Charlie Wilson was a man bigger than life who lived it well

Charlie Wilson was a giant man in a political world filled with small people with small minds.
He did his great works out of sight, not for glory, not for fame.
He did it for the simple reason it was the right thing to do.
If we only had a few more like him today, the world would be a much better place.
He will be greatly missed. God Speed Charlie.

The movie with Tom Hanks was Hollywood, but Charlie liked it.
If you ever get the chance watch the History Channel program on Charlie Wilson.
All the real characters, including Charlie and the Ex-president of Pakistan, tell the real story as it happened historically.
Or read his book.
As the Ex-president of Pakistan says at the end when asked how a ragtag group defeated a superpower his answer is three words: "Charlie did it".

And to all the despicable haters who trashed him in death, who obviously know nothing of history, life decorum or evidently anything else. A few facts: (although Charlie would just laugh and say “let um be”)

The Taliban and Al queda did not exist when the USSR was there and no CIA money went to either. What was left of the groups that Charlie and latter the CIA funded became the Northern Alliance, which both the Taliban and al queda fought against. Al queda was formed and funded by OBL with his personal wealth. That is historical fact.
Charlie wanted to stay involved in Afghanistan, but with the USSR defeated support in Congress for funding dried up. Those small minds again.

Charlie wouldn't hate on you, he fought small mind his whole life, he would probably buy you a drink, and wish you well.

Al Queda was formed by OBL mainly in response to the US troops being stationed in Saudi Arabia in the 80's to fight Iraq in the first Gulf War. So if you wish to say the Twin Towers would be standing today if we didn't fight the First Gulf War you may have a case. But that had nothing to do with Charlie Wilson. OBL did not plan to attack the US until after our troops set foot in, in his view, the Holy Land of near Mecca. OBL liked Charlie's work against the USSR. If the USSR kept control of Afghanistan and we still fought the First Gulf War OBL would have still turned against us.
Charlie wanted to stay involved in Afghanistan and rebuild it, but with the USSR defeated support in Congress for funding dried up.OBL did not plan to attack the US until after our troops set foot in, in his view, the Holy Land near Mecca. OBL liked Charlie's work against the USSR. If the USSR kept control of Afghanistan and we still fought the First Gulf War OBL would have still turned against us."As the world now knows, his efforts and exploits helped repel an invader, liberate a people, and bring the Cold War to a close. After the Soviets left, Charlie kept fighting for the Afghan people and warned against abandoning that traumatized country to its fate – a warning we should have heeded then, and should remember today," Defense Secretary Gates said in a written statement.

Of course Pakistan got something to help Charlie, do you think Obama is not giving them stuff today for their help fighting the Taliban? That's the real world, you want someones help then you got give them something, oil, money, military assistance, etc.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" goes back 1000's of years.That quote itself is from a Roman Senator. Doesn't really mean it's "OK' i guess but it's how the real world works and has been so for all the recorded history we have, about 5000 years worth. The earliest writing we have from China and Egypt speak of playing tribes on their borders against each other. People like Charlie Wilson and leaders we have today have to work in the real, "not ideal" world. Doesn't make them bad people, unless of course you argue all Humans are really "bad people" which may be true.

And so the circular firing squad begins…

Charlie Wilson, a Progressive Democrat, a man who spent his whole life, fighting for the poor, the disenfranchised, the downtrodden, died yesterday.

When he was a boy he had a dog he loved and a neighbor who was a local politician.
The neighbor didn’t like Charlie’s dog doing “his business” in his beloved yard.
One night the man left some meat filled with crushed glass for Charlie’s dog.
Charlie spent the next night cradling his dying dog in his arms.
The next night he pored gasoline on the man’s yard and burned it.
When the man was up for reelection, Charlie went to the poorest part of town, mostly African-American, and spent the whole Election Day telling them what happened to his dog and carrying them to the polls in his pickup.

The next day when the man lost the election, Charlie knocked on his door, looked him in the eye, and told him, “don’t kill anymore dogs”.

Those same poor African-Americans became Charlie’s base when he was elected to Congress and he always fought for them.

And so of course the Progressives couldn’t wait to trash him in death.

READY, AIM, FIRE!

And may whatever God you worship have mercy on your souls…