What would you do...
... if you were an insurgent, and the US announces (under pressure from lawmakers) the plans for a deliberate disengagement and departure from your backyard in one year? Hmmm, let me think about this... perhaps I would wait you out and then, it'd be GAME ON brotha, like Donkey Kong. But, at least our elected officials would be happy. [:(!]
We must have the resolve, as a Nation to stay the course. One of the fundamental elements of an insurgents ultimate Techniques, Tactics and Procedures (TTP) is that he can wait you out and then strike as you vacate the terrain.
Let's look at some previous insurgent efforts and the results of the counter-insurgency forces over time:
China (1927-50) Chinese communist insurgents under Mao-Tse Tung vs. Nationalist forces. 23 year conflict which ended in insurgent victory.
Philippines (1946-49) Huk insurgency (Dr. J. Lava)-3 years. Success story-was not prosecuted through military means! Well-conceived civic action program + an exceptional leader-Defense Minister Ramon Magsaysay. Government victory at the time which has now turned into various splintered factions re-entering the stage, ie... Abu Sayef Group (ASG), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Moro National Liberation Front, Alex Broncoyo Brigade (ABB), etc....
Algeria (1954-63) French military 760,000 vs. Algerian force of 65,000 (Ferhet Abbas), ratio 11 to 1. 8 years, equivalent of US $12 billion, 760,000 of France's 1 million man army committed to Algeria. Result: Insurgent victory.
Cyprus (1955-59) British military 40,000, vs. EOKA insurgent leader Col Grivas with approximately 300 insurgents. Ratio of 110 to 1 in an island half the size of New Jersey. 4 years, no victory, British could never find COL Grivas, negotiated a settlement with the insurgents. Insurgent victory
Yemen (1962-65) COL Gamal Abdel Nasser fought a few thousand barefoot Yemenite guerillas (Imam Badr) with 40,000 Egyptian troops armed with Russian tanks and jets for 3 years of inconclusive fighting.. Insurgent victory
And I will not even begin to take you down the road of a 40+ year insurgency war that is still being fought in Colombia today. Both Presidents Pastrana and Uribi threw tons of money and effort at eradicating the hills of the FARC and ELN- both presidents have had little or no marked success.
Just offering a bit of food for thought for you to consider before we publish the exact info the terrorists want to know..... when is the US leaving?[}:)]
New York Times
June 16, 2005
'Exit Strategy' Is More Than A Whisper In Washington, With Lawmakers Speaking Out
By Sheryl Gay Stolberg
WASHINGTON, June 15 - Celeste Zappala, whose son died in Iraq, visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday to demand "a very quick exit strategy." Her timing was perfect.
With opinion polls showing a drop in support for the war, and a British memo asserting that the Bush administration had intended to go to war as early as the summer of 2002, the words "exit strategy" are being uttered by both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.
The flurry began over the weekend, when Representative Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, a conservative Republican, called for the Bush administration to set specific goals for leaving Iraq. That came from the man who was once so upset about French opposition to the war that he insisted that House cafeterias change the name "French fries" to "freedom fries."
But it does not end there.
Senator Russell D. Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, has introduced in the Senate a measure similar to the nonbinding resolution that Mr. Jones is offering. In the House, the International Relations Committee last week voted overwhelmingly, 32 to 9, to call on the White House to develop and submit a plan to Congress for establishing a stable government and military in Iraq that would "permit a decreased U.S. presence" there.
On Thursday, Representative John Conyers Jr., a Michigan Democrat, will convene a forum on the so-called Downing Street Memo, a leaked document that appeared to suggest the White House had made a decision to go to war in the summer of 2002. Next week, Representative Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois Democrat, is planning to read on the House floor the names of approximately 1,700 Americans who have died in the war.
Though most Republicans are steering clear of the exit strategy discussion, a handful are joining in. One, Representative Ron Paul of Texas, a longtime opponent of the war, has signed onto Mr. Jones's resolution and will join him in meeting reporters on Thursday. Another, Representative Howard Coble of North Carolina, is considering it.
