My Message To The Forum And Why I Am So Critical Of The GOP

[TheMastersNemesis]

I am fairly new to the forum here. I have said a lot of controversial and even somewhat instigative things. I have good reason to feel the way I do and here is why.

First I am a Vietnam veteran and served with the First Cavalry Division. I saw us lose a lot of good people. One was my Captain Michael Nawrosky one of the finest bravest and considerate commanders I ever had. I was his company clerk at the time. He was wounded near Khe Sahn during the relief operation Pegasus in March 1968. He died in surgery a few months later at Walter Reed in 1968. He was a West Pointer and would have been a four star general. We lost our battalion commander that day and his helicopter. His XO was captured and tortured. We suffered nearly 30 killed in our battalion during the relief effort for Khe Sahn, which was abandoned shortly after we broke the NVA. I had to go into a tent with 30 killed to identify our company dead from that operation. It was the worst day of my life. I was absolutely furious when I left that area. 30 minutes later we started getting artillery fire from the NVA. Thanks to our air they spotted and obliterated the enemy artillery.

He did not believe in sacrificing a single soldier. He believed in battle field prep where there was no resistance. Like Omar Bradley he was a soldiers commander. Protect them at all costs first. Then subdue the enemy. It was not like Bush who pretty much killed so many of our troops with inadequate equipment and a phony war. He is one evil bastard and so is Cheney.

The GOP killed WWI vets running them out of Washington because they wanted their bonus. They apposed the GI Bill after WWII. Nixon vetoed a GI Bill in 1970. They have apposed every single vet issue that takes care of vets. They intend to turn the VA system and Tri care into a voucher (coupon) system for private insurance company. Bush and Rumsfeld had plans to turn MASH units in Iraq and Afghanistan to private contractors. THE GOP HAS SCREWED VETS EVERY SINGLE TIME. God D. those bastards. They salted a lot of RW people in the VA to deny vets their disabilities. The GOP still apposes vets care and they will scuttle it. Of course they will hide that to the very end.

Bush left thousands of RW people in government to muck up the works. When you are in programs like I was you see a lot more than the average guy. Obama has mistakenly left too many Bush people in place.

I will never accept a country run by the GOP racist bigot woman hating worker hating party. They are the enemy and will always be the enemy as far as I am concerned. I would never salute a criminal like Romney except with a certain finger right to his face. He is a dangerous sociopath. The quality of all their canididate is like going to an insane asylum for recruits.

There is another reason why I hate the GOP so much.

I worked at DOL for 24 years at DOL in many programs from welfare to work to being at a homeless shelter for 4 years part tiem doing my job. All I ever heard was attacks from GOP POS. Reagan killed the National Employment Service started by FDR. The county programs that replaced it are a joke and a crime. Welfare reform is a crime and Clinton was an idiot for signing it.

I look at the labor and employment situation through a different lens than most people. The GOP, big business, conservatives, the rich, and the US Chamber has completely wrecked the structure labor and employment system in this country. It will take a generation to replace what the union movement brought to the worker in the last 100 years.

Given time the GOP will turn us into a Somalia. We are headed for an economic Armageddon if we give them any more power.

Here is a future I will guarantee for workers if the GOP gets its way. They will end all labor laws including minimum wage. They will end all domestic programs and turn them over to the churches. Full time employment will come to end and will be replaced with "contract employment". A significant number of jobs are already contract.The GOP will accomplish its goal of employee free corporations.

The GOP started the outsourcing and will expand it exponentially under Romney. The Democrats are forced to go along by fear of huge money that will bury them. Under Bush we lost millions of jobs to outsourcing. Romney even outsource state jobs to India when he was governor.

I interviewed thousands of people during my career. I watch the slow death of our labor and employment system. I saw so many people screwed by greedy American employers that it made me sick. And Bush pretty much wrecked everything. He was the most anti union and anti worker president in history. The Bush family is scum and Prescott Bush traded with Hitler.

What amazes me is that since Bush the GOP has gotten exponentially worse. They salute the Chinese flag and not the American flag. Every effort the the Democrats have made to slow the outsourcing has been scuttled by the GOP.

Any party who viciously attacks women, children, veterans, workers, the disabled, the helpless, the sick, seniors, homosexuals, transgenders, all minorities and furry little things (the environment) deserves political extermination. They hide behind the flag and use religion to promote evil, division and hatred. The GOP is not pro life they are pro murder. They are the defenders of Mr. Zimmerman

I could go on and on but I will stop here. All I can say is if I could mind meld with this forum with the experience I have and what I see from a labor and employment standpoint, everyone would be incensed. The GOP as it is now HAS ABSOLUTELY NO REDEEMING HUMAN VALUE WHATSOVER. Just read that a hole Ryan's budget. And these sick pieces of garbage passed that budget. And Romney embraced it.

Personally I look at all Republicans like I did the VC or NVA in Vietnam. They are not the solution to any of our problems. THEY ARE THE PROBLEM. And they are as mortal an enemy as a party now than anything else we have faced. All anyone with any common sense has to do is to think and reflect what we will have if they achieve ALL of their agenda. They have already pretty much scuttled the future of the younger generation.

