s.
As for military spending, that increase began two years before Carter left office. I think it is interesting that the General mentions the year 1986, because that is when spending began to taper off again.
He also fails to mention the largest draw-down post WWII occurred during the Bush I presidency, when Dick Cheney was Secretary of Defense.
Calling Clinton a draw-dodger when the current commander in chief effectively dodged Vietnam service is mystifying. Why do conservatives continue to defend the preferential treatment Bush received to get into the Guard, and then his failure to report for duty for two years? By the way, are you going to call Dick Cheney a draft dodger too? He got five educational deferments. Rumsfeld never served. Wolfowitz never served; both coasted on deferments.
Here another great lie: 1Ž2THE LEFT HAS HISTORICALLY DISMANTLED OUR MILITARY IN THE NAME OF REDISTRUBITION OF WEALTH FAVORING SOCIAL PROGRAMS.Š
Really? What programs is this guy talking about? Education. Que Lastima? Surely not Medicare or Medicaid since I bet he receives Medicare. Hopefully not Social Security since he probably gets that too. If he does enjoy his Social Security, Medicare, and public education for his children he should thank a God-less liberal.
1Ž2On the home front this country’s economy is the strongest that it has been in my lifetime. Interest rates are as low as they were when I was in high school forty years ago. Inflation does not exist for all practical purposes. For you youngster’s, please remember the Jimmy Carter comments? The Dow is approaching 13,000. Unemployment is nonexistent. Wages are at an all time high. Home ownership is at an all time high. Taxes have been lowered to an almost acceptable level. Because of the surging economy the deficient is under control and projected to go away far ahead of schedule.
During the nineties, when that Democrat Clinton was in office, the economy experienced it fastest post-war expansion ever. Crime rates dropped nationally. Teen pregnancies dropped, DWI’s dropped. Unemployment reached historic lows. Home ownership in America reached historic highs. When Clinton left office there was a budget SURPLUS.
For the past 7 years Bush has cut taxes while pursuing a ruinous war in the Middle East. Consequently we now have a multi-billion dollar deficit. Crime is once again on the rise. The housing market slowed more than a year ago. There is a record number of foreclosures. Real wages, what the little guys take home, has remained stagnant. The gap between the richest Americans and poorest has not been this large since 1929. The economy barely registered any growth for the first quarter of 2007. This guy is not so big on facts is he? But then, he probably cannot be bothered with the truth either.
Put that in your war pipe and smoke it!
Alan
DUSTY’S ADDENDUM
After adding a hearty “Amen” and “You win hands down!” to my friend, Alan, I’d simply add, in closing that when Move-on.org asked me to write my Congressmen on the subject of whether they should endorse the denunciation of them (Move-on) for characterizing Petreus as a betrayer for his parroting the “we’re winning the Surge in Iraq” propaganda, I immediately wrote a scatter-gun letter that went to all our Senators and Reps to the effect that if they went along with any resolution condemning Moveon.org for its exercising free speech to criticize General P for parroting Bush propaganda, I’d vote against them if they ever have the temerity to run again. General P was not acting in a military capacity when he was preaching those phony stats about the success of the surge. Criticism of him was making fair comment on a soap-boxing political act. I would not fault him in any way for following orders in the theater of war, but when he’s over here blowing Bush’s “success” smoke up Congressional skirts, he needs to be outed for the betrayer he is. Bush had his little military puppet put out that propaganda instead of Bush because Bush is smart enough to know no one’s listening to him any more. Petreus (at least until he assumed the bully pulpit in Washington) at one time had some credibility. That credibility is gone, thanks in large part to the dedication, determination and increasing power of Moveon.org.
Best,
Dusty
………………………………………………………………………….
Writer Claims “Left” Has No Answers for Iraq
By Bobby Dees
The writer claims the “Left” has no answers for Iraq. The “Left” has plenty of answers for the current mess in Iraq. The first answer is don’t attack countries unconnected to 911. The second answer is if you’re going to attack another country you should have a viable military plan in place prior to the attack. Thirdly, liberals believe it is not feasible to kill every perceived enemy America may have. Fourthly, we are pissing away two billion dollars a week while 500,000 people die each year from cancer. What are you doing about that war on terror tough guy?
The article has several other misstatements. “Wages are at an all time high.” This is a totally inaccurate statement. Wages are in fact stagnant and have been stagnant for 27 out of the last 29 quarters.
“Home ownership is at an all-time high.” This is another misstatement. The real truth is that bankruptcies and foreclosures are at an all time high.
“The deficit is under control and taxes have been lowered by Bush. ’’ Again this is a laughable statement. Oil prices are at an all-time high with gas prices at three dollars a gallon. The tax burden is being transferred to the middle class. The deficit is at all time high.
