Apologies, war and growing up...

In the largest and most aggressive offensive to date in Afghanistan (in the Marjah province) US and NATO forces are apologizing for civilian deaths.

Last week in the first days of the offensive it was initially reported that there were 12 civilian deaths. Ultimately of the 12 initially reported nine of them were civilians and three were Taliban combatants. In another offensive this past weekend NATO Commanders are again apologizing for civilian deaths. Military commanders in the region report that in Afghanistan (as in Iraq) it has become a common to use civilians as a "human shields". More on this later...

No sane person rejoices at the deaths of 12 people. Combatant or not. In previous times the term "collateral damage" was used. Yet I hesitate even now to use it as it is dehumanizing on some level. But isn't that really the point? How can any sane person speak of the horror of war without attempting to insulate the psyche from war's heinous nature. War really is hell. This is not a cliché but a truth every soldier, every warrior, can attest to.


In previous posts I've written about the subject of “political correctness”. I bring this up because it seems to me that we are dealing with an enemy that is completely and totally committed to victory. An enemy that views this conflict as a "zero sum" game. There will be no negotiated peace nor co existence. An enemy whose time frame is radically different than ours.


I understand and even wholeheartedly agree with the current strategy of "winning hearts and minds".


This requires United States and NATO troops to exhibit a level of restraint never seen before on the battlefield. It is a testament to the character of America that we are putting our soldiers in harms way going far above and beyond not only what is required to protect civilians but demonstrating an unprecedented level of care in this regard. There is NO other nation that behaves in this fashion. Quite the contrary... even NATO allies like Germany put their soldiers first. Not allowing their soldiers to operate after dark. The dirty business falls mainly upon the United States. As even Mr Obama observed in Oslo when accepting his Nobel Prize:

"...the plain fact is this: The United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms"

Under the most recent rules of engagement soldiers cannot fire upon a person unless they can see that person in possession of a weapon. Previously, if fire came from a building and eventually people walked out of that building a logical assumption could be made (of course relying on training, experience, and common sense) about returning fire directed at that person that might now be leaving the building where previously a fierce firefight took place. Our enemy is not stupid. Soon enough reports began to come on that Taliban fighters simply put down their weapons and walked out and even taunt soldiers under these new rules. They know their safe passage is guaranteed now.


Much like terrorists know that they will not ever face water boarding. Or that if they are given “tough” interrogations they will be not all that tough and a physician will be standing by and slaps to the face will be open handed and away from the airway. Such are the details divulged by Mr. Obama in a hasty attempt to placate his far left supporters at the expense of keeping America safe.


Mr. Obama takes us back to what has been called a “pre-9/11 mentality” and intimidates our intelligence officers with the threat of prosecution. All the while running about the globe apologizing for what are the greatest accomplishments of any modern nation as if this will bring anyone closer to his dreamlike utopian fantasy and vision of America as a green and clean “global citizen” Our adversaries do not fetter themselves with such ideas.


During his campaign the Obama PR machine was tenacious in trying to enrobe Obama with the attire of President Lincoln. Anyone with even a passing familiarity of Lincoln's writings, presidency and in particular his actions during the civil war (including the suspension of Habeas Corpus) rightly blushed at the mere mention of the two names in the same sentence. Lincoln understood the primacy of keeping the union exactly that : united.


IF one accepts the Declaration of Independence and its inherent “theology” that is so unpolitically correct to speak of... appealing to “Nature and Nature's God”, speaking of rights from man's “Creator” and appealing to the “Supreme Judge of the world” with a “firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence” then these “unalienable rights” accorded all humans not from any piece of paper or governmental body And that the United States best embodies these unlaienable rights then the hopes of humanity itself are the hopes of the United Sates. That is if it is properly governed in line with these “self evident truths”.


Our strategy of being buddies to the people of Afghanistan is acceptable only within the larger framework and understanding of the exceptional nature of America. At the end of the day... America must prevail for the sake of the millions who still yearn to breathe the air of Liberty in North Korea, China, Cuba, Iran and others countries still in the grip of maniacal tyrants. There may be a time in our near future when we must think primarily as a fierce warrior and less so of a “global citizen”


I'll close with Lincolns own words that I have often wondered if Mr Obama ever read. It shows Mr Lincoln as a person who I doubt could even conceive of Mr Obama's view of the world where the admitted mastermind of 9/11 who has tried to plead guilty in a military tribunal is thought to be best handled on US soil for reasons (other than political theater choreographed by Eric Holder who refuses to reveal how many of his attorneys have previously defended high profile terrorists) that are still unknown.