I realize that I am going take some criticism here and some of it may well be deserved. But I am just sick of watching so much destruction, hatred and division being pushed by the RW and the GOP for the last 32 years. We have to stop these people dead in their tracks in this election cycle and throw them all out of office if we can. We cannot give up the country to the likes of the "religious wrong", the oligarchs and the GOP. They are saboteurs, provocateurs, and obstructionists.

What I have said is why I am so adamantly against anything GOP. I hear the hatred of Obama every day I go to play golf where I live and I am just more than tired of it. I still do not like things Obama has done but he is all we have right now. I am very worried about this election.

[shraby]

1. I don't know about your personal experiences, but you've pretty much tagged the

gop with true statements. They are pond scum of the first degree. I refuse to capitalize either gop or republican anymore..they don't deserve it.
They need kicked out of office and if possible cleaned out of the various offices where they have any power. All they do is muck things up as much as they possibly can.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. Thank you so much for this. The fact that you're a Vietnam Vet makes your views that much more

vital. I've never served in the military, so my view is quite removed, but I've noticed that the Republican Party mouths off about backing the military, then turns around and does little or nothing for those who have served. Again, thanks. Post more, please.

[Scuba]

38. From one vet to another, thanks....

Never forget our lost comrades.

Scuba
SSgt USAF 1970-1976

[xtraxritical]

58. "I realize that I am going take some criticism here and some of it may well be deserved."

I'm sure you won't get any criticism here on DU. Everything you said needs saying every day by more and more people. The only hope at this juncture is to overwhelmingly elect Democrats at all levels of government. Voting for write-ins and independents got us the Tparty and all these rightwingnuts in the first place. Thank you so much for your post.

[RKP5637]

3. One paragraph you wrote that really stuck in my mind as so evident and

constantly demonstrated was the below, which we see evidence of from the GOP day after day, year after year. To me, they have become the party of un-American. I'm more concerned about and fearful of the GOP than any of the bogymen they throw at us for their fear mongering propaganda.

"Any party who viciously attacks women, children, veterans, workers, the disabled, the helpless, the sick, seniors, homosexuals, transgenders, all minorities and furry little things (the environment) deserves political extermination. They hide behind the flag and use religion to promote evil, division and hatred. The GOP is not pro life they are pro murder. They are the defenders of Mr. Zimmerman."

[libinnyandia]

4. I have never voted for a Republican in my 40 years of voting. I could never vote for a Republican.

I hate it when somebody says Democrats and Republicans are the same. In 2000 I could not understand why, at a time when the GOP had majorities in the House and Senate and had a majority on the SCOTUS, anyone would want to take a chance and support a third party candidate for President. A so we ended up with Bush.

[libtodeath]

5. You are a true patriot and hero

it is time we stopped playing nice with the right wing bastards.
They are power hungry and blood thirsty criminals that exist to hoard wealth.
Fuck them.

[abq e streeter]

9. +1

[greytdemocrat]

6. Woot!

That was something else!! I'm glad you didn't leave out Bu$hitler!!!

[lunatica]

7. Good piece

You should devote more time to writing this stuff. Your point of view is from the inside which is a good place to educate people from.

[Danascot]

36. I second this thought. Blogs, editorials, letters to the editor?

... and thank you for all of it.

[abq e streeter]

8. One of the most powerful (and of course 100 % true) things I've ever read here. THANK YOU !

I agree with everything until the very last sentence. I am generally a pessimist , and I was worried too until I realized that for once it's the repubs and not our party that is shooting themselves in the foot and grabbing defeat from the jaws of at least a possible victory. I think they have marginalized themselves to the point that even the inevitable relentless spin from the corporate media about how Romney is a "moderate" etc will not fool enough people this time , as to who and what the repubs have become.
I would love to copy this and post to facebook, but will not do so without your permission first.
Thank you again.

[MrScorpio]

10. Twenty-two year Air Force man here

Welcome aboard

[TahitiNut]

65. Fly boy.

You KNOW I mean that in the best possible way.

(When you coming over for a few beers?)

[byronius]

11. Well said, sir.

[JEB]

12. I couldn't agree more.

Thanks for laying it all out based on your personal experience. Well done.

[Jackpine Radical]

13. Nice rant.

BTW--I was 1st Cav too. I had spent 8 months in the 2/5, but was at Camp Evans when you guys went into Khe Sanh--had escaped the infantry into a psych medic MOS (long story), but I had and lost a lot of friends at Khe Sanh.

BTW--Have you ever met Max Cleland? I did, when he was touring for Kerry in 2004. He lost both legs & an arm at Khe Sanh, and the guy who saved his life, Charlie Wolden, turns out to have been a Marine from my area who has run for WI Assembly a couple of times (Democrat), so Max has a sort of affinity for the area & has been known to come up to help us with our campaigns.

[TheMastersNemesis]

21. I Hate To Rant

I hate to rant but it is impossible to see your country being dismantled a piece at a time over 32 years. Reagan was a devil may he rot in hell. He opened this pandora's box. The GOP enabled the evil deliberately. .

