Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Sandy: DoD Response update

From the DoD:



DOD Provides Hurricane Sandy Response Update

American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has directed that the Defense Department provide any available disaster response resources requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies as affected states respond to Hurricane Sandy, according to a DOD news release issued today.


The Defense Department continues to support FEMA and other federal partners, with U.S. Northern Command and the National Guard providing lifesaving and life-sustaining assets in the aftermath of the storm, according to the release.



Per the release, here is today's update on DOD's response to Hurricane Sandy:


-- As of 11:00 a.m. today, there are approximately 7,400 National Guard forces on state active duty or in the process of activating for duty in support of the governors of New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut and Maryland. These forces are providing critical assistance to local first responders and FEMA with support at evacuation shelters, damage assessments, route clearance, debris reduction and removal, search and rescue, and delivery of essential equipment and supplies.



-- DOD has staged four medium rotary wing utility aircraft and four medium rotary wing search and rescue aircraft at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, for potential logistical and search and rescue operations along the coasts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island in support of FEMA.


-- DOD has approved a request for District of Columbia National Guard support for traffic control points and high-water evacuations.


-- DOD installations throughout the Northeast are available as requested by FEMA. These include Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass.; Joint Base McGuire-Dix, Lakehurst, N.J.; and Fort Devens, Mass.


-- DOD has placed medium- and heavy-lift helicopters, para rescue swimmers, and aerial refueling aircraft on 24-hour prepare-to-deploy status in response to anticipated FEMA requests to mitigate or respond to the effects of the storm.


-- Additional engineer units and logistical support units are preparing to support the response in anticipation of any requests by FEMA.



Also, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing public works and engineering expertise to include damage modeling, storm surge modeling, temporary emergency power, and coastal preparations in support of FEMA. Other response teams remain on alert for future FEMA missions to include: debris management, commodities distribution, infrastructure assessment, temporary roofing, critical public facilities, water planning, and temporary housing.



The Corps of Engineers is currently working the New York District Emergency Operations Center and the Rock Island [from Illinois] District Unwatering Task Force management cell. The unwatering cell includes technical experts that understand flood risk modeling/inundation. This team can advise on the location and use of pumping capability, the size/scope of pumping capability that should be used, and it can do some contract management.



The Defense Logistics Agency has doubled the amount of fuel it is ready to provide for emergency backup generators in anticipation of requests for assistance from FEMA and the Department of Energy.
 

  -30-

Wednesday Hero

This post was suggested by Kathi
George Lutz
George Lutz George Lutz had the most horrible event a human can have happen in their lives happen to him. The loss of a child. His son, George Anthony Lutz II, was KIA in Fallujah, Iraq on December 29, 2005. Mr. Lutz almost let his son's loss beat him until he met a Mother, a few months later, who had lost her son as well. It was then that he realized that he could do something to help honor and remember the fallen. He set out on a mission to find a nationally recognized symbol for all fallen service members.
 
 
 


You can read more about George Lutz here These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

God Bless the USA


No politics today - my heart and my prayers for America...

"...I gladly stand up next to you... because there ain't no doubt 

I love the USA...."

Monday, October 29, 2012

Benghazi: Rumsfeld on the record

Facts and truth about what happened in Benghazi continue to swirl outside of the msm.  Msm - as usual - is dragging its heels as the Obama  administration  insists they will "carry out a full investigation."  Blah blah blah.

There has been a severe shortage of any official spokespeople willing to say anything meaningful - I don't count Biden and his disgustingly inappropriate comments to Charles Wood, father of murdered former SEAL.

As every day goes by, and the MIC tries to control the outflow of facts, others are not reticent in sharing their opinions.

Donald Rumsfeld:  It's Not Believable


Like many others, I believe there should be a full accounting on the deaths of these four Americans in Benghazi. Ideally, MIC and others should be held responsible for the inaction during events that costs patriotic Americans their lives...

Hurricane Sandy storms on

NOAA's GOES-13 satellite captured this image of the massive Hurricane Sandy, with a line of clouds from the Gulf of Mexico demonstrating the cold front Sandy is merging with.Source: NASA GOES Project 


From Homeland Security NewsWire:

U.S. East Coast braces for Sandy

 29 October 2012

Residents along the U.S. Atlantic coast, from North Carolina to Maine, were bracing form Hurricane Sandy landfall; people began to evacuate certain areas, while in many other places school closures were announced and supplies were quickly disappearing from stores’ shelves; public transit services were suspended Sunday evening, and more than 3,000 flights canceled; the hurricane may be especially ferocious because it was on its path to meet a winter storm and a cold front, together with high tides from a full moon.

 

Fox News reports that Sandy was at Category 1 strength, reaching 75 mph winds, about 270 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and moving northeast at 14 mph as of 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Late afternoon Sunday it was about 575 miles south of New York City.


