Bill O'Rielly attacks Bill Arkin for anti-military hate speech

[JaJae]

The Troops Also Need to Support the American People - Early Warning

Originally Posted by From his column

These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President's handling of it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.

Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order.

Sure, it is the junior enlisted men who go to jail. But even at anti-war protests, the focus is firmly on the White House and the policy. We don't see very many "baby killer" epithets being thrown around these days, no one in uniform is being spit upon.

So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?

I can imagine some post-9/11 moment, when the American people say enough already with the wars against terrorism and those in the national security establishment feel these same frustrations. In my little parable, those in leadership positions shake their heads that the people don't get it, that they don't understand that the threat from terrorism, while difficult to defeat, demands commitment and sacrifice and is very real because it is so shadowy, that the very survival of the United States is at stake. Those Hoovers and Nixons will use these kids in uniform as their soldiers. If it weren't about the United States, I'd say the story would end with a military coup where those in the know, and those with fire in their bellies, would save the nation from the people.

But it is the United States, and the recent NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.

The notion of dirty work is that, like laundry, it is something that has to be done but no one else wants to do it. But Iraq is not dirty work: it is not some necessary endeavor; the people just don't believe that anymore.

I'll accept that the soldiers, in order to soldier on, have to believe that they are manning the parapet, and that's where their frustrations come in. I'll accept as well that they are young and naïve and are frustrated with their own lack of progress and the never changing situation in Iraq. Cut off from society and constantly told that everyone supports them, no wonder the debate back home confuses them.

America needs to ponder what it is we really owe those in uniform.

It's not exactly PC to be so critical of the troops. And when you write a column like this about our troops during a time of war you're sure to get a response. It takes some brass balls to put that in major newspaper editorials. This guy is actually getting paid to slander our troops...

So it's only logical someone is gonna go after you. And when you slander the troops you can expect it to be a conservative who will be on the attack. Since he was too much of a coward to defend himself Bill'O sent a camera after him to ask him the questions in a public place.

Now I don't agree with harassing someone when they're in public doing their own thing, but I did get a kick out of how nervous and embarrassed he seemed. You'd think it took a lot of balls to write that article and therefore he'd have the balls to back it up.

Bill's off the wall response:

YouTube Video

Originally Posted by Bill O'Rielly

It is hard to believe that any responsible person would attack the military in this very personal way. Arkin implies that Abu Ghraib and Haditha define how Americans have performed in Iraq and flat out calls our military people mercenaries. That is folks who fight solely for money, have no patriotic intent at all. Ironically, the American military has fought for centuries to allow Arkin the right to say these vile things. We invited Arkin on "The Factor." He, of course, declined.

Could you imagine the headlines if a popular conservative columnist or person associated with a news outlet such as NBC called our troops naive mercenaries?

[Kytro]

I don't believe the troops should be immune from criticism, though I don't see that they should bear the brunt of it.

[JSmythe]

I love when O'Rielly calls out dbags like this. I think its great. Even if O'Reilly is himself a fool, Arkin's column was outrageous.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by JSmythe

I love when O'Rielly calls out dbags like this. I think its great. Even if O'Reilly is himself a fool, Arkin's column was outrageous.

Arkin's column was pretty stupid, but O'Rielly came out like the bigger asshole in my opinion. Something about his personally bothers me.


Here is some after talk..
Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Michelle tells O’Reilly, “Let a thousand Arkins bloom”
He makes a good point about NBC hiring this guy as an "objective military analyst" knowing he's associated with far left wing groups.

[JSmythe]

Well its always hard for him to NOT come off like a huge asshole.

[kinggovernor]

how can this guy call himself a military analyst when he doesn't understand anything about the military

[kinggovernor]

what is a good image uploader, I can show off the obscene amenities that were shipped to me?

[JaJae]

http://uploads.libertylounge.net/upload.php

[kinggovernor]

that was my fire team's room, on the third floor. It was about 140-150 degrees inside during the day due to the lack of air movement

we finally got some generators after 2 months without a haircut

they did give us some plywood to build shelves, all that shit got knocked down when a car when boom

the only recreation that was given, a ping pong table and dart board. I guess that is obscene

[kinggovernor]

Campmor: The Pett™ Wag Bag - 12 Pack

I also shit in a garbage bag full of kitty litter for several months. They couldn't find a guy to suck the shit out of the portershitters so we had to use those and them burn them. Let me tell you living in a place that smells like burning shit was pretty obscene.

[JSmythe]

The lap of luxury I see.

How do taxpayers put up with it?!

(Thanks for serving in Iraq man, thats pretty ballsy)

[JaJae]

Thanks for the pictures!

[Thorgrim]

I dunno I could see his frustration with soldiers going "hey, ur not supporting us if you don't support the war, nomatter how much funding you give us or how much you fight to give us better armor, the only way you count is if you support the war"

wtf?

I'm glad to see some criticism...as far as him "having balls" I don't write writing an article should make you the victim of being ambushed...and be surprised is being surprised it doesn't make you have "small balls"

No one is a saint, and no one is pure evil

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

I dunno I could see his frustration with soldiers going "hey, ur not supporting us if you don't support the war, nomatter how much funding you give us or how much you fight to give us better armor, the only way you count is if you support the war"

wtf?

