Maybe TMZ should stick to Britney crotch shots
posted at 12:45 pm on March 21, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
The celebrity site TMZ has decided to opine on something other than the latest episode of American Idol — and has its military readers hopping mad. A recent contestant on the show The Bachelor has just returned from a mission on Palau to search for the remains of missing American servicemen from World War II. TMZ calls this effort “BS” and “a ridiculous waste”:
Former “Bachelor” bachelor Andy Baldwin just got back from the island of Palau in the South Pacific — not on vacation, on a mission with the Navy. Now let’s talk about why we the taxpayers are footing the bill on such BS.
Baldwin was among 20 military types who were on a search mission in the middle of the ocean. What, you ask, were they looking for? A B-24J bomber that went down during the war. Not Iraq. Not Vietnam. No, not Korea. We’re talking WWII, as in more than 60 years ago.
Turns out, the military spends $52 million each year to find the remains of missing soldiers — it’s part of the POW/MIA program. That’s all well and good depending on the circumstances. But a crash that is ancient history, at a time when the economy sucks and the Federal government is sucking the life out of everyone with taxes??
A waste of time and money? Sure — if one doesn’t value the sacrifice of these men and their families for the nation. When we send our men and women abroad to fight, we make it clear that anyone captured or killed will get brought back for the proper recognition of their sacrifice for our nation. If that takes days, months, or years, or even decades, we will search until we account for the last missing member of our forces, dead or alive.
That doesn’t just count for the families of the dead in World War II. The men and women who go on these missions, like Andy Baldwin, see the commitment this nation has for their comrades. They understand that America doesn’t consider them a waste product to be forgotten when inconvenient or financially burdensome. Those who serve in our forces deserve that kind of commitment, since they give us their ultimate commitment in return, and don’t ask whether it’s inconvenient or financially burdensome to do so.
TMZ has a poll up at the site asking whether its readers consider searching for the remains of Americans who gave their lives to fight the Japanese is “ridiculous”. I’m certain Hot Air readers will want to cast a vote for that, as well as leave a few comments. Perhaps the staff at TMZ should concern itself with its usual oeuvre of celebrity crotch shots and the latest rumors of who slept with whom in Hollywood. (via Cyber Sherpa)










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Infallible test for determining whether or not someone’s a liberal: He eventually insults our military.
Akzed on March 21, 2008 at 12:49 PM
My internet is blocked here at work, so when I tried to go to the TMZ website, it was blocked. The reason it was blocked as labelled as “Tasteless.” I think that sums it up.
Torch on March 21, 2008 at 12:50 PM
And they wanna do a political site! lol, yeah good luck there.
- The Cat
MirCat on March 21, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Let’s see, finding the remains and honoring the memory of those who gave their lives to protect this nation and our ideals, or a tv show/website devoted to stalking famous people when they mess up. Which one is a waste?
rbj on March 21, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Voted…
Romeo13 on March 21, 2008 at 12:52 PM
These people that loathe the military never, never understand the sentiment of honor, vis-a-vis soldiers who have fought and died for this country. This doesn’t make me that angry because I expect this kind of reaction from idiot organizations that fund paparazzi to hunt down Britney Spears every moment of the day. When Owen Wilson attempted suicide last year these vermin hounded him when he got out of the hospital; they went as far as trespassing to get a photo of the man. Classless, baseless and tasteless.
carbon_footprint on March 21, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Voted.
Results so far:
Ridiculous waste?
Yes 51%
No 49%
Total Votes: 49,478
Brat on March 21, 2008 at 12:56 PM
I would actually agree with TMZ on this. They’re not saying that searching for the remains, in itself, is BS, but that doing so at this time, is.
These are the type of missions that the military should be doing when there’s less going on than we have on our plate right now. I’m ultimately certain that those resources could be better used elsewhere – at this moment in time.