The Hurricane Center notes that the hurricane may be especially ferocious because it was on its path to meet a winter storm and a cold front, together with high tides from a full moon. Weather experts noted that this rare hybrid storm may well wreak mayhem and destruction inland – all the way to the Great Lakes, which are 800-900 miles from the East Coast.


In other developments:


  • Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York announced that the city was suspending its bus, subway, and commuter rail service Sunday at 7 p.m. Sunday in anticipation of the storm.
  • New Jersey’s PATH train service, which carries passengers between New York City and New Jersey, announced that it would close starting Monday until further notice. Bridges and tunnels would be closed on a case by case basis, and the New York Stock Exchange floor will be closed, but trading will resume electronically.
  • New York mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered the closure of all city public schools for Monday and mandatory evacuations of all low-lying areas. He said that residents in lower Manhattan should call 311 or visit the city’s Web site for information on evacuation zones.
  • About 1,100 National Guard troops will be deployed — including 400 on Long Island and 200 in New York City.
  • In Nassau County on Long Island, County Executive Edward P. Mangano said three public shelters were opened at 1 p.m. Sunday. In neighboring Suffolk County, a mandatory evacuation of Fire Island was ordered, with all parks to close at 6 p.m. Sunday....
  •  
Many more details here.

Another 9/11 Firefighter/Paramedic Fights For Life

Just about every week, I hear of yet another survivor of 9/11 who continues to fight hard against one of the legacies of that terrible day. 

Meet Bobbie Jo Lawrence:


From KNDU25:


WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- 11 years ago, Bobbie Jo Lawrence and the Oregon Disaster Medical Team went to New York City to help treat the firefighters and first responders working at Ground Zero.


Lawrence has been a firefighter and paramedic for almost 20 years, deploying once a year to disaster areas. Treating those helping at 9/11 was a surreal experience she will never forget. "If they needed stitches, if they needed breathing treatments, if they had foreign bodies in their eye, they wanted to be treated and sent right back out to the pile," said Lawrence of her two week stay in the city.


Six years later, Lawrence found a lump in her breast. And then a month later, she learned her cancer had spread. "It was advanced, stage four, meaning it had already gone into my lymph nodes.'


For five grueling years, the Walla Walla mother of seven has been going to chemotherapy and radiation treatments and testing. Lawrence had genetic testing done and it shows she is not predisposed to cancer. She says after returning from NYC, she had pneumonia for about a year. She says when she got the diagnosis, her whole family just knew what it was from. 


"Not only did 9/11 take the lives of over 3,000 people in 2001, but since then, many firefighters, not just me, many firefighters continued to give their lives through cancer, through lung disease," Lawrence said....


Much more on this quiet Hero here.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Some Gave All: Corporal David O’Connor and Corporal Channing Day

Corporal David O’Connor and Corporal Channing Day killed in Afghanistan

25 Oct 12

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the deaths of Corporal David O’Connor from 40 Commando Royal Marines and Corporal Channing Day from 3 Medical Regiment on Wednesday 24 October 2012 while on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand Province.


Corporal O'Connor and Corporal Day
Picture via MOD



Corporal O’Connor and Corporal Day were participating in a patrol with C Company, 40 Commando to conduct low level training with the Afghan Local Police. While en route to conduct that training, the patrol came under small arms fire near the village of Char Kutsa. As a result of the engagement Corporal O’Connor was fatally injured alongside his colleague and patrol medic, Corporal Day.

[...]


Corporal David O’Connor
Corporal David O’Connor deployed to Afghanistan on 29 September 2012 as a Section Commander in the acting rank of Corporal. He served with Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines as part of Transition Support Unit Nahr-e Saraj. He was based in Patrol Base 1 in the southern part of Nahr-e-Saraj District, Helmand Province.


Corporal O’Connor was born on 16 June 1985 and lived in Havant, Hampshire with his mother. He joined the Royal Marines on 13 May 2002 and after nine months arduous training passed for duty as a Royal Marines Commando on 17 January 2003.


In 2007 Corporal O’Connor deployed to Afghanistan with 40 Commando on Operation Herrick 7 where he worked with Charlie Company in the Kajaki District of Northern Helmand. In 2009, after this brief period away from 40 Commando, he returned to the Commando to prepare to deploy once again to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 12, this time to the volatile Sangin District of northern Helmand. On this tour Corporal O’Connor was praised for his steadfast dedication and bravery and was awarded a Commander Joint Operations’ Commendation. 


After attendance on the Royal Marines Junior Command Course in 2011 he immediately rejoined 40 Commando and started Mission Specific Training for what was to be his third operational tour to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 17. 


Corporal O’Connor was an outstanding Royal Marines Commando. He displayed true Commando spirit in all that he did and was ferociously dedicated to his men, his Company and the Royal Marines. He was an inspirational leader and an excellent soldier; his loss will be felt not just at 40 Commando Royal Marines but throughout the Royal Marines Corps.


He leaves behind his mother, Rosemary; brother, Phil; father, Roy (known to all as George) and a loving family. He was 27 years old.


