I”ve noticed a few seemingly random comments which I”ve posted pretty snarky replies to over the last couple of days. They all appeared on a post CJ wrote almost a year ago entitled Brandon Neely Is A Moron. We’ll take a closer look at the comments, the authors, and the replies for CJ and me where applicable a little bit later. First, I’ll catch up if you haven’t been paying attention to the recent comments section in the sidebar.

A few idiots, mostly from the UK, were popping up singing his praise and it really dumbfounded CJ and me. Why now, a year latter? ASP does hold the number two Google link when you search for Brandon Neely, but we last heard from the slob nearly a year ago. That doesn”t explain his sudden fame, especially coming from the UK. Have we missed something? Boy, have we!

It turns out the ex-Soldier (Neely is undeserving of the title of former Soldier nor is he worthy of being called by his former rank) was flown overseas by the BBC to meet two of the guys he was guarding down in Cuba all those years ago. I”ll spare you the NY Slimes’ gushing article and picture. The picture is probably the worst part. The two former detainees and Neely look like long lost BFFs. Figures. Go read it if you think your sanity and blood pressure can handle it.

So that explains why all the Queen’s Subjects have been drawn to ASP like moths to light. It’s just a shame they can’t see a bit of the light and realize that Neely is STILL a moron. Nothing has changed from a year ago when CJ nailed it.

Again, instead of turning himself in to the military, he waits until six years after the fact, three years after leaving active duty service, and after he’s been released from IRR status to come forward. Brandon Neely is a complete coward! He waited until he thought it was safe to speak up and couldn’t be sucked back into the Army system to answer for his war crimes.

He can’t speak in complete sentences and looks like he’s about to have a heart attack because that evil corporation, McDonald’s, stuffed too many Big Macs down his 30 inch, Samoan wanna-be neck! He apparently didn’t take any of the military focus on proper diet and exercise with him into the real world.

Here’s the point of my disrespectful attitude towards Neely: He got good men killed, period! The actions at Gitmo directly contributed to an insurgency with a new purpose to avenge those detainees who were abused at the camp. Just like Abu Ghraib, these Soldiers should have been charged with 2nd degree murder and hung publicly. At the very least, they should be imprisoned with a burly redneck named Bubba whose best friend was a goat on the outside. They got my friends killed because they weren’t men enough to stand up for what’s right when faced with a moral dilemma.

The middle paragraph is probably my favorite probably because I just about died laughing. Go back to CJ’s post and the watch the video to understand what he is joking about.

All joking aside, the last paragraph is what this is truly about. Neely’s actions, or more accurately lack there of, is why I cut him absolutely no slack. He waited YEARS to report what happened. He took part in what he is now reporting. He is making a big deal about going to the UK to kiss the asses of the guys he supposedly slapped around and embarrassed. I smell a book deal, a publicity hound, a made-for-TV movie, or a guy desperate to validate his own inadequacies. Or that could be his McDonald’s farts. Either way, I really don’t like what I smell.

I’m not sure how else I can really explain it to our cousins from across the great pond, but come on guys. How about I try this example? A prison guard abuses prisoners in his charge and sees others doing the same. He decides to quit his job and years later decide he wants his 15 minutes of fame and jumps in front of any camera that will have him (and fit him in the frame). He tells all these stories of how horrible it was and how bad he feels. This guy is a hero? HELL no! He is a criminal just like all the other idiots who decided they wanted to get their jollies by roughing up the prisoners.

Now how about the part of the post I know you’re all dying to read. We’re going to dive into the comments from CJ’s previous post and make some villages (un)happy by returning their idiots. We’re only going to cover comments from this week. I will also spare them the humiliation of not posting the email address they provided when they posted their idiotic comments. See, a part of my heart is still there.

I will note that among the complete idiots, I can see some almost good points. There aren’t many and I have to finish filling in a few gaps, but there are one or two that are almost on to something.

First we have Charles from London.

Remarkable how a simple act of conscience and compassion can become so vilified.

Dignity?

Honour?

Courage?

Where are these without conscience and compassion?

Brandon Neely is a brave man. His courage reaches even beyond the bravery of the soldier. His is the bravery of the righteous and caring man; indeed a lonely, lonely road. Even brave brothers at arms turn their back; they cannot go there. It is too far.

CJ responded.

Wow, the UK is representing now! Neely is a “brave man” for waiting until he got out of uniform to report supposed abuses? What’s brave about that? Where was he when this was going on (if it was going on)? Real bravery is standing up when the odds are against you, not this drivel. Neely is a moron.

Our second contestant is Michael North also from London.

Brandon has done a lot more for the long-term good of humanity than the immature, binary debate on here.

