There is no anti-military propaganda or defeatism coming from the left. There is concern about our soldiers well-being. There is concern about equiping and training them properly, about providing adequate R&R for them. There is concern about making sure they're taken care of when they return home.

Stop with the spin...

The Red States folks will have to fight these wars on our own.

Deleted - lies and slanders about the magnificent men and women of our armed forces.

Because of commenter's long history with the blog, he hasn't been banned...but we won't tolerate the spreading of enemy propaganda about the quality of our troops.

mark, mark, mark. i'm surprised at you. don't you know that the ONLY reason for joining the military is because they had no other options. i mean, the ones who joined probably didn't study hard and try to do well in school. now there are going to get stuck in iraq. and "two americas"? of course there's "two americas". the filthy rich (1% of the population) aren't joining, it's the rest (99%) who are poor and downtroden that are joining. please stop with your "higher calling" nonsense and run the white flag up the pole already. (sarcasm off)

Deleted - lies and slanders about the magnificent men and women of our armed forces.

Mark, the history books when looking back at this time will say that World War 3 was fought by 1/2 of the United States, 1/2 of England and Australia. Hopefully, the history books will also say that the threat of worldwide islamic fascism was defeated and that the use of a weapon of mass destruction on the United States was prevented. Hopefully, then history will merely look at the democratic party as we do now the democratic party doing the Civil War when they took the position of pro slavery and surrender to the south, also merely for political gain.

Deleted - lies and insults to the magnificent men and women of our armed forces. Commenter banned.

Are you implying that these recruitments obtained from people with a criminal record? All of them?

there are, indeed, "two Americas"...and one of them is fighitng the war, while the other is sabotaging the effort.

There are indeed two America's and two faces of the left. Dinesh D'Souza wirtes (brilliantly) of this paradox in his new book: The left on one hand seeks to create a permissive and liberal society and on the other seeks to allow an overtly illiberal ideology to flourish, by obstructing conservative efforts to liberalize it.

In the face of such a paradox, I can only conclude that this positioning of the left is born not from ideals, but from want of power.

Zachster,

That is entirely their point - which is why the comments were deleted, and the worst offender was banned. They really believe the worst of our troops...and what is really nauseating about it: on the other hand, they say the love the troops and that is why they're using the Walter Reed issue as a club to beat the Administration with.

They think our troops are moronic, blood-crazed savages: it is what they've thought about them since Vietnam.

They are the best of the best - and they keep stepping forward.

truthiness

Although your sarcasm has some merit, I need to inform you that there truly is some good that can be done by allowing the so-called illiterate and whomever you insist on denegrating in your childish rants to be allowed into our military. Not all should be allowed, I agree, but for many, it's a life changing experience.

I have a personal friend (believe it or else) that prior to enlisting in the Marines, was on the verge of self-destruction. Theft, drugs etc. were his poisons of choice and when his family finally had enough and told him "no more", he enlisted.

That was 3-1/2 years ago. Today, he has three Purple Hearts ( and insists on staying in Iraq to win the war), Distinguished Service Medal for saving the lives of six of his bros in arms and is in the process of obtaining a clearance.

Now, this guy was one piece of crap prior to enlistment, and now look at him, he's an American hero to most of us and at this point, just a dumb-ass to you kooks. If your side had half the intestinal fortitude as my friend has, we would have won this war years ago.

You don't have to dig very deep to uncover the ignorance of military affairs on the left. Since virtually NONE of you have served and none of your friends and relatives have served, you really have no idea What the F you are talking about.

AGAIN - Dangerous. You people are dangerous in your indignant ignorance.

Wish you had left the comments. They would've served as a nice rebuttal for PM's statement that there is no anti-military propaganda coming from the left.

Id have to say that most of the left who spews crap about our military know NOTHING about our military.

However, my husband serves everyday proudly to protect the naive, the idiots and the deaf and blind of our country.

During Vietnam, there were a few lads in my hometwon who got into minor tangles with the law--drugs, theft--and they were given a choice: jail time or military service. Most chose military service, and the majority of them returned better men than when they left.

I joined the military to get away from a dead-end life. I needed a job, to grow up. I was going nowhere. Joining the service changed my life, and I served for 20 years.

Those of you who come here and demean the military deserve a blanket party in a barracks full of Marines...

What's a blanket party?

