This is the photo America should remember—that of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin shown with his parents, Gene and Dona Griffin.
Sadly, Sgt. Griffin, killed in action this week in Afghanistan will be remembered (or more accurately, his flag-draped casket will be remember) as a photo prop for his Marxist Commander-in-Chief.
Not since the last democrat president has there been such a disgusting display of monumental cynicism, black-hearted calculation and rage-educing bitterness.
And this was the political/visual/media pay-off for his stomach-churning manipulation; the AP, which chose to call Griffin a “…college student who was struggling to find his way in the world when he turned to the military” reports:
“… (Griffin) came home in a line of flag-draped coffins saluted in Thursday's pre-dawn darkness by President Barack Obama at Dover Air Force Base.
(Ed. note: Obama did not salute a “line of flag-draped coffins”….. only one, Griffin’s.)
And save me the eye-rolling lecture about a “president doing what he’s supposed to do as commander-in-chief”; haven’t you been paying attention the last two-three years?
Of the 15 military troops and three DEA agents killed last week, only one family—the Griffins—gave its permission for the photo op.
But the still and video images carry a far different message, don’t they?
The assumption by most Americans is that Obama awoke in the “pre-dawn” darkness to honor all his fallen servicemen.
Absolutely not.
Did Obama’s henchmen contact all the grieving families and could only obtain permission from one?
Did all refuse, but the Griffins gave in? Mr. Griffin is a Mormon bishop from Terre Haute … and he and his wife allowed the TelePrompTer to use their dead son as a prop?
Perhaps the Griffins were placed under a great deal of pressure, or perhaps they even thought it was a great idea; is that likely? I do not know.
And of course, the AP used the faux ceremony to bash President Bush:
“The dramatic image of Obama on the tarmac was a portrait not witnessed in years.”
Compare that with Bush—a very good war-time President, and decent man—who refused to use dead young men to further a political agenda. Without checking all eight years of his daily schedule, not one knows how many grieving families from this war he prayed with and cried with… in private.
Bush also knew that had he done so publically, he would have been pilloried for doing exactly what Barack Hussein Obama has done and will likely continue to do when the need arises for a little distraction from the truth: that he’s leading our brave young men and women to defeat.
Finally… Obama went to Dover with his usual retinue of news media lackeys. Why? If his gesture was genuine and respectful, he would have closed his appearance to all journalists.
And no one had to teach George Bush how to render a proper salute.
The White House news bureau at MSNBC reported: “The president's trip to Dover, something he has wanted to do for months, came at a pivotal moment for the Afghanistan war.”
No argument there… he didn’t go to Dover until he needed the caskets for political cover.
Barack Hussein Obama has spent more time taking his wife to dinner, more time playing basketball and golf, more time brushing his teeth than talking to his Afghanistan commander with whom he has met once.
What enrages we Real Americans is that Obama has time to generate propaganda, but hasn’t the time to heed his theater commanders and send the 40-80,000 reinforcements which would very likely have saved Griffith’s life.
Barry is trading our sons’ and daughters’ lives to placate the radical left which wants America to surrender to its enemies, and demands that Obama surrender as he promised he would.
Griffin (shown second from left), died along with six other soldiers and an Afghan interpreter when their Stryker armored vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.
Griffin, 29, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
He died Oct. 27 in Arghandab Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an IED. Also killed were
- Pfc. Brian Bates, 20, New Orleans.
- Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, of South Ozone Park, N.Y.
- Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, of Alamo, Texas.
- Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, of Plattsburg, Mo.
- Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, of Broussard, La.
- Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, of Evergreen Park, Ill.
KABUL - Eleven US troops and three US drug enforcement officials were killed in two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan yesterday, the heaviest one-day loss for American forces in more than four years, military officials said.
The crashes involved three copters, two of which collided midair in the south of the country and a third that went down in the wake of a firefight in Afghanistan’s west, according to NATO and US officials.
In a separate air crash in Afghanistan on Monday, seven American soldiers and three U.S. civilians died when their Chinook helicopter went down in western Afghanistan; eleven US service members and one US civilian were injured, as were 14 Afghan troops.
Seven soldiers died Monday in the crash of an MH-47 helicopter in Darreh-ye Bum, Afghanistan.
They were identified as:
- Staff Sgt. Shawn H. McNabb, 24, of Terrell, Tx.
- Chief Warrant Officer Michael P. Montgomery, 36, of Savannah, Ga.
- Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons, 40, of Spokane, Wash.;
- Sgt. Josue E. Hernandez Chavez, 23, of Reno, Nev.;
- Sgt. Nikolas A. Mueller, 26, of Little Chute, Wisc.;
- Sgt. 1st Class David E. Metzger, 32, of San Diego., and
- Staff Sgt. Keith R. Bishop, 28, of Medford, N.Y.
McNabb, Montgomery, Lyons, Chavez and Mueller were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), based at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.: Metzger and Bishop were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), from Fort Bragg, N.C.
Air disaster
Capt. Kyle R. VanDeGiesen, a Marine Super Cobra pilot, was 29 years old. He was one of 14 Americans killed in Afghanistan today on two flights - the deadliest day for U.S. forces in that war since June 28, 2005, when 19 troops were lost.
Captain VanDeGiesen and his wife Megan are shown here on their wedding day.
VanDeGiesen and his widow Megan have a daughter, Avery; the couple is expecting their first son.
Survivors include his parents, Ruth Ann and Calvin VanDeGiesen, two brothers, Ryan and Christian, and a sister, Caitlin.
A UH-1N “Huey” carrying Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury, 23, and Capt. Eric Jones, 29, below, crashed into a the Cobra piloted by Capt. David Mitchell, 30, and Capt. Van De Giesen, in Helmand Province.
The combined 14 deaths from the loss of the three aircraft made it the deadliest day for U.S. personnel in the Islamic republic since 2005.
These are the faces and names of our finest who have been killed as a result of 68 million voters casting a ballot for a Communist Manchurian Candidate intent on destroying this military, our society and our nation.
I wonder how they sleep?
May God comfort the families, and welcome America’s best and brightest to his embrace.
And Semper Fi.
Sir,
You have already done more than your share for this nation by wearing its uniform and defending its shores along with your brothers in arms which we know as the USMC. I also know that once a Marine, always a Marine, so I thank you that you are still in the fight. The uniform may have changed to flannel and Levi jeans, but the mindset and attitude of the heart are still the same. For that I thank you. For taking the time to research as you do and in this instance to write the names, ages and homes of our fallen I thank you again. It does my weary heart good to slowly read those names. A heart made so by the current political landscape needs such as this to refresh and rekindle the spirit that makes this Nation what it should be - The Land of the Free, because of the Brave. Keep up the great work my friend. May God Himself richly bless you in this timely endevour of sounding the alarm. I pray that we're all listening. . .
Posted by: Bruce Watson, Jr. | November 02, 2009 at 08:09 AM
There are not words to properly express the gratitude to all who serve.
There are not words to properly express the shameful behavior of the left and of the President concerning the treatment of those fallen in service. Quoting from MSNBC: "something he has wanted to do for months". Really? And how, dear propaganda outlet, do you know that? Where was he for the past 8 months or so?
Disgusted that, once again, we are being fed a shit sandwich and told it is meatloaf.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, to the men and women who serve to protect our liberty.
Dan Patterson
Arrogant Infidel.
Posted by: Dan Patterson | October 31, 2009 at 09:17 AM