Misconception

by: Richard Allen Smith

Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 09:33:39 AM EST


I am a progressive. I'm sure it surprises everyone to read those words (/sarcasm). But nothing annoys me more than when my fellow progressives get it wrong. Not wrong on subjective opinions, per se, but on facts.  It's not intentional.  Fellow progressives don't mean to misconstrue the facts. They just don't always understand the community from which Veterans and uniformed service members come. Case in point:

During the Bush administration, the JSOC was reportedly being commanded by the vice president's office, effectively making them Dick Cheney's own "executive assassination squad," according to investigative reporter Seymour Hersh.

President Obama's top official on the occupation of Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, oversaw the JSOC from September 2003 to August 2008.

"The JSOC" (that's humorous isn't it?) is not, as this excerpt would indicate, some small secret society of military ninjas traveling the world at the behest of the highest echelons of the executive branch.  Those of us from the military community know that JSOC is a relatively large command in a relatively visible (albeit fenced in) location on Fort Bragg. In the years I spent at Fort Bragg, or in Afghanistan with my Bragg based unit, it wasn't uncommon to see fellow soldiers proudly displaying the distinct JSOC patch on their right shoulder, extraordinary publicity for such a secret society.

Look, I agree with much of the article linked above if it's assertions are verified.  Mercs being contracted through JSOC without congressional oversight is bad news. But the depiction of JSOC is just plain wrong.  But let's at least get a description of the organization that can't be debunked by any random PFC at the Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville.

Richard Allen Smith :: Misconception
Tags: (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email
Misconception | 1 comments
Not taking sides here, but I would suggest some research (0.00 / 0)
about the background to Hersh's assertions. Guess I've been around too long. But when it comes to 'stuff' like this, it is best not to judge the book by its 'cover', meaning that the JSOC we see may not be all that the JSOC is even to many who wear that patch.

I still want to believe that Powell was 'duped' by the 'Cheney intel' when he testified about those 'aluminum tubes'.  Over time too much other 'stuff'  has come to light to ignore. One of the legacies of Cheney is that anything that can be linked to Cheney immediately develops a 'something's rotten in Denmark' smell.

Personally, I believe that McChrystal has some 'trust' issues. Start with googling "Camp Nama".  He's certainly not a fav of the Tlilman family, either. I might even speculate, just to raise as a point for discussion, that this has kept McChrystal out of the DC spotlight.



Misconception | 1 comments
VetVoice on Facebook
VetVoice Recommends

"The War I Always Wanted,"
By Brandon Friedman

"The welcome mat for memoirs by veterans of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom might never wear out so long as they write with the savvy of Brandon Friedman . . . Friedman's take is vivid, frank, precise and dramatic." --Military Times

"Add Brandon Friedman's The War I Always Wanted to the ranks of outstanding non-fiction produced by officers from elite combat units in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Always truthful, often excruciatingly so, The War I Always Wanted rises at numerous points to the level of literature." --Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire

Buy The War I Always Wanted here.

"A Time To Lead,"
By General (Ret.) Wesley K. Clark

"A Time To Lead confirms the rewarding benefits of military service at a time when such service is experiencing considerable strain. It also includes a comprehensive description of America's current national imperatives, which deserve serious consideration." --General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., former Secretary of State

"This is a primer on leadership forged in battle and by decades of experience. . .This isn't just a book; it's a manual for leading people and living a good life." --Barry McCaffrey, General, USA (ret.)

Buy A Time to Lead here.

"Love My Rifle More Than You,"
By Kayla Williams

"Whip smart, sassy, with a mouth as foul as a sailor's, 28-year-old Sergeant Kayla Williams. . .tells what it's like to be a female soldier in Iraq." --Booklist

". . .echoes military memoirists from Julius Caesar to Ernie Pyle." --Publishers Weekly

". . .a shocking, on-the-ground view of one military woman's experience in Iraq." --Bookmarks Magazine

Buy Love My Rifle More Than You here.

"How to Break a Terrorist,"
By Matthew Alexander

"...a riveting, fast-paced account that reads like a first-rate thriller." --Publisher's Weekly

" ...an absorbing behind-the-scenes look at the secret intelligence war within a war." --Military.com

Buy How to Break a Terrorist here.

RSS Feed Links

Subscribe to VetVoice in a feed reader!

Subscribe to VetVoice by Email!

Diaries and comments at VetVoice do not necessarily represent the views of VoteVets.org. VetVoice will strive to remove any illegal material as soon as it is flagged. Similarly, VetVoice will use its discretion in determining whether to remove exceedingly offensive material. However, between posting and removal, any offensive or illegal material does not reflect the condoning or endorsing of said material by VoteVets.org or VetVoice.
Similarly, the views expressed on this website are those of the authors alone. Opinions on this website do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or any of its components.
Menu

Front Page Writers
PTSD Resources
TBI Resources
IRR Information
Casualty Reports
VA Information
Support the Troops
Veteran Candidates We Support
Congressional Committees
Contact Your Elected Leaders
Sites We Like
Search

Advanced Search

Paid for VoteVets Political Action Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. VoteVets Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf veterans and their families. VoteVets Political Action Committee is a federal political committee which primarily helps elect Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran candidates and educates about veterans and military issues aimed at influencing the outcome of the next election.

Site Design: Articulated Man

VoteVets Political Action and Vote Vets Action Fund are separate organizations.

Powered by: SoapBlox