www.debbieschlussel.com

Access the detailed review of the best online casinos in the UK? Its legal status, which makes a good casino and games more. Day by day, the offer of online casinos is getting bigger and bigger. But what are the best online casinos? They are reliable online casinos, that is, they have legitimate software and they pay players correctly. From the famous Las Vegas casinos to the not so well known ones. We could have just completed this list bonushitlist.com of the best casinos in the world.

December 23, 2013, - 1:36 pm

Rachel Washburn, Hero? Ex-Eagles Cheerleader Soldier Honored @ NFL Game for Pandering to Muslims, Sharia

By Debbie Schlussel

She is beautiful, has a great body (which she displayed as a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader), served America in Afghanistan, and was awarded with a Bronze Star and other military awards and decorations. But is Rachel Washburn really a “hero,” as was claimed in yesterday’s NFL Philadelphia Eagles-Chicago Bears game, where she was honored?

Hero? Rachel Washburn’s Military Job Was Islamo-Pandering, Sharia Compliance

Only if you believe political correctness and pandering to Muslims is heroic and worthy of affirmative action military medals.

Rachel Washburn was in Afghanistan as a part of a “Cultural Support Team” program–translation: we suck up to Muslims–created to “attach women to special-ops units in order to relate to Afghan women.” Her “heroic accomplishments” included wearing a headscarf and covering up for Afghan men and women. Oh, and helping to deliver an Afghan baby a/k/a future America-hater and terrorist with instructions over a U.S. Army radio because the Afghans wouldn’t let a male American medic anywhere near the pregnant Muslim woman.

And Washburn is proud of her dhimmi activities and pandering to sharia (Islamic law). “I was always seen as somebody they could relate to and not this American imposter who brings my values to that country.” Um, if we aren’t there to bring American values to that country, why on earth are we there? I thought we were there to get rid of the Taliban. That’s an American value, since the Afghans don’t seem to mind them too much. I thought we were there to install democracy and free elections. Again, that’s an American value, since we see in every Muslim country around the world that they can’t handle democracy and always elect extremists, terrorists, and/or crooks. See Hamid Karzai and family for an example of the latter (and he’s apparently an enabler of the first two categories).

I’m not sure why a chick who has gone from sex object cheerleader to hijab-encrusted American life coach for Islamic women and their values is a “hero” at all. A hero is someone who makes extraordinary sacrifices, giving of him/herself and risking his/her life and limbs for others. It’s not a chick who proudly puts a do-rag on her head to deliver a Muslim baby.

And not only is Washburn proud that she donned Islamic bedsheets to hang out with Muslim chicks, but she’s happy that she made the Muslims happy by delivering a boy. Yay, feminism!

Her husband gave us a little trinket. He was so grateful to have a boy.

If only the woman had given birth to twin or triplet girls. The outraged reaction of her Muslim hubby might have actually awakened this dimwitted former cheerleader to reality. But no dice. Just like Us Magazine tells us, “Celebrities–they’re just like us!” Washburn tells us Muslims are just like us.

Washburn, who wore a head scarf when among the Afghans [said], “We kind of noticed that women everywhere share certain similarities. They obviously care about their home, their children. Women everywhere love pretty things. So if we wore a pretty head scarf, it would be like an icebreaker.”

Huh? Guess what? Osama Bin Laden and the 19 hijackers pooped and pissed just like us. I guess that means we are all the same. Right?

Yup, America, you paid for this idiotette to discuss scarf fashion with Afghan women and not to notice that these same women who like beautiful scarves also have no prob sending their kids to be terrorists and hating Jews and Christians. Wake up, dumabass-ette.

So, while the NFL might tell you Rachel Washburn is a military hero, remember the hardware on her chest was “earned” through anything but heroism.

If it’s heroic to pander to those who hate us and would destroy us–and have taken many American lives and limbs, then I guess we did the wrong thing in World War II.

Instead of kicking Nazi butt, we should have had a group of women like Rachel Washburn go to Germany and discuss favorite wienerschnitzel recipes with the wives of SS officers.

After all, if–as Rachel Washburn insists–we are not there to bring American values to that country, we should have had no problem with Hitler, concentration camps, and lampshades made of Jews.

Hers aren’t the views of a hero. They are the views of a coward.

Tags: fake heroes, false heroes, Heroes, heroism, hijab, Islam, NFL, Rachel Wasburn hijab, Rachel Washburn, Rachel Washburn cheerleader, Rachel Washburn dhimmi, Rachel Washburn hometown hero, Rachel Washburn NFL, Rachel Washburn Phladelphia Eagles

102 Responses

« Newer Comments

This is a continuation of the pacifist lunacy promoted 100 years ago by Jane Addams that women can help promote universal understanding, and overcome the hostilities promoted by the uncaring men.

Samantha Smith was the worst example of this, but she has a lot of runners-up.

Little Al on December 23, 2013 at 1:52 pm

Amen!

The new feminism is now adopting patriarchy and Islam’s views that women are the property of men.

Have we come a long way, baby? Rachel Washburn’s career says that America has regressed.

And you wonder why Hamid Karzai detests us so much? We suck up to Islamic terrorists and are ready to sell his relatively pro-American regime down the river.

Which is a good point since no one knows what we’re really doing in Afghanistan. We are certainly not there to win and as the “career” of Ms. Washburn has illustrated, we’re really there to lose and look good at doing so!

Oh and we’re no longer making real heroes like we used to do. Those days are long gone in America.

NormanF on December 23, 2013 at 1:53 pm

And the pandering to the enemy has been going on continuously during the last 100 years. Hanoi Jane is really a part of this as is Women Strike for Peace which was riddled with Communists.

But it is bipartisan as well. Remember the lunacy that Karen Hughes was involved in? Promoting international understanding with our enemies?

Little Al on December 23, 2013 at 2:05 pm

And then there are all the female or female-like secretaries of state that we have been plagued with in recent years.

Little Al on December 23, 2013 at 2:14 pm

In Afghanistan we’re running a social service for extremist Muslims who won’t like us any less for our handouts. We’re supposed to be fighting a war and somewhere along the way it got scrubbed.

Baby-sitting Islam, which is what we’re doing there won’t make Muslims civilized.

NormanF on December 23, 2013 at 2:25 pm

When I read what this woman had to say, one word came to mind. Sh-thead.

I then became outraged at the waste of money and the pandering to a backwards culture that would have first thrown acid in face, then buried her up to her waist and stoned her if she showed a fraction as much skin as she does on a Sunday Afternoon at a football game.

Also, everything she said is equally valid when speaking to the wife of an SS Officer who kills Jews, or a female guard at Auschwitz.

Jonathan E. Grant on December 23, 2013 at 2:25 pm

This Muslim cheerleader useful idiot started out close to a job she would’ve been perfectly suited for in the NFL. That is, she’d have been more appropriately hired on as a tackling dummy.

lee of the lower case "l" on December 23, 2013 at 2:56 pm

I have no more love for these Islamic societies than you, but I think it is disgusting that you would attack this lady for doing her duty. The military sent her to do a job and she did it, there is nothing wrong with her employer honoring her for her service.
The way you present your views and your attack on a service member for doing nothing more than her duty places you in the same category as the Westborough Baptist church lunatics.

Bill Utterly Stupid: You completely missed the point of this post–not surprising since you’re clearly not too bright. Only a moron with zero basic intellect would compare me to the Westborough Baptists who protest at American soldiers’ funerals and say our soldiers deserve to die because America allows homosexuality or some other ridiculous claim (just like your ridiculous claims). I’ve never done anything of the sort, so your attempted comparison utterly fails. The point of this post is that this woman did NOTHING heroic. She’s NOT a hero. Plain and simple. On top of that, she’s an apologist for Islam and Islamo-pandering, when she doesn’t have to be. So sad you failed reading comprehension in school and don’t get any of that. The Eagles and the NFL could have honored any soldier who actually did something heroic and/or gave his life, like Philadelphia soldier Gennaro “Jerry” Pellegrini, who died after being attacked by Islamic terrorists (read about him here: http://www.debbieschlussel.com/67691/exclusive-obama-kept-family-of-murdered-soldier-in-dark-that-murdererd-were-in-us-got-citizenship/). Doing your duty as a soldier is not–by definition–heroic, especially when it involves serving as a sharia life coach and social services provider. Again, that was the point of this post, but you were too interested in attacking me (via stupid, failed comparisons) and being an apologist for this woman’s Islamo-pandering than actually reading. RIF–Reading Is Fundamental. Try it some time. It’s a hell of a lot better received than premature articulation (what you do). DS

Bill Utley on December 23, 2013 at 3:00 pm

Debbie, you beat me to it with that Bill Utley fool, lookit Mr. Utley, DS is NOT attacking this woman for envious issues, she could careless for Ms. Washburn, the reality is Bill is that Rachel Washburn is NOT a hero, she apparently was sent to Afghanistan by someone well higher up in the US Armed Forces food-chamber to pander and bend her buttocks backwards for the population over there.

