Quick! Before he leaves town!

Rob Casapulla believes that the pen really is mightier than the sword. To prove it, the UConn College Republican president, will not soften himself by joining The Military.

Mr. Casapulla on the American troop surge he's not anxious to participate in:

"The military has met 13 out of 18 benchmarks during the course of the war, which is a big deal."

Mr. Casapulla on sacrifice (you know, like having to eat Ramon noodles on a college budget):

"After the fifth anniversary of the war was marked, the number of U.S. dead in Iraq reached 4,000. Each life lost was a brave sacrifice given for all of us who can remain back here at home. The sacrifices of these soldiers illustrate how the War in Iraq is progressing, despite what liberals would have us believe."

Mr. Casapulla telling troops that see combat 'you don't know how good ya got it':

"To put the Iraq war in perspective - in the 17-year span American troops were in Vietnam 58,000 soldiers were killed. If the War in Iraq continues at its current pace and we are in Iraq for another 12 years 14,000 American soldiers will have died in a 17-year war, that is less than a quarter of the troops lost in Vietnam. We lost 4,900 American soldiers in the Normandy invasion of D-Day."

Advil- more dangerous than bullets or IED's

"Each year in America approximately 7,600 people die from "non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs." For those of you not following, this means almost twice as many people die every year in the United States from aspirin or ibuprofen than have died in the five years we have been in Iraq."

Mr. Casapulla: defender of yellow ribbons

"They scoff at Americans that display yellow ribbons to support their family, friends, and neighbors that serve overseas, claiming they really support the troops because they want to bring them home."

OYE Comment: As a senior, Mr. Casapulla will be graduating shortly. Before he leaves we ask that you contact him and offer your encouragement to Be A Man! Enlist!

John Bruhns: Support The Troops - Draft Yourself!

from A National Disgrace, by John Bruhns:

During the Vietnam conflict the American people had personal reasons to care about their country being at war. Now, if Americans don't have their own blood or money in the game, they couldn't care less. [ . . . ]

Now, America's burdens are borne by only a handful of volunteers and their families.

How does a country fight two wars simultaneously without a military draft and tax cuts for those in the highest income brackets? How can a country turn a blind eye while the blood of their service members continues to flow and our lawmakers dump $12 billion dollars per month into the Iraq conflict? The answer is simple: Our country is not at war, our troops are, their families are, and the Iraqi people are. [ . . . ]

I look out my front window and see a plethora of American flags decking out the entire block of my neighbors' homes - a true patriotism contest. Yet, if they didn't know me, they probably wouldn't know anyone who served in Iraq.

I see peace vigils countered by "victory" demonstrations populated by young males who lack the courage to put their own bodies where their rhetoric is. They stand on street corners like cowards chanting . . . Victory, Victory, Victory - all while they stay completely out of harms way.

However, if these same young men were required (by a military draft) to fight the war they so strongly support, they would be on the other side of the street burning their draft cards chanting . . . Bring the troops home, Bring the troops home, Bring the troops home. (That is the difference between my generation and the baby boom generation).

And while these same cowards will accept nothing less than victory, I wonder - What is victory in Iraq? [ . . . ]

For the record, I'm not advocating for a draft. Primarily because I wouldn't want these clueless, cowardly, street corner mouthpieces sharing a foxhole with our patriotic men and women who exemplify the best of all that is American. (The "victory" cheerleaders who refuse to serve exemplify all that is un-American).

Plus, my concern is that the "Dick Cheneys" of the world would always find an out, while the poor kids of small towns & urban ghettos would be the ones selected to have their blood spilled for rich elitists who feel entitled to live lavishly and protected during a time of war & recession - a true national disgrace.

At the same time, I fully acknowledge there are veterans groups out there who wholeheartedly agree with our mission in Iraq. Most of them have served in the "war on terror." I may disagree with them, but I respect them for their service. They fought the war they believe in.

My gripe is with this despicable element in American society who thump their chests, wave the flag, support the war, but just stay home - all under their perverted perception that they are doing their part by fighting the cultural war here at home -- oh how convenient for them. [ . . . ]

But if you feel that you know what victory is and you advocate for the troops to be kept in harm's way -- go join them.

