Posted by Tina
Our Marines took a significant hit on Friday and we barely noticed. Joh Hudson of The Atlantic Wire:
The Taliban attack on an air base in southern Afghanistan on Friday drew coverage for the way the insurgents cloaked themselves in U.S. army uniforms to gain a tactical advantage, but few have taken note of the historical proportions of the damage inflicted. John Gresham, at the Defense Media Network, has published a detailed account of the attack on Camp Bastion, in which two Marines were killed, six U.S. Marine Corps jet fighters were destroyed, and two more “significantly” damaged. Those facts were all carried in most reports, but if that just sounds like a typical damage report from a decade-long war, you’re wrong. Gresham explains the devastating damage done to VMA-211, the name of the Marine Corps attack squadron that was most affected last week, noting that it is “arguably the worst day in [U.S. Marine Corps] aviation history since the Tet Offensive of 1968.” Or you could go back even further. “The last time VMA-211 was combat ineffective was in December 1941, when the squadron was wiped out during the 13-day defense of Wake Island against the Japanese.” (continues-video)
As I read this story I kept thinking about the news reels and reporting on the Korean war and during WWII. I’m dismayed by how journalism has changed. The media today seems as disinterested as the Commander-in-Chief. They are protective of a White House more interested in hanging out with celebrities and campaigning than in conducting the duties of his office.
As if the losses of our servicemen and the ambassador weren’t enough in one week we now learn we’ve also lost a significant part of our air power. It took this administration nine days to admit the hit on our embassy was a terror attack. Administration spokespersons seemed more interested in the political message than informing the American people.
Defense cuts are scheduled for January 1st that could result in 120,000 people losing their jobs. Defense cuts at a time when the war has taken such a deadly and disastrous turn seems ill-advised.
We need a Commander-in-Chief that has a better work ethic and a better sense of responsibility to the men and women that sacrifice and serve this nation to keep us free.
I just heard our military overseas will not be getting their absentee ballots AGAIN even though $46 million was provided to facilitate they did. No explanation was given for the noncompliance.
The MSM doesnt cover the attacks on our bases or the denial of our solders the right to vote for their commander.
I believe both are politically motivated.
Our military should be allowed to vote. They’ve EARNED the right to.
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NEW WEB VIDEO Vets on Military Voting: Fix it Already!
Arlington, VA Today, Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) released a new web video to highlight the recent House Armed Services Committee hearing on the DoDs Federal Voting Assistance program. This hearing attempted to confront the challenges military personnel face in obtaining or submitting an absentee ballot, but unfortunately, despite direct questions from the members, no answers were forthcoming as to why reforms mandated by Congress had not taken place.
http://concernedveteransforamerica.org/2012/09/17/new-web-video-vets-on-military-voting-fit-it-already/
Voting Wrongs: Absentee Ballot Woes Deny Military Basic Right to Vote
Disputes over access to absentee ballots for military personnel have become a standard feature of election years, and 2012 looks to be no exception. Service members stationed at all corners of the globe seek to exercise their right to vote, but all too often, they are ill-served by poorly organized, inefficient and sometimes incompetent state and local election authorities.
http://concernedveteransforamerica.org/2012/05/10/voting-wrongs-absentee-ballot-woes-deny-military-basic-right-to-vote/
This attack occurred on Fri the 14th. Part of the low coverage on this is also due in part to Prince Harry is stationed there and the daily mall thought that he may have been a key target. He flies helicopters and was there at the time. Remember Sec. of Defense was targeted at this same base in Mar 2012 by the Taliban and one of UK’s leaders was targeted a month later.
The US did nothing to beef up security after these attacks.