A hero Bill is someone as Debbie articulated in the piece who gives his/her life in a line of duty by sacrificing (or dying/died) for themselves for this and that and so forth. Bro, maybe you ought to re-read the link again to grasp what was exactly mentioned in the piece, instead of doing straw-man tactics on Ms. Schlussel by using her as a “straw-woman” by tossing stones/rocks at glass-houses. Oh and BTW, for your asinine moral-equivalence of equating DS to the WBC people, for starters, the Westboro Baptist Church attendees happen to have anti-Semitic tendencies in their views, they’ll view Ms. Schlussel as a 4/5 woman because she happens to be a Jewish individual!

“A nation is defined by its borders, language & culture!”

Sean R. on December 23, 2013 at 3:40 pm

Yup!

I think you seem confused by what the military is supposed to do.

Liberals believe it should coddle our enemies. Conservatives believe it should kill them.

Debbie’s spot on about the kind of people we should honor. A military filled with chocolate soldiers won’t be up to the job of defending America in a dangerous world.

And last I heard, it was not in the US Army’s directive to make friends with those who want to blow up our soldiers.

Debbie has a big problem with that while I suspect the Wesboro Baptists you falsely compared her to would cheer as our soldiers are killed over there.

Which is what they do when they picket the funerals of deceased American soldiers brought home for burial. Debbie was criticizing the embrace of cowardice as a politically correct rite in our military; she never said that the sacrifices of our true heroes shouldn’t be appreciated.

No wonder she had to write you a length reply by way of clarification and what you said is a disservice to those serving our country there even though I do agree with Debbie that our presence in Afghanistan is largely a mission in search of a rationale.

NormanF on December 23, 2013 at 3:59 pm

ANYONE who puts on that uniform, and goes into a war zone because he/she was asked to, then does exactly what was asked of him/her- IS A HERO. I’m not saying there aren’t instances where that may not be true, but in this context…Rachel is a hero. Do not try to bash her service because you don’t understand the bigger picture. Thank you Bill for your comments.

Sarah Whitney on December 23, 2013 at 5:22 pm

Sarah Whitney can’t “face facts”. Why America has become a confederacy of dunces.

Another arrogant ignorant.

Skunky on December 23, 2013 at 5:32 pm

Sarah Whitney sez:

“ANYONE who puts on that uniform, and goes into a war zone because he/she was asked to, then does exactly what was asked of him/her- IS A HERO. I’m not saying there aren’t instances where that may not be true. . . .”

(1) Notice that our brainiac can’t even be consistent in two consecutive sentences. Not much cogitation going on in that noggin of hers.

(2) Notice as well that her first sentence is manifestly absurd. We customarily thank the military for their service, but we do not call every person with military experience a hero. There are real military heroes–they’re the ones who should get medals.

(3) Few here would salute any other Islamopanderer. Why exactly should we make an exception for this one?

skzion on December 23, 2013 at 6:24 pm

but, but, but
She doesn’t work for Walmart or do you think they’re the new military industrial complex?

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 6:52 pm

So DS you don’t like being compared to the WBC lunatics? How about the people who spit on returning Vietnam veterans? Maybe that’s a more apt comparison. You can call me names, but that does not change the fact that you are still completely willing to denigrate this ladies service because she was serving in a capacity that forced her to be in contact with Muslim women. She is no policy maker, just a soldier doing her job.
Are you aware of the intelligence mission of these teams? While you believe she has done nothing important If you had to leave the wire and go on a patrol even once you would probably have a different opinion.
Just for the your information and the others commenting that have no idea, the Bronze Star is not awarded only for heroism in combat. When it is awarded with the V device it is then an award for valor in combat. This medal is awarded far more often without the V device for exemplary service.

Bill Utley on December 23, 2013 at 8:30 pm

To Bill Utterly Brainless…

“…but that does not change the fact that you are still completely willing to denigrate this ladies service because she was serving in a capacity that forced her to be in contact with Muslim women. She is no policy maker, just a soldier doing her job.”

Bob Brainless is still completely willing NOT to understand Islam and totally ignores the argument (that JEG makes cogently below) that our Islamopandering and rules of engagement are what is wrong. When are you gonna face those facts, Brain-Box???? And plenty of Nazi soldiers during WWII were just doing their job, too. Someone should compare you to a Nazi if you’re gonna erroneously compare DS to the DEMOCRAT WBC.

“Are you aware of the intelligence mission of these teams? While you believe she has done nothing important If you had to leave the wire and go on a patrol even once you would probably have a different opinion.”

Brain-Box, you can tell by the dopey sentence above that you wrote that you’re NOT familiar with this site. If you were, you’d not embarrass yourself and expose yourself so ignorantly. The answer to your dumb query is actually *IN* the column (and many others…). RIF.

When I lament about the dumb Yanks holding America back because they are retarded AND don’t know Islam. I am speaking of fools like Bill Utterly (Brainless). We won’t win because of what JEG said and how dumb Americans are now. SMH!

Skunky on December 23, 2013 at 8:45 pm

Bill:

My father-in-law was awarded the Bronze Star in WWII. He wasn’t a “war hero”. I won’t go into details, but he performed very meritorious service.

If you can’t tell that the Pentagon is using this young, hot, white chick as a propaganda model, then perhaps some of the criticism being levied at you is warranted. You might want to read up on Jessica Lynch and how the Pentagon callously used her for similar propaganda while her wounded black comrade was ignored; her Native American comrade who was killed was barely mentioned. You might want to tell me why the Pentagon told us that Jessica Lynch fired back at the Iraqis while wounded after being ambushed when this was simply not true.

You might want to tell me why after 13 years of war, the Pentagon and their media apparatus hasn’t held up one Jew (male or female) as a “war hero”. You might want to tell me about all the Jews who have won the Bronze Star (or higher honors) in the past 13 years since 9/11/01. Certainly there are some so you might want to cite how the Pentagon and news media have given them the same kind of slobbering coverage over their achievements.

Look Bill! I have already told Debbie that I’m not immediately accepting her thesis that Washburn is carrying water for Muslims. I haven’t concluded that.

What I’ve concluded is that she simply isn’t a “war hero” and the Pentagon is pulling another full-court-press to sell us another “Wonder Woman” story. They lied about Jessica Lynch. They lied about Pat Tillman. They lied about Iraqi WMD. They lied about NSA breach of the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

I mean… get with the program! My name is “There is NO Santa Claus”! At some point, you just gotta grow out of childhood fantasies.

Regards,

There is NO Santa Claus (aka TINSC)

There is NO Santa Claus on December 24, 2013 at 12:04 am

She has a “camel toe”.

Caroline on December 23, 2013 at 3:22 pm

lol

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 6:54 pm

“camel toe”

😀

DS_ROCKS! on December 24, 2013 at 6:46 pm

If she thinks Mooooslims can relate to her she should try to go to Tahrir Square next time a large group forms.

She’ll not feel like that for long. We know Mooooslims are beasts and she’d be gang-raped before the night is through.

But telling the truth is so unpopular these days.

Oh, I see Bill Utterly (Brainless) had a hard time with reading comprehension regarding this article. He’s a man (supposedly) and went off on pure emotion. It must be that time of the month, eh, Bill Utterly (Brainless)?

Skunky on December 23, 2013 at 3:25 pm

She sounds like a contestant in the Miss America pageant. “I want to change the World and make a difference.”

