Spank That Donkey

(York Town 2007)

 Memorial Day calls upon all Americans to take a day and reflect on the sacrifices Veterans have made for our country.  Our first veterans gave their lives as we fought with England in the French & Indian Wars along our western borders.  This of course was followed by the American Revolution, and the War of 1812, which were fought solely on American Soil and the high seas.

The Mexican American War pushed our young country westward, and many of those veterans fought in the War Between the States, (Northern Aggression) a dozen years later.  The development in arms technology and tactics brought our nation finally to a proficiency to actually be able to project power overseas, which we successfully did in the Spanish American War.  We secured our position in the Caribbean, and won territories in the Pacific, namely the Philippines islands.

Later we came to the aide of the French & English in WW1, with our motto being "Lafeyette, We Are Here!"  Unfortunately, the USA withdrew inward, and we down graded our War fighting abilities so much; we had to play catch up with the outbreak of WW2, and even eight years later in the Korean conflict.  A new enemy had emerged after the dictators of WW2, the Russian Bear, who threatened to take the war to our shores for the first time since the early 1800's.

We were able to break the Soviet Union economically, and never fire a shot because we did not decimate our armed forces as drastically as we did after WW1, and we kept our forward bases won in WW2 in an 'Forward Defense' Strategy.  We had a powerful naval and Air Force, and we kept the Army and Marines deployed in Korea, Japan, Italy and Germany.  This deterred the Soviet Bear, and we won.  Europe has also seen an almost unprecedented 60 years without major war on the continent during this time.

We also owe a great deal of debt to the Vietnam Veterans who stood up for the Freedom of others, only to have their efforts thwarted by political opportunists here at home.

That is what I see so lacking in Delegate Bob Marshall's short sighted view of withdrawing our forces from Europe and placing them on our southern border with Mexico.  When we were attacked on 9-11,  those European bases were critical in our taking of Afghanistan so rapidly.  They were and are now crucial to sustaining our forces in the Middle East, and they cement our economic ties to the European and Asian countries we maintain them in.

Our American citizens are safer today because our Armed Forces keeps our enemies at bay, over seas.  That we haven't been attacked on our soil since 9-11 isn't proof enough?  We have the most porous borders of any nation, I will grant you that, but our security has hinged on Forward Defense, and always will, until some one like Obama gets into office, and starts withdrawing our troops, and shrinking the size of our land, naval and air forces.

I would hope Bob Marshall would reflect on this sacrifice that Veterans have and are making at this moment overseas, and get away from knee jerk policies that decrease our security.  He has a 'bumper sticker' slogan at best strategy on the issue, and it really doesn't impress me one bit.  President Bush could secure those borders over night with the military and police assets we presently have in the USA, he just doesn't want to do it.

Meanwhile Governor Jim Gilmore served his nation as a Veteran, and was trained in Army Intelligence.  He chaired the Gilmore Commission pre 9-11, and only after 9-11 did Congress wake up and invoke 2/3rds of the Commissions work into current defense/preparedness policy concerning Terrorism.

Governor Gilmore can walk into any American Legion or VFW Hall and stand proudly among fellow Veterans, something that Governor Mark Warner, nor Delegate Marshall can not do.  Getting our Veterans to the polls will be crucial for us in this election and a McCain - Gilmore Ticket will do that with seamless credibility.  A credibility that unfortunately Senator Jim Webb had that Senator Allen did not, and look at that outcome.  A Ton of Vets voted for Jim Webb.

The choice is clear this next Saturday, we need Governor Gilmore as our candidate for US Senate.  He is uniquely qualified for the job.  I hope you see why I am adament in supporting him for the security of our Country.

Sincerely

Chris Green

aka

Spank That Donkey

Greg over at BVBL is taking me to task on revealing that Del. Marshall would move our 35,000 military personnel now in Germany to the Mexican Border in an effort to stem if not stop the influx of illegal aliens into the USA.

Let's check out the argument point by point:

BVBL - "Yeah, “fencing” and “border patrols” are working so well for us now."

STD -  Absolutely agreed, if the GWB Administration put the Transportation Safety Board nazis, who shake down my grandmother's carry on luggage; and 'redeployed' them from our airports to the border crossings, not only would illegal immigration be halted, but the smuggling of  nail clippers would also be severely curtailed in the USA.  I guess GWB's priority of hassling legal citizens far out weighs illegal citizens?

BVBL -   but I have to admit that the prospect of replacing our non-construction of a border fence, and hugely discredited “virtual fences” with folks like the Berlin Brigade sounds darned enticing. I’m certain that drug smugglers who readily engage our Border Patrol with automatic weapons fire, and cartels that murder illegal alien “mules” in the employ of other cartels would demonstrate a considerably higher degree of respect for our border if instead of having the 6,000 National Guard soldiers currently engaged in civil engineering and logistical support we had a Division-plus of fully equipped combat troops.

