P A T R I O T I S M

[Roco]

just a UK thought

the Brit tommie has been fighting this way for a thousand years , for God ,Queen and Country .

often it seems for the wrong reasons , 

edit to add link

'When you're lying alone in your Afghan bivvy...': British soldier re-writes Rudyard Kipling poem in damning attack on conditions

By Ryan Kisiel

Last updated at 11:47 PM on 04th August 2009

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204317/British-soldier-writes-Rudyard-Kipling-poem-damning-attack-conditions.html#ixzz0NGfapPPC

[tommie gorman]

I like that. "With apologies to Kipling". 

Nice poem, honest.

the Brit tommie has been fighting this way for a thousand years for Country

Thats the part I have been talking about bro.  Sometimes its all that gets a soldier to the next day. Country=family, friends, neighbors, relatives, ancestors, etc...

[Roco]

I like that. "With apologies to Kipling". 

Nice poem, honest.

Thats the part I have been talking about bro.  Sometimes its all that gets a soldier to the next day. Country=family, friends, neighbors, relatives, ancestors, etc...

not for me bro, I value my neck higher, during the cold war I was working with the Rusians , just in case  , I always like to keep my options open ,

I might start taking Arabic leasons this winter , ,.................  

---------------------------------------------------

A British helicopter used in Afghanistan was a "cut and shut" combination of two different aircraft, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

http://video.news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/British-Helicopter-Used-In-Afghanistan-Was-A-Cut-And-Shut-Combination-Of-Two-Aircraft-MoD-Admits/Article/200907315340696?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Content_Region_8&lid=ARTICLE_15340696_British_Helicopter_Used_In_Afghanistan_Was_A_Cut_And_Shut_Combination_Of_Two_Aircraft%2C_MoD_Admits

The front of the twin-engined helicopter is from an RAF Chinook, which crashed in Oman in 1999 when its rear blades touched the ground.

The rear was taken from a former Argentinian Air Force Chinook helicopter seized in June 1982 during the Falklands conflict.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the helicopter was air-tested successfully and re-entered service in 2003.

It disclosed the helicopter's past in a letter to Ian Sadler, whose 21-year-old son Jack, a trooper in the Honourable Artillery Company, was killed by a mine in Afghanistan.

Mr Sadler, from Exmouth, Devon, has been fiercely critical of the inadequate equipment provided to British troops.

----------------------------------------

aparently The UK has 124 new unused Chinooks in store , no doubt they don't want them to get dusty , nothing changes , my issued Enfield rifle was 20 years old , 3 years older than I was at the time !!!!!

well the Brit squadie took the Queens shilling , and I guess didn't read the small print ,

But IMHO if you pay the guy to get  the job done,

it is false economy not to give him the tools ,

( Body Amour , one set between 3 , ) is an insult ,

LOL, on the apoligies to Kipling ,

The Brit military are trained to be polite ,

they always say sorry after they have shot you ,

[tommie gorman]

A MUST READ...................

Newspaper

This is a very good letter to the editor. This woman made some good points. For some reason, people have difficulty structuring their arguments when arguing against supporting the currently proposed immigration revisions. This lady made the argument pretty simple.  NOT printed in the  Orange  County  Paper ......... 

Newspapers simply won't publish letters to the editor which they either deem politically incorrect (read below) or which does not agree with the philosophy they're pushing on the public. This woman wrote a great letter to the editor that should have been published; but, with your help it will get published via cyberspace! 

From: 'David LaBonte' 

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the OC Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to 'print' it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined.. Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the  OrangeCounty  Register:

Dear Editor: 

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statue of  Liberty  because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through  Ellis Island  and other ports of entry. 

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented . Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss ed the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home. 

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them.  No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them . All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. 

Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from  Germany ,  Italy ,  France , and  Japan .. None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of  Japan . They were defending the  United States of America  as one people. 

When we liberated  France , no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American. The people of  France  saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl. 

And here we are in 2008 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges, only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country.. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life . I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags. 

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statue of  Liberty , it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States  just yet. 

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte 

KEEP THIS LETTER MOVING.  FOR THE WRONG THINGS TO PREVAIL THE RIGHTFUL MAJORITY NEEDS TO REMAIN COMPLACENT AND QUIET!! 

LET THIS NEVER HAPPEN!! 

I sincerely hope this letter gets read by millions of people all across the nation!!

And personally I don't care what snopes says about it. I still says this has a lot of good words and meaning.  And I for one stand behind it.

[tdawnaz]

yup...some of these letters circulating...may not actually be by the person that's signed as the author (who may not even exist) but this is a mouthful of truth...

omgosh this letter says it all in a nutshell...

awesome...keeping it...

[wknight40]

I know you are waiting for it tommie and I will post the link but first I must say that this letter does say a lot that is true.  I do agree with it just like the video posted earlier.