JeffT on December 23, 2013 at 3:57 pm

Nothing wrong with helping the stranger. But its NONE of our military’s business to feed and clothe our enemies and to deliver their babies.

Soldiers aren’t meant for social service work. They’re trained for one and one reason only: to kill people.

No wonder the entire Muslim World is laughing at us!

NormanF on December 23, 2013 at 4:06 pm

Since she’s a pretty Ex-cheerleader and wears a uniform in a War Zone, the NFL will promote her as their poster girl. I don’t know what Heroic act she performed to earn the Bronze Star, but it seems the military likes to hand those out with ease.

Enjoy your Holidays!

Peter on December 23, 2013 at 4:08 pm

well said Debbie.

how did we ever fall so far as a society !

General P. Malaise on December 23, 2013 at 5:31 pm

Well we didn’t win any hearts and minds on the Afghan side so I guess Rachel thinks she can win some on our side.
Schwing.
“If you label me, you negate me”
Party on Garth

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 5:50 pm

Easy to see why it is completely useless to have dialogue with anyone on this site. People express their opinions, and in true Alex Jones fashion, get shouted down for it. Seems Stalinist to me. Camel toe? Really? How 5th-grade of you idiots.

Now as to whether she deserved the Bronze Star she received, only those who submitted her for that decoration know for certain. Anyone who claims to know otherwise is a crackhead.

If you must know, Yes – I served in the Air Force for 24 years. I respect all my brothers and sisters in arms – unless they show themselves to not be deserving. Most of you commuting above wold not cut it for two weeks in the military. But that’s OK – it’s not for everybody.

Merry Christmas to all!

Bob on December 23, 2013 at 5:52 pm

We can chew gum while we walk Bobbles.
Now, disregarding the claims you’ve made for yourself what do you actually have to say that contradicts any of comments made here?

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 5:56 pm

You’re wrong BOB! (Although you are correct about the stupid camel toe comment….). If you get shouted down here it’s because one can’t face facts (as DS pithily stated…) or you don’t know the facts.

Or if you’re a guy (at least on this thread…) you get distracted by a pretty girl who doesn’t know Islam. Knowing Islam is more important. That is why the world is suffering the slings and arrows & IEDs of Islam!

FAIL!!

Skunky on December 23, 2013 at 6:18 pm

“Easy to see why it is completely useless to have dialogue with anyone on this site. People express their opinions, and in true Alex Jones fashion, get shouted down for it. Seems Stalinist to me. Camel toe? Really? How 5th-grade of you idiots.

Now as to whether she deserved the Bronze Star she received, only those who submitted her for that decoration know for certain. Anyone who claims to know otherwise is a crackhead.

Bob is a liar. He made three obvious mistakes in his boasts that show him to be lying about his “service.”

If he ever “served” at all, he was general-discharged (not honorable or dishonorable; general discharge is for administrative, such as being barred from re-enlistment or a chronic medical condition such as epilepsy) out well within his first enlistment.

More than likely, “Bob” is one of those weird wannabes who hang out veteran boards pretending to be a vet.

DS_ROCKS! on December 24, 2013 at 6:45 pm

Yes, I must know

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 6:07 pm

Look Bob may be a moron, I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. He may not actually care about all the lives squandered in Afghanistan while he was sitting pretty in his cockpit. I just don’t think too many special forces guys feel the same way.

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 6:31 pm

You morons attacking us like Bob, who was most likely a desk jockey, did not read the article. She was part of a “Cultural Support Team.”

No where does it say she was part of the regular military, or even in the military. She is nothing more than window dressing. Most people who are actually in the military and in combat have no love for someone who drops in for a photo op and then leaves.

Makes me wonder if Bob served at all, or if he is just another dress wearing fruitcake Obama supporter.

Jonathan E. Grant on December 23, 2013 at 7:13 pm

Well put, JEG.

skzion on December 23, 2013 at 7:44 pm

JEG, a quick search suggests that she actually was in the military, starting with ROTC. However, given that the military has a lesbian problem, I expect this ditz was actively recruited just to have something appealing on the recruitment posters.

skzion on December 23, 2013 at 7:55 pm

Serving? Somehow, I think she is not one of the people that killed a bunch of Taliban or Al Queda. Or maybe this explains while America has once again lost another war, and yes, we have lost another war.

Until America quits trying to win the hearts and minds of the locals, and focuses on wiping out the enemy, until the military returns to be a killing machine instead of a social welfare/social action/community organizing program, we will continue to lose each and every war. Haven’t won a war since WWII.

Jonathan E. Grant on December 23, 2013 at 8:10 pm

Yeah, how many lives is a PR exercise worth?

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 8:20 pm

I have nothing against cheerleaders, but Rachel Washburn is a complete airhead who deserves to be turned into chattel property for a time. The Muslim males who ogled her probably dreamed of Rachel Washburn as a concubine or house slave girl.

Worry01 on December 23, 2013 at 8:00 pm

Debbie how ignorant can you be? It does not matter if you go overseas to clean the toilet and never see any combat (ALL SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN ARE HEROS). I have had several family members serve this great country and I for one am very offended by your comments. Evan if she was able to persuade one America hating Muslim to see the light of this great country and change there mind she has done her job. I would be willing to bet you didn’t consider that side of things. Shame on you!!!

Gerald on December 23, 2013 at 9:07 pm

Nidal Malik Hasan was a service man. Is he a hero too?
The silliness is wearing thin Gerald.
You’re a fraud and nothing disguises the fact that you don’t really care.

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 9:30 pm

Oh Gerald, I’m offended by your anti-Semitism, your Islamopandering, and your anti-white racism. In fact, I’m even offended by your wimpy neglect of the occasional anti-black racist who comes here.

Even your writing has gotten crappy. You’re a libtard with pretensions. Buzz of yah troll.

skzion on December 24, 2013 at 12:34 am

Here comes Gerald’s Black-centric narcissistic collapse. I had your number early, Gerald. What an odious puke you are.

Of course racist and hostile against Jews creeps like YOU don’t know the names of US soldiers like HASAN AKBAR (reverter) or John Russell. I know you think they are heroes too. After all they served and killed fellow American soldiers.

Just because he goes on walk-a-bout after someone REALLY points out what a retard he is does not mean he is ignoring you (and I mean Gerald). He just goes silent because the boot is tight on his racist & apologist neck. Don’t misread this idiot.

Skunky on December 24, 2013 at 1:42 am

Well put, Skunky.

skzion on December 24, 2013 at 1:32 pm

Yes, well put indeed Skunky! You are amazing!

8th Grade Master Debater - Liverless Underling of the Libtard Overlords on December 25, 2013 at 10:23 pm

Gerald: “ALL SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN ARE HEROS”

No they’re not, you dipsh*t.

The volunteer armed forces are the bottom of the barrel for the most part. Maybe 20% of the RA, and I’m being generous, are professional, competent soldiers. The vast majority are stone-stupid f*ck-ups who couldn’t keep a job in the real world. When I want in the Army at age 17, 3 monthts and 6 days old, the juvenile court judge gave me a choice: jail or join the Army.

Reservists are about triple that competency rate at 60% because they are competent enough to support themselves in the civilian world.

In Viet Nam about 90% of the kills were made by 10% of the soldiers and Viet Nam vets were a cut above because the draft forced a better cross-section of the population.

Only a very select few become the cream of the crop such as SF and even among them, actual heroics is scarce.

If “EVER_ONE WUZ A HE_ROW” like you absurdly think, they’d just make the CMOH standard issue like Patreus did with the pansy cranberry berets.

DS_ROCKS! on December 24, 2013 at 7:02 pm

Ok, The problem is that this moron woman is promoting a religion that would beat her and put her in an 8th century body suit and forced into being chattel for a man. Under Islam she cannot drive, own property, get an education, and she sure could not be an NFL cheerleader !!!

Great, she served her country–you can applaud her for that.

But is she a hero—No. For a real living hero, look up Sgt. Monica Brown

Sgt. Monica Brown is the second female Soldier since World War II to be awarded the Silver Star. Brown was a medic with the 82nd Airborne Division, serving in Paktika province, Afghanistan, when her convoy came under attack. Her actions to move Soldiers away from incoming fire and provide medical care earned her recognition for gallant actions during combat.

