A day to remember. Forget Tetris

Didn't see it. I was sleeping.

I have to be honest, I am tired of hearing his voice.
Bless all the men who fought that day.

I didn't watch it. Caught the end of the ceremony.

I think Mrs. Minniver is on TCM.

Can't watch right now, satellite internet.

I read the text, passing grade.

He didn't apologize but couldn't resist mentioning that mistakes were made.

re: #6 Hengineer

Can't watch right now, satellite internet.

Live out in the sticks?

re: #2 Noam Sayin'
HEY NOAM! You didn't miss much.
How are you doing today?

re: #8 astronmr20
Nah, he's on a ship!

re: #7 jcm You know, I watched part of it live and I still can't figure out how he snuck his great uncle or uncle (forget which) and Buchenwald into a speech about D-Day.

re: #7 jcm

I read the text, passing grade.

He didn't apologize but couldn't resist mentioning that mistakes were made.

Well, to be fair, in years to come that will be the main theme in discussing ozero's presidency.

re: #7 jcm

I read the text, passing grade.

He didn't apologize but couldn't resist mentioning that mistakes were made.

Y' mean he apologized for the German High Command?!?!

Hah! I forgot Maximillian Schell was the German pilot.

I thought it was a good speech.

Argh.

I don't mean to go off-topic so early, but I can't stand it when my moonbat friends use the excuse "but Israel has nukes!" when defending the pursuit of nukes by the likes of Iran and Syria.

Of course, we all know Israel hasn't used them and wouldn't used them unless on the precipice of destruction.

I am tired of trying to argue with stupid. You think one could shut idiocy down with logic, but apparently not.

I watched the event earlier. President Obama gave a long boring history lesson. History lessons are good -- but, in this setting, at this time -- not so much. I would rather have heard the entire speech devoted to the sacrifices that were made by US Soldiers on that horrendous day.

re: #16 astronmr20
Logic doesn't enter into it. It's all about emotions.

(re-post from the ONT)

Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth.
— Sherlock Holmes

Very well, let's try it.

The sheer improbability of this victory is part of what makes D-Day so memorable.
— Obama at Omaha Beach

What's left is that Obama hasn't a blipping clue about the historical facts.

re: #15 pingjockey
How could you possibly forget that Maximillian Schell was the German pilot? Conflicted as hell he was!

re: #21 realwest
Haven't seen it in a long time!

re: #7 jcm

I read the text, passing grade.

He didn't apologize but couldn't resist mentioning that mistakes were made.

We need someone to present a psychological assessment with Obama's obsession with highlighting perceived mistake routinely. This isn't a history class.

re: #19 pingjockey

Logic doesn't enter into it. It's all about emotions.

I suppose.

I just don't know what to say to them anymore, or if I should drop it.

Oh well.

re: #18 Iron Fist

Appologize for what? Not nuking Berlin? I'm absolutely sick of hearing him appologize for all of the evils of America. How many times have we heard someone from Japan appologize for the Rape of Nanking, or the Bataan Death March? I've never heard it. Not fucking once, and every Hiroshima Day I hear about how evil we were for nuking the motherfuckers. Fuck them.

Let's hear some pennance for Nanking and Bataan. And all the other Japanese war crimes. Oh, and maybe something about that Pearl Harbor thing. Let's have a little balance.

[/Endeth the Sermon]

Actually, the Japanese government did just issue an apology for the Bataan Death March. Their ambassador personally delivered it to a reunion of survivors just a few days ago.

re: #20 pre-Boomer Marine brat

(re-post from the ONT)

What's left is that Obama hasn't a blipping clue about the historical facts.

That's what I thought. I mentioned before that he sounded like some of these things he had only spoken about for the first time in his life.

Watched the French Open finals instead, I much prefer athletic Russian women to Mr. Metrosexual.

re: #23 DistantThunder
Of course mistakes were made. 156,000 troops, 5000 ships, 20,000 aircraft, etc...Sheesh.

re: #16 astronmr20

I thought it was a good speech.

Argh.

I don't mean to go off-topic so early, but I can't stand it when my moonbat friends use the excuse "but Israel has nukes!" when defending the pursuit of nukes by the likes of Iran and Syria.

Of course, we all know Israel hasn't used them and wouldn't used them unless on the precipice of destruction.

I am tired of trying to argue with stupid. You think one could shut idiocy down with logic, but apparently not.

Comeback: Why shouldn't felons have guns if the police have guns.

re: #18 Iron Fist
Um, he DIDN'T apologize Bro'! He said mistakes were made (which, IN HINDSIGHT they were) but otherwise kind of a bland speech, I thought.
.
.
.
Would have been a good time to remind the Europeans that their military defense is all on them from now on, though.

re: #24 astronmr20
Use Mandys line....Go piss up a rope. Short and to the point.

re: #31 realwest
That would cause some 'splodin' heads!

I thought the speech was a letdown. A bunch of nothingness. Watch President Reagan's at Pointe du Hoc in 1984 - that was a speech worthy of the occasion. God bless the brave men of the Allied Powers.

He did mention that awkward part of the war from the perspective of the Germans. It was uncomfortable.

What does June 6th mean to Google? Tetris.

Gag.

I say this again..I didn't think anyone's voice could annoy me as much as Bill Clinton's but I was wrong, tragically wrong.

The Normandy invasion might (might) have been thrown back if Rommel had gotten his way. In actuality, there wasn't much of a chance of that.

re: #22 pingjockey
Yeah, to be honest, me either! But I do remember Schell's performance - it really was sorta "mailed in" you know?

Obama's Normandy Speech

re: #25 lobo91
Really? Do y'all have a link - I'd really like to read about that.

re: #34 bartoncole16

I thought the speech was a letdown. A bunch of nothingness. Watch President Reagan's at Pointe du Hoc in 1984 - that was a speech worthy of the occasion. God bless the brave men of the Allied Powers.

Obama just doesn't fake deep appreciation for military sacrifice well. I'm not saying he has none, it's just doesn't appear deep. It's time to remake Being There, with a twist.

re: #40 FurryOldGuyJeans
Uh, isn't that the speech Charles so kindly started this thread with?

re: #37 Bobblehead

I say this again..I didn't think anyone's voice could annoy me as much as Bill Clinton's but I was wrong, tragically wrong.

Gordon Brown actually gave a very moving speech that i suprisingly enjoyed. Except for that misspoken blunder calling it Obama Beach....

re: #27 Iron Fist

Japan Apologizes for Bataan Death March
Ambassador Speaks to Last 73 American Survivors of the March

The Japanese ambassador to the United States apologized in person today to the 73 surviving POWs of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines in April 1942 during World War II.

"We extend a heartfelt apology for our country having caused tremendous damage and suffering to many people including prisoners of war, those who have undergone tragic experiences in the Bataan peninsula the Corregidor Island, Philippines and other places," Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki said at the last convention of the American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor POWs of the Japanese during World War II.

What is up with all this talk of Tetris? Is it an anniversary?

re: #39 realwest
Missed most of it. Mr. Minniver just got back from Dunkirk.

re: #26 DistantThunder

That's what I thought. I mentioned before that he sounded like some of these things he had only spoken about for the first time in his life.

Given his upbringing, whatever he might have been presented with in history class probably didn't stick any longer than it took to pass the tests.

re: #41 realwest

Really? Do y'all have a link - I'd really like to read about that.

See #45

I cannot find a photograph of WAB in Normandy today. Anyone?

re: #43 realwest

Uh, isn't that the speech Charles so kindly started this thread with?

Just a different perspective on the speech, real.

That dope that the British call their Prime Minister referred to Omaha Beach as "Obama Beach"

re: #46 Tarkus289
25th.

re: #29 pingjockey

"156,000 troops, 5000 ships, 20,000 aircraft," ... and Monty.

/ the movie "Patton" was dead-bang on target

re: #38 pre-Boomer Marine brat

The Normandy invasion might (might) have been thrown back if Rommel had gotten his way. In actuality, there wasn't much of a chance of that.

Hitler at that point was distrusting his more competent generals, for good reason. He very nearly got assassinated by them.

Rommel might not have minded so much losing to the UK, US, and Canada; but what he did NOT want was to have Germany's armies in a trench in France while the Russians made merry in Germany proper.

re: #46 Tarkus289

What is up with all this talk of Tetris? Is it an anniversary?