As mentioned in the link I'll post at the end don't forget there was still a lot of people in the past that did not adopt the USA as wholeheartedly as the letter portrays.  This is why we had "Little Germany" or "China Town".  There were many others.  In this way these groups did not have to change as quickly if at all.  During WWI and WWII it is very true that the immigrant children did join up and defend the US against the home countries of their parents.

This link is different in my past links in that it is for additional information.  Snopes calls it a "mixture" in that it has "true" and possible "false" information.  They really did not point out anything "false" just elaborated more in that not all immigrants in the past hugged the US as the letter above portrays.  But in my opinion, as I'm sure others may agree, the immigrants of today are more reluctant to stand up for the US as in the past. 

As an off the wall example if the US were to suddenly go into a full out war against Mexico, not only would we be fighting at the border but in every town and city in the US.  Nearly every "Mexican" would either high tail back to Mexico to fight or would just pick a fight on our soil.  Nothing against Mexico or the Mexican people just a quick example and the high influx in illegal (undocumented) Mexican's in the US.

Without further ado the link for additional reading, not to be against the posted letter.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/newimmigrants.asp

[tommie gorman]

I don't fully agree, my great grandpa live in a small Irish village also. But not to keep things the way they were, it was just so damned hard to understand English that fast. And like stated he later changed our name from O'Gorman to Gorman to better blend in to America. And yes worked very hard to become Americans. My whole family that was eligible to enlist have done so, even on my moms side. Except my mom of course, she had too many kids for that.

[wknight40]

Living in a small section of town because of not being able to pick up the local language is fully understandable.  Congradulations to your forefather's for bringing the family to America.  My dad's sid of the family came to America through Canada into PA then Ohio.  My mom's side came from Germany, Ireland and some from North America itself as in Native American.

[tdawnaz]

just thought this was an awesome story...made up i'm sure...but from how many true stories...??

They told me the big black Lab's name was Reggie as I looked at him lying in his pen.  The shelter was clean, and the people really friendly. I'd only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open.  Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.

But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn't hurt.  Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie's advertisement on the local news.  The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn't look like "Lab people," whatever that meant.  They must've thought I did.

But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner.  See, Reggie and I didn't really hit it off when we got home.  We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home).  Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too.  Maybe we were too much alike.

For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis balls - he wouldn't go anywhere without two stuffed in his mouth) got tossed in with all of my other unpacked boxes.  I guess I didn't really think he'd need all his old stuff, that I'd get him new things once he settled in.  but it became pretty clear pretty soon that he wasn't going to.

I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he knew, ones like "sit" and "stay" and "come" and "heel," and he'd follow them - when he felt like it.  He never really seemed to listen when I called his name - sure, he'd look in my direction after the fourth of fifth time I said it, but then he'd just go back to doing whatever.  When I'd ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then grudgingly obey.

This just wasn't going to work.  He chewed a couple shoes and some unpacked boxes.  I was a little too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell. The friction got so bad that I couldn't wait for the two weeks to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search mode for my cellphone amid all of my unpacked stuff.  I remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest room, but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the "damn dog probably hid it on me."

Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the shelter's number, I also found his pad and other toys from the shelter..  I tossed the pad in Reggie's direction and he snuffed it and wagged, some of the most enthusiasm I'd seen since bringing him home.  But then I called, "Hey, Reggie, you like that?  Come here and I'll give you a treat."  Instead, he sort of glanced in my direction - maybe "glared" is more accurate - and then gave a discontented sigh and flopped down.  With his back to me.

Well, that's not going to do it either, I thought.  And I punched the shelter phone number.

But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope.  I had completely forgotten about that, too.  "Okay, Reggie,"  I said out loud, "let's see if your previous owner has any advice.".........

To Whoever Gets My Dog: Well, I can't say that I'm happy you're reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie's new owner. I'm not even happy writing it.  If you're reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter.  He knew something was different.  I have packed up his pad and toys before and set them by the back door before a trip, but this time... it's like he knew something was wrong.  And something is wrong.... which is why I have to go to try to make it right.

So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you.

First, he loves tennis balls. the more the merrier.  Sometimes I think he's part squirrel, the way he hordes them.  He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there.  Hasn't done it yet.  Doesn't matter where you throw them, he'll bound after it, so be careful - really don't do it by any roads.  I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly.

Next, commands.  Maybe the shelter staff already told you, but I'll go over them again:  Reggie knows the obvious ones - "sit," "stay," "come," "heel."  He knows hand signals: "back" to turn around and go back when you put your hand straight up; and "over" if you put your hand out right or left.  "Shake" for shaking water off, and "paw" for a high-five.  He does "down" when he feels like lying down - I bet you could work on that with him some more.  He knows "ball" and "food" and "bone" and "treat" like nobody's business.

I trained Reggie with small food treats.  Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog.

