Kash Patel snorkeling at the Arizona Memorial

Servus · May 27, 2026

RDKirk said:
Yeah, that's rather like the invitation I got to sit in an SR-71, as I previously spoke of.

It's not quite the same as being invited ahead of time by a four star Admiral or General.

It's more like when on a whim an EMS Chief Master Sergeant I knew invited me to sit in the cockpit of an F-16 while I was visiting Nellis AFB. I remember him telling me not to grab the yellow and black striped handle or they'd have to wash me off the roof of the hangar.

Servus · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
No, it hasn't been explained. It's been excused and some have tried to justify it in odd, myriad ways, but there's been no explanation for why a snorkeling visit to a WWII gravesite was necessary or even within the parameters of the FBI director's position.

I understand the concept. Trying new things in new ways isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, my issue is that, for someone in a leadership role, knowledge and more importantly experience is necessary. For one to lead an organization, let alone a nation, one needs to know WHY things are done the way they are, and have enough experience with doing things that way to know when and in what specific circumstances changes can actually be warranted.

I mean, it wouldn't be good for the leader of a law enforcement agency to suggest, say, just letting a suspect stand in a corner for a while and think about what they've done while the officers go about their business. Sure, a rookie might suggest such a thing, but it's the experienced officers that will know why that's a bad idea.

Leading the FBI isn't an entry level position. Those who hold it should have the requisite experience to know how to do the job.

I don't think Ka$h does. And indulging his whims like this snorkeling expedition, using official aircraft to go to his girlfriend's concerts and to ferry her around, and such, doesn't help to convince me otherwise.

The thing tough is it's asinine to say Patel did it on a whim. He was invited to do so by one of the highest ranking Admirals in the US Navy.

This has been another example of people on the left going completely bonkers and looking ridiculous. Karenzilla to the max.

A2SG · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
The thing tough is it's complete idiotic to say Patel did it on a whim.

It certainly wasn't part of his official duties, though, was it? He was reportedly in Hawaii to tour the FBI field offices there, not to visit any military memorial sites.

Servus said:
He was invited to do so by one of the highest ranking Admirals in the US Navy.

That's not exactly what the FBI has claimed. The Guardian does report that:

The FBI also said in a statement to the Times that Patel had been invited to Pearl Harbor by Adm Samuel J Paparo Jr, who is the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command.

Admiral Paparo did invite Ka$h to Pearl Harbor, but it doesn't say he specifically invited him to snorkel at the memorial site. If you think he did, perhaps you could provide evidence for that?

But, regardless, as has been noted by yourself and others, sometimes military leaders do indulge VIPs or visitors in some things, like sitting in cool aircraft etc. But it's not always a good idea to do it, nor is it good optics. And, given Patel's other questionable uses (or abuses) of his authority, it does demonstrate a pattern of immaturity that doesn't reflect well on Patel himself, or the administration.

-- A2SG, then again, I can't seem to recall any member of the Trump administration who does reflect it particularly well...

A2SG · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
This has been another example of people on the left going completely bonkers and looking ridiculous. Karenzilla to the max.

From the above cited Guardian article:

In an interview on CNN this week, former FBI director James Comey was asked about the reports of Patel’s snorkel trip.

“You said snorkeling?” Comey asked. “I visited the Pearl Harbor memorial with the admiral in charge of the pacific command on a navy boat, never got in the water, so I don’t know, I think when you’re FBI director you have a responsibility to represent not just yourself but 38,000 people and an idea, an American idea that’s respected around the world and that’s a burden, you’re always on duty, you’re always being watched, and I knew that the whole time.”

-- A2SG, doesn't sound bonkers or ridiculous to me, to be honest....

Pommer · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
From the above cited Guardian article:

In an interview on CNN this week, former FBI director James Comey was asked about the reports of Patel’s snorkel trip.

“You said snorkeling?” Comey asked. “I visited the Pearl Harbor memorial with the admiral in charge of the pacific command on a navy boat, never got in the water, so I don’t know, I think when you’re FBI director you have a responsibility to represent not just yourself but 38,000 people and an idea, an American idea that’s respected around the world and that’s a burden, you’re always on duty, you’re always being watched, and I knew that the whole time.”

-- A2SG, doesn't sound bonkers or ridiculous to me, to be honest....

Comey’s still under indictment for threatening the President, and is liable to say anything at this point, (as laughable as the legal proceedings against him are).

