KFOR-TV’s political news show Flashpoint was dominated this morning by Pointy Headed Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, recently returned from his ill-conceived, counter-productive, publicity stunt of playing like he is a covert CIA agent “going dark” and extracting Americans from the clutches of turban-headed Taliban bent on mass slaughter of our citizens still in Afghanistan.
Hmmm. Seems over 6,000 of our folks made it to the Kabul Airport without Mullin’s machinations, and are still departing by the planeload, with two such full flights in the last 48 hours. Appears to me the Taliban have assisted, not distracted, from the airlift that now totals something above 124,000 people of numerous backgrounds, nationalities, political and religious persuasions.
Are there any Americans left in that war torn country? Yes, less than 100.
Has Mullin proven he has brought out a single one? Not confirmed except by his ego and own words.
Was he told not to play James Bond? Yes, repeatedly.
Did he play Barney Fife instead? Absolutely.
Is he lying about elements of his escapades?
No doubt. Can you, Cal Hobson, prove that? Read on.
- The #1 excuse Mullin gave for waiting until the last minute to play hero was that “Kabul wasn’t supposed to fall.” Yes, and Napoleon wasn’t supposed to lose at Waterloo, Hitler was supposed to capture Stalingrad and I should have made a 4.0 at OU. Shit happens and Mullin should know that since he is in the plumbing business.
2. Another pearl of wisdom this morning on Flashpoint, uttered by The Lone Ranger, was “you don’t negotiate with terrorists.” So why was he lugging around a suitcase full of cash and also admitted he gave $2,000 to a driver to give to the Taliban for letting a family through checkpoints? If it looks like a bribe and smells like a bribe, most reasonable folks know it is a bribe. It is also a violation of American law.
3. And finally, that business about speaking harshly, or rudely, or threatening to a State Department official, here is what our G-Man admitted this morning: He did indeed become mad at Americans who were doing their official duties when they denied him illegal assistance as he played gumshoe – to which he said, “There will be consequences in the future when I am in a different capacity” during hearings in the Congress.
Now I wonder what that is except a direct threat to the operations of officials working difficult jobs in dangerous situations while Gadfly Markwayne flits around from country to country with a bunch of cash and an empty head.
Of course, if Mullin really wanted some action, he was always eligible to sign up for active military duty and put himself in real danger anytime over the last 20 years during the conflict in Afghanistan. Or he could have joined the Oklahoma Army Guard which deployed there several times and in 2011 lost 13 loyal, patriotic citizen-soldiers to the deadly Taliban.
But Mullin was too busy growing the plumbing business he inherited from his dad. Just like Dick Chaney was too busy during Vietnam to serve in uniform way back then.
P.S. MWM also received loans/grants from the federal government over the last year to keep his company going while he criticized the same program from his perch in Congress.
Hypocritical yes. Does he care? No. Will the voters of eastern Oklahoma send this English language challenged, publicity hound back to Congress for another two years? No doubt. Will he ever be more than just a footnote in Oklahoma history books?
Not a chance, unless he gets a bunch of folks killed the next time he decides to play Dick Tracy.
And those are the facts ma’am. Just the facts.