Feeding schedule:  twice a day, once about seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening.  Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand.

He's up on his shots. Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with yours; they'll make sure to send you reminders for when he's due.  Be forewarned:  Reggie hates the vet.  Good luck getting him in the car - I don't know how he knkows when it's time to go to the vet, but he knows.

Finally, give him some time. I've never been married, so it's only been Reggie and me for his whole life.  He's gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can.  He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn't bark or complain.  He just loves to be around people, and me most especially.

Which means that this transition is going to be hard, with him going to live with someone new.

And that's why I need to share one more bit of info with you....

His name's not Reggie.

I don't know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie.  He's a smart dog, he'll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt.  but I just couldn't bear to give them his real name.  For me to do that, it seemed so final, that handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I'd never see him again.  And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it means everything's fine.  But if someone else is reading it, well... well it means that his new owner should know his real name.  It'll help you bond with him.  Who knows, maybe you'll even notice a change in his demeanor if he's been giving you problems.

His real name is Tank.

Because that is what I drive.

Again, if you're reading this and you're from the area, maybe my name has been on the news.  I told the shelter that they couldn't make "Reggie" available for adoption until they received word from my company commander.  See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could've left Tank with... and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone call the the shelter... in the "event"... to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption.  Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed.  He said he'd do it personally.  And if you're reading this, then he made good on his word.

Well, this letter is getting to downright depressing, even though, frankly, I'm just writing it for my dog.  I couldn't imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids and family.  but still, Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family.

And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me.

That unconditional love from a dog is what I took with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect innocent people from those who would do terrible things... and to keep those terrible people from coming over here.  If I had to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have done so.  He was my example of service and of love.  I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.

All right, that's enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter.  I don't think I'll say another good-bye to Tank, though.  I cried too much the first time.  Maybe I'll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth.

Good luck with Tank.  Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me.

Thank you, Paul Mallory

I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope.  Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me.  Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver Star when he gave his life to save three buddies.  Flags had been at half-mast all summer.

I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog.

"Hey, Tank," I said quietly.

The dog's head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright.

"C'mere boy."

He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor.  He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn't heard in months.

"Tank," I whispered.

His tail swished.

I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him.  I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my face into his scruff and hugged him.

"It's me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me."  Tank reached up and licked my cheek.  "So whatdaya say we play some ball?  His ears perked again. "Yeah?  Ball?  You like that? Ball?"  Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room.

And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.

[tommie gorman]

Ok, not fair. Real tear jerker there. Great story, thanks momma for sharing. 

[mudmanc4]

Good story. Either way, doesn't matter, if this particular story is factual,  there are people all over that have or will give up something they love to fight for something they love.

There's so much in the news all day, other then the way it was during the first months, and years of the war, seems to me that the media has switched our thoughts elsewhere , getting all of us riled up about something else, when we should be all working together to help do the job thats being done, and get out of there. Instead this thing just keeps going, and were all disagreeing on other things, and as a whole, not paying much attention to these people.

[tdawnaz]

yeh! my daughter said yesterday... that she hopes something happens that the pres is taken out of office....i told her that prob isn't gonna happen and even if by some miracle it does, it won't matter because the wheels of the plan are already in motion...because a slight of hand has happened...our attention was diverted making us look over here while the core plan was activated over there...

congress is doing this...the senate is doing that...omg where's his birth cert...wtf i think he's muslim because he's blocking all the christian stuff...omg have u read that health care reform bill, we're all gonna be euthanized...

just little things (real or not) made to appear enormous so that we aren't watching while they erode the core of our constitution...and guess what?... it's not our pres doing it...he's just an actor...a place keeper...why do u think he needs a teleprompter to say the simplest sentence...he's an android in this scheme...a scheme that none of us have any control over now because we were looking the other way while they took away our control...

oh sorry... rant over

nightmare last night still on my mind i guess...better get it down in my book of dreams...these were all just my thoughts that i conveyed to my daughter prompted by her simple comment (we were in the mall...and she just wanted me to shut up) hahaha...not even an opinion yet...just a thought...

[tdawnaz]

oh yeh...i know that doesn't belong here...but i'm not fully awake yet...so i'm leaving it love to all...love to God...love to my country...fuck this mess of a gov't

[mudmanc4]

oh yeh...i know that doesn't belong here...but i'm not fully awake yet...so i'm leaving it love to all...love to God...love to my country...fuck this mess of a gov't

yeh! my daughter said yesterday... that she hopes something happens that the pres is taken out of office....i told her that prob isn't gonna happen and even if by some miracle it does, it won't matter because the wheels of the plan are already in motion...because a slight of hand has happened...our attention was diverted making us look over here while the core plan was activated over there...

congress is doing this...the senate is doing that...omg where's his birth cert...wtf i think he's muslim because he's blocking all the christian stuff...omg have u read that health care reform bill, we're all gonna be euthanized...

just little things (real or not) made to appear enormous so that we aren't watching while they erode the core of our constitution...and guess what?... it's not our pres doing it...he's just an actor...a place keeper...why do u think he needs a teleprompter to say the simplest sentence...he's an android in this scheme...a scheme that none of us have any control over now because we were looking the other way while they took away our control...

oh sorry... rant over

nightmare last night still on my mind i guess...better get it down in my book of dreams...these were all just my thoughts that i conveyed to my daughter prompted by her simple comment (we were in the mall...and she just wanted me to shut up) hahaha...not even an opinion yet...just a thought...

