The ignorance and Logical Fallacies of the "intelligent" Benn Steil

Benn Steil is an economist and writer. He was educated at Nuffield College, Oxford and at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

Steil is the senior fellow and director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the founder and editor of the journal International Finance. He has been awarded the Hayek Prize and the Spear's Book Award. Director of International economics, Council of foreign Relations. Author of the award-winning "Battle of Bretton Woods".


Mr Steil went on Twitter a few days after the Orlando shootings and asked this question...








Of course he got hammered, with many bringing up the obvious Revolutionary War. Some brought up WW II but I decided to go another route.

I was very careful with my response. I re-read his question multiple times. His question was very clear. "How many tyrants have been stopped or overthrown by liberty- loving American gun owners".

It really is a perfect description of most U.S. Special Forces Soldiers. He did not specify civilians or specify that it had to be done in the U.S.

With the typical snark of someone using the logical fallacy "Appeal to Authority", him being the authority.

He replied to me with this...

He used the logical fallacy of "Movient the Goalpost" by demanding that it wasn't in America.

After posting his question and my response on Instagram, someone in the comments brought up The Battle of Athens TN.

For those not familiar:

Revolt in Athens, Tennessee!
 20 People Wounded
14 Autos Overturned, and Burned at Town Square
Jail Under Seize 8 hours
Sheriff, Senator & Others Flee County
Athens, Tennessee: The uprising was led by ex-GIs recently returned from battle, to discover dishonest election tactics and corrupt and crooked local government. Having seen first-hand, Tennessee blood spilled and Tennessee lives lost in the battle for freedom, these patriotic veterans weren't about to knuckle under to the special interests. Certain insiders, for their own profit and benefit, had taken control of the small community of Athens, a town of about 7600 people.
 The violence started on election day when a poll watcher was attacked and thrown through a glass door. The town folks, already agitated, became incensed. They went home and returned with pistols, shotguns and whatever weapons they could lay their hands on. The incumbents and "insiders" had recruited extra deputies from neighboring cities and counties but they were no match for the now armed and angry citizens of McMinn County. Sheriff Pat Mansfield and State Senator Paul Cantrell, along with others, fled the scene. Twenty-five deputys retreated to the jail which was surrounded and fired upon by the civillian army.
 At 4:00 A.M. the next morning, the "25" surrendered their arms and came out with hands up. Although a cry went up to "hang 'em", cooler heads prevailed. The "25" were taken to the edge of town, stripped naked and told not to come back.
 The upshot was the incumbent and "insider-clique" were out. The slate backed by the citizens and supported by the GI patriots was officially certified victorious by State authorities in Nashville.
 Thus, a new sheriff, trustee, register of deeds, circuit court clerk and county court clerk were seated (3 Democrats, 2 Republicans). All were new, all were honest and freely elected. The year was 1946. In 1948, a city council / county commission form of government, one of the first in the state of Tennessee was created. Athens prospered and grew and today has more than doubled in population.

I was reading the comments under Mr. Steil's post and another great example popped up. 

For those not familiar with the story, here is a link from the Smithsonian Mag on the true story behind the movie.

Here is the trailer for the movie "The Free States of Jones"

Instead of acknowledging my two extra examples that happened in America, after the Revolutionary War...

He did what they always do...

HE BLOCKED ME.

Over 1000 Green Berets Sign Letter Supporting Second Amendment

This was an open letter and posted on 29 January 2013. Shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting a group of current and former U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers started talking about making a statement one the website Professional Soldiers. After a month of back and forth, edits, re-edits and re-re-edits it was finally ready. 

It was sent out privately to every Special Forces soldier available with the request that if they agreed with it, would they be willing to sign their name. The list was not made public but it was 100% verified that every single person who put their name down had graduated the Special Forces Qualifications course and was authorized to wear the Green Beret and Special Forces tab. 

After what happened in Orlando I thought it was important to put it back out for everyone to read.

I am honored that I was able to put my name on that list.  