"I'm not suggesting pulling out tomorrow or next month," Mr. Coble, who favored going to war, said Wednesday, "but I want that to be an option. I don't want us to spend an eternity in Iraq. So conceptually, I'm inclined to embrace Walter Jones's proposal."
Such comments by Republicans would have been heresy before last November's election, because no one in the party wanted to weaken President Bush. But now, with 2006 midterm elections approaching, members of Congress are hearing from constituents who are growing uneasy about the war. So a nascent discussion is emerging in Congress about America's involvement in Iraq and whether it is time for re-evaluation.
"Certainly, people are breaking ranks, and saying, 'You know what, things are not hunky-dory,' " said Representative Joseph Crowley, Democrat of New York, who sponsored the measure that passed the International Relations Committee last week. Much to Mr. Crowley's surprise, it drew support from the panel's chairman, Representative Henry J. Hyde, Republican of Illinois, and 12 other Republicans.
Many Republicans - and a number of Democrats, including Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate Democratic leader - oppose setting a specific timetable for troop withdrawal, saying that to do so would only embolden insurgents. But lawmakers are keeping an eye on the polls, which reflect growing discontent with the war.
In a recent Gallup poll, 6 in 10 Americans who responded said the United States should withdraw all or some of its troops from Iraq. In another poll, by ABC News and The Washington Post, two-thirds of those questioned said the American military had gotten bogged down in Iraq. That is a welcome development for people like Ms. Zappala.
Her son, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a National Guard reservist who in his civilian life was a social worker for mentally retarded adults, was killed last year after just six weeks in Iraq. He was assigned to the team looking for unconventional weapons, said his mother, who is director of the commission on aging for the city of Philadelphia and a co-founder of Gold Star Families of Peace, which represents relatives of fallen soldiers.
On Wednesday, the group met with Mr. Jones. "We actually gave him a little certificate for his courage," Ms. Zappala said. Though she said she was under no illusions that American troops would withdraw from Iraq any time soon, "that the conversation is happening," she said, "is very, very important."
NSDQ!
www.nightstalkers.com
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
We must have the resolve, as a Nation to stay the course. One of the fundamental elements of an insurgents ultimate Techniques, Tactics and Procedures (TTP) is that he can wait you out and then strike as you vacate the terrain.
Let's look at some previous insurgent efforts and the results of the counter-insurgency forces over time:
China (1927-50) Chinese communist insurgents under Mao-Tse Tung vs. Nationalist forces. 23 year conflict which ended in insurgent victory.
Philippines (1946-49) Huk insurgency (Dr. J. Lava)-3 years. Success story-was not prosecuted through military means! Well-conceived civic action program + an exceptional leader-Defense Minister Ramon Magsaysay. Government victory at the time which has now turned into various splintered factions re-entering the stage, ie... Abu Sayef Group (ASG), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Moro National Liberation Front, Alex Broncoyo Brigade (ABB), etc....
Algeria (1954-63) French military 760,000 vs. Algerian force of 65,000 (Ferhet Abbas), ratio 11 to 1. 8 years, equivalent of US $12 billion, 760,000 of France's 1 million man army committed to Algeria. Result: Insurgent victory.
Cyprus (1955-59) British military 40,000, vs. EOKA insurgent leader Col Grivas with approximately 300 insurgents. Ratio of 110 to 1 in an island half the size of New Jersey. 4 years, no victory, British could never find COL Grivas, negotiated a settlement with the insurgents. Insurgent victory
Yemen (1962-65) COL Gamal Abdel Nasser fought a few thousand barefoot Yemenite guerillas (Imam Badr) with 40,000 Egyptian troops armed with Russian tanks and jets for 3 years of inconclusive fighting.. Insurgent victory
And I will not even begin to take you down the road of a 40+ year insurgency war that is still being fought in Colombia today. Both Presidents Pastrana and Uribi threw tons of money and effort at eradicating the hills of the FARC and ELN- both presidents have had little or no marked success.
