Tag Archives: country

06

Mar. ’22

The War in Ukraine

I am watching the war in Ukraine, and I am sad about this on two accounts. First, I am too old to go there and take up arms against the invading forces. Second, this reminds me of a civil war because a portion of the Ukraine populace speak Russian, and some have family in Russia. This is a war started by a mad man and he does not care about anything except what he wants.

               I see the civilian buildings shattered and burned, children and women dying, not even understanding what is going on nor why. I also see fearless people taking on the invaders knowing they could die at a moments notice. I see the people that have never held a weapon trying to quickly learn to shoot and protect their country. This should never happen.

               The Russian military is not as good as they think they are. There is video of them giving up because their vehicles are out of fuel, they are hungry and tired. The Ukraine people gave them food and comfort and, from the videos I saw, did not harm nor restrain them. But that is only some of the military because others followed orders and purposely targeted civilians and their domiciles. Why is it taking so long to overrun a country the size of Ukraine with a large Russian army? Incompetence, leadership, the will to fight, what?

               Everyone is afraid of a nuclear war if a nation with nuclear powers joins the Ukraine fight. Never to worry, worry about Russia targeting the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and going after another. We were lucky that the bombing did not cause the release of any radiation on the first one, but we may not be lucky if they bomb the next one. Nuclear radiation does not know the difference between friend or foe nor boarders.

               Of course, President Biden is accursed of not doing enough to stop the start of the war, among other things he is falsely accused of. The Congressmen that released unauthorized video, when there was a video talk with the Ukraine President, will not even get a slap on the wrist. The rules Russia goes by, our rules, and the rules of the rest of the world are not the same rules. Plus, no one can believe anything Russia say. Russia told the world, before the invasion, that they were conducting war games. We knew better because we now have a President that listens to the intelligence reports. The reports were correct.

               But the question now is ‘what can the world do to stop this invasion’? Not much besides the sanctions. The rest of the world could take up arms to help Ukraine, but the Russian mad man may be crazy enough to drop a nuclear bomb. Roll the dice. Then the entire world is in jeopardy. The world can not negotiate with a mad man.

               The bottom line is to watch and wait to see what develops and hope it is good. We all must support Ukraine anyway we can with whatever we have. We can also pray for them and keep them in our prayers until this is over. When this is over it will take years to rebuild the country.

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22

Aug. ’21

The Difference of Two Wars

There is a debate about should we have left Afghanistan, or should we have stayed and all fingers are pointed at President Biden because he COMPLETED leaving Afghanistan. Some say he was right, and some say he was wrong. The agreement to pullout was agreed upon a couple of years before he came into office, and he could not stop it. Then there are those that compare leaving Afghanistan to the way we left Viet Nam, which, in a way, is true. Also, there are some that compare how Viet Nam was and lives lost to the war in Afghanistan. Not true. The majority that are saying this were not born at the time.

               During the time of Viet Nam there was a draft that all eligible American males had to register for. They even alluded all branches of the military was involved in the draft. Wrong, the air force did not participate in the draft. The air force never drafted except when it was a part of the army which was called the Army Air Corp.

               We got into Viet Nam the same way we got into Afghanistan. The French were there and left the country. Next came the American advisors to teach the people how to fight, etc. When things started to go bad, America started sending in ground personnel and air support. Years later we, like the French, pulled out of the country. In Afghanistan and Viet Nam, there was a warning about the pullout and the Vietnamese that wanted to go left the country. But, in Afghanistan, most waited until it was too late.

               Let us not forget the American men and women that died. There is no comparison. There was a couple thousand that died in Afghanistan (Americans yelled long and hard about that) compared to a couple hundred thousand that died in Viet Nam (I do not have the exact number, but most Americans rarely spoke about the lives lost). I was air force, and I was among the first waves of American troops going to Viet Nam. I remember, every base was either mortared or attempted to be over run or both by enemy forces. Everyone wondered if the next mortar round or next bullet would have their name on it and they would go home in a casket, so many thousands did. That is a big difference in the two wars.

               Another big difference is upon returning home because the Viet Nam veterans were hated by the American populace. I still remember returning home, in 1966, I landed at Travis, AFB, California and had to change into civilian clothes, before leaving base to catch a plane to my next base, for fear of being cat called, spit on, or assaulted. I then hoped my haircut did not give me away.