It is indeed the anniversary of that seminal event and Google chose to commemorate that rather than the minor unpleasantness in Normandy in 1944. After all, war is bad for advertising revenue and other living profit centers.

re: #48 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Given his upbringing, whatever he might have been presented with in history class probably didn't stick any longer than it took to pass the tests.

I'm assuming that whoever wrote his speech was probably working from either Wikipedia or "WWII for Dummies" as a reference.

re: #33 pingjockey LOL! Yes it would have, especially because it's true. By the time Obama finishes cutting defense to help fund his budget (which PROJECTS a One and one-half Trillion dollar deficit), we won't be in much of a position to help them. Let them try socialism and military defense spending at the same time. Maybe Obama and the Dems will catch a clue from that!

re: #46 Tarkus289

What is up with all this talk of Tetris? Is it an anniversary?

25th, and it was several days ago. If it hadn't been for 6 June, 1944 Tetris wouldn't really matter.

re: #18 Iron Fist

Appologize for what? Not nuking Berlin? I'm absolutely sick of hearing him appologize for all of the evils of America. How many times have we heard someone from Japan appologize for the Rape of Nanking, or the Bataan Death March? I've never heard it. Not fucking once, and every Hiroshima Day I hear about how evil we were for nuking the motherfuckers. Fuck them.

Let's hear some pennance for Nanking and Bataan. And all the other Japanese war crimes. Oh, and maybe something about that Pearl Harbor thing. Let's have a little balance.

[/Endeth the Sermon]

he really thinks the apologizing shows strength. he is that delusional.
the fainting obots and fawning minions in america who put him office have added to his illusions of grandeur.
and every wonderful word mentioned abt. him by the msm has fuel his sense of omnipotence as well.
he is out of control. off his fcking rocker.
he really believes that by the sheer magnificence of his personality, he can remake the whole world.
it is getting ridiculous how he runs around making an ass of himself, forcing apologies on people, acting so inappropriately and desperately.
we are being put in great danger because this fool actually thinks he is a divinely anointed messiah.

Oh please. The guy has as much sincerity as John Kerry. Speaking of "Kerrys", I'd sure like to hear Bob Kerrey give a D-Day speech. Back when I was a Dem, I really liked him. He's a true hero (MOH) and a superb speaker. He also had that little thing with Debra Winger (herself an Israeli army vet) going in the 80's. Anyways, maybe the One can save us from global freezing -- has anyone checked the Weather Channel national temps map lately? WTH? Now half the country knows what a S.F. summer is like. What summer?

re: #18 Iron Fist

Appologize for what? Not nuking Berlin? I'm absolutely sick of hearing him appologize for all of the evils of America. How many times have we heard someone from Japan appologize for the Rape of Nanking, or the Bataan Death March? I've never heard it. Not fucking once, and every Hiroshima Day I hear about how evil we were for nuking the motherfuckers. Fuck them.

Let's hear some pennance for Nanking and Bataan. And all the other Japanese war crimes. Oh, and maybe something about that Pearl Harbor thing. Let's have a little balance.

[/Endeth the Sermon]

You know, we destroyed Europe to save it, I was waiting for it.

re: #54 pre-Boomer Marine brat

"156,000 troops, 5000 ships, 20,000 aircraft," ... and Monty.

/ the movie "Patton" was dead-bang on target

One commentary on the Patton DVD I have says the movie was written to be anti-war, and George C. played it that way as well.

I enjoy his speeches. He's got a good grasp on history and always bring some different perspective to the issues he speaks on.

re: #60 FurryOldGuyJeans

25th, and it was several days ago. If it hadn't been for 6 June, 1944 Tetris wouldn't really matter.

Isn't Tetris a Russian game?

If it hadn't been for 6 June, the whole of Europe would be playing Tetris. Mind you, they'd be doing it on public, Soviet-issue vacuum tube computers during the weekly, official Entertainment Hour leading up to the Two Minute Hate.

re: #59 realwest
We won't be in a position to help anybody. IMO, I always felt after the USSR went south the damn EU should be funding its own defence. Instead they rely on US and spend money on social shit.

re: #58 lobo91

I'm assuming that whoever wrote his speech was probably working from either Wikipedia or "WWII for Dummies" as a reference.

We can be certain it wasn't Victor Davis Hansen.

Oh, PS to Google: you suck. I mean, you really, really suck.

screw google

re: #65 jordash1212

I enjoy his speeches. He's got a good grasp on history and always bring some different perspective to the issues he speaks on.

o_O

re: #57 Shiplord Kirel

Speaking of Google, have any of you done a Google image search lately? I noticed (a couple weeks ago) that when you go to "Images" a button appears to participate in "the Obama Time Capsule Project" or some such thing. Just checked and it's still there. I suppose this is going to last forever?

Outline of Operation Overlord.

Operation Overlord operation order (declassified BIGOT document).

/and the rest, as they say, is history

re: #52 Bobblehead

That dope that the British call their Prime Minister referred to Omaha Beach as "Obama Beach"

He knew he'd get points with Obama for saying it, and maybe the American press would like him a little more. "You like me! You really, really like me!"

re: #59 realwest

LOL! Yes it would have, especially because it's true. By the time Obama finishes cutting defense to help fund his budget (which PROJECTS a One and one-half Trillion dollar deficit), we won't be in much of a position to help them. Let them try socialism and military defense spending at the same time. Maybe Obama and the Dems will catch a clue from that!

Well, I'm doing my part to help with the deficit, since the Army decided it's too expensive to keep paying me.

Not sure who's going to train the troops who are heading to Afghanistan, but I guess that's less important than making sure I wasn't able to qualify for retirement...

re: #68 pre-Boomer Marine brat

We can be certain it wasn't Victor Davis Hansen.

Can't wait for his take on it.

Obama is an empty suit devoid of honor and unworthy to stand on the field of America's greatest glory.

He is a liar. He is of low character. He is unprincipled. His entire life story is a leftist who never risked his life and never did anything more daring that run for an election as a democrat in Chicago.

His foreign policy repeats the very mistakes that made D-Day necessary. He is a fool who is going to get lots of people killed.

“IT WAS ISLAM…that has given us ...places of peaceful contemplation.”

re: #64 FurryOldGuyJeans

One commentary on the Patton DVD I have says the movie was written to be anti-war, and George C. played it that way as well.

It's possible, given the time-frame in which it was made.
If GCS intended to play it that way, IMHO he flopped.

re: #79 LC LaWedgie

Peaceful as the grave, as the saying goes.

re: #52 Bobblehead

That dope that the British call their Prime Minister

No, he's the dope Blair called out as Prime Minister. The British haven't had their chance to name their Prime Minister.

re: #55 Zimriel

Hitler at that point was distrusting his more competent generals, for good reason. He very nearly got assassinated by them.

Rommel might not have minded so much losing to the UK, US, and Canada; but what he did NOT want was to have Germany's armies in a trench in France while the Russians made merry in Germany proper.

Das stimmt. Towards the end of the war, Wehrmacht troops in the east (which by then was within Germany) were scrambling like mad to surrender to the U.S. or Brits (pref. the U.S. since we never got bombed). By the time they began to pull out of France in the early Fall, if the German generals in the west had had any guts and and any greater sense of duty than to "that Bohemian corporal", they'd have boogied east and just let the Americans roll on in. History would've turned out a bit differently.

re: #78 Preposter S

Obama is an empty suit devoid of honor and unworthy to stand on the field of America's greatest glory.

He is a liar. He is of low character. He is unprincipled. His entire life story is a leftist who never risked his life and never did anything more daring that run for an election as a democrat in Chicago.

His foreign policy repeats the very mistakes that made D-Day necessary. He is a fool who is going to get lots of people killed.

1. He lived in Chicago so he did risk his life, and
B. Same mistakes will equal war - so right.

re: #73 Killian Bundy

Operation Overlord operation order (declassified BIGOT document)

/correct link

re: #80 pre-Boomer Marine brat

It's possible, given the time-frame in which it was made.
If GCS intended to play it that way, IMHO he flopped.

The whole movie flopped at trying to be anti-war. And I can't say I am one whit disappointed it did.