Now someone that risked her life to save others is a hero in my book, not someone who never heard a shot fired in anger and did her job. I call her an honorable veteran.

jimmyPx on December 23, 2013 at 9:33 pm

You can’t win the hearts and minds of people who see you as an invader.
Especially people that have repelled invaders throughout their history which goes back before you even existed.
Especially by trying to be nice. It doesn’t work stupid.

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 9:40 pm

gerald

Frankz on December 23, 2013 at 9:44 pm

Bob, I do not normally contradict Debbie Schlussel on anything she says. But I must NOT recommend that you read her blog on Gennaro Pelligrini; it almost made my head explode from my elevated blood pressure. I still can’t believe the nincompoops associated with that whole fiasco, to include his death, and then paroling his alleged killers into this once-great country. The ONLY thing that I will give you, Bob, is that you almost snookered me into thinking that 1LT Washburn (from the pictures that I saw on the 3 articles that I had to read twice just to make sure that I was not speaking out of turn) was given the Bronze Star with “V” Device. Hence people whom I admire, such as Jonathan E. Grant and Peter, pointed out (and you alluded to it ever so microscopically too), that the military gives awards to people who may, or may not, actually deserve them. THAT is why 1LT Washburn was NOT given the Bronze Star, with the “V” Device; because as JEG pointed out that the United States of America lost peoples’ hearts and minds in the Middle East and we lost yet another war, er, Police Action, er something. Pretty much ANY DoD Officer who held an important title overseas was given a Bronze Star. 1LT Washburn could fit that bill. What I respect of 1LT Washburn is her Air Assault Badge. Unless the Army is giving those out like the Navy came up with a bunch of geedunk Warfare Pins so that everybody can get an “A” on their test. So, Bob, 1LT Washburn, et ali, thank you for your service, but now how about a nice cup of STFU and fall in behind real heros like Genarro Pelligrini, and others, who drove around with a target on their backs, taking fire, and waiting for the road to blow up under their ill-equipped vehicles, while they were playing World Police, AND their idiot COs got Bronze Stars, without a “V” Device, because they are such great “leaders”. Next November 11, you can look me up and I’ll buy you a beer, or a cup of coffee, for your sacrifices and service to our country.

nadie on December 23, 2013 at 9:54 pm

oops, Bob, Bill Utley: same difference, almost.

nadie on December 23, 2013 at 11:37 pm

First. This is nothing more than a PR stunt by the U.S. Army. Second, as a multiple combat vet, I can tell you that she didn’t live hard. She has makeup on in most photos and in one, I saw her with ornate earrings. This is not allowed in any military.

But what outrages me more than anything. She has a bronze star. How on earth do men such as myself, engaged in firefights over three countries, physically eliminating threats with the weapons in our hands, never even get considered for a bronze star.

Please tell me what the HEROIC act was that she did? Please tell me that our government does not award for beauty…Please tell me why myself and other combat vets have to live the rest of our lives knowing, that we will never be recognized for Valor on the battle field but this lady gets to be my national HERO?

Marine…Retired

Derrick on December 23, 2013 at 10:09 pm

Teufelhund, I’d buy you a couple beers on the 10th and a sixer on the 11th. Thank you

nadie on December 23, 2013 at 11:19 pm

By George! I think you’ve got it!

Debbie might be correct about her assertions about Washburn carrying water for Islam. I need some time to decide that for myself.

What I DO know is that this woman is not a “war hero”. She has been selected by politically powerful people for advancement.

Hot NFL cheerleader does a stint in the Armed Forces. She gets decorated for her service. Next thing ya know, she’s running for Congress and serving on the House Armed Services Committee.

With luck, maybe she’ll only end up being a Fox News correspondent.

There is NO Santa Claus on December 24, 2013 at 1:17 am

Deb:

I’m not going to immediately accept the thesis that Rachel Washburn is a political water-boy for Islam. I know I’d probably agree with you if I were better informed, but I don’t have to accept it until I do my own due diligence.

Here’s why I say this:

The Pentagon is full of mis-information and propaganda and there’s no reason to believe Rachel Washburn is a hero anymore than Jonathan Pollard was a “spy”.

This is the same Pentagon that told us Jessica Lynch was a “hero”, firing her weapon while wounded from an Iraqi ambush. Here again, the cute white blond chick is a “hero” while the Hopi Indian who was KIA and the Black gal (and single mom) who was also wounded in the ambush were hardly, if ever mentioned in Pentagon press releases.

(The Special Forces who rescued Lynch, Johnson and the others were a super-secret, special, multi-lingual, Jewish unit. When they carried Lynch and Johnson out on their stretchers, the girls told the Special Forces Jews that prior to the ambush, they were lost,extremely hungry and looking for food. Some old Iraqi pointed them in the direction of a “bacon tree”. The Jewish Special Forces soldiers were aghast and screamed at Lynch: “Oy! You Dreikopf! Dat vasn’t a bacon tree. It vas a HAM BUSH!)

Hopefully, that little anecdote wasn’t too painful. 🙂

OK… back to serious matters. This Pentagon propaganda about Rachel Washburn, the NFL-Cheerleader-turned-war-hero is easily dismissed. They are trying to create Politically Correct comic-book super-heroes out of young, hot, white chicks. Their fellow wounded female comrades who grow more feeble with age (including Jessica Lynch) are swept under the rug; quickly forgotten. In time, they’ll find a new “Wonder Woman”, and Rachel Washburn better hope she doesn’t earn herself a Purple Heart before then. That doesn’t seem likely as they will likely keep Washburn out of harms way for political/propaganda purposes.

Deb: I have a warning for you, so listen carefully.

Jessica Lynch came home to America a physical mess. She got a degree in education and is a school teacher. Not to worry.

Rachel Washburn is coming home to America a physical hunk of hot, young, white womanhood complete with a Bronze Star and media-ordained title of “hero”. Assuming your allegations of being a water-boy for Islam, she will run for Congress in a few years.

REMEMBER! YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!

Of course, if someone digs up her “REAL” birth certificate, and it reads something like “Yacova Warshaw”, this whole story might have a different paradigm. Eh? 🙂

Regards,

There is NO Santa Claus (aka TINSC)

There is NO Santa Claus on December 23, 2013 at 11:05 pm

Seriously, who the fuck cares? Whoops. I meant to say who the f-ck cares?

Iva Bikdonglavich on December 23, 2013 at 11:29 pm

I care because she’s being marked for political advancement. When she becomes a Congressman, Governor of Alaska, VP running mate, Fox News correspondent, Secretary of Defense or some other task unworthy of a bimbo, I’ll remind you that you didn’t care when the news media gushed over her being an ex-NFL-cheerleader who was awarded the Bronze Star.

There is NO Santa Claus on December 24, 2013 at 1:21 am

This idiot above is that fool “8th Grader” who likes to also use his handles to state how big his schlong is. Keep ignoring this freak because he only wants attention.. I hope he gets banned for swearing…

Skunky on December 24, 2013 at 1:26 am

So DS and others that commented are offended that I compared her to the Westboro Baptist Church. The WBC uses the funerals of fallen servicemen to promote their anti gay hatred. Debbie uses a service member to promote her anti Islamic views. They are both attacking service members to bring attention to their ideologies. While I see Islam as a death cult that is keeping a couple of billion people in the stone age, I think her article is vile and I stand by my comparison.
Supposedly I am missing the point of the post that this lady did nothing heroic to be honored for. To prove this point Debbie points out Miss Washburn delivered a baby. Maybe she should have strangled the baby with it’s own cord. Would that make DS happy? it was after all a baby born to Islamic parents.
In my mind going out everyday exposing yourself to IEDs and Taliban ambush is heroic. Living on a base is almost as dangerous because our supposed allies kill as many Americans on base as the Taliban outside the wire. There is no safe place in theater. Just for you info Debbie it is much more dangerous than running down to the 7-11 in Detroit for a slurpee. DS also calls the young lady a coward for parroting the policy that we are not there to bring American values to that country. That is the policy and miss Washburn is doing her job by repeating it. It may be a wrong headed policy but attacking the young lady is wrong, attack the policy makers not those who have the duty to carry out that policy.
I am not as familiar with the teams she was assigned to as I would like to be. I am intimately familiar with the USMC CAG teams used in Iraq. These teams were very successful as one part of the strategy for putting down the Sunni insurgency. I think they were hoping for a similar result in Afghanistan. If Debbie has a disagreement with the policy that created the teams Miss Washburn was assigned to then that is a legitimate target not the people assigned to them.
Calling this young lady a dumbass-ette, coward, idiotette, and the other stupid names you called her only reveals the shortcomings of your character.