Loren Schofield

De Oppresso Liber

Protecting the Second Amendment: Why all Americans  Should Be Concerned

We are current or former Army Reserve, National Guard, and active duty US Army Special Forces soldiers (Green Berets). We have all taken an oath to “...support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.…” The Constitution of the United States is without a doubt the single greatest document in the history of mankind, codifying the fundamental principle of governmental power and authority being derived from and granted through the consent of the governed. Our Constitution established a system of governance that preserves, protects, and holds sacrosanct the individual rights and primacy of the governed as well as providing for the explicit protection of the governed from governmental tyranny and/or oppression. We have witnessed the insidious and iniquitous effects of tyranny and oppression on people all over the world. We and our forebears have embodied and personified our organizational motto, De Oppresso Liber [To Free the Oppressed], for more than a half century as we have fought, shed blood, and died in the pursuit of freedom for the oppressed.

Like you, we are also loving and caring fathers and grandfathers. Like you, we have been stunned, horrified, and angered by the tragedies of Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Fort Hood, and Sandy Hook; and like you, we are searching for solutions to the problem of gun-related crimes in our society. Many of us are educators in our second careers and have a special interest to find a solution to this problem. However, unlike much of the current vox populi reactions to this tragedy, we offer a different perspective.

First, we need to set the record straight on a few things. The current debate is over so-called “assault weapons” and high capacity magazines. The terms "assault weapon" and "assault rifle" are often confused. According to Bruce H. Kobayashi and Joseph E. Olson, writing in the Stanford Law and Policy Review, “Prior to 1989, the term ‘assault weapon’ did not exist in the lexicon of firearms. It is a political term [underline added for emphasis], developed by anti-gun publicists to expand the category of assault rifles.”

The M4A1 carbine is a U.S. military service rifle - it is an assault rifle. The AR-15 is not an assault rifle. The “AR” in its name does not stand for “Assault Rifle” - it is the designation from the first two letters of the manufacturer’s name – ArmaLite Corporation. The AR-15 is designed so that it cosmetically looks like the M4A1 carbine assault rifle, but it is impossible to configure the AR-15 to be a fully automatic assault rifle. It is a single shot semi-automatic rifle that can fire between 45 and 60 rounds per minute depending on the skill of the operator. The M4A1 can fire up to 950 rounds per minute. In 1986, the federal government banned the import or manufacture of new fully automatic firearms for sale to civilians. Therefore, the sale of assault rifles are already banned or heavily restricted!

The second part of the current debate is over “high capacity magazines” capable of holding more than 10 rounds in the magazine. As experts in military weapons of all types, it is our considered opinion that reducing magazine capacity from 30 rounds to 10 rounds will only require an additional 6 -8 seconds to change two empty 10 round magazines with full magazines. Would an increase of 6 –8 seconds make any real difference to the outcome in a mass shooting incident? In our opinion it would not. Outlawing such “high capacity magazines” would, however, outlaw a class of firearms that are “in common use”. As such this would be in contravention to the opinion expressed by the U.S. Supreme Court recent decisions.

Moreover, when the Federal Assault Weapons Ban became law in 1994, manufacturers began retooling to produce firearms and magazines that were compliant. One of those ban-compliant firearms was the Hi-Point 995, which was sold with ten-round magazines. In 1999, five years into the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, the Columbine High School massacre occurred. One of the perpetrators, Eric Harris, was armed with a Hi-Point 995. Undeterred by the ten-round capacity of his magazines, Harris simply brought more of them: thirteen magazines would be found in the massacre's aftermath. Harris fired 96 rounds before killing himself.

Now that we have those facts straight, in our opinion, it is too easy to conclude that the problem is guns and that the solution to the problem is more and stricter gun control laws. For politicians, it is politically expedient to take that position and pass more gun control laws and then claim to constituents that they have done the right thing in the interest of protecting our children. Who can argue with that? Of course we all want to find a solution. But, is the problem really guns? Would increasing gun regulation solve the problem? Did we outlaw cars to combat drunk driving?

