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Rachel Maddow In Afghanistan: What Are We Asking Our Troops To Do Here?

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Rachel Maddow began her week-long stint in Afghanistan last night with the “the little cable TV show” goal of answering two questions: Does this make sense? And what’s it like here?

When our elected officials send people into combat we take on a lifelong sacred national responsibility to pay them back for their service as veterans. Lifelong. If we’re going to fight two of the longest wars in American history, if we’re going to fight those wars simultaneously, and we’re going to have such a tiny proportion of our population serving in the military…than we owe to them to try and understand what they’re lives are like at war.

Well put. Maddow began her trip at Kandahar airfield where NBC’s Richard Engel revealed that there was a TGI Fridays in Kandahar (with three items on the menu and no liquor) “you could be in TGI Fridays one day, and then take a five minute chopper ride and be in the dust with soldiers who are being killed every week. It is a very stark contrast.”

Maddow also drove in a mine-resistant vehicle with Brig. Gen. Hodges up through Kandahar City to explore exactly how the President’s “uplift” there is working: “they are not blowing things up, they’re doing things like building police stations.” Hodges explains that unlike Marjah (which has not been successful) the U.S. is trying to work with and build on the existing security structures in Kandahar and that the hope is the presence of American soldiers to bolster the Afghan police forces will help defeat the perception of the sort of corruption that is rampant in the country. As you might imagine this is far more dangerous and complicated than it sounds. Watch the segment below (it’s worth your time). Maddow’s talk with Gen. Hodges while traveling the mine-resistant vehicle is the sort of thing that translates better on screen than print.

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  • Liberty Banned

    I at least compliment this little dude for going to Afghanistan. It is only a very small portion of the American society that volunteers for such service while the remaining populations has absolutely no idea what military life, and combat entails.

  • http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

    HAHAHAhahahaAHAHAHAHAHahahAHAHAA she is a GAY!!!!!!!11 Oh MAN I never get sick of my fellow Right-Thinking Americans pointing out that she is an UGLY, MANNISH LESBIAN!!!!!11 You guys are the BEST!!!1

  • ImNotBlue

    Karl Spensen says:
    July 7, 2010 at 11:43 am

    Who said anything about her being gay?

    Funny, I never see you, Christian, commenting when folks refer to Limbaugh as “fat” and the like. I wonder why that is…?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    ImNotBlue said:
    Karl Spensen says:
    July 7, 2010 at 11:43 am

    Who said anything about her being gay?

    I think that Karl is referring to Liberty calling Maddow “this little dude”.

  • Liberty Banned

    Stephen Hogan said:
    I think that Karl is referring to Liberty calling Maddow “this little dude”.

    So. I never said she was gay. I just call it as I see it, I also gave her a compliment. I’m sure she’s proud of being gay…if she is.

  • Iris

    Well bless your hearts mr. blue and mr. liberty for not calling Ms. Maddow gay but then again I guess if you did you would actually be saying that a lesbian has more courage and balls than either of you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    Liberty Banned said:
    So. I never said she was gay. I just call it as I see it, I also gave her a compliment. I’m sure she’s proud of being gay…if she is.

    Ok, so maybe you didn’t actually use the term “gay”, but you inferred it.

  • lazzzlo

    My only issue with Maddow being there is that she over steps her bounds and asks someone a loaded question that a producer can use later.

    As long as she know her role, doesn’t get in the way…I think it is good. I think she’s smart enough to recognize the value of our troops while still making her point.

  • lazzzlo

    Let’s see Keith try the same thing!

  • ImNotBlue

    Stephen Hogan says:
    July 7, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    No, that was referencing her “manish” looks (IMO, who cares… but that’s not the point). That is not a reference to “gay” or anything like that. Karl invented that part of the criticism.

    Iris says:
    July 7, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    Oh, Iris… what a pleasure to speak with you again!

    Do me a favor, please… let everyone know what my opinion of homosexuality is, since apparently you know it so well! Where do I stand on gay adoption? Gay marriage? Civil unions? Please… let everyone know what I think!

    And then, let them know how you know that… or at least admit, you’re just making stuff up.

    Stephen Hogan says:
    July 7, 2010 at 12:36 pm

    Yeah, I saw that too. It was in the way he wrote his two sentences. Notice the capitalization and the comma… clearly an attack on her being gay.

    Or 100% imagined… either/or, I suppose.

  • notsofast

    Ok, so maybe you didn’t actually use the term “gay”, but you inferred it.”

    He may have implied it, but he never inferred it.