Servus · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
It certainly wasn't part of his official duties, though, was it? He was reportedly in Hawaii to tour the FBI field offices there, not to visit any military memorial sites.

That's not exactly what the FBI has claimed. The Guardian does report that:

The FBI also said in a statement to the Times that Patel had been invited to Pearl Harbor by Adm Samuel J Paparo Jr, who is the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command.

Admiral Paparo did invite Ka$h to Pearl Harbor, but it doesn't say he specifically invited him to snorkel at the memorial site. If you think he did, perhaps you could provide evidence for that?

But, regardless, as has been noted by yourself and others, sometimes military leaders do indulge VIPs or visitors in some things, like sitting in cool aircraft etc. But it's not always a good idea to do it, nor is it good optics. And, given Patel's other questionable uses (or abuses) of his authority, it does demonstrate a pattern of immaturity that doesn't reflect well on Patel himself, or the administration.

Crybaby nit-picking for the sake of vilification purely because he's Trump admin. Comes off as completely ridiculous.

Servus · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
From the above cited Guardian article:

In an interview on CNN this week, former FBI director James Comey was asked about the reports of Patel’s snorkel trip.

“You said snorkeling?” Comey asked. “I visited the Pearl Harbor memorial with the admiral in charge of the pacific command on a navy boat, never got in the water, so I don’t know, I think when you’re FBI director you have a responsibility to represent not just yourself but 38,000 people and an idea, an American idea that’s respected around the world and that’s a burden, you’re always on duty, you’re always being watched, and I knew that the whole time.”

Comey? Now there's the worst FBI director ever. He completely sabotaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. He's the one the left should be hating on.

A2SG · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
Crybaby nit-picking for the sake of vilification purely because he's Trump admin. Comes off as completely ridiculous.

Name-calling and a blanket dismissal without addressing a single point? That's your response?

Ooookay then.

Servus said:
Comey? Now there's the worst FBI director ever. He completely sabotaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. He's the one the left should be hating on.

And an ad-hom fallacy to boot.

-- A2SG, not much I can say to any of that.....

Servus · May 27, 2026

RDKirk said:
Yeah, that's rather like the invitation I got to sit in an SR-71, as I previously spoke of.

In my experience it would have been the same if I had been invited ahead of time by a four star General.

Servus · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
Name-calling and a blanket dismissal without addressing a single point? That's your response?

Ooookay then.

No, the complaint is crybaby nit-picking. Oh noes he went on what was probably a 90 minute tour at the invite of a high ranking Admiral which wasn't part of his official duties! Later on he had dinner which wasn't part of his official duties! And then probably watched some TV before bed which wasn't part of his official duties! The next morning he chatted with someone at breakfast which wasn't part of his official duties!

A2SG said:
And an ad-hom fallacy to boot.

That coming from someone who's been ad-homing Patel is pretty darn funny.

A2SG · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
No, the complaint is crybaby nit-picking.

Yup, name-calling and dismissal, just as I said.

Servus said:
Oh noes he went on what was probably a 90 minute tour at the invite of a high ranking Admiral which wasn't part of his official duties!

Well, it seems he was invited to Pearl Harbor by Admiral Paparo. So far as I can tell, I have no idea if it was actually the admiral who invited him to go snorkeling. And, to be clear, snorkeling wasn't the reason he went to Hawaii in the first place.

Servus said:
Later on he had dinner which wasn't part of his official duties! And then probably watched some TV before bed which wasn't part of his official duties! The next morning he chatted with someone at breakfast which wasn't part of his official duties!

All of which are normal things people do without needing special permission from the military. And I don't recall anyone criticizing him for doing any of it.

Servus said:
That coming from someone who's been ad-homing Patel is pretty darn funny.

At no point have I committed an ad-hominem fallacy, but feel free to point out the fallacy you think I committed, so I can correct the misapprehension.

-- A2SG, be curious to see what you think you've found....

Servus · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
Yup, name-calling and dismissal, just as I said.

Name-calling a complaint is not a thing.

A2SG said:
Well, it seems he was invited to Pearl Harbor by Admiral Paparo. So far as I can tell, I have no idea if it was actually the admiral who invited him to go snorkeling. And, to be clear, snorkeling wasn't the reason he went to Hawaii in the first place.

All of which are normal things people do without needing special permission from the military. And I don't recall anyone criticizing him for doing any of it.

Patel didn't actually do anything wrong in accepting the Admiral's invitation.