Seixon on March 21, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Good Lord. Vote, hit refresh, and you can vote again. No wonder the Yes vote outnumber the No!
sondiehl on March 21, 2008 at 12:59 PM
If TMZ thinks that what
are doing is “substantive,” then any activity they criticize should wear that criticism as a badge of honor.
landlines on March 21, 2008 at 12:59 PM
It’s twenty men, and Pelosi will spend more on changing the Congressional lunch menu.
amerpundit on March 21, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Talking about our missing soldiers and how it’s a waste to look for them with a smile on your face.
TMZ, you’re fired.
Geronimo on March 21, 2008 at 1:01 PM
TMZ can blow it out there collective ears or the orifice of their choice. They are nothing but a gaggle of two bit voyeurs with the value system of a belly crawling snake.
rplat on March 21, 2008 at 1:04 PM
But if I’m reading it correctly, then this is something they do every year, in which case it really has nothing to do with what we’re doing right now.
Esthier on March 21, 2008 at 1:05 PM
Thanks for exposing them! They deserve the same kind of media attention over this outrage as they give others who have “messed up”.
I have a brother who went down in a plane crash off the coast of Florida in 1981 who was never recovered. That’s not so many years ago that I don’t still wish we could put him to rest.
Appalling.
scalleywag on March 21, 2008 at 1:06 PM
What he said.
amerpundit on March 21, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Mt main problem with TMZ is that comes across as this website that tries to go after the celebrity dirt that the National Enquirer seems to have somehow missed. I have only visited the place a couple of times, and each time I went off of it, I felt like I needed to take a shower and possibly submit to a delousing. It’s like the guys who run the site will only go after the sleaziest of celebrity stories and then run them into the ground with almost gleeful abandon. It’s actually sites like this that give the internet a bad name.
pilamaye on March 21, 2008 at 1:07 PM
The US military honors it’s promise to bring every fallen/missing soldier home. This is something we should be praising. No matter WHEN it takes place.
tickleddragon on March 21, 2008 at 1:08 PM
My aunt was the flight surgeon for one of the air raids on Lebanon in the 80s. One plane went down and the bodies were not recovered. During the clinton years lebanon informed the US that one body was found and turned it over saying it was Cpt Paul Lorence. However when we recieved the body it was shown to be Cpt Rivass body with Cpt Lorences dog tags. The family and others who were involved in the mission (my aunt and uncle included) petitioned the Clinton administration to put pressure on Ghadafi to provide the information they had however the administration wouldnt make that attempt. To this day the Lorence family dont know what has happpened to the body of Cpt Lorence.
To TMZ and other posters here that agree I ask you if it was your family member and you had a reason to believe someone somewhere had answers would you not want the government to exhaust all options to find the body?
CaptainObvious on March 21, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Never been to TMZ and can’t fathom those who bother with it.
Connie on March 21, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Speaking about “death” and “remains”, the person from TMZ pictured here (and I don’t care his name) was on TV crying when Heath Ledger died. Let me repeat that : CRYING when Heath Ledger died. I’m positive they aren’t related and would bet my pension plan had never been introduced in person, either.
Marcus on March 21, 2008 at 1:09 PM
TMZ is a ridiculous pile of waste.
Domino on March 21, 2008 at 1:10 PM
The people at TMZ need to grow the eff up.
someguy on March 21, 2008 at 1:10 PM
i’ve never noticed the site, but now i know where NOT to click.
scalleywag on March 21, 2008 at 1:11 PM
That picture pretty much sums it up for me……..
Seven Percent Solution on March 21, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Hah, would you be using FortiGuard?
_
Random site note:
At my school, Jihad Watch was blocked for “Racism and Hate”… good old public education (I was able to appeal the block, which has since been removed)
aclark on March 21, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Wouldn’t hurt to sway the poll a little.
