The sad, sad talking points after the GOP voted to allow people on the no-fly zone to continue to buy guns, because freedumb:
The Wisconsin Republican said part of the discussion surrounding mental health legislation is who should and shouldn’t have access to guns, but he signaled that barring gun purchases by people on no-fly terror lists — as President Obama urged Wednesday — is not an option.
Ryan said government officials put people on such lists without any due legal process and so denying those listed the right to bear arms would violate their rights.
“People have due process rights in this country,” he said.
Rubio too:
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says a majority of the people on the federal “no-fly list” do not belong there and therefore should not have their right to purchase firearms taken away.
“These are everyday Americans that have nothing to do with terrorism, they wind up on the no-fly list, there’s no due process or any way to get your name removed from it in a timely fashion, and now they’re having their Second Amendment rights being impeded upon,” Rubio said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
The GOP presidential hopeful said the lists are far from perfect and a poor measure of who should and should not have access to a gun.
“The majority of the people on the no-fly list are often times people that just basically have the same name as somebody else who doesn’t belong on the no-fly list,” he said. “Former Senator Ted Kennedy once said he was on a no-fly list. There are journalists on the no-fly list. There are others involved in the no-fly list that wind up there.”
My response:
THEN GET THEM OFF THE FUCKING LIST. Fer fuck’s sake, your ok with them staying on the list as long as it just fucks with their travel, but when it keeps them from buying a gun, well god damn, that can’t happen.
Fucking assholes.
I wish we had a constitutional right to not be gunned down by some sociopath with a gun. On the other hand, maybe this might finally motivate them to finally fix the damned list.
redshirt
The right to buy a gun is clearly the most important right.
But what if I can’t afford the latest semi-automatic? Will the government help me?
Calming Influence
Yup. Keep fucking with them at the airport until they’re ready to kill someone, then give them the address of the nearest AR15 shop.
Works for me.
Edit: Just a thought, but if we have to take off our shoes because of the shoe bomber, how come we don’t have to take off our underwear?
Keith G
I am hopeful POTUS will speak frankly on this since the easy availability of certain fire arms and related munitions is a variable that a society can (if it has the will) control.
Other variables include more attention to personal, travel, communications, and finances. These seem very onerous to all citizens considering that they would be a whole lot less necessary if the firepower variable was controlled – an action affecting a substantially smaller portion of the population.
I am hoping that Prez takes that ball and runs with it.
Felonius Monk
@redshirt:
That would be called government funded Gun-fare. And then if you can’t afford your ammo, maybe AstraXenophobia can help.
eemom
I am so very, very, sick and tired with horror at this insanity. This country is utterly, profoundly, FUCKED.
MattF
I think citizens should be required to arm themselves. And they should have to present their guns in order to register to vote.
Peale
@Calming Influence: yep. I’ve been waiting for a discussion on that list. I’m not necessarily opposed to having one, but I’ve wanted it changed since it came into existence.
Davebo
Being on the list doesn’t fuck with your travel other than some minor annoyances like not being able to checkin at a kiosk.
I’ve been on it for over a decade and I’ve had no problem with flying domestic or international other than the above mentioned annoyances.
If we agree that people do have rights under the 2nd amendment then limiting those rights because you are on a list you probably don’t even realize your on and you have no way to even confirm your on and no way of objecting is wrong.
Honestly I can’t say for sure if I’m even still on the list. I was told by a KLM clerk I was back in 2002 and he could have been wrong but I couldn’t check in for a flight earlier this year at the self serve kiosk.
Suzanne
It’s interesting how they’re all about individual rights when it’s about white Christian dudes owning guns. But when it’s about brown people, black people, Muslims, women, etc etc etc wanting individual rights, then OH WELL. I realize that this is not a new or penetrating analysis of the issue, but it is still always amazing to me. Where amazing = sickening levels of hypocrisy.
gogol's wife
“I wish we had a constitutional right to not be gunned down by some sociopath with a gun.”
QFT.
Calming Influence
@Davebo:
And is that how long you’ve been a member of ISIS?
SFAW
@MattF:
Almost, but not quite there. What should REALLY be done is that Republicans must not only present their weapons, but must also prove that they are tougher than “that guy over there” – the one with the AK-knockoff, or the AR-15, or the H&K or the Steyr – who is also (coincidentally, of course) an aspiring Republican. Whoever wins gets to register to vote Repub. Should probably try it with a 64-registrant ladder/bracket, because only the manliest of the manly should be allowed to register Repub.
