Andy Rooney: Volunteer military is composed of "The bottom of the barrel"

[ubertroll]

And that, while he never thought he'd say this, Rooney tonight [March 11th] said that when this country goes to war, it should be with a drafted citizen military.

 

[MechaBlade]

And that, while he never thought he'd say this, Rooney tonight [March 11th] said that when this country goes to war, it should be with a drafted citizen military.

Posting in a 10 paged thread.

 

[RoryN]

I know at least one veteran who feels exactly the same way.

There's no question a drafted military and voluntary military are 180 degrees from one another; that fact cannot be challenged. Which is better is debatable (and one could argue it's a pretty futile debate).

Both contain some of the best and bravest America has to offer but, according to current enrollees I know, the latter has a higher "hicks who like to shoot guns" and juvenile delinquent element. Not earth-shattering news.

 

[hogjack]

"The bottom of the barrel"?

Then who the fuck are the millions left to drool over Dancing with the Pseudo-Stars, American Idolotry and Spring Break on MTV?

 

[RoryN]

"The bottom of the barrel"?

Then who the fuck are the millions left to drool over Dancing with the Pseudo-Stars, American Idolotry and Spring Break on MTV?

Aspiring military.

*ducks and runs*

(Nah, seriously, that was a joke. I guess I can't run in `08 now.)

 

[moana15]

Well, he didn't say they were all the bottom of the barrel. He said that the relaxing of standards to join, reflective of the shortage of military troops, means that too high of a percentage of those serving shouldn't be in any position representing the US or perhaps shooting a gun.

He said that the same was true before the draft was instituted in WWII.

 

[ubertroll]

Well, he didn't say they were all the bottom of the barrel. He said that the relaxing of standards to join, reflective of the shortage of military troops, means that too high of a percentage of those serving shouldn't be in any position representing the US or perhaps shooting a gun.

He said that the same was true before the draft was instituted in WWII.

Actually, yes, he used the precise phrase 'bottom of the barrel' as to the quality of many modern American army and navy recruits. Presumably, he is also referring to the Air Force and Marines, of course.

He also made referrence to 'moral waivers' that the military gives recruits today. CNN much hulabaloo about this, too, ignoring the fact that they're given for admitted conduct, even if it was not discovered/prosecuted. How many of us have done something that COULD have been embaressing/incriminating? If a person tells his recruiter that he once did pot, he gets a drug waiver--how many of us would need them? If a recruit says he once spray painted his middle school as a juvie, he gets a moral waiver, even though the record was sealed--should he ever after be condemned forever for that act, Javert?

 

[overthebow]

Did everyone forget about Blackwater? Those guys aren't the bottom of the barrel.

Oh yeah, they aren't military.

Much.

 

[ubertroll]

No... they're former military. So *used* to be the bottom of the barrel? Or...?

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

Relaxing the standards allows more people the opportunity to overcome past mistakes. You still have to make it through the winnowing process.

Andy Rooney really doesn't know squat about the military other than he detests it and he's old and reliving his glory days of Vietnam and how he and people like Jane Fonda brought the greatest nation on earth to its knees.

The blockbuster movie of the week is about an actual event. What 300 FREE men did to terrorize a million man army. Our military is composed of FREE men and the only people who can defeat them are elected.

 

[ubertroll]

Andy Rooney served in WWII.


Dick Cheney? Paul Wolfowitz? George "AWOL" Bush?

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

Ahem.

Andy Rooney was "pressed" into duty.

His cry is the Randesque, "We need to make sure it's equal," as proposed by Rangal. He wants a draft to prevent war; he knows he served with a lot of bottom-of-the-barrels in WWII and that the best and brightest went off to England to hide in Vietnam, so he's lying to you to manipulate you...

 

[ubertroll]

Ahem.

Andy Rooney was "pressed" into duty.

He was drafted into service, but he went, now didn't he? The country asked of him, and he replied as a citizen should.

Bush did not. Cheney did not. Condi? Don't make me laugh. Yet they presume to call themselves leaders of a nation that they will not put themselves to the hazard to defend, and have the unmitigated chutzpah to attack Clinton for the same thing [when at least his Veep had served in Vietnam!].

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

Clinton didn't either, but it's not about what any individual does, that masks the underlying philosophy. Andy Rooney knows that our military is the most effective the world has seen. It has its equals on some levels, not to put down any of our allies, or enemies, but it is the premier, proven outfit, and always has been because we are governed by the philosophy of the free individual. Andy Roony is not about individualism, but collectivism, that pasty gray sameness that is supposed to make us happy, but actually turns us to slaves and then our army does break down because free men always beat slaves. Andy thinks he's just one of the Elites who would run the Tyranny; he believes the State to be a benevolent entity and that conflict is never the answer; it's consensus.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

If I go to Canada, be prepared for my return by overwhelming force...

 

[Lost Cause]

I always get disappointed at an apparently thoughtful thread title only to have my expectations dashed to bits by the rantings of the neurotic Bush hatahs and those that can find no good in this nation.

I hope your sphincters unravel...

http://www.fairpress.org/images/shootofficers.jpg

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

What's going to be funny is watching Democrats get blindsided by people from their side.

It happened to LBJ...

They're already in (and defacing) the halls of our government demanding an explanation from the leaders of the majority on why we're still at war, and we're not talking about a crowd that sits quietly by. They want a draft too. It gives them greater strength.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

This is going to get good. Like I said earlier, eventually this mob will do something aggregious enough to get taken off ignore (where they got put the second they popped off about Hillary).

 

[unregistered]

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

One can count on it.

It looks crazy on this side of the mob, but when I was with them, well, it seems normal if it's what everyone else thinks!

 

[moana15]

Actually, yes, he used the precise phrase 'bottom of the barrel' as to the quality of many modern American army and navy recruits. Presumably, he is also referring to the Air Force and Marines, of course.

He also made referrence to 'moral waivers' that the military gives recruits today. CNN much hulabaloo about this, too, ignoring the fact that they're given for admitted conduct, even if it was not discovered/prosecuted. How many of us have done something that COULD have been embaressing/incriminating? If a person tells his recruiter that he once did pot, he gets a drug waiver--how many of us would need them? If a recruit says he once spray painted his middle school as a juvie, he gets a moral waiver, even though the record was sealed--should he ever after be condemned forever for that act, Javert?

I didn't say he DIDN'T use the phrase "bottom of the barrel". I said that he didn't say that it universally applied to all in the service.

Yes, when you say "moral waivers" were required, it sounds fairly ominous, like there are horrible issues that are being overlooked. I'm not sure who you are arguing with on that point, but yes, it's likely true that most moral issues are minor.

Generally speaking, I think Rooney is an old grumpy asshole.

 

[unregistered]

 

[moana15]

I would only add: ...of the first magnitude.

He went on some tirade against American Indians a few years back. I thought it was grumpy and annoying before that, but when he did that well, fuck him.