Esthier on March 21, 2008 at 1:12 PM
I wonder if they would commend a tax-payed expedition to recover some unknown actor/actress who had disappeared 60 years ago….
aclark on March 21, 2008 at 1:13 PM
garbage. TMZ is garbage anyway. I saw somebody make a comment there that I agreed with, if only this were the lightest taxation we are going to get, and I’ll tell ya what I don’t mind in the slightest if my taxes go towards something like this, as opposed to building a highway to nowhere…
drift on March 21, 2008 at 1:13 PM
The past is so like yesterday.
Kini on March 21, 2008 at 1:15 PM
TMZ has proven that they, like their content, are irrelevant.
Et tu Brute on March 21, 2008 at 1:16 PM
CaptainObvious on March 21, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Correct in regards to TMZ! Minor adjustment to your Aunts story, the crew you refer to was aboard a F111 which went down during the raid on Lybia in 1986.
dmann on March 21, 2008 at 1:20 PM
This is funny. On another board a while back, one of the European communists I tangled with frequently, was quite moved by a documentary he saw about our efforts to recover the remains of WW2 servicemen.
Blake on March 21, 2008 at 1:22 PM
but i don’t have any noseplugs. or a barf bag.
scalleywag on March 21, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Voted.
TexasBella on March 21, 2008 at 1:26 PM
I used to be addicted to TMZ, but it’s full of idiot posters and even worse writers.
Dubn8tr on March 21, 2008 at 1:26 PM
This isn’t a matter for unskilled labor. They have to train people to have the skills to locate, recover, and identify remains. There are always the remains of servicemen to be recovered and brought home. I don’t think they ever disband these missions.
Blake on March 21, 2008 at 1:28 PM
The comments on TMZ’s website indicate that they were way out of line. That should end them opining in areas they have no knowledge of.
RMCS_USN on March 21, 2008 at 1:29 PM
The comments are running vastly in favor of recovery of our lost, interspersed with a few Berkeley type moonbats. I wonder if TMZ will apologize eventually? I don’t expect it.
BTW, the Poll is spammable, just reload the page or hit the back button and vote again.
CyanSnowHawk on March 21, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Since, some of the remains are old, it doesn’t make them less of a priority but more of a priority in that it brings comfort to those relatives still alive to know exactly what happened to their love ones and return any artifacts found with the body to them.
Blake on March 21, 2008 at 1:30 PM
thats correct sorry. It has been a while since I thought about it. they had just gotten back from the ceremony in April 06 the last time I thought about it.
CaptainObvious on March 21, 2008 at 1:35 PM
As the economy tightens, more and more of us will shed what we deem superfluous. Very smart business move on TMZ’s part to alieniate a part of its audience – with no upside – when it is likely to be one of the first pinched as consumers tighten belts.
shaken on March 21, 2008 at 1:35 PM
I actually saw part of this story on the TMZ tv show last night. (I admit it, I occasionally surf the “Entertainment Tonight” type shows to ‘decompress’ my mind after work. There’s only so much Obama/Wright that I can take on the news shows.)
Anyway, it was very condescending to this man, Andy Baldwin. I didn’t even know who he was – thought maybe he was related to Alec and his bros. They made it sound like the mission was a vacation on an exotic island.
Brat on March 21, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Let them win their stupid poll. Maybe our poll watching dems will jump on it and make it a talking point. Imagine Hillary or Obama definding it to McCain in a debate.
KCB on March 21, 2008 at 1:40 PM
And if the Dems get in, he’ll be happy to support “investing in our future” [through more lib taxes!]
eeyore on March 21, 2008 at 1:42 PM
I’d rather we quit giving money to whores who spread their legs and make babies, only to have them spread their legs again and make more babies to get more money.
I’d also like to quit wasting our money on educating illegal aliens and their children.
Tim Burton on March 21, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Seems like a more honest news network than NBC.
SaintOlaf on March 21, 2008 at 1:50 PM
The Soup put it best…
Mazztek on March 21, 2008 at 1:51 PM
All TMZ does is talk about celebs, nothing is more useless that their BS.