OT: Well, the "International ANSWER Coalition" scumbags seem to be feeling their oats here in DC in the wake of Obama's Cairo speech. They just held a nasty protest near the Israeli Embassy. "Free free Palestine!", etc.

Oh ye of little faith,

Let us not forget President Obama's recent military prowess.

It was he after all, who gave the order, after many tense days' naval stand-off, to permit US SEALS off 3 Somali pirates.

THAT was a brilliant invasion he planned personally.

General Eisenhower's D-Day was full of mistakes by comparison, and cost thousands of lives, and for what?////

Sarc to the Ueber Max.

re: #49 lobo91
Thank you very much for that.

re: #72 Lincolntf

Crap.

re: #87 FurryOldGuyJeans

The whole movie flopped at trying to be anti-war. And I can't say I am one whit disappointed it did.

True, and me too.

That said, some of the stagings were Hollywood-crap.

.
re: #84 DistantThunder

He lived in Chicago so he did risk his life

True. Remember WAB's comment about how, as a black man living in America, her husband could get shot putting gas in his car?

Of course, what she left out was the likelihood that the shooter would be another black man who was trying to steal said car...

re: #65 jordash1212

I enjoy his speeches. He's got a good grasp on history and always bring some different perspective to the issues he speaks on.

Did you like the part of his Cairo speech, in which he gave a nod to Hamas having a legitimate political role? How did that grab ya?

re: #87 FurryOldGuyJeans
Me too. Saw it at the theater! That and Tora Tora Tora.

re: #64 FurryOldGuyJeans

One commentary on the Patton DVD I have says the movie was written to be anti-war, and George C. played it that way as well.

Really? Who made that silly comment, do you remember?!

I can't help but wonder what was going through Obama's mind and those of his speechwriters when they came up with the "mistakes were made" bit.

What exactly were they referring to?

Were they referring to not sending in enough tanks to support the troops on the beaches?
Or that the amphibious Shermans were released too far out to sea and turned into one way tickets to Davy Jones' locker in heavy swells?

Or maybe he thought the mistake was that we didn't give Hitler enough to avoid the war altogether - because if we just talked a little more and conceded just a bit more we would have avoided the war.

I'm curious if any reporter will ask him on that.

re: #92 pre-Boomer Marine brat

True, and me too.

That said, some of the stagings were Hollywood-crap.

What, you mean the Germans didn't use M-48 tanks?

//

I wish I could go back in time and see grandpa spacejesus stab some Nazis in the face

re: #64 FurryOldGuyJeans

One commentary on the Patton DVD I have says the movie was written to be anti-war, and George C. played it that way as well.

I believe the movie is rather famous for being cryptic on that point. At the time, leftists thought the movie was "anti-war", rightists thought it was about military valor. Good marketing, if nothing else.

re: #65 jordash1212
What are you smoking? My back hurts like hell and the shit you've got probably would make me forget I have a back!

re: #88 Occasional Reader

OT: Well, the "International ANSWER Coalition" scumbags seem to be feeling their oats here in DC in the wake of Obama's Cairo speech. They just held a nasty protest near the Israeli Embassy. "Free free Palestine!", etc.

* * * *
International Stalinist ANSWR feeling its oats in Washington, DC?
I thought they ran the place now, from the State Department.

(Did you all discuss that old retiree spy couple the Myers who were intimate AMIGOS DE FIDEL CASTRO for the last 30 years, exchanging US secrets at Safeway Food Store? Perhaps they shopped our US secrets at the Social Safeway/Socialist Safeway in Georgetown, on Wisconsin Avenue. Bet they were close with Valerie Pflame & her husband Amb. Joe Wilson the yellow cake denier)

re: #65 jordash1212
ROTFLMAO! Great one!

re: #67 pingjockey
Ah, yup!

re: #93 lobo91

.

True. Remember WAB's comment about how, as a black man living in America, her husband could get shot putting gas in his car?

Of course, what she left out was the likelihood that the shooter would be another black man who was trying to steal said car...

The one I most remember that was shooting people near Washington as they were filling up their car was a guy who took the name Muhammad and his sidekick Malvo.

re: #95 Iron Fist

Don't forget, Rommel was soon to die for his part in trying to assassinate Hitler. Whatever part he played in Nazi Germany, he made that much restitution before, well, the Judgement, at any rate.

You know who prevented the assassination of Hitler in 1938? Yep. You guessed it. Asshole appeaser.

re: #95 Iron Fist

Don't forget, Rommel was soon to die for his part in trying to assassinate Hitler. Whatever part he played in Nazi Germany, he made that much restitution before, well, the Judgement, at any rate.

I don't think of Rommel as a truly evil figure of that time; he was an effective German soldier, not a Nazi fanatic. Of course, he should have known better; but at least he eventually woke up, to some degree.

re: #98 lawhawk

Maybe we should have staged a demonstration of how we could invade a coast for the Nazis, so they could see the folly of resisting.

re: #88 Occasional Reader

OT: Well, the "International ANSWER Coalition" scumbags seem to be feeling their oats here in DC in the wake of Obama's Cairo speech. They just held a nasty protest near the Israeli Embassy. "Free free Palestine!", etc.

But moderates will flock to vote for Democrats if Conservatives hold a T-party? That I don't get. All the Boobs Not Bombs, ANSWER, crazy crazy stuff, (Seen Whale Watchers TV show with the protestors throwing acid bombs and ramming the whaling vessel with their ship?) - all that is mild compared to the people at the t-parties who are protesting government spending.

re: #95 Iron Fist

Don't forget, Rommel was soon to die for his part in trying to assassinate Hitler. Whatever part he played in Nazi Germany, he made that much restitution before, well, the Judgement, at any rate.

I never went very deep into that aspect of Rommel's career, but has it ever been proven that he did, or didn't, play an active role in the plot? (Knew something about it, probably so, from what I'd once read.)

re: #94 Occasional Reader

Did you like the part of his Cairo speech, in which he gave a nod to Hamas having a legitimate political role? How did that grab ya?

* * * *
Did you see the picture of Hamas' hooded thugs at a thug party, watching Pres. Obama's Ode to the Moslem World? They were rapt, rapt, I tell you. Like when Ahmedinejad gives them their orders.

re: #75 lobo91
Active duty or contractor?

re: #65 jordash1212

I enjoy his speeches. He's got a good grasp on history and always bring some different perspective to the issues he speaks on.

Huh? Obama?

A good grasp of history?

You forget your sarc tag?

re: #94 Occasional Reader

Did you like the part of his Cairo speech, in which he gave a nod to Hamas having a legitimate political role? How did that grab ya?

Could make face masks chic at the UN.

re: #92 pre-Boomer Marine brat

True, and me too.

That said, some of the stagings were Hollywood-crap.

You want another "stagey" Hollywood war movie, try The Big Red One - The Reconstruction.

I think I need to set aside some time today to watch that and Saving Private Ryan.

re: #65 jordash1212

I enjoy his speeches. He's got a good grasp on history and always bring some different perspective to the issues he speaks on.

Revisionist history perhaps, and even then, it's not a good grasp, but thanks for playing.

Different perspective? That's what you want from a President? How about leadership? Empathy with the soldiers and sailors who gave everything to defend freedom and liberate Europe from tyranny of Nazi Germany? Everyone has a different perspective, but that's not what the President is supposed to be doing.

That is, when he's not without TOTUS. When that happens, no telling what he's going to say.

Is it too late to surrender? I know that the actual WWII shooting seems to have quieted down, but isn't there anyone to surrender to?

No?

Well, we'll just have to settle for apologising for winning.

re: #103 alegrias

Perhaps they shopped our US secrets at the Social Safeway/Socialist Safeway in Georgetown, on Wisconsin Avenue.

Hey, get your lingo straight! That's the Social Safeway, because of its pretty people Georgetown crowd. The Socialist (or Soviet) Safeway is the crummy one on 16th and R. (And then there's the Secret Safeway, squirreled away near the Dupont Circle Hilton.)

re: #92 pre-Boomer Marine brat

True, and me too.

That said, some of the stagings were Hollywood-crap.

* * * *
Perhaps unwittingly, to compensate for the lefty crap, some of the "Patton" footage was shot in Spain during the Franco years.

re: #118 razorbacker

Is it too late to surrender? I know that the actual WWII shooting seems to have quieted down, but isn't there anyone to surrender to?

