Sung to the tune ‘Step In Time’ from Mary Poppins:
Elphinstone! Elphinstone!
Elphinstone! Elphinstone!
When you have a leader who’s past his prime,
Who won’t give a reason to leave folks behind.
And bleed your forces to the bone,
Just consult your history ’bout
Elphinstone!
I’m sorry if the tone of this was wrong. It’s accurate but probably not in keeping with the seriousness of what is happening. Consider it my way of blowing off steam. Far better than saying what is laying just underneath my conscience.
Custer paid a price and Lee was respected but vanquished. What price will Biden and our military leaders pay?
Some low level Marine officer spoke out against the horror show taking place right now and he got fired. There has to be accountability, so he had to be fired for speaking in the wrong venue but he didn’t kill anyone or destroy a tank or sink a ship. His crime was speaking the truth but the people responsible for grave damage aren’t taking responsibility or paying a price.
“Biden claimed Thursday that he asked his military advisers — primarily the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense — about the advisability of pulling out of Bagram and they told him not to worry.”
Biden has blamed everyone. He hasn’t taken any responsibility for HIS decision. It doesn’t matter what he was told because he is presented with a wide variety of information for any number of scenarios and then HE makes the decision.
Generals are blaming the IC. The IC is saying they said something different. State Department is blaming someone else. Biden blames someone different in each sentence. They can’t admit mistakes. They can’t articulate what we are doing. They can’t defend their actions.
They all need to be fired and that is far less than they deserve.
Custer paid a price and Lee was respected but vanquished. What price will Biden and our military leaders pay?
They won’t pay anything. That IOU has now been drawn on our children and grandchildren.
13 service people just made the first payment.
Yes. And They were someone’s children and/or grandchildren. More Gold Star Moms.
My heart breaks for them. My own son is Marine, thankfully no longer active, and parents of Marines have a particular bond. Just the thought of my son being one of those killed, especially under the circumstances, is unbearable. Biden needs to pay for this idiocy, but I’m not very hopeful he will.
I could get a lot worse. We have got a large force at HKIA staked out like a goat in the tyrannosaur paddock, and for centuries the Pashtun nature is to harass and destroy any retreating enemy, perhaps to teach them a final lesson.
We currently hold the north half of the airport. The line of control appears to be parallel to the single runway, just a few yards south of it.
Blocking that runway (or otherwise denying the use of it) would be trivial. So too would disabling the planes. Our troops are literally at the mercy of the Taliban. If they Taliban decide they aren’t going to be allowed to leave, our troops won’t be leaving.
Personally, I’m far from convinced that the bombing attacks in Kabul are, as claimed, by ISIS-K acting against the wishes of the Taliban. It’s just too convenient an attack for the Taliban; all the upside, none of the downside.
What I’m worried about is, what’s next?
Exit question; if someone was designing this pullout to be as damaging to the USA as possible, what would they have done differently to what was actually done?
We know it’s a kill box and they know it’s a kill box but surely our military leaders know this as well and have planned for it.
Even now, I think we have enough troops in place to retake Kabul if not the rest of the country and I doubt the Taliban want to provoke us into staying. They “won” by getting the shit kicked out of them every day all day for twenty years.
Those last planes flying out though, they need to worry. We better have the GRIMMs and AC 130 gunships circling Kabul and other cities as the last of us leave. Then, the fighters off the Reagan need to destroy all of our equipment we can find.
Rule #17: when someone tells you not to worry – panic
That Marine officer, Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, knew he was risking his career. He was two years short of retirement. There are crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice that aren’t crimes in the civilian world. Specifically, Articles 88 and 89 which make it illegal to criticize civilian government officials and superior officers. Article 133 is conduct unbecoming of an officer. I expect they will make an example of him and set out to destroy him. He knew that before releasing his video statement, but he’s a Marine. In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. He risked so much for what he knew to be true. What are we willing to risk?
Scheller knew he was ENDING his career when he stepped forward. He didn’t give them any choice. He willingly sacrificed his career for the truth.
I doubt the Marine Corps will make much of it, nor should they. If they court martial him, he will have much publicity. If they simply administratively separate him, he will be rid of the UCMJ strictures and have much publicity….
His remaining two years in a non-command position in Norway, Adak, Alaska, or Diego Garcia may be in his future.
The Biden admin made a statement reminding vets they are not allowed to criticize Biden or military leaders.
Jocko rocks.
