Yes, I’m a few hours late, but never a dollar short. I keep weird hours. Not weird, but long hours.
Everyone else has had a chance to chime in on the topic of Monday, which is the Department of Defense’s blocking of some pretty major sites such as MySpace and YouTube. It’s time for the Rex Dixon spin, won’t you join me on this trip down memory lane?
First off as someone who has served his time in the military, honorable discharge and all that good stuff, I can really feel the soldiers pain right now. MySpace, YouTube, PhotoBucket, MTV, Live365, and many others are now blocked. The DoD’s explanation?
Too much bandwidth is being wasted, as well as security of the people fighting this war. Exact quote is
“These actions were taken to enhance and increase network security and protect the use of the bandwidth,” said Col. Gary Keck, a Pentagon spokesman.
Gary, let’s cut to the chase. What this really is all about is keeping the Iraq war in Iraq. Keeping members of the military from communicating their true feelings home about what is really happening over there. I’m not stupid Gary, and neither are the millions of other bloggers and the entire internet community.
We really know what is going on, so why hide it? Why censor our troops from relaying their thoughts. We all know that many won’t be coming back. Tomorrow could be their last day. Why not let them have a bit of recreational time watching some funny video or listening to some new cool song? Didn’t they earn that much respect from the DoD?
Why is there a cover up going on? That is my question. There is no reason to be vague or lie in hiding anymore. The truth is already out there on many other networks outside of the DoD’s. What I’m getting at is that there has been no critical leakage of information that hasn’t been stopped before it started or has there? Are you daily censoring things from troops at your network operations center’s?
The DoD wants to keep operations a secret. I respect that, and I believe the troops in the field are smart enough to realize not to reveal or compromise their positions or tactical information. That is drilled into you from day 1 of boot camp.
Let’s all get up out of your seats and say my new favorite saying. I know you know it if you read this blog, which I know many do. Get up, or sit for that matter, just recite after me:
“Lie to yourself, Lie to your mother, but don’t Lie to Rex Dixon!”
Please. I know the real deal. I read other media besides tech information. I know the real deal. It’s not pretty. You can take the stand, and call it “bandwidth necessary” or “critical to keeping tactics a secret“. Whatever you want to call it, it’s basically a crock of propaganda in the highest form. You can even have Bruce tell us
“The U.S. Army’s not going to pay the bill for you to get on MySpace and YouTube,” said Maj. Bruce Mumford, of Chester, Nebraska, who is serving as the brigade communications officer for the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, in Iraq.
Bruce, you and I were paying for it before.
Wait a minute, YOU , I, and some 200 million American TAX PAYERS are paying for this war as well as bandwidth the troops were squandering on their down time. We all are paying for this war in Iraq. Us as well as our children, and their children, and possibly many generations that we will never see will be paying for this war in Iraq.
Exactly what is the total cost of bandwidth in a country that America now occupies? Is it even a fraction of the cost of the entire war over in Iraq? IS bandwidth and security the real issue here? Or is there something else? Really truly, I can bet the bandwidth the DoD uses is pretty much free, or the American taxpayer is getting ripped off by some ISP that is on the whole shell game of move that dollar.
Tell me which shell it’s under now? Is it the same shell that has caused our gas prices here in America to go up sky high once again? You know where that shell is, and it’s not in my back pocket. I think we all know what back pocket that shell exists in. Not mine, not yours, and definitely not the pockets of our brave troops over there today.
I truly believe you have now further endangered the brave American troops over there. You have basically cut them off from some outside entertainment on their down time. What they needed was a little pick me up to do a better job. Now they have to go to so called privately run cafe’s in order to do the same which they could have done in the slightly safer confines of a military installation.
It does not affect the Internet cafes that soldiers in Iraq use that are not connected to the Defense Department’s network.
The cafe sites are run by a private vendor, FUBI (For US By Iraqis).
I really avoided this whole topic all day long. I’ve seen some of the other posts, and feel that it was time that I at least chimed in a few thoughts on this. It was actually too political for this blog. I didn’t want to have to rip on people that are “just doing their job“. I do understand that the military is job, you follow orders of your superior officers. That is the way it is. I understand chain of command, so Gary and Bruce, no hard feelings.
I’m not attacking you personally. What I am saying is that the DoD has it all wrong. I don’t want to hear the excuses of an organization who’s sole purpose is to wage war. Do what you do best, wage war. Stay out of the business of the online world. Oh, I know, some military person will come back with stating how “we own the internet, we invented it, etc.. ”
Technically Speaking, yeah, you came up with TCP/IP networking in case you decided you couldn’t help but destroy the planet and start slinging nukes. There is absolutely no honor in that, and you pretty much invented it, but did nothing with it. It took some other private sector individuals to build it to what it is today.
Since we are all paying for this war, it may not be a war by proxy votes as someone has said, but I personally want my tax money being spent on opening up the internet once again for the troops. I believe in some censorship there, as it is a combat zone, and troops can’t get stupid and reveal critical information. Other then that – if they want to chat on MySpace, or watch YouTube, or just zone out on MTV, I say my tax money is paying for it. Let them. They deserve that much and so much more for their service to our country.
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