               As far as leaving the country’s people behind (news media also), there was ample time to leave because for a long time it was known that the American forces were leaving. There was more than enough time to get out. Those that waited until the last minute and found themselves stuck want to put the onus on someone else and want someone to risk their life to save theirs. This have happened in every conflict and, rest assured, it will happen again because we do not learn from history.

               There is much more between the differences of the two wars, I have only lightly touched of a few points. To get into the political points would take one or two more blogs. It is a very complicated subject, and it would ruffle a lot of feathers. I was there, on the ground in Viet Nam and Thailand (which some people do not know was a part of the Viet Nam war), I was not a draft dodger, but I did dodge the bullets and mortars and made it home. I was not in Afghanistan, but I read enough and watched enough news reels to know the difference.

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25

Oct. ’20

Vote

The Presidential Debate was on television the other night and the President, although he could not interrupt as he did during the first debate, was saying the same thing he said almost four years ago. It was the same lies, misinformation, same ‘this is what I have done’ lies, and the same ‘I am not a racist’ pledge. Nothing but the same everything and nothing of consequence. Therefore, I was flipping between that and the football game, which was more interesting.

               I have already voted, and I cannot believe there are people that are still undecided. My mind was made-up a long time ago. If people still believe what the President is saying, I know someone that will sell them the Brookland Bridge. If people still don’t see that all this is is about money, power, and themselves, I feel sorry for them. Maybe they are just for themselves and not the country. Most Republicans are just for the party, good or bad, and to hell with compromising or the country.

               As I have said before, I am not a pure Democrat, during the past years I have voted Democrat and I have voted Republican. I vote for whom ever I think is the best person, not the party. I can think, I listen, and I will vote a mixed ticket, if necessary. However, there are many people that will vote against a person because they belong to a certain party.

               Then there are those that will take the oath of whichever office they are elected to and immediately break that oath. They swear to God to abide by that oath knowing they do not mean a word they are swearing to. Some get elected to office for the prestige, power, and the desire to get even more. Some use the office to possibly get fame and fortune. For some, the people they are elected to represent, are steppingstones to something greater.

               I can not understand how people want a health care plan, that may not be one hundred percent, destroyed because a different political party introduced it, and, as of yet, do not have another plan on the table. By destroying the health care plan and not having another to replace it standing-by will put millions on the sideline without anything. That will mean, not taking in consideration the pandemic, thousands will die because they could not afford medicine, a doctor, or a medical procedure, or all combined.

               The President said he have a health care plan coming. He said the same thing every year and yet there is nothing. He said he care for the people yet thousands, each day, die and/or get the virus. The people do not have the special medical care that the President and those in Congress have and because of the lack of medical care will greatly suffer. On November the fourth, the people of this great nation will awaken and will either know that their health care is safe or that their health care is going down the tubes. However, the way the situation plays out is in your hands by the way you vote. It is that easy. I have voted. It is now your turn if you have not already voted. Vote.

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13

Sep. ’20

I Am A Sucker

I have spent a lifetime of service to this country, under Presidents of both parties, and later served the communities with pleasure and honor. I never considered myself neither a “sucker” nor a “loser” and I have served with a smile on my face. I never asked for fame or fortune nor did I shun from the job to be done and ask why.

I, like many others before me and after me, come from a family of honorable servers that put their life on the line for God and country. Before me, there was the draft and I do not know of anyone that refused to serve or hid from the commitment of serving. I have friends that have died and friends that are wounded (medically and/or mentally). There is no one, that I am aware of, who have a frown on their face and have said they do not want to be a loser or sucker.

This President is tearing down the very principles that this country was built upon. He is doing the work that the enemies of this country want done. I can imagine the leaders of our enemy countries smiling knowing that a sucker/loser is doing their work for them. They are probably applauding the followers and those that will not verbally oppose him. They will do anything to keep him in power and further destroy our democratic way of life.

To be for him is to want further destruction of our way of life then on to the other countries that stand in their way. Country after country will weaken and fall just like we are weak and is quickly falling. Newspapers, magazines, radio, and television will be gone. The last nail is being hammered into the coffin of the Stars and Stripes, others will follow, and WE will be at fault for it. The supporters of this President will be shoulder-to-shoulder to blame.