My final message to all the young, able-bodied, male cheerleaders advocating for victory in Iraq with no intention of ever wearing the uniform is this: SUPPORT THE TROOPS - DRAFT YOURSELF.

OYE Comment: None needed. That says it all.

Waivers for Recruits Increase

The Washington Post had the basic story. The New York Times added more. Money quote:

“With the Iraq war being as controversial as it is and absent any higher level call to service, it’s a very difficult challenge to all the services, particularly the Army,” said Michele Flournoy, the president and co-founder of the Center for a New American Security, a centrist research organization that focuses on national security and military policies. “The fact that the use of waivers has increased dramatically is something that should be of concern and should be watched over time.”

Meanwhile, Stop-Loss continues, according to USA Today, United Press International and the Associated Press.

OYE Comment:

We repeat our call to those eligible-to-serve civilians, who support what our troops are trying to accomplish, to support them even more by becoming one of them.

Boston Globe Columnist Kevin Cullen joins Operation Yellow Elephant

Humbled at Walter Reed, by Kevin Cullen, Globe Columnist, published April 21, 2008.

In the rehabilitation unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where every day is Patriots Day, there are nine "Rehab Rules" on the wall and the first commandment is: Share Your Story.

And so they do.

[ . . . ]

There are 160 inpatients at Walter Reed.

There are 700 outpatients, what they call the Warrior Transition Brigade, trying to get back to where they were before Iraq and Afghanistan. Captain Sarah Mitsch, a Weymouth [MA] girl, is an occupational therapist and works with amputees. She was in Iraq, as was Major Matt St. Laurent, a therapist from New Hampshire, and so they carry an unspoken bond with the wounded warriors they tend.

"Some guys, we start from scratch," St. Laurent said. "We've got young soldiers who can't dress themselves."

St. Laurent looked around.

"It's an honor to work with these guys," he said softly, almost to himself.

[ . . . ]

Coming face to face with the cost of war, it is easy to get angry.

Angry that so many honorable men and women will never be the same.

Angry that almost everybody in the White House and Congress who put these soldiers in a position to lose a limb or a chunk of their minds never had any intention of allowing their own flesh and blood to shed a drop overseas.

But anger isn't the emotion you feel walking around Walter Reed. Humility is a better word.

If you are not a soldier, if you don't love or know a soldier, you will never in a million years understand this, but many of the soldiers here would give anything to get back to their units.

Many have given an arm and a leg and they'd give the other one to get back.

[ . . . ]

March 2008 Recruiting Statistics - and more

The Pentagon announced April 10 that all four services met or exceeded their (seasonally-adjusted) recruiting goals for March 2008.

However, we have a further question for a new, but very frequent, commentator: Shouldn't our national civilian political leadership be encouraging even more real Americans [to include legal immigrants] to Be A Man! Enlist!?

On the other hand, real American and 10% disabled Afghanistan vet James Raymond, of Buffalo, New York, has been recalled to active duty despite having lost his most of his hearing in his left ear, injuring his knee, etc.

OYE Comment:

Isn't there one eligible-to-serve civilian out there, who supports what our country is tryingto do, with the personal courage and integrity to take his place?

Hat tip to News of the Weird.

Our Founder's Fundraiser

Our Founder, General J.C. Christian, Patriot, is fundraising on his fabulous blog, Jesus' General.

All real Americans should thank The General for putting America First!

Please send him some love if you can. Click here. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Operation Yellow Elephant

The Cat in the Hat Joins OYE

Maybe Uncle Sam was too strong of a character for Mr. DeWinter and Mr. Antonopoulos and this recruiting poster is more appropriate.

H/T: Barefoot and Progressive

Has Andrew Sullivan joined Operation Yellow Elephant?

In its entirety:

Begging Foreigners to Fight for Us

Is that really what Michael O'Hanlon's best argument is?