SiubhanDuinne
@Keith G:
I hope one of the FP folks will put up a fresh thread for POTUS’s Oval Office address. I can’t think he would use the Oval as backdrop for a merely routine, same-old same-old talk (given that this is only the third time in his entire Presidency that he’s spoken to the public from behind his desk); I expect something new and/or unprecedentedly powerful out of his mouth tonight. If Angry Black Man shows up, that’s fine with me.
SiubhanDuinne
I have a friend who prides himself on his Latin (he read Classics at Cambridge). He just sent me the following email:
carolus
It’s actually pretty simple to get removed from the no-fly list if you’re erroneously listed. Do you really think Ted Kennedy missed a flight? Didn’t happen.
I used to work with a Navy O-6 who happened to have a fairly common Irish name. He found he was listed on the no-fly list; it took him less than 15 minutes to get removed.
MattF
@SFAW: Ah. But why stop with 2-to-the-6th-power? 2-to-the-20th-power is about a million…
scav
But, what about family members Trump looks at and just knows are terrorists? Is that due process enough?
Boudica
@SiubhanDuinne: Bring out Luther!
TriassicSands
Responsibility for virtually every murder in this country that is carried out with a firearm rests at least in part on the shoulders of the radical right wing morons on the Supreme Court who ignored the history and original intent of the 2nd Amendment and gave Americans an unlimited right to own personal weapons of mass murder. If there were a Hell, there would be a special place there — their own private realm — reserved for those barbaric justices who have allowed partisan politics to overrule their constitutional reasoning and consequently put almost every American in jeopardy of being gunned down by madmen, religious extremists, terrorists, and just plain idiots.
redshirt
@carolus: I’m sure. After all, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
Presume he is British. Or else doesn’t take pride in his spelling.
SFAW
@MattF:
Well, I can’t really argue with that, but I thought I’d start small. Plus, you’d probably have to do it by precinct — well, unless you’re black these days, where you need to drive to the Capitol of a neighboring state or 400 miles, whichever is further — and there aren’t too many precincts with a million voting-age
moronsRepublicans.But as a long-term goal, I guess it would be OK.
SiubhanDuinne
@Boudica:
I can’t tell you how much I would love that!
**********
No. No. Tonight is for gravitas.
SiubhanDuinne
@NotMax:
British. Well, Canadian now, but Brit born and raised. I have to say, if you’re talking about “judgement,” I am so used to it I didn’t even notice.
Keith G
If you want a telling glimpse at the penetration of gun culture in some parts of our land, here is a partial list of gun shows in fly over country. Notice the first one.
Mother Mary would be so proud, I think. Nothing like gold, frankincense, myrrh, and a Glock.
Baud
When is Obama speaking?
Ruckus
I wish we had a constitutional right to not be gunned down by some sociopath with a gun. On the other hand, maybe this might finally motivate them to finally fix the damned list.
Doesn’t that part about life, liberty and happiness come before the part about guns?
Cause having some sociopath gun me down kind of hits at all three at the same time. And no matter what the gun humpers say, they are leaving out a lot of the concept of guns in society when they use only the first part of the amendment. That there are morons on the court that can’t seem to read…….
Ruckus
@Baud:
8 EST
RSA
If not, I can think of a useful next step for Anonymous: arrange for everyone in Congress to be put on the no-fly list. They will doubtless take comfort in the knowledge that they can still buy a gun.
Gimlet
Probably already discussed, but just in case
WP
In his remarks, President Jerry Falwell Jr., son of the late religious right leader Jerry Falwell Sr. said “I’ve always thought that if more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in,” he says, the rest of his sentence drowned out by loud applause while he said, “and killed them.”
“I just wanted to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to get your permit. We offer a free course,” he said. “Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here.”
Baud
@Ruckus:
Thanks!
JPL
Joe Blow can’t buy an AK47 cuz he’s on the list and the repubs are up in arms. Joe Blow can’t vote cuz he lives in dem district.. it’s okay…
Baud
@Gimlet: It’s what Jesus would say.
Gimlet
@Baud:
http://assets.amuniversal.com/448ee6107e3e01332312005056a9545d
geg6
OT: My niece was filmed last night for a piece for Sunday Night Football. She’s a server at Hines Ward’s Table 86 restaurant and they supposedly filmed there last night. So if you see a pretty young woman who is serving tables at an upscale bistro in any clips, that’s my girl, Tori. She makes great money there.
