by Barry Hastings
The more I look at the mess we’ve let these (stupid) politicians get us into in the Middle East, the more it looks like Syria is going to tell the whole story (I don’t expect a happy ending) of where we’ll stand in a year.

This is the most confused battlefield we’ve faced since Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Toothsome Smile led us astray with a pack of lies. We’ve hashed it all over thoroughly for 14 years. The evidence points directly to the previously named criminals.
Oddly enough, at the VA (where I chat with a lot of older, and recent, combat vets) most of what I hear is that all the things BCR&TS warned of, were actually there, and found. Many claim their information came from military officers, who claimed politicians wouldn’t let the brass report so. Hey, by the time BCR&TS had held office for four (4) years, they were so desperate for good news they’d have announced success with a broken chem lab vial for evidence.
These kids are not getting anything like a straight story through indoctrination and training (mostly indoctrination of the Hitler style — make it a big lie, and tell it often). Since none have had any education (our fine public schools) in government or history (ours, or that of anyone else), they have no real basis for conjecture. Momma, don’t let your children grow-up to be soldiers. Truth is, to these tech-war generals, a foot soldier isn’t much more than a human bomb and ambush detector.
I’ll say it again — our first order of business should be killing the biggest (Chris Christie big) killer in the area, Assad. Few people there want to live under his murderous regime, fewer still would choose ISIL. If we kill the butcher we’ll have (some) instant credibility — clout with those fighting both. I can’t understand why the bastard still breathes.

(“The essence of war is violence, and moderation in war is imbecilic”) Some time soon, I’ll explain the words, who spoke them. They were written expressing the feelings of John Hampden, whose refusal to pay military taxes brought on civil war in England, and the beheading of King Charles I.
Since we’ve already blown an amount at least equal to the Vatican’s gold reserves and art treasures, we might as well burn some more (but keep the goddammed spooks OUT!). A big problem? Our too small army for the work at hand. And it’s shrinking, not growing. These techno twerps believe they can do it all with cruise missiles, drones and air power (and some bomb detectors). That’s exactly why we’re in such deep crap — everywhere.
We need to get off this dead-end strategic and tactical goat-path we’ve been on for (how many years) ever. But it just ain’t happening. The steady toll of rotations in and out of combat, tension, stress of battle, lost or horribly maimed comrades, takes a lot out of a soldier, no matter how he looks marching in reviews. Our government owes them a more thoughtful (and less self-menacing) approach — the indirect approach, taking them on ground we choose, and when we choose.
The French are sending a carrier. The Brits should, as well. If we added another (or another two), we could thin these folks out a bit in short order (in my humble opinion). It’s a big mistake to depend on regional states (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qutar, etc.). They all have their own agendas – mostly not at all similar to ours. Yep, four carriers, triple-threat ground troops, and round the clock pounding would do the region a world of good.
Americans have been ripped-off by every type of contractor for 14 long years. We’ve played around at the edges of al Quaeda in Yemen, Boko Haram, ISIL, for so long the war seems like a bad cigarette habit – one we just can’t kick. Despite our military skills and equipment (and despite many ass-kickings they’ve suffered), these people feel the same about us as Kaiser Bill felt in 1916. His verdict? “Noodles.” Of course, Kaiser Bill was very much like the spooks and military command we enjoy today, and suffered a fate they should, as well.
Michael Moore is dead wrong about snipers — they’re not cowards, and they’re not heroes. They’re soldiers with a special skill of great use and comfort to their fellows on a battleground. It’ a skill as old as rifled barrels in combat. They deserve the same thanks and respect as any soldier who does his duty to best of personal ability. Every enemy he kills brings your kid that much closer to home, alive.
Somehow (despite previous good works), I doubt Mike knows much about military service, except that he doesn’t wanna’ do it.

Michael Moore, show some respect for men and women who protect your plump rump every day. It’s a crappy job — stressful as work comes. I’m sure it takes a terrible toll on a man for the rest of his life, whether or not it shows. (I’m sorry about your dad – lots of good men died as he did. I try to think a bit about them every day — what we lost — with thanks.) For a soldier, failure to keep it all impersonal can only lead to insanity.
Kellogg, Brown & Root, of rip-off-America-around-the-world fame, will have to deal with lawsuits by soldiers and contract workers, concerning waste burn-pits they operated in every recent combat zone. Many are sick, blame it on smoke and fumes from these humongous operations — go get ’em, soldiers. Supreme Court ruling this past week opened the gates.
There’s so much more,
but my back is sore.
So’s my knee,
and I’m gonna flee.