RE: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,149397,00.html
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A well written article. No negative comments posted from the peanut gallery as of yet, but I'm sure pipsqueak, ag and helez will come thru with their inane drivel.

Semper Fi

Very interesting article and observations by Mr. Carroll. The remainder of this year and how things play out should be equally interesting. Smokey I agree with your comments as well.

I don't.

quote:

First, a disclaimer to hardcore traditional media zealots. This meeting didn't happen in the Press Room because it wasn't designed to be a press conference. It was a conversation and an opportunity for the president to demonstrate that he was aware of what the milbloggisphere is capable of. And certainly the meeting came about because the staffers were convinced the assembled had shown themselves in writing to be pro-mission (or in my case pro-military), if not pro-administration.

So, in other words, he told you the same things he has been saying for 4 years, he gave you no facts about anything, he did not let you in on any "strategy" to get us out of IRAQ nor how the future looks as far as the WOT goes, but he did opine about Dad and WWII... and you thought it was a Fine Time...?

A "Cheap Trick" was played on you, dude.

Ever been to the White House and had a real conversation with the Commander-in-Chief, weatherguesser? If that's a cheap trick count me in every time.

Cute wordplay, though.

quote:

Originally posted by Weatherguesser:
I don't.

[QUOTE]First, a disclaimer to hardcore traditional media zealots. This meeting didn't happen in the Press Room because it wasn't designed to be a press conference. It was a conversation and an opportunity for the president to demonstrate that he was aware of what the milbloggisphere is capable of. And certainly the meeting came about because the staffers were convinced the assembled had shown themselves in writing to be pro-mission (or in my case pro-military), if not pro-administration.

Why doesn't that surprise me? I don't know what turned you so sour but every time I read your posts there is nothing but bitterness and spite. Your bio doesn't fill one in to the cause of this so what is the problem?

You have that fancy little peace sign/yellow ribbon, under your name, with the slogan support the troops --support them to do what if you don't mind me asking? You can't support the troops and then say you don't like the war they are fighting. You may not like the President but for the last six years terrorist attacks have been successfully quashed here and even throughout the world more terrorist are being caught. I am not sure what you expected when we went in to Iraq but the President did not say that it would not be easy nor would it be over quickly. Finally, you ask Ward Carroll about whether or not the president let him and the others in on any strategy? If the man had done that then I would have had cause for concern.

Uggh! It isn’t even worth trying to get through to you because you just don’t get it.

Ward Carroll wrote:" No deer-in-the-headlights stuff here". Yeah right.

During this meeting with 10 Bloggers on the day after his prime time speech on Iraq, did anyone think to ask him to identify the 36 nations comprising the Iraq coalition, that he made a point of mentioning in his speech? Or were reporters forewarned not to raise questions on matters the president likely may not recall, such as telling Robert Draper, author of the book "Dead Certain" he couldn't recall why his Coalition Provisional Authority Chief, L. Paul Bremer decided to disband the Iraqi Army in 2004.

A perfect example of the mindless media
which explains the inability for this so-called reporter to connect anything when he gleefully writes...

"I will say, in general, at this meeting President Bush came off as more comfortable with the message than I've seen him appear on TV or in speeches."

Wow, does it have anything to do with the fact the Bushies already know you and your fellow invitees don't ask the hard questions? It's called propaganda and you've been punked or did you get any payments from the Rendon group for writing this lame piece?

quote:

Why doesn't that surprise me? I don't know what turned you so sour but every time I read your posts there is nothing but bitterness and spite. Your bio doesn't fill one in to the cause of this so what is the problem?

My bio is my business, my opinions are just that, opinions. I celebrated my 30th wedding anniversary on Saturday, and 25 years without a drop of Alkeehall just yesterday, so frankly dude, there is nothing in this world that makes me "bitter" these days, except the guy in the White House, most of his aides(both the resigned and the fired), Senators that seek out little people for sex, or men in bathrooms, the VP and everything he does, and this WAR in IRAQ. Otherwise, I am free as a bird.

quote:

You have that fancy little peace sign/yellow ribbon, under your name, with the slogan support the troops --support them to do what if you don't mind me asking?

Fancy? I "borrowed" that icon. "Support" them in every way we can by getting them out of that $hit hole, losing-war... But heck man, It isn’t even worth trying to get through to you because you just don’t get it.

(I also have the same gold sticker on the bumper of my truck, only it says "Support Your Family") [/i]

quote:

You can't support the troops and then say you don't like the war they are fighting. You may not like the President but for the last six years terrorist attacks have been successfully quashed here and even throughout the world more terrorist are being caught. I am not sure what you expected when we went in to Iraq but the President did not say that it would not be easy nor would it be over quickly. Finally, you ask Ward Carroll about whether or not the president let him and the others in on any strategy? If the man had done that then I would have had cause for concern.

I CAN support all the troops and I do, in many ways, including being a part of a local group that sends them packages of items they cannot get over there, greeting them at the airport when they return home, and other programs through my church. Is that OK with you...? Does that count? What I think of this stupid, assinine war in IRAQ has NOTHING to do with my feelings for my fellow Veterans or the horrible conditions they now suffer under in that sand-heap of a wasteland, because of the failed leadership of the guy you visited with for a lunch-meeting.