2nd of the 5th Cav would be the second brigade. The 2nd Brigade also took a lot of hits over time. And I traveled to Camp Evans fairly frequently on company/division business. We would get a jeep from the motor pool and 4 of us clerks would go down to Div headquarters to turn in paper work. It was about a 20 mile drive. We could go down the main high way without fear of IED's once the road was checked in the morning. That is what was different about Vietnam. We could go off base among the general population.

In Iraq and Afganistan you cannot even walk out a door without fear and being locked and loaded. I feel it is much worse.

I was on a firebase briefly called LZ Jane near Quang Tri City about a mile from a village called Hai Lang. Battalions of the 1st and 2nd Brigade were there for several months.

I am going to start sharing anecdotal stories about my personal experience as we go along here. My purpose is to expose what life was really like in Vietnam on a day to day basis. And I believe people should know about a lot of things that I am prepared to say.
Vets should be telling their personal stories. That is the only way for the next generation to know and understand what war is.

Hiding you experience hurts the vet personally and denies others the understand they need. You can share your experiences without all the gory details. So I will posting as I remember. Some things that I will say will be very personal yet they reveal from my experience what others should know.

If you are vet tell you story on these forums. I am ok with what I will likely say in the future. I will talk about Kerry and Max. What happened to them is criminal. It sealed my attitude of deep hatred for everything GOP.

[Xyzse]

14. Sir, I respect your views and though I think the same...

I am uncertain if I can forward your words till I can corroborate who you are and what you say.

That I consider your words well meaning and can agree with them, I can assure you of that. However, I can't post such a thing elsewhere or forward this to family and friends because they will attack is as fake unless it can be proven otherwise.

Please note, that many will dismiss the heart of your claims and instead attack your character. I do not condone such a thing, but that is the usual course of action.

I appreciate the reason behind your views, and that though I tend to think the same would like a little more background.

Also:

"They apposed the GI Bill after WWII." - Opposed rather than apposed
--
I don't criticize your argument as I agree with it, just please note that if you do go to a more "Right" leaning site posting such a thing they will attack your character rather than address any of the issues that you have stated.

Needless to say, welcome to this forum. Apologies for what I mention, it is just that I know how things go in various places and in dealing with relatives who are far to the right of me.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

15. A warm welcome to you.

I look forward to your posts especially knowing where you come from so please, don't hold back.
Those "controversial and even somewhat instigative things" are welcome speaking for myself
and are refreshing especially like I said, knowing where you're coming from.

I have a couple questions, I only know a few people in the military, to most have the same perspective
you do? or at least those that are more mature.

And have you ever read Stan Goff? He's ex-military and one of the most brilliant activists I know.
Just wondering if you have ever checked him out.

Thank you for all you've done for this country. Soldiers like like you make my heart swell.

[JDPriestly]

16. Join your local Democratic Club and or work for the Obama

campaign. The most important thing is to take back Congress, especially the House.

We need feet on the ground, hands ringing doorbells, voices on the phone giving every single American everywhere the message that the Republican Party and all the rich, selfish people in it are not our friends.

Thank you.

Right now, make sure everyone you know, everyone you see is registered or registering to vote. Remind everyone all the time.

[wyldwolf]

17. My generation in my family was the first to not be in the military

My Father served in Korea.

One grandfather served in WWI (he enlisted while underage), and the other in WWII.

My family still has artifacts from when great great grandfathers and uncles who served in the Civil War (on both sides, apparently.)

As far as I can tell none of them were political but knowing what little I do about them from firsthand experience to tales told by mothers, grandmothers and family writings, they'd be appalled at how servicemen and women are treated by this GOP - a mere shadow of their former selves.

Welcome to DU, thank you for your service and you are absolutely right in what you've written. As I've gotten less tolerant of those bastards as I've gotten older.

[freshwest]

18. Powerful testimony. Thanks. I'm sure they hate you for telling the truth you know.

My only question would be, in retrospect, why you still refer to the NVA and VC as the enemy. They certainly would not be the friend of any American sent there, nor even to their own people to some eyes.

But you were sent there to protect what I'd call GOP interests. And you certainly define what I call the best of the military. It's very painful for veterans who signed on believing they were protecting all that they loved, to find they were only seen as pawns in war games.

I appreciate your passion and this OP.

[TahitiNut]

19. You forgot ...

... that they'll create a "working class" without voting rights!

From "illegal migrants" to ex-felons to folks without the 'proper papers,' the GOP is obsessively removing the rights of workers to have ANY voice in this country. Collective bargaining is just one more 'voice' being silenced. At the same time, the fascists on SCOTUS call money "speech." Don't have any? Then shut up!

It's antebellum Plantation Economics ... and the GOP gets wet just thinking about it.


Oh... and by the way ... I'm a Viet Nam vet, too. USA SP/5, 1969, USARV HQ Company, US54980___ (not RA___) ... yeah, a POG. Not a "REMF" because there was no "RE" in Nam. When we repelled an augmented battalion of NVA on Feb 23, 1969, I lost my REMF-hood.

