From Freerepublic.com

Disabled Vietnam vet retired Cat. James Smith, whose son James was killed during the disastrous raid in Somalia memorialized in the movie "Black Hawk Down," took exception Sunday to ex-President Clinton's recent attempt to blame President Bush's father for the 1993 debacle during a recent interview with Washington, D.C. TV station WJLA.

"He seems to forget that when Bush number one sent troops into Somalia he sent them in by the tens of thousands. And they had complete armor, mechanized infantry, artillery, air cover support," Smith told WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg.

While Bush the elder was president, the Somali warlords "decided to keep a low profile because they knew if they stuck their head up they were going to get it shot off," he insisted, adding, "So Bush number one did it correctly."

But things changed when President Clinton took over, the former soldier told WABC.

When his son's Ranger unit was sent to Mogadishu to capture notorious Somali warlord Mohamed Farah Adid, they didn't have the artillery, helicopter gunship or tactical air support they needed, he told Malzberg.

Smith's comments were prompted by Clinton's recent attempt to dodge responsibility for the episode, where he told WJLA, "Now, you know, I didn't blame (President Bush's) father for Somalia, when we had that awful day memorialized in 'Black Hawk Down.' I didn't do that."

Although then-Defense Secretary Les Aspin was forced to resign over the deadly blunder, Smith said he had no doubt that the decision to under-equip his son's unit came directly from the White House.

When he testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the episode, the former soldier said reporters privately agreed, telling him, "Les Aspin had nothing to do with this. This was a White House decision."

"They knew how the White House works. They knew there was no way Les Aspin made that decision on his own."

Smith recounted his trip to the White House to meet Clinton, an invitation he suspects was prompted by advanced word on his damaging Senate testimony.

Instead of taking responsibility, the Vietnam vet said the president "blamed Les Aspin, he blamed the Defense Department, he blamed the Joint Chiefs.... he blamed everybody except himself."

At one point, Smith recalled, Clinton even attempted to blame the Rangers "for being too aggressive."

"There were three fathers there," he told Malzberg. "The three of us just leaned over instantaneously and he backed off of that one."

After the exchange, Smith refused to shake the Commander in Chief's hand, handing him instead a 3rd Ranger Battalion patch.

"Don't forget them," he remembered telling Clinton.

"I honestly believed that the Rangers had died in vain; that the failure to provide proper combat support would have made the difference," he lamented.

Capt. Smith also revealed that he has another soldier son now in Special Operations who recently served in Afghanistan.

During a recent conversation with his son's Special Ops commander, he asked, "Sgt. Major, are we doing this one right or is this just a knee-jerk reaction?"

After a moment's hesitation, Smith said the commander responded, "Sir, we've got a real Commander-in-Chief this time. This time we're doing it right."

*me*
Maybe if people would just call Clinton on bs statements...he'll shut up.

[b][blue]NAKED[/blue][/b]

Clinton doesn't even know he is lying.  He is a pathological liar.  His rationalization instincts are so finely honed that he has convinced himself that he is speaking the truth even as he concocts the lie. That's what makes him so convincing to the ignorant or the converted.

Clinton probably thought that the Ranger Scroll he was given was a compliment or honor rather than the stern warning it was.

Do you think we'll see this info on ABC / NBC / CBS????

Doubt it.

Not to detract from Jethro's propensity for telling whopppers, but if Les Aspin was half a man, he'd have laid blame at the feet of the man that really deserved it. Falling on your sword to appease a tyrant is no great honor.

Garandman,
Not just no...but, hell no. Media does'nt want truth.

I wish O'Reilly would have this father on and just beat Clinton down for an hour. You never know..if people were to e-mail the show.

I'd love to see him go on the show and just call CLinton what he is. I think everyone knew when Clinton threw his bs out for the media...it was just that. BS. Worst President in history, legacy cemented.

[b][blue]NAKED[/blue][/b]

DAMMIT...Don't get me started on that lying f*cking rat bastard piece of SHIT Bill Clinton!  I'll be here all day ranting about him and that equally nasty POS lesbian "wife" of his!!!

And for you SS ass-clowns listening in on the Echelon network..come and get me!  She IS a giant piece of SHIT...just like her old man...only worse...cause she really means all that socialist crap!

[pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed]

THANK YOU NEW YORK VOTERS!  (sheeple!)


I got work to do...I'm outta here.  Rant off...back to the real world...
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BTT

I thank the producers of Black Hawk Down for bringing this story to the masses. Also, for reviving the debate about the government's responsibility concerning dead American soldiers.

May our heroes not have died in vain!