BLUETEAMSCHURCH on March 21, 2008 at 1:51 PM
I suppose that is one way to attract eyeballs to your web ads … publish something so extreme that even Hot Air sends you traffic.
crosspatch on March 21, 2008 at 1:55 PM
I knew someone who was in the military and was part of the POW/MIA team that goes to S.E. Asia looking for our fallen soldiers. Prior to taking that job he was overseas fighting a war. TMZ’s ignorance is shocking. This just in, our military members do not fight wars for years on end ad infinitim. Occasionally they switch duty stations and do something else. Hopefully FNC (Greta etc) will stop talking to these TMZ bozos after this.
HawaiiLwyr on March 21, 2008 at 1:59 PM
As I wrote in a column, the BS is that Andy Baldwin was allowed to appear–and given leave from active duty–on “The Bachelor” at all. This was at a time when many American soldiers were dying in Iraq, and as we know, their tours are being extended. If that’s necessary fine. But don’t extend their tours and let this guy be on a concubine show while they can’t get home to see their families. That’s the BS.
Debbie Schlussel on March 21, 2008 at 2:03 PM
As I wrote in a column, the BS is that Andy Baldwin was allowed to appear–and given leave from active duty–on “The Bachelor” at all. This was at a time when many American soldiers were dying in Iraq, and as we know, their tours are being extended. If that’s necessary fine. But don’t extend their tours and let this guy be on a concubine show while they can’t get home to see their families. That’s the BS.
Debbie Schlussel on March 21, 2008 at 2:05 PM
Oh, and one other thing. Looking for our soldiers’ remains is far more worthy than “The Bachelor.” Infinitely so. Sad that TMZ doesn’t get that.
Debbie Schlussel on March 21, 2008 at 2:06 PM
I was thinking the same thing.
carbon_footprint on March 21, 2008 at 2:09 PM
scallywag,
I’m sorry for your loss.
StephC on March 21, 2008 at 2:11 PM
When did TMZ go political?
infidelesto on March 21, 2008 at 2:13 PM
Stick to stupid Hollyweird, TMZ.
j0 on March 21, 2008 at 2:18 PM
TMZ poll is now 50-50.
Rick on March 21, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Searching for our fallen in any war to bring them back for respect and possibly proper burial is something liberals cannot understand. They cacn’t grasp human decency because they are not freaking human.
And yes, pumping dollars into nationalised healthcare and more welfare programs is a much better way to handle our “sucky” economy. And why on earth is he crying against the government taxing people when their own heroes in congress spend every waking moment trying to raise taxes?
Idiots.
Grafted on March 21, 2008 at 2:21 PM
They will never understand as liberals have never had to truly fight for anything… silver spoons and all that.
Swinehound on March 21, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Debbie Schlussel,
Did his involvement in the show keep him from a tour in Iraq? Unless it did, there is no merit in your complaint.
exhelodrvr on March 21, 2008 at 2:27 PM
They are gaming that, setting it to 50/50 – I have been watching the results for the last hour and it has been exactly 50/50 the whole time. They know they screwed up and are trying to save some face.
outOfElement on March 21, 2008 at 2:27 PM
Funny you should mention that, Tim…’cause I found out just how much money is spent on “babies”.
Anti-Poverty spending has jumped 29% since 2001, from 345,932,000 to 445,486,000 in 2008.
Health Care Assistance within Anti-Poverty spending is up from 161,121,000 (2001) to 211,388,000 (2008). That’s a 31% increase in 7 years. That’s about 47-48% of the Anti-Poverty spending…and I’m sure you can figure out who ultimately foots the bill for the ‘Universal Health Care’ currently being provided in our hospitals and clinics throughout the US.
