As you know from a blog entry last week, I went to Saddam’s house to see if he was in. While he wasn’t there I of course slithered in to check it out and got to meet General David Petraeus instead. Much better don’t you agree?
The General is doing an awesome job. After spending more time listening in on the morning briefs and talking to others he “gets it”.
He understands Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations and knows when and how to deal with them militaristically as well as economically. Most of what he does is help push along common sense ideas and approaches. However, he also has an innate ability to recognize when to extend the olive branch to groups to resolve concerns or current issues.
Congress would do the right thing for America is they do not pressure him for timetables and results. Just with my limited exposure to this man I feel its in the best interest to allow him to run CENTCOM as he seems fit.
John McCain has bought into the Petraeus philosophies but unfortunately Obama repeated states that his policies and actions are failures meaning the General is a failure. I do not feel its appropriate for a Presidential candidate should be siding with MoveOn.org and Code Pink when all the facts say otherwise.
Everyman’s Library is a series of reprinted classic literature since 1906. The goal was to create a 1,000 volume library of world literature that was not only affordable but appealed to everyone from students to the working classes to the cultural elite.
I have two professional libraries in my home in Pennsylvania. One is the geek library with computer books covering everything from FORTRAN and COBOL (let’s just say 1960ish books) to the latest software and database languages and theories today.
The other library is smaller (yet growing) and contains books or essays on philosophies and politics.
One of my goals this year was to document this second library and provide it to the thousands of readers of has been hitting my website each month. For the lack of a better name we can just consider it the conservative version of an everyman’s library for now.
If you wish to learn how to better effect positive change then please click on http://www.conservativebog.org/book-store/ and see what I consider the first dozen books every patriot must read.
These initial must reads are listed in the order in which I feel is best to grasp the general them of pro-growth, limited government, and personal responsibility as well as attain a unique perspective on winning ANY grassroots battle.
Today I had meetings with Marines at various levels in a number of commands. It was great to see that all of those I met were very much into their job and motivated to help their fellow Marines now and as well the ones that will start to relieve them months from now.
Of particular note was the executive officer (XO) of one of the battalions. She assumed responsibility for over 100 Marines that were recalled and proved herself not only someone to complete the mission but COMPLETELY understood troop welfare.
Successful Marines live life by an unwritten ethos: Mission, Men, and Me. Meaning complete the mission first, care about those in your trust second, and eventually take care of your own needs. A good officer and staff non-commissioned officer knows that there are a few times when your Marines welfare must come before the mission.
In this case, the XO recognized so many cases of Marines not being paid correctly, family back home not receiving the correct benefits, etc… that she actually stopped all the necessary grunt training they were mandated to complete and sent them all to the admin shop to get their personal lives in order.
Her ability to recognize the unnecessary stress and hardships her Marines and their families were having and to take immediate corrective action not only eased the minds of her warriors but positively effected morale, strengthened unit cohesion, and increased performance. Now, almost every leadership position in her command is led by Marines who were recalled from their civilian life and doing an exemplary job.
