We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:34:13 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification I've not been ignoring this story, though, admittedly, I've been busy. Besides, others, with better sources and more time, have covered it already. We'll get to them in a moment. The real horror here is how the media and the medium shape the perception. Just as Oliver Stone's movie, "Platoon" and Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" defined what many people perceived as the experience (and values) of all soldiers in Vietnam, where everything bad that ever happened happens to a single platoon in two hours, so, too, the writings of "Scott Thomas" have the potential to be the next "Winter... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html Mon, 23 Jul 2007 07:40:41 -0600 I read this story to my father last night. Bless him, he is 87 years old and when I got to the part about the BFV running over the dog, he just about became unglued, simply because for a tank (yes I know it's a Bradley but it is still armored and tracked) to just break the convoy simply wasn't done. He said the SOP would be for the convoy commander/leader (I am not sure about what they are called) to dress down the crew for endangering the mission. Dad is WWII era, so uh, some things don't change. He did say that if Mr. T did indeed exist and the unit found out who it was...he sort of chuckled evilly and let it go at that. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62530 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62530 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:07:35 -0600 I don't understand why he is interesting. It sounds like a cheap money spinner to me. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62516 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62516 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:51:49 -0600 Now I know that mr. T peed in y'all's wheaties, but is that any reason to use the facts? You vicious meanies, how DARE you look up the TRUTH?!?!?! Dont you know you are supposed to shaddup and take this lying down? Yeah right. Not that the military blogs have EVER shied away from a good fight, but you so totally rock. You could almost be Molly Weasley. *sniff* http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62495 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62495 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:52:35 -0600 Leave it to the Armorer to be all over the ammo angle :) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62491 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62491 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:26:10 -0600 Thorn - that *was* the Puckle gun! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62490 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62490 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:24:03 -0600 The New Republic. I wonder if Eve Fairbanks, Assistant Editor at TNR, 'edits' his work? Perhaps she actually writes it?]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62487 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62487 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:43:44 -0600 Does anyone remember a bit of whimsy from back in the black powder days, an advertisement for a gun that shot round bullets for Christians and square bullets for infidels? I seem to remember seeing this on the back cover of an old copy of American Rifleman. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62486 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62486 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:43:25 -0600 The New Republic. I wonder if Eve Fairbanks, Assistant Editor at TNR, 'edits' his work? Perhaps she actually writes it?]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62485 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62485 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:42:52 -0600 Who needs cubical bullets, now that we can cause lithium deuteride to become instantaneously incandescent? I'm kinda sorta thinking about entertaining the notion that the problem with large parts of the Middle East is their bad mineral proportions; that is, too much petroleum and not enough trinitite. Hey, sometimes the Alexandrine solution may be the best one. I might think differently later, but like Skippy, I am *so* tired of those A-rabs. All the ones in Iraq have to do is pretend to play nice until we say, "that's nice!" and leave, and then get back to unhindered killin'. They don't seem to have enough patience for that. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62476 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62476 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:14:29 -0600 4. I immediately notified MAJ Lamb of MND-B PAO, who advised me to send him the link and pertinent information on the New Republic's blog posts, which I did. He informed me of his intent to engage the CENTCOM blog team to see if they could take action, and at the very least, make them aware of the situation. 5. I contacted the only unit in our brigade that has Bradleys, 1-18 IN, and advised their XO of the situation, recommending that they talk to their Soldiers about Army values and the Warrior ethos, reminding them of the rules for blogging in uniform and also reminding them of integrity and telling the truth. The bottom line: If you put something out there you should be willing to put your name next to it and stand by it. That he and New Rpublic are insisting on anonymity is very telling here. Small Wars journal]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62473 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62473 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:29:36 -0600 The author of this story is a bad apple. He is trying to get attention by telling wild stories. He too will be identified and removed from the service. Respectfully, U.S. Army Officer as I was saying...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62470 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62470 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:25:34 -0600 Kat - by "some of the stink" I mean TNR may have done some pro-forma fact-checking, and not gone too deeply, simply because the story confirms what they want to think anyway - vice deliberately and consciously putting forth a fabrication. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62469 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62469 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:19:12 -0600 JD Johannes over at Outside the Wire said the same thing. Some parts are true but sounds like everything else someone has taken "literary license" with. In which case, I don't think it takes the stink off of anything. Still, what I was really hoping was that it was total BS because this guy probably has just got himself, his buds and his command in some hot water considering the things that he admits to and, even if not true, still gets them in trouble for coloring outside the lines so to speak. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62468 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62468 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:15:00 -0600 ...which would make the Winter Soldier or simple fabulist angle more likely. But would at least take some of the stink off of TNR. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62467 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62467 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:04:35 -0600 Blue Star Chronicles, saying there are threads of truth to Thomas' writings (i.e. the "mass grave" was actually a cememtary).]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62463 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62463 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:51:14 -0600 ... As John hijacks his own thread ;-) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62462 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62462 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:47:13 -0600 Snerk! Nowhere near as hard to stump me on New Stuff. If it ain't 50 or so years old or older, I ain't interested in it. Right SWWBO? [Ooooo - double-entendre!] http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62461 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62461 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:08:42 -0600 Ho ho. It's just temporarily swelled by FINALLY knowing something about firearms that you didn't... I will treasure this moment forever. Heh heh heh. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62458 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62458 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:50:56 -0600 Must be that Large Cranium getting in the way... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62457 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62457 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:37:38 -0600 I cheated- I thought I remembered that and went to the collection to look- and sure enough. I don't like em either, or really any double action only design. Especially since every 3rd or 4th spent shell bounces off my forehead with mine... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62456 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62456 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:33:11 -0600 website that discusses the Glock firing pin dent (which you have to scroll down a bit for). If we accept Karl's thesis - which is certainly plausible - my scepticism remains unassuaged, as the terminology used in the "Thomas" article sounds more like someone whose heard stuff from other people, but doesn't truly understand himself, and then writes about it - just those sorts of things that gripe us soldiers and historians when we watch movies and read novels. In other words, absent better proof from TNR, I still think "Thomas" while he may be an extant individual, is writing a composite story - see my example of "Platoon" - and TNR is letting it stand as "normal" for in-theater behavior.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62455 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62455 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:27:15 -0600 Karl brings up the last thing I was going to check, having only fired a Glock once, and not taken one apart - mainly because I don't like 'em very much. And that could well be the source of the characterization - though for an alleged combat Infantryman, it's odd terminology. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62454 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62454 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:18:21 -0600 Well, I do have a thought on "Square-backed" rounds from a Glock- Glocks have a rectangular "firing pin" (actually a striker) indentation. If you had vaguely heard about that and weren't actually familiar with firearms, you might morph "square firing pin indentation" into "squared-back" inside your mind while you were creating your fabrications..... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62452 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62452 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:14:40 -0600 Here's Bob Owen's bit that focuses on that issue. Thomas clearly states "casing."]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62451 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62451 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:01:18 -0600 http://www.southessex.co.uk/weapons/nock.htm http://www.johnsloughoflondon.co.uk/AntSite/index.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TnCKB8PuiM Cheers]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62450 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62450 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:59:09 -0600 Patrick Harper...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62449 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62449 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:47:26 -0600 being generous here in attempting to decipher the meandering "thoughts" of Thomas, but it might be possible that he is referring to the back of a round having a "squared off" profile, vice "boat tail". other than that, i gots nuthin... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62446 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62446 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:41:00 -0600 I agree with fdcol. Don Henley said it best in the 80's with the song Dirty laundry. Crap sells. And if you can't find crap, then make up crap. War is not just a chance for hero's to rise from the trenches to slay the enemy in glory, but it's also a chance for the vermin to profit upon their names, for Pultizers and other awards for writing things that never happened, or twisting the way it was. But then, looking at our modern education systems...we can't really ask where it is they learned to do that at..... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62445 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62445 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:09:50 -0600 John, Do you know about the Royal Navy's aborted volley gun of the late 18th century early 19th century vintage. It was seven half-inch barrels arrayed so that one flintlock spark discharged all of them simultaneously. The weapon was supposed to fired from the rigging to clear the enemy deck. The kick was so great that most men were not big enough to handle it and some were pushed out of the rigging by the kick. So only about 600 were made and they never caught on. It is probably more famous for being Sergeant Patrick Harper's weapon in the Sharpe series of novels by Bernard Cornwell. They are superb historical fiction. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62444 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62444 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:09:26 -0600 As Murtha's Haditha "massacre" looks more and more like a Jenin event, it's not surprising that journalists like Scott Thomas scramble to create yet another bogus American "atrocity" fantasy to push their agenda. We can expect more extreme examples of this as The Surge continues to succeed, and anti-war Leftists become more desperate as their political focus on "failure" and "defeat" is jeopardized. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62443 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/07/the_new_republi.html#comment-62443 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:51:05 -0600