Today is the 65th anniversary of the Tokyo raid, early in WWII. 80 brave airmen in 16 Mitchell bombers gave America a morale boost it badly needed, after 3 1/2 months of nothing but losses, starting with Pearl Harbor.
I pray that these men, most of them gone now, will never be forgotten for their efforts to keep us free.
Or better yet, read "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again" by Doolittle himself to understand how he got to be in position to lead the Tokyo raid and about his distinguished career after...
Many a WWII vet would be spinning in their graves if they know how many Americans today are running down their own county and President at a time of war, for political reasons. To think so many gave their lives so that many of the lefty kooks can talk so stupid. Search Tokyo Rosie O'Donnell and Colorado University professor Paul Campos for an insight into just two of some of the real nut cases, besides the ones we know that are here in the NGs
One person just wrote me, "Bush is not the smartest moron in the nuthouse."
Part of being in a democracy is the freedom of expression.
The President made a horrible mistake by going into Iraq without sufficient evidence that Iraq had WMD's aimed at the US or was a direct threat to the US in the near term, based on the data that were available at the time. In addition, according to all accounts I have read, the President doesn't have curisousity to ask, "Are those data from out intelligence people accurate?" He saw something that furthered his political ambitions of going into Iraq without checking out the facts.
Now, which is worse? Putting down the President or going into a country, costing thousands of lives of US and allied troops, and thousands of innocent Iraqis?
The freedom of expression is what the soldiers in WWII fought against, my father and three of my uncles, including one who came back in a box.
I would be much more upset if people didn't protest and express their views. In fact, it is part of the duty of citizens.
Were those who protested the Viet Nam War kooks, too?
I'm sorry, but I don't think political beliefs make one a kook.
Having examined much available information, I have come to the conclusion that global warming is real. That doesn't mean that those who disagree with me are kooks.
Even Lee Iococca, the man who worked at two different US auto companies beleives global warming is real (from a Fortune interview, as reported in alt.autos.ford): "I campaigned for George W. Bush in 2000 and against Gore because I thought Gore was a little nutty when he was talking global warming. Now I think it's a serious problem. As I said in my book, I never thought I'd pay $8 to go see Al give a PowerPoint presentation. There has to be a solution that everybody's got to join - the whole planet, not one country - and so I've become a believer. I didn't get too enlightened until years after I left the auto business."
No wonder Chrysler had to be sold to Dialmer when it was led by a kook like that.
Whose opinion did you think that was? George McGovern's? Obviously, if I put name after it, it is my opinion.
If it were someone else's opinion, I would make have made that clear.
I don't know who Toyko Rosie O'Donnell is or what she (or he) believes.
However, 9/11 was the result of hatred and ignorance of some members of Al Quada. It wasn't done by the US Gov't.
Al Queda wasn't involved in Iraq to any great extent at the time that the US entered Iraq, nor, to the best of my knowedge, was there good reason to believe it was.
I've read it at least twice and have seen the film innumerable times.
One of the great thrills of my adult life was meeting Gen. Doolittle in Los Angeles in the early 70s. He was about 77 at the time, with a firm handshake and eyes that appraised you thoroughly (but kindly). I was half a head taller than he, since I could look down at his bald pate, but to me the man was a giant. I walked out of the room as if on air. Our meeting was rather unexpected, and I was so astounded on shaking hands with this man who was one of my childhood heroes (for his air racing accomplishments as well as leading the Tokyo raid) I was almost speechless. Thirty-five years or so later, I cherish the memory of that day.
At the time, I was working for the City of LA in their business tax division. I was checking out the tenants of the Mutual of Omaha building at Wilshire and La Brea, for proper business licenses. Gen. Doolittle was on the board of directors of Mutual of Omaha, and on his office door was just "James H. Doolittle". I went in and told the secretary my business and asked "Is this the General or the theatrical impresario?" At that time the man who operated the Greek Theater was a showman named James A. Doolittle, and I always wondered if they got each other's mail a lot. She answered "It's the general. He's at lunch just now, but if you come back, he'll be glad to answer your questions...." and then "Oh, he's back " (as she saw his shadow at the glass door.) He strode in, all five feet six of him, and she introduced us. He thrust out his hand and said "Glad to meet you!" with a smile. I explained what I was there about and determined that his was a private business office and he had no liability for business tax. We chatted a couple of minutes and I left, as I said, on air. Later I was chatting with the building manager and mentioned that I had met the General. He said "Yeah, he's a fantastic guy....you know, although his office is on the sixth floor, he always walks up and down the six flights to go there. Up in the morning, down at lunch, back up after lunch and down in the late afternoon. I've only seen him on the elevator once, and kidded him about it, and he said he'd forgotten something in his office and had walked all the way down before he'd remembered. "But otherwise I'd be walking..."
It was an interesting job for me, meeting all sorts of folks and going to interesting places (like movie studios) that I'd never have the opportunity to do otherwise.
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