Bill Utley on December 23, 2013 at 11:37 pm

Bill:

It is possible that Yacova Warshaw… I mean Jessica Washburn (Tee hee!) performed meritorious service based on the military orders she was given. That doesn’t make her a “war hero”.

Living on a base is dangerous? That makes someone a hero? I know such a hero. He goes to Afghanistan as a civilian DOD subcontractor, makes a quarter million dollars in 6 months (your tax dollars at work) for a job that pays about $90K/yr (if you’re good!) here in Michigan. He comes back. Looks for work for similar compensation. Runs out of money. Goes back to Afghanistan for 6 months. Rinse, repeat….

We haven’t thrown him a ticker tape parade yet. 🙂

Hey! I’ve known Deb a long time. I know she seems a little “out there”, but I think she’s on to something. Come on! Can’t you see a propaganda set up when you see it?

She doesn’t have to be carrying water for Islam like Debbie says. She may well be performing meritorious service under the orders of her commanders; worthy of a Bronze Star. But “war hero”???? This ONE Bronze Star award? How ’bout all the others? Where’s the fanfare? Where’s the media coverage?

This is a set-up, man! The fix is in. In a few years, she’ll be running for Congress under the label of “war hero”. Or she’ll be tagged for some other highly influential policy-making position. Or maybe she’ll just be a highly paid administrative assistant to the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia. (Wink! Wink!) I mean… someone is making this woman out to be something much bigger than she really is.

Debbie is a big girl. She can stand behind her theses without any help from me. I won’t get into this whole WBC/Islam debate because I don’t have time to dig into it and I think it’s irrelevant.

All I know is that the Pentagon doesn’t suddenly push any/every Bronze Star awarded soldier out into the public media. So if you can’t sense the strong smell of dead fish, there’s something wrong with you.

Let me ask you a favor I’ve learned from long, hard experience. Before you dismiss Debbie’s thesis, give yourself some time and keep an eye out for stuff that confirms or rejects her views. Don’t just fire off an immediate: “No freakin’ way, Deb!” I don’t always agree with her. Time sometimes bears out that she’s incorrect, but that’s rare.

In conclusion:

1. Jessica Washburn might very well have performed service worthy of a Bronze Star based on the military orders she was given.

2. Jessica Washburn might be sympathetic to Islam without regard to it’s imperialist and anti-Semitic doctrine. Then again, she might not have any of these sympathies at all.

3. Jessica Washburn is NOT a “war hero” unless one uses the term in a very broad and careless way.

4. The Pentagon is creating a story and the media is milking it. There is no reason to believe that Jessica Washburn is any more worthy of publicity than any other Bronze Star recipient. Of this I am certain.

5. I believe (this is my own thesis) that someone has decided to sponsor Jessica Washburn for political advancement. The terms of this sponsorship have been accepted by Jessica Washburn with all the Politically Correct boundaries well known to both parties.

So there ya have it, Bill.

Chew on this for a while and I’ll check back later to see if you have any more thoughts on the matter.

Regards,

There is NO Santa Claus (aka TINSC)

There is NO Santa Claus on December 24, 2013 at 12:42 am

There is No Santa Claus, Just a suggestion but maybe you should loosen up the tin foil hat, a bigger size might be the ticket.
At least you can make a coherent argument while most of the people on this page stick with name calling following the example of DS.
We were talking about Rachel Washburn not Jessica Washburn.
The Philadelphia Eagles organization honored one of their own for her service, simple for most to understand. A cheerleader who served is a good story.

As most on this page seem very uninformed I’ll clue you in the bronze star is given to Junior officers like the Army achievement medal or Navy achievement medal is given to enlisted while deployed. It is just the way it is attacking her for getting it is just idiocy. It’s not some kind of conspiracy.

DS is making a personal attack that is Vile and beneath her, not one thing written in any comment comes close to making me change my mind.

Bill Utley on December 24, 2013 at 1:10 am

BUttley, I guess I’ll take a shot at clarifying the situation here. We get lots o’ libtards on this site. You sound like one. Any military service you have done is no more convincing than that done by John Kerry (“Reporting for Service”). But just because we think you’re a malign dummy and take glee in insulting you, it does not follow that you have said anything intelligent here. You haven’t.

(1) First, let’s consider your original analogy, whereby Debbie was compared to the Westburo “Baptist” Church. Even you will not defend this. Instead, you now compare Debbie to the leftist jerks who spat on Vietnam soldiers returning from the front. In other words, even you think your first effort was a mess.

(2) Your comparison of Debbie to the spitters is similarly inane. The spitters were anti-American and anti-military. Oh, they might (like you) claim to be patriots, but we know now that was malarkey. Furthermore, the spitters did not distinguish among veterans. They loathed all the military as an arm of US imperialism (they were also abetted by the USSR). Debbie isn’t anything like that. She firmly supports our soldiers, as anyone who actually read this site would know. She is also far from being anti-American, again as anyone who read this site would know.

(3) Apropos Kerry, Debbie is fully willing to identify individuals who are much less valorous than they seem. And that is what this column is about. Our cheerleader was no hero, regardless of what some sports team sees fit to claim in order to drum up ratings or appease special interests.

(4) As Debbie made clear, our cheerleader went well beyond any “liaison” mission in her apologetics for Islam. Right now she continues it, in fact. It’s not like she put her head down and did her job. She now seems to want to be a star, and she’s pushing the “Mooooooslims are just like us” narrative in her free time. Of course, our “president” and his military do that as well. And Debbie criticizes these persons as well.

(5) You might want to know that Debbie comes from a military family. That family served courageously, unlike you.

(6) TINSC treated you respectfully. You treated him like the libtard you are.

IN SUM, you have no respectable argument here. That’s why you’ve been dismissed as just another libtard hater.

Thanks.

skzion on December 24, 2013 at 4:15 pm

skzion your nothing more than another DS sycophant.
Why bring John Kerry or my Military service into the argument? Unlike so many of the people commenting I never brought up any of my military service or that of my family. Neither has been part of DS’s argument or my argument. Also the service of DS’s family has nothing to do with the argument if anything it puts her in a worse light because she is willing to attack the troops when her real issue should be with those who make the policies that put the troops in the position they are in.
As far as being a Libtard you sycophants are great at name calling and very poor at making your arguments. I am a true conservative. I will defend the troops against unjust attacks even those by another conservative and someone I generally respect.

Bill Utley on December 24, 2013 at 5:05 pm

Notice that Buttley ignores the first four of my points. They are the meat of my post. The next two points are there to clarify why I consider him a douchebag. As a DB, he deserves scorn. The guy comes on here insulting people and then complains about how he is treated.

By the way, isn’t it hilarious that Buttley claims to be conservative? Well, maybe he’s severely conservative like Mittens.

skzion on December 25, 2013 at 3:00 am

Santa, do not make the mistake of being polite to a stupid troll.

However, your comments on this blog have been interesting.

skzion on December 25, 2013 at 3:03 am

Skunky, Mutley is the kind of moron you specialize in dissecting. However, Christmas is a comin’, so if you like I’ll deal with him tomorrow on the train.

skzion on December 24, 2013 at 12:45 am

Common girls git him! Booooooooo! Hisssssss!

8th Grade Master Debater - Liverless Underling of the Libtard Overlords on December 24, 2013 at 12:04 am

About this woman wearing Muslim Girls clothes, Muslim Fanatics are trying to take over positions in city govt,where they can rewrite laws to fit in with Sharia Law for enforcement,that’s what I see! This cheerleader is not helping Muslim Girls! wallyworkswell

williamwalter on December 24, 2013 at 9:27 am

Medals are given out to many of the wrong people today. Medal of Freedom given to Oprah and company? John Kerry and his 3 purple hearts? And yet they refused to give Carlos Hathcock, THE MEDAL,for saving a number of guys from a burning tank. He never was able to be a sniper again for his terrible burns.

gizzy on December 24, 2013 at 10:23 am

A hero is someone who risks his or her life for another or for a cause, without expectation of reward.

