View Full Version : I lost a lot of respect for Joe Galloway...
...after reading his recent article in the paper yesterday. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but from this article, he sounds like nothing more than an anti-Iraq, Bush hater. I respect him for what he has done in the past, but honestly, I've got nothing for him now.
http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/185798.html
Joseph L. Galloway: Counting days until Bush horror is over
By Joseph L. Galloway
Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, May 19, 2007
Story appeared in EDITORIALS section, Page B7
Print | E-Mail | Comments (11)| Digg it | del.icio.us
There are a little more than 600 days left until Jan. 20, 2009, and the end of our long national nightmare as President Bush and his Rasputin, Vice President Dick Cheney, shuffle off to their necessarily well-guarded retirement homes and onto the ash heap of history.
So much of what they talked about doing in a new century and a new and different world never came to pass. So much of what they did to grow the power of the presidency and prune the constitutional safeguards crafted by our Founding Fathers, they never talked about.
The American people have turned their backs on Bush and his dreams of planting the seeds of democracy in Mesopotamia at the point of a gun and seeing them spread like kudzu across the Middle East.
He's failed in his quest for victory in Iraq and for a world put in order by a new and stronger United States, and his brash blundering into a dangerous land has made us all much less safe.
The president's approval ratings are below his knees, sinking to 28 percent in one recent poll, and he cannot recover short of the kind of miracle that parts seas and feeds the multitudes.
The war that was never ours to win by military means -- the only button this president who never learned war ever learned how to push -- is lost. Bush and Cheney and the rest of their cronies and co-conspirators are toast.
The question is: How did such ordinary-looking men -- seemingly unable to carry out even the smallest nonpolitical tasks of governing -- succeed in doing such extraordinary and lasting damage to our country, our military and our body politic in so few years? With Congress in the hands of the Democrats, and the 2008 election looming dead ahead, the president can't even count on key figures in his own Republican Party to stand behind him as he embarks on a long and painful lame duckhood.
His hopes of crafting meaningful immigration reform and fixing Social Security are dead on arrival. The legacies that Bush will carry into retirement are the war he started, lost and stubbornly refused to end, and the corruption that he and his team visited on our democracy and Constitution.
The president's lawyer, mi abogado, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, dangles in the wind as we learn, day by day, of how grotesquely this administration politicized the professional staff of the Justice Department.
It was Gonzales, as White House counsel, who provided legal cover for the torture and maltreatment of prisoners and suspects that led directly to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and the CIA's secret Kafkaesque prisons scattered around the world where "enhanced" interrogation methods were generously, if unproductively, employed.
It was Gonzales, as attorney general, who hired and gave unprecedented hiring and firing powers to a 33-year-old attorney, Monica Goodling, who'd graduated from a TV evangelist's law school. It was Goodling who resigned and took the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions that hadn't even been asked. It was Goodling who was Justice's liaison to the White House and Karl Rove.
Meantime, the White House can't find 5 million e-mail messages involving official business and refuses to provide many of those it can find to the congressional committees investigating the firing of U.S. attorneys.
The agencies of government -- the CIA, FBI, Treasury, Department of Defense and who knows who else -- use secret executive authority to suck up databases of personal information about ordinary Americans, without regard to their privacy rights, in a search for suspected terrorists.
Have they found any using that information? Have they unearthed terror cells with more potential than the ones in Florida and New Jersey that were penetrated and perhaps manipulated by FBI informants? That sort of terrorist isn't half so frightening as Bush and Cheney.
Over in Iraq, 150,000 American troops soldier on, attempting, at the cost of their own lives and limbs, to follow the orders of a president who still thinks he can pull victory out of defeat.
A democratically elected but hopelessly divided Iraqi parliament feuds and dithers and contemplates its summer vacation while Americans and Iraqis die in increasing numbers in the streets outside the Green Zone, and the mortar and rocket fire lands inside that sanctuary with increasing frequency.
Nineteen months, and counting. It doesn't seem possible or even bearable.
Sweetbriar
05-20-2007, 13:32
I believe Galloway's politics have always been to the left of center. That doesn't mean his support and respect for the efforts members of the military make in the field and in their service has failed. For him, there really is a separation of the two.
Jack Moroney (RIP)
05-20-2007, 14:40
I. For him, there really is a separation of the two.
That may be so, however he has got to be either stupid or just ignorant of what this is all about to not realize that this is akin to aiding and abeting the enemy. It is more ammo to bolster their view that US support against their cause is failing. How exactly does that fit in with his supporting the troops?
Peregrino
05-20-2007, 14:45
SB hit the nail on the head. JG has always been fairly extreme in his politics - that's part of how he wound up in VN in the first place. I don't agree with him but I do have to respect his physical courage in the line of fire and the integrity of his beliefs. I don't have to like them though. Peregrino
ETA (after reading COL M's post): Why does that entire generation of media personalities feel it's their God given duty to attack everything about this country that isn't IAW their (usually) socialist, utopian vision of Amerika?
