There is a group of people who I feel has gotten an almost completely free ride of any blame since September 11th: our military leaders. Notice I said our leaders not the men and women doing the actual fighting.
We were all emotionally scarred by the events of 9/11. Some more than others. But, I cannot begin to tell you how, in addition to the profound sadness I felt, how bitterly disappointed and let down I felt by our country�s military. And, it was a complete slap in our collective national face when the clown who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time got up at that news conference and said, �I want the American people to know there armed forces are ready.� What an asshole! Obviously they weren�t or those planes would have been shot down long before they crashed into any of the buildings (including his offices in the Pentagon). Our military leaders were unprepared. They dropped the ball. They cost all those people who died the game of life.
Before 9/11, whether you want to admit it or not, there was always an implicit pact between you and the government. You sent them your tax money, they used a portion of it on defense (that�s a key word here folks � defense � don�t lose sight of it), so that you could go about your daily life in carefree peace. Somehow, somewhere, along the way, the military let you down. And now, we have a Department of Homeland Security. Nothing wrong with that. Except exactly what the hell was the Department of Defense defending all these years? Jesus Christ, if they weren�t defending the homeland why the hell did they exist to begin with? They spent the Russians into the ground with an unprecedented military buildup during the Reagan and Bush (Sr.) years. What exactly have we gotten for our money? Where�s the ROI? The Stealth Bomber? Can�t fly in wet weather. Think about that. How useful would that plane ever be if we had to go back to fight in the jungles of Southeast Asia? The Osprey? That tilt-rotor design was a loser form the outset. They kept comparing it to the British harrier Jump Jet. Notice there is a key word there: Jet. Not turboprop. Dunces.
The military high command in this country neglected homeland security for years. When I was a kid we had a Nike site right down the road. And, it wasn�t a place where Yoko-Onoesque looking Gook women stitched up the latest Air Jordans. It was a missile site. There were thousands around the country. Know why they were there? To shoot down enemy fucking planes, that�s why! You know what happens when a plane gets hijacked? It becomes an enemy fucking plane that needs to be shot down immediately to save untold lives! Alas, those missile sites I mentioned earlier began being decommissioned in the early 70s. And, the feeble response we could muster was about a half dozen fighter jets (some with no ammo no less!) that arrived at least a half-hour too late. Once those planes deviated course drastically, and the air traffic controllers had to know that, an APB should have been put out and a goddamn Cylon Death Squadron should have blasted those planes out of the sky. Jesus Iced Christ! Doesn�t this country even have any anit-aircraft guns?! Has anyone heard of a freakin� bazooka?! The poor people on Flight 93 were obviously more prepared than our military!
The worst part is none of the military high command was called to task to find out how the hell this could have possibly happened. None of the goddamn mainstream media even asked the necessary questions. Not even that goddamn Klingon forheaded bulldog Sam Doanldson. Forget all the bullshit about how the highjackers got past security. They did. Tighten it up. The point is this catastrophe could�ve and should�ve been averted even if they did get past security. But, it wasn�t. And, the blood of thousands of innocent people is on the hands of our military leaders. If they have a conscience, this should make them sleepless the rest of their lives. And, at the end of their lives, they should burn in hell with the highjackers because they were unprepared. They dropped the ball. They cost their team the game.
How will I mark the anniversary? Well, I was one of the 20% of the population who actually flew the flag before 9/11. I�ll be dressed in red, white and blue on 9/11. I�ll be driving my American car that won�t be adorned with the ribbon du jour. Honestly, I�ll probably cry a little. Something I don�t do much of. Because I truly believe this country has grown fat and complacent. However, I will resolve, as all Americans (and especially those in positions of power) should, that the memory of 9/11 will keep us vigilant to prevent another atrocity like it from ever happening again in our lifetimes.
Finally, it is time to stop using the now hackneyed clich� �Let�s Roll!� It is truly showtime and go time. Time to see what we�ve been paying out the ass for years for. The military owes us. A VERY big one. It�s time. Bring us Saddam�s goddamn head on a stick. Then, and perhaps only then, can we possibly forgive your abject failure of one year ago. Don�t drop the ball. Again