Politicians underestimate our country’s ability to forgive. I think the response Biden would have received if he had given that speech would have been people across the ideological spectrum supporting him rather than making fun of him.
It is illustrative of the current management approach taken by our government at all levels, lie to the public, treat them like retards, and punish them for asking questions. They can’t figure out why no one likes them or wants to get on board with their programs.
“Gen. Robert E. Lee massed nine Confederate brigades to charge into the center of the Union line in the doomed Pickett’s Charge on the third day at the Battle of Gettysburg.
“Lee had too much confidence in his troops, failed to commit enough of them to the action to have a realistic chance of success, and sent them across a wide-open field that turned into an extended shooting gallery for Union soldiers and artillery. The Confederacy never recovered.”
I’ve been to Gettysburg, and though I don’t know this for sure, I would speculate that while the Confederates charged across open fields, the Union soldiers were much smarter. They probably took cover behind the hundreds of monuments and statutes that are all over the place there.
As any sensible soldier would. Isn’t it odd how most of the battles of that war were fought in national parks? Is it because those were federal territory?
I think maybe so, yes.
Oh, for a pair of FRS radios..
Or a living Stonewall Jackson, who wouldn’t have hesitated or halted on day one.
This is France being doomed just three days after the Germans crossed the Meuse in 1940. This is the lightning fast fall of Malaya/Singapore in 1942.
Looks like we are just about out, regardless of who is still there.
The abandonment of Bagram in a way that denied it to the Afghan government wasn’t some momentary lapse. It was carefully orchestrated to produce the exact situation we are in now. Forced to retreat from an indefensible position with no possibility of returning, ever.
Forget the thousands of Americans scattered through Afghanistan, they’re at the mercy of whoever ends up in charge of their location. We may lose a good many troops before we’re able to exit the airport. We’re not going to be able to discriminate between Taliban and civilians, including Americans if we have to use air strikes to keep from being overrun.
I saw one report that the drone strike actually got a family, including three children. Not going to link because I don’t really trust it. If it’s true, it will come out.
All together much worse than Little Big Horn or Gettysburg.
Inspired by Doug Jones as was mentioned here:
http://www.transterrestrial.com/2021/08/24/chaos-on-the-ground/#comment-482974
Sung to the tune ‘Step In Time’ from Mary Poppins:
Elphinstone! Elphinstone!
Elphinstone! Elphinstone!
When you have a leader who’s past his prime,
Who won’t give a reason to leave folks behind.
And bleed your forces to the bone,
Just consult your history ’bout
Elphinstone!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_George_Keith_Elphinstone
I’m sorry if the tone of this was wrong. It’s accurate but probably not in keeping with the seriousness of what is happening. Consider it my way of blowing off steam. Far better than saying what is laying just underneath my conscience.
Custer paid a price and Lee was respected but vanquished. What price will Biden and our military leaders pay?
Some low level Marine officer spoke out against the horror show taking place right now and he got fired. There has to be accountability, so he had to be fired for speaking in the wrong venue but he didn’t kill anyone or destroy a tank or sink a ship. His crime was speaking the truth but the people responsible for grave damage aren’t taking responsibility or paying a price.
“Biden claimed Thursday that he asked his military advisers — primarily the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense — about the advisability of pulling out of Bagram and they told him not to worry.”
Biden has blamed everyone. He hasn’t taken any responsibility for HIS decision. It doesn’t matter what he was told because he is presented with a wide variety of information for any number of scenarios and then HE makes the decision.
Generals are blaming the IC. The IC is saying they said something different. State Department is blaming someone else. Biden blames someone different in each sentence. They can’t admit mistakes. They can’t articulate what we are doing. They can’t defend their actions.
They all need to be fired and that is far less than they deserve.
For any who missed this. Jocko’s alternate reality speech if he were President. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdSnak1ZOsc
Custer paid a price and Lee was respected but vanquished. What price will Biden and our military leaders pay?
They won’t pay anything. That IOU has now been drawn on our children and grandchildren.
13 service people just made the first payment.
Yes. And They were someone’s children and/or grandchildren. More Gold Star Moms.
My heart breaks for them. My own son is Marine, thankfully no longer active, and parents of Marines have a particular bond. Just the thought of my son being one of those killed, especially under the circumstances, is unbearable. Biden needs to pay for this idiocy, but I’m not very hopeful he will.