What can we learn from experiences with this issue elsewhere? We cite the experience in Great Britain. Despite the absence of a “gun culture”, Great Britain, with one-fifth the population of the U.S., has experienced mass shootings that are eerily similar to those we have experienced in recent years. In 1987 a lone gunman killed 18 people in Hungerford. What followed was the Firearms Act of 1988 making registration mandatory and banning semi-automatic guns and pump-action shotguns. Despite this ban, on March 13, 1996 a disturbed 43-year old former scout leader, Thomas Hamilton, murdered 16 school children aged five and six and a teacher at a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland. Within a year and a half the Firearms Act was amended to ban all private ownership of hand guns. After both shootings there were amnesty periods resulting in the surrender of thousands of firearms and ammunition. Despite having the toughest gun control laws in the world, gun related crimes increased in 2003 by 35% over the previous year with firearms used in 9,974 recorded crimes in the preceding 12 months. Gun related homicides were up 32% over the same period. Overall, gun related crime had increased 65% since the Dunblane massacre and implementation of the toughest gun control laws in the developed world. In contrast, in 2009 (5 years after the Federal Assault Weapons Ban expired) total firearm related homicides in the U.S. declined by 9% from the 2005 high (Source: “FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Master File, Table 310, Murder Victims – Circumstances and Weapons Used or Cause of Death: 2000-2009”).

Continued at Professional Soldiers...

Why Military Working Dogs are better than the Cultural Support Teams

Both Military working dogs (MWD) and Cultural Support Teams are Enablers for Special Forces teams. A MWD team consists of a handler who is an 18 Series (Special Forces Qualified soldier) and a fully trained MWD.

1. Better trained.

2. MWD's can and will be the first one through the door.

3.Will go anywhere.

4. They are lighter, for when you have to carry them.

5. The enemy is terrified of them.

6. You can sleep with them.

7. They don't get mad when you put a muzzle on them.

8. Look Cool.

9. You don't get in trouble when they give you kisses.

10. They make great wingmen.

11. They are always watching your back.

Thomas Barnett: Let's rethink America's military strategy

In this bracingly honest talk, international security strategist Thomas Barnett outlines a post-Cold War solution for the foundering U.S. military that is both sensible and breathtaking in its simplicity: Break it in two. You need to take 24 minutes out of your life to listen to this mans idea's. It goes along with my thoughts on the subject.

A Green Beret's Solution To Protecting The Southern Border

I've had the answer to the question of how to fix the Southern Border for a long time. The answer is simple, effective and very cheap. It is a multi-part plan which would not only take care of the current invasion going on by dealing with the illegal aliens already in the U.S., but would reduce the incentive they currently have to come here illegally, and encourage legal immigration.

Part 1: National Guard

Send the National Guard and select active-duty troops to reinforce the border patrol. Special Forces teams can conduct SR and LRS units to conduct LP/OP's and surveillance on known border crossings, high-threat areas and very remote rugged terrain, with armed National Guard/BP units to act as QRF and to arrest or detain anyone who is spotted. (Something similar to this has been done before - see JTF-6.) These units will be supplemented with Infantry units, to include mortar teams, to provide security and fire support for units working on the border.

National Guard and active-duty engineer units can work on temporary obstacles (berms, triple strand concertina, tangle foot) starting in main LOCs line of communications (LOC). [JP 1-02] (DoD) A route, either land, water, and/or air, which connects an operating military force with a base of operattions and along which supplies and military forces move.

I use LOC because this really is an invasion of the United States, and the illegal aliens are to be considered a hostile military force, and, due to that fact, the ROEs for these units working on the border will be changed to allow shooting back at any element that threatens U.S. forces or citizens. They would be allowed to return fire, even if the hostile element is firing from the Mexico side of the border. Any incursion by Mexican forces will be considered hostile and an act of war, and will be met with all available firepower at the unit's disposal.

At the same time that this deployment is happening, temporary camps will be set up to house all illegals who are captured. These camps are temporary holding locations to process and await deportation only, and they will consist of military tents and cots surrounded by concertina. Basic medical care will be provided, and MREs and water will be given. The camps will be set up near a railroad hub to facilitate the deportation.

Each adult male will be required to work on the fortifications while at these camps. The goal would be that they are only at the camps for a couple days, so getting them to help would offset some of the cost and manpower needed for this operation.

Side Note: On my first trip to Kosovo, the Marines were in charge of our city for the first month or two. There was a mandatory curfew because there were still attacks being conducted against the local Serbians by the Albanian majority. When the Marines detained someone after curfew, they would have to spend the rest of the night picking up trash along the sidewalks and streets. They were released the next morning, when curfew was over. Not only did it help to keep the place clean, it was an effective deterrent and not many were detained more than once.

