OK Boys and Girls, It's a Boycott

Here's the deal: Ted Rall is a cartoonist/columnist who I've occasionally read.¹ I freely admit to laughing at "CHICKEN HAWK DOWN". Nevertheless, Ted's gone and done something dumb:

I didn't know the late Pat Tillman. I barely remembered the story of a guy ditching the NFL for the military, and I at first didn't understand the significance of his death. With that being said, I would vehemently disagree with him being dubbed an "idiot". I'd prefer to designate a man who walks away from athletic millions as a moral exemplar, the Starship Troopers version of a citizen. In short, I'd tip my hat to his memory.

Mr. Rall did not, however, see fit to leave himself at that. He has written a column that goes a wee bit further, in response to the allegations of misconduct by American forces in an Iraqi-based prison. In his column, he makes the following points:

Now it's official: American troops occupying Iraq (news - web sites) have become virtually indistinguishable from the SS. Like the Germans during World War II, they cordon off and bomb civilian villages to retaliate for guerilla attacks on their convoys.

Hrrm. L. Paul Bremer hardly seems to be the American equivalent of Reinhard Heydrich, and I have a hard time seeing Himmler in the face of John Ashcroft. (There are, however, large political groups that can't see this difference.) I've written about the National Socialist destruction of villages before, and since I know a little bit about it, I don't see Fallujah as equal to Lidice. After all, Fallujah still stands.

[The prison where these events are alleged to have occurred] Abu Ghraib, you can bet your bottom dollar, is merely the tip of the iceberg. Our military is structurally corrupt. Beginning in Afghanistan during the weeks after 9/11, civilian command yielded to the amoral gangster mentality of the arrogant intelligence officers of Army Special Forces and the CIA, who stand accused of massacring thousands of captured Taliban prisoners yet have never faced a real investigation.

I've never really known anyone from Special Forces etc., but I doubt that they possess an "amoral ganster mentality". If they're arrogant, it's probably justified; in any event, the campaign in Afghanistan taught us a few things about the tenacity and irregular fighting ability of the Taliban. And then we annihilated them. As for massacring "thousands" of captured Taliban prisoners, ask me if I care. Again, Valentin Zhukovsky: "They were ruthless people. They got what they deserved." I for one am neither eager nor interested to get to the bottom of rumors about supposed slaughters of "surrendered" Taliban combatants. Besides, they seem to fight quite well while in captivity; ask the family of J.M. Spann and others present at the prison around Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan.

I am, to say the least, disgusted by the comparison of our troops with the odious records of the Waffen-SS and the regular SS units. Mr. Rall, you are worthy of contempt; yours is an immature and unfounded position. I didn't think I'd ever get to use the moveon.org stamp again, but here goes: You're not worthy of sitting at the national table and having a discussion with the adults about how things will be. Sorry. Take a seat with Howard Dean and International ANSWER.

Towards the idea of trying some non-violent retaliation against Mr. Rall, the Evangelical Outpost has a plan. The suggestion is this: Boycott any and all publications running UExpress material, if possible.

At this point in time, I don't have a list of those publications. The only one that's come up is Men's Health, which I don't read and haven't ever bought or subscribed to.

I won't even bother with the disclaimer that "freedom of speech" lets him say whatever. Mr. Rall can take comfort in the fact that tarring and feathering, or the literal riding out of town on a rail have both fallen into disuse in the last fifty years or so.

Mr. Rall, you sicken me. more...

Posted by: Country Pundit at 01:41 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Military Appreciation Month

This, from the Bull Moose Republicans:

May is National Military Appreciation Month. The Bull Moose Republicans would like to acknowledge all veterans and current members of the military, and thank them for their service to our country.

A bit of the purpose behind the event:

Our military has played a major role in the development of our country chronicled through their unbending honor, their dedication to duty and their love of country. Because most holidays commemorating historical military events have become little more than three-day weekends lacking focus on their original purpose, a vehicle is needed with form and structure to promote this month-long May observance.

For more information, visit National Military Appreciation Month.

The Country Pundit would like to issue a thanks to all men and women who have served their nation in uniform from 1775 to 2004, and beyond. I am grateful for your service, and thankful for your willingness to go forth into harm's way in defense of American freedom.

Tip of the Wisconsin hat to Bull Moose Republicans.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 05:15 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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