Is this legal...and if so why?!?!

I was watching Meet the Press this morning and a curious thought crossed my mind.

Colonel Graham is also Senator Graham. 

Senator Graham sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Senator Graham confirms all General Officer appointments.

Senator Graham just did his Reserve Duty obligation in Afghanistan (something he was quick to point out) so he was working for the same person that he voted to confirm only a few months ago.

This is obviously legal or much smarter people than me would have jumped all over it but I wonder if its RIGHT.

Its great for re-election campaigns in the South where military service is still valued, but is it good for the service?

Have you seen this?

I saw this first on Gawker of all places.  It shows US soldiers playing a prank by planting a grenade in an unsuspecting Iraqi's car.

Bad joke.

Hmm, makes me wonder where the leadership was and why this was allowed.  Anyway, judge for yourself.  What I do know for a fact is this.  Unless the guy that was playing the prank was an extremely fast talker this Iraqi could have ended up real dead, or at the very least beat to a few inches of his life.

Again.  Bad joke.

F-35 critics weep softly this time. France and UK won't share aircraft carriers.

I first read the story of France and the UK sharing aircraft carriers over at Aviation Week and to be honest it seemed overblown.

Yes, the story was sourced from a reputable British newspaper.

Yes, the story was confirmed by a noted aviation expert/writer.

Yes, it seemed like something to make critics of the F-35 jump for joy.

And yes, it seemed like something from a think tank.

All of the above made the story suspect and this latest piece of information confirms it.

France and Britain announced Friday they are talking about sharing the cost of military aircraft programmes, but rejected reports that they plan to merge their aircraft carrier fleets."In terms of actually being able to share an aircraft carrier, I would have thought that that was utterly unrealistic," Defence Minister Liam Fox told reporters after talks with his French counterpart Herve Morin.
"But when it comes to pooling assets in other areas such as strategic or tactical lift I would have thought that that was a different case altogether," he added, referring to military transport planes and helicopters.

Read the whole thing here and get in a corner F-35 haters.  I'm tired of the whining.

New F-35 video.

F-35 update

Lt. plays pattycake. 21 US troops die in 48 hours in Afghanistan.

 

Thanks for the heads up Resident Author on this story.

A few have stated that I'm too tough on the Lt. in the previous post for playing pattycake.

I'm not at all sorry for my characterization.

Follow this link and feel the pain.

Marines are involved in combat.  The special trust and relationship requires that she prepare her Marines to survive the horrors of war.  Playing pattycake isn't getting that done.

Wow Lt. isn't that special! How about leading Marines instead of playing patty cake?

Will someone in Headquarters Marine Corps spare us the sight of an of Officer of Marines playing patty cake?

If she can't find something better to do with her time then its time for a serious reduction in force.  Guys in Afghanistan are fighting and dying and this officer is playing.

Amazing!