Humanity, true humanity, transcends politics and religion. Brandon you’re courageous and it doesn’t matter that it’s long after the event. Plenty of your peers will never even dare face up to the wretched position you were put in by the Bush administration.

CJ responded once again.

Okay, Michael, please explain what “good of humanity” Brandon has done. This I have to hear.

For everyone else, Michael is from the UK, so I expect this sort of thought process.

Michael actually replied back, which I was shocked to see.

Hey CJ,

Thanks for letting me reply to this.

It’s progressive, isn’t it?

In World War II, there were plenty of German SS exterminating Jews and probably felt what they were doing (by way of an executive order) was probably wrong.

But it’s only through reflecting over time that your conscience either detects that or it doesn’t. When it does, you can either stay silent and live with it, or have the courage to speak out. Speaking out goes some way to ensuring that history doesn’t make the same mistakes again.

Brandon is garnering attention in the UK right now because he came here to speak to two former prisoners about his actions in Gitmo. (Have a look at Newsnight). What was more interesting than his apology, was seeing how it was accepted by the two former prisoners.

Most radical Muslims in the UK at the moment are angry and still misdirecting their anger at the West. The discourse between Brandon and these prisoners was the first time I’ve ever seen genuine dialogue and mutual respect between two faiths.

I can assure you that it discourses like this probably bring us closer towards peace, than waging anymore wars will.

Cheers, Mike

PS – Respect your right to disagree. It’s your blog after all!

Next is Idea, who clearly did not have one when writing, from Manchester, UK.

You are insane !!! That man is a hero – do you know anything about torturing?

Come on man – think once again and rewrite!

CJ beat me to the punch. Again. Don’t worry. I get mine later on.

Do you?

I know. Weak sauce, CJ. He could have done SO much more with that. I’ll smoke him later for lack of effort.

Next we have someone to describes themselves as the Brandon Fan Club from the University of Houston (try not to use your .edu email next time, dumbass). Oh joy! Someone who drank (or got drunk on) the kool aid, put on a big red jug suit, and jumped through a brick wall yelling, “Oh yeah!”

Brandon Neely is a hero! A man taking responsability for his actions, while our elected officials will not.

Guantanamo Bay: Jailer and jailed remember camp opening

Ah, now I get to throw some punches.

Brandon Neely is not a hero. A hero would have come forward immediately when the crimes took place. He would have taken punishment from the Army for his crimes instead of hiding until the Army couldn’t touch him. He is a coward, a criminal, and quite frankly, a little bitch. We havea term for guys like him in the military. Blue Falcons. Not to be trusted under any circumstance.

Michael North came with more to say.

Marcus. I can guarantee that even if Brandon had spoken out at the height of Gitmo in 03-05, your opinion of him would be exactly the same.

I couldn’t let him get the last word, could I?

The only guarantee you can make is that you have no clue of my opinion of Brandon Neely.

The facts are that he didn’t. Your little what if game is really of no use, but I’ll play along and pretend that Brandon Neely came forward with all his information right when it happened. I still don’t believe that Gitmo detainees have been “abused” like Brandon Neely claims. But that isn’t the debate so let’s continue your little what if game.

Coming forward after the “crimes” wouldn’t make him a coward, he would have been brave to stand up for those that he himself had done wrong against and those around him as well. He wouldn’t be a little bitch for hiding from the Army until they can’t punish him. He’d still be a criminal, though, and he could hold his head high in the brig knowing he did the right thing instead of what he really did. The complete wrong thing.

But, CJ took my last word.

Michael, I can tell you that my opinion would have been vastly different! Why? Because when I saw abuses of detainees in Fallujah, I didn’t sit on my ass and take part in it. I reported the Soldiers involved. It took guts being in a combat zone where the people you’re reporting are armed, but that’s what Personal Courage is. Brandon doesn’t understand that and neither do the people that support his cowardly stance.

Our last brainchild is named Stephanie from Richardson, Texas.

I think your a moron. I think Brandon had a lot of courage to admit what he did and witnessed was wrong.

By this time I’m growing tired of the same thing over and over. I can just copy and paste my previous comments.

Courge would have been to report it when witnessed and not take part. Cowards wait years and participate.

CJ had more to add.

Where was that courage when it was happening? Brandon had the power to STOP the abuse from happening, but said nothing! Heroism is defined as a “courageous action.” Please tell me what is courageous about keeping your lips shut WHEN the abuse is taking place and waiting until he gets out of the Army to suddenly feel okay to bring it up. Stephanie, if Brandon is a person you look to for an example of courage, you’ll never see true courage!

Folks, I still do not understand how anyone can consider Brandon Neely a hero, courageous, brave, righteous, or caring. Let’s call a spade a spade and a coward a coward, okay?