I'm glad to see some criticism...as far as him "having balls" I don't write writing an article should make you the victim of being ambushed...and be surprised is being surprised it doesn't make you have "small balls"

No one is a saint, and no one is pure evil

The soldiers didn't say that. What they said was done in a polite and mature manner. They expressed their confusion with how some people can support the war, but not the troops. To many troops the two ideals are linked.

There's a polite and mature way to be critical and respond to that statement and then there's what this asshole did. Doesn't make him pure evil, but it makes him and anyone who acts like him an asshole. He gets paid to be critical of Iraq, hearing a dissenting voice for his actions pushed him over the edge.

[Thorgrim]

Perhaps if you stated what statements particularly outraged you and why, to me I think it's just sloppy writing and a waste of what could have been a good criticism, to the point of where he bumped himself over to the mocking criticism...which isn't wrong, some of our founding fathers thought national armies were horrible ideas and I am sure even though they were british, before and after the war thought less than admirable thoughts of those who signed up, both in the british and american army

not to mention intellectuals like:
"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable loce-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder."
-- Albert Einstein

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

I dunno I could see his frustration with soldiers going "hey, ur not supporting us if you don't support the war, nomatter how much funding you give us or how much you fight to give us better armor, the only way you count is if you support the war"

wtf?

I'm glad to see some criticism...as far as him "having balls" I don't write writing an article should make you the victim of being ambushed...and be surprised is being surprised it doesn't make you have "small balls"

No one is a saint, and no one is pure evil

the points he tries to make have absolutely no merit. Look at the difference between the pay scales of the military compared to the pay scales of true mercenaries

he totally disregards why many people volunteer for the military, to provide a service to their country. I certainly didn't get rich in Iraq, you get an extra $250 a month to be in a combat zone. That works out to less than 10 dollars a day to dodge hostile fire and IEDs. The treatment I received for a grade III concussion consisted of a shower, hot food and a real bed for the night, something tells me that NFL players are treated somewhat better. And then when I came home it took several months before I actually saw a neurologist

He talks about the services provided to military families, of course it is socialist in nature, that is the entire nature of the military. But it is no were as good a service as you would find in the private sector, like one a merc could afford.

And I have already provided examples of the obscene amenities that have been shipped over.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

the points he tries to make have absolutely no merit. Look at the difference between the pay scales of the military compared to the pay scales of true mercenaries

he totally disregards why many people volunteer for the military, to provide a service to their country. I certainly didn't get rich in Iraq, you get an extra $250 a month to be in a combat zone. That works out to less than 10 dollars a day to dodge hostile fire and IEDs. The treatment I received for a grade III concussion consisted of a shower, hot food and a real bed for the night, something tells me that NFL players are treated somewhat better. And then when I came home it took several months before I actually saw a neurologist

He talks about the services provided to military families, of course it is socialist in nature, that is the entire nature of the military. But it is no were as good a service as you would find in the private sector, like one a merc could afford.

And I have already provided examples of the obscene amenities that have been shipped over.

Payscales: Why do they need to add incentives to get people to sign up...why is there a big move to add more money and upfront bonuses, only THEN do people sign up...yet money isn't a factor? Why don't they just play more patriotic commercials?

You don't get rich in Iraq, yet in another thread you were talking about how anyone coming back from Iraq doesn't have an excuse to be poor because they should have a significant amount of coin to start with and so forth

Your treatment for a grade 3 concussion sounds a lot like what a high school football player would get

You ever consider that maybe you just got screwed on living quarters and others have it better, it was the conservative National Review that said too many soldiers were living the good life in Iraq in air conditioned palaces

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Perhaps if you stated what statements particularly outraged you and why, to me I think it's just sloppy writing and a waste of what could have been a good criticism, to the point of where he bumped himself over to the mocking criticism...which isn't wrong, some of our founding fathers thought national armies were horrible ideas and I am sure even though they were british, before and after the war thought less than admirable thoughts of those who signed up, both in the british and american army

The parts I underlined and bolded I think are the statements that particularly bothered, not outraged me. It's one thing to be against the war, it's another to be against the idea of a military, it's completely another thing to mock our troops. I don't understand the confusion with that. Democrats and liberal pundits mocking the troops isn't anything new, but the excuses for it are growing with each event.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Payscales: Why do they need to add incentives to get people to sign up...why is there a big move to add more money and upfront bonuses, only THEN do people sign up...yet money isn't a factor? Why don't they just play more patriotic commercials?

Aren't you the one who constantly reminds us that even with the increased sign on bonuses people aren't joining the military? Most people aren't willing to go to Iraq for a $2k sign on bonus. It takes something else, either the promises of an education and better future or perhaps this foreign ideal of patriotism.

You don't get rich in Iraq, yet in another thread you were talking about how anyone coming back from Iraq doesn't have an excuse to be poor because they should have a significant amount of coin to start with and so forth

Yes you come home with a significant amount of cash.. you have no expenses while in Iraq. Doesn't mean your getting rich.

You ever consider that maybe you just got screwed on living quarters and others have it better, it was the conservative National Review that said too many soldiers were living the good life in Iraq in air conditioned palaces

Ridiculous straw man. No one has ever claimed the troops are living in "air conditioned palaces."