Part 2: Round-Up

A massive round-up would begin and every illegal that was caught or already in custody would be immediately sent to these temporary camps to begin the process. Any illegal that popped up on the radar would have to be reported to the authorities upon risk of severe fines, penalties or legal action. This would include mandatory reporting by any medical facility, law enforcement, government subsidies office and even educational organization (if a child being enrolled in school cannot prove citizenship the parents and child would be deported). The goal is to remove any benefits that encourage illegal immigration and make it difficult for those already here to stay.

Note: Throughout this entire process, all basic human rights will be enforced and the safety of all detained illegals will be protected. They will be protected, but realize that these are not the same rights that American citizens are granted.

Part 3: Deportation

When the illegals are deported, they are moved from camps via railroad to old troop cargo ships that will take them, not to the border, but rather back to their country of origin. If they are from Mexico they will be released in the southern part of Mexico. Ships coming from the western side would drop them near the Guatemalan border, and those coming from the east would be dropped near the border with Belize. Doing this will make it much more difficult for them to make their way back to the U.S./Mexico border.

Part 4: Immigration Laws

This will require political support. Take away the law guaranteeing U.S. citizenship to children born here if their parents are not citizens (also known as anchor babies). If there are families who both parents are here illegally but due to the current laws they have children who are citizens, the parents will be deported and they make the choice on whether the children come with them or stay. If the children stay, they need to have a resident who will be the legal guardian for the kids.

Part 5: Improve Immigration Process

I understand that America is a country of immigrants, and that’s what I love about it. And I think it is criminal that it is so difficult for people, who want to do it the right way, to become legal citizens. So at the same time we are making it difficult for those in this country illegally, we make it easier to come here legally and become a citizen.

Requirements “To become a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident must be at least 18; have lived in the United States continuously for five years; be able to speak, read, write and understand basic English; pass a background check; demonstrate knowledge of U.S. government and history, and swear allegiance to the United States.”

Parents who have legal children residing in the U.S. will be added to list of people who have been waiting in line, in order to come to this country the right way. This list will be expedited, and streamlined in order to encourage legal immigration. If it’s easier to do it the right way, and all the incentives to do it illegally are gone, this whole process will fix itself.

While all this is going on an assessment will be done, and areas of the border will be prioritized to begin working on securing the border more permanently, using technology, example 2, and fixed barriers to prevent any form of criminal or terrorist entities from accessing the U.S. Refer to articles covering previous successes on the Saudi Arabia/Iraq border, and the West Bank Security fence.

I have had these ideas in my head for a while, but I don’t realistically think anyone in any position of responsibility will have the intestinal fortitude to actually take the steps necessary to protect the United States in this manner. I came across an article today showing that not only would many of these steps work, but more importantly, they have worked.

In 1954, President Eisenhower appointed retired Gen. Joseph "Jumpin' Joe" Swing, a former West Point classmate and veteran of the 101st Airborne, as the new INS commissioner. At the time, they were experiencing many of the same problems that we are having today.

Then on June 17, 1954, the operation began: 

“Because political resistance was lower in California and Arizona, the roundup of aliens began there. Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.

By mid-July, the crackdown extended northward into Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and eastward to Texas.

By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily.
Unlike today, Mexicans caught in the roundup were not simply released at the border, where they could easily reenter the US. To discourage their return, Swing arranged for buses and trains to take many aliens deep within Mexico before being set free.

Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships, the Emancipation and the Mercurio. The ships ferried the aliens from Port Isabel, Texas, to Vera Cruz, Mexico, more than 500 miles south.

The sea voyage was "a rough trip, and they did not like it," says Don Coppock, who worked his way up from Border Patrolman in 1941 to eventually head the Border Patrol from 1960 to 1973.”

From How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico

It has been successfully done in the past, and could be done again. Will it? Not likely, with who is in charge now, but if they do I recommend changing the name of the operation from the one Eisenhower chose.