No?

Well, we'll just have to settle for apologising for winning.

But Obama tells us we will feel better about ourselves that way. He doesn't enjoy winning if we have blood on our hands. Hmm. Very post-post-modern. Bloodless war.

re: #97 realwest

Really? Who made that silly comment, do you remember?!

No, I think it was the screen writer or some other Hollywood hack.

The thing I find most offensive about our "Light Worker" is he seems to forget his job is working for the interests and people of THIS country. He presented himself in Egypt as some transcendent bridge to the world whose very existence is something so wonderful that everyone in the world should agree with everything he says. Yet he addressed none of the dysfunction and failure that makes the Islamic world such a lovely place to live.

He laid out a new extremely dangerous policy that directly affects Israel's security and then flies to Buchenwald to give himself political cover for the fact the only nation that he damages is Israel. This is obscene.

The picture of our American Pharoh at whitehouse.gov shows him timelessly flanked by the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid. This is not just egomania it is monomania and deeply worrying in man who has not yet done much. Every other modern President has gotten systematically more detached the longer they held office. With Obama, this far gone, I fear what he will be like in six years.

My apology speech to the world

Dear World Body,

I apologize as an American for interfering in WW1 and stopping YOUR war and carnage upon yourselves.

I apologize as an American for interfering in WW2 for the second time for stopping you from speaking German as your first language and eventually going to the gas chambers for having any semblance of non-arian looks.

I also apologize for the South Koreans for not having Kim Jung Ill as your great leader.

I also apologize for the Arabs for exploring for oil on your land so you could sell it to us for whatever price is on the Mercantile Exchange and that you don't have to sell us the other commodity you have plenty of...sand.

I apologize for sending naval ships or military planes anytime there is a natural catastrophe anywhere in the world.

We will unhook the phone from now on and not interfere or meddle .

Thank you

re: #113 realwest

Active duty or contractor?

Neither one. Reservist who was just released from mobilization after 5 years, because I now have over 17 years total active duty time. If I get to 18 years, they have to let me stay on until I reach 20 and qualify for active duty retirement.

re: #115 DistantThunder

Could make face masks chic at the UN.

Hey, they let in Arafat with a sidearm, so why not?

re: #99 lobo91

What, you mean the Germans didn't use M-48 tanks?

//

Naw, they filmed in Spain and that's what the Spanish Army had.

The battle scene in North Africa where Patton defeats the Panzers. The Afrika Korps would NEVER advance across open terrain with the tanks keeping pace with foot infantry marching amongst them. I studied the earlier North Africa campaign in detail, up through el Alamein. That movie "battle scene" staging was utter bullshit.

re: #106 Dar ul Harb

The one I most remember that was shooting people near Washington as they were filling up their car was a guy who took the name Muhammad and his sidekick Malvo.

* * * *
John Mohammed and his teen age "son" Malvo terrorized the whole Metropolitan area, Maryland, Virginia and DC for weeks! We were zigzaggin on the sidewalks, getting roadblocked on the Beltway, shot at at the Home Depot parking lot, out near Manassas Civil War battlefield gast stations, NO WHERE was safe from that jihadist bastard trying to find & murder his wife in an honor killing attempt.

re: #18 Iron Fist

How many times have we heard someone from Japan appologize for the Rape of Nanking, or the Bataan Death March? I've never heard it. Not fucking once, and every Hiroshima Day I hear about how evil we were for nuking the motherfuckers.

In fact, a common theme if you talk to Japanese from that generation is that, if they had had it themselves, they would have used it for sure. They don't go in much for blaming the USA. If they think about it, the butcher's bill for Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined is probably chicken feed compared to what a ground invasion of the main islands would have cost on their side. (On the US side, lowball estimates ran into 7 figures.)

re: #65 jordash1212

I enjoy his speeches. He's got a good grasp on history and always bring some different perspective to the issues he speaks on.

Are you a recent public school graduate? That would help to explain your limp grasp on what constitutes history.

But I did enjoy the laugh. Obama having a good grasp on history, what a hoot.

re: #128 alegrias

* * * *
John Mohammed and his teen age "son" Malvo terrorized the whole Metropolitan area, Maryland, Virginia and DC for weeks! We were zigzaggin on the sidewalks, getting roadblocked on the Beltway, shot at at the Home Depot parking lot, out near Manassas Civil War battlefield gast stations, NO WHERE was safe from that jihadist bastard trying to find & murder his wife in an honor killing attempt.

He was after his wife? Never heard that before. I just thought he was out to kill some kuffar.

re: #128 alegrias

* * * *
John Mohammed and his teen age "son" Malvo terrorized the whole Metropolitan area, Maryland, Virginia and DC for weeks! We were zigzaggin on the sidewalks, getting roadblocked on the Beltway, shot at at the Home Depot parking lot, out near Manassas Civil War battlefield gast stations, NO WHERE was safe from that jihadist bastard trying to find & murder his wife in an honor killing attempt.

No, silly, that was an evil GUN that kept going off and killing people. I read it in the Washington Post.

(I had never heard that he was trying to target his wife... source?)

re: #129 Former Belgian
IIRC, MacArthur was figuring on a million man invasion force and millions of Japanese civillian casulties as they would be used in banzai charges. Also at the end of the war the IJAF still had 6000 planes of all types that could be used as kamikazes. Midget sub kamikazes, PT boat kamikazes, etc...

re: #116 FurryOldGuyJeans

You want another "stagey" Hollywood war movie, try The Big Red One - The Reconstruction.

I think I need to set aside some time today to watch that and Saving Private Ryan.

* * * * *
John McCain's brother sent email reminding everyone that HBO is showing "Band Of Brothers" which he considers the greatest war depiction ever.

A historian who worked on "Band of Brothers" helped Chris Wallace of Fox News comment on today's D-Day coverage, it was very moving as they also had commenting with them, an old Ranger who'd been a 19-year old medic that day.

re: #108 Occasional Reader

I don't think of Rommel as a truly evil figure of that time; he was an effective German soldier, not a Nazi fanatic. Of course, he should have known better; but at least he eventually woke up, to some degree.

Precisely
He was a professional

re: #132 Dar ul Harb

He was after his wife? Never heard that before. I just thought he was out to kill some kuffar.

He was a productive member of the Philadelphia community with his own garage - until the IRS closed him down for taxes - and then - voila.

re: #135 alegrias

* * * * *
John McCain's brother sent email reminding everyone that HBO is showing "Band Of Brothers" which he considers the greatest war depiction ever.

A historian who worked on "Band of Brothers" helped Chris Wallace of Fox News comment on today's D-Day coverage, it was very moving as they also had commenting with them, an old Ranger who'd been a 19-year old medic that day.

Band of Brothers is not a single day thing. I will most likely watch it starting tomorrow.

re: #129 Former Belgian

In fact, a common theme if you talk to Japanese from that generation is that, if they had had it themselves, they would have used it for sure. They don't go in much for blaming the USA

I remember reading a remarkably frank opinion piece in the NYT from a Japanese academic who was a kid in Japan during the war years. He recounted his astonishment when the hated, demonized GIs finally showed up and occupied their country... and started handing out Hershey bars. He matter of factly said, if the situation had been reversed, and Japan had occupied the US, it would have been a nightmare of murder, rape and brutality.

re: #84 DistantThunder

1. He lived in Chicago so he did risk his life, and
B. Same mistakes will equal war - so right.

I hope that is a joke, risking your life in Chicago is a tad different that Omaha beach and normandy from June 6th to July 1944....

re: #120 alegrias

* * * *
Perhaps unwittingly, to compensate for the lefty crap, some of the "Patton" footage was shot in Spain during the Franco years.

Trivia -- the Heinkels used in the "Battle of Britain" were Spanish Air Force.

re: #138 DistantThunder

He was a productive member of the Philadelphia community with his own garage - until the IRS closed him down for taxes - and then - voila.

Voila -sudden jihadi syndrome?

re: #119 Occasional Reader

Hey, get your lingo straight! That's the Social Safeway, because of its pretty people Georgetown crowd. The Socialist (or Soviet) Safeway is the crummy one on 16th and R. (And then there's the Secret Safeway, squirreled away near the Dupont Circle Hilton.)