I can not go to a cemetery and see the gravestone of the fallen and call them “losers” because I could have proudly been one of them. Every time I am at the Veteran’s Hospital and see the sick and crippled vets, I cannot turn my head and not want to be around them or see them. They, as I, are not “suckers”. I have never said, they have never said, “screw this country, screw this President”, we served because we wanted to serve, and we are proud of it.

If we are suckers and/or losers, let the President’s followers protect him and this country the way we did. Let them do the jobs we did and have a smile on their face. Let the President do one single job that we did, and others are presently doing. Let him lead by example or has his leading come down to lying, cheating, and dishonoring those that gave their all for our futures.

No, I am neither a loser nor a sucker and would proudly serve this country again if I could. I could have run out of the country or I could have gotten a medical excuse for the pleasure of not being called a “sucker” or a “loser”. I could have let others provide me with a safe and comfortable country so that I may possibly acquire a fortune because of those that did serve and became a “loser”, a “sucker”.

 

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04

Jul. ’20

We Endured

THIS AN EXTRA TEGA227…THIS IS AN EXTRA TEGA227…THIS IS AN EXTRA TEGA227

Last week a fellow chapter member of the Tuskegee Airmen Association, Inc. Sent me an article from the New York Times (NYT Opinion by Caroline Randall Williams, You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/confederate-monument-racism.HTML). After reading the well written article, all sorts of additions went through my mind and I decided to share a few thoughts with you.
Most White people claim to know history and especially the struggles of the Black person. They say they can feel our pain and sorrow. I don’t think they realize how deep it goes because most White people can trace their ancestry, most Black people cannot. They do not really understand why we can only trace our DNA to a country or area. They do not understand how painstakingly our history and culture was removed as if it never existed. We were told we were nothing, never would be anything and never had anything until they came along to save us. History does not bear that out although they tried to erase and/or distort history.
Against our will we were bought to this country in chains with untold many dying along the way. We were forbidden our language, it was forbidden to teach us to read and write, it was forbidden to gather in groups except to slave in the hot sun and, not least, to speak unless spoken to and it was always with a bowed head. If any law, written or unwritten, spoken or unspoken, we were whipped, beaten, shot, butchered, or hung. The women were constantly raped, and the offspring were either kept for the fields or sold. We were taught the Bible and christen ways although the White people did not uphold those values. After learning the christen way, we could only go to our church unless a White person was there to observe. The offspring, although some were indistinguishable from their White owners, were told that one drop of Negros blood made a person Black no matter the color of their skin. Humm…there are not many White people that do not have a drop of Black blood in their veins. I know some that went to school with me and later passed for White.
This country was built on the backs of Black people. There would not be a United States of America without the labor or ingenuity of Black people. Why did I use the word ingenuity? Let us think back to the days of the Pharoses and beyond. These people were not as Elisabeth Talyor, who portrayed Cleopatra, they were Black people, living in Egypt on the continent of Africa. The oldest operating library in the world is in Alexandria, Egypt. Plato, Socrates and many others studied and received advanced education there. The world still does not understand how the pyramids were built nor why they are still standing, just to name a few things.
As I said in recent blogs and a few before those, we Black people have endured a lot and is still enduring. We have endured inferior education and had to learn more than the White person to obtain a job. While obtaining a job, we received lower pay for the same or more work than the White person and a promotion is out of consideration. I could go on and on but, in a nutshell, the Black person gets shafted in everything that goes on simply because they are Black. We have endured a lot and, still, all that is said is for us to stop complaining because they are working on it and to suck it up. It is the same thing that have been said for years and years and, maybe, more years to come. However, we will endure.