SiubhanDuinne
@Baud:
8:00 pm EST. I assume it will be on the usual places. I generally stream whitehouse.gov for any of POTUS’s scheduled pressers or addresses.
Ruckus
@RSA:
When seat belt use became mandatory and interlocks were installed it took only until the first new car was delivered to someone in congress to get the interlocks regulation removed. Put them on the no fly and I’d bet it would take about the same time.
Davebo
@carolus:
That Captain should immediately contact the ACLU and clue them in on the secret. For everyone else enjoy the DHS Traveller Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP).
Ronnie Pudding
THEN GET THEM OFF THE FUCKING LIST.
What does this mean, exactly? Can Ryan and Rubio take people off the list? Are they preventing it from happening?
scav
@Gimlet: Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men, those angels clearly didn’t get the message.
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
Yeah. The additional e is an accepted Britishism.
Keith P.
Christ, these morons really are going to die on this hill, aren’t they? Do they honestly not think they’re going to get ass-blasted with op-ads saying they want terrorists to have guns? Gun control was already polling at something like 80% in favor, so what does a person think the polling will be on “should terrorists get 2nd amendment rights?”
Gimlet
From Raw Story
Republican presidential candidate John Kasich warned over the weekend that people on the terrorist watch list should be able to buy guns or it could “tip somebody off” that they are being watched.
Baud
@Gimlet: The reasonable one!
NotMax
For any sitting on tenterhooks (as if :) ) regarding the comedy of errors outlined a couple days ago that was my purchase of a tablet, just today got an e-mail from Amazon that they have processed a refund for $20 more than I paid, and I get to keep the incorrect tablet.
When the credit shows up on the card, shall believe it. Up until now it has been one puzzlement after another, via both phone and by e-mail. Amazon rep on phone yesterady said she had never dealt with anything as screwed up as this has been, to the point that she was confused too.
SiubhanDuinne
@NotMax:
I think I have mentioned here before that I attended school in Canada for the better part of a year, and it was evidently at a time when I was extremely receptive to British spelling. And, of course, I had/have Canadian relatives and many British friends, and I worked for the Canadian Government for 25 years as well. So I tend to go with whatever my context is at any given moment. Colour, neighbor, center and theatre all look fine to me.
Adam L Silverman
@redshirt: Actually this is a good chunk of the change in understanding of the 2nd Amendment. Both in the way the jurisprudence has been moved and the popular understanding. The 2nd Amendment has been pitched as the 1st Freedom – the one that allows Americans to safeguard and protect all the others.
Adam L Silverman
@Felonius Monk: I’ve actually seen this proposal floated at The Truth About Guns.
danielx
Mercy, I do believe that’s the first time I ever heard reference to ‘due process’ by a Republican in any context other than ‘hardened criminals getting off on technicalities’. Like they give a fat fuck about due process for anyone except corporate CEOs…
redshirt
@Adam L Silverman: Armor piercing bullets are the freest of speech.
Adam L Silverman
@Suzanne: There is a whole discussion among the People of the Gun, often in comment threads, about how restrictions on firearm possession and ownership were originally attempts, usually successful, to keep African Americans from defending themselves. This is true – they were attempts to keep slaves from arming themselves and overthrowing their masters/owners and from freed slaves from arming themselves to protect their freedom. Unfortunately the conversation usually goes quickly off the rails by equating modern/contemporary proponents of restrictions/regulations for firearms and firearms ownership as being racist. Often these are the same folks that are using either racially coded terms or outright racist terms to refer to the President and think that blacks belong to the Democratic Party because it gives them stuff and they’ve been instilled with a plantation mentality. Consistency, small minds, hobgoblins…
Baud
@redshirt: We need to give prisoners guns so they can protect their right against cruel and unusual punishment.
Adam L Silverman
@Ruckus: I think the key here is that all of that would be covered under the concept of providing for the general welfare. Most modern American conservatives, and certainly the libertarians, do not believe in that, despite it being in the Constitution. What’s interesting/telling is that this phrase was left out of the Confederate constitution. They purposefully decided that one of the purposes of government was not to provide for the general welfare. They lost the war and one the peace.
Keith G
Re: The staging of the speech….Peter Souza’s Instagram acct informs me via a nice pic that POTUS uses a Podium tonight and will not be sitting behind THE desk.
Too bad….THE desk is better.
