An insult to fraggees

If memory serves (and if any military historian out there knows better, please advise) I recall reading somewhere that during the Vietnam war the highest percentage of U.S. casualties suffered by rank was that of lieutenants; one reason being that a significant portion of these junior officers were shot by their own troops -- "fragged" -- who rather understandably objected to being ordered into suicidal environments. (It was for this reason that my oldest brother, who flew helicopters then and there as a warrant officer, Darwinianly declined a promotion.)

Of course it wasn't the lieutenant's keenest desire to order those poor bastards into combat. However the finer points of military command tended to muddle themselves as the stark horror of wading like a neon target through some godforsaken rice paddy settled distressingly in ass-drafted minds. The lieutenant was only following his own orders, yet ...

Right. Not fair. Not fair at all.

And that's why I resist Kathleen Parker's "fragging" metaphor in her column today:

If the nation defaults on its financial obligations, the blame belongs to the Tea Party Republicans who fragged their own leader, John Boehner.

Speaker Boehner was following no superior's orders yesterday. He was saving his own neck. In the U.S. House he's both a general and commander in chief, and if Boehner possessed any political blood uncontaminated by contagious cowardice, he would have gone down fighting rather than poltroonishly coddling his troops.  

Boehner wasn't fragged. He just let himself be pushed -- in craven retreat.

Comments

[CK MacLeod]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragging.

The numbers and incidents aside, a high casualty rate among lieutenants wouldn't be unique to Vietnam.

The ones doing the "fragging" should be the Rs willing to buck party discipline. They have not yet been driven to such a point. We'll have to see how McConnell's public gambit plays out.

[Bobfr]

Dear Mr President,

Given your decades of community service, your exceptional intellect, your palpable empathy and simply amazing-from-the-heart smile, it might appear to some that your pragmatic approach to complex issues, your willingness to treat the Congress as a co-equal branch of government with whom to build consensus through compromise are signs of weakness.

So often these past 2 1/2 years we've heard the braying of some on the left of 'cave' as you rather stunningly achieved one legislative, often historical, victory for all Americans. Those legislative victories have already proven a bounty to our economy, to the health and inalienable rights of our fellow citizens, and more. In the face of it you demonstrate yet another obvious trait - humility.

But, you've also done a few things that should have alerted the dimwitted extortionists in the Republican Congress and their monied enablers.

You ordered a daring rescue of a hostage - Captain Richard Phillips.

With remarkable speed and minimum deference to those whom certainly would have caused delay, you built an alliance and issued the necessary orders thereby saving thousands of Libyans certain death and launching them on their path to self-determined freedom from a tyrant and terrorist.

And then you took out Osama bin Laden.

Through those acts you demonstrated something those that should have been paying attention, still haven't.

It is crystal clear that when you are confronted with a colossal catastrophe in the making or a highly complex, ultra-dangerous task, you will work diligently to gather the facts and then you will take decisive action.

You know the history of Section 4 of the 14th Amendment.

You know that we have a group of individuals in the Congress prepared to cause irreparable harm to our Republic by defaulting on our debt. The harm would make the economic aftermath of 9/11 and the GBW recession of 2008-2001 look like hiccups. Way beyond the immediate and long-term economic disaster, the credibility of the USA would be defunct.

For radical Republicans and their enablers it's a three-fer: roll back the past 60 years of our social compact, protect the wealthiest few, and damage the black guy's chances of re-election.

That must not happen. Extraordinary, unprecedented, totally predictable damage requires extraordinary, definitive preventive action.

Mr President, based on your performance, not your words, we are fortunate that you are President, today. In the next 48 h you will, once again, need to remind the Republican hostage takers not to mess with you and the Republic that you serve with exceptional courage, intelligence and decisiveness.

Thank you,
Bob

Yes.We.Can. ... DO.More.Together!

[evelyn d. ellis]

Bob,

Do you think you can get this to him,if for nothing else than moral support?

I want to say more, but I am speechless with outrage against those who would injure an entire nation in order to oust one man.
A man, who, by the way, has spent the last 2 and a half years trying to fix what his predecessor destroyed. We supported that mess of a president, but we can't support
this one? Unfortunately, it's believable, because President Obama's ONLY problem is the color of his skin.

Thanks

eveingeorgia

[caribbeanobserver]

AS usual Bob is totally on point. Beautifully stated Bob,and oh,.. don't forget to send it to Peggy Noonan!

[evelyn d. ellis]

Amen to that, caribbeanobserver, especially the Noonan part.

[Bobfr]

Dear evelyn, caribbeanobserver, and evelyn,

Thank you.

And, I have sent the letter not only to the President but to Senators Harkin, Sanders, Reid, Kerry, Murray and Cantwell and Leader Pelosi requesting that they read it into the Record and try to get it to the President.

I have no personal leverage other than to reach out to those whom do.

As to Ms Noonan - if any of you want to share it with her, please do.

Yes.We.Can. ... DO.More.Together!