"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs who should be arrested, exiled or hanged."

Abraham Lincoln

What Direction now??

So much to talk about!!!

I have so much frustration at the actions of both this administration and its most egregious hypocrisy

Perhaps I should start with the interview Obama gave ABC yesterday with George Stephanopoulos. It's most distressing that ABC has the audacity to portray Stephanopoulos as capable of objective news reporting since as he was Bill Clinton's press secretary. Yet this is a sad state of the news media today. Mr Obama began his commentary on the Massachusetts upset by blaming George Bush AGAIN in a display of his unique incredible ego-maniacal immaturity. So Obama says that the same anger that propelled him to office was behind Scott Brown's win in arguably the most liberal state (sorry “commonwealth”) in the nation. Yet it simply does not follow that that anger he claims propelled him in to office has now also swept Scott brown into office and it is the same anger. Brown ran a campaign aimed squarely at repudiating the Obama agenda and made health care a primary core issue. Public and internal polls all show this to be a fact and to deny this was a referendum of not only Obamacare but the “Progressive” agenda is simply an exercise in denial.

Adding insult to injury we learn more of the idiocy of Eric Holder's Justice Dept and Obama's lack of a coherent strategy for combating terrorism. In a stunning display of incompetence and disregard for the safety of the American public the respective heads of the Dept of Homeland Security, TSA, and the National Director of Intelligence all were asked if they had been consulted regarding the venue or how to handle the Christmas day “underwear bomber.”

The answer repeated over and over and over was an emphatic, “no.”

Again one must wonder at the motivations for a hurried push to civilian court where this enemy combatant will receive rights and privileges reserved US Citizens. The underwear bomber chose a Christian Holy Day – Christmas – and waited until the aircraft was just above the airport so as to create maximal terror by the scattering of bodies from such a low altitude. He selected his seat for its proximity to the fuel tanks.

Why is it again that we cease offensive operations during muslin holy days?

It seems to me that when an enemy is determined to win at all costs and respects nothing and regards his killing of an infidel or non believer to be acceptable and he is sent from God that political correctness is simply a recipe for defeat.

Obama and holder continue there onslaught against the safety of America and our dedicated intelligence professionals who have been demoralized by this pair's deliberate thwarting of these agencies ability to carry out the formidable task they are charged with fulfilling

This week we commemorate the abomination of thinking and logic that resulted in Roe versus Wade that legalized the murder of unborn children in 1973. Since that time between 1,200,000 and 2,000,000 million children have had their lives extinguished EACH year since 1973. The vast majority black.

Without resorting to euphemisms and requisite profound self deception required to entertain the notion that abortion on demand is nothing more than a simple procedure I will simply say that it is worth reflecting upon the 50 + million lives taken. How many Einsteins... how many Nobel prize winners... how many scientists that may have discovered the cure for cancer HIV and any number of evils that plague civilization have we murdered? How many MLKs, Mother Teresa's and Ghandi's? Certainly from a pure statistical and mathematical point of view we must have deprived humanity of a multitude of these special ones.

It is with a sad irony that I note Mr Obama is the most pro abortion president in history. The African American community has yet to awaken to the reality of the genocide perpetrated on it by abortion mainly at the hands of planned parenthood and racist and eugenics roots of Margaret Sanger, the founder of planned parenthood.

No recap of recent events could not be complete without mentioning Haiti of course. Anti American figures like Hugo Chavez laughably make criticisms regarding the US lead efforts while their own efforts are conspicuously impotent. Chavez thinks the earthquake was caused by the United States Navy testing a new weapon

I watched him with the usual incredible pride for my country which despite the polarization that has gripped us politically and has been so divisive - we -= The USA - did the right thing and stepped up and provided the most aid of any nation on earth. We remain the most generous nation ever providing humanitarian and other aid where ever it is needed

It was with great sadness that my own commitments prevented me from assisting doctors without borders myself in Haiti. I am very proud of my profession whose heart and humanity extends to all regardless of location, politics or any other superfluous characteristic that would obscure our basic shared humanity. Seeing the United States take the lead in providing this aid should reaffirm to the world we are the last best hope for liberty freedom and dignity.

