Water Torture and Foreign Policy

DISCLAIMER: My normal disclaimer applies. If you're easily offended by the more colorful side of language be warned that I "color" outside the lines rather dramatically. If you're offended by religious comment, political ranting, creative insulting, wake up with your panties in a bunch, or get wrapped up in language instead of looking at the point you may want to stop now. Additionally, this is the opinion of the author and ONLY the author. It does NOT represent the Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, the U.S. Government or any other official statement. It is simply the opinion of a fairly disgruntled author.


Prior to reading my rant I need you to read two articles:


John McCain hits GOP Hopefuls Over Waterboarding


GOP Field Unveils Disturbing Foreign Policy Platforms

Did you read them? Are you disgusted? Is your mind blown? 


WTF?!?!?! What the fucking fuck is wrong with these people? 


Read this: 
UN Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment of Punishment

Let me point out the most important part of that one, simply: "Torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity."


I also want to point out that on the bottom of this document it doesn't state when the U.S. signed this document, we did though, on April 18, 1988. So by international fucking law that we signed we are fucking obligated NOT to torture.


Now allow me to explain what these candidates are referring to as "Waterboarding". Before I do that this is what waterboarding AKA Chinese water torture really is. It's when you strap someone down and repetitively drop a single drop of water on their head. The victim cannot move out of the way and this elicits a physiological response due to the psychological distress of the situation. Thanks to Mythbusters you can watch that shit HERE. After watching that if you don't think it's torture I challenge you to do it in a controlled environment just like in the video and see how the fuck you feel. 


Now the waterboarding that the candidates are referring to is actual water torture, not the Chinese derivative but true unadulterated water torture. This is where they strap a person to a board rigged up like a see-saw with say a bath tub at one end. They then lift the persons feet up forcing the head under the water and hold them there until they're basically seizing in their constraints and push the feet down to bring the head out of the water just before actual drowning commences. This is referred to as simulated drowning. You can also achieve this effect by strapping a person down putting their head in a C-collar which is attached to the board and pouring MASS QUANTITIES of water over their face so they can't fucking breathe. Either way the reaction is the body thinks it's drowning and it causes fucking psychological and physiological havoc on the individual. Referring to our UN definition which the U.S. agreed with by signature how is the fuck is that NOT torture?


This method is NOT an "enhanced interrogation technique", it IS torture. If you want to see an excellent example of an enhance interrogation technique watch Criminal Minds Season 2 Episode 10. Yes, I know it's Hollywood but it is a great example. Gideon pulled a Jedi Mind Fuck on this guy by using media as well as his lack of perception of time and found out what was going to happen. This technique takes a lot of work and practice and can be extremely effective. However, it does not produce instant results. It takes time. Water torture will have the Pope swearing he's fucking Jewish in a day. Yeah, it's effective, but you aren't going to get anything worth while out of it.


If you support these Candidates, which by most articles is all of them except Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman, you are supporting TORTURE. So you may want to rethink your position.


The bottom line is this. The United States is supposed to set an example for the world. We are supposed to adhere to the laws that we uphold and enforce to the rest of the world. If we reinstate these ILLEGAL practices then we are no better than the people we are punishing for the same thing. This is not a case of "Do as I say, not as I do". This is a case of set the example for others to emulate which is a key point of leadership.


Let's move on to some of their other foreign policy platforms shall we?


China. According to several of these candidates they basically want to rake China over the coals. Think about that for just a second. China owns a gratuitous amount of our national debt. So if we take an extremely hard line on China who is to say that they won't raise the interest rates on said debt? Raise those interest rates too much and we may default on our loans. Anyone paying attention to what's happening in Greece right now and Europe as a whole? People, this could catastrophically affect our economy. You think it's bad now? Holy shit, just imagine if our economy collapsed because of our foreign policy towards China. This is not how we should do business. This China thing is a mess that we got ourselves into and restricts our ability to deal with them to an extent. Basically, we made the bed and now we have to lay in it. When it comes to China, we have to think about the repercussions of our economy. I'm not even going to go into the trade issues and supply and demand scenario's that could blow up either. Just think about where most of our debt is. Seriously.