What are the largest Anti-Poverty programs from the 2008 budget? Here’s the laundry list, and their increases from 2001 to 2008, in dollars and percentage:
Medicaid Grants to States: from 156,642,000 (2001) to 203,788,000 (2008) – up 30%
Food Stamps: from 23,121,000 (2001) to 38,780,000 (2008) – up 68%
Child Tax Credit Payments: from 1,189,000 (2001) to 16,321,000 (2008) – up 1273%
Child Nutrition Programs: from 11,576,000 (2001) to 14,452,000 (2008) – up 25%
St. Children’s Hlth. Ins. (S-CHIP): from 4,479,000 (2001) to 7,600,000 (2008) – up 70%
Women, Infants and Children (WIC): from 4,936,000 (2001) to 5,974,000 (2008) – up 21%
The link is here.
And I have a figurative or allegorical story for the WIC program: I personally witnessed a woman separate her Haagen Dazs from her WIC items (which was bad enough), then drive away in her BMW/Mercedes Benz SUV (hubby & I cannot agree which, but it was one of these brands). Someone who can afford that vehicle does not require WIC assistance. That is despicable behavior.
Miss_Anthrope on March 21, 2008 at 2:35 PM
I’m sorry…add 3 more 0′s to these numbers!!!
Miss_Anthrope on March 21, 2008 at 2:38 PM
If you have a website/TV Show/Scandal Sheet that revels in celebs’ debauchery while at the same time having their livelihood tied to them to the point they need access, it’s not surprising TMZ’s staff would both share the ideological views of many of their subjects and, in at least this case, be dumb enough to make those feelings known to the public. It’s negative points within part of their online readership and those watching the TV show, but it won’t hurt them with most of the people they cover (some of whom probably think — after Rev. Wright’s Pearl Harbor accusation — that George W. Bush started World War II anyway).
jon1979 on March 21, 2008 at 2:40 PM
About 20 years ago, I escorted the remains of a Vietnam War casualty (Navy pilot) from San Francisco to Washington, DC for burial at Arlington. When remains are found, they are taken to the Armed Forces forensic lab in Hawaii, and once identified, flown to the appropriate site for burial. In this instance, that involved an Air Force flight to Travis, AFB (where I became involved), then via an airline flight to DC, where the Arlington mortuary took over. I was able to attend the interment ceremony a couple of days later. I met the navigator from the jet – he had survived the ejection, spent five years as a POW, and didn’t find out the pilot had been killed until the POWs were released. Also met the widow, and the pilot’s daughter (not yet born when her father died), and the pilot of the plane just behind the deceased’s plane, who saw it get hit by the missile. An incredibly moving experience; probably the memory I value most from my time in the Navy.
exhelodrvr on March 21, 2008 at 2:40 PM
nuff said..
EricPWJohnson on March 21, 2008 at 2:50 PM
Give me a break. Is anyone surprised by a group of people who think Paris Hilton is news? You then want to lecture us on the economy? Does anyone on their staff have any formal education that goes beyond what they’ve learned under bald sweaty men casting couches?
Stick with crotch shots TMZ, leave the real news for grown-ups.
RobertInAustin on March 21, 2008 at 3:00 PM
the vote on the TMZ site is at 50/50. I voted 7 times! hah! Just suggesting……heh heh heh
MNDavenotPC on March 21, 2008 at 3:10 PM
It says a lot about the TMZ readership that the poll is 50/50. Then again, TMZ finds no issue with spending countless millions acting as celebrity voyeurs while criticising our POW/MIA program.
The people at TMZ aren’t worth the crap they are printed on.
PBoilermaker on March 21, 2008 at 3:25 PM
What? Honor men who died fighting for world peace and freedom? Why would any liberal even think that is worthy.
Now that was worthy, what family does not want closure, even after (and maybe more so) years, or decades.
TMZ thinks a hero is someone who didn’t cross the writers picket line.
right2bright on March 21, 2008 at 3:27 PM
I saw this on TMZ yesterday.
Not surprising when you consider that most of their production staff is under the age of 30.
So the MTV generation, it probably is a waste of time.