[TheMastersNemesis]

22. I Remember My Service Number After 44 years. It Is US5658----. Too.

[Jackpine Radical]

60. Yeah, those pre-SocSec service numbers.

Mine was about 300,000 smaller than yours: 565*****.

2d Bde-right. I was at Jane for a while just before Khe Sanh. They moved us & our heavy equipment up from Qui Nhon to Da Nang via an unarmed, decommissioned LST with a Japanese crew. Da Nang and Hue were just blown apart from Tet. This was March '68.

I remember being at Evans when they hit our ammo dump with a 122mm rocket. The dump at that moment had about 3 times the normal amount of munitions stored in it, in anticipation of Khe Sanh. It produced an amazing display of fireworks--tracers popping, artillery flares of various kinds, etc. I was sitting on a sandbag bunker about 3 clicks from the dump, which was near the other side of the perimeter, watching the show. Then there was an immense BOOOOOM with a ground shock wave, and the sky lit up as a roiling mushroom cloud sprang upwards. I somersaulted backwards off the bunker & the first coherent thought I remember was "Migod, I been nuked!" I was thinking about all kinds of crazy things like the fact that there is a nuclear round for the 8" gun. Did they have one in that ammo dump?

Well, it wasn't a nuke. It was a 50,000 gallon tank of helicopter fuel that blew. There were 3 more of those explosions that night. Some military genius had located the ammo dump and the POL point (Army talk for the fuel depot) right next to each other.

[TahitiNut]

63. I remember the night they hit the ammo dump near Bien Hoa.

Shook the shit out of us at Long Binh. Yup.

[pinboy3niner]

27. I didn't know you were in HQ Co. there (which would have been Special Troops)

I got there in April as a 1LT and started as Ass't. S-1 at Special Troops HQ (I managed the MPC conversion--remember that?). I was there for several months before being reassigned to the 101st in I Corps.

Welcome home!

[TahitiNut]

40. Yup. We were "speshul" alright. I was in the DSC ... next to the Generals' compound.

We erected the blast wall around it ... to make sure that any indirect fire that was on-target would be contained and kill everyone inside. (That's the "military mind" for ya.)
I vaguely remember the (annual?) MPC conversion ... and all the panicked grey market folks.

Did you work "up on the hill" (to the west-northwest) in one of the 2-story tin tilt-ups? I only had a couple of trips up there when I was working on Strength Accountability. (hush-hush shit ... "foxhole strength" in detail) I needed to tap into intel on action reports to apply "fuzz" for units on LRPs. I got it within an RCH (technical measure of precision) of dead-nuts-on. The Pentagon was happy. 1969 was the first year they could actually know how many troops were in Viet Nam THAT WEEK ... without waiting 4-6 months for the data to be crunched. Until I redesigned the system, they were failing on the first rule of warfare: know the location and condition of all your forces. (That's been the first rule since the first caveman told another one to pick up a rock and throw it.)

Or did you work in one of the barracks buildings "on the street"? I recall the building where we went for orders and promo tests ... where the LtCol who bought it on Feb 23rd worked. I bunked on the 2nd floor above our arms room ... just across from the Chapel (and pool).

You guys did six-and-six, as I recall. I Corps wasn't on my tour schedule (thank the gods). I did January-November 1969... just shy of 11 months before I got Nixon's "home for the holidays" treatment.

Backatcha, GI.

[pinboy3niner]

49. We probably crossed paths at one of the BBQs by the pool

Here's a map of Long Binh Post showing where things were located, including USARV HQ (1), HQ Special Troops, where I worked (10), and the swimming pool (33) and chapel (34):
http://www.chairborneranger.com/images/longbinhmap.htm

As you can see, we were in the same neighborhood, at least as far as where you bunked and where I worked.

I arrived there in April '69, and I knew the CO of HQ Co. (who was married to a nurse who also was there at Long Binh at the time, working at either the 93rd or 24th evac. hosp.).

Everybody who worked at USARV HQ and some other support elements was assigned to Sp. Troops, so we had HQ Co., the WAC Detachment, the MP Co. (which guarded 'Long Binh Jail'), the Security Guard Detachment, etc.

My best friends there were the CO and XO of the Sec. Guard, a unit made up of hand-picked combat veterans assigned to guard the HQ and General Officers compound. Pete, the CO, had been a company commander with the 1st Cav and was recommendeded for the Medal of Honor (he was awarded the DSC). The XO, 'One-Nut,' had come from the 25th Inf. (and his nickname decribed the result of his combat wounds).

My short-lived assignment to Special Troops was a fluke, as incoming Infantry lts were supposed to be sent directly to a field unit. But the LTC commanding Sp. Troops had a vacancy, and the personnel who did the assignments at 90th 'Repo Depot' were all assigned to Sp. Troops, so the commander pretty much got whatever he wanted. So they grabbed me, and the LTC kept blocking my requests for transfer. It was only when the LTC's son, a Captain, came in as a transfer from the 101st to work in officer assignments on the hill that I was able to finagle a trf, with the Captain's help, out of the clutches of his dad (who was a good CO, and I had a good job--just not the right one).