 

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03

Jul. ’20

Commander-in-Chief

When you think things cannot get any worse, they do. Never believe your situation is as bad as it can get because there is always someone that have it worse than you. When I was stationed in Thailand, during the Viet Nam war, I was a dog handler and was informed the Viet Cong had a bounty on our lives. There was a bounty on the life of the dog handler and a larger bounty on the life of the dog. Why? It was almost impossible for them to penetrate the base perimeter with the dog teams deployed to protect the base. That made us dog teams extra alert and, while I was there, there was not one base penetration or loss of life although they tried.
I am thankful we were informed about the bounty because to not have known could have meant loss of life, my life. To have a Commander-in-Chief knowing there is a bounty on the lives of our military, not raising hell about it, and loving up to the enemy that placed that bounty is disturbing. This only says to me that the military life means nothing to the Commander-in-Chief and make me wonder why we call him that. Make me wonder why we fight for him, put our lives in danger for him and the country, when he doesn’t love us but loves the enemy more.
There have been many traitors in every conflict the United States have encountered but it has never been from the top. These are troubled times. Not only does the people fight in-country turmoil but those in the military have to not only concentrate on their duty and attempt to save their life but wonder if the orders given to them are valid and it is not aiding the enemy.
All of us that have worn the uniform and those that are presently in uniform depend on our commanders to have our best interests in mind. We know that they would never intentionally do anything that could bring us harm, or do they? We also knew that they would tell us anything and everything that would help get the mission completed and prevent the loss of life, or is that still true?
The Russians have never been our friend. They have always been our enemy and history bears that out. Trying to get along with them is one thing but to love them and trust them is another thing. Putin can never be trusted. He has tried everything he can to disrupt everything in every country. And, being ex-KGB, knows every trick in the book. I cannot respect a Commander-in-Chief that will publicly show love for this enemy and will do his bidding. I cannot respect a Commander-in-Chief that is willing to sacrifice his military because he is loyal to and love the enemy.
This Commander-in-Chief have bowed to every dictator in the world and I cannot think of any that love the United States of America. Like our Commander-in-Chief, they only think of themselves and not their people. They eat and drink good, party and live good while their people are very poor and are dying. They, as so our President, want it all and want to be glorified. The only difference is the other countries care for their military and our Commander-in-Chief does not.

 

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02

Feb. ’19

What’s on My Mind

I am tired, very tired of this political mess that none of us are able to rid ourselves of. This three-ring circus would have never happened in the days of yore, which, by the way, was not too long ago. All of this not coming together and play fair have me wondering why we have an election at all (remember, our present President did not win the popular vote). We elect people to do our bidding and all they are willing to do is their own biddings. All of this will come to an end, with our government in taters and all I can see now is a fallen government. It’s like we are in a third world country.

Why I am talking about this is because of the misfiring of the intelligence committee. When the GOP had the majority for two years and had a show of questioning people, it came to sham questioning. I said ‘show’ because they (GOP) really didn’t want to find anything incriminating against anyone. It was all a show, and, at the same time, they tried to make the other side look like they were over zealous wanting what they wanted. I knew then that something was wrong and wondered why the constituents weren’t hollering bloody murder.

Now, the democrats are in power and have the leadership of the intelligence committee. They want to send transcripts to the Special Prosecutor. Seems reasonable to me but the GOP will not appoint people to the committee so that the committee can not send any transcripts to the Special Prosecutor. What in the ‘Sam Hill’ is going on? Is this any way for government to act? What is it that the GOP don’t want known? Are they protecting someone that they are afraid is going to be indicted if the documents are released?

I look back at what the GOP have done while being a ‘stooge’ for the President when there are three branches of government and they are one of the three. They rammed (confirmed) people through the committees that had no business in front of the committee in the first place, let alone being confirmed anyway. They are a shame to the world and most of them I would never vote for nor recommend for a vote, ever. I am ashamed to be a part of a country that act the way our government does. Yes, we are laughed at all over the world. It used to be that only other countries acted this way. We now have joined them, may have gotten a little lower.

I guess to really be like a third world country we must have a dictator. Oops, our President want to act like a dictator, and he have his party letting him say and do what he wants. I guess now, to be a true dictator, our military must roam the streets and shoot anyone that disagree with the dictator. The dictator must have secret assassins. Come shoot me, assassinate me because I don’t care if the world knows I don’t like our sham dictator. I would love to see the dictator and all his family and associates rot in jail. I would love to get my country back. I will have a drink, smoke a cigar and smile when that day come. What a day that will be. And, all the people that can not see all the ‘BS’ that the GOP is spreading all around should be jailed with the rest of the scum.

 

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