The Left wing press stampeded the pentegon on this one. we need to tell Rumsfield to ignore thos as*holes and do his mission. his primary mission.
And we also need to tell indonesia to go to hell and pull out. let the UN put ONE OF THEIR carriers there to do all the work if they keep interfering in our effots.
And If weret hat officer in that chow line, I'd have chewed that damned civilian a new one IN FRONT of the troops then explained to him why he had paper plates. Next, I would set up a mess NCO and anyone who did not have a military ID card would be charged full per-diem costs for each meal and the money would go to the ships mess fund just like in the army. And the Regulations support that move.
Finally I would charge FULL Officers BOQ rates for any bed the bastards occupy and I'd tell them to get reimbursed from the UN. Then, I'd tell the press to bugger off as far as helicopter transport is concerned. Especially that bastard Rather. I'd say that I had a higher priority of providing aid and rescue. Indonesia was hit on the coast but i can guarantee they have scads of choppers there for the oil fields. Let CBS NBC and all the other NGOs hire the civil choppers or use boats.
With that, I'd accomplish my mission and i'd move off shore and train my pilots and if the Indonesians gave me crap, i'd cable DC and tell them my military mission is being compromised and I'd train. and shoot down any SOB who interfered.
now that's what I'd do. and I bet the USA would back it.
BT