The insidious PC infection... and so many tears

Political correctness...

that nasty group think that has infected all sectors of society has now sadly infiltrated our armed services.

I am filled with so many emotions as I watch the memorial service at ft Hood. I am not a tough guy. I cry often. I sit writing this with tears streaming down my face and taps playing after a rifle volley in tribute to the men and women murdered by Nidal Hasan.

I am ashamed of my President and his cowardice to plainly call Major Hasan what he is – an Islamic terrorist.

Within hours of the massacre Mr Obama pleaded for us to wait for the facts and not jump to conclusions while simultaneously the FBI stated without equivocation that terror and any greater plot or links to terror groups would not be considered. I wonder if the FBI heard Mr Obama's words... “wait for the facts and not jump to conclusions.”

I'm not sure we needed much more in the way of facts though. Maj Hasan gave out copies of the Koran the morning of his murder plot. Told neighbors he was going away. And then out of his fanatical religious views proceeded to murder 13 innocent victims in the name of his god while while screaming Allah is great in Arabic and shooting over 100 rounds indiscriminately into a crowd gathered for a graduation ceremony and hitting over 40 people with the gun he bought slightly over one month ago.

The murderer got a free ride because he was Muslim. He had been investigated for his Anti American views. He as a psychiatrist trained in PTSD was to help our most vulnerable heroes coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan... those with shattered psyches who his job it was to communicate that he could be trusted and could help them. Instead he proselytized and argued with them. HE abused his power as a healer and flaunted to colleagues that he was a Muslim first and an American second. His colleagues reported these things and eventually became afraid to because they were accused of anti-muslim attitudes.

On ABC's “This Week” Gen Casey the Army Chief of Staff unbelievably spoke about worrying over the possible backlash against Muslim soldiers. I think I prefer Casey to think more about why Nidal Hasan remained in our armed forces and how he can prevent another massacre like Ft Hood and stopping the insidious spread of “politically correct” thought in the armed forces the very last place it should find a comfortable and welcoming home.

In telling emails from Army officials less than 24 hours after the tragedy they ask for reevaluation of terrorism plans at respective military installations. '

It turns out that Hasan had ongoing communications with a radical imam from that African bastian of respect for freedoms, Yemen. A man named Anwar al Awlaki who is a US citizen. Awlaki has heaped praise upon Hasan. These emails etc came to the attention of the FBI and intelligence community and were dismissed!

To paraphrase convicted 9-11 Islamic terrorist Mousawi's defense lawyer who has defended several terror suspects – “Exactly what communication between a Unites States Military Officer and the Imam that coached several of the 9-11 terrorists can be considered 'benign' – give me a break.”

Anwar al Awlaki has said the following on his web site:

“Nidal Hassan is a hero...”

“How can there be any dispute about the virtue of what he has done?”

“The heroic act of brother Nidal...”

“...we ask Allah to accept from him his great heroic act.”

I have watched with alarm as some media outlets have tried to medicalize this mans act of terror or use it to further their own agenda in regards to Afghanistan or Iraq. The heretofore unknown diagnosis of “vicarious PTSD” which has beeen advanced is laughable and supposedly comes from Hasan hearing the horror stories of returning vets. Funny how the sordid misery of urban living with its depression, suicide, addiction and broken lives that EVERY psychiatrist hears as well as those of us in Family Practice hear daily have not caused an epidemic of “vicarious PTSD”.

You see the problem is one of perception. If Obama admits that this is indeed an act of terror – which it clearly was – then he faces the full assault of Dick Cheney's criticisms being true. Therefore we have witnessed the spin machine in full force to make this not a terrorist act but an ostensibly simple act of criminal justice with no greater implication or meaning than that of one more madman run amok with a gun.

It would clearly show the American public Mr. Obama's inherent distaste for all things military as he clings to his policy of accommodation and capitulation