OYE Comment:

We've heard this from Michael O'Hanlon before. If our national civilian political leadership cannot persuade real Americans [to include legal immigrants] to volunteer for military service in support of its stated national objectives, then that leadership should reconsider those objectives.

That is, if they choose not to set a good example for the rest of us by encouraging their own relatives and friends, their circles of influence [e.g., major campaign contributors] to volunteer for service themselves (if eligible), or encourage their own eligible circles of influence to Be A Man! Enlist!

Right, Henry Hager?

OYE 107: A Reminder

This blog has not taken a position on any conflict, whether current and ongoing, or those that have occurred in history.

We certainly do acknowledge others' positions on current conflicts, and ask polite follow-up questions, but these are based on our subjects' stated positions, not on any opinions that we may have (which we do not express on this blog).

Therefore, discussion or debates about the wisdom, if any, of current or historical conflicts in the world are simply off-topic.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Drop the Pom Poms and Enlist

Bryan DeWinter, self photographer

Bryan DeWinter and Michael Antonopoulos are College Republicans in the San Francisco Bay area, no doubt a difficult place for conservatives to blend in. Between semesters Mr. DeWinter enjoys less hostile environments:

Bryan DeWinter spent his summer vacation in Israel, speaking with convicted terrorists at a maximum-security prison and venturing to the Syrian and Lebanese borders, where signs of the 2006 war with Hezbollah still remained. In Washington, D.C., he spent winter break meeting with Department of Homeland Security officials, analyzing government tactics to quell terrorist activities.

"I am now happy to support Sen. John McCain, as he is our nominee, and I believe that he is the best candidate out there to continue to combat international terrorism." - Bryan DeWinter, chair of the San Jose State University College Republicans

No doubt the country of Israel and the Dept of Homeland Security were fortunate to have careful deliberation from a 21 year old coed. On the other hand, Mr. Antonopoulos, the Bay Area vice chair of California College Republicans, chooses not to cut and run from his state when school is out:

Taking a break from a game of touch football, Antonopoulos contrasted McCain's Iraq war position with that of his Democratic rivals.

"No matter what statistics you look at, we're making progress both militarily and politically in Iraq," said the San Jose native. "McCain wants victory and the Democrats, with their commitment to pulling out, are promising defeat."

OYE Comment: At this time we are unsure if Mr. DeWinter and Mr. Antonopoulos have decided to Be A Man! Enlist! Both have been contacted by OYE and apparently have elected not respond at this time. Perhaps if they were given a little encouragement they can find it within themselves to be like their chosen Presidential candidate, Senator McCain, and lead by example.

Has Pat Buchanan Joined Operation Yellow Elephant?

In a column opposing NATO expansion, Pat Buchanan touched our our topic.

A day before Bush went to the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, to speak of normalcy returning to Iraq, he was led down into "the Tank," a secure room at the Pentagon, to be briefed on the crisis facing the U.S. Army and Marine Corps because of the constant redeployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

As The Associated Press' Robert Burns reported, the Joint Chiefs "laid out their concerns about the health of the U.S. force." First among them is "that U.S. forces are being worn thin, compromising the Pentagon's ability to handle crises elsewhere in the world. ... The U.S. has about 31,000 troops in Afghanistan and 156,000 in Iraq."

"Five plus years in Iraq," the generals and admirals told Bush, "could create severe, long-term problems, particularly for the Army and Marine Corps."

In short, the two long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are wearing down U.S. ground forces of fewer than 700,000, one in every six of them women, to such an extent U.S. commanders called Bush and Dick Cheney to a secret meeting to awaken them to the strategic and morale crisis.

This is serious business. With the Taliban revived and the violence in Iraq rising toward pre-surge levels, the Joint Chiefs are telling the commander in chief that the U.S. Army and Marine Corps are worn out. [ . . . ]

But with the Joint Chiefs warning of a war-weary Army and Marine Corps, who will fight all the new wars the neocons and their new champion [Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)] have in store for us?

