Comments on: Oakland Airport apologizes for shunting troops

By: Michelle Malkin » Blood-boiler: Berkeley vs. the troops

Michelle Malkin » Blood-boiler: Berkeley vs. the troops — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:49:26 +0000

[...] Department’s investigation of the incident at the Oakland Airport. Refresh your memory here. The issue for the troops and supporters who raised objections was never so much about what rules [...]

By: 30 pcs of silver

30 pcs of silver — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:29:09 +0000

les, you simply could have asked Michelle to look into this for you. As they say “you get more with sugar than you do with salt.” Translation: just ask and be nice about it.
You take our silence on the subject to mean that it is only you who cares…how unfair and incorrect is that?
Again, this thread is not about Blackwater, so until it is, I digress.

By: Leaning Straight Up

Leaning Straight Up — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:18:49 +0000

Oakland steps up and apologizes for its handling of the Troops…

Apparently the outcry over this, and comparisons to neighboring San Francisco were too much.

Or it may just be that this was a mistake, and they want to accept responsibility for it.

Whatever the reason, Oakland, which in my opinion badly tre…

By: Seabecker

Seabecker — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 19:19:33 +0000

“We apologize … to any members of the military that … may have experienced some discomfort or perception of disrespect”

Another bogus “apology”. i.e. If *YOU* were offended, we apologize.

Why can’t people just say it? “We apologize. You experienced discomfort and were shown disrespect. For that we are sorry.”

By: les

les — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 19:04:30 +0000

Immolate – over 3800 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq as of today. And how many private security contractors? Doesn’t look to me like “they also keep a lot of GI’s from getting shot up or killed by guarding the VIP’s”.

By: Immolate

Immolate — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:56:05 +0000

Military pay has always sucked, and still sucks, and always will suck, but the benefits rock!

When people put their ass on the line for money, they expect to be well-paid. When they do it for duty, honor and obligation, the money is not their primary concern. Just remember that those Blackwater guys worked for years for a pittance to get where they are. They also keep a lot of GI’s from getting shot up or killed by guarding the VIPs.

By: les

les — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:37:06 +0000

30 pcs, what we pay the troops is very relevant to how we treat them. So what if the Blackwater folks are protecting visiting VIP’s rather than fighting terrorist. At the end of the day, they are all in a very dangerious situation, with the soldiers probably be in the most dangerious. I’m just amazed that everyone can get enraged about a slight at an airport, but I’m the only one bother that these guys are getting the shaft in the pay department. And that my tax dollars are making alot of executives at Blackwater mulitmillionaires.

By: 30 pcs of silver

30 pcs of silver — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:05:26 +0000

Blackwater provides security to dignitaries and members of Congress when they see fit to travel abroad.

Our troops are fighting a war and kicking a$$ and I support them wholeheartedly.

When our troops come home they should be treated like the heroes that they are, period. That’s what this thread is about.

Next question.

By: Immolate

Immolate — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:57:21 +0000

“perception of disrespect”, time-dishonored weasel words.

“I am sorry that you interpreted what I said in a manner that I did not intend.”

In other words, it is not what I said that is at fault, but how you interpreted it. I did nothing wrong. The blame is with you. I did not disrespect you. It just seemed that way to you because you were ignorant of the facts.

What’s wrong with “I am personally ashamed of the treatment these soldiers received.”?

By: les

les — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:56:06 +0000

30 pcs, I’m not implying that the government (Rep, Dem, Indep, whatever) doesn’t care about the troops. I’d like to see more coverage of the story including an analysis of why we pay them so much more for their employees in Iraq. And if the analysis is that the function is worth X$’s in the marketplace, than we should be paying the soldiers equally. My exit question to you, are you suggesting their employees provide a more valuable service there than the soldiers? Is a soldier in harms way worth the same as a civilian sub contractor in harms way?

By: Cosmo

Cosmo — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:52:47 +0000

I don’t see ownership here. I see “but the TSA was involved, too.” It reminds me a lot of when my four year-old comes in and says “…I threw sand inside the car but my friend Paul did it, too.”

It’s still wrong. Let Paul hold his own press conference for himself. You own what you did.

Say it like this: “We made mistakes. We apologize. We respect the sacrifice of our armed forces men and women. Period. Any questions?”

By: 30 pcs of silver

30 pcs of silver — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:21:57 +0000

les, all I have to ask is one soldier, preferably the one who brought this incident at Oakland airport to the forefront in the first place.
Secondly, is it coverage of the story or more money for our troops that you want?
Exit questions: Why do you think the government is willing to pay Blackwater the amount of money they do, what services do they provide? Surely, it isn’t because you feel the government cares nothing for our troops and/or their families, right?

By: MissMarciLyn

MissMarciLyn — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:20:43 +0000

les:

The disparity between pay rates is just another instance of proof that the free market works waaaaay better than government regulations.

Yes, it is unfortunate, but if the government would spend less money paying an IRS secretary with only 8-months experience $18 an hour to shuffle papers from pile to pile, they might have more money to pay our valiant heroes.

By: les

les — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:05:25 +0000

30pcs, what I’m suggesting is that there is a corporation that is making hundreds of millions of dollars by the government paying them six times more for their employees than we pay the soldiers. Yes, it may have been reported in the MSM as an offshoot of the recent hearings, but are you seeing any outrange over the pay inequity in either the MSM, liberal media, conservative media, on this site, or others. I don’t. Yet there is alot of outrange over the airport incident in CA. I’m sure if you ask any of the soldiers, they would rather be paid like we’re paying Blackwater, than get a red carpet welcome (other than by their own family members) at some airport.

By: 30 pcs of silver

30 pcs of silver — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:53:59 +0000

Les, what are you suggesting?