* * * *
You mean the one near Connecticut & Florida Avenue, next to where Hinkley tried to assassinate President Reagan, right? I've shopped there back in the day.

In Part 1, at 7:55, The outcome of the entire struggle would ultimately rest on the success of one day in Germany.

Germany? Sheesh. And some of the paratroopers were miles off their targets.

re: #108 Occasional Reader

I don't think of Rommel as a truly evil figure of that time; he was an effective German soldier, not a Nazi fanatic. Of course, he should have known better; but at least he eventually woke up, to some degree.

It's important to remember that the Wehrmacht (and especially the officers) were not all that keen on Hitler (that may be a rather severe understatement, there is ample evidence that many of them HATED the man). But they were certainly nationalists and many (if not all) certainly believed that the "peace" of Versaille was a sham (and it was, it was probably the biggest mistake of the 20th century and single most important factor behind Hitler's rise to power) which - coupled with a long time dislike of the french (a sentiment they have in common with... well, just about everyone really) and a certain healthy distrust of the russians made them reason that Hitler was better than the leaders during the Weimar republic.

Ah well. (Nazis still bad. I am just talking about the Wehrmacht. Nothing else.)

re: #144 alegrias

* * * *
You mean the one near Connecticut & Florida Avenue, next to where Hinkley tried to assassinate President Reagan, right? I've shopped there back in the day.

Yep, that's the one (the Secret Safeway).

re: #131 Iron Fist

I don't know that it was proven historically, but it was sure enough for Hitler. Rommel was (as I understand it) given the choice of committing suicide or having his family executed before he was executed himself for his role in the plot to assassinate Hitler. So he died for his role, whatever that was.

Thanks, and I agree with all of that.
He was a man of honor.

Yeah, I figured JMV would up-ding No. 65.

re: #145 abolitionist

In Part 1, at 7:55, The outcome of the entire struggle would ultimately rest on the success of one day in Germany.

Germany? Sheesh. And some of the paratroopers were miles off their targets.

The man's grasp of history and geography is so utterly lacking. Wow, just wow.

re: #146 enoughalready

Nazis still bad.

"I hate these guys."

-I. Jones

re: #1 Kip

A day to remember. Forget Tetris

re: #36 Yankee Division Son

What does June 6th mean to Google? Tetris.

Gag.

Have you seen the other major search engines?

Bing – History buff: D-Day books and movies

Yahoo – 4th story down is "Obama salutes vet who died on D-Day eve"

Dogpile – Dog mascot dressed as Land of the Lost character running from dinosaur with the caption, "Don't get lost on your way to the theater this weekend!"

Google – Customized Google logo links to the 25th anniversary of the release of Tetris.

Ask.com – Blank

re: #101 Occasional Reader

I believe the movie is rather famous for being cryptic on that point. At the time, leftists thought the movie was "anti-war", rightists thought it was about military valor. Good marketing, if nothing else.

Huh. His comment on what was written on the DVD was the first time I'd heard of Patton being an anti-war film. Only part I remember was when he was urging his army on to Bastogne and some troops said "There goes ole Blood 'n Guts" and another said "Yeah, his guts, our blood."
But how anyone can intrepret "The object of war is not to give your life for your country, it's too make the other poor bastard give his life for his country." as "anti-war" is beyond me!

The original Magnificent Bastard.

My favorite scene is when the GErmans are headed one direction on a road, and the conquering allies the other. Notice the New World irony:

David Webster: [at a passing column of German prisoners] Hey, you! That's right, you stupid Kraut bastards! That's right! Say hello to Ford, and General f***' Motors! You stupid fascist pigs! Look at you! You have horses! What were you thinking? Dragging our asses half way around the world, interrupting our lives... For what, you ignorant, servile scum! What the f**k are we doing here?

General Motors indeed. I hope we don't turn into ignorant servile scum....

re: #139 FurryOldGuyJeans

Band of Brothers is not a single day thing. I will most likely watch it starting tomorrow.

I may do the same. I just remembered that my wife gave me the Blu Ray set for Christmas, which I haven't had a chance to watch yet. It's supposed to have all new special features.

I've finished listening to the speech. It was... okay. C+ or B-, I'd say.

re: #141 Preposter S

I hope that is a joke, risking your life in Chicago is a tad different that Omaha beach and normandy from June 6th to July 1944....

/s

re: #150 MandyManners

Yeah, I figured JMV would up-ding No. 65.

Let me be the counter-ding, then, I don't mind. ;)

re: #158 Occasional Reader

I've finished listening to the speech. It was... okay. C+ or B-, I'd say.

It started to sounds like Blah, blah, blah....did you hear Gordon Brown's? i was impressed.

re: #150 MandyManners
I took care of that. :)

re: #156 DistantThunder

My favorite scene is when the GErmans are headed one direction on a road, and the conquering allies the other. Notice the New World irony:

General Motors indeed. I hope we don't turn into ignorant servile scum....

So you're not entirely thrilled with the news that an important producer of US military vehicles is being sold to a communist country, I take it?

re: #134 pingjockey

IIRC, MacArthur was figuring on a million man invasion force and millions of Japanese civillian casulties as they would be used in banzai charges. Also at the end of the war the IJAF still had 6000 planes of all types that could be used as kamikazes. Midget sub kamikazes, PT boat kamikazes, etc...

/Operation Downfall

re: #140 Occasional Reader

I remember reading a remarkably frank opinion piece in the NYT from a Japanese academic who was a kid in Japan during the war years. He recounted his astonishment when the hated, demonized GIs finally showed up and occupied their country... and started handing out Hershey bars. He matter of factly said, if the situation had been reversed, and Japan had occupied the US, it would have been a nightmare of murder, rape and brutality.

Having read about the Second Sino-Japanese War and the treatment of pretty much all the countries the JIA invaded, there's no reason to believe we'd have been an exception.

Yo, peeps.

re: #154 realwest

Huh. His comment on what was written on the DVD was the first time I'd heard of Patton being an anti-war film. Only part I remember was when he was urging his army on to Bastogne and some troops said "There goes ole Blood 'n Guts" and another said "Yeah, his guts, our blood."
But how anyone can intrepret "The object of war is not to give your life for your country, it's too make the other poor bastard give his life for his country." as "anti-war" is beyond me!

Yep. And there's also the fact that the movie clearly shows his highly aggressive tactics in Sicily as actually getting the job done, compared to the more timorous approach being followed previously.

I find the movie ambiguous on the "anti-war" thing.

re: #163 Occasional Reader

The military version is not made by GM.

re: #157 lobo91

I may do the same. I just remembered that my wife gave me the Blu Ray set for Christmas, which I haven't had a chance to watch yet. It's supposed to have all new special features.

I am a special features fanatic, hands down. Just no money to be able to appreciate the BD step-up.

re: #131 Iron Fist

I don't know that it was proven historically, but it was sure enough for Hitler. Rommel was (as I understand it) given the choice of committing suicide or having his family executed before he was executed himself for his role in the plot to assassinate Hitler. So he died for his role, whatever that was.

He was peripherally involved with the plot and connected to several of the main plotters. He got a visit from the two creeps that ran the Wehrmacht personnel office (Gens. Burgdorf and Meisel) and was made an offer he couldn't refuse: arrest and execution, plus unspecified consequences for his family, or commit suicide, have the death reported as of natural causes, and get a state funeral. He chose the latter.

Burgdorf committed suicide on may 2, 1945. Maisel died of old age. Manfred Rommel, Erwin's son, later became mayor of Stuttgart.

re: #163 Occasional Reader

The Humvee's are produced by AM General and are not by the Hummer division of General Motors. They aren't being sold to the Chinese, only the GM division that is loosely based on the original military vehicle.

re: #161 DistantThunder

It started to sounds like Blah, blah, blah....did you hear Gordon Brown's? i was impressed.

* * * *
You're not alone!

Me old US military vet dad (Korea, France, Spain, Pakistan, Germany, Vietnam, Wash.DC) like Gordon Brown's speech better and Steven Harper's and Sarkozy's D-Day #65 speech, better than our US President's speech.

re: #160 FurryOldGuyJeans
Hah! Beat you to it!
That whole thing in Band of Brothers where the soldier is talking about GM reminds of of Yamamoto. In 1940 Japan produced about 100,000 cars. The US produced 10 million. Or something like that. The point is our industrial capacity was 100 times that of Japan.

re: #149 Iron Fist

Reply to both of you. Yes, Rommel was a professional. An honorable enemy without doubt. An example of a man that our current enemy cannot even begin to think of matching.

