Reply #6: I smell yet another rat [View All]

[Dogmudgeon]

Hack is all worked up about the officer who threatened an Iraqi by shooting his weapon near the guy. It's against the rules of engagement under normal circumstances, but it's A-O-K when life and limb are at risk. Which, it seems, was the case.

So this turns into a cause celebre and brings all the fulminating about "political correctness" out. Even Hack took the bait.

I'm also a fan of Hackworth, even though I've disagreed with him on many occasions. If Hack says it, I have at least a little confidence in the truth of it. But this whole dust-up screams Karl Rove and has drained some of the attention off of the inconvensiently impolitic Jessica Lynch, and her fellow soldier who won't take her lickin' like a man, Shoshana Johnson.

Hack is right, when you come down to it. Battle is a messy, ugly business, and bringing the "offender" up on charges over this episode is absurd, to say the least. And I'm sure it happens pretty often. The Iraqi Irregulars are driven by the fanaticism of patriotism, and don't play by any set of rules.

So why now, why this, why this way?

It screams Karl Rove. It screams Spin.

--bkl