Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Too Many Questions

O my ridiculous frig! What can possibly be attained by releasing OLB’s SEAL team mug-shot? Who, besides me, wants to see this guys former façade in its new guise. I’m just a curious thrill seeker with a sneaker for the ghoulish. The idea that my whim should be satisfied at the risk of really pissing off some peasant with an RPG and little to lose, seems on the face of it, nuts.

I’m more interested in seeing the Donald’s tax returns and his “fantastic” grades when he was at Penn. I’m much more interested in seeing some actual footage of Michelle Bachman answering a question, any question, with a straight answer. We don’t really need to see Osama’s former face or even the “dignified burial at sea” clip that while fascinating for some, would prove little to me. After all, I read the Pat Tillman Story and will never believe my government again (without verifying) and most especially any thing coming out of DoD.

It’s as riveting a story that Krakauer has ever told. And having served in a combat outfit in peacetime Germany, I can vouch for how inefficient, self serving and stupid the army can be. Almost nobody wants to take responsibility and the ones that do, shouldn’t. The army thrives on routine by the numbers. What attracts seemingly capable young men to become lifers is the predictability of every day. You know exactly what you are going to wear each day, when you need to show up to be fed and what time to go to bed.

Corporal Tillman’s squad was divided up after a vehicle became disabled even though this was against standing orders. Some Captain over rode a wiser Lieutenant because he didn’t want to catch hell for leaving a vehicle behind. The two half squads became confused in a fire fight with the enemy and Tillman became a KIA from three shots in the head, which isn’t too hard to do with a BAR 240, which only Americans carry.

It was easy enough to figure out what happened but nobody wanted to except blame and instead of a friendly-fire report to head quarters, the famous football star who signed up with his brother after 9/11, was put in for a silver star, a really big deal.

Brigadier General (one star) Stanley Mc Chrystal was told to make up a story and write a report that would justify the award and make Tillman’s family feel better. This would require that the chain of command have absolute discipline to keep the story straight. Big prob. Pat’s brother was on the same patrol and knew what happened. Eventually the whole misguided plan was exposed and Tillman’s mother and brother testified in front of Congress. Apologies were made. None were excepted. Mrs. Tillman went back home with one less son. Mc Chrystal got three more stars before finally getting drummed out of service for doing something else stupid.
At this writing we are being told that one of OBL’s wives, a brave lass, charged at a NAVY SEAL! And he had to shoot her. He didn’t kill her because there was no need. Why he couldn’t have butt stroked her sorry ass, as even I was taught, doesn’t quite compute. “They” wanted us to believe that Osama “resisted”. Resisted what, being shot? Is that any reason to shoot a guy? How did he “resist” without a freakin’ weapon?

The guy needed to die and he did. Good riddance. Why all the balderdash? We can take it. He killed thousands. Three thousand just on 9/11. There’s abso-fkn-lutely no reason to claim self defense. The shooter had a kill order and now his target is with his seventy two new girlfriends. Who cares?

The DoD does. They never saw a story they couldn’t try to spin. So who in the name of allah would ever believe whatever image the military’s press department trotted out to show that he is dead. One Taliban chief reportedly said today that Osama’s been dead for a year and a half. Ya gotta picture Mac?

PS: O dear. After all that, the WH has just announced that no pics will be released. Just as well.