The Ugly American on March 21, 2008 at 3:28 PM
I too voted several times on TMZ. Since Michelle has chosen a hotair pick about big bottoms, I wonder if anyone else saw the picture of Ice-T’s wife CoCo in her thong. I swear, that’s the biggest butt I ever saw–do you suppose she might have had it enhanced? Didn’t know people could be that big naturally unless they were really fat!
sonja13 on March 21, 2008 at 3:38 PM
It’s not the money that is really my point, it’s the other resources that are being used to carry out these missions. The men and women they are looking for are dead, and will still be dead whenever we have less going on around the world in the future.
I’d think these dead soldiers would rather that their brothers at arms focused their resources on helping the US win against our enemies than finding their dead remains.
It doesn’t have to do with what we’re doing right now, but couldn’t these resources, these soldiers being used to carry out these missions, be more useful in the theater of war? It’s not like we’ve got around 200,000 troops fighting on two fronts every year.
How about honoring our fallen heroes by giving all we’ve got to defeating our enemies and then giving them the honor they deserve when peace has prevailed?
Instead of scouring for dead soldiers, we could ensure that al Qaeda and their ilk don’t have any soldiers left to fight.
Seixon on March 21, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Snakes everywhere are insulted…
Liberty or Death on March 21, 2008 at 3:52 PM
If TMZ is so concerned with money being
spentwasted in Washington, maybe they should write as series of articles condemning the waste generated by PBS, NPR, NEA, NEH etc. I’m certain the combined budgets of those syphons is well over the 52 million usefully spent to honor our heroes.srhoades on March 21, 2008 at 3:55 PM
At least the asshats admitted taxes are too high!
The Opinionator on March 21, 2008 at 3:58 PM
It’s obvious TMZ did this as a traffic-whoring stunt. Despicable, nevertheless.
WasatchMan on March 21, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Sidenote:
I don’t know if this B24 went down over Peleliu – which is in the Palaus. But the battle for Peleliu was a bloodbath, fought in some of the most extreme conditions possible. Once again, Americans fought with courage, and with gallantry.
For those who might be interested in the battle – please read With the Old Breed, by E.B. Sledge.
It is well worth reading – it epitomizes The Greatest Generation.
OhEssYouCowboys on March 21, 2008 at 4:17 PM
The poll: 70,000+ votes 51% NO, 49% Yes.
Whoever wrote that probably has a similar view of our Great Country as “Rev” Wright.
Zorro on March 21, 2008 at 4:38 PM
My father in law still carries Japanese shrapnel in his stomach from Iwo, my dad served in Korea, lost one of my uncles in Vietnam, my brother served as a Marine as did I in El Sal and Op Urgent Fury.
Civilian terms like cost / benefit analysis, and, that was soooo long ago, simply don’t apply to bringing home those men who put it on the line so you can sip your latte and search for 20” rims for your Escalade.
Ass hat.
Alden Pyle on March 21, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Their opinion is understandable.
TMZ understands nothing about honor.
29Victor on March 21, 2008 at 4:50 PM
How about we do BOTH. You’re so limited. :)
tickleddragon on March 21, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Hey Harvey,
/huge *insider* tip.. I heard OJ was going to do some nasty unmentionable things to Britney Spears on top of Anna Nicole’s grave!
That kind of 24/7 coverage ought to keep you and Greta van Slushmouth in the whore-TV bizness for years to come!
Which obviously is more important and non-time wasting to low-lifes that frequent crap shows like TMZ than repatriating brave American remains.
Tool.
UncleOlaf on March 21, 2008 at 5:08 PM
These braniacs don’t even know how to do a poll properly. If you refresh your web browser you can vote as much as you like. I just dumped ten votes into the “No” till.
cannonball on March 21, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Voted.