What is not a hero?

A military officer who has ridden a desk their whole career, yet wins war ribbons because they served during war.

Someone who has a camera following them so that they can gain glory and look brave.

Someone who goes into the field for a photo-op, and yet, before they went into the field, the area was swept for mines and for enemy soldiers (putting less glorified troops at risk).

Someone who gets medals without risk, like the military officer who got a Bronze Star for writing a manual on how to kiss the buttocks of Muslims.

Someone who serves in the military and then sings the praises of our enemy.

Someone who serves in the military for a photo-op and serves the enemy and sides with their view point.

Jonathan E. Grant on December 24, 2013 at 10:51 am

It’s my understanding that back when we had a real military – the kind that goes out and destroys an enemy – it was actually pretty difficult to be awarded a lowly bronze star. It sounds like in some service branches you can get one just for going out on patrol and kissing the enemy’s back side.

Ruckus_Tom on December 24, 2013 at 10:59 am

I had a little back and forth on twitter with Debbie on this. Now I just want to clarify my position. I believe she qualifies as a Hometown Hero. Here are my reasons:

– Rachel served as an Eagles cheerleader throughout her time at Drexel. While on the squad, she spent time visiting VA hospitals around the Philadelphia area and was also able to travel to Iraq on a USO tour, something that she called one of the greatest honors of her life.

– At the age of 25, she has already been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Combat, Airborne and Air Assault Badges. She also helped deliver a baby during a snow storm, taking instructions from military medics via radio.

– After two tours of duty in Afghanistan, Rachel is now stationed in Fort Stewart, Ga., serving as a platoon leader. Rachel was nominated by her father for the “Hometown Hero” honor.

I’m a Navy Dad, and I support her dad nominating her for the Hometown Hero honor, and I believe she deserves it. I don’t necessarily agree with every policy the Army (and other branches) have for dealing with terrorists. On those issues I agree with Debbie more often than not.

This is a healthy debate to have, and Debbie and I agreed to disagree as to whether Rachel is a worthy Hometown Hero or not. I say she is, based on her actions, the awards she has earned, and the fact that she is now a platoon leader.

Phil on December 24, 2013 at 11:04 am

Phil, even supposing she is a home town hero, even you are not claiming that she deserves the notoriety she has gained, are you?

Anyway, she is now doing dawa for Islam. At what point, in your view, is it fair to tell her shut her yap?

skzion on December 24, 2013 at 4:22 pm

Don’t know if she is a hero or not. The military has some history of doing things for PR purposes. Maybe she was just doing what she was commanded to do. Maybe she was being manipulated and didn’t realize it.

Yipi' McCoxaurd on December 24, 2013 at 11:15 pm

I’D HIT THAT SO HARD!!!

The Chosen One on December 24, 2013 at 9:08 pm

The discussion in falling off topic….let me make this perfectly clear. You have two types of Veterans. You have a Veteran of a foreign war ( someone who goes and supports from the inside of the safety of a perimeter) and then you have, COMBAT VETERANS (Someone that is trying not to be killed or killing).

Want to get a bunch of Combat Veterans worked up?…..Go tell them that people who do not see combat are wearing a bronze star. I can tell you, it is all in the award right up. My Col was awarded a bronze star with Valor device, included was his combat action ribbon. Any idea why? Because our team took mortar fire followed by an ambush in a small village outside of the Forward Operating Base that the Col lived. Because it happened within a 1000 meters of the Col., he got those awards.

Wasburn is an Officer….I highly doubt that she put rounds in a Talibs face or ever had a serious threat to deal with.

You fools that say all people that deploy are Hero’s …NO! a tenth of all deployed troops see combat. Everyone else is on dope, having babies, sleeping with female and male contractors and exchange thousands of dollars everyday playing poker.

Your real hero’s America…have never been awarded, have no voice, lost so many brothers and killed a lot of people in the idea of protecting a nation full of entitled americans who really just don’t give a damn about anything.

Marine retired.

Derrick on December 24, 2013 at 10:01 pm

Derrick, thank you for your service and for that fantastic comment.

skzion on December 25, 2013 at 1:44 pm

I thought it would be useful to make a comment here. The article and many of the blog comments suggest that 1LT Washburn is somehow not deserving of the attention she has received and of the decorations she wears.

I noted in the recent articles about her that, in addition to her Bronze Star, she was also awarded a Combat Action Badge, which requires actual combat engagement with an enemy. During her first deployment to Afghanistan, she was attached to a SOF unit that was involved in operations in the field to interact and win over the local population–these are typical SOF missions of long standing and, as such, are often exposed to significant hostile attention.

During her SECOND deployment, obviously very soon after the first one, she was platoon leader of an intelligence unit–at her rank, this is also likely to involve significant duty in the field.

I make these observations to suggest that this is an officer, who has gone into harm’s way, done her duty, and acquitted herself well. I should also note that as an ROTC student she had already made a commitment to serve in the Army long prior to being a cheerleader–the activity that caused her former team to honor her and made us all to be aware of her service.

Washburn does not deserve denigration because of a dislike for the policies of our Commander in Chief, nor because those who have written about her have chosen to highlight duties that might not appeal to their desire for revenge or intense distaste for Islam. I would also note that winning hearts and minds of the populace is part of winning a war–and we have done this in all wars of recent memory.

I have had the privilege to serve with many sailors, soldiers, marines, and airmen that have volunteered to serve our nation in a theater of combat and that have done so with honor should be considered heroes. There are not enough Americans willing to take on this sort of duty anymore. Those, who have not served but like to opine on their fellow American’s service should ponder whether they would be willing to set aside their comfortable lives to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic–the oath taken by Washburn and all of the fine men and women that volunteer to serve.

CAPT Ben Brink, USN (Ret.)

Ben Brink on December 25, 2013 at 5:24 pm

Mr. Brink, you have succeeded in boring me. Given your former rank (equivalent to colonel in the army, I’m told), you were part of the problem.

Don’t lecture us on the importace of winning hearts and minds given that the US has NEVER done so via its military, and certainly has not done so in the Middle East. In fact, when the US did win wars, it did so by dropping A-Bombs.

So, lobby for more womyn in combat, why don’t you?

skzion on December 25, 2013 at 6:18 pm

You nailed him skzion! Slap that liptard asshole up long side his libtard head. Yeah!!!

8th Grade Master Debater - Liverless Underling of the Libtard Overlords on December 25, 2013 at 10:42 pm

So I may bore you again. WWII was clearly won with a preponderance of force–and you and I would probably agree that we have not won recent wars (Viet Nam on) because we have not as a nation made the commitment to apply enough force to end the conflict in our favor.

However, the peace was won after WWII with things like the Marshall Plan in Europe and similar actions in Asia. It converted the populace from American-hating militarists to populations that have become major allies of the US over the years. To win the peace after the conflict is part of winning the war–and is part of making its result more important than the reasons for which it had begun. Had we just nuked Japan (and I have no problem with that, by the way) or just firebombed Dresden and left them there, we would not have developed the secure world that existed post WWII–and the US would not have become as wealthy and influential as it has become.

Contrast victory through overwhelming force followed by reconstruction and winning the hearts and minds of the populace with our efforts in Afghanistan. The President (Bush at the time and Obama continuing the error) decided that only enough force to maintain a strategic stalemate should be applied. Why? I presume, in the case of Bush, it was a fear that the American populace would not support the resources and force necessary to win and, in the case of Obama, that he didn’t really support a victorious outcome–these were Bush’s and Obama’s problems, not the troops. So what happened? We created a stalemate and now, 12 years later, the populace holds us responsible for their condition today (it’s a little like most Americans don’t blame Bush for the state of our economy after 6 years of Obama).

Given the situation, that we didn’t have enough troops to do the job–despite repeated requests from Generals McNeill, McKiernan, and McCrystal–we chose a strategy that we could execute–to keep the enemy from expanding their influence by emphasizing a strategy of winning the hearts and minds of the populace without first securing the position militarily. Good idea–no. But what we could do with the resources given–probably yes. However, we did it at a disadvantage–the enemy still has a good deal of freedom of action.