My war ended in Feb. '70 when I got hit with AK fire in the face and shoulder while leading an Infantry platoon in the 101st. My little brother was there as a personnel clerk at our Div. HQ, and he saw me at the 85th evac. hospital the same day. After 5 days at the 85th and 95th I was medevac'd to an ICU in Japan for a week and then back to the states, where the Army released me from the hospital after 18 months and retired me for partial disability. As Dale Dye said in 'Platoon,' it was "a lovely fuckin' war."

Here's a pic of USARV HQ and some other links you might find interesting...



Bien Hoa Airbase and Long Binh Base
http://www.rjsmith.com/bien-hoa-long-binh-complete-02.html

US Army Vietnam HQ (1969)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aodcurator/5064116717/in/set-72157620946947816

US Base at Long Binh 1971
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aodcurator/3687463180/in/set-72157620946947816

[TahitiNut]

62. That map is missing some stuff, I think.

The DSC (Data Service Center) was where it's labeled '19' and my hooch was between 34 and 10. In fact, if you attended one of our BBQ's and tasted Herb Saito's teriyaki beef strips, you were right outside my hooch. You confirmed my faulty recall that Special Troops HQ was the barracks-style building "on the street" ... which we'd pass when going back to work after the Vietnamese barber doused our skulls with that awful stinking stuff. The 'USARV Chapel' was in a fairly open field, along with the AG pool and 'theater' (seats under a huge, green cargo parachute on a pole). I remember throwing things at the screen (along with many others) when they showed John Wayne in 'Green Berets' ... possibly the absolute worst movie EVER. I remember the EM Club, of course, and especially the night we walked out on Johnny Cash because of his abysmally foul-mouthed 'performance.' His wife, June Carter, was there and BOY! did he misjudge his audience! Literally a third of us walked out. Talk about a disappointment.

I had a similar 'blessing' at the Bien Hoa Repo Depot. I had a friend there with whom I'd served at Ft. Sam in San Antonio. I didn't know he was there but he saw my name on the orders list and corralled me as soon as I arrived to keep me from being 'requisitioned' by the field unit commanders who came 'shopping' for fodder. My orders had me going to 'Special Troops' as a 74F20 ... and John was interested in seeing that come true.

Strange... I see #16 is called the location of the 'Main PX' and I seem to remember it was over nearer to the 24th Evac. (and Chase Bank). Hell... I went there to punch my ration card for cigarettes and Seagram's Vodka each month. My brain must be pharting. They don't ID our bunkers, our section of the perimeter ... directly below (south) of #31. I think Charlie had better maps. That's where the NVA came at us the night of Feb 23rd. That was the night I watched above me and saw Puff limping off to Bien Hoa airbase ... as Levitow earned the MoH. (I didn't learn about Levitow until maybe 10 years later. But I sure remember Puff leaving.) That was olso the night the XO Speical Troops (LtC) bought it. Rumor was it was a fragging. (Just a rumor, y'know.)

You can actually see our bunkers in the background on http://www.flickr.com/photos/aodcurator/3687463382/in/set-72157620946947816/lightbox/ I recall Bob Hope's visit there, too. I didn't bother going. FAR too crowded and I was more interested in getting some zzzzz's.

Our company CO was (if I recall correctly) CPT. Marcuse. He had a souvenir AK47 on the wall behind his desk. It was (unbfuckinglievably) loaded with a full banana clip. The co. clerk was cleaning using a feather duster and accidentally hit the trigger ... and that fucker stitched rounds up the wall and across the ceiling! The ceiling was the FLOOR for the barracks above and only by the grace of god didn't kill or wound someone. Marcuse was, iirc, a ROTC joke (not a ring-knocker or mustang) ... who carried war comic books around in his back pocket. I pitied anyone who had to serve with him in the field. I think it was 'Marcuse' ... since,as I recall, we had 3 CO's while I was there ... due to the 6-and-6 rotation.

I vivdly remember the Sec. Guard ... 1,000 mile stares. They didn't mix well with POGs. I also remember the night (in January) when I saw the incoming hit the MP Co. barracks (as I was high-tailing it for cover). Another round hit about 100 yards from me as I 'floated' to the ground (gravity wasn't working very well that night). That's the night I discovered my adrenal gland. And relativity.

The war was a totally surrealistic mix of horror, boredom, insanity, and just plain dumbfuckedness.

I was working the 'night shift' at the DSC and sleeping (as much as I could when I wasn't doing vodka gimlets) during the day. One day I was awakend by a shot. Looking up at the corrugated tin roof, I saw three holes in a cluster ... daylight above. Looking down, just about 18-24" adjacent to my head, was a nice, neat hole in the plywood floor. It seems some jackass, coming back from overnight heliport guard duty, ahd a round in the chamber of his M14(!)... and failed to clear it into the barrel. The arms room doofus was going along the rack, pulling the trigger housings and checking for dirt/rust/etc. Replacing the trigger housing, he had to pull the trigger because removing it cocks the weapon. BLAM! Just a couple of rack places down and I wouldn't be typing this. Fucking insanity.