National Security. Along the lines of the torture issue many republicans think Obama has been weak on National Security. Now keep in mind, I'm not an Obamamaniac. I never drank the Kool-Aid and I'm really hard pressed to be impressed with the majority of his Presidency because I think he's spineless when it comes to dealing with Congress. I digress. Obama has had some success in this venture. Under his leadership we found and killed Osama bin Laden. We've taken out key leaders of terrorist groups. Drone strikes have increased dramatically (although I think that's bad for business). There are numerous things he's done that have increased our National Security so I can't agree with their assessment that he is "weak" in this area. With that being said, he has also violated international law and national laws for that matter. Killing Osama, oops, we kinda said fuck you to Pakistan's national sovereignty. Illegal. Drone strikes in areas that we haven't declared war on. Illegal. Remember that American citizen who was abroad supporting Jihad against America? Obama authorized his assassination without any sort of due process. This is illegal both internationally and nationally. Oops. However, these were risks that he was willing to take in the name of "National Security". Riddle me this. If these candidates think that this is a weak stance on National Security, what do they plan on doing if they are elected? Really? Fucking digest the question. That, my loyal readers, scares the ever living shit out of me. 


Ron Paul's Stance: America did this to Itself. I have news for you. He is absolutely, 100%, undeniably correct in his statements. I have said this numerous times myself. Our past foreign policies have pissed people off. You can only push people so far before they retaliate. And they DID. Please take the time before the elections to read "Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama bin Laden". This will open your eyes to how our foreign policy affects others. It will also open your eyes to where this Jihadist movement came from and what it's goals are. Taking down America by any means possible includes our economic stability. Look what's happened with two major wars going on at the same time. The money that has been spent on unnecessary military action. The fact that we put ourselves in a position to be attacked. Since 2003 we have not taken the fight to the enemy, we took the target to the terrorist. 


The big one: Iran and Nuclear Weapons. The answer is not bombing. We cannot afford another war. We cannot control every aspect of every country. We should partner with the United Nations and work diplomatically. Will it keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon? It may, it may not. However, sometimes you have accept that you can't stop everything that you don't like. I don't want to see Iran with a nuke, but if it happens we adjust and get them on board with the international treaties. I worry about the proliferation of nuclear weapons because Iran supports Hezbollah and Hamas. The thing you have to remember is what happens to Iran if they use a Nuclear Weapon in any way, shape, or form? There is a good chance the rest of the world will retaliate. There is a chance that Iran will cease to exist if this happens. They know and understand this. Here is the thing you have to consider. The powerhouse in the Middle East is Israel. Since their inception they have been running around the Middle East basically unchecked. They also have Nuclear Weapons. So from Iran's stand point if they also have Nuclear Weapons they could potentially put Israel in check and gain a better position for Lebanon and Palestinians. This isn't rocket science nor is it nuclear science. It's world politics and having a nuclear weapon is an equalizer in many countries eyes. Look at the cold war. The U.S. and the USSR both had nuclear weapons and neither one used them because of the ramifications of doing so. Look at India and Pakistan, they have nukes and it controls the extent of their actions. Iranian leadership may be a little crazy at times but these guys aren't complete idiots. They know if they do become a nuclear power that they've gained some leverage on the world stage but if they literally use that leverage then they'll get hammered. The thing is, beyond the threat of nuclear proliferation many politicians view this as a threat to how well we can influence Middle Eastern affairs. If you're gang in the neighborhood is the only one with guns you'll run the neighborhood. If a rival gang obtains guns, well, the balance of power changes. It is literally as simple as that. But bombing the crap out of Iran won't fix the problem, it'll make it worse.


These are all just my thoughts and opinions. You can agree or disagree with any or all of them. However, as we go through primaries and come up to elections these are extremely important topics that you have to pay attention to and consider. The wrong choice could have catastrophic consequences for our country.


The Senator

A Warrior's Prayer...

This one really doesn't require a disclaimer but more of an explanation. Over the past several days with the Marine Corps birthday and Veterans Day I've been tossing around the idea of throwing this out there. Well, after hearing some thoughts from a few friends and talking to my better half I've decided to go ahead and toss this one out there.


The poem you are about to read is a 15 year old's interpretation of the stories he was told by his grandfathers who fought in WWII. One fought for the Army and landed in the fourth wave on Normandy. The other fought for the Marine Corps and landed on numerous islands in the Pacific, to include, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Saipan, Tarawa, and a few others that I'd have to look at his discharge papers to remember. Keep in mind this is my interpretation, so without further adieu...


A Warrior's Prayer     12-6-95


Lord, please hear me pray,
As I tread along these bloody banks.
Save me from this dying day,
Guide us through descending ranks.


Lord, hear these words I say,
As I walk this blood filled shore.
With fellow man I only pray,
Hoping that my soul will soar.


Lord, look down upon my face,
As I wade knee deep in blood.
Pleading for forgiveness my grace,
I stand within a raging flood.