Adam L Silverman
@Ronnie Pudding: The list and process as they currently exist need to be gotten rid of. If we are to have one, they need to be replaced by a transparent process that provides a simple (in terms of steps) way to challenge one’s inclusion on the list, as well as to have proper, independent oversight of the list, additions to it, and removals from it. As it stands now its one part star chamber and one part security kabuki theater.
Matt McIrvin
@Felonius Monk: I know! You want a gun and you can’t afford it, you can go to sort of a government-sponsored camp where you actually get paid to use one! And you can get free trips overseas and you wear a cool uniform and actually shoot people and stuff!
Adam L Silverman
@redshirt: Not sure how anyone could argue with that…
Mike J
@Adam L Silverman: If you arm the
Bureau of Land ManagementBlack Lives Matter people, the right will quickly remember their Reagan worship and go back to the time he was governor.rikyrah
There isn’t some random generator of name to put on the no-fly list. You’re on that list – for a reason. Why, if one branch of the government says, ‘um, these people should not be allowed to get on an airplane because we consider the, well, -DANGEROUS-‘, we can’t also say..’oh yeah, THEY SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO BUY FUCKING GUNS.
uh huh.
JPL
@rikyrah: According to the repubs it’s okay if they can’t vote though.
max
THEN GET THEM OFF THE FUCKING LIST. Fer fuck’s sake, your ok with them staying on the list as long as it just fucks with their travel, but when it keeps them from buying a gun, well god damn, that can’t happen.
Well, yes. The no-fly list for them is supposed to be for finding people to FUCK WITH. Literally! Because terrorist mooslims 911!!!1!
Which is why it probably never should have existed in the first fucking place.
On the other hand, maybe this might finally motivate them to finally fix the damned list.
Stranger things have happened.
max
[‘Amen.’]
rikyrah
@srv:
These are the same muthaphuckas that fell for the ‘weapons of mass destruction’ okeydoke.
I am SO glad that Barack Obama is President right now.
Adam L Silverman
@srv: Let’s see: In November of 2013, when it appeared that Syria violated the chemical/biological weapons ban the President asked the Congress for an Authorization of Military Force (AUMF) to conduct operations against Syrian military targets. It never even passed the GOP controlled House of Representatives, despite the GOP calling for immediate reprisals. In early 2015 the President again asked for an AUMF to deal with events in Syria. Despite a GOP controlled House and Senate that were demanding greater US involvement, it too failed to pass in either chamber. Methinks certain people doth protest too much.
If Congress won’t pass an AUMF with a dedicated funding and revenue stream to cover the costs, which is the least Congress could do as the proper thing to do would be to declare war, then there is little the President can do on his own authority. We are starting to run low on munition stocks for the anti-Islamic State air strikes and to cover needed maintenance for the aircraft being used. Congress, controlled by the GOP, won’t move to appropriate money to replace them. Again, without Congressional action there is only so much the President can do.
Finally, in the past 14 years a grand total of 43 people have been killed by self radicalized Islamic extremists/terrorists in the US. And one of those, which really was a workplace violence issue in Oklahoma, is being included. 43 out of over 320 million Americans. While I don’t mean to diminish anyone’s loss, this is not in any way, shape, or form a problem, let alone a crisis.
The smartest thing the President could do tonight is offer condolences, explain what we’ve been doing against ISIS, detail that there is no more he can do without Congressional action, and show a copy of the Declaration of War that he is going to submit to Congress first thing tomorrow. If Congress refuses to act, then its on them.
Adam L Silverman
@Mike J: I personally think that everyone woman seeking an abortion and all clinic escorts and staff should be open carrying. That would, I think, put a quick end to a lot of harassment.
Ruckus
@Adam L Silverman:
True of course but I wonder why conservatives and especially libertarians don’t want a better society. Zero sum is not really an ethos is it? OK it’s practiced that way but I look at it the same way I look at reincarnation. If you have a soul, and that gets recycled when your physical body gets used up, coming back as say a dung beetle, where do all the extra souls come from? No religion that I know of says the deity creates new ones, that job was done long ago. so where? (Works for evolution as well). The world is not zero sum, the economy is not zero sum, war is not, etc, etc. So why are they so against anything that changes lives even when it makes it better? Take cars, they are so much better than 30 yrs ago. Yes some of this is from mfg getting better but most is how much regulation there is concerning environmental, safety, mileage. And many fought that tooth and nail.
It boggles the mind.
Baud
@Adam L Silverman:
I hope he brings up the AUMF. That the media barely mentions it is atrocious.