At Last, Closure

The remains of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin [above], of Batavia [near Cincinatti], Ohio, Missing In Action in Iraq since April 9, 2004, were recently recovered in northwest Baghdad and have been identified. We thank the local Iraqis who provided the tips for allowing his family, and our country, to find some closure.

Funeral arrangements in Cincinatti are still tentative, but will definitely be publicized in local media. Our readers can go to Yahoo! News and search on "Maupin," then sort by date.

Once arrangements are finalized, please spread the word. Thank you.

Has the Washington Times joined Operation Yellow Elephant?

Noble of the Week:

Noble: Dr. Robert Gherman [right], an obstetrician-gynecologist at Prince George's Hospital Center who joined the Marine Corps Reserve and will ship out to Iraq in the fall to be an assistant battalion surgeon.

Although he's no stranger to military service, Dr. Gherman has been brushing up his training, both on the battlefield and in the operating room. He spent more than a decade on active duty in the Navy, but was never required to so much as shoot a gun. So, he's been working with his fellow Marines to learn the basics of combat as well as relearning some medical basics to help him when he's overseas. In addition, Dr. Gherman has been helping train field medics, many of whom have only very basic training.

Dr. Gherman joined the Marines last summer in light of a physician shortage, knowing full well he would likely be deployed to Iraq. He told The Washington Post: "The bottom line is, whether you think the Iraq war is right or wrong, there are guys still getting injured." That's an admirable stance, and the good doctor is commended for his selflessness.

For helping fill the shortage of physicians in Iraq, Dr. Robert Gherman is the Noble of the Week.

OYE Comment:

Operation Yellow Elephant salutes Dr. Gherman for his continued commitment to our nation and its servicemembers and wishes him, his family and his patients in Prince Georges County, all the best. Because he has already done his duty [we recommend military service to any aspiring medical professional, whether wealthy or not], he is demonstrating again the spirit of selfless service by volunteering for America.

We also commend The Washington Times for its civic spirit in calling attention to Dr. Gherman as originally reported in the Other Paper. We love healthy competition as much as anyone, but this is one time for all Americans to come together.

Correction of the Day

from the New York Times:

A headline on a report in the World Briefing column on Tuesday [April 1] about a posthumous Medal of Honor for Michael A. Monsoor [above], a member of the Navy Seals who threw himself on a grenade in Iraq to save his colleagues, misstated his rank. He was a petty officer second class; he was not a commissioned “Navy Officer.” Because of an editing error, the report also misstated the number of people who have received the honor since the beginning of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Petty Officer Monsoor became the fourth, not the fifth.

OYE Comment:

Petty Officer Monsoor's family will receive his Medal of Honor at the White House on Tuesday, April 8. RIP.

Just. Ask. Us.

Today Senator McCain spoke in Pensacola, FL to deliver another speech for his "Service to America" tour. He made several references to the current troop levels being inadequate to meet the current Military objectives.

"We must increase the size of our military, and much more so than we have done to date. It is an urgent priority.''

"I want every American to know that, despite its attendant risks and sacrifices, military service even for one or two enlistments or for a career is one of the most rewarding experiences you could ever have. Few other occupations so completely invest your life with personal and even historic importance.''

"Had we begun to do it right after 9/11 -- as we realized that we were now in a global struggle against a malicious enemy, or as we embarked on two wars, or even when it became clear to many of us that our flawed strategy and inadequate troop levels in Iraq were going to result in that conflict lasting far longer than anticipated -- we would not be in the situation we are in now.''

OYE Comment: At the time of this post we were unable to find the full transcript of Senator McCain's speech. From the many news organizations that covered today's event we did not find a single sentence where the likely Republican presidential nominee specifically asked the eligible to Be A Man! Enlist!

OYE believes that alluding to the present Military personnel shortages is not enough in this time of 15 month deployments, stop-loss, and multiple combat tours. We hope you will join us in asking Senator McCain to show the type of leadership he learned as a Navy/Vietnam War Veteran by encouraging those eligible to at least consider Military service to Our Country. Operation Yellow Elephant is NOT proud of the fact that we are the only organization or persons that ask Americans to step forward.