STD:  Undoubtedly the GWB Administration sent our National Guard to the border without weapons, so our guys wouldn't kill anyone, much less the drug smugglers.  If that were to happen, undoubtedly some Human Rights attorney would file a law suit at the Hague against our National Guardsman, GBW, Condi, and anyone else they could think of.  Accordingly, the USA would be roundly denounced at the UN, ala the treatment that Brazil, Bolivia, & Venezuela etc. gave Columbia.  You see Columbia went into Ecuador to kill terrorists attacking Colombians. 

Reality here is that our current, or future President's attitude towards illegal immigration is what will secure the border. 

BVBL:  Those soldiers in Germany effectively ensure that we provide for the defense of Europe so Europe doesn't have to.

STD:  This is a valid point.  However, I would argue that 35,000 military personnel is really bare bones compared to how many troops we had stationed there during the Cold War.  Old Europe is now having to step up to the plate, as Russia has twice now cut off natural gas supplies to the west.  Currently, we are expanding NATO into the New European nations of Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary.  Hopefully, when we draw down troop strength from the Middle East they will begin establishing expanded bases with our new allies in Europe.

Worldwide peace will not be won along our Southern border.  It will be achieved by keeping Russia's Putin in check.  I guess what I mean to say is that illegal immigration is a political problem, not a military one.  NATO was a very successful military alliance, and we should expand it to insure the continued growth of capitalism in the world.  Putin has been moving Russia backwards, and not forwards in terms of Democratic/Republic government.

Let me put it this way.  I would be more impressed with Del. Marshall if he were thinking more in terms of securing the USA's and capitalism's future worldwide.  We all know that illegal immigration is nothing more than cheap labor, and along those lines; the Mexican immigrants of the 1990's -2010 may parallel the Irish immigrants of the 1860's....  Just a thought.

Bottom Line, I want legal immigration and an assimilation of those coming to the USA, under one flag.  Meanwhile, Old Europe has become a powder keg by allowing unfettered Muslim immigration into their nations.  We can not afford to lower our presence there should things turn nasty.  Furthermore, we need to insure that the New European nations do not come under the boot of the Old Soviet Bear as Russia uses it's vast natural resources to rearm, and black mail Europe in general.

One thing will not change, the United States provides the bulwark of Freedom in our world.  We can insure our, and our Allies Freedom by continuing the employment of 'Forward Defense'.  Retreat from Germany to secure Texas is hardly promoting Freedom throughout the world.

BVBL:  Bob Marshall is spot-on here, and I can’t imagine why Jim Gilmore wouldn’t wholeheartedly endorse this idea.  He doesn’t want to look weak here and continue to put our overwhelmed Border Patrol officers at risk, does he?

STD:  I do not know this for a fact, but after serving in Army Intelligence against the Soviets, Gov. Jim Gilmore would probably be more inclined to see the benefits of 'Forward Defense' in Germany, vs. a retreat to Texas.  Again, the bottom line here is that illegal immigration is a political issue that begs for a political solution, and not a military one.

 A lazy cut and paste of news, but this is very indicative of how Liberal Organizations deal with their own misinformation campaigns:

French Taser Stun-Gun Seller Sues Rights Group Amnesty -AFP

Last update: 3/4/2008 1:59:12 PM

PARIS (AFP)--The French reseller of Taser stun guns, dogged by scandals over Taser-linked deaths in Canada and the U.S., took Amnesty International to court on Tuesday for harming its reputation.

In May last year, the French branch of Amnesty issued a statement claiming that a Taser gun, made by Taser International (TASR), had been put up for auction on eBay Inc.'s (EBAY) auction Web site and that 220 U.S. deaths had been linked to the Taser gun.

Following a complaint from SMP Technologies, which has imported and supplied Taser guns to the French army, police and gendarmerie since 2004, Amnesty later said it had sent out the statement by mistake.

Upon investigation, the rights group said the object for sale on eBay had turned out to be a publicity gadget, not a Taser gun.

According to SMP's lawyer, Catherine Hennequin, Amnesty agreed to publish a clarification but has yet to do so eight months later, and has continued to claim that deaths were linked to the weapon's use.

Amnesty's lawyer Simon Foreman says his client was mistaken about the eBay sale, but not about the "dangerous nature" of the Taser itself, accusing SMP of taking legal action "with the sole aim of intimidation."

Amnesty International says around 300 people have died around the world after being zapped with a Taser and has called for the weapon's use to be suspended while a full investigation is conducted.

The Taser packs a 50,000-volt punch that can paralyze targets from up to 10 meters away. The U.N. Committee against Torture ruled in November that its use constitutes "a form of torture" which can result in death.

The U.N. criticism followed a string of deaths in the U.S. and Canada that occurred after police used Tasers to subdue people, including a Polish man who was filmed dying after being stunned at Vancouver airport.

A verdict in the French trial is due on March 11.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2008 13:59 ET (18:59 GMT)

Well, I'll be.... 

(Message, but a click away)

 No Pasaran has got the video.  See what the pursuit of socialism gets you.