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Marines Send Important Message to Commander Guy

        Liam Madden has been in trouble lately.  He’s the 22-year old Marine in the Individual Ready Reserve who was threatened in May with an other-than-honorable discharge for being “disloyal.”  An officer charged with investigating Madden’s actions made the recommendation.  According to Heather Hollingsworth of the AP, Madden, an Iraq veteran, drew the accusations recently, after making what the Corps called

"disloyal statements" during a speech in February in New York in which he accused President Bush of betraying service members and called the fighting in Iraq a "war crime."

        When push came to shove this week, the Marines had a choice to make: either charge one of their own for slamming the President, or let Madden slide, in essence giving the case a big shrug.

        Today, the Marines chose to give the collective shrug, dropping the case against Madden.  Hollingsworth reported that the Corps had

determined that his statements did not warrant further action.      

        Did you get that, Commander Guy?  A Marine speaks out in public and says you’re betraying them and they let him do it.  I’ll say that again: The Marines let him do it and they’re not going to punish him—at all.  Madden is going to retain his honorable discharge.

        I’m sure the Marine Corps would prefer that this go away rather quickly, but I have surely not missed the subtle, yet important, message that has just been sent to the White House.  So take note, Mr. President.  Everybody hates your stupid war.

Also available at Daily Kos.

  • taters

    Thank you, AR.

  • http://noquarter.typepad.com susanUnPC

    Welcome aboard, Angry Rakkasan, and congratulations on your first post here!

    And my best to Liam Madden, and thanks for his courage.

  • Leslie

    Oh a newbie poster! Welcome Angry Rakkasan!

    If the case had gone to the Supreme Court, it’s doubtful the Marine would’ve gotten off so easily. Free speech is OK for corporations, but not for Bongs 4 Jesus and probably not anti-war Marines either.

  • Homer

    The Angry Rakkasan: Everybody hates your stupid war.

    Everybody?

    No.

    We need to tighten up the language here.

    As so many know, a lot of money is being made by firms such as Halliburton, Carlyle Group, Boeing, Raytheon Co., Lockheed Martin Corp. United Technologies Corp.

    So, “Everbody” is in effect giving these hogs at the trough a pass when they deserve to be arrested for war profiteering.

    The story of what happens to everyday Americans when corporations go to war.
    http://iraqforsale.org/trailer.php?track=crooksandliars

  • Butters

    Welcome aboard Angry Rakkasan!

    I know this isn’t a doable proposal at all, but interesting to pretend: enlistment contracts which can specify Iraq or Afghanistan as area of deployment. Recruitment shortfalls solved? Totally useless hypothetical…but the longer this goes on…

  • Poilu

    Angry R: Liam Madden absolutely ROCKS! “Semper Fi”, indeed.

    Had you seen his written response to the USMC offer? Stout fellow throughout, and I LOVED the final caustic “swipe”!

    [SEE: http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0629-08.htm ]

    OUTSTANDING!

  • wethornet

    ar, do you know if liam was the guy in hte photo when abu alberto was recently testifying before congress. wearing boonie hat, held up sign saying, “i don’t recall” and slashes for each time abu didn’t recall. a la a pitcher and strikeouts. it was carried on the wires and made the new york times……w/abu looking over his shoulder at the guy.

    also, are the rakkasans the outfit that hackworth fought with? you can tell people about the history if you want.

    also, does vote vets have any campaigns — tv or activist stuff — coming up? can we get a sneak preview right here?

    keep rocking bro.

    wethornet
    he with a classmate in the marine beruit barracks in 83.
    former inf. corporal, ocs, airborne ranger
    semper fi.

    ps, as a young private we had to memorize standing orders for guard duty. i’ve forgotten what the 3rd one was formally, we privates translated it as “i will walk my post from flank to flank, and won’t take sh*t from any rank.” sounds like young liam had the same block of instruction. (cue the lee greenwood music: proud to be an american.)

  • mudkitty

    I’d say it’s a tipping point, but how many tipping points do we need?

  • The Angry Rakkasan

    wethornet,

    On your questions. . . .

    I’m not sure if Madden is the guy in the Gonzales photo. All I know about Madden is what I’ve read and what I’ve seen in that pretty grainy YouTube video.

    I’m not sure about Hackworth either, though I don’t think he was a Rakkasan. I can’t imagine it not coming up in the time I was there if he had been.

    As for the VoteVets stuff. . .we’ve got one blogospheric project in the works, and once it’s ready, I’ll announce on Kos and here. You won’t miss it.

    AR

  • Patriot Militia

    Jews did 911 and all world wars.
    http://www.Jew-Crime.com

  • Jess Wonderin

    Another example of “Military Intelligence” . . . the SMART option would have been to ignore the entire episode, pass it off as “free speech that pissed me off, but I’m sworn to defend his right to speak” thing. Instead some REMF, looking for the chance to show how big his dick is, whipped out the ol’pencil peter and “wrote’m up” – in the end, the demonstration and stupidity of Military High Command gave more publicity and scorn to a minor “infraction”. At a time when Air Force officers were appearing in uniform at a “Fundie Revival” and Lt Gen William Boykin gave several speeches IN UNIFORM to churches it sure APPEARS that only that oppose Captian Codpiece stand before the Mast . . .

    The ah-maise-zing thing is an intelligent Officer GROUP actually AGREED to proceed . . . a real indication of the shit we’re in when Junior wakes up with a stiffie knowing God told him to bomb Iran . . .

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