Customer comments on this selection.
 A Reckless Disregard of Patriotism
"America should go not abroad in search of monsters to destroy... She might become the dictatress of the world: she would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit." John Quincy Adams.
br /
br /But if you go by this screed, that is essentially what Americans should do. This is the last of three provocative and accusatory titles written by Robert "Buzz" Patterson. This one is even more damning and provocative suggesting war crimes by Americans against Americans, and that there is a conspiracy in our government darker than anything that could have been conjured by Senator Joe McCarthy. However, the inside of the book fails to live up to its billing on a number of levels. Buzz Patterson presents specious and disingenuous arguments. Two, he blames with inflammatory rhetoric, and three, he accuses Americans of treason. Ironically, this contempt for dissent in any form is as antithetical to the words and spirit of our Constitution as anyone can get.
br /
br /One example of the author's misleading arguments is his accusation that the military and ROTC are under attack from left wing forces across the schools and campuses of America. The example he provides actually happened at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, but the reader should note how he relates it: "Protesters vandalized the ROTC buildings at UNC and N.C. State with red paint and slogans reading `We won't fight your wars,' and 'Army ROTC trains murderers; resist acts of war.'" "Protestors vandalized..." promotes an image of crazies running amuck, but the reader who checks the story on the Internet will discover that by most accounts, it was called an act of vandalism--not a mob. A ROTC cadet at the same school named Dominique McNeill also destroys the author's conclusion. She adds: "Members of the ROTC are known and respected around campus."
br /
br /In making the argument to support the title, the author suggests that antagonism toward a policy is proof of a lack of support for our troops. The timing of a protest, the place of one, or the lack of an immediate counter opinion or editorial is proof positive of the author's definition of left wing sympathies or bias in the press. The more vocal or universal the protest, the more proof that those people are treasonous in their actions. For the author, mere observation proves conclusion.
br /
br /When the author isn't generalizing, stereotyping or connecting unconnected events, he blames, using the same tactic of dictators of totalitarian regimes. Throughout this work, he uses the word defeatism. It's not the blunders of a dictator or the miscalculations of an inept administration; it is cowards, students, left-wingers, "limousine liberals" (my personal favorite), college professors and others who are bringing our country to defeat, and waging a campaign to destroy our military.
br /
br /He gets his facts completely wrong when he discusses Guantanamo Prison. He declares erroneously that they are "the `baddest' of the bad" and that they are not being tortured. He ignores the fact that personal threats, stress positions, sleep deprivation, no human contact twenty-two hours a day, and "nutrition management" are violations of the Geneva Convention, which our nation insisted other nations adopt. What is Patterson's response? They don't deserve it because they are committed terrorists. (So much for innocent until proven guilty)! In fact, Gitmo has already set free a number of these "baddest of the bad" because some were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Never mind that Human Rights Watch has just condemned the correctional practices there as harsh. As for Abu-Ghraib, he tosses it off as the acts of ten or twelve individuals! And waterboarding? It's not even listed in his index.
br /
br /If these pronouncements aren't enough to stretch the author's credibility, he sinks to charges of treason against the usual suspects. This includes anyone who disagrees with the war. Patterson pays lip service to dissent and criticism being patriotic and good, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, but he stops there. He writes, "Liberals who speak out against the War on Terror because they oppose America and seek their country's defeat have crossed the line from dissent to betrayal, because their comments are broadcast around the world, encouraging and motivating the enemy." In this one sentence the author makes inflammatory assumptions that are libelous: Liberals oppose America. They seek their country's defeat, and they give aid and comfort to the enemy. For these three opinions, the author provides no evidence except what he thinks constitutes evidence.
br /
br /If actor Buddy Harrelson or Rosie O'Donnell speak out in protest against our government, the "war on terror" or suggest that George W. Bush is a criminal, they are giving aide and comfort to the enemy. Furthermore, Patterson has the cheek to challenge their "qualifications." He fails to realize that being American is all the qualification one needs. Such a charge is also known as the Tinkerbelle Effect. (If you want Tinkerbelle to live, clap your hands as vigorously as possible. If you don't, she will die. If you want us to win in Iraq and support the War on Terror, support the president, and don't criticize our administration or we will lose, and it will be your fault).
br /
br /Two other issues the author raises challenge his veracity. Patterson suggests that Code Pink exchanged money through an intermediary in Jordan in which, he claims, the money "may" have ended up in the hands of terrorists. The word "may" doesn't convey fact, it conveys conjecture or gossip. (This next one his publisher should have vigorously discouraged)! He claims to have asked 400 military personnel of all services, in Kuwait, Iraq, and on his radio station in California, what the greatest threat to their mission and security was. Patterson claimed that all four hundred gave him identical, two-part responses, which included the media.
br /
br /Anyone who has studied probability knows that 400 people giving identical, two-part answers is statistically impossible. The odds are one in 400 x 399 x 398 x 397...5 x 4 x 3 x 2 divided by 2, which would be one in octillion? This would make winning a powerball lottery look like a sure thing, in comparison. Even ten people giving him the same answer would be almost 2,000,000 to one!
br /
br /The author also expresses grave concern for our military, and what he perceives as the injustice they have endured by democrats and left wing demagogues. Patterson makes it quite clear that the republicans are the only ones capable of governing and keeping our military strong in spite of the fact that it was the same party that refused liberal Senator Ted Kennedy's request that veterans be exempt from losing their homes under the new bankruptcy law. He has also ignored the mounting scandals that this administration has perpetrated against the same. This raises questions if his concerns are genuine, or selective and opportunistic.
br /
br /In his last chapter he passes ruins of great civilizations in foreign cities as he ponders the cause of their fate in which he sees the pending destruction of our society based on "the left's campaign." He gives the reader the impression that he carries the weight of our future on his shoulders. It gave me the impression of histrionics and melodrama.
br /
br /For the more discerning and discriminating reader, Patterson's narrative will read like a diatribe that is visceral, emotional, and hyperbolic. He confuses patriotism with nationalism, and treason with dissent, the last being a completely patriotic act.
br /
br /I borrowed this book from the New York Library System which had a grand total of six copies. This is a testament to the book's lack of popularity and anemic sales.
br /
br /That alone speaks volumes.