I could get a lot worse. We have got a large force at HKIA staked out like a goat in the tyrannosaur paddock, and for centuries the Pashtun nature is to harass and destroy any retreating enemy, perhaps to teach them a final lesson.
We currently hold the north half of the airport. The line of control appears to be parallel to the single runway, just a few yards south of it.
Blocking that runway (or otherwise denying the use of it) would be trivial. So too would disabling the planes. Our troops are literally at the mercy of the Taliban. If they Taliban decide they aren’t going to be allowed to leave, our troops won’t be leaving.
Personally, I’m far from convinced that the bombing attacks in Kabul are, as claimed, by ISIS-K acting against the wishes of the Taliban. It’s just too convenient an attack for the Taliban; all the upside, none of the downside.
What I’m worried about is, what’s next?
Exit question; if someone was designing this pullout to be as damaging to the USA as possible, what would they have done differently to what was actually done?
We know it’s a kill box and they know it’s a kill box but surely our military leaders know this as well and have planned for it.
Even now, I think we have enough troops in place to retake Kabul if not the rest of the country and I doubt the Taliban want to provoke us into staying. They “won” by getting the shit kicked out of them every day all day for twenty years.
Those last planes flying out though, they need to worry. We better have the GRIMMs and AC 130 gunships circling Kabul and other cities as the last of us leave. Then, the fighters off the Reagan need to destroy all of our equipment we can find.
Rule #17: when someone tells you not to worry – panic
That Marine officer, Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, knew he was risking his career. He was two years short of retirement. There are crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice that aren’t crimes in the civilian world. Specifically, Articles 88 and 89 which make it illegal to criticize civilian government officials and superior officers. Article 133 is conduct unbecoming of an officer. I expect they will make an example of him and set out to destroy him. He knew that before releasing his video statement, but he’s a Marine. In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. He risked so much for what he knew to be true. What are we willing to risk?
Scheller knew he was ENDING his career when he stepped forward. He didn’t give them any choice. He willingly sacrificed his career for the truth.
I doubt the Marine Corps will make much of it, nor should they. If they court martial him, he will have much publicity. If they simply administratively separate him, he will be rid of the UCMJ strictures and have much publicity….
His remaining two years in a non-command position in Norway, Adak, Alaska, or Diego Garcia may be in his future.
The Biden admin made a statement reminding vets they are not allowed to criticize Biden or military leaders.
Jocko rocks.
Politicians underestimate our country’s ability to forgive. I think the response Biden would have received if he had given that speech would have been people across the ideological spectrum supporting him rather than making fun of him.
It is illustrative of the current management approach taken by our government at all levels, lie to the public, treat them like retards, and punish them for asking questions. They can’t figure out why no one likes them or wants to get on board with their programs.
“Gen. Robert E. Lee massed nine Confederate brigades to charge into the center of the Union line in the doomed Pickett’s Charge on the third day at the Battle of Gettysburg.
“Lee had too much confidence in his troops, failed to commit enough of them to the action to have a realistic chance of success, and sent them across a wide-open field that turned into an extended shooting gallery for Union soldiers and artillery. The Confederacy never recovered.”
I’ve been to Gettysburg, and though I don’t know this for sure, I would speculate that while the Confederates charged across open fields, the Union soldiers were much smarter. They probably took cover behind the hundreds of monuments and statutes that are all over the place there.
As any sensible soldier would. Isn’t it odd how most of the battles of that war were fought in national parks? Is it because those were federal territory?
I think maybe so, yes.
Oh, for a pair of FRS radios..
Or a living Stonewall Jackson, who wouldn’t have hesitated or halted on day one.
This is France being doomed just three days after the Germans crossed the Meuse in 1940. This is the lightning fast fall of Malaya/Singapore in 1942.
Looks like we are just about out, regardless of who is still there.
The abandonment of Bagram in a way that denied it to the Afghan government wasn’t some momentary lapse. It was carefully orchestrated to produce the exact situation we are in now. Forced to retreat from an indefensible position with no possibility of returning, ever.
Forget the thousands of Americans scattered through Afghanistan, they’re at the mercy of whoever ends up in charge of their location. We may lose a good many troops before we’re able to exit the airport. We’re not going to be able to discriminate between Taliban and civilians, including Americans if we have to use air strikes to keep from being overrun.
I saw one report that the drone strike actually got a family, including three children. Not going to link because I don’t really trust it. If it’s true, it will come out.
All together much worse than Little Big Horn or Gettysburg.