Here're my photos of our (assigned) bunker ...
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406949772/][img][/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406949772/]Long Binh Post - Southern Perimeter[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/tahitinut/]TahitiNut[/url], on Flickr

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406949776/][img][/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406949776/]Long Binh Post - Bunker[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/tahitinut/]TahitiNut[/url], on Flickr

And, speaking of our BBQ's ... here's a few of the attendees at one of them (my hooch is behind them) ...
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406949770/][img][/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406949770/]Our Co-workers[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/tahitinut/]TahitiNut[/url], on Flickr

Me ...
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406923939/][img][/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tahitinut/406923939/]Face of Viet Nam[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/tahitinut/]TahitiNut[/url], on Flickr

[librechik]

20. hear hear

welcome to DU

[NNN0LHI]

23. Glad you made it home

I have a real solid dislike of everything Republican but I don't hate them. I pity them.

Nice post. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Pretty much agree with everything you wrote. Except the hate part.

Don

[TheMastersNemesis]

33. I Can't Pity Republicans.

Fortunately I never had to use my weapon in Vietnam. I spent only a short time in the field. Yet I was in touch with people I knew and had friends out there. You cannot have a sense of pity for the enemy you are facing. They will have none for you. They are vicious and mean.

For example. I was talking to an experienced Sgt one day and he was telling me that they have captured some VC one day during a fierce firefight. A couple of them were women. He had a green troop who was feeling a lot of pity for these prisoners and was acting too sympathetic. He took that kid aside and said to him. "I know that you are feeling sorry for these prisoners, but I war you, even though they are young women, if they ever get the drop on you they will cut your throat without a thought".

No I have not an ounce of pity. They have proved to be the enemy of the vulnerable. If they get their way on Medicare many senior will go bankrupt and die. That is because Mittwit supports turning Medicare into a coupon program for everyone not just the ones under 55. But they won't say that until the get power.

[Jester Messiah]

24. Agreed on all counts. Proud to be your countryman. [nt]

[TheMastersNemesis]

34. I Really Did Not Do Anything Special

I really did not do anything special or brave when I was in Vietnam. I was just lucky. And I am not sure how I would have done had I been in the field the entire year. My story as I tell it is about the bravery of others I do not believe I had at the time. I just wanted to get home in one piece. Thankfully what I was doing was more like a regular job.

[Jester Messiah]

35. My statement stands.

It's not just your service that makes me proud, though that helps. Moreso, it is the clarity with which you perceive the situation, and your forthrightness in calling our enemies enemies. There is nothing to be gained by coddling them or looking for common ground. They've made it clear where they stand. It is up to us to make ourselves equally clear, and to do what we must to secure the rights that they threaten to take away.

[lunatica]

25. I tried clicking on your journal but you don't have one

May I suggest you start copying your writing to your journal? It will save you lots of time looking for your posts and we can all go read them too.

[jwirr]

26. I think you echo many of us older persons on DU even if we did not serve in the military. We have

watched all that happen and we to are VERY upset.

[northoftheborder]

28. K&R 1000 times

[CaliforniaPeggy]

29. Thank you, and please keep writing!

I applaud your honesty.

And welcome to DU!

[NCcoast]

30. "They salute the Chinese flag and not the American flag." Amen Brother

At the risk of repeating myself, several weeks back I heard Romney singing the praises of the 'business friendly' Chinese. Then I heard that Bain Capital owned a company that had a big contract selling video surveillance equipment to the Chinese government. They're helping the Chinese Communist Party maintain it's hold on power by equipping the police state. And frankly, they love the Chinese Communist Party. They want to be them. Because the Chinese Communist Party has degenerated into a military police state oligarchy and that's exactly what the GOP wants for America.

When republicans talk about progressive it's socialist this and socialist that. But you never hear them talk about Communists anymore, something they used to talk about all the time. Why? Because it's too close to home. They're working with the Chinese Communist Party like a hand in glove.

Hear what I'm saying here? The GOP is in bed with the Chinese Communist Party. They're sending all of our manufacturing base there. Now Walmart is like a big money vacuum syphaning off US dollars to be divided between the 1% who shipped their factories off to China, and the growing Chinese oligarchy, who became rich being members of the Chinese Communist Party.

So let me say it one more time: The GOP is in bed with THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. And democrats should be saying so.

[TheMastersNemesis]

32. If They Call Me A Socialist

My reply is that I am ok with that . Screw you you hateful bigoted bastard. I can't wait until I assign you to a gulag. I think shock therapy is necessary with these people.

[Jackpine Radical]

61. Kinda gives new meaning to the term

"Red State."

[Sarah Ibarruri]

67. Oh my God, I've been saying this all along, all alone, and you're the first person I've heard say

this. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need to post this more often and more frequently. It needs to be pointed out. Why is it that people don't NOTICE this??

[NCcoast]

68. Thank you Sarah

I can't remember who but someone commented a while back to the effect of 'why would the Chinese attack America and destroy all of the Walmarts that funnel money out of the US and into China?'