But he was still the enemy, and in service to one of the most evil empires in all of history. He came to realize that, eventually, and, as an honorable man, tried to change that. He lost his life as a result of that, and for that I do honor him. As one can honor a fallen enemy after they have been defeated.

Yes to all of that.

re: #140 Occasional Reader

I remember reading a remarkably frank opinion piece in the NYT from a Japanese academic who was a kid in Japan during the war years. He recounted his astonishment when the hated, demonized GIs finally showed up and occupied their country... and started handing out Hershey bars. He matter of factly said, if the situation had been reversed, and Japan had occupied the US, it would have been a nightmare of murder, rape and brutality.

In Band of Ambrose at the end in Europe he recounts stories of GI's scrambling to get dates with local girls. Contrasting with the Sovs who just took.

re: #165 Dar ul Harb

Having read about the Second Sino-Japanese War and the treatment of pretty much all the countries the JIA invaded, there's no reason to believe we'd have been an exception.

except we had lots of weapons in the hands of average citizens many more women like Sarah Palin.

re: #163 Occasional Reader

Um, the Hummer is produced by AM General -the military version, that is- civilian versions only have a passing resemblance.

re: #156 DistantThunder

I thought Band of Brothers was one of the best things I've ever seen on television. I don't know what a favorite episode or scene is... too much to choose from. It was a brilliant directorial move to take different episodes from the viewpoint of very different characters; e.g., the medic in Bastogne.

re: #164 Killian Bundy
Thanks. It would've been a bloodbath.

re: #167 Occasional Reader

Yep. And there's also the fact that the movie clearly shows his highly aggressive tactics in Sicily as actually getting the job done, compared to the more timorous approach being followed previously.

I find the movie ambiguous on the "anti-war" thing.

* * * * *
How could you forget Patton SLAPPED A Post Traumatically Stressed soldier?

(Don't all military people slap wounded warriors around? Maybe that was the 1960s message the directors wanted to send, that US military are baby killers & soldier slappers) (And the UN is our only hope)

re: #171 lawhawk

The Humvee's are produced by AM General and are not by the Hummer division of General Motors. They aren't being sold to the Chinese, only the GM division that is loosely based on the original military vehicle.

Okay... a bit of a relief. Thanks.

My uncle was part of the Italian invasion force.

re: #125 lobo91

Neither one. Reservist who was just released from mobilization after 5 years, because I now have over 17 years total active duty time. If I get to 18 years, they have to let me stay on until I reach 20 and qualify for active duty retirement.

That just plain old fashioned SUCKS. I'm sorry for you lobo91. Hey what was your MOS? Can it be,ah, translated for other purposes (11Bravo here, hard to find work in that field these days!).

re: #177 irongrampa

Um, the Hummer is produced by AM General -the military version, that is- civilian versions only have a passing resemblance.

Yup. The original (no longer produced) H1 model was actually built on the same chassis as the HMMWV, but the H2 and H3 models are built on GM mid-size and small SUV chassis', respectively.

They're just shaped sort of like HMMWVs.

re: #178 Occasional Reader

I thought Band of Brothers was one of the best things I've ever seen on television. I don't know what a favorite episode or scene is... too much to choose from. It was a brilliant directorial move to take different episodes from the viewpoint of very different characters; e.g., the medic in Bastogne.

* * * *
You'd probably really like Joe McCain's review of Band of Brothers. Wish I could append it here for you but am technically challenged.

re: #173 pingjockey

Hah! Beat you to it!
That whole thing in Band of Brothers where the soldier is talking about GM reminds of of Yamamoto. In 1940 Japan produced about 100,000 cars. The US produced 10 million. Or something like that. The point is our industrial capacity was 100 times that of Japan.

Be my guest at being the first counter-dinger, then. ;)

Yeah, Yamamoto's bombing of the Pacific fleet at Pearl was never intended to be an "End Game" move. It was only to give the Imperial fleet and army breathing space to run rampant throughout the Pacific and consolidate gains to make FDR rethink going toe-to-toe with an entrenched and prepared enemy.

re: #130 FurryOldGuyJeans
Indeed, see my #104!

John Bolton on Monica Crowley show. I love that guy.

re: #70 Tarkus289

screw google

....returned 3,640 hits
while the ever-popular "Google sucks" pulled a whopping 24,100

Al Gore may go to North Korea to get those two reporters released.
Maybe they'll "keep" him, too.

re: #180 alegrias

* * * * *
How could you forget Patton SLAPPED A Post Traumatically Stressed soldier?

(Don't all military people slap wounded warriors around? Maybe that was the 1960s message the directors wanted to send, that US military are baby killers & soldier slappers) (And the UN is our only hope)

The slapping of the soldier was a major event in Patton's career. It couldn't be ignored in the making of that movie. In my not-so-humble opinion, it was handled in a very reasonable manner.

re: #186 FurryOldGuyJeans
That didn't work out so well. Plus the whole 'sneak' attack, really backfired. Granted the Japanese were going to deliver their ultimatum before the attack but communications being what they were...

re: #189 Shiplord Kirel

Scroogle, I use it all the time.

use instaed of google

re: #93 lobo91

.

True. Remember WAB's comment about how, as a black man living in America, her husband could get shot putting gas in his car?

Of course, what she left out was the likelihood that the shooter would be another black man who was trying to steal said car...

i was very curious abt her. early in the campaign she was on national t.v.
this was the first time i had seen the woman who was being heralded as the next jackie O.
she was on a show being interviewed w/ zero by barbarw walters (iirc).
i was so stunned to see her hostile body language, she was smug, arrogant and then she dropped that line abt. "barack could get killed going to the gas station in this country."
i knew then she was a rude, aggressive, in your face, antagonistic militant weirdo.
and NOT the next jackie o.

oops! "instead"

re: #180 alegrias

* * * * *
How could you forget Patton SLAPPED A Post Traumatically Stressed soldier?

(Don't all military people slap wounded warriors around? Maybe that was the 1960s message the directors wanted to send, that US military are baby killers & soldier slappers) (And the UN is our only hope)

1970's message, not 60's.

Oooh, a new (2006) two-disc edition of Patton! I want, I want! ;)

re: #176 DistantThunder

except we had lots of weapons in the hands of average citizens many more women like Sarah Palin.

That's one thing that'll help us someday if the jihadis decide that a bunch of mass casualty attacks on soft targets in the U.S. will be their next move.

Concealed carry permittees.

re: #180 alegrias

* * * * *
How could you forget Patton SLAPPED A Post Traumatically Stressed soldier?

(Don't all military people slap wounded warriors around? Maybe that was the 1960s message the directors wanted to send, that US military are baby killers & soldier slappers) (And the UN is our only hope)

The "7th Army soldier slap" incident is a matter of historical record, and Patton was not only forced to publicly apologize but Eisenhower relieved him and left him in limbo for about 10 months.

[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

re: #145 abolitionist

The audio I transcribed is not quite clear. Re-checking, it sounds like "...the success of one day in Germany." Second syllable is truncated, I think, perhaps by BHO as he spoke, perhaps by a modern day Winston Smith.

re: #194 nyc redneck

angela davis maybe.

re: #188 Tarkus289

John Bolton on Monica Crowley show. I love that guy.

* * * *
Bolton characterized Pres. Obama's Ode to the "Moslem World" as just another Blame America First speech.

Rightly, in my opinion. Bolton eulogized Reagan's former marxist/democrat UN ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick beautifully a couple years ago, she being the woman who coined the phrase about her fellow democrats "but then they always Blame America First."

re: #183 realwest

That just plain old fashioned SUCKS. I'm sorry for you lobo91. Hey what was your MOS? Can it be,ah, translated for other purposes (11Bravo here, hard to find work in that field these days!).

I'm a 74D (what used to be a 54B, before that, a 54E--chemical corps), so my actual MOS is pretty useless in the civilian world, but I'm a sergeant major with operations and training experience (not to mention an MPA), so I'm sure I'll find something.