And, under Obama’s more accommodative Islamic strategy, it has led to more pandering of their rights abuses that any of us think appropriate. However, this isn’t new either–after we won the Gulf war our female officers were no longer allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Fault our political leaders not our troops.

But this is all political/military strategy. None of this is relevant to whether we should respect our troops or our veterans for their service. These are all political and strategic failings of our leaders. And, unlike what some of you have inferred about me–I don’t like these policies either.

However, to blame soldiers on the ground–whether they be male or female, or whether their job is to break things and kill people or to deliver babies–is just wrong. It is extremely unfair to our troops that took the oath, put themselves in harms way, and followed their orders to blame them for the failures of their political leaders. It is to fall into the progressives’ trap of diminishing the honor, courage, and commitment our troops bring to their service.

So railing against 1LT Washburn because you don’t like President Obama’s politically correct pro-Islamic stance is ridiculous. And by the way, I’ll state for the record (as a retired senior intelligence officer with a little knowledge in this area) that I believe the Islamic jihad is the most significant threat that western civilization currently faces–and that the loss of Afghanistan will eventually lead to the fall of Pakistan and eventual destabilization of and major war on the Eurasian continent.

So, why do I care about 1LT Washburn? After I served in Afghanistan, I returned to take major regional intelligence command; 40% of my returning reservists were unable to find employment–in fact the hardship they faced upon returning home was greater than those we had faced together in theater. And people seemed more than happy to categorize veterans as dangerous (from PTSD), less educated, or somehow otherwise unworthy to take jobs from people that had stayed home. All of these things were misconceptions of course–our troops are better educated and better bets than their civilian counterparts–provable by employment statistics.

Your trashing one of our soldiers because you don’t like some political policy adds to the attitude that our veterans should not be respected for their service–and a lot of the comments in this chain denigrated some of our veterans that have served with honor. And I will defend them–especially to conservatives, who should get it.

And by the way, after 36 years of active and reserve service, both as enlisted and officer, at sea, in combat, and in command–I have nothing to be embarrassed about. I have worked since retirement to help veterans get jobs and I care about how our troops are regarded. I am proud of my service and I too have walked the walk.

Ben Brink on December 26, 2013 at 12:22 am

Very well said Mr Brink.

Bill Utley on December 26, 2013 at 1:16 pm

CAPT Brink (Ret.), most of the comments that scorched 1LT Washburn were from people who walked the walk if you had taken the time to actually read them and take note of the military jargon that they used to express their opinions. Thank you G-d for giving us the Bill of Rights to discuss our thoughts. And, thank you skzion for hitting the nail on the head. Perhaps, if the good captain stepped out from the Ward Room he might have seen some of the negative results of politicians meddling in military affairs. Please tell me Captain Brink (Ret.), how many Captain’s Masts, NJPs, etc., etc., went into the books when that flat-top was the first combatant ship to have women aboard? Make sure to look those statistics up yourself; because, I don’t want one of your lackey J.O.s to blow any more smoke up your dress blues.

nadie on December 25, 2013 at 7:32 pm

Clearly many of the comments made were by those that have served–however the article that got everyone going was by Ms. Schluessel, who had not. My comments were primarily intended to suggest–as I stated in my much longer post–that our soldiers doing their job should no be tainted by the politics of our political leaders (in this case the President) that are objectionable.

Ben Brink on December 26, 2013 at 12:41 am

Sure. Whatever, sir.

nadie on December 26, 2013 at 1:02 am

Just because a person served in the military doesn’t automatically make them a hero.

Andy Rooney, Sixty Minutes

THE MANGOG on December 25, 2013 at 11:26 pm

I agree that the word hero is overused. My heroes make a very short list that include VADM James Stockdale, Winston Churchill, WWII submarine captain LCDR Howard Gilmore, the 4 Navy Corpsman that won the Medal of Honor for actions in the battle of IWO Jima, and a few others. Calling quarterbacks, survivors of disease, politicians one agrees with, and others “hero” is probably overdoing it. In fact it always has creeped me out when people came up to me and thanked me for my service–I’m just a sailor that did my job.

However, volunteering to serve one’s country in the military is an admirable thing–whether or not we happen to believe that the particular action rises to the level of heroism. Thanking individuals, sometimes publicly, who have served well in a theater of war serves as a symbol to help us remember all those that are doing so, who have not been so recognized. That people get a bit carried away does not lessen the actions of those recognized.

I become concerned when those, who call themselves patriots or conservatives create such limiting standards that they reject nearly all those that actually live the life and make the commitments to do the things those same conservatives profess to admire. So, trashing a young woman, who serves her country by joining the Army and deploying to a theater of war twice, is very strange to me. Hero or not, she has made the commitment to serve her country and, from all reports, is serving admirably.

Ben Brink on December 26, 2013 at 2:04 am

Buttley is just an stupid a-hole. Brink is not at all stupid; he is stubbornly unwilling to understand the point of this column. There’s no reason to waste more time on Buttley. I’ll waste just a bit more time on Brink, who evidently has done as good a job winning hearts and minds on this blog as the US military has in the Middle East.

Brink began his stay here with a typical ad hominem “argument” involving military service:

“I thought it would be useful to make a comment here. The article and many of the blog comments suggest that 1LT Washburn is somehow not deserving of the attention she has received and of the decorations she wears. . . . Those, [sic] who have not served but like to opine on their fellow American’s [sic] service should ponder whether they would be willing to set aside their comfortable lives to preserve, protect, and defend [Good grief, is this guy paid by the word?] . . . .”

Now, this rhetorical device of “only those who serve should be ‘opining’ on military matters” should be rejected out of hand in a country where the military is led by a civilian. The idea that the mass public can elect the leader of the military but not freely “opine” on the . . . military is absurd on its face–and not in support of the Constitution, I’d add.

Further, it is clear from his actual words that Bink barely read what he commented about. I say this for two reasons. First, he used an ad hominem regarding military service. Most of the commentators on this story are in fact from military families. The blogress’s father served as well. Those who are not from military families (I refer to the regulars) happen to agree, basically, with those who are. Given that, what is the point of even mentioning service? There is no point, but, as I said, Bink didn’t bother to read what he commented about. Second, what Debbie (and others) actually wrote is very different from what he addressed. Debbie’s point was not to denigrate service but to highlight typical Islamopandering propaganda (supported by people like our captain, who blathered about “hearts and minds”). In addition, this focus on yet another photogenic chick feeds into the narrative that military chicks are “just as deserving” as military men. Sorry, they are not. Debbie joined the propaganda war. THAT is what is important.

Finally, it is common knowledge among the militarily connected that there is excessive and improper medaling. Those who deserve serious recognition typically do not get it; those who do not but deserve it, for example, our cute cheerleader, do get it. This is unjust and unseemly. It also weakens the military overall.

———-

O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

skzion on December 26, 2013 at 4:36 pm

(Whitman, Leaves of Grass)

skzion on December 26, 2013 at 4:36 pm

So, since I am near the end of my word budget, I won’t spend a lot of time discussing each of your points. However, I certainly don’t suggest that people don’t have the right to state opinions about the military–although some of the ones I read in the chain were silly–in particular the one by the writer that suggested that military personnel were the dregs of society that couldn’t make it otherwise. The recruiting figures since 9/11 certainly belie that–and his comments annoyed me–as did others by people that seemed to denigrate some of our troops for the policies of the civilian Commander in Chief. But your points are well made–it doesn’t make a difference whether or not someone has served–I still would disagree with them–but would fight to defend their right to say it (the oath, you know).

As far as the awarding of too many medals, it was always urban legend that for similar activity the Marines awarded the fewest but close to the Navy, that the Army awarded more than the Navy but very much less than the Air Force, which hands them out like candy. How much of this is inter-service rivalry and how much is true, I really don’t know–but I suspect most of it had to do with the good natured ribbing that the Army, Navy, and Marines have always given to our Air Force brethren–by the way, this isn’t just an American thing; almost all ground forces of other nations have similar feelings toward their air forces–but I digress.

