Chester,

Surely the commenter realizes just what a hollow tactic he/she employs... heck, from that perspective, only cops and ex-cops should have anything to say about organizing a neighborhood watch.... only firefighters and ex-firefighters should have any say over where we mount smoke alarms in our homes...

He/she obviously has nothing of value to add to the discussion... pathetic.

Triton

Um...wern't you an officer in the Marine Corps? Doesn't that count as, you know, service?

"But I'd like to say once and for all that I think it's a very poor point to argue that only those who serve are allowed to voice an opinion on the war."

Don't worry Chester, a lack of any form of military service has never stopped the left from voicing their opinions on the military or a war.

Where was Bill Clinton or Hillary? Dick Durbin, Joe Biden? Barak Obama? Nancy Pelosi? I could go on and on. Aside from a few tokens you won't find many.

They don't think twice about voicing their opinion and neither should we.

Oh how tired and typical this line of resoning (if you can call it that) has become. Play the race card or the "armchair general" card when you are so ignorant of the topic that you can't formulate an opinion that others would consider worthwhile.

The commenter shows a profound ignorance that is usually reserved for high school students and small children, and Hollywood Actors.

The usual course of action is to not feed the troll.

His comment makes about as much sense as a rule that says that those who oppose the war are not allowed to comment. It is another form of the left's attempt to stifle debate by those who oppose their point of view. As someone who is a combat veteran, I always appreciated the support of those who wanted our side to win regardless of whether they served. I did not appreciate those who wanted us to lose regardless of their status as a veteran.

This oke beatles1 is a typical troll; he isn't worth bothering about. He doesn't know anything about you; he is just using canned insults ("racist" and "chickenhawk") without bothering to look at who he is arguing with and what they are actually saying.

[T]he Federation just grew. With national governments in collapse something had to fill the vacuum, and in many cases it was returned veterans. [T]he system collapsed; somebody else moved in.
The first known case was typical. Some veterans got together as vigilantes and decided not to let anyone but veterans on their committee. Just arbitrary at first [… but w]hat started as an emergency measure became constitutional practice…in a generation or two. [T]hose veterans decided that they weren’t going to let any civilians have any say about it.
-- Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Please inform your correspondent that Heinlein's book was a work of dystopian science fiction, not a white paper or a how-to manual.

The U.S. has liberated millions of people through war. The people of Iraq (less the terrorists)would appreciate it if we would complete the job and liberate them. Adding 50 million or so to the free would be quite an accomplishment for the young hero's serving in Iraq.
Left to those that oppose this war no one would ever be free. Even the cut and run crowd from the Vietnam era will lose in the end. They have to suck it up that they are responsible for the slaughter of 3 to 5 million humans and now the people of Vietnam are seeking freedom again. May take a few more years but they got a taste of freedom in the 60's and freedom will win in the end.

Those in America that don't want others to be free should go live in one of the countries that will never be free. Probably some free one way tickets available. Guess they're all mouth like the moving to Canada crowd. Suffered from PEST and BDS so long they are now insane.
Vet of 22 years/Vietnam Vet.

I have several exchanges with this poster. His rage dominates his thought. It is sad that he lives in a better rage.

Chester's right of course, and not having Been There and Done That, myself, I agree with him (naturally). Of course, Chester's Really Been There and Really Done That...so the commenter's all wet.

Chester: Blogs are like chat rooms online. I was a host on a big one in the '90s and one of the things a host is taught is to not let trolls' insults get to you. They don't know who you are, they know nothing about you and couldn't care less. They are ranting at the words on the screen thinking they will influence others to join in.

In chat rooms I found it easy to "reason" with detractors and every one of them turned out to be a whimp, their ranting was an act. And so is this guy acting.

Don't worry Jimbo. Like I said. I wouldn't be a very good blogger if this stuff bothered me. I actually thought it was pretty funny. Like a caricature of the left's reasoning.

I like the go native idea, any chance of that parading in front of CMC?