Seals and Terrorists

I am sure you’ve read much about the Navy Seals being tossed overboard after a complaint from a captured terrorist.

{Editors note from Rev:Let me preface all this as speculation and guess  work, combined with some stuff I have heard from others. I have never been in any branch of the  military, and will not even begin to pretend to understand the stress these heroic people are undergoing. I have read much discussed much, and think I have a common sense understanding of much of what is happening.

I would also like to ask a favor from readers. Some of you are a bit more experienced and knowledgeable in all this than I am. If someone has information relevant to this, which supports or refutes what I have begun to put together, please let me know.  A comment will be read, and replied to, and anything with verifiable info will be greatly appreciated. What I see happening is disgusting and dangerous. This needs to be brought from the shadows and into the light of day one way or another. Thanks– The Rev.}

With some digging, and listening, some things have come to my attention.
First, this is standard practice for the bad guys. There is a physical manual which details ways to file complaints against American soldiers who capture, imprison, interrogate or transport Al Qaeda captives. It is a frequent event that once placed into a transport truck that said bad guy will attempt to slam his own face into the walls or sides of the truck in order to induce injuries which they will later claim were ‘torture’ induced. Another tactic is to jump from the moving vehicle, once again to induce physical injuries.

Also the steps of discipline when a complaint is filed are pretty solidly laid out. The Chief is first consulted, then the unit command and so on up the chain. If these guys were referred to Admiral’s Mast then one of two things are apparent.
First, what they did was wrong and blatantly violated some order or procedure, and/or someone demonstrably lied to an investigator. I am told that Seal teams respect and revere integrity, and if it comes to it, they will take the honorable course and admit.
Second possibility is that someone way up the chain moved this to Admiral’s Mast.  This is the most insidious rumor I have heard. There is some speculation that this is a pay back. Recall the pirate ship rescue, in which the Seals took out the bad guys and rescued the captive American Captain and his crew?
The story floating up is that someone on the Seal Team actually fired against ‘ROE’  in place at the time. As the end was immediately portrayed as heroic, the public face was that CinC changed orders, and directed the action, even giving the order to pull the trigger.
As there was no way to actually punish that team, admin staffers were waiting for an excuse to exact retribution against the Seals, ANY Seals, where an example could be made.This was the opportunity That’s why the process was short circuited and moved directly to Admiral’s mast.
By refusing to participate in Admiral’s Mast, which has incorrectly been described as a ‘slap on the wrist’ and requesting Court Martial, these Seals can avail themselves of all legal means to defend their actions. The ‘slap on the wrist’ provided by an Admiral’s Mast  often ends the career of those who are slapped.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Keep the Faith

The Rev

Comeback Victory or Sham?

So, it’s time to celebrate, isn’t it? The good guys scored some big hits and stole some thunder from the Omabites on election day 2009. Team Obama got beat back, and the libs  have been taught a lesson.  Time to party, to look to who won and plan to continue the winning strategy into the mid-term elections in 2010. After all the good guys came out on top!

Only there’s a flaw in all of this. Look who won and how didn’t. Sure, the Republican Party took a couple of seats from Democrat governors. But the way things are going that’s like being chased by a cheetah, and thinking you are safe when a leopard takes his place behind you. One may run faster, but either one will eventually catch you and then, lights out.

In the now infamous NY 23 house race, the Democrat Party took over a seat which was renowned as a safe republican seat for decades. Note that: ” a SAFE republican seat”.  (of course the seat was held by a democrat in 1993, but that’s a minor detail, isn’t it?) That means essentially one party rule in that district. Perhaps that’s why when Ms Dede  Scozzafava ran and called herself a Republican, the party rewarded her with nearly a million dollars in campaign funds, ignoring her liberal political stance on most issues.

As the election neared, and the Conservative Party of New York ( CPNYS) endorsed Doug Hoffman the two major parties tried their best to ignore him. As he gained ground, eventually garnering better poll results than either ‘major party’ candidate, the very liberal Scozzafava withdrew. The party of elephants then said they would support the conservative. Dede did not agree, and the one time nominee of the Republican Party of New York cast her support to the nominee of the donkey party. After having denounced him during the entire campaign, the Republicans now embraced  Hoffman. This is NOT because they embraced his positions. It was mere expediency, hoping to maintain a share of the seat to which they felt entitled. Remember, this is a “safe republican seat for decades”.

Down State, in Manhattan, the estimable billionaire Mike Bloomberg was running for a third term. Nevermind that the laws of New York City have prohibited  more than two consecutive terms for years. You see, Mr. Bloomberg could not imagine that anyone could run the city as well as he has done. Despite two separate votes in which the residents of NYC have voted to maintain a two term limit for their mayor, Bloomberg went to the city council, not the voters.  A compliant city council agreed to change the rules, and allowed Mr. Bloomberg to run again. Not by vote, but by fiat did Bloomberg get his way. Inconvenient laws are just waived away. Even the immensely popular Rudy Giuliani would not do such a thing, during the scary times after 9/11. He followed the rule of law and simply turned the office to his successor.  It is interesting to note that Bloomberg is reported to have spent more than $100 MILLION of his own money to gain this re-election.

See, the problem here is not liberal versus conservative parties, it’s not donkeys and elephants. The problem is accumulation of power and the sense that those who currently hold office are entitled to those offices. This sense of ownership betrays the entire mindset. It really doesn’t matter if you color your state ‘blue’ or ‘red’ or purple. It does not matter if you show up to speak wearing an elephant head or a donkey head during your campaign. As long as you are part of the club, you are in. Not the interests of the nation, nor the American People, the primary concern maintaining their elitist grip on power.  The two major parties are now so concerned with getting and keeping power that they will simply act in the interest of party rather than in the interest of the nation.

The secret is revealed by the results of the special election in the 23rd district of NY.  As soon as the seemingly opposed parties saw their place at the table threatened, they reacted. Actual citizens seemed on the brink of taking control of their own government. Those annoying ‘Tea Party” people were crushing the established party candidates. Only one thing to do: Dump the fake elephant,  have her endorse the donkey and at all costs, do not allow an outsider to get a place at the table. The future of the two party system is on display in New York.  The election results for NY -23 and NYC Mayor Bloomberg show the length the major parties will extend themselves to maintain their grip on the levers of political power.

I am taking a close look at an organization that seems, at first glance to have this concept in mind.  “Get Out of Our House” is a growing grass-roots organization whose entire goal is to fund and elect outsiders.  I suggest you take a look around and see what you think. I have just begun to read through, but so far I like what I see.  Please, check them out.

Please, do something. Just pay attention. We are seeing our government corrupted and the ‘Two Party system” turned into a fiction used to hold oligarchs in power. If we do nothing, we will have a government little different from that currently pretending to be a democracy in Russia.

Keep the Faith.

The Rev