Lord, save me from this wretched hell,
As I surge towards eternal sleep.
The horrors I've seen I couldn't tell,
Please halt the time so I may weep.


Lord, pull me from enraging flames,
Allow me to sing where angels fly.
Lord, as I pray, my soul he maims,
Please, my Savior, don't let me die...


Cory Will


I hope you enjoyed. I just want to point something out. I wrote this when I was 15. It means so much more to me now. So yeah... as I said, hope you enjoyed.

The Marine Corps Birthday and Veteran's Day

Disclaimer: The author of this blog has few natural talents. However, the most prominent of his talents is the ability to offend even the most unoffendable person (fuck you, it's a word in my world). With that being said the following post may upset your sensibilities. Therefore please heed the following. If you do not appreciate the semi-god like versatility of the word "fuck", if you cannot stand the word "cunt" (with or without quotations), if political views gets your blood boiling, if you are offended by religion bashing of any kind, if you wake up in the morning with your panties in a bunch, if you don't want your repertoire of insults expanded, or if you are not open to controversial opinions you may want to stop now. Also, it is highly advised that if you are under the age of 18 that you have your parents consent to read my ramblings and be exposed to my insanity. If you feel you can handle the rants and ravings of a disgruntled soul please read on, enjoy, and pass on. But don't say I didn't warn you. The following is the opinion of the author, and ONLY the author.

As promised I'm doing a little blog about the Marine Corps' 236th Birthday and I figured I'd throw in the Veterans Day shit as well. Let's start with the Marine Corps thing.

"The wonderful love of a beautiful maid,

The love of a staunch true man,

The love of a baby, unafraid,

Have existed since time began.

But the greatest of loves,

The quintessence of loves.

Even greater than that of a mother,

Is the tender, passionate, infinite love,

Of one drunken Marine for another.

Semper Fidelis"

General Louis H. Wilson 1978

That quote means a lot. It says a lot. Marines are a very peculiar breed of individuals. We make up the smallest branch of the military and provide over 30% of the Nations ground combat power on only 8% of the Defense budget. That is a lot of bang for your buck. Because of that we endure greater hardship than most military members and we signed up with the understanding that our lives, for however long we stayed on Active Duty, would not be easy. Our boot camp is the longest of any service, it's grueling, and it is the only one that is still segregates men and women. Following that, each Marine, man and woman, is trained as a basic rifleman. Most of us infantry consider the "Marine Combat Training" POG's (Person Other-than Grunt) go through an absolute joke. However, they are getting basic training for combat operations and to understand simple tactics as well as weapons use which is much better than the other services. This post isn't about POG bashing though, even though that is one of my favorite past times. It's about the Marine Corps in general. I really want to point something out to the people not in the Marine Corps loop.

The Marine Corps is an amphibious fighting force. We're "America's 911". We are designed and equipped to respond to incidents world wide in less than 72 hours. We float around on ship's while the Navy gets pissed off because we treat that ship like it's ours. Because, well, it is. If it weren't for us there would be no need for it. When the call comes we answer with an enthusiasm rivaled only by Iraqi kids and their cravings for Chocolate. It's important to understand that we don't just kick in doors and blast people into oblivion although that's what we love to do. We respond to Humanitarian Crisis, Evacuations, Recovery of Personnel, Security Missions. You name it and we'll probably do it. We are America's ambassadors to the world. Around the world U.S. Marines are either revered or feared, often times both. We are the tip of the spear in combat. We go anywhere, any time, for any reason that the President deems necessary. We don't need an act of Congress to do our job. We need a phone call to release the dogs of war. Many relate Marines to pure breed dogs like the English Bulldog, the Doberman, the Rottweiler, or the infamous Devil Dog of German lore. We are none of these. Marines are that mangled mutt that is a mix of every breed of dog you can thing of. We come from so many backgrounds that it's impossible to list. But we all share one thing in common. We're that mutt that guards your home with a ferocity that cannot be rivaled. 

"I have three new heroes now. They are...

New York's bravest, the fire fighters,

New York's finest, the cops,

and the United States Marine Corps.

Because, as you know, before this thing is finished, it will be the Marine Corps that goes in and settles the score."