I'm just irritated by the way they did it. It's strictly a money issue. I qualified for my reserve retirement years ago, but I don't get it until I turn 60 (which means 2020). We have plenty of work, and my chain of command wants me to stay on, but big Army says no.

I got a whopping 2 1/2 weeks' notice, too. I was on leave, getting ready to go down to Phoenix for the NRA Annual Meeting, when they told me I wouldn't get anymore orders after May 30th.

re: #184 lobo91

I remember the vehicles we had were mostly produced by White, Diamond T,and others i forget--they were rock simple and just as tough. Some had rebuild plates on the dashboards, from Kaiderslautern, that were nearly 1/4 inch thick, riveted on each other.
Good times.

re: #186 FurryOldGuyJeans

Be my guest at being the first counter-dinger, then. ;)

Yeah, Yamamoto's bombing of the Pacific fleet at Pearl was never intended to be an "End Game" move. It was only to give the Imperial fleet and army breathing space to run rampant throughout the Pacific and consolidate gains to make FDR rethink going toe-to-toe with an entrenched and prepared enemy.

Correct. Yamamoto argued that a successful strike would give them - at most - 18 months, probably more like 12. Fortunately for us the man in charge of the japanese fleet was Nagumi.

Yamamoto is a really interesting figure, he was fundamentally against the war.

Why the heck does he have to turn everything into a lecture about leftist beliefs (competing values and varied cultures, etc.)? Good and evil haven't changed at all.

TCM showing a newsreel from the war..."London can take it".

re: #188 Tarkus289

John Bolton on Monica Crowley show. I love that guy.

me too. i love and admire him so much.
did you just hear monica say that "torture" is up in the polls. 17 pts. since 2005.
also pres. bush is up.
and v-pres. cheney is way up too.
ha ha ha way ahead of pelosi.

re: #194 nyc redneck

i was very curious abt her. early in the campaign she was on national t.v.
this was the first time i had seen the woman who was being heralded as the next jackie O.
she was on a show being interviewed w/ zero by barbarw walters (iirc).
i was so stunned to see her hostile body language, she was smug, arrogant and then she dropped that line abt. "barack could get killed going to the gas station in this country."
i knew then she was a rude, aggressive, in your face, antagonistic militant weirdo.
and NOT the next jackie o.

Most black victims of crime, have a black perp.

re: #197 Dar ul Harb

That's one thing that'll help us someday if the jihadis decide that a bunch of mass casualty attacks on soft targets in the U.S. will be their next move.

Concealed carry permittees.

* * **
Hey any of you Northern Virginians, please vote against the jihadist Omar Omeish, caught on tape saying "Jihad is the way", who's running on the democrat ticket to represent part of Fairfax, Northern Virginia this Tuesday. Our democrat governor had to demote this jihadist, who's suddenly back and running, gunning for office. Just say no to Omar!

re: #207 nyc redneck

Yes, I like Monica too, she is the conservative warrior princess.

re: #198 Former Belgian

The "7th Army soldier slap" incident is a matter of historical record, and Patton was not only forced to publicly apologize but Eisenhower relieved him and left him in limbo for about 10 months.

[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

Not quite "in limbo".
See Operation Quicksilver on the Wiki Operation Fortitude page

An entire Army Group was frozen at Pas de Calais.

re: #140 Occasional Reader

I remember reading a remarkably frank opinion piece in the NYT from a Japanese academic who was a kid in Japan during the war years. He recounted his astonishment when the hated, demonized GIs finally showed up and occupied their country... and started handing out Hershey bars. He matter of factly said, if the situation had been reversed, and Japan had occupied the US, it would have been a nightmare of murder, rape and brutality.

A few years ago, I made the mistake of discussing World War 2 with a moonbat who was also something of a Japanophile. We got around to Japanese atrocities and he explained ever so earnestly that we could not really condemn the Japanese for their behavior because it was just part of their culture to brutalize enemies, especially those who disgraced themselves by being captured.
I responded that, well, in that case, it was just part of our culture to fire-bomb people who do that kind of shit.
(I had been inspired by General Sir Charles Napier)

re: #204 enoughalready

Yamamoto is a really interesting figure, he was fundamentally against the war.

And he was ASSASSINATED! by racist imperialistic American P-38 pilots.

/

re: #209 alegrias

Oh cripes, my in-laws are in Fairfax. I truly hope their BDS has worn off to the point that they'll see through this guy.

re: #190 Capitalist Tool
Oh PULLEEZE let it be so!
Wonder who Obama would swap for him?! Biden, maybe?!
/

re: #187 realwest

Indeed, see my #104!

Looks like we gots us a stealth downdinger sneaking around!

Hey, Sore Kraut! Might be nice to actually discuss your views instead of just witnessing your cowardice.

re: #215 realwest
I nominate Blinky!

re: #209 alegrias

* * **
Hey any of you Northern Virginians, please vote against the jihadist Omar Omeish, caught on tape saying "Jihad is the way",

Please tell me you're kidding...

re: #216 FurryOldGuyJeans
It posted and disappeared!

re: #207 nyc redneck

me too. i love and admire him so much.
did you just hear monica say that "torture" is up in the polls. 17 pts. since 2005.
also pres. bush is up.
and v-pres. cheney is way up too.
ha ha ha way ahead of pelosi.

* * * *
Darn, Colonel Bud Day has written what torture really is--he disagrees with his fellow POW John McCain on this, and spent more time getting tortured than McCain--only I can't figure out how to post it here.

re: #216 FurryOldGuyJeans

Looks like we gots us a stealth downdinger sneaking around!

Hey, Sore Kraut! Might be nice to actually discuss your views instead of just witnessing your cowardice.

Who's the chicken shit down dinging?

re: #213 Occasional Reader

And he was ASSASSINATED! by racist imperialistic American P-38 pilots.

/

heh

(seriously ... would that we could have captured him instead)

re: #213 Occasional Reader

And he was ASSASSINATED! by racist imperialistic American P-38 pilots.

/

I meant interesting as in very different from Tojo's usual yes men. Yamamoto and Rommel were - arguably - the best strategists of the war if you ask me.

re: #218 Occasional Reader

Please tell me you're kidding...

Unfortunately, no.

re: #213 Occasional Reader

And he was ASSASSINATED! by racist imperialistic American P-38 pilots.

/

......and not even read his rights first. Oh, evil eeevviilll America (except Google of course).

re: #180 alegrias

* * * * *
How could you forget Patton SLAPPED A Post Traumatically Stressed soldier?

(Don't all military people slap wounded warriors around? Maybe that was the 1960s message the directors wanted to send, that US military are baby killers & soldier slappers) (And the UN is our only hope)

I confess that I have a secret list of people I'd like to slap.

re: #197 Dar ul Harb

That's one thing that'll help us someday if the jihadis decide that a bunch of mass casualty attacks on soft targets in the U.S. will be their next move.

Concealed carry permittees.

If they tried to do a Mumbai-style attack, they would most likely try to do it in a "gun-free" jurisdiction, I imagine.

(apparently I am coming out of the closet as a war nerd here)

re: #227 Occasional Reader

That would not be too hard to find, considering we post signs to advertise that fact.

re: #229 Tarkus289

That would not be too hard to find, considering we post signs to advertise that fact.

Yeah,

Disarmed Victim Zone!

re: #227 Occasional Reader

If they tried to do a Mumbai-style attack, they would most likely try to do it in a "gun-free" jurisdiction, I imagine.

Meaning a Democrat stronghold.

After which, idiots like Michael Moore would complain about how the people they killed voted for Obama, so they were on the same side...

Bolton/Cheney 2012

re: #227 Occasional Reader

If they tried to do a Mumbai-style attack, they would most likely try to do it in a "gun-free" jurisdiction, I imagine.

With so many states now having "shall issue" CCW laws, and as the effects of the Heller decision begin to be be applied to the states via the 14th Amendment, I hope there'll be very few of those left before too long.

re: #229 Tarkus289

That would not be too hard to find, considering we post signs to advertise that fact.

I'm doing my bit to make Washington more gunful.

re: #223 enoughalready

I meant interesting as in very different from Tojo's usual yes men. Yamamoto and Rommel were - arguably - the best strategists of the war if you ask me.

