Pirates of Foggy Bottom
This is about the picture accompanying the article, "Rumsfeld Honored for His Service," AP, 12/16/06. If I wasn't an infantryman, I would've been an art critic, I'm sure. Forget Rumsfeld; he's not worthy of comment.
[I wanted to provide a link to this picture, which was featured on the front page of The Tallahassee Democrat's "Nation & World" section (12/16/06). Unfortunately, our capital city paper hasn't yet cached the article. If interested, I'm sure the video provided with this AP link will provide the image to which I refer.]
The photo is a great "grip and grin" with GWB and Rummy. Included in the frame is VP Cheney and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine General Pace. (As an aside, Cheney actually appears to be smiling, vs. snarling, though the shutter may have just caught him mid-snarl. Otherwise, it's another Botox miracle.) A caveat: for readers fond of Pace, reading on will only generate hostility, so best to stop now and save everybody grief. Generally, this site avoids personal observations, but I could not restrain myself.
Pace is wearing a chestful of ribbons, none of which are worth more than a bucket of spit. Above these medals is a U.S. Army paratrooper badge--junior jumper style. This hero never earned his USMC wings. He does sport white gloves though; how cute. Clapping, nonetheless. Reminds me of Japanese Noh theater. But since I must view this a (tragi-)comedy, we'll call it Kyogen theater. WTF...is he a cheerleader or the military head of the U.S. Forces? The overall effect is limp-wristed. The USMC deserves adult leadership.
Remember when the USMC had Medal of Honor winners wearing the four bullets? Think of the men that held national command authority military leadership posts--Grant, Sheridan, Pershing, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Marshall, Bradley, Wilson (USMC), Harold K. Johnson, Westmoreland, Abrams. These were the leaders that the military groomed and rewarded with command.
Fast-forward to today's Phony War on Terror. The military leaders are simply parrots on the shoulders of the Rummy characters. Times were when soldiers were chosen for military expertise rather than religious and political reliability.
Possibly the Baker Commission could explore this topic.
[I wanted to provide a link to this picture, which was featured on the front page of The Tallahassee Democrat's "Nation & World" section (12/16/06). Unfortunately, our capital city paper hasn't yet cached the article. If interested, I'm sure the video provided with this AP link will provide the image to which I refer.]
The photo is a great "grip and grin" with GWB and Rummy. Included in the frame is VP Cheney and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine General Pace. (As an aside, Cheney actually appears to be smiling, vs. snarling, though the shutter may have just caught him mid-snarl. Otherwise, it's another Botox miracle.) A caveat: for readers fond of Pace, reading on will only generate hostility, so best to stop now and save everybody grief. Generally, this site avoids personal observations, but I could not restrain myself.
Pace is wearing a chestful of ribbons, none of which are worth more than a bucket of spit. Above these medals is a U.S. Army paratrooper badge--junior jumper style. This hero never earned his USMC wings. He does sport white gloves though; how cute. Clapping, nonetheless. Reminds me of Japanese Noh theater. But since I must view this a (tragi-)comedy, we'll call it Kyogen theater. WTF...is he a cheerleader or the military head of the U.S. Forces? The overall effect is limp-wristed. The USMC deserves adult leadership.
Remember when the USMC had Medal of Honor winners wearing the four bullets? Think of the men that held national command authority military leadership posts--Grant, Sheridan, Pershing, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Marshall, Bradley, Wilson (USMC), Harold K. Johnson, Westmoreland, Abrams. These were the leaders that the military groomed and rewarded with command.
Fast-forward to today's Phony War on Terror. The military leaders are simply parrots on the shoulders of the Rummy characters. Times were when soldiers were chosen for military expertise rather than religious and political reliability.
Possibly the Baker Commission could explore this topic.
Labels: general pace, rumsfield
posted by rangeragainstwar at 3:45 PM
7 comments
