Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Obama's comments come back to bite

Obama's comment about bayonets, horses, aircraft carriers and submarines shows just how little he knows about the country he runs. This big, perceived, win by the left is turning out to be a big loss for the country. Our own Commander in Chief doesn't understand the history of warfare nor where it's headed. I guess that stems from blowing off two thirds of his security briefings.

The bayonet was first used in war in the 1600's by the French. It may have been created earlier than this due to early firearms being inaccurate. Having a blade attached to the firearm allowed early hunters to dispatch an animal quickly if a kill shot had been ineffective. The bayonet has been an integral part of a soldiers armament in all the history of warfare and continues today. Lance Corporal Sean Jones of the British Army was awarded a Military Cross for his role in a Bayonet Charge in October of 2011 cementing the usefulness of the bayonet in modern warfare.

Horses have been used in warfare for over 5000 years. They are still used today by our very own soldiers. Most have been relegated to a purely ceremonial role however, there are still horses used in the Afghanistan conflict. The mountainous regions of Afghanistan prevent motorized forms of transport and there is no substitute for a sure-footed animal.

"On 4 May 1912 the first plane to take-off from a ship underway took place when Commander Charles Samson flew from the deck of HMS Hibernia." Wikipedia The aircraft carrier has been a deciding factor in many conflicts and continues to be today. Our military currently has 11 aircraft carriers, one is due for decommissioning and one is being built to be commissioned in 2015. Our Navy is the strongest in the world and has been used in many conflicts, even some that were not ours. Just our show of force is sometimes enough to quell a conflict. That says something for a strong Navy!

The first submarine confirmed to be used in military conflict was the Turtle in 1775 in the American Revolutionary War. Submarines have since taken pivotal roles in numerous conflicts throughout the world. Huge technological steps have moved current submarine use to new levels. Speed, depth and time at sea has been improved. Currently the U.S. Navy has 72 active duty submarines. During World War two the U.S. Navy had 314 subs in service achieved 55% of the total sunk of enemy ships.

Obama needs to bone up on his history. To have a leader attack someone on fact, without facts, removes all of that leaders credibility.

That's my two cent's, spend 'em or put 'em in the dish for the next person.