Clinton's Military - "Not ready for duty, Sir"

[Stinky The Clown]

I know this point has been made before, but as we look at what's happening with recruitment, with what's going on in Iraq, with high level enlisted and low to mid level officers leaving the military in droves, the irony is more than I am able to bear.

1999/early 2000 .... idiot son and his handler-designee, Darth Cheney, out on the 'ol campaign trail, cast aspersions on the military - 'Clinton's military' as they enjoyed calling it. They famously said that the military was unable to fight a war. It had been 'decimated', they said. Most famously, he said that if called to serve by the commander-in-chief, two of the Army's ten divisions would have to report "Not ready for duty, sir." He also said we were overextended and engaged in ill-conceived nation building in the Balkans (having just won a just war for humanitarian reasons, and having suffered NO casualties).

Fast forward to 2002. No real work had been done on the 'military problem's' our boy cited in his quest for the anointment as king. Indeed, idiot son funded the military at a **lower** level than Clinton had and as Gore said he would.

And then Iraq. Flags as far as the eye can see. Our magnificent military shocking and aweing across the sand to Baghdad. Not only was **Clinton's** military 'ready for duty', they were more than up to the task.

And where do we find ourselves today?

Veteran benefits cut.
Insurance for the returning military cut.
Military families suffering an extraordinary divorce rate.
Military families bearing the brunt of the pain and suffering.
1702 (as of today) families our military facing life without the love and joy of a son, daughter, father, mother, husband, wife, lover.
Recruiting and retention falling short by double digit percentages.
Thousands upon thousands of young people maimed for life.
Medical care for the returning purple heart awardees lacking.
Our country in the unenviable position of having no military force with which to repel true threats to our country, our best and brightest being squandered in an unwinnable adventure in a country we should never have entered.

And who's military is this?

It is the military of a childlike man who knows the military as well as a child knows quantum physics.

George W. Bush is a moral insult to our country, our traditions, our military, our very way of life. He and his enablers are, indeed, war criminals.

[Trajan]

1. While I agree with the message here ...

The title is misleading, as if YOU are stating that ....

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Point well taken ... title edited appriately

Thanks! :hi:

[Straight Shooter]

2. I remember that nasty snide remark, "Not ready for duty, sir."

It was a slap in the face of everyone who worked their ass off in the military to "be all they can be." x(

[Sparkly]

6. Yup, amazing how they suddenly became "ready"

when BushCo decided to send them, callously and irresponsibly, to create havoc in Iraq. And then they screwed them over -- but still like them for the photo-ops. :mad:

[Lisa]

13. I get the impression that * sent them regardless

They didn't have safe vehicles, or enough body armor for the troops -- and judging from what DUers who saw firsthand or heard from family members about the supply chain problems, Halliburton and Co. didn't seem to have their act together. Arguably the US is richer and more knowledgeable now than it was in the 1940s or 1960s, and yet there are all these problems.


p.s. isn't it the "slack" Clinton-era security that caught that bomber before that plot to blow up LAX could be implemented?

[Bluebear]

7. I remember it as well. Thought it was ironic.....

GWB was "not ready for duty, Sir" when he went AWOL.

[H2O Man]

3. Very true.

I'd have to say that when my grandfather fought in WW2, he was fighting against people like Dick Cheney and George W. Bush.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. He's a tool, a tool of the corporate ruling class, nothing

more, nothing less.

[Career Prole]

8. Well said, my good man!

Very well said indeed. :applause:

[cynatnite]

9. I hated that shit!

The world was changing under Clinton's watch and the military had to change with it. He wasn't going off and starting unnecessary and illegal wars based on lies. My rw family went off on clinton during his administration.

Bush Sr.'s the one that sent our troops to Somolia. Talk about fucking clueless!

Clinton did everything right and not one soldier died, but he got attacked constantly.

Junior fucking lies and our troops died. That's not counting the thousands of innocents who've perished.

The hypocrisy makes me want to scream

:nuke:

[chaumont58]

16. Something I have never understood, the people in the military....

kiss chimpie's ass. Its insane. Chimpie put them in harms way, unnecessarily, and they are too fuckin' dumb to figure it out. I served in the military, admittedly years ago, but I wouldn't have idolized a fool as a commander-in-chief.

[Vickers]

10. I was in the military under GHWB, and he started cutting troop strengths

Paying people to get out, even.

This would have been 1989-1990 or so.

[yurbud]

11. all the rewards are up front, like a guy impressing a girl to get laid

then as soon as he has his way with her, he dumps her by the roadside, only in this case, missing an arm or leg and with depleted uranium in their system.


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[Stinky The Clown]

12. Close to date rape ......

Would fucking the military be similar?

[yurbud]

15. yep--watch your drink when you're out with frat boys

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[many a good man]

14. More than an insult....

[yurbud]

17. that's an insult to Martin!

He's nicer than Bush.


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