The family of Corporal O’Connor said:


“David’s family and friends are greatly saddened by his loss and hope to be left to grieve privately.”...

[...]

Corporal Channing Day
 
Corporal Channing Amanda Day deployed to Afghanistan on 2 October 2012 as a Combat Medical Technician Class One with the United Kingdom Medical Group. She was based at Patrol Base One in the Nahr-e Saraj District of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where she provided medical support to 40 Commando Royal Marines.


Corporal Channing Day was born in Swindon, Wiltshire on 12 March 1987. She grew up in Newtownards, County Down before joining the Army in 2005. Following basic training she undertook specialist training as a Combat Medical Technician. In June 2007 she successfully passed her Class One Combat Medical Technician course. In January 2012 she was posted to 3 Medical Regiment and joined 63 (Force Support) Squadron, based in Preston, and in the build up to Operation Herrick 17 was selected to support 40 Commando Royal Marines as part of Transition Support Unit Nahr-e Saraj.


Corporal Day was a popular and well respected member of both 3 Medical Regiment, and Transition Support Unit Nahr-e Saraj. A veteran of previous Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, she was looked up to, especially by more junior soldiers in her Squadron, as a mature voice of experience and good advice.


Corporal Day clearly displayed the potential to go far within the Army. Her diligence, her loyalty to friends and comrades and the high opinion in which she was held by all ranks made her a natural medical leader. Her courage, selflessness and commitment in adversity embodied the ethos of the combat medic, and will be long remembered by all those who had the honour to serve with her. 



Corporal Day is survived by her parents, Leslie and Rosemary Day, her sisters, Lauren and Laken, and brother Aaron. She was 25 years old.


The family of Corporal Day paid this tribute: 


“Channing was bubbly, sporty, beautiful and lived her life for the Army. She has died doing what she lived for and in the life that she loved. She will be remembered by all who knew her as a wonderful girl who never stopped smiling and who had an infectious laugh.


"Channing played football for Northern Ireland as well as ice hockey and also gained her qualification as a ski instructor through the Army. She was also the Northern Ireland Gymnastics Pairs Champion. A girl who lived her life to the full without ever giving up on her dreams.


"She was a fabulous daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, niece and friend. She will be so sadly missed by all.”...

Go here - spend time learning about  these two Fallen Heroes in the words of those who loved them best...


Always remembered.  ALWAYS honoured.

Mention In Despatches for decorated sergeant

From MoD:


Mention in Despatches for decorated sergeant who ran through a wall of bullets to save stranded soldiers

25 Oct 12
An Army sergeant who risked his own life to save two soldiers stranded in an enemy attack has been awarded a Mention in Despatches.

 Sergeant Steven Leslie, The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, receives a Mention in Despatches   [Picture: Sergeant Adrian Harlen, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]


Sergeant Steven Leslie, aged 30, of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS), was on patrol in one of the most violent areas of Nad 'Ali when the unit came under attack.


Machine gun fire ripped through the air and peppered the ground from two firing points no more than 200 metres away. Seconds later, six grenades from yet another exploded within ten metres of the patrol. Shrapnel sprayed the area as the soldiers pressed hard into the ground to seek what protection they could.


The insurgents fired hundreds of machine gun rounds on the patrol as Sgt Leslie leaped to his feet and ran around the sprawled troops to rally them to cover - leading them through 50 metres of open ground in the enemy's killing area so they could reach safety.


Two soldiers however remained trapped on the far side of the battlefield. Taking control Sgt Leslie fired on the enemy to cover the men so they too could make their way to relatively safety as the fight continued for another ten minutes before the whole patrol could break away....


MUCH more of this amazing story here.

Memorial honors 9/11 emergency responders

10/22/2012 



MARLBORO, N.Y. -- A ceremony was held in Marlboro to honor 9/11 emergency responders. This, as a piece of steel from the World Trade Center towers found a new home in Ulster County.

The Marlboro Fire Department brought in the steel beam to honor the 343 firefighters lost in New York City on the tragic day more than eleven years ago. The fallen firefighters from their company were also honored at the dedication.

County Executive Mike Hein and hundreds from the community came out to show their support for their local heroes. They say they want everyone to remember those who sacrificed their lives to help others.

"You can never lose sight, you can't lose sight of that tragic day, and you can never forget. And the way you never forget, is memorials like this,” said Bob Troncillito, Chief of Marlboro Host Company No. 1.

The memorial is in front of the Fire Department on Grand Street, and is open to the public.

 source


NEVER FORGET.

Israeli planes destroy Sudanese arms factory




From Homeland Security NewsWire:


Israeli planes destroy Sudanese arms factory suspected of producing chemical weapons for Hamas

24 October 2012

Earlier this morning Israeli planes destroyed the Yarmouk arms factory in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital – 1,300 miles from Israel; in 1998 the plant was suspected of holding Iraqi chemical weapons which Saddam Hussein wanted to conceal from the UN inspectors; Sudan has become a major corridor of arms for Hamas, and Israel has conducted several military operations inside