And frankly... outside of 2 large attacks I know of (Spain, Britain), overseas in the last 5 years, NOBODY has been attacked in anything like the attacks on the Towers... and that's a fact, and we are dammm lucky they haven't gotten to us again.

quote:

Uggh! It isn’t even worth trying to get through to you because you just don’t get it.

So why did you try?

YOU are the one in the minority now, pally. The way, way, way-minority ... finally America has had enough of this War. I am sorry if that displeases you.

K?

By the way... Those "Bios"? I see them as nothing less than a circle jerk "competition".

If you really want to know the people who post in here and the reasons why they think the way they do, perhaps an initial gesture of friendship will work much better...? Some have done that with me, and we get along just fine, and they understand a little better.

In your case? I don't know you. And now? I don't CARE to know you.

But I support your support for the troops... whatever that means.

quote:

Originally posted by WardCarroll:
Ever been to the White House and had a real conversation with the Commander-in-Chief, weatherguesser? If that's a cheap trick count me in every time.

Cute wordplay, though.

I have been there, but of course I have never met any of them. However, I believe that all of them deserve respect, while we are in uniform, and I have not been in uniform since I walked off the FID in Dec. of 1975 in Portsmouth, at the end of my enlistment. Perhaps being a FID sailor is where I got my "wry" sense of humor. We were the best, after all.

Bottom line... if you enjoyed the visit, then I am glad for you. I would rather have re-enlisted than to have spent one minute of my valuable time on this Earth, with that guy.

Now if it was say September of 1963, and I could have spent an hour with JFK? That would have been a moment to cherish, for ME.

Years ago someone who met Nixon near the end of his Presidency gave a similar account of the encounter. The office is truly greater than the occupant, and some deference seems in order. Did Cheap Trick ever do "Turn, Turn, Turn?"

WEATHERGUESSER: Amen brother! I'm on your side, as is the majority of Americans. As for Mr. Hanley, he and I have had a go around previously. I think he called he a traitor at that time. I'm not real crazy about quotes, but this one by William Mather Lewis about sums up the position of far too many Mil.com members - "TODAY THE WORLD IS THE VICTIM OF PROPAGANDA, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT INTELLECTUALLY COMPETENT".

Regards!

DefenseTech and Ward Carroll can suck my B**LS in the same manner they performed at the White House. Military.Com is hearby on notice for partisan hackery and enabling of scrot suckers.

Effing pathetic.

So the President gathered together a group of sympathetic writers in order to let us know that he is "aware" of the milbloggosphere... Well I'm aware of quantum physics, and I've discussed the ideas of it with friends, but that doesn't make it news. It also doesn’t make me competent to lead a team of research physicists. As to the comments of the President’s:
“The question is will we do what it takes to defend ourselves?" No, the question is what the !@#%$ did Iraq have to do with our national security, specifically 9/11?
"We should be optimistic that freedom can take root in parts of the world where it's been written off." That remains to be seen. I’m hopeful, but not optimistic.
"We need to change the conditions that cause 19 kids to get on planes to kill Americans." Yes, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan need to change dramatically. What’s that got to do with Iraq?
"This strategy is my strategy." I thought we were going to listen to the general’s on the ground. I thought this was their strategy.
"I'm defining a horizon of peace." The horizon is always at a fixed distance, it never gets any closer.
"I don't mind people attacking me . . . that's politics . . . but I do mind people impugning the integrity of our generals." This one I won’t argue with.
I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but this whole deal is mere pandering, and I would be much happier if the CiC found more productive ways to spend his time.

quote:

Originally posted by Grandjester:
DefenseTech and Ward Carroll can suck my B**LS in the same manner they performed at the White House. Military.Com is hearby on notice for partisan hackery and enabling of scrot suckers.

Effing pathetic.

Well, I couldn't find the complaint icon thinggie, so I'll tell you directly... "effing pathetic" more aptly refers to this kind of post. Sounds more like adolescent locker-room machismo.

quote:

Originally posted by bwf27:

quote:

Originally posted by Grandjester:
DefenseTech and Ward Carroll can suck my B**LS in the same manner they performed at the White House. Military.Com is hearby on notice for partisan hackery and enabling of scrot suckers.

Effing pathetic.

Well, I couldn't find the complaint icon thinggie, so I'll tell you directly... "effing pathetic" more aptly refers to this kind of post. Sounds more like adolescent locker-room machismo.

No Brucie, machismo is what we are enduring from these clowns and now Ward has joined them. As a head shrinker, you should know the difference. And if slobbering over the Great And Powerful Bush isn't the most pathetically adolescent thing on the planet, I certainly don't know what is.

Froomkin with more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/...52.html?hpid=topnews

quote:

Originally posted by Grandjester:
No Brucie, machismo is what we are enduring from these clowns and now Ward has joined them. As a head shrinker, you should know the difference. And if slobbering over the Great And Powerful Bush isn't the most pathetically adolescent thing on the planet, I certainly don't know what is.

touché

Mr. Carroll,
I've always respected and enjoyed your writings. Shoot, I even bought the 3rd of the "Punk" series after checking out the 1st 2. Glad you had the honor of an audience w/the pres, but it just came off as a love-in. "Facts on the ground notwithstanding"? I think that says it all. You sure got that right. Nothing that has happened in Iraq connects to anything this administration has said or tried to get us to believe. Our people are dying there everyday and the amount of money being squandered there is sickening. BTW, do you really believe he just finished 3 books on George Washington?