Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”--General Sir Charles Napier
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
Good on the General! We heard him speak last Summer in SF – a great eveing.
Anybody else notice that there was no POTUS serving the troops for Thanksgiving this year? At least there won’t be any complaints of presentation turkeys going to waste.
Damned good point SJBill! I hadn’t even thought about that! But, as usual, why am I not surprised?
WunWhoWon pardons a turkey, but turns a blind eye(s) to the SEALs. Alas, one good deed undone by a deed summat fowl. {smirk}
Did not miss that it was not present…..
I thought that the absence of BHO was one the days blessings.
Good on the General. An all-around stand up leader with a sense of tradition and humility. We are fortunate to have him in the ranks.
Hear! Hear! to Mongo’s statement. Couldn’t agree more.
George V.
What I’d like to see in 2012 as a ticket is Gen. Petraeus and Sarah Palin — a win-win combination of brains, pragmatism, guts and heart. Do you think he’d mind being a real Vice President, instead of the unreal one we have today?
Marianne
ADM Harvy of Fleet Forces Command is doing the same thing in the Middle East somewhere.
Petraeus/Palin… a ticket that can win in TwentyTwelve!!! I love it Marianne, Thank You. Let’s begin the parade now; the GOP is floundering, searching for the right leadership to win and this could be the right combination.
My only question is: who would be the Veep? You suggest Petraeus? I might suggest the other way around… just for the leadership and winability that’s in it.
Marianne, I second the motion! Proven leadership, a team based on principle rather than expediency, and hearts to do what is best for our citizens rather than those who would rather see us lose.
I would rather not have anyone who has been in the military 20-30 years go directly into a Presidential role. Perhaps VP for 4+ years to allow for the transition from a military to civilian mindset.
Palin / ?
There’s a great slideshow at the linked article above. It looks like Petraeus truly enjoyed himself. A couple weekends ago I had the chance to observe him interacting with a group of midshipmen and cadets–he had that same happy expression on his face as in the photos. Seems like a genuinely good guys.
Umm….The only headache I have with Petraeus is that he is a General. The next decade will see us forced to recognize the post-Cold War reality.
Which is that seapower is trump. Fleets move where the need is. Land-based forces don’t have the strategic mobility.
Mike, who would you suggest as an admiral with the stature and accomplishments of Petraeus?
I was speaking to his basic character/disposition above, but I have to say that upon further thought I’m glad he’s the one in the position. Since Obama seems to be uninterested in talking directly to his CG in Afghanistan, I’m glad the CENTCOM commander is someone who can make the case for the theatre CG with such an impressive level of credibility/gravitas.
Going forward, I have no opinion–I’m not nearly informed enough to comment on what’s over the horizon or discuss the relationship between sea-based and land-based.
I saw an Officer (LTJG) serve chow once. We got a boat load of Lobster tail and he tried to give me two when I only wanted one. Never saw another. Never saw in the Army, and my father told me he’d never seen in the AF either.
Maybe ashore, or on the big ships, but I can’t say since I had neither at Christmas.
I think it’s pretty damn cool that General Patraeus took the opportunity to go up in a tactical jet over his AOR and also took the time to go aboard Nimitz to do it rather than jumping in the back of a Strike Eagle. Kudos to VADM Gortney(Hornet guy by trade), who I’m sure had something to do with setting this up. Great opportunity for CVW-11′s DCAG, CAPT Scott “Satan” Conn, who flew GEN Petraeus as well.
What a good way to discuss