Comments on: Kill Bin Laden: UPDATE II

By: SREGAN7

SREGAN7 — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:58:11 +0000

SINCE IT IS OPEN, I FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO READ THIS FORUM…I’M WITH THEM ALL THE WAY…AND THANKFUL FOR SUCH COMMITTMENT AND BRAVERY. PLEASE SEND ME THE LINK OR ADDRESS. MANY THANKS .
SREGAN7@AOL.COM

By: Ron

Ron — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:31:46 +0000

Well how about that! The civilians now have a “need to know”. And when they find out what is really going on some of us will be hauled in front of a Senate Findings Commitee and jailed for war crimes and for violating the soverign states of our allies. I can tell you with complete certainty that the book covering my service will not be getting published in my lifetime. I can also say that I do help a ceratin author pen some very good best sellers without sacrificing the oath I took and endangering my fellow troopers. End of story. Torch.

By: Abn

Abn — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:59:38 +0000

I did my time in the army in units that dealt with far less secretive matters than exposed in the book in question. Yet I was expected to observe both OPSEC and PERSEC at all times. I even signed a few NDA’s in my time as well.…
This book was not approved, it was deemed to be beyond editing to protect both past and current classified information. The author was told this and decided that he need not follow the rules.
I have had the honor and privilege of knowing men who have served in that Unit and others in the SOF Community. The author betrayed a trust, and he betrayed his Oath and his agreement to not discuss his actions or those of his Unit. Like I said I knew men who served in the Unit, I sure did not know what they did, nor did or will I ever need to know that. “Need to know” is not an excuse to hide away some dirty secrets, it is there to save lives, protect the men and woman who do the things on our behalf.… Sorry, but the attitude that we are all entitled somehow to information of this magnitude is ludicrous. Knowing that there are things going on, people out there laying their lives on the line should be enough. 99.99% of it we will never know, and their deeds will never be publicly acknowledged. Perhaps that is the only part that bothers me, but they know it going in, and accept it as a part of the job..
As to the Tax Payer comment.. man that just rubs me wrong and hard. I pay taxes too, I paid them while I served, as well. So was I paying my own salary? We all pay out taxes, we all pay our share, well perhaps not all of us. This does not give us any right to know anything beyond our pay grade, and or security clearance. Guess what? You do not need to know everything, and you sure do not need to know the level of detail the author went to in writing his book. If you really want to know, then I suggest a trip to the Army recruiting Office would be a good place to start. Make sure you get Airborne in your contract, volunteer for either Rangers or SF… then go ahead after you make your E-5 and request to be assessed…If you are even fortunate enough to be invited for that.
So to all those who did serve and continue to do so, I raise my glass to you and say a prayer that you all come home safe.

By: Walter M. Clark

Walter M. Clark — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:06:26 +0000

Yes, the military do work for the people of the United States of America. That’s a given. The problem comes from someone, either in/formerly in the military or someone else, government, former government, Congress, former Congress or media, exposes classified information that has not yet been declassified. ONLY if the purpose is to expose illegal activity (and in the war on those radical islamic slimebags we’re now fighting I’d make that not an exception) should ANYONE be permitted to expose classified information to non-authorized individuals.
THAT’S why you have Congress, and the Executive Branch of the US Government. The President, whoever he/she is, keeps a small group of Senators and Representatives in the loop. The greater the number of people who know a secret, the greater likelihood of that secret being blabbed.
For example, people involved in secret/top secret activities in World War II have (mostly) lived within any non-disclosure agreements they signed. Finally, in some cases 50 years after the end of the war, stuff is being declassified and made available. THAT’S the way this should work. And government, including the leaders of Congress and the Executive Branch, should immediately ferret out anyone who is leaking secret information and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. ESPECIALLY in cases like the NY Times publishing info on the banking activities that were LEGALLY but secretly being used to track and capture terrorists. We elect our government and we should let the government do its job. And a special punishment should be available for people like Jay Rockefeller who sat on a secret Congressional Committee and leaked secrets to the press!
OT, we should also be a lot quicker to prosecute violations of the Logan Act, too.

