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1. 

   Buzzy-One said, 2 months ago

   Yeah, compeletly staffed by a well-regulated militia.

2. 

   Jase99 said, 2 months ago

   Except the Bush Administration made d@rn sure the militias they used in Iraq had zero regulation. Did you actually think the Republican notion of personal accountability applies to the Republican leadership?

   How ironic that it was a Republican who warned us to beware of the military-industrial complex.

   ” In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

   We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. ” – Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

   ” Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.

   Such a confederation must be one of equals. The weakest must come to the conference table with the same confidence as do we, protected as we are by our moral, economic, and military strength. That table, though scarred by many past frustrations, cannot be abandoned for the certain agony of the battlefield.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

   Ol’ Eisenhower would be drummed out of the Republican party if he tried rising through the ranks with those beliefs today.

   Hey, Gocomics! You censor the word “d@rn”????

3. 

   believecommonsense said, 2 months ago

   Eisenhower’s warning was prescient and well-founded, though Reps today would disavow it.

   A nation’s military should never be run by private corporations. It’s not only Blackwater’s misdeeds, it was a subsidiary of Halliburton, you know, the contractor that installed showers that electrocuted some of our troops.

4. 

   Gary Kleppe said, 2 months ago

   Did you actually think the Republican notion of personal accountability applies to the Republican leadership?

   I’m still trying to figure out where it does apply.

5. 

   motivemagus said, 2 months ago

   And of course unlike Bush, Cheney, and most of the other chickenhawks, Eisenhower was actually *in* the Army, and knew what combat was about.

6. 

   OakDragon said, 2 months ago

   Motivemagus, that’s principle was very evident in the months before the attack on Iraq. The Bush’s civilian “chickenhawks” in the Pentagon were all for it. The military leaders in the Pentagon, those with actual experience and perspective, were not.

   The civilians really proved them wrong with the ease to “Mission Accomplished,” didn’t they?

7. 

   Corosive Frog said, 2 months ago

   Eisenhower made war–and won, ‘nuff said.

8. 

   WestTex13 said, 2 months ago

   Ironically with Blackwater’s background and training they were more experienced and proficient in accomplishing target objectives than our military.. Of course it helps that as a private army they are not held to the Geneva Convention and hence had more leeway.. Perhaps too much.. Private armies are scary as they could be used against anyone with ease..

9. 

   dtroutma said, 2 months ago

   The other factor is that Blackwater (Xe) is the private army of an evangelical nut case. Their “training” of our troops really isn’t that bad, tactically, but along with Mikey Weinstein, I’m really concerned about the bent of this “crusader” organization, and the push to use them.

   BTW “legally” as operatives of the U.S. government, they ARE bound by the Geneva Conventions, but that never bothered Cheney.

   p.s. most of their recruits were trained by the U.S. military and “headhunted” away.

10. 

    NoFearPup said, 2 months ago

    Excellent point, Cor Frog.

    Now if you replace “military industrial complex” with “Kennedy’s” in the following statement; it still makes sense:

    In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

11. 

    deadheadzan said, 2 months ago

    That’s correct in that Blackwater hired away navy seals and army rangers who had received all their training from the US government. Pretty ironic. They made so much more money working as mercenaries than in our army or navy that it is sickening. “Masters of War”, indeed. The evangelical angle is just one more sickening aspect. Eisenhower had it right 50 years ago. NFP- you are so mean spirited- JFK and RFK were assasinated while serving their country and brother Joe died flying a mission in WW2. Ted Kennedy has gotten health care for children who did not otherwise have access to it and tried to get universal health care to all Americans.

12. 

    WestTex13 said, 2 months ago

    I actually support all of Dr. T and Deadheads information with the exception of labeling as nuts..

    Seems to me that people took a set of skills that they were exceptionally good at and applied them to making a ton of money in “service” to the nations of the world.. They also underwent additional training upon admission into BW..

    Mercenaries always have been and always will be a tool of war..

13. 

    HUMPHRIES said, 2 months ago

    … and mercenaries always have been and always will be unreliable.

14. 

    WestTex13 said, 2 months ago

    Unreliable and hence expendable? Just speaking through historic trends there..

15. 

    striper77 said, 2 months ago

    Here is how Obama’s wants to treat the veterans.

    WSJ: Obama and Shinseki now pressuring Veterans toward Euthanasia

    The Wall Street Journal just published a shocking editorial written by a respected University President, confirming the Obama Administration is now using VA hospitals to order doctors to pressure all military veterans to sign “pull the plug” do-not-resuscitate orders, hastening their premature deaths through mandatory “end of life” counseling.

    President Jim Towey of Saint Vincent’s College, founder of the non-profit “Aging With Dignity” and former White House Director of faith based initiatives, wrote a blistering expose entitled “The Death Book For Veterans,” revealing President Obama’s new Veterans Administration (VA) directive, presumably signed by VA Secretary, General (ret.) Eric Shinseki, which mandates all veterans’ primary care physicians must graphically discuss “end of life planning” with all VA patients (not merely those nearing death), and must refer them to “Your Life, Your Choices,” a book that openly encourages Euthanasia and was written with guidance from the group formerly known as the Hemlock Society. That same pro-suicide group now boasts on their web-site of directly leading the charge to ensure “end of life counseling” is mandated in the Obamacare bill, HR 3200.