Fortunately people like PM, Josh, Truthiness and Gray are in the minority in this country. I have always said that one of the main reasons I served was to protect the rights of people to disagree with me. If push comes to shove, and we start seeing terrorist attacks and suicide bombings in this country, I wonder who will be willing to step up and risk their life for the likes of PM and Josh. Were I put in a position to do so, I'm not all that sure that I would.

Well then everyone, what do you have to say to we on the left who DO ourselves have military experience and DO have friends and family overseas? Huh? Are you going to call us names and say we don't know jack s**t about service or loyalty to our country?

You keep trying to mischaracterize the "left" as troop-hating defeatists, but as public opinion and military personnel have shown; this is not the truth.

Not only did Democrats win the House and Senate by being highly critical of the GOP and White House's foreign policy, but more military service members voted Democrat than ever before.

If that isn't convincing enough, listen to the plethora of retired and active duty personnel who are breaking with tradition and openly questioning and criticizing the civilian leadership of the military.

I ask, is General Pace a defeatist for testifying that our military's readiness has been damaged by the execution of the Iraq war? Are Hagel and McCain kooks for disagreeing with the administration on the handling of Iraq and the use of our forces?

I can't see how it is some of you still choose to support and defend a president who marched our fellow countrymen into a war without a viable plan and without understanding the risks and dangers involved. A true American leader would have done all they could to insure that our forces were adequately armored, trained, and supported during and after the fighting.

And james, you forgot Poland...

Were I put in a position to do so, I'm not all that sure that I would.

I know I wouldn't. I'd turn 'em in to the bad guys, and wait for the video to come out.

Eric, a blanket party is an arse-whuppin', usually administered to an individual, by the rest of his barracks-mates, as he lay in his rack at night. They used to be administered to slackers in the outfit, to get them squared-away. This is why most libs avoid the military--they're afraid of an arse-whuppin'...

Whoa, a lot a banned comments, they must have been pretty bad.

Im heartened to see that so many of our people are willing to step forward and do their part to serve the nation, its too bad that more seem not to understand what a thin line of soldiers separates us from the savages who would kill us all.

Retired Spook,
After reading your posts for the last few months, I have a feeling that you would still protect the rights of those you disagree with. As for who would do it now, I have a daughter and at least four former students, some liberal, some conservative, that are serving and willing to risk their lives for all of us.

Because of commenter's long history with the blog, he hasn't been banned...but we won't tolerate the spreading of enemy propaganda about the quality of our troops.

Posted by: Josh Keaton at March 7, 2007 08:02 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deleted - lies and slanders about the magnificent men and women of our armed forces.

Posted by: Gray at March 7, 2007 10:03 AM

Deleted - lies and insults to the magnificent men and women of our armed forces. Commenter banned.

Posted by: truthiness at March 7, 2007 10:54 AM

Gee what a suprise! I'm just speechless. AAnd here I was beginning to believe that they weren't anti-American Military!!! *sarcasm off*

Interesting how you all decide to respond to everyone's posts on the left but mine...

Interesting, but not surprising. I guess that's what happens when people realize you have a point.

Anillo - we just don't believe you. And well, what WAS your point?

Ever served yourself?

What relatives are serving, and doing what?

And, well.... do you actually talk to them or do they think you're an ass?

ANILLO HAD A POINT?

Yes, I have served, I got out of the Navy in 2000.

And while I personally don't have family there, I have a number of friends, and friends with family over there.

And yes, I actually talk to them, and they think people who are overly moto about war are tools who haven't learned anything.

to Navydad, Kahn, Gigihl, et al.

I resent your constant view that those on the left have never served. I was an USAF officer for a little over 5 years (3/1965 -12/1969) I served as a weapons officer (4624 for you have really been in the service) and can tell many stories. I am still now some 40 years later amazed that the USAF would put a 24 year old 2nd lt in charge on a section of special weapons. I can tell many stories... like the night I 'stole" a mark 40 warhead or like loading f105's to salt the Ho Chi trail with time delay fuses before the christmas standdown of '67. Yes I served in SEA and am proud of my service. Nonetheless, I am a liberal and yes I believe that supporting the troops (which I will always do) does not automatically imply supoporting their assigned mission.

So I ask respectfully of you not to use a broad brush in claiming that all liberals have not served!!!

No problem Ohio.

You may want to pass the word to your lib buddies to be more respectful of our military too then.
If you hadn't noticed, you're in the company of cowards and liars.