Patterson's entire premise is destroyed
While Patterson timidly whines about obscure professors nobody has heard of, and documentaries that show unflattering, unpresidential behavior by Bush, he willfully ignores the many actual measures the Bush Administration has taken to actually undermine our military. Patterson ignores Bush's contempt for the military, his contempt for military advice and planning, and his reckless disregard for those on the front lines. Courtesy of Edwin Pauzer, here is a small, very incomplete list of the anti-military contempt this Administration has shown toward the military.
br /
br /The Bush Administration has:
br /
br /· balked at an increase in the rise of death benefits for our troops
br /
br /· attempted to charge our wounded for their meals.
br /
br /· tried to reduce hazardous duty pay by almost half
br /
br /· tried to reduce dependent housing allowance by almost half
br /
br /· said that 440 million in home purchase guarantees for active duty personnel was too expensive
br /
br /· allowed Walter Reed Army Hospital to deteriorate
br /
br /· closed several VA hospitals
br /
br /· tried to implement a fee for VA benefits
br /
br /· refused to give VA medical care to national guardsmen and reservists once they went off active duty.
br /
br /· wanted to freeze pay raises for certain pay grades
br /
br /· thought a war could be fought on the cheap (against the advice of the Army)
br /
br /· thought it was a war that could pay for itself
br /
br /· that told us that the Iraqis would greet us with flowers
br /
br /· that told us that the insurgency was in its final throes. (That was 2005).
br /
br /But oh no! Some obscure professor somewhere made some stupid, insignificant remark! Let's focus on that, instead of Bush's ACTUAL policies that have an ACTUAL negative consequence on the lives of ACTUAL military personnel.
br /
br /And I won't even mention dragging them into an unending war with no exit strategy.
 Heroes Galore Out of Politics
Written by the same Marine who carried the Presidential case when the Clintons left the White House, the author of WHAT HILARY KNEW AND WHEN, I believed this young man in that book so decided to try again to see exactly what he is trying to do. War crimes could be anything, and so we shall concentrate on heroes and hero worship. Speaking of heroes, Marine Sgt. Marc Martin personifies the American dream. He proudly served the USA in combat where he was awarded the Navy Cross for his unwavering support as leader of his platoon in Battle of al Tarmija in Baghdad. He was an operative in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Fearless, ("There's really no time for fear.") he was a modern-age Alvin York.
br /
br /
br /Columbia University professor Nick De Genova is quoted "The only true heroes are those who find ways to help defeat the United States military," Now that's a strange concept. Columbia seems to be a place for PLO, al Queda worship (see 'Black Hawk Down') proactive, hate-mongering vs. American activist from the Unided Arab Emirates. We have crossed the line on research vs. espionage. Reese Roth who is engineering prof at UTK gave sensitive technical reports to Iran and China. We are overrun with Chinese of all ages who won't learn English (speaking).
br /
br /The five politicians' pictures on the book cover on differing "sides"; the film maker of 'Fahrenheit 9/11', Michael Moore, who produces and directs controversial films about the American military, not always truthfulfulaccounts. Hilary has much to be blamed for, furing the years she luxurated in the White House. Ted Kennedy is dying from a brain tumor for all the wrongs he perpetrated and got away with because of his last name. The leader of the Senate has much to answer to and for.
br /
br /There are crimes and then there are vindicated crimes. Called Hatriots, they are mostly made up of Vietnam veterans. "Hatred of self, and by extension one's country, is the root of the radical cause," sayeth David Horowitz. The New Left had grown out of the radical student movement of the 1960s.
br /
 Shocking Book, Really Opened My Eyes -
This is a shocking book, could not put it down! Really made me angry about what is happening in our country and schools today - well worth reading! Suggest reading his other book about Clinton administration, another eye opener!
War Crimes
This is a well written book which tells a disgusting story of the highly organized effort by Leftists to denegrate our military and work for our defeat in Iraq so Democrats can regain the White House in the forthcoming election. It properly identifies the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 "which established that the policy of the United States called for regime change in Iraq," a policy that Liberals today simply can not remember! This legislation was passed unanimously in the Senate and with a 90 per cent majority in the House.
br /
br /The Clinton's did their best to degrade our military from 1992 to 2000 -- and were joined then and after they left office to continue that effort. Leftist media, virtually all of academia and Democrat politicians have joined forces with non-governmental organizations like Code Pink, United for Peace and Justice and others to undermine our troops and their efforts overseas and at home. While our troops are in combat, risking their lives, Hollywood has produced a spate of anti-war films -- a dark and disturbing contrast to Hollywood's actions during World War II.
br /
br /The author describes the concerted efforts to banish recruiters and ROTC from college and university campuses nationwide, to ridicule our troops as armed monsters and to perpetuate the MYTH that oppressed American minorities are disproportionally represented in the ranks and among the dead and wounded.
br /
br /He identifies pathological liars like Noam Chomsky and Michael Moore -- and their lies.
br /
br /Author Patterson tells a well-documented story of lies and deceit and provides an Appendix and footnotes to document his sources.
|