How is it we've been trained to hate that awful European socialism, with it's prospering middle class, social mobility now exceeding the US, universal healthcare and their obscene amounts of vacation time? Now we should be modeling ourselves on a police state where all the rivers are dead, 16 out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, workers paid slave wages, steeped in toxic waste and working 80 hours a week. There is your Republican utopia Mr. Tea Party. Be careful what you ask for.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

69. This should not be an ahah moment, but I'll bet it would be to most Americans.

Could you perhaps post this around? Create a blog about this? This is truth that no one points out, ever!

[Blue Owl]

31. WORD

Thanks for your post!

[calimary]

37. Sonovagun - I thought I was the only one who hated the GOP this much!

Dear TheMastersNemesis -

First of all, thank you VERY much for your service! And you served at a very difficult time in our history. I'm old enough to remember - looking at Year 59 for myself in a month and a half.

Second, thank you for your perspective. Many of us who are civilians feel as you do but we don't have that horrifying personal experience you do. Nevertheless I've been speculating about what would happen to us as a country if the GOP has its way, and I, too, keep coming up with Somalia as you've mentioned here!

I am a veteran only of the war on women. Hardly the same as what you went through! But I sympathize! And I remember how many times we all railed against the utter hose job you veterans were forced to swallow at the hands of the thoughtless, greedy, small-minded, dry-drunk bushies. Don't know if you came passing through here when we were railing against bush/cheney for that scandal at Walter Reed! I can't believe we would treat our veterans that way, especially while being led by a bunch of pansy-ass panty-waists who never served and who had other priorities and/or drank, snorted, and partied their way through a truncated stint with the Texas Air National Champagne Squadron. And I feel like ALL of us Americans owe folks like you a huge collective apology for taking your names, your service, and your sacrifice in vain. I think it's damn near criminal!!!

Anyway, I view the GOP as an opportunistic infection, increasingly resistant to the anemic political antibiotics our side seems able to cobble together. As a retired journalist it galls me to see the bad guys so fearfully adept at the message war. Their ideas such but they're great at selling them. Our ideas are great but we are almost embarrassingly naive about the need for promotion, PR, and yes, crass flat-out salesmanship. That's why we're about to lose the health care reforms that we all worked so hard for, because too many of our dumb-ass gullible naive Dems still can't get it through their cement heads that you need to go out there and sell the damn thing, and sell it relentlessly - as though your very life depended on it. I think they must view it as somehow beneath them. And that's a damn shame, because it's basically ALL THERE IS anymore, and all that's important. Coming in with the too-little-too-late "oh gee, well, maybe we should tell them what they're gonna lose if this goes down" - FUCK! WHY didn't they think of this as soon as Obama got down to business on his first day in the Oval Office????

I just shake my head in disgust, dear DU friend.

I grew up learning about a Jesus Who loved "the least of these," and hung out with the outcast and the downtrodden and the sick and the shunned, and Who drove the koch brothers of His day OUT of the Temple (instead of bowing and scraping and whoring to them). I grew up thinking we all need to band together and take care of each other. I reached motherhood feeling verified in my belief that, as Hillary Clinton eventually wrote, it DOES take a village.

It hurts my heart to see the country I love co-opted by hooting yahoos whose fundamental basis for their discontent is that there's a black guy in the Oval Office and he's not the janitor. And I hate what that says about our country. I hate hearing how people from overseas talk about how racist and intolerant our country is - as viewed from the outside. I hate them. I hate their anger. I hate their divisiveness. I hate their racism. I hate their intolerance. I hate their nosy fundamentalist crap, their jackbooted stomping on those less fortunate, their sexism, their shoving their narrow religious views down our throats, and in women's cases, up our vaginas, while yowling and whining about tyranny and no freedom and how they want their America back. How far back? They never say, do they? But we all know what they mean.

They are the single worst, most disgraceful, most UN-Christian, most damaging influence in our country. I wish they'd all go move to Somalia. It's the kind of nation they dream of! And leave our beautiful, open, inclusive, tolerant America to the rest of us good guys. They are a disease, a cancer on America, and I wish they'd all shut up and disappear.

[annabanana]

39. Very well said.

When given the choice between doing something bad and doing something worse.. They've picked "worse" every time.

[Paka]

41. Thank you for that thoughtful post...

and for your military service. Keep speaking up and out.

[TheKentuckian]

42. You don't need to be a bit sorry for being as rough on the TeaPubliKlans, Sir.

Fuck em with a rusty dumpster.

[DonCoquixote]

43. Please do more of this!

THIS is what DU is meant for!

One thing, do not let the bullies here chase you off. A lot of people that pretend to be liberal are trolls, either paid, or carrying water for those who are willing to throw Obama and us to the dogs in the hopes of their agenda (Nader and Drudge, that was for you and your ilk.)

[DisgustipatedinCA]

44. Rec #88 here, and not one word of criticism from me.

Everything you said about the GOP, and about big business, resonated with me, and it resonated deeply and just right.

Thank you.