  • Iris

    mr. blue you sound offended, I was just pointing out the obvious that if you had called Ms. maddow gay you would have really been saying that a lesbian has more balls than you, but may I say that your defense of mr. liberty was quite touching.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    ImNotBlue said:
    Yeah, I saw that too. It was in the way he wrote his two sentences. Notice the capitalization and the comma… clearly an attack on her being gay.

    Or 100% imagined… either/or, I suppose.

    I’m not saying he attacked her. I’m only saying that he appears to have implied it.

    notsofast said:
    Ok, so maybe you didn’t actually use the term “gay”, but you inferred it.”

    He may have implied it, but he never inferred it.

    True. That was an incorrect choice of words. Thanks for the correction. I didn’t proof-read before I posted it.

  • stoogedudes

    lazzzlo said:
    Let’s see Keith try the same thing!

    Let’s see Glenn try the same thing!

    Sean too! (or did he already?)

  • ImNotBlue

    Iris says:
    July 7, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    mr. blue you sound offended, I was just pointing out the obvious that if you had called Ms. maddow gay you would have really been saying that a lesbian has more balls than you, but may I say that your defense of mr. liberty was quite touching.

    Hmm… good point. I thought about going to Afghanistan myself and doing a report… but then I remembered, I’m not actually an anchor or correspondent, so I guess it’s not really the same thing.

    But either way, I’m interested to know why you feel my masculinity would be called into question. I guess it’s because you think you still know so much about me! But, to be honest, your thoughts about my anatomy make me a little uncomfortable. Please take your mind out of my pants.

    Stephen Hogan says:
    July 7, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    I’m not saying he attacked her. I’m only saying that he appears to have implied it.

    Or you invented it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    ImNotBlue said:
    Stephen Hogan says:
    July 7, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    I’m not saying he attacked her. I’m only saying that he appears to have implied it.

    Or you invented it.

    ‘Invented’? Really? I would have figured that the addition of ‘appears’ as a qualifier would have satisfied. I do not project my cynicism on you. Please keep yours off of me. You asked the question “Who said anything about her being gay?”. I simply answered. I have nothing against Liberty and I have no interest in ‘inventing’ reasons to criticize him. I simply did what he did, called it like I saw it.

  • Iris

    mr. blue, bless your little heart, I do believe your blush and confusion is due to your gentle thoughts of mr. liberty.

  • RTB

    Plugging interracial dating sites on a political web is “gay”….
    I thought maddow swung for the rainbow coallition? Or did i miss that?
    This whole field trip for maddow to me is not to be taken seriously….with her views and bashing in the past, i dont wanna see that windbag reporting on any wars…and her history of legit journalism…ya that works….

  • Iris

    If anyone has any idea of what rtb said please let us know or better yet just get him another cool one.

  • Steamboater

    Karl Spensen: “Oh MAN I never get sick of my fellow Right-Thinking Americans pointing out that she is an UGLY, MANNISH LESBIAN!!!!!11 You guys are the BEST!!!”

    What you need to think about is how sick you make everyone else.

  • Steamboater

    What’s with all this questioning of Maddow as Gay; she is Gay and she’s proud of it. The issue though is the war in Afghanistan and there’s nothing sensible about it. We’re in the midst of a limitless and enduring quagmire and a civil war at that. These insurgents are just euphemisms for Agfhans; they’re not some alien power that is trying to take power as we are nor like us, in that as brutal as the taliban are, they’re not corrupt and not propping up a corrupt man like Kharzai who has stolen a billion dollars from us and counting.

  • ImNotBlue

    Stephen Hogan says:
    July 7, 2010 at 2:28 pm

    I simply did what he did, called it like I saw it.

    And you saw it based upon nothing. What you “saw” wasn’t there. This isn’t a “that’s just my opinion” thing. You decided what he said based upon your preconceived notions about what you thought he would say… not what he actually said.

    There’s a difference between “calling it like you see it,” and “seeing what you want to see.”

    Iris says:
    July 7, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    Aw, it’s cute to see you twist in the wind, after I pointed out you don’t really know what you’re talking about. Each one, you try to be just a little more condescending, that way nobody notices I’ve caught you twice making statements you can’t back up.

    Poor dear.

  • NORBIT

    Where are all the Progressives (hypocrites) pressuring Obama to bring our troops home?!

    WOW! – Unlike Bush, under Obama, it seems the slaughter of US soldiers and innocent Afghans has become acceptable to the DISHONEST LEFT!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    ImNotBlue said:
    Stephen Hogan says:
    July 7, 2010 at 2:28 pm

    I simply did what he did, called it like I saw it.

