Intellectual Dishonesty

Hey Phyruss, or should I say Chyron, buzz off!!  It seems my small-minded, myopic friend has returned.  He has new downbeat comment on my previous post.  As is common with his type, he has changed his name and modified his e-mail address slightly, but the blather remains the same.  He has even pasted a new article into his comment.  I suppose it came from a news magazine or other publication - so it must be true.  It is true what my friend, Matt, says.  "The mind is a belief seeking device not a fact seeking device."  I love that line.  If your looking for some negative news from Iraq.  Look no further than Muqtada al Sadr.  He's always good for a downer.  I'll bet Phyrrus thinks he is a great leader.  While he does have a gang of followers that are very passionate.  The so-called million man march that he tried to stage that I linked to above was a non-event here.  His million man march mustered somewhere north of 20,000 and somewhere south of 50,000 people.  We monitored the situation closely as we were concerned that something bad might happen during the march - for many reasons.  Only Americans provide dedicated security forces for people who are demonstrating against them.  This comparatively small group of people clogged a few streets, made some noise, got their picture on CNN and went home.  Big deal.  It was another day on the job here, one of the more quiet days, actually.  I'm sure Phyrrus thought the demonstration was significant though.  He's smarter and better informed than all of us.  That's sarcasm for those of you on the westside.

Comments

[John]

That's a buzzkill. Maybe it was Muqtada. He's a troll if I ever saw one. Things might get sporty at ramadan. Peace

[Soldier's Dad]

A year ago, Moqtada and his Mahdi Army were shooting at Americans, now they are "protesting".

A violent extremist group becomes a peaceful extremist group.

I think that is called progress.

[TigerHawk]

Good post putting al Sadr's protest in its place. I linked.

[Chris]

Hey Major K, don't let Phyruss or Chyron get to you. Unfortunatley there are those that believe the media no matter what they say.

I for one, like to think for myself and that is why your blog is a regular read for me. Thanks for giving the rest of us some real perspective to the crap (body counts) we see in the "news".

[Keith, Indianapolis]

Don't let the fools who actually believe everything they read in the mainstream media is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, effect you in any way.

As long as they aren't shooting you, bombing you, or planning on doing either of those, then you have political opposition. If they shoot you, bomb you, or plan on doing either of those, then you have the enemy, and a target. In that respect it's no different there than it is here.

We put up with the vocal and political opposition, but when violence starts, crack down on them.

[Rob]

I think the left and some of the media, (not all, but definitely some..) hold to the belief that "If you repeat something often enough, it becomes true".

The problem with Phyruss and company is that they have become marginalized. They see themselves as the enlightened few, the shining hope for the downtrodden- and to their absolute apoplexion, nobody is buying it anymore. What they hope for is to strike a chord that resonates with those in the military, creating dissent from within. What they fail to realize, is that at the point a fellow soldier died in this war, it became personal for the soldiers involved. They have something invested in it, and no Salon article (Salon? Please.) is going to sway them. They are not mindless sheep, and cannot afford the luxury of mental masturbation over pointless protests- They have immediate and more pressing issues to deal with.

In 04, the left trotted out the actors,musicians and the pretty people and preached/harrangued the masses thinking they would go- "Look! Something shiny" and follow like lemmings with A.D.D. They are desperately (and I do mean Desperate with a capitol "D")looking for Vindication.
They will never, ever, allow themselves to be wrong, even if they have to go to any lengths to make it so.

In short- Hang in there, because the less they matter the more shrill they will become.

[Matthew Krappman]

Greg,

You really have to like Rob's comment to your post. Very neat. Very cleanly executed. Huzah. Koodos. Etc.

Matty

[sirboggle]

General Joseph Stilwell said it best: Illegitimati non carborundum - "Don't let the bastards grind you down".
I do not know what this world would be like without such idiots and their seemingly invincible ignorance, but I would like to try it for a couple days.

[Matt Eggleston]

Major, Just came across your blog again and wanted to thank you for all you're doing! Know you're in our prayers. Congrat's on the pregnancy, come home safe.

