XPost: talk.politics.guns, sac.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   XPost: alt.politics.republicans, alt.politics.conservative   
   From: leroysoetoro@americans-first.com   
      
   https://hotair.com/headlines/2025/08/12/gen-van-riper-is-mad-n3805731   
      
   Compass Points has been contacted by a reader with a reply to a recent   
   article in, War on the Rocks. Compass Points thanks the reader and all our   
   readers who continue, despite all hecklers, to speak out and advocate for   
   a global Marine Corps that is strong today and even stronger tomorrow.   
   Many thanks!   
      
   ***   
      
   Nearly 50 years ago I learned a valuable lesson that began when I opened   
   Chapter 1 of John Keegan’s The Face of Battle and read: “I have not been   
   in a battle; not near one, nor heard one from afar,” yet he was going to   
   inform the reader about battles. At that point I nearly closed the book   
   and moved on, believing no one could tell me about battles who had not   
   been in one, as I had been numerous times. However, I continued reading   
   only to again come close to the decision to walk away from the book when   
   Keegan revealed he had never worn the uniform of a soldier. Fortunately, I   
   pressed on and found my knowledge of battles enhanced by Keegan’s research   
   and the insights he offered. Obviously, this changed my mind about   
   learning from those who have not had military experience. And in the years   
   since I have been well-schooled by those who have not seen war nor wore a   
   military uniform.   
      
   Yes, over the years I have learned much from others, especially   
   historians, about engagements, battles, campaigns, and national defense   
   generally, and it has complemented my own years of experience. However, I   
   have also learned when an author is misinformed about things military and   
   offers only thin, bitter gruel. Such was the case when I read a recent   
   article in War on the Rocks by Ryan Evans titled, “The Marine Corps   
   Americans Want Can’t Be Derailed by a Fake Crisis.” There are too many   
   mischaracterizations, errors, and outright falsehoods to address all in a   
   Compass Points comment, so let me describe a few.   
      
   Evans writes, “The crisis exists in the minds of a largely retired coterie   
   of Marine leaders. . . .” implying there are only a handful of critics.   
   There are 112 retired Marine Corps Generals who have identified with   
   Chowder Society II; I have the list. Many others have called or emailed me   
   to express their support. The site that carries many of the articles   
   questioning Force Design 2030 has well over 100,000 views per month and   
   most readers, based on comments, are critics of that fatally flawed plan.   
   I monitor email chains that have as many as 1,300 members and again nearly   
   all the messages are in opposition to the plan. So, Evans' allegation that   
   ours is a small “coterie” of retired leaders is patently false, and he has   
   offered no evidence otherwise.   
      
   Beege Welborn   
   From Gen Van Riper's Wiki bio:   
      
   Paul K. Van Riper (born July 5, 1938) is a retired United States Marine   
   lieutenant general. Van Riper was a combat veteran—twice receiving the   
   Silver Star Medal for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War. At the   
   time of his retirement, Van Riper was serving as the Commanding General,   
   2nd Marine Division and Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico,   
   Virginia. Since his retirement, Van Riper has served on several advisory   
   boards and panels. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors   
   for the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.   
      
      
   --   
   November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look   
   forward to America being great again.   
      
   We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that   
   stupid people won't be offended.   
      
   Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.   
      
   Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama   
   / Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.   
      
   Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the   
   The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood   
   queer liberal democrat donors.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)