    And you saw it based upon nothing. What you “saw” wasn’t there. This isn’t a “that’s just my opinion” thing. You decided what he said based upon your preconceived notions about what you thought he would say… not what he actually said.

    There’s a difference between “calling it like you see it,” and “seeing what you want to see.”

    You really are quite the cynical person. Once again, I didn’t say Liberty was attacking Maddow, just that he implied her lesbianism, which he did. I find it hard to believe that Liberty, having been on this site for so long, with all of its Maddow stories and all of the derogatory remarks regarding her lesbianism that are left in those comment sections, does not know that she is lesbian.

    Seriously, the point is really moot. You seem to like to argue for the sake of arguing. As I see this only going in circles, I will no longer entertain you.

    Seems to me that this little narrative you cracked up regarding my motives is entirely based on your preconceived notion of who I am.

  • nrgetick

    Why doesnt beckster go to afghanistan…..hes not gonna let some chick show him up.,.,right? oh yea i forgot hes a pussy.

    “(MADDOW) Someone a loaded question that a producer can use later.”

    Welcome to cable news

  • nrgetick

    My bad,..,heres the quote

    “My only issue with Maddow being there is that she over steps her bounds and asks someone a loaded question that a producer can use later”

  • nrgetick

    “WOW! – Unlike Bush, under Obama, it seems the slaughter of US soldiers and innocent Afghans has become acceptable to the DISHONEST LEFT”

    You can switch the argument around…where were you right wingers when the patriot act was drafted, our constitutional rights thrown out the window. Not to mention our surplus that was raped over a 8 yrs of bush. Where were you teatards when Big government under the bush admin was plain and simple fascism…any decent and you were considered a traitor to the state and a virus on americka. What the worst you get called for decent? Racist…hahahahahaha

    btw,Its not just the left, its ALL OF US who are complacent of our occupation of the Midddle East

  • RTB

    Iris translation just for you
    maddow is gay, rainbows gays…..ya?
    She suxs as a journalist
    And whoever is plugging those dating sites on mediate the term “gay” usually is meant to mean not cool, whuss like, weak….copy?
    Thank you

  • RTB

    Iris translation just for you
    maddow is gay, rainbows, gays, the logo…….ya?
    She suxs as a journalist
    And whoever is plugging those dating sites on mediate the term “gay” usually is meant to mean not cool, whuss like, weak….copy? Take your time, read through the entire thread, use google if you have to translate my slang and comprehend….
    Thank you

  • jrcmi

    “Who said anything about her being gay?

    Funny, I never see you, Christian, commenting when folks refer to Limbaugh as “fat” and the like. I wonder why that is…?”

    Because right-wingers are no better than anybody else.

    “He may have implied it, but he never inferred it.”

    The writer/speaker “implies” while the listener/reader “infers,” oh mighty and powerful Sphincterness.

    “So. I never said she was gay. I just call it as I see it, I also gave her a compliment. I’m sure she’s proud of being gay…if she is.”

    I bet you’re “king of the dodgeball court” in the prison yard – not that I’m implying anything . . . cuz that would be WRONG!

    “a lesbian has more courage and balls than either of you.”

    THIS lesbian has more than BOTH of them.

    “Where are all the Progressives pressuring Obama to bring our troops home?!”

    All around you – but you don’t bother to look, do you? MoveOn.org and many others have continuously lobbied Congress and the White House to get us out of the Middle East.

    As for “hypocrites”; the REAL hypocrites are people who couldn’t WAIT to send our kids to war and now squall like babies that we’re still fighting. People like YOU, probably.

    “this only going in circles, I will no longer entertain you. ”

    ImNotTrue all but invented the “circular argument” — since he has none of his own. He’ll twist and misrepresent your words – as well as the truth – while telling you what you REALLY meant to say, etc. He defines “neocon man.”

  • EricBoisen

    I wish these people would stop talking about what people inferred or implied to invented about her sexuality. Would you please talk about the SUBSTANCE in her clip.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hogan/179500970 Stephen Hogan

    Sorry, Eric. I’d love to talk about the substance of the clip. I just don’t appreciate people inventing motives for me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Westover/1496648721 Tony Westover

    Oh yay! So Rachel Maddow gets to talk down to her audience and insult their intelligence from Afghanistan this week! Switching up the format I see, that’ll get her some big viewership numbers. She might break one point ONE million!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Alicia-Addams/100000215944179 Alicia Addams

    Why is this dude on tv? S-he’s nuts and a Rhode’s Scholar (people who got a all expense paid education in a socialist bent country as long as they agree to go into politics in the USA and spread their non-sense.

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