Adam L Silverman
@Baud: The media can’t spell AUMF…
Adam L Silverman
@Ruckus: Its a formalized system that justifies selfishness. That’s appealing to a lot of folks.
Jay C
@srv:
If Barack Obama is going to actually “come off as out-of-touch” in this evening’s address (as opposed to trollish imaginations), it will certainly be a first for him, since PBO has always presented himself as a serious and competent Executive – not that that matters much to the Obama-Deranged among us – a reputation I think is quite justified. Yeah, we get it that Americans are all pissed off about “terrorism”, and that huge chunks of the country are slaveringly anxious to go get their bloodthirst on by bombing the hell out of somebody/anybody. But it’s times like this I’m thankful we do have Barack Obama in charge of stuff; rather than some bloodlusting Republican asshole looking to try to get good PR out of piles of dead Muslims, damn the consequences (and American casualties).
What I’m expecting, btw, is a rote denunciation of ISIL and terrorism in general, coupled with an announcement of increased “advisory” assistance to the various anti-ISIL entities. Which of course, will mean more “boots on the ground”; but with an eye to making sure the feet in those boots (or at their owners) come home.
PS: FU troll. Thank you for your participation.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Davebo: “Get them off the list” sounds fine and reasonable, at first blush.
Until one remembers that doing anything costs money.
Will this Congress appropriate any money to remove all the bad entries on the list? If they haven’t done so in the last 14 years, why would they do it now? When they can’t even pass a budget without threatening to destroy the US and world economy in the process?
It seems to me the argument to “fix the list” is just a distraction to prevent the real problem (too many deranged people having access to guns).
Danny Zuker had a good tweet (via LOLGOP) – https://twitter.com/DannyZuker/status/673347679368253440
Cheers,
Scott.
gogol's wife
@rikyrah:
My husband and I were just saying over dinner that we wish he could just stay President for good.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
Grr. My First Amendment Rights are being trampled by FYWP. Help releasing my genius comment from the Moderation dungeon?
Thanks.
Cheers,
Scott.
Baud
@gogol’s wife: I don’t. We had an ample opportunity to take advantage of his presidency. We largely squandered it with whining. Set Obama free.
Plus, if he were president for life, I couldn’t get elected.
Ruckus
@Adam L Silverman:
I get your point and think it was made tongue in cheek, but I think putting that on the people using the clinics is wrong. Now we want them to be the bad guys as well as go through the ordeal of whatever it is that the protesters are blaming them for?
I’ve got a rather small problem in my living situation and that is my roommate is loud. I’ve been told numerous times just to ask for things to be turned down. When I do it’s no problem but I’m always the bad guy in this situation, it’s always up to me to complain rather than any forethought on her side. I’m forced into the position of the bad guy and that shouldn’t always be the position I’m placed in.
Adam L Silverman
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: It took me five minutes to get to it. Keep your clothes on…
Adam L Silverman
@srv: If that was the case then Congress had a put up or shut up way to demonstrate that: pass the AUMF and send it to the President. That calls the bluff. Either he signs it or he vetoes it. Congress didn’t do that. The President, no President, is the Green Lantern. He can’t simply will things into and out of existence. We have at least 8 Congressional veto points before anything even gets to him for a potential Presidential veto. The two proposed AUMFs never made it past the third one in either chamber. You can bitch and moan all you want, but without a formal authorization and dedicated funding and revenue streams there is little that any president could do.
Adam L Silverman
@efgoldman: I know. I think setting a good example might, perhaps, have a positive impact. If that doesn’t work, well lets just say “ve haf vays uf making srv comply…”
Adam L Silverman
And I win AUMF bingo!
The Republic of Stupity
I suppose guns should have rights too, huh?
Corporations and fetuses… so why not guns?
How long will it be before Ryan demands we apologize to guns for hurting their feelings?
Adam L Silverman
@Ruckus: what about the unborn babies? If they’re supposed to be actual people even though they aren’t born yet, do they get to carry?
Ruckus
@Adam L Silverman:
OK now you’re just trolling.
Adam L Silverman
@Ruckus: Tongue was firmly planted in cheek.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Adam L Silverman: I wasn’t meaning to be demanding. In the past when it happened it seems like hours passed before the parole, if it ever happened, especially if I didn’t post a FYWP follow-up. Thanks muchly.
Cheers,
Scott.
Villago Delenda Est
Well, duh, John.
Fix the lists. Oh, wait, we can’t do that…if we actually apply due process to it, it’s useless when fascist Rethuglican shit is calling the shots.