[steve t]

As for Phyruss and Chyron, I believe it's best to refer them to comments made by Col. Nathan R. Jessep,USMC, who once said:

“We live in a world that has walls.
And those walls have to be guarded by men
with guns. Who's gonna do it? (You, Phyruss? You, Chyron?)
I have a greater
responsibility than you can possibly
fathom.
You have the luxury of not knowing what I
know, and my existence,
while grotesque and incomprehensible to
you, saves lives.

You don't want the truth. Because deep
down, in places you don't talk about at
parties, you want me on that wall. You
need me on that wall.

We use words like honor, code,
loyalty...we use these words as the
backbone to a life spent defending
something. You use them as a punchline.

I have neither the time nor the
inclination to explain myself to a man who
rises and sleeps under the blanket of the
very freedom that I provide, and then questions the
manner in which I provide it. I would rather
you just said thank you and went on your
way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a
weapon and stand a post. Either way, I
don't give a damn what you think you're
entitled to!”

[paully]

Nice post, Greg. Add a huzzah, from me.

paully

[Tom]

Nice, Steve. I've seen it before somewhere. What was your source?
Major K, I'm pretty much a lurker here, but know this, that your wellbeing and all our people there have an important piece in my heart (as it does most Americans).
The shrill ones get their media time, but I see a steady parade of yellow ribbons on my way to and from work every day. Critics say, yellow bumper stickers are fine but where's your money? I have no money. I'm a military retiree. (I have a son in the military and he's up for a rotation intheater this summer.) I know not if I'm unusual in that this war is personal for me. You called me in repeatedly to deliver 2000 lb strokes of thor's hammer to bury osama's buddies in their caves and then 6 more times into the cradle of civilization to pave your road to baghdad with warmachine wreckage and body parts. I retired in 2003 thinking I had done a good job, but with every American death, I'm not as sure. Obviously, our efforts to eradicate human scum from 40,000 feet were ineffectual. It's in your hands now. I don't want to lose another American, but we can't lose this war, my family and yours depend on it. In the words of my former navigator as he was pickling off 16,000 lbs of hurt headed downtown, "Get some!".

[Reggie]

Major K

Another lurker checks in - I always read your blog on a daily basis. It is inspiring for me to read of other people for whom the words "duty", "honor" and "country" have real meaning and value. I have never served - my father did in WW II and Korea, and my brother put in 8 years in armor - but I honor those who have served and are serving. If the truth be told, many of us civilians look at our troops with not only respect and honor but also something close to envy. You have been tried and tested and found to be true - and we wonder if we could do half so well. (I also wonder if that feeling of inadequacy also colors some of the negative posts??)

Keep up the Good Work - and tell your troops we are looking forward to welcoming our victorious warriors home.

Reggie

[Scott Allen]

Steve's post was from a fictional (make-believe) colonel played by Jack Nicholson in a movie. As a real Marine Corps lieutenant colonel on active duty (21 years in May) I do not agree with everything that Hollywood wrote. But I admire what Major K is doing. I worked a few months with the Army in Balad last summer/fall and you guys aren't so bad. Not as good as Marines, but not so bad! God bless you, move quick and stay low.

[Greyhawk]

The world will contain Phyruss and his sort only as long as better men risk all for his freedom of speech.

[EagleSpeak]

Don't let one voice of uninformed dissent outweigh the "attaboys."

And..."Attaboy!"

[assadolla]

Hang in there buddy and keep yourself safe. Ignore fascist imbeciles like Phyruss, who have not done an hour of honest work in their miserable lives, as they are a dime a dozen naysayer and theocracy lovers.

We middle easterners appreciate what you are doing for Iraq and wish you and your buddies safety. One day in the future, you will surely be asked to come back as our hero - as those who delivered us that invaluably precious commodity called freedom and civil society - worth far more than all the miserly oil and gas under these rocks.

az sarbaazaan e emrikaayee baayad tashakor kard