    On page 21 of the Shinseki-mandated Veteran’s Euthanasia book, all military veterans are encouraged to complete a checklist of various scenarios, to decide whether their own life would be “not worth living.” For example, the booklet asks veterans 7 questions pressuring veterans to sign a “living will” that authorizes doctors to terminate your life, if you are:

    1) Living in a nursing home?

    2) Being in a wheelchair?

    3) Not able to “shake the blues?”

    4) Ever heard anyone say, “If I’m a vegetable, pull the plug?”

    5) No longer able to contribute to your family’s well-being?

    6) Are you a severe financial burden to your family?

    7) Do you cause severe emotional burden for your family?

    “This hurry-up-and-die message is clear and unconscionable,” says Towey, “Worse, a July 2009 VA directive [presumably signed by Shinseki] instructs its primary care physicians to raise advance care planning with all VA patients and to refer them to ‘Your Life, Your Choices.’ [the Euthanasia booklet.] Not just those of advanced age and debilitated condition—all patients. America’s 24 million veterans deserve better.” Towey recommends a “five wishes” living-will document that does not pressure suicide.

    But instead the Hemlock Society booklet is now MANDATED for doctor referral to all patients in all VA hospitals, heaping more evidence upon the growing list of proofs that the Obama Administration is LYING TO THE PUBLIC by denying their health care plan pushes Euthanasia on the elderly. They already do it today. Just imagine if ALL hospitals become government-run like the VA.

16. 

    oldlegodad said, 2 months ago

    Hump & TEX as in Roman Empire?

17. 

    dtroutma said, 2 months ago

    Striper, your Christmas turkey can’t hold any more of your “stuff”.

    VA and the military are rapidly improving treatment of our disabled soldiers and veterans. My son is currently awaiting a disability retirement, and VA is already on board.

    My own experience with VA is improving.

    My brother is currently hooked to tubes, and his wife has no written directives. She is much stressed and distressed by this. Having advanced directives is in no way calling for euthanasia, but meeting the desires of the patient.

    You know squat.

18. 

    striper77 said, 2 months ago

    The Veterans Administration itself may be great but the veterans hospital is less than great. I myself have served in the military. Since I do not have service connected disabilities I cannot utilize their services. However if I could, I would not. The nightmares you hear about their service there is alarming.
    In the past two of my grandfathers brothers died in the waiting room at a VA hospital.
    Recently an extended family member went to the VA for a minor surgery and left in a body bag.
    There is programs such as dateline and investigator reports that shows the faults, deaths and life changing errors that happens to people at the VA hospital and military hospitals.

    I will state they are not all bad. If they have a 5% error due to mistake or the fact they cannot be sued for their mistakes. This results in the reason why they have their problems.
    That brings up the whole Obamacare. Will all the doctors participating in be free from law suites?
    If all the doctors had a free pass to do whatever they wanted can you imagine the chances they could take.

    I cannot remember the last time I heard of a private doctor being sued for a wrongful death.
    I have heard of doctors quite doing certain procedures due to the insurance is so high on them, such as delivering babies.

    I hear about pharmaceutical companies being sued, but that is it.

19. 

    foxglove16 said, 2 months ago

    Stripper, that “death book” myth has already been debunked.
    1) like the “death panel” rubbish it is saying the opposite of what was written.
    2) It was written and distributed in 2007- by the Bush administration.
    3) No, the Hemlock society stuff in not anywhere in sight. My what a vivid lying, er, imagination you have.
    Sheesh, at least keep up with current paranoid rants will ya?

20. 

    WestTex13 said, 2 months ago

    oldlegodad

    Roman Empire, British Empire, Persian Empire.. Take your pick.. ;)

21. 

    Jase99 said, 2 months ago

    Don’t expect Striper to be bothered with facts. Everything he knows is spoon feed to him by people just as out there as him.

22. 

    churchillwasright said, 2 months ago

    FOXGLOVE: As much as it pains me to agree with STRIPER, at least two of your points are incorrect..

    re: the pamphlet he is talking about: It was not written and distributed in ‘07 by the Bush administration:

    per Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Sec. of Verterans Affairs this past week on Fox News Sunday: “We’ve not used it since 2007 when, under the Bush administration, we decided to go ahead and revise it.” Nevertheless, their website continued to point to it (per a 7/2/9 directive), which I suppose she will be reviewing.

    The website also did indeed link to the Hemlock Society, which has since been removed.

    Hate to bother you with some facts.

    http://tinyurl.com/nva2a7

23. 

    vhammon said, 2 months ago

    Just wanted to say thanks, Tony. That’s the first laugh out loud cartoon I’ve seen in a long time! -and it is a delightfully sharp criticism.