By: SWF

SWF — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:00:03 +0000

” pay your salary and we damned right want to know what you’re doing. You work for us.“
You and the general public may want to know. Want does not imply a necessity or right to know every detail of operations the government, military or intelligence services engage in. There are oversight committees in place for checks and balances, and they are held to account for disclosure as well.
What the American public know the world knows and that is the compelling reason for security of military operations and the military communities.
Mr. Christian, you state you and millions of Americans should get to know everything you want to know.
“You work for us. So I’m glad, as long as it doesn’t deliberately put lives in danger of death… that these stories come out.“
How the hell do you know what information will put lives at risk, deliberately or unintentionally. What gives you insight as to how past plans or operations might affect future plans or operations.
“But that’s a case where the guilty pleasure of the inside gouge outweighed my scruples a bit…Inside Delta Force was SUCH a good read.“
Well good to know you’ll admit your priorities. Entertainment and bar room, water cooler, and coffee table quarterbacking first, security and lives of the military somewhere after that.

By: Sigaba

Sigaba — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:25:26 +0000

Steve,
I appreciate your response and the civility with which you express your disagreement with my comment.
In my view, the fact that the war is still in progress should have served as an additional reason (since living up to his word wasn’t sufficient motivation) for Mr. Greer at least to have waited for the DoD to vet thoroughly his work.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:00:53 +0000

I heard about this brouhaha and came over to read the original article and ensuing comments. FWIW, I am not impressed with what I have read here and doubt if I will ever be back as I have no interest in spending time on a web-site edited by the likes of Mr Lowe and his obvious disdain for us “knuckle draggers”…from which, BTW, he makes a living as a reporter and editor of military issues.
A few comments and I am gone:
Reading these commetns is like watching a bunch of hogs staring at a wristwatch–y’all know you’re looking at something but you have no idea what it is or waht it says…but you’re going to offer each other opinions about what you don’t know anyway.
Having read Ernie Pyle’s dispatches from the front and now reading a few of Mr Lowe’s articles, I can say, “Mr Lowe, you are no Ernie Pyle.“
Reading these comments and Mr Lowe’s articles reminds me why our policy on the teams was to always avoid reporters and, if confronted, would tell them to go talk to our commander…who wears two stars and has an office at Fort Bragg, NC. End of conversation.
My opinion of most of what I read here gives me the impression that y’all are like those depicted on the cover of this magazine.
http://forums.techguy.org/random-discussion/528882-internet-tough-guy-magazine.html
Richard
__
BT

By: steve

steve — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:36:08 +0000

Sigaba: The doctor example is really poor.
A soldier who follows orders at the time, but, blows the whistle a few years down the road is a totally different animal. Spec Ops guys are expected to act with little supervision in politically and personally very volatile situations. They are the most trusted of all our forces. It’s not in their nature to share in what they are doing due to the nature of their work. This guy came forward years after an operation to let people know what seems to be a poor decision by his higher ups. He followed his orders at the time, even though he strongly disagreed. He knows his risks for coming forward, he’s just the kind of guy I want in that slot. You make it sound like you should never come forward or speak up.

By: American Gal

American Gal — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:56:20 +0000

“There are MILLIONS of Real Americans that feel the way I do!“
Here’s a hint. That is an argumentum ad majorem fallacy and therefore, would not support your point at all.
American gentleman,
I grew up with fishermen. All the men in my family fished, and taught a couple of us gals about rods, reels, tackle…and bait.
Baiting is an artform.
If I must say it clearly, Christian does NOT speak for the masses in his, “We pay your salary” comment.
Disgusting is too kind a word, IMHO, for the things this reporter has claimed.
But, the folks he is “calling out” can take care of themselves, so I should say no more, as I am just a civilian.
American Gal.

By: American Gentleman

American Gentleman — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:17:01 +0000

“There are MILLIONS of Real Americans that feel the way I do!“
Here’s a hint. That is an argumentum ad majorem fallacy and therefore, would not support your point at all.