Rick Perry and Jim Amos: Two faux-heroes conservatives need to dump

Rick Perry and Jim Amos: Two faux-heroes conservatives need to dump

Perry and Amos are far from being the heroes many take them to be…

If there’s one thing that differentiates us on the right from those on the left it would be our ability to hammer our fellow conservatives. Those of us on the right don’t have a problem calling ’em as we see ’em.

A case in point would be both President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain. While Bush looked the other way as millions of illegal aliens flooded the country, no one slammed him more than conservatives. Those on the right weren’t exactly thrill with the DHS, either. We called out Dubya on that one, too. As far as McCain is concerned, few doubt his past history of personal heroism, but let’s be honest, the guy is the personification of a RINO if there ever was. But that’s just how I see things.

The curious case of Governor Rick Perry… 

Perry’s been doing a wonderful job of running around south Texas donned in desert tan and sporting some pretty snappy shades. He’s also been hammering Barack Obama for not sending the National Guard to the border. Well, Mr. Governor … why don’t you? The Texas National Guard hasn’t been federalized, has it? Nope, sure hasn’t. That means the highest person in the TNG chain of command would be, wait for it, Governor Rick Perry.

And as every state, commonwealth and territorial governor under the American flag knows, they are the de facto commander-in-chief for their perspective Guards. Perry has ground and air forces at his disposal that are larger than the military might of most nations. Infantry, fighter-attack aircraft, armor, even his own Special Forces. But they’re all dressed up with no place to go.

Yes, I know that it’s illegal for troops to conduct law enforcement, but in light that our Border Patrol is taking .50 cal sniper fire, a unilateral show of force by the Lone Star State’s troops might make AK-47 toting drug pushers or Mexican Army helicopters think twice before again entering the land of General Sam Houston and Colonel Juan Seguín.

As much as I dislike Barack Obama as a leader and a human being, at least he has the guts to threaten the GOP with his pen and phone. Perry’s done essentially nothing except complain. Robert E. Lee reportedly once said of General John Bell Hood’s brigade “Texans lead the way.” With the exception of trying to make himself look smart, Rick Perry should put his glasses to use and maybe read up on his Texas forefathers.

The curious case of General Jim Amos…

Also being lionized is the outgoing Commandant of the Marine Corps General James “Jim” Amos. In the last few days, Amos has been highly critical and very public in pointing out what a debacle Iraq is and how it very well could be placed right at the feet of Obama.

As Amos said:

I have a hard time believing that had we been there, and worked with the government, and worked with parliament, and worked with the minister of defense, the minister of interior, I don’t think we’d be in the same shape we’re in today.

How wonderful Sunny Jim finally pointed out the obvious. He’s only been the head honcho for the Corps for what … four years, and now it finally dawns on him now what a disaster Obama’s been in the Middle East? What a coincidence he’s just a few short months from retiring and going to get 75 percent of a 4-star’s pay for the rest of his life.

Semper Me…

Amos is the same one who’s so politically correct, so concerned with putting a “fix” to the Obama Administration’s obsession with sexual assault in the Armed Forces, the guilty finding against a Staff Sergeant accused of rape was thrown out due to Amos’ unlawful command influence. As the chief judge of the Military Appeals Court, Navy Captain Moira Modzelewski wrote:

An objective, disinterested observer, knowing that potential court-martial members heard this very personal appeal … to ‘fix’ the sexual assault problem, would harbor significant doubts about the fairness of a sexual assault trial held shortly thereafter …

Amos is the same one who fired Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser from his command in Afghanistan because Waldhauser didn’t want to play ball with one of Barry’s Generals.

Regarding the accusation of a handful of Marines who urinated on a dead Taliban terrorist did something wrong, it was the Commandant of the Marine Corps that targeted his own men. As reported by The Marine Corps Times (despite the name, not affiliated with the US government:

The Commandant wanted the Marines ‘crushed,’ Waldhauser says in his statement, and asked if the steps Waldhauser was taking would result in their dismissal from the Corps. When Waldhauser pushed back, the statement continues, Amos threatened to remove him from the case, he said, and later directed the Assistant Commandant to deliver the news to Waldhauser that he was doing exactly that.

What’s even more disturbing is Amos’ orders of reprisal against a Marine lawyer who had the audacity to file an official, legal complaint against him. Maj. James Weirick, formerly assigned to the Staff Judge Advocate office at the sprawling Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico, Va., is seeing what it’s like to draw the wrath of one of Barry’s Generals.

As reported in a separate article by The Washington Times, Weirick “accuses Gen. Amos of violating the military edict against unlawful command influence by urging guilty verdicts to the general overseeing the cases. The Major also told the Pentagon’s inspector general that Gen. Amos’ legal advisers unlawfully classified most of the evidence, including potentially embarrassing emails at headquarters, to keep the material away from defense attorneys.

In what looks more like the doings of Uncle Joe Stalin or Herr Hitler, as cited by the Major’s lawyer, retired Marine Col. Jane Siegel, examples of Amos’ pay back against Major Weirick include;

  • Marines escorted Maj. Weirick out of his office and seized his government computer.
  • He was transferred to a nonlegal job as a training officer.
  • His new commander suggested that he get a mental health evaluation and report for an interview with a Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent, to whom he refused to talk.
  • The major was ordered not to communicate with officials, including Gen. Amos, and was denied leave.
  • He was told to turn over his licensed personal firearms kept at home, which he did.
  • The Corps also is doing a risk assessment to determine whether Maj. Weirick is a danger to himself or the base.

As an American citizen I can say with all honesty that it’ll be a great day when 1.) Rick Perry fades into the political sunset. 2.) Jim Amos finally leaves the Marine Corps.

T. Kevin Whiteman

T. Kevin Whiteman

T. Kevin Whiteman is a retired Master Sergeant of Marines. He has written for Examiner, Conservative Firing Line, and other blogs.

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