  :smitten:  :kiss:

[tommie gorman]

All I can say momma is it all made sense though.    Scary, huh?

[tdawnaz]

too scary...so scary i had to go back to bed for awhile...thought i scared myself...turned out i had a fever...been sick all day...so it wasn't a nightmare...just a fever...but it's in my book now anyway...won't bore u with the details...doesn't fit here

[mudmanc4]

too scary...so scary i had to go back to bed for awhile...thought i scared myself...turned out i had a fever...been sick all day...so it wasn't a nightmare...just a fever...but it's in my book now anyway...won't bore u with the details...doesn't fit here

There's a thread around here somewhere for that, dang if I can find it :/

[tdawnaz]

There's a thread around here somewhere for that, dang if I can find it :/

nah...i ain't gonna post it...

but i meant everything i said above...

i think that the wheels are in motion...probably have been for a long time...maybe since roosevelt...and this step is approaching the final leg of their plan "change" and they just needed us to look away for a few...focus on the controversy...it's all a joke...what we were...won't be soon...

is this all the beginning of the armageddon that's supposed to happen in 2012??...guess we'll know when we get there

[mudmanc4]

nah...i ain't gonna post it...

but i meant everything i said above...

i think that the wheels are in motion...probably have been for a long time...maybe since roosevelt...and this step is approaching the final leg of their plan "change" and they just needed us to look away for a few...focus on the controversy...it's all a joke...what we were...won't be soon...

is this all the beginning of the armageddon that's supposed to happen in 2012??...guess we'll know when we get there

Stop thinking like that, this is why the media is a making the people that are trying to stop this look like villains, because you are right, they have been trying for this for a couple generations. Don't give up, don't throw in the towel.

It's easy to get caught up in catch phrases that the media puts out , and run with them, when they actually have nothing to do with the situation at hand, seriously nothing. It's very disappointing that the small majority of people that are still hanging on to these things. But mind control is a powerful thing.

I'm just saying don't give up, because we have them on the run right now, that is no doubt. rewrite the  bill, from scratch !!!!!!!!!

YES we need reform, that goes without saying. There are too many people not getting what they need, and too many people making to much money off someone else's misfortunes health wise. We all should be disgusted with ourselves over this.

Obama would have signed that bill, he would sign it now, knowing that the people as a whole are not in favor of it , now this brings me to the point that I know where he stands, that will never change, think about it, as much even now, that even his own cabinet are saying wow, there's allot in here that is not good at all, what's that say about obama's agenda here ?

[tdawnaz]

obama is just a puppet...the power is behind him...and it's not anyone we know of...it's a force...

give up??...absolutely not...but i'm aware...i see it...and it's ugly...it will take a lot of force to bring it down...

power to the people is what it will take...just as it did before...

everyone wanted to be so hip...so culturally diverse...wanted to be a part of history in the making...he was cultured in a petri dish for the job...a virus so virulent that it's unstoppable...but it can be stopped but people need to wake up to what's happening...stop listening to the media and the slick talking seducer...well now ur watching history in the making as they to destroy this country from the inside out...blah...nuff from me

but give up??...NEVER...i love my country...i love my God and he will save us if we listen to what we need to do...stand together...as a unit

[mudmanc4]

but give up??...NEVER...i love my country...i love my God and he will save us if we listen to what we need to do...stand together...as a unit

 

Because this is why "they" have "us" battling amongst ourselves, this way they can achieve what they want, it's a long time simplistic tactic used for centuries to manipulate.

This is why some where, hmmm, wonder where it is written......hmm, anyway  "together we stand, divided we fall"

[coknuck]

The only reason the Elite made Obama the Prez is to slap White people in the face!!!

[tdawnaz]

no because all eyes had to be on him...for the rest to happen...a patsy

that's all i'm gonna say...i've already shot my mouth off enough...

[pixiepistlz]

BUT, but, but Mama, I Thought you liked our President? 

[wknight40]

It seems that there is a lot of people that voted for him that are seeing the true color's.  Unfortunately anyone that was sided with Bush or Clinton would have lost the race.  To win all a person would have had to do is to be anti-Bush and anti-Clinton too win, and that is exactly how his campaign was run.  Now they are seeing our puppet government in action.