Updated Prior to Wednesday's announcement about troop levels in Afghanistan, the military brass made it clear that they would not be happy with anything more than the smallest, slowest "drawdown" of those forces, warning against a "precipitous" withdrawal that would "undermine the gains made," an argument used to drag out every conflict at least since (and including) the Indochina War. During his confirmation hearings to be the new spook-in-chief, Gen. David Petraeus was asked by Sen. Dianne Feinstein if he supported Obama's announced plan to withdraw about 30,000 troops by next summer. Petraeus spent about 450 words trying to avoid actually saying "no," but that still is what he said.
Which is what prompts me to note for the record that I am fucking sick and tired of hearing generals prate on about how they "hate war as much as anyone." For people who "hate wars" so damn much, you sure as hell seem more than willing enough to keep fighting them.
Updated with a Footnote: In comments, DaisyDeadhead refers to a marching cadence that seems relevant enough here to elevate it to part of the post, Note the very last line.
"Old King Cole"
Old King Cole was a merry old soul and a merry old soul was he
He called for his pipe and called for his bowl
And he called for his privates, three
Beer, Beer, Beer said the privates
Merry men are we
But none so fair that they can compare to the airborne infantry
Old King Cole was a merry old soul and a merry old soul was he
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl
and he called for his corporals, three
I need a three-day pass said the corporals
Beer, Beer, Beer said the privates
Merry men are we
But none so fair that they can compare to the airborne infantry
Additional Verses:
Sergeants three--"File from the left, column right said the Sgts"
Lieuues three--"I'll lead the way said the lieuies"
Captains three--"Charge that hill said the captains"
Majors three--"Who's gonna shine my boots said the majors"
Colonels three--"Where's my star said the colonels"
Generals three--"War, War, War"
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2 comments:
There is this old army cadence, dunno if you've ever heard it. They go up through the army ranks and each rank "wants" something and then you repeat it all, sorta like "the House that Jack built"...
The privates want three day passes, the corporals want something else, the Majors want new desks, its kinda cute. But then it gets to the generals:
"War War War said the generals!"
I know it sounds dumb, but I think of that line every single time one of them talks, you can reduce it all to that.
Hey! Found it, or one version of it--a little different than the one I heard growing up, which we actually jumped rope to:
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/Prep_For_Basic_Training/Prep_for_basic_general_information/common-marching-cadence.shtml
Page down to "Old King Cole"... WAR WAR WAR said the generals, I find it interesting that line never changes!
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