Our nation spends $52 million a year on search/recovery, according to this article. Question- how many actors covered by TMZ get $50 million a year for their movies, etc., while TMZ doesn’t question if they are “worth” it? Not a govt. expense, but still….
cs89 on March 21, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Uncle Olaf–leave Greta out of it–she’s a pretty nice lady. Open season on Harvey though!
sonja13 on March 21, 2008 at 5:20 PM
I’m not going to waste my time going to TMZ, but I thought this quote by Ed was worth repeating…
So true, and it reminded me how lucky I am to be a citizen of this country. Sorry if I’ve gone OT.
4shoes on March 21, 2008 at 5:28 PM
Voted like a Dead Democrat!
YankeeinCA on March 21, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Wrong. That’s not the issue. Plenty of soldiers had their leaves canceled to the point where their tours in Iraq were twice as long and they didn’t see their families. If things are that dire for them, it is completely absurd that a soldier got a leave to see his . . . 25 concubines on “The Bachelor.” This is just like the soldiers who had their leaves canceled and they were sent to Iraq, yet their unit-mate was given leave to be on “American Idol.” Priorities, priorities.
Debbie Schlussel on March 21, 2008 at 7:00 PM
TMZ: parasitical slimebags squeezing the pimples of their prey in order to snidely comment on the texture of the results.
Anything these sleazyweasels have to say above the level of defective bikini waxings is guaranteed to be vacuous gonzo defecation
profitsbeard on March 21, 2008 at 7:44 PM
But they still support the troops. And don’t question their patriotism.
Neo on March 21, 2008 at 8:33 PM
When and where did you serve in uniform?
If your answer is never and nowhere – then stop. You simply don’t understand.
The cost is so tiny its almost non-existent in an almost three trillion dollar budget; the unit uses less resources than the police force in a one-stop-light town.
Yet even if you set aside the obvious moral and ethical reasons for their mission – you are still left with the almost immeasurable benefits in terms of morale among the troops.
I laughed out loud that you mention my brothers-in-arms like they’d be opposed to this mission. Did you even think about it for a moment?
Stop. Think. Every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine in Iraq or Afghanistan hears about this unit and its mission .. . and feels both proud and relieved.
They know now that even decades later, their country will not forget them. It is an almost inestimable boost to morale.
You simply don’t get it. No offense. But as someone who does know and does get it, I guarantee you in terms of benefit versus cost, there isn’t another mission that is even comparable. That $50 million is money extraordinarily well spent.
If you truly don’t understand, I invite you to visit any active duty unit – or any child or widow of a soldier lost in a past war – and share your views. You might actually learn something.
Professor Blather on March 21, 2008 at 8:37 PM
Well said, Professor.
tickleddragon on March 21, 2008 at 9:05 PM
Frankly my problem is that it is only $50 million a year.
When your budget is 3.1 trillion a year, 50 million is not all that much. (Hell I would probably have that in my couch cushions).
Even if we go back to 1996 days when the US budget was 1.6 trillion it still is not that much.
We can probably pay for that program by cutting a single pork project.
Where is the outrage over pork projects?
Instead people are advocating stopping a program that actually does some good, and is not earmarked to a certain state or congressional district or political party?
What the hell is wrong with these people?
F15Mech on March 21, 2008 at 9:09 PM
Debbie,
I don’t think you get it. If personnel were not given special favors to avoid Iraq for something like that, then it is totally inappropriate to disallow something like that, just because others are serving in Iraq. Why don’t you cancel all leave for all military members, and make them stay on the bases instead of going home to their families at night? There are always people in the military who have harder duties than others at any particular time. YOu don’t want to punish the “others” to try and make up for it.
exhelodrvr on March 21, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Debbie the key thing you said was “unit-mate.”
If the rest of his unit was deployed overseas, and he got some exception to deploy, then I would have to agree with you, it is BS exception to be on a TV show.
However if his unit is stateside and his unit is not scheduled to deploy (maybe his ship is undergoing a refit), then give him leave.
Any details on what his unit status is?
Disclaimer: I once was granted a deployment exemption for family reasons (and no it was not a special favor like exhelodrvr suggests).
F15Mech on March 21, 2008 at 10:46 PM
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