A2SG said:
At no point have I committed an ad-hominem fallacy, but feel free to point out the fallacy you think I committed, so I can correct the misapprehension.

Before proceeding it's necessary that you explain what you think an ad-hom fallacy is, and why it supposedly only applies to criticism of Comey's job as an FBI director in regard to his credibly as a cited source.

A2SG · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
Name-calling a complaint is not a thing.

Calling someone "crybaby" is name-calling. But don't worry, I'm not offended.

Servus said:
Patel didn't actually do anything wrong in accepting the Admiral's invitation.

I don't recall saying he did. (Whoever it was who actually invited him to go snorkeling to the memorial).

Servus said:
Before proceeding it's necessary that you explain what you think an ad-hom fallacy is, and why it supposedly only applies to criticism of Comey's job as an FBI director in regard to his credibly as a cited source.

Hmm. Seems to me, if you're gonna claim someone made an ad-hominem fallacy, you should have checked beforehand to be sure you knew what it was in the first place, but anyway...

Ad hominem - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Now, wanna take a stab at demonstrating the point where I attacked the "character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument rather than the substance of the argument itself." Or, perhaps, what argument Ka$h made you think I fallaciously attacked?

-- A2SG, like, for example, criticizing Comey personally ("worst FBI director ever" etc.) instead of addressing the comments he made.....

Servus · May 27, 2026

A2SG said:
Calling someone "crybaby" is name-calling. But don't worry, I'm not offended.

I called the argument crybaby as in a crybaby argument. I was bypassing your character and focusing entirely on how the argument was constructed. Insisting otherwise shows a lack of understanding context and application.

A2SG said:
I don't recall saying he did. (Whoever it was who actually invited him to go snorkeling to the memorial).

Hmm. Seems to me, if you're gonna claim someone made an ad-hominem fallacy, you should have checked beforehand to be sure you knew what it was in the first place, but anyway...

Ad hominem - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Now, wanna take a stab at demonstrating the point where I attacked the "character, motive, or some other attribute of the person making an argument rather than the substance of the argument itself." Or, perhaps, what argument Ka$h made you think I fallaciously attacked?

For staters spelling the name Kash as "Ka$h" is clearly an ad hominem attack on his character. Now explain in your own words how what I said about Comey's performance as an FBI director regarding his credibility as a cited source was an ad hominem fallacy.

perplexed · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
I called the argument crybaby as in a crybaby argument. I was bypassing your character and focusing entirely on how the argument was constructed. Insisting otherwise shows a lack of understanding context and application.

everyone knows you don't believe that

Servus · May 27, 2026

perplexed said:
everyone knows you don't believe that

Anyone who's read my posts over the years knows that I avoid making personal remarks and attempt to focus on the topic and the argument. That when it comes to a topic many are weighing in on, I consider it pointless to narrow it down to one person. Calling a single person a crybaby over a complaint expressed by many would completely go against my stated preferences in debating.

RocksInMyHead · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
For staters spelling the name Kash as "Ka$h" is clearly an ad hominem attack on his character.

Is it? He clearly likes it:

GoldenBoy89 · May 27, 2026

Servus said:
This has been another example of people on the left going completely bonkers and looking ridiculous. Karenzilla to the max.

Where do you see “the left going completely bonkers” over this? Theres people not on the left in this very thread telling you how and why this is wrong yet you seem to completely disregard them.

DaisyDay · May 27, 2026

The Atlantic on Instagram: "FBI Director Kash Patel has distributed “Ka$h”-branded bottles of bourbon to bureau staff and civilians, including during at least one FBI event, multiple people in Patel’s orbit tell Sarah Fitzpatrick.⁠ ⁠ “The bottles bea

6,276 likes, 796 comments - theatlantic on May 6, 2026: "FBI Director Kash Patel has distributed “Ka$h”-branded bottles of bourbon to bureau staff and civilians, including during at least one FBI event, multiple people in Patel’s orbit tell Sarah Fitzpatrick.⁠ ⁠ “The bottles bear the imprint of...

www.instagram.com

Servus · May 27, 2026

GoldenBoy89 said:
Where do you see “the left going completely bonkers” over this? Theres people not on the left in this very thread telling you how and why this is wrong yet you seem to completely disregard them.

This is a national news story. Therefore reactions regarding what happened extend way beyond this thread. Left-wing media has cranked out the usual sensationalistic vilification. And those across the nation who get sucked into such are way overreacting.

Kash Patel snorkeling at the Arizona Memorial

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