[pacalo]

45. You're in the right place -- we're not anywhere near fond of the GOP, either.

Welcome to DU, TMN!



and

[happerbolic]

46. So way out of my league for posting this....

... Some of your writings really do need to see daylight in today's
servicemen/women's newsgroups/forums
I certainly assume many of today's generation have great respect to those individuals
who have served before them and would take great wisdom to what is being said here, and
maybe - hopefully add to with some of their own accounts and their (hopefully) renewed
perspectives of where they feel this country is headed toward in this right of center, and now
way skewed to the right, world we have been living in now for over well of 30yrs.

From someone born after the time you served (but who had a father that served along side you guys/gals)

you have my heartfelt appreciation

[lovemydog]

47. Thank you for your service

and your post. I don't post a lot here, and try and stay away from too much controversy on the net. It's not good for me to fight on the net. I truly enjoy reading different points of view from 'our' side.

I'm a supporter of President Obama, both here and more importantly, in the world away from my computer. I feel we need to elect more truly progressive people in Congress. I try and live my life off the net to reflect my principles. I think I do a good job of that, as best I can. Sorry I wound up talking mostly about myself. I'd like to welcome you here though, if I haven't before, and please know you won't get any flack from me. I really try not to give anyone here any flack. As you point out so well, our flack should be directed toward republicans.

[mwb970]

48. The republican party is America's worst enemy.

Forget al Qaeda. They can knock down a couple of buildings. The republican party is currently busy destroying America's system of government. Try THAT, al Qaeda!

As far as I am concerned, today's republicans are literally enemies of the state and must be treated as such.

[RZM]

57. What does that mean specifically?

What do you think is appropriate treatment for 'enemies of the state?'

[TahitiNut]

64. If you expect to do any fishing around here, you should get better bait.

[RZM]

66. What's wrong with asking somebody to clarify what they said?

It happens all the time on this site.

I honestly can't tell what they meant by that and I'm curious about it. They said it, so I'm assuming they have no problem clarifying it.

Do you have a problem with that?

[mwb970]

71. Vote them out.

If that doesn't work, take to the streets and stay there.

What would YOU propose doing about the republican monster that is attacking your country daily? Nothing? Shall we take a lesson from history and just sort of stand by like "good Germans"?

[piratefish08]

50. thank you. for your service and this post.

[unhappycamper]

51. Well said and

Welcome Home, Brother.

[The Wizard]

52. Absolutely no redeeming human value

Roger that and all of your other observations. The Republicans hate the American people who do no fit into their pigeon hole.
They thrive on the worst fears and lowest instincts and have exploited the great dumbing down with alacrity. Their well funded propaganda network would make Goebbels blush.
We are up against the worst and most greedy scumbags this nation has ever produced.
When they're down we have to keep heels on their necks and never let up until their toxins are expunged from our government.

[Botany]

53. Well said

They are not the solution to any of our problems. THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.

I grew up respecting republicans until Dick Nixon came along as President.
He turned down a deal in 1969 on Vietnam and took the same deal in 1973
but that added god only knows how many more dead, wounded, and suffering
families. At one time we had some wonderful Republicans who loved America
and had kind hearts but those days are long gone.

The republican governor of Pennsylvania, Ray Shaffer, was the brother of
our next door neighbor in a middle class neighborhood and he was a good
guy. He worked on the the roads and the schools & colleges of the state
along w/ playing with the kids in the neighborhood when he was in town.
He was what Pat Buchanan would call a "liberal republican" and now he would
have no place in the republican party.

Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ike, Margaret Chase Smith, Chuck Percy,
Jacob Javits, and so many more were really good Americans and republicans
too. The Bush Family, the Cheneys, Jim Demint, Louie Gohmert, Michele
Bachmann, Rush, Paul Ryan, are at their core very un-American.

thank you for your service and your post.

[rrHeretic]

54. You've left me speechless!

I've never seen such an articulate, concise summation of the GOP hypocrisy especially when it comes to their tiresome mantra of 'supporting the troops' which they never do. With you kind permission I would like to quote some of your comments on my YouTube show.

Thank you and especially your service both in the military and gov. service. I am also a vet and have worked in gov.

take care.

[Hepburn]

56. Ditto...

...and thank you!

KnR!!!!!

[Rain Mcloud]

55. Thank You!

Thank You for speaking out against those who profit by starving and killing the children of the earth(the world's second oldest profession).
Thank You for Your service both in and out of uniform,you honor everyone with your strength,compassion and wisdom.
May your days be many and filled with good fortune and friends.
Cheers!

[lonestarnot]

59. I like everything about you but the golf, and that is because I live where the precious resource of

water is wasted on the green grass in the desert, so I have a drive for men and women who walk around after ball with a stick. I would use this but the finger wagger (the only thing she get's half way right as her only appropriate target should be her looking glass) so

[maximusveritas]

70. That's why I can't stand seeing people taking shots at Obama here

As you say, there are legitimate areas to criticize, but there are those here who focus on attacking Obama solely and ignore the danger of the Republicans. This is an election year and there will be trolls here trying to stir dissension and decrease enthusiasm for the President. I will do everything to fight against this.

[mmonk]

72. Well I can't add anything to that but I worry too.

They've stacked the election by rigging the system systematically from suppression to gerrymandering.