The more I read about him, the more I realize that he is one of those people who "support the troop's but don't support the war". You know the people who put a timetable in the war spending bill. People like this just annoy me, with there simplistic "Bush lied" mentality.
longrange1947
05-20-2007, 20:21
To be honest, I have never liked him, his stories nor his attitude. Everyone of his stories have been hate Bush and have done more harm then good. He says he supports the troops but his articles always give the other side hope that we will pull out just as we did in Viet Nam.
Being brave in one location does not give the right to be stupid in another.
My 2 cents.
Team Sergeant
05-20-2007, 21:30
Being brave in one location does not give the right to be stupid in another.
My 2 cents.
Well said, damn well said.
TS
Being brave in one location does not give the right to be stupid in another.
My 2 cents.
Good point. I've quit reading his stuff this past year simply because I don't want to hear it. It is what it is and this carrying on isn't going to make it better. Bitching about it only makes those around you miserable. I'm to the point of wishing the lot of them would STFU!
It's not just the Bush lied thing that is so disturbing; it's the whole underlying naiveté of their logic. It’s the constant armchair quarterbacking. Not one of them ever offers a realistic alternative to the past, current and future impending threat from terrorism. It’s blatant intellectual dishonesty that they seem to be able to live with day in and day out that is so infuriating.
The failure to acknowledge the guilt which history will surely lay at the feet of Carter and Clinton and Reagan to some degree that they choose to overlook. All for what purpose? The 2008 election? We should just pay them the 30 pieces of silver now, and send them on their way.
highspeedmdd
05-23-2007, 12:31
In defense of Joe, and not his political leanings, he is a really good guy. I had dinner with him when he was at Bragg when we returned from Iraq and he wanted to hear our story. Said he was going to start working on a book about Debekah, etc. He is good friends with an old time SF guy I know...
Anyway, it is a little known fact that Joe was a Special Advisor to Secretary of State General Powell. I think his current attitude has a whole lot to do with the way GEN Powell was treated and sidelined by SECDEF during the first 4 years. I have a lot of respect for GEN Powell. I can get a feeling of the huge sense of disgrace he likely feels after he lent his reputation in support of the push to war and the lack of real large amounts of chem and bio wepons. And I am pretty sure the loss of face of GEN Powell has almost everything to do with Joe's current attitude. When Joe and I sat down to dinner he had nothing negative to say nor anything but positive outlook for Iraq. I even showed him the pics I took of the mobile bio weapons lab and he seemed to agree that it was as advertised.
my 2 pennies
Army brats tend to have a lot of "second families" and my second dad, a retired Colonel sent this to me this morning. I googled the title to try and find the actual article somewhere but couldn't - the email actually came across from him as a complaint that the article hadn't gotten picked up by the MSM so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I couldn't find anything but a reference to letters to the editor about it. However, I know him to be an extremely credible source so I'm sure this is the real deal written by Joe Galloway.
And not that it necessarily changes any of the feelings earlier up in the thread, but I'm glad Galloway tried to get this out there. It's an awesome article to boot and it's a shame that it didn't get more press. I'm sure this isn't news to you all - but it was to me. I wanted to give it a little more exposure.
Subject: Friday Mornings at the Pentagon
Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 12:50:37 +0000
By JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY McClatchy Newspapers
It's that time of year again. Memorial Day weekend is the beginning of summer fun for most Americans, and as I've done before in this space, I want to pause to take note of the real reason there is a Memorial Day.
It's meant to honor and pay our respects to those Americans who've given their lives in service to our nation, who stand in an unbroken line from Lexington's rude bridge to Cemetery Ridge to the Argonne Forest to the beaches of Normandy to the frozen Chosin Reservoir to the Ia Drang Valley to the sands of Kuwait to the streets of Baghdad.
Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force
personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war. Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing months or
years in military hospitals.
This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former roommate,
Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman , who recently completed a yearlong tour of
duty in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon.
Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills the
halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and many
tears every Friday morning. It first appeared on May 17 on the Weblog of
media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters for America Web site.
"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the Pentagon. This
section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine, the hallway is
broad, and the lighting is bright. At this instant the entire length of the
corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants and some civilians, all
crammed tightly three and four deep against the walls. There are thousands
here.
"This hallway, more than any other, is the `Army' hallway. The G3 offices
line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner. All Army. Moderate
conversations flow in a low buzz. Friends who may not have seen each other
for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other, cross the way and renew.
Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center. The air
conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in this area.
The temperature is rising already. Nobody cares.
"10:36 hours: The clapping starts at the E-Ring. That is the outermost of
the five rings of the Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to the
building. This clapping is low, sustained, hearty. It is applause with a
deep emotion behind it as it moves forward in a wave down the length of the
hallway.
"A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the soldier in the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence. He is the first. He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of his wounds are still suppurating. By his age I expect that he is a private, or perhaps a private first class.
"Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze and nod as
they applaud, soldier to soldier. Three years ago when I described one of
these events, those lining the hallways were somewhat different. The
applause a little wilder, perhaps in private guilt for not having shared in
the burden ... yet.
"Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the wheelchair,
also a combat veteran. This steadies the applause, but I think deepens the
sentiment. We have all been there now. The soldier's chair is pushed by, I
believe, a full colonel.