After all these were just isolated incidents.
pal: In my opinion the Brits are our best friends and allies. They’re standing shoulder to shoulder with us and have been through every war of the 20th century. We owe them much. We’ve descended from them like their children of a wise parent to form a new nation. Our heritage is their heritage and its steeped in history and knowledge that advantaged our growth in almost unimaginable ways. It’s shameful that the President has not beefed up security at Camp Bastion, but its not surprising because I don’t think his heart is in it. He’s issuing medals for not shooting at the enemy, what kind of a commander in chief does that? It stinks…
Jack I was wondering specifically what you and other military vets think about the loss of aircraft, especially given the plans to downsize the military and defense spending:
Part of the problem is, we’re not fighting a war and we’re not fighting insurgents, we’re sort of downsizing, trying hard not to shoot anyone, hoping the troglodytes will behave until we leave. It’s a horrible situation. The only thing that worked in Iraq was the surge and we never learned a thing from that.. least Obama didn’t.
The Marine aircraft should not have been in the open where they could be hit by mortars. That requires a big perimeter and lots of soldiers to make it secure, and we couldn’t do that. It was half-assed secure and that’s about the best I can say about it.
Afghanistan is a rock pile…I hate that place…I hate the backward tribalism, the corruption, the government, the leaders, …I hate the 7th century barbarianism…and I hate this whole stinking part of the world filled with crazy zealots who have nothing we want and nothing to contribute to the world except for their nutty version of Islam.
Re Jack: “That requires a big perimeter and lots of soldiers to make it secure, and we couldn’t do that. It was half-assed secure…”
So a smarter plan might have been to move most of those planes out of there as we pull our troops troops out!!!
Bush wasn’t liked but he was respected, he learned from mistakes. This bunch is arrogant, uninvolved, and thinking the power of personality will “transform” thinking in the region. UGH!
You are right to feel disgusted.
“Defense cuts are scheduled for January 1st that could result in 120,000 people losing their jobs.”
So, you get on the phone and you tell Boehner that you want taxes raised instead!
And Jack … you’ve sure changed your tune. The Afghans are still the same hapless, hopelessly feudal population they were before we lost the planes. Best we get out of there quick, before anything else humiliating happens.
Mr. President: Heroes Dont Spike the Football http://www.veteransforastrongamerica.org/vsa-spanks-obama-for-spiking-the-bin-laden-football/
Hold the phone there, Pal – the President has not beefed up security..? There is an entire military hierarchy that failed in their duty to their country, their mission and most important, their men. Why the screeching silence regarding the fact that those responsible for base security should be in leg irons right now? I don’t care how “sophisticated ” the attack was, the result is evidence of pure dereliction of duty and should be pursued to the full extent of military law.
Rick the man at the top of that hierarchy, the President, is responsible and this is only one of many failures under his leadership.
Its PC to have a hands off response regarding Obama’s leadership (or lack thereof). The press certainly won’t criticize, and will protect, no matter what he does. The so-called anti-war types are deathly silent now that Obama runs the show. Obama does get lots of attention when something goes right…lots of Kudos for killing Bin Laden! True to his self-promoting nature he gave scant credit to the guys that actually did the work.
I’ve never been in the military but I support the military and wish to God they had someone that cared sitting in the president’s chair. Passing the buck down the line to the military hierarchy without involving the CIC is just plain BS.
Rick, I strongly agree. It’s long over due that we actually HOLD somebody, somewhere accountable for their incompetence and dereliction of duty!!!
The first 9/11 was preventable and it unleashed a torrent of events that claimed far more lives than the thousands lost on that fateful day. Yet, nobody was punished for the bungling, ignoring the obvious information from the flight school, for failure to connect the dots, that allowed the 9/11 plotters to wreak havoc. The bungling of intelligence on Iraq, the bungling that happened after the invasion in the early months, followed by the theft of billions of tax dollars by corrupt people, then the long drawn out, virtually pointless war in Afghanistan…now the write off of Benghazi by someone!
When will somebody be FREAKING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SOMETHING? -Jack
I ask again, if security was insufficient why weren’t the planes moved? why wasn’t the perimeter made smaller? Are we moving out or just setting our guys up?
This suggests not incompetence but complete failure to be engaged in creating a plan and issuing orders. For all we know the hierarchy are waiting for orders from a guy who would rather play golf that give his blessing on their plans.
This incident has the same fetid odor as Benghazi!
Jack…when icicles form in hell 😉