David Letterman 9-18-01

Let me touch on that just a little. The Marines are not meant to be an Army. The mission we have been serving in Afghanistan and Iraq is the mission of the U.S. Army. However, for some reason the Army can't handle it. So, send in the Marines. It's worked throughout history and it works now. In Afghanistan they sent us in to the most remote and desolate places to fuck shit up and settle shit down. When we were done, they sent in the Army. The Army immediately got fucked up. In Iraq they put us in Baghdad. We had that place on fucking lock down like a priest protecting his little boy toy. Then Al Anbar province, which was under Army control, went bat shit crazy. So again, send in the Marines. We squashed that shit quick as fuck. We ran those fuckers straight up the Euphrates from Baghdad to the Syrian border. The ones who made it out alive did so by pure luck. Let me explain tactics as I witnessed them in Iraq. If an Army convoy was attacked they opened fire in all directions and pushed through without stopping. This tactic resulted in the deaths of countless innocent civilians who just happened to be in the area. This tactic kicked our "Winning the hearts and minds" counter-insurgency mission right in the dick. The Marines were left to clean up this fucking mess, and we did. When a Marine convoy was attacked the response was something along the lines of a woman in the ghetto who just had some hoodlum call her a whore, "OH NO YOU DIDN'T JUST DO THAT SHIT." If we were attacked we stopped, got the fuck outta the trucks, and went after those fuckers with everything we had. We hunted them down like it was our last fucking meal at stake. This tactic was amazingly effective. We did this shit in Afghanistan too. In Afghan we were relieved by an Army unit, the 10th Mountain Division. They had triple our man power. Unfortunately, they were getting fucked up so bad because the enemy saw them in green uniforms and knew they weren't Marines cause we wore brown. So they attacked them instead of us. If we were with them, they let the sleeping dogs lie. They knew that if they attacked the Marines they were opening a can of whoop ass on themselves. 

It's this kind of fighting spirit that differentiates Marines from any other service. Something I've said continually that few people outside the Corps understand is that we fight for each other. It's not about our country at that point. It's not about some obscure intangible quality like patriotism. It's not about the "reasons" behind the war. Although many of those may be the inspiration behind the individual becoming a Marine, but that isn't why we fight. We fight for each other. We fight for our brothers. We fight for their lives. We normally disregard our own safety for the chance to save our brothers souls. We go into combat with the expectation of not coming home. We are dead men walking and you can't take anything away from someone who already considers themselves dead. With this understanding let me move onto my current feelings about Veterans Day, because frankly I'm torn and kind of disgruntled.

Veterans Day is about thanks for those who served this nation. Those who served in peace or war. Those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and those who continue to sacrifice. What has me disgruntled is not the outpouring of "Thank You's" that I've been receiving but of the actions of some of my fellow Veterans. I'm going to put it like this. If you are a veteran and you continually brag about what you did, go fuck yourself. The people that do this normally haven't done shit. Now, let me say that I'm not referring to the many people I know who only served in times of peace. They stood up and signed that check to the U.S. government and it was never cashed. They did their duty and served honorably. I'm talking about those veterans who have served in the Global War on Terrorism. You know, the ones who talk about being in combat all the fucking time and the crazy shit they did even though they aren't from the combat arms side. Many of you may not recognize this because you haven't served. Many people that are like that never actually saw combat. These people were in the rear with the gear doing support role work. Yes, we need them. I need someone making sure that I'm getting my beans, bullets, and band aids. I need someone making sure my Marines are getting paid. I need someone refueling the planes and helicopters. I need that shit. What I don't need is these fuckers coming back home and telling people their glorious war stories about the one time they were outside the wire and found an IED or some stupid shit. That's if they ever left the wire. I also don't need people blowing shit out of proportion. By the way, if you ever hear someone say shit like "I still can't talk about this cause it's classified", that means they are totally full of fucking shit and are lying to your face. They people that actually work those classified missions won't even bring that shit up. The ones who talk about it non stop, are probably also full of shit. There are very few people who talk about it to people outside their circles. Some of us choose to talk about certain aspects so people understand us. I bring up a little bit and so does a friend and former Marine, Garrett Phillip Anderson. Here is his blog, go read it, he speaks the truth in a gut wrenching, heart breaking kind of way: http://garrett-anderson.blogspot.com/ . It's worth the read. You have to realize that some of us choose to write like this and expose ourselves to others because we want more people to understand the reality of war, service, and sacrifice. 

This is another reason I'm pissed off today. Our government isn't doing nearly enough for our Vets. Too many are jobless, homeless, hopeless. Too many are taking their lives. Too many are suffering needlessly because the VA is fucking broken. So for you, my faithful reader, I ask that on this Veterans day rather than giving thanks or some random act of kindness like buying a vet coffee, to please write your Congressman and Senators expressing your outrage on the VA systematic failure, the slashing of Military benefits, and the overall treatment of veterans in general. Actions speak louder than words. The thank you's are nice but so much more needs to be done.

And with that, I'm out for the moment.