"Behind him, and stretching the length from Rings E to A, come more of his
peers, each private, corporal, or sergeant assisted as need be by a field grade officer.
"11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause. My hands hurt, and I
laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head. `My hands hurt.'
Christ. Shut up and clap. For twenty-four minutes, soldier after soldier has
come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30. Fifty-three legs come with them, and
perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this hall came 30 solid hearts.
"They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then meet for a
private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted by the
generals. Some are wheeled along. Some insist upon getting out of their
chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up, down this
hallway, through this most unique audience. Some are catching handshakes and smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade. More than a couple of
them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.
"There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride pushing her
19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why her husband is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a man, who had never shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino parents who have, perhaps more than their wounded mid-20s son, an appreciation for the emotion given on their son's behalf. No man in that hallway, walking or clapping, is ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few cheeks. An Airborne Ranger wipes his eyes only to better see. A couple of the officers in this crowd have themselves been a part of this parade in the past.
"These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our brothers,
and we welcome them home. This parade has gone on, every single Friday, all
year long, for more than four years." Did you know that? The media hasn't
told the story.
In defense of Joe, and not his political leanings, he is a really good guy. I had dinner with him when he was at Bragg when we returned from Iraq and he wanted to hear our story. Said he was going to start working on a book about Debekah, etc. He is good friends with an old time SF guy I know...
Anyway, it is a little known fact that Joe was a Special Advisor to Secretary of State General Powell. I think his current attitude has a whole lot to do with the way GEN Powell was treated and sidelined by SECDEF during the first 4 years. I have a lot of respect for GEN Powell. I can get a feeling of the huge sense of disgrace he likely feels after he lent his reputation in support of the push to war and the lack of real large amounts of chem and bio wepons. And I am pretty sure the loss of face of GEN Powell has almost everything to do with Joe's current attitude. When Joe and I sat down to dinner he had nothing negative to say nor anything but positive outlook for Iraq. I even showed him the pics I took of the mobile bio weapons lab and he seemed to agree that it was as advertised.
my 2 pennies
I have shared a few cigars with Joe both CONUS and OCONUS in the past few years. We e-mail back and forth about every month or two. He's always been complimentary towards the military any time I've talked with him. He's also given credit where credit is due when we've gotten it right over the years. He's a zero defect kind of guy and I think he seperates his disdain for how things are run from his praise for those at the tactical level. There aren't many people I've seen in the past few years who are able to do that consistantly. I disagree with much of what he writes, but I think, in the end, he does what he does because he cares and he believes that he's right. Regardless of whether I agree with him or not, I'll give it to him that he's one of the first guys to stand in line an spend a month with a unit in theater.
Radar Rider
06-02-2007, 13:49
In defense of Joe, and not his political leanings, he is a really good guy. I had dinner with him when he was at Bragg when we returned from Iraq and he wanted to hear our story. Said he was going to start working on a book about Debekah, etc. He is good friends with an old time SF guy I know...
Anyway, it is a little known fact that Joe was a Special Advisor to Secretary of State General Powell. I think his current attitude has a whole lot to do with the way GEN Powell was treated and sidelined by SECDEF during the first 4 years. I have a lot of respect for GEN Powell. I can get a feeling of the huge sense of disgrace he likely feels after he lent his reputation in support of the push to war and the lack of real large amounts of chem and bio wepons. And I am pretty sure the loss of face of GEN Powell has almost everything to do with Joe's current attitude. When Joe and I sat down to dinner he had nothing negative to say nor anything but positive outlook for Iraq. I even showed him the pics I took of the mobile bio weapons lab and he seemed to agree that it was as advertised.
my 2 pennies
I like General Powell and wish that he'd run for President. I know that many have differing views, but that's why we have a democracy, isn't it? ;)
Of course, I know that we have a democratic republic; I would just like to see General Powell as President.
A General Powell Presidency HAS GOT TO BE BETTER than a hillary presidency, right?
The Reaper
06-02-2007, 14:14
I like General Powell and wish that he'd run for President. I know that many have differing views, but that's why we have a democracy, isn't it? ;)
Of course, I know that we have a democratic republic; I would just like to see General Powell as President.
A General Powell Presidency HAS GOT TO BE BETTER than a hillary presidency, right?
I am not so sure.
While I like GEN Powell just fine as an officer, I see him supporting a lot of the same policies Hillary is advocating.
He is anti-gun, pro-abortion, pro-reverse discrimination, for big government, higher taxes, liberal, etc.
I would rank him near Rudy, but possibly more liberal on social issues.
TR
Jack Moroney (RIP)
06-02-2007, 18:25
I am not so sure.
I agree. However, I don't care for either one of them. If it comes down to one or the other the choice is sort of like poking yourself in your eye with your thumb or forefinger. Damn eye still hurts, 'cept one leaves a different mark is all:D
If it comes down to one or the other the choice is sort of like poking yourself in your eye with your thumb or forefinger. Damn eye still hurts, 'cept one leaves a different mark is all:DSame here.
Stay safe.
blustr18b
06-03-2007, 11:25
Thanks for sharing that article, Shar
Blustr