When in Afghanistan I had a collateral duty for a while to preside over the the medal selection board for ISAF (the combined joint US-NATO-plus force). Any recommendation for medals above the Defense Meritorious Service Medal–including the Bronze Star Medal–were passed to a board of General Officers and the Command Sergeant Major, who had to recommend it to the ISAF Commander. If recommended, the award was reviewed and approved or rejected by the Commander, a Four Star General. There were very few of these recommendations and General McKiernan, the commander at the time, made it clear that it would not be a common award in his command. In addition, my service, the Navy, required that an additional Navy board at NAVCENT headquarters review and approve the joint award citation to insure that it complied with the Navy’s standards for award–which included looking at numbers of similar awards in previous conflicts. Not very many went through the process. I can’t speak to medals awarded by other units with awarding authority (e.g. SOF and Army intelligence commands), but joint commands and the Navy carefully guarded against medal inflation in Afghanistan when I was there.

So… there certainly may be medal inflation (there have been complaints about it for at least the 36 years I was in the service–most around the end of Viet Nam), some commanders may abuse their awarding authority, and the current Administration may have influenced standards since I retired from the Navy two years ago. However, it did not occur in the cases where I was involved–but then again, to your your words, I can be “stubbornly unwilling”.

Oh a poem… You gave me Whitman at sea, I’ll give you Tennyson on land.

Half a league, half a league,
? Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death,
? Rode the six hundred.
‘Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns’ he said:
Into the valley of Death
? Rode the six hundred.

‘Forward, the Light Brigade!’
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldiers knew
? Some one had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
? Rode the six hundred.

Ben Brink on December 26, 2013 at 7:57 pm

What, no poem for me? Thanks shipmate.

nadie on December 26, 2013 at 9:00 pm

Hmm, the sailor (I assume) that doesn’t like officers. My Dad was a WWII submariner, so how about an anonymous submariner’s poem?

Born in the shops of the Devil,
Designed in the brains of a fiend;
Filled with acid and crude oil,
And christened “A Submarine”.

The poets send in their ditties,
Of Battleships spick and clean;
But never a word in their columns,
Do you see of a submarine.

I’ll try and depict our story,
In a very laconic way;
Please have patience to listen,
Until I have finished my say.

We eat where’re we can find it,
And sleep hanging up on the hooks;
Conditions under which we’re existing,
Are never published in books.

Life on these boats is obnoxious,
And that is using mild terms;
We are never bothered by sickness,
There isn’t any room for germs.

We are never troubled with varmints,
There are things even a cockroach can’t stand.
And any self-respecting rodent,
Quick as possible beats it for land.

And that little one dollar per dive,
We receive to submerge out of sight;
Is often earned more than double,
By charging batteries at night.

And that extra compensation,
We receive on boats like these;
We never really get at all,
It’s spent on soap and dungarees.

Machinists get soaked in fuel oil,
Electricians in H2SO4;
Gunnersmates with 600W,
And torpedo slush galore.

When we come into the Navy Yard,
We are looked upon with disgrace;
And they make out some new regulations,
To fit our particular case.

Now all you Battleship sailors,
When you are feelin’’ disgruntled and mean;
Just pack your bag and hammock,
And go to “A Submarine”

–great stuff!

Ben Brink on December 26, 2013 at 9:12 pm

nadie, feel free to take “my” poem if you prefer.

skzion on December 26, 2013 at 9:28 pm

Well, CAPT Brink (Ret.), lets just say that I already like your dad better than you, even if he was an officer.

nadie on December 26, 2013 at 11:24 pm

Capt. Brink and Derrick, I just want to sincerely thank you for your service and sacrifices. I am one of those that has never served but admires and respects those who have.

CJ on January 9, 2014 at 1:05 pm

I completely disagree with what you are saying. I know what goes on that those soldiers are not allowed to talk about to the public. She has been through hell and more and so I don’t see why you have to dishonor her as well as the other men and women who serve in our beloved country. You should feel ashamed because of what you said about her. She is and always be a hero to me.

Bekka on April 1, 2014 at 4:31 pm

While I didn’t work directly with her last year, 1LT Washburn and I were in the same unit. As an Infantryman who knows what combat service in squalid conditions is truly like, it irks me that someone who has merely done their job can be honored as a “hero” (and so willingly embrace the notion).

She primarily worked on a FOB, and was almost always in the company of her boyfriend/fiance/whatever (a luxury that enlisted Soldiers would have been [and were] questioned about in a heartbeat–there is no place for intimate relationships between unmarried persons in-country). Of all the females on the FOB, she stood out as the only one who consistently work both makeup and perfume. Everyone in the brigade knows of her so she has to look and smell the part, even in a combat theater.

As for the Bronze Star, it was downgraded by RC-East at least once but was resubmitted; a number of other junior officers did not get this consideration. Many Soldiers who did more received a Commendation Medal (ARCOM), but our leadership figured that this former cheerleader had to stand out even more. Compare delivering a baby and talking to locals to my Platoon Leader who earned his Combat Infantryman Badge and ARCOM for sustained firefights.

Her latest goal is to be one of the first women to attend Ranger School. I wish her the best of luck but the cynic in me questions her motivations. Since her college days she has received an inordinate amount of press, and I can’t help but wonder if she really wants the training to become a better leader, or whether it’s a ploy for still more articles and honors that her more subdued peers would rather not seek.

Vanguard Vet on November 5, 2014 at 4:59 am

You idiots have no idea the nature and work of SF. She isn’t “coddling” anyone. She’s accepting that other countries have differing religions/ways of life, and she is respecting that. That’s how you enable your forces (namely SF, which is their job) to work alongside the host nation forces. You can’t work with them if you’re constantly at odds culturally. If you spent time in the military, or spent time talking to SF troopers, you might know that.

Good fucking god stop talking about shit you CLEARLY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF. And way to fucking step on this American HERO. Cunts.

David on February 7, 2015 at 5:59 am

This is probably the most ignorant and biast article I have read. Borderline racist. I hope you didn’t go to a writing school, and that some how you fell upon your position as a ‘writer’

You clearly don’t know what’s its like to be operational, or deal with killing face to face. If you did, your perspective on her being overseas and how much of a difference she would have made would be the opposite.

I feel bad for you, I feel bad because you will never know what it means to die for something you beleive in. The men and women of our countries do this for us every day, and you sit in your nice safe workplace criticising those who chose different.

She didn’t need to go into an active war zone, she didn’t need to put her life in danger, for what? HOPE, hope that what she did overseas would make a difference. I say; even changing one life, making America less hated, or more welcomed internationaly is worth it.

She did what she did for a good cause.

j-man on February 11, 2015 at 8:28 am

I’m embarrassed for the author of this blog and most of these posts – they should be too. Their ignorance and cynicism isn’t worth the sacrifice that gives them the freedom to spew this acid dipped screed. I know most of you would rather wrap yourself in the comfort of your perpetual ignorance, but if even one of you would like to know what it was really like; read the book “Ashley’s War”.

Elk on June 16, 2015 at 1:23 am

Umm, Debbie, in this case, I’m sorry, you’re the idiot. First, you obviously don’t know jack about the harm these ladies are exposed to; just reference how many of their lives have been lost since the start of this program. Second, the program isn’t pandering, it’s exploiting an enemy weakness. The intel that has been pulled off the females on these target sites has lead to hundreds of follow on kill or capture missions. Many of the wives/girls on the target locations are forced into marriage with the terrorists we’re there to kill/capture. Having a female interrogator there to pull info off these female individuals that previously couldn’t be exploited due to the cultural issue of male/female boundaries has been invaluable. The program is a success, and isn’t designed to pander to anything. Its lead to MORE dead terrorists. Excuse the language, but 90% of you and your commenters don’t know jack shit. These girls and their mission is the work of heros, and you’re a fucking joke for not doing your research before blabbing your mouth. Signed – AFG Veteran

Mike on February 11, 2016 at 1:46 am

« Newer Comments

Debbie Schlussel

Support My Work

Join My Mailing List!

Follow Me

Search

Categories

Sponsored Links

Rachel Washburn, Hero? Ex-Eagles Cheerleader Soldier Honored @ NFL Game for Pandering to Muslims, Sharia

102 Responses

Leave a Reply

Sponsor My Work!

Advertisement