Technical/nitpicky point -- Rommel was more of a superb tactician. He never served in the role of a strategist, so we don't know how he would had done.

/he had a (bad?) habit of leading from the front, which isn't in the "strategist's" job description

re: #233 Dar ul Harb

With so many states now having "shall issue" CCW laws, and as the effects of the Heller decision begin to be be applied to the states via the 14th Amendment, I hope there'll be very few of those left before too long.

A wise Latina woman might help reverse that dumb white guy policy.

/

re: #234 Occasional Reader

So the gunemployment number is going up?

people are listening to dick cheney. people will always gravitate to a strong horse.
especially when a preening weak dolt is leading us toward danger.

re: #235 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Technical/nitpicky point -- Rommel was more of a superb tactician.

Also, he was a magnificent bastard. I read his book.

re: #216 FurryOldGuyJeans
Huh, don't hold your breath on that one. But you might want to report your comment #216 to Charles, he doesn't like those stealth downdingers who NEVER MAKE A FUCKING COMMENT OF THEIR OWN either.

bbl

re: #217 pingjockey
Yeah, on second thought you're right. I mean Biden is the gift that keeps on giving, while Pelosi......well, you know!

re: #238 nyc redneck

people are listening to dick cheney. people will always gravitate to a strong horse.
especially when a preening weak dolt is leading us toward danger.

If Cheney's a "strong horse," Obama's a carousel pony...

re: #236 Occasional Reader

A wise Latina woman might help reverse that dumb white guy policy.

/

Not if she's replacing Souter, she won't.

re: #235 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Technical/nitpicky point -- Rommel was more of a superb tactician. He never served in the role of a strategist, so we don't know how he would had done.

/he had a (bad?) habit of leading from the front, which isn't in the "strategist's" job description

True. I base my opinion on his work in the desert corps where, in my opinion, he - in the completely cut off situation - functioned as both. But I generally agree.

re: #240 realwest

Huh, don't hold your breath on that one. But you might want to report your comment #216 to Charles, he doesn't like those stealth downdingers who NEVER MAKE A FUCKING COMMENT OF THEIR OWN either.

Sore Kraut has a total of 3 comments to his ledger since joining in 2007.

Real active participant. //

Be my guest by joining me in being an informer. ;)

Well y'all it's been grand as usual but I gotta go now!
Hope you all have a great day and that I get the chance to see you all down the road.

And may God grant everlasting peace to all the brave allies who died this day, 65 years ago.

re: #239 Occasional Reader

Also, he was a magnificent bastard. I read his book.

Heh -- part of the Hollywood-crap in the movie was showing "Rommel's book" on Patton's nightstand. The title on the cover was twisted to refer to tanks/armored warfare.

Rommel had been an infantry commander on the WWI Italian front -- mountain infantry, IIRC. The book he wrote was titled (something very close to) "The Infantry In Attack"

OT
A Medal of Honor Winner Describes REAL Torture
Posted on May 25, 2009 at 16:30:32 by Ollie Shearer

Subject: A Medal of Honor Winner Describes REAL Torture

All,

The writer is Colonel Bud Day, USAF (Retired), Medal of Honor (MOH) Winner (No clue who "Kelly" is, other that obviously a close friend.):

"Dear Kelly:

Thanks for the "heads up" on the Medal of Honor spots. Some of my friends have seen it already and mentioned it. I sent a copy of my book to Fox News in D.C., and wanted Sean Hannity to be able to talk about what torture really is. He has no one on his side to talk about torture..who has been tortured. He is free to quote from the many illustrations that I provided in my book Duty Honor Country I got shot down over N Vietnam in 1967..a sq commander.

After I returned in 1973.. I published 2 books that dealt a lot with "real torture" in Hanoi. Our make believe president is branding our country as a bunch of torturers when he has no idea what torture is.

****e.g * as for me..put thru a mock execution because I would not respond...pistol whipped on the head...same event.. Couple of days later...hung by my feet all day.
I escaped and got recaptured a couple of weeks later.. I got shot and recaptured. Shot was OK...what happened after was not.

They marched me to Vinh.. put me in the rope trick, trick..almost pulled my arms out of the sockets Beat me on the head with a little wooden rod until my eyes were swelled shut, and my unshot, unbroken hand a pulp.

Next day hung me by the arms...rebroke my right wrist...wiped out the nerves in my arms that control the hands..rolled my fingers up into a ball. Only left the slightest movement of my L forefinger. So I started answering with some incredible lies.

Sent me to Hanoi strapped to a barrel of gas in the back of a truck.

Hanoi..on my knees..rope trick again. Beaten by a big fool.

Into leg irons on a bed in Heartbreak Hotel.

Much kneeling--hands up at Zoo.

Really bad beating for refusing to condemn Lyndon Johnson.

Several more kneeling events. I could see my knee bone thru kneeling holes.

There was an escape from the annex to the Zoo. I was the Senior Officer of a large building because of escape..they started a mass torture of all commanders.

I think it was July 7, 1969..they started beating me with a car fan belt. In first 2 days I took over 300 strokes..then stopped counting because I never thought I would live thru it.

They continued day-nite torture to get me to confess to a non-existent part in the escape. This went on for at least 3 days. On my knees..fan belting.. cut open my scrotum with fan belt stroke. opened up both knee holes again. My fanny looked like hamburger..I could not lie on my back.

They tortured me into admitting that I was in on the escape..and that my 2 room-mates knew about it.

The next day I denied the lie.

They commenced torturing me again with 3- 6- or 9 strokes of the fan belt every day from about July 11 or 12rh..to 14 October 1969. I continued to refuse to lie about my roommates again.

Now, the point of this is that our make-believe president has declared to the world that we (U.S.) are a bunch of torturers.. Thus it will be OK to torture us next time when they catch us....because that is what the U.S. does.

Our make-believe president is a know nothing fool who thinks that pouring a little water on some one's face, or hanging a pair of womens pants over an Arabs head is TORTURE. He is a meathead.

I just talked to MOH holder Leo Thorsness who was also in my sq in jail ..as was john McCain..and we agree that McCain does not speak for the POW group when he claims that Al Gharib was torture.. or that "water boarding" is torture.

Our president and those fools around him who keep bad mouthing our great country are a disgrace to the United States. Please pass this info on to Sean Hannity. He is free to use it to point out the stupidity of the claims that water boarding ..which has no

re: #245 enoughalready

True. I base my opinion on his work in the desert corps where, in my opinion, he - in the completely cut off situation - functioned as both. But I generally agree.

I see what you mean. He did have the larger picture. Taking Cairo and Suez, and then moving beyond, would have altered the strategic picture of the war. He knew that.

re: #248 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Heh -- part of the Hollywood-crap in the movie was showing "Rommel's book" on Patton's nightstand. The title on the cover was twisted to refer to tanks/armored warfare.

Rommel had been an infantry commander on the WWI Italian front -- mountain infantry, IIRC. The book he wrote was titled (something very close to) "The Infantry In Attack"

Any military commander that DOESN'T study the works/writings of potential or real enemy commanders should never be given any responsibility for commanding troops in battle.

re: #248 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Heh -- part of the Hollywood-crap in the movie was showing "Rommel's book" on Patton's nightstand. The title on the cover was twisted to refer to tanks/armored warfare.

Rommel had been an infantry commander on the WWI Italian front -- mountain infantry, IIRC. The book he wrote was titled (something very close to) "The Infantry In Attack"

I think this is what you're looking for.

re: #251 FurryOldGuyJeans

Any military commander that DOESN'T study the works/writings of potential or real enemy commanders should never be given any responsibility for commanding troops in battle.

As Yamamoto knew full well, his time spent in America had been utterly wasted.

/SARC! ... SARC!

re: #253 lobo91

I think this is what you're looking for.

Yep!
"Infanterie greift an"

/couldn't remember the exact title, and had forgetten my German from college

RESCAP
Warthog (A10) downed pilot rescue demonstration.

re: #256 jcm

Isn't Arizona lovely in the summertime.

re: #145 abolitionist

In Part 1, at 7:55, The outcome of the entire struggle would ultimately rest on the success of one day in Germany.

Germany? Sheesh. And some of the paratroopers were miles off their targets.

"Forget it, he's rolling."