Just offering a bit of food for thought for you to consider before we publish the exact info the terrorists want to know..... when is the US leaving?[}:)]
New York Times
June 16, 2005
'Exit Strategy' Is More Than A Whisper In Washington, With Lawmakers Speaking Out
By Sheryl Gay Stolberg
WASHINGTON, June 15 - Celeste Zappala, whose son died in Iraq, visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday to demand "a very quick exit strategy." Her timing was perfect.
With opinion polls showing a drop in support for the war, and a British memo asserting that the Bush administration had intended to go to war as early as the summer of 2002, the words "exit strategy" are being uttered by both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.
The flurry began over the weekend, when Representative Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, a conservative Republican, called for the Bush administration to set specific goals for leaving Iraq. That came from the man who was once so upset about French opposition to the war that he insisted that House cafeterias change the name "French fries" to "freedom fries."
But it does not end there.
Senator Russell D. Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, has introduced in the Senate a measure similar to the nonbinding resolution that Mr. Jones is offering. In the House, the International Relations Committee last week voted overwhelmingly, 32 to 9, to call on the White House to develop and submit a plan to Congress for establishing a stable government and military in Iraq that would "permit a decreased U.S. presence" there.
On Thursday, Representative John Conyers Jr., a Michigan Democrat, will convene a forum on the so-called Downing Street Memo, a leaked document that appeared to suggest the White House had made a decision to go to war in the summer of 2002. Next week, Representative Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois Democrat, is planning to read on the House floor the names of approximately 1,700 Americans who have died in the war.
Though most Republicans are steering clear of the exit strategy discussion, a handful are joining in. One, Representative Ron Paul of Texas, a longtime opponent of the war, has signed onto Mr. Jones's resolution and will join him in meeting reporters on Thursday. Another, Representative Howard Coble of North Carolina, is considering it.
"I'm not suggesting pulling out tomorrow or next month," Mr. Coble, who favored going to war, said Wednesday, "but I want that to be an option. I don't want us to spend an eternity in Iraq. So conceptually, I'm inclined to embrace Walter Jones's proposal."
Such comments by Republicans would have been heresy before last November's election, because no one in the party wanted to weaken President Bush. But now, with 2006 midterm elections approaching, members of Congress are hearing from constituents who are growing uneasy about the war. So a nascent discussion is emerging in Congress about America's involvement in Iraq and whether it is time for re-evaluation.
"Certainly, people are breaking ranks, and saying, 'You know what, things are not hunky-dory,' " said Representative Joseph Crowley, Democrat of New York, who sponsored the measure that passed the International Relations Committee last week. Much to Mr. Crowley's surprise, it drew support from the panel's chairman, Representative Henry J. Hyde, Republican of Illinois, and 12 other Republicans.
Many Republicans - and a number of Democrats, including Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate Democratic leader - oppose setting a specific timetable for troop withdrawal, saying that to do so would only embolden insurgents. But lawmakers are keeping an eye on the polls, which reflect growing discontent with the war.
In a recent Gallup poll, 6 in 10 Americans who responded said the United States should withdraw all or some of its troops from Iraq. In another poll, by ABC News and The Washington Post, two-thirds of those questioned said the American military had gotten bogged down in Iraq. That is a welcome development for people like Ms. Zappala.
Her son, Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a National Guard reservist who in his civilian life was a social worker for mentally retarded adults, was killed last year after just six weeks in Iraq. He was assigned to the team looking for unconventional weapons, said his mother, who is director of the commission on aging for the city of Philadelphia and a co-founder of Gold Star Families of Peace, which represents relatives of fallen soldiers.
On Wednesday, the group met with Mr. Jones. "We actually gave him a little certificate for his courage," Ms. Zappala said. Though she said she was under no illusions that American troops would withdraw from Iraq any time soon, "that the conversation is happening," she said, "is very, very important."
NSDQ!
www.nightstalkers.com
"The Lord knows the way I take, and when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" JOB 23:10
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if you could start your career all over again ??
My career was as a Marketing and Sales suit.
If I had the ability to do a reboot on it, I think I would be a Forest Ranger or a Linguist. That assumes I'd never have made it as a rock star.
How 'bout y'all ??
