From left to right:
- Airman Apprentice Cameron Scott Walters, 21, from Richmond Hill, Georgia.
- Ensign Joshua Kaleb Watson, 23, from Coffee, Alabama
- Airman Mohammed Sameh Haitham, 19, from St. Petersburg, Florida
These young men ran towards danger, not away. They are not victims, they are heroes.
Saudi Arabia either cooperates fully with this investigation, no matter where it might lead, or we end all ties with this so-called "nation."
I am outraged.
I am also outraged!! They are definitely Heroes although it's sad that they had to die fighting for our country on our soil!!!
ReplyDeleteWe need to end this training of our enemies.
DeleteI agree Sarge but the bottom line is money. How many American defense businesses sell to foreign nation like SA? How much lobbying is done by those same businesses with Congress? Now how many Americans know/care that 15 Nine/Eleven hijackers were from SA? I grieve for these young men just starting their lives and careers. Ask yourself in the case of SA why are we training our enemies?
ReplyDeleteI actually turned down a job working on a Saudi contract, I won't go there. I did know where the 9/11 assholes came from.
DeleteShoulda glassed them after 9/11, but that’s just me, being angry.
ReplyDeleteI won't disagree.
DeleteShare your outrage. We have too many people in government with the attitude, "If we make nice with them, then they will make nice with us". Just ignore that their culture has always wanted to kill or enslave all infidels. Infidel being us.
ReplyDeleteRoger that, we have very little in common with this medieval culture.
DeleteMy neighbor is an Egyptian national. he's a A&P,IA for a airline and an Airbus controls specialist. Used to work for an airlines in SA. Met his wife there. Moved to the states as soon as they could. will never go back. He is very upset by this. Having lived and worked in SA, he doesn't understand why we are training them. He thinks most people in the kingdom are insane. everyone gets a degree in islamic studies and thinks they qualify to be a nuclear engineer. I trained persian airmen in the early 1970s. They too, were as nutty as peanuts. Technically smart, but I never turned my back on them.
ReplyDeleteIt's a medieval culture, at best. Nutty as peanuts is an apt description for the Persians. In 1975 we had scads of 'em at Lowry AFB, the NCOs had more crap on their uniforms than their officers. When we asked who to salute, the answer was "None of them, ignore them."
DeleteSo we did.
From what the White House says, the King of Saudi Arabia called all freaked out (well, called in very concerned, which, when run through diplospeach filter, means 'freaked the firetruck out') and promised President Trump full 100% open cooperation with the investigation behind all those involved.
ReplyDeleteConsidering what's been openly happening in Saudi Arabia over the last few years, princes getting arrested or dying or just plain gone missing (there's a lot of desert in SA to hide bodies in...) and all those who've been deplatformed, disenfranchised from the royal family (which means funds cut off, houses and other properties seized, bank accounts frozen, and so forth,) I think the current rulers are actually concerned about what will happen over this. And are not very happy over radicals within their kingdom (again, some news reports about certain imams going on 'pilgrimage' or being arrested or being defunded or gone into self-exile.)
These three young gentlemen gave all.
But the politicians who set up the situation, who disarmed them, who made it illegal to defend themselves, all go scot-free.
And the weasels that control the Pentagon despite the wishes of President Trump need to be held accountable for this.
Good to know that the Saudis are cooperating.
DeleteNow to clean house at the Five-Sided Puzzle Palace and over at Foggy Bottom.
For the record, troops on base are typically not armed, just the security forces. The problem is letting the barbarians in the gate.
You're not alone in your outrage, Sarge!
ReplyDeleteBut are there enough of us?
DeleteI am sure the SA king did call all freaked out...afraid that we would either pull the contracts, or refuse to train their "pilots", both of which they have paid big bucks for. Yes, we would lose some money, BUT they would lose the ability to pummel Iran by either not having air-worthy planes or trained pilots to fly them someplace other than into the ground. Especially since USA is an exporter of Oil these days, instead of buying oil, natural gas, etc from SA.
ReplyDeleteI heard on the radio on the way home tonight that all 800+ pilots from SA have been grounded since this incident happened on Friday, the only thing they are currently flying is a chair in a classroom.
And I am with a bear...glass the Middle East, except Israel, but then I haven't forgotten 9/11, and as a New Yorker, I am not likely to do so. I know exactly what country was home to those vermin. Furthermore, no one has ever accused me of being a feminist, but let me tell you how I feel about how they treat their women-folk...think about it...what would happen to any of you gentlemen if you treated your wives, Moms, daughters, sisters, like women are treated in SA??!!!
And why in the name of sweet baby Jesus are military (who are trained in how to handle weapons!!!) not allowed to carry on base?? I don't understand THAT rule AT ALL!!!! ESPECIALLY after that nutjob went whacko a few years ago, and shot a bunch of folks. What was his name---Nassar something or other. Just absurd!!!
That's the key issue- SA is the only close hedge against Iran. We could train them to be actually good, but only if we could do the aptitude testing for and accession into the program. If they don't have a work ethic and that edge that ours have, they'll never make it. Now, because of SA's complete lack of vetting, they are out in the cold, and deservedly so. Screw them. Let Iran destroy them for all I care. We're a net exporter of oil so I'm good with pulling out of the Middle East all together. Support Israel, but that's it.
DeleteSuz - Good to know that the king gives a crap, but it is probably because of the money.
DeleteNot all military are actually trained in the correct use of firearms. For instance, in the Air Force we had a brief familiarization course in Basic Training then nothing further unless it was needed. I had to "re-qualify" before going to Korea for four years, didn't touch a weapon again until I went to NATO. As part of the security team on base I had to re-qualify once a year, not really sufficient but way more than the rest of the Air Force was getting. Air crew are different as are other combat arms specialties in the other branches. Having everyone armed would be a complete disaster, but we can do a better job of vetting who gets to come on base.
That asshole from the Army who murdered a bunch of people? The warning signs were everywhere but his command failed to act, diversity dontcha know. Let foreign personnel on base just because their government paid our government big bucks? Oh Hell no!
Tuna - Support Israel, the rest can take care of themselves or go down in flames. I couldn't care less.
DeleteI just had a brain storm, which was not technically a seizure. But don't worry, I'm not gonna trot it out here. I was thinking that most people who live in this country have never been anywhere or done anything but think they know everything. Be nice if there was a way to ensure that all Americans had the opportunity to spend a year living in all of those "better" places.
ReplyDeleteIt would certainly help increase our awareness!
DeleteThe Persians were being trained at Recruit Training Command, Naval Training Center, Sandy Eggo, back in the summer of 1975. I was in Electrician's Mate "A" School, so didn't interact with them at all.
ReplyDeleteWe had a crap ton of 'em at Lowry in 1975. Never interacted with them.
DeleteI'm not over 9/11. Hell, I'm not over the Beirut barracks bombing of 1983. I'm outraged, but not at the Saudis. I expect it from them. I'm outraged that we didn't treat 9/11 like Pearl Harbor.
ReplyDeleteYup, I feel the same.
Delete