Ryan and Rubio deserve no mercy.
Villago Delenda Est
@srv: There must be a fire somewhere in this vast land that you can go die in. Please proceed ASAP.
Prescott Cactus
@Keith G: Gun Show attendee shot yesterday. . .
Per AZ Central:
The Cross Roads of the West website said they request that attendees do not bring loaded firearms into the gun show.
“Safety is our Number One Priority, and a safe environment in the show can only be maintained if there are no loaded guns in the show,” the website said.
No fighting in the War Room and no loaded guns at the gun show. Hypocrisy thy name.
Mandalay
@carolus:
Well first you need to be aware that you are on the list. You don’t get a welcome letter from the FBI when you are added.
Do you really think that everyone who was erroneously on the list receives the same VIP treatment as Ted Kennedy? Why do you think people who are erroneously on the list end up taking our government to court if it’s as easy as you suggest to get removed?
jake the antisoshul soshulist
Actually Kennedy did miss a flight, but I am pretty sure it was only the one.
Prescott Cactus
@Mandalay: You become aware when you can’t print your boarding pass 24 hour in advance. Very aware. . . The airline and their tech support cannot help you.
It is not hard to be removed if erroneously placed on it. Few months at most. Dad knows and so does the bride. Twas the Irish name thing from “Na Trioblóidi”.
Zinsky
These handjobs are so conflicted and morally constipated that they can’t even keep their dumbass ideological positions from tripping over each other!
redshirt
@srv: Behold! An 80% sincere post from the troll!
Ruckus
@efgoldman:
The response would be for a call for more guns. Along the line of “The other side has guns, we need more bigger/better gunz!? Escalation is the only tactic they know. There’s strength in total stupidity don’t you know.
Mandalay
@Prescott Cactus:
You don’t see a contradiction in those sentences? Besides, you have absolutely clue about the real situation. The only people who really know would not be posting that information here.
But we do know that there have been several cases of people taking the government to court to have their names removed from the list. Not something that they would be doing if removing erroneous entries was “not hard”, as you claim.
Denali
Is there any event that does not result in a call for more guns?
Adam L Silverman
@srv: 1) The official policy of the US is to degrade/reduce the Islamic State’s capability to present a threat through attriting it via air strikes. And by doing so preventing them from taking any more territory in either Syria or Iraq and as the Islamic State is degraded, reducing its footprint. To do so the US led coalition has carried out over 8,600 air strikes as of NOV 2015, with the US carrying out around 6,000 of those.
2) The official US policy towards Syria is to seek an end to the Assad government either through Assad’s voluntary abdication or through forced removal. This is why a portion of the 8,600 coalition air strikes have targeted Syrian military targets.
The problem here is that the two policies, while individually feasible, acceptable, and suitable (the standards by which we judge policy), are also in conflict with each other. The additional problem is there is neither an AUMF nor a Declaration of War limiting the President’s authority and without either of those there is also no dedicated funding or revenue stream to cover the costs in material and manpower. In other words: we can’t do anything more until Congress actually authorizes it and funds it. Nothing is lost, we just have reached as far as Presidential authority can take us.
As for marching to Iraq: I volunteered in August 2014 to be placed on new civilian mobilization orders and be sent back. I was approached in February and asked if I would go and I said yes. I offered one of the generals overseeing US operations in May that I would go back if he needed to send me. And I have communicated to a good friend of mine who is a major general at Headquarters Department of the Army G3/Operations that I am willing to go back. The reason no one has taken me up on this is that there is no funding available to actually send the folks that do what I do. I am prepared to go back tomorrow if needed. Not because there’s anything we can do to win, but because what I know and what I can do can help us mitigate and manage the problem to a better outcome. I’m willing to put my life where my mouth is. Can you say the same?
Finally, I know you’re a troll. I’m a national security professional that has, on occasion, provided policy and strategy inputs at the secretary level. I’ve attempted to actually engage with your remarks in good faith. This will not happen again.
Adam L Silverman
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet: I try to clear them as soon as I see them in there. I can’t speak for anyone else.
Leto
@Adam L Silverman: There’s a specific AF blog, run by a retired O5 heavy pilot, with which you should have this discussion. Not so much for his benefit, though he could certainly use it, but more for the commentariat who could really use the informed discussion.
Adam L Silverman
@Leto: thanks for the vote of confidence. Unfortunately I’m not sure it would really inform anyone or change any minds.