Freedom Friday Motivation

The Team Room Massacre AKA Special Forces SOP Development

Every few years, the Team Sgt, usually in a fit of sadistic glee, decides that there is a need to update the team's SOP.  This is done quite often and not necessarily because there are new members on the team or that pre-mission training is about to begin (which usually, in his twisted mind, is used as an excuse).  More often than not, it is done because: (a) the Team Sgt is bored; (b) the team dynamic is getting too tense because of back-to-back missions; (c) there are Team, Company and Bn training requirements.

The Team Sgt, with almost sociopathic delight, announces that "in a few nights, we are going to go over our SOPs, just to make sure they don't need to be modified.  We'll hang out, drink some beer and hash a few things out."  He says this with an almost fatherly kindness.

The younger guys think this is a great idea.  It is an opportunity for them to provide some input and help out the team.  The Jr. Bravo spends the next few days pulling out the dusty SOP binder, blowing it off and digging through the team archives, praying that the previous Bravo had saved an electronic copy of it somewhere so he doesn't have to retype the whole thing.

The Jr. Charlie helps out by pulling all relevant TMs and FMs, reading through them so that when the time comes he can prove his tactical knowledge in front of the whole team.  The Jr. Echo and Delta go through all the MOS specific information that they think everyone needs to know... ‘just like Robin Sage’.

The Seniors, with their breath catching in their throats, knees going weak and memories (with an almost PTSD-like intensity) flash through their heads, taking them back to the minutes prior to their first combat mission.  The Fox, upon hearing this, collapses at his desk and with hands shaking like an epileptic with Parkinsons, opens his drawer and breaks the seal on the bottle of Jack he put in there the morning after 'the last time.'

The Sr. Bravo walks outside and, with fingers suddenly too fat to dial his phone, he tries to call former teammates to reconnect with the men who had been through the fire with him.

The true brilliance of the Team Sgt's plan is shown when he whispers in the CPT's ear...saying things like “what a great opportunity this will be for you” or “you can shape the team," and "like a potter working with a lump of clay, you can form the team, make it your own." And with the wisdom of the ancients, he says "This will be your legacy!”

The day finally comes. The Fox is at the end of a three-day bender and the other Seniors have said their prayers to Crom, Odin or the vengeful God of the Old Testament. They are prepared. They have said their goodbyes and locked away all emotion and human kindness in the secret, special box that's buried deep inside.

The CPT and younger guys are surprised when they walk in.  The fridge has been stocked, the table and chairs are all pushed to the side, and the Team Sgt is finishing padding up the sharp corners, having already rid the room of all edged or projectile weapons.  As the Team Sgt ascends to his desk, he passes the Jr's, who in the distant past of his mind, thinks that they look like kids on the first day of school, arms full of Trapper Keepers with red and black corvettes on the front, pencil boxes and a snack in a brown paper bag.

The CPT, oblivious to what is about to happen, pulls a pen from the plastic protector in his shirt pocket and looks up, wondering where the head of the table is for him to sit down. Instead, he sees in the far corner, the Hispanic Senior Charlie taking his Crucifix out, kissing it and then slowly putting it back in his shirt.  The CPT's head swivels to the other corner.  The Senior Delta swallows something out of a small bottle and chases it with a large swig from a bottle that he is holding so tight, it looks like the hand of a corpse is wrapped around it.  He finally senses that something is amiss when he sees the Senior Bravo squatting on a pile of tough boxes and staring at him like a predator that's perched in a tree overlooking a watering hole. His whole body is quivering in anticipation of the bloodbath that is about to ensue.

The Team Sgt nods to the Fox, who, reeking of stale sweat and alcohol, with the cold dead eyes of an executioner, slowly closes the door and locks it with an ominous click.

Hours later the door falls open, crashing to the ground.  Dust and smoke are billowing out, so thick that all you can see is the dim light from the empty fridge laying on its side. The light is blocked by a hazy figure walking toward the door. The Team Sgt steps up out of the sunken team room, putting on his leather jacket and non-DOT approved, low profile, half helmet skullcap. As he gets on his bike, he yells back that he “will see them in three hours for P.T.” and leaves... the only sound to punctuate the silence of the night is the roar of his Harley, and a laugh that sounds as if it came from the deepest pits of hell.