Doug0 -
One night during bear season this year my girlfriend and I were sitting around the table having drinks with my folks. My folks were asking my girlfriend how she's liked hunting so far, (this is only her second year). She's telling them so far so good, and is looking forward to deer season. She then asks my dad if he's hunted. He says no, (no surprise to me) but starts to tell us a story of his dad hunting. Now I never had the chance to meet my dads father, as he died before I was born. I also didn't know that he hunted. So I ask him what happend to grandpas guns. He proceeds to tell me that grandpa had three guns, and they went to his oldest brother. This is all new information to me. My uncle has two kids, a son and a daughter, both in their 40's, both live in major cities, don't hunt or shoot. The son is single. The daughter is married, has a 6 year old son. Her husband doesn't hunt or shoot, or even fish for that matter. Now the sticky part. We lost my uncle to cancer two years ago. We see my aunt occassionally throughout the year. My cousins we only see about once a year. We get along great. My question is this: I would like to ask my aunt if I could have grandpas guns, but only if my cousins don't want them. Is this a bad thing to do? If not, how does one bring this sort of conversation to the table? 0 -
What would you do on the first day if you were elected President. 0 -
Well, my custom rifle from Remington's custom shop finally came in the other day, and it is beautiful...except for the scratches on the barrel and an imperfection on the stock (rough spot in the varnish). The barrel looks like it was not polished completely...I don't know. These things are not the sort of things I would be worried about on a factory gun, but this was a custom made rifle that cost me over $1800.00. It took over 6 months to get it. I hate to send it back in over such minor cosmetic things, but that was a LOT of money for me to spend on this thing. I really don't want to have to wait forever to get it back again either....So what would YOU do, in this situation?[?][?] Thanks for the input!
Eric
All American Arms Company
Veteran Owned and Operated0 -
I'd ask my aunt if she still had "grandpa's guns", and if she did, I'd ask to purchase them.
Ben0 -
Ask your Aunt about the guns and if she still has them let her know that if there comes a time she wanted to get rid of them that you are very interested in purchasing them as Family heirlooms. 0 -
It is your duty to keep Gramp's guns in the family.
If your cousins don't shoot/hunt/collect firearms, make them an offer before they sell them. Ask them straight-up...no need to dance around the question.0 -
I agree with FMB.
Also prepare yourself for the idea that she might take offense to the suggestion anyway and decide in advance if you're going to try and 'make a case' for why you should have them, or whether you're going to walk away if she says no. Your cousin might well need to be part of the conversation. You might even want to ask him first so it doesn't look like you're trying to deprive him of a birthright.0 -
If you get along with your cousins I would tell them that you would like to use your grandfathers guns, mention they were your grandgathers and have semential value, to go hunting and make an offer to buy them. If you can do some research and pay what the going rate is for them. I bouoght my grandfathers single shot 22 a few years back when the family had an auction. I had to out bid a gun dealer and pay a bit more than I wanted but it was all worth it in the end. Best of luck in this matter 0 -
The way I was raised, I would never ask for something. I might do as Ben suggested. 0 -
My dad gave my grandfather's 30-06 to my uncle who lost it. Gramps brought it home from the war. I miss that gun, should have been mine as my uncle is married to my mom's sister. 0 -
"Aunt _______, my Dad and I were talking hunting the other night, and it came up in conversation that Grandpa had a few hunting guns. Do you happen to know what happened to them?" [:)]
Then wait and see if she brings up that they were given to her late husband by your Grandpa. At that point, she might say something like... "Yes, I do, they were given to my late husband and you can have them." [:)]
Then, when you get them... you can give 1 to me, keep one for yourself, and have a giveaway here. [}:)][:D][:o)]0 -
quote:Then, when you get them... you can give 1 to me, keep one for yourself,
All I know is he was given three. Could be all Henry's or One of 1000 Winchesters for all I know.[:D]0 -
PLEASE DON'T, and I say again... DON'T feel bad about asking her for them. It's better for a family member to ask for something that was passed down over the generations than to have your aunt find them and possibly sell them to someone who is just waiting to rip her off (if it hasn't already happened)!!! It happened in my family with some VERY expensive antiques. There's no harm in asking. [;)] 0
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