Nation's Top Marine, Nation's Bottom Army Officer
Local news said today that "the nation's top marine" spoke out today about the Haditha incident. I assumed the newsdweeb meant General Peter Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the first Marine to hold the position). But he meant General Michael Hagee, the commandant of the Corps.
General Hagee is one of the Joint Chiefs, but General Pace is the Chairman of Joint Chiefs. I am not sure which one is "top." Maybe Hagee is, since he is in direct command of the Corps, even though he reports to Pace?
Oh, and speaking of military, there was also a big local hubbub today about Lt. Ehren Watada, who is objecting to the war and refusing to serve because the war is "illegal."
Three points to make: first, he's wrong, the war is in no way illegal. Second, even if it were, that's not your business, that's the business of the civilian leadership. Third, why is your flag backwards? When hanging vertically against a wall, the field of blue stays in the top left, just as when hung horizontally. Even I know that, and I am not an officer in the Army. It was not only backward here in the picture and video on his web site, but also in the press conference today.
I don't know why this is such a big deal. The story is no more interesting than what I posted above: even if he is right, which he isn't, he is refusing to follow orders, and he will be court-martialed and jailed for it, and life will go one for everyone else.
General Hagee is one of the Joint Chiefs, but General Pace is the Chairman of Joint Chiefs. I am not sure which one is "top." Maybe Hagee is, since he is in direct command of the Corps, even though he reports to Pace?
Oh, and speaking of military, there was also a big local hubbub today about Lt. Ehren Watada, who is objecting to the war and refusing to serve because the war is "illegal."
Three points to make: first, he's wrong, the war is in no way illegal. Second, even if it were, that's not your business, that's the business of the civilian leadership. Third, why is your flag backwards? When hanging vertically against a wall, the field of blue stays in the top left, just as when hung horizontally. Even I know that, and I am not an officer in the Army. It was not only backward here in the picture and video on his web site, but also in the press conference today.
I don't know why this is such a big deal. The story is no more interesting than what I posted above: even if he is right, which he isn't, he is refusing to follow orders, and he will be court-martialed and jailed for it, and life will go one for everyone else.
"It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt."
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