Rules of Engagement...

Reader and friend Larry E. writes:

Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson “did not permit U.S. Marine guards to carry live ammunition,” according to multiple reports on U.S. Marine Corps blogs spotted by Nightwatch. “She neutralized any U.S. military capability that was dedicated to preserve her life and protect the US Embassy.”
http://freebeacon.com/reports-marines-not-permitted-live-ammo/

So I guess we never learn from history. I served With Greg on Camp Pendleton before he volunteered for Marine Security Guard. He and others in his detachment were unarmed when they were gunned down in a cafe' in San Salvador.
http://www.msg-history.com/HistoricalItems/HP_SanSalvador_1985_Weber.html

Prior to that, the bombing in beruit was made possible because the Marines there were not allowed to carry live ammo.

Do not send the US military anywhere and then take away their ability to perform their duties and worse, take away their ability to defend themselves.

My son is deployed to Afghanistan. The rules of engagement give every advantage to the enemy. Can anyone explain why we are still there? The President isn't committed to it. Congress isn't committed to it. The country sure as hell isn't committed to it.

Those making these decisions and worse, those in congress shirking thier responsibilities should be in prison.

And instead of being in prison, our citizens keep re-electing them.  This does not say good things to me about my country's future.  I have one last remaining hope, which is that the events of the past four years wake up enough voters that they kick the sniveling socialist bastards out of office.  I know, I know...it is but a very slim hope...

Personally, I advocate for a Patton-style set of rules of engagement: whenever we commit our forces to be in harm's way, we should give them authority to do whatever it takes to get their job done.  There is no way to have a kind or moral war; a war is by definition what happens when those things are lost.  The only sane thing you can do is to win, and win as overwhelmingly as you possibly can...

Nigel Farage...

I could listen to this U.K. politician all day.  Until, that is, I remember that we, tragically, have no politicians quite like him.



Odd factoid: Nigel's last name is the same as the name of a horticultural variety of Ilex opaca (American holly) that my father used to grow and sell on the nursery that I grew up on...

Not Your Ordinary Politician...

Abbott & Costello Explain Unemployment...

Via reader Jim M.:

Abbot and Costello on Unemployment

COSTELLO: I want to talk about the unemployment rate in America.
ABBOTT: Good subject. Terrible times. It's about 9%.
COSTELLO: That many people are out of work?
ABBOTT: No that's 16%.
COSTELLO: You just said 9%.
ABBOTT: 9% unemployed.
COSTELLO: Right: 9% out of work.
ABBOTT: No that's 16%.
COSTELLO: Okay so it's 16% unemployed.
ABBOTT: No that's 9%.
COSTELLO: WAIT A MINUTE. Is it 9% or 16%?
ABBOTT: 9% are unemployed. 16% are out of work.
COSTELLO: If you're out of work you're unemployed.
ABBOTT: No you can't count the "Out of Work" as the unemployed. You have to look for work to be unemployed.
COSTELLO: But ... they're out of work!
ABBOTT: No you miss my point.
COSTELLO: What point?
ABBOTT: Someone who doesn't look for work can't be counted with those who look for work. It wouldn't be fair.
COSTELLO: To whom?
ABBOTT: The unemployed.
COSTELLO: But they're ALL out of work.
ABBOTT: No the unemployed are actively looking for work... Those who are out of work stopped looking. They gave up. If you give up you're no longer in the ranks of the unemployed.
COSTELLO: So if you're off the unemployment roles that would count as less unemployment?
ABBOTT: Unemployment would go down. Absolutely!
COSTELLO: The unemployment goes down just because you don't look for work?
ABBOTT: Absolutely it goes down. That's how you get to 9%. Otherwise it would be 16%. You don't want to read about 16% unemployment do ya?
COSTELLO: That would be frightening.
ABBOTT: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: Wait I got a question for you. That means there are two ways to bring down the unemployment number?
ABBOTT: Two ways is correct.
COSTELLO: Unemployment can go down if someone gets a job?
ABBOTT: Correct.
COSTELLO: And unemployment can also go down if you stop looking for a job?
ABBOTT: Bingo.
COSTELLO: So there are two ways to bring unemployment down and the easier of the two is to just stop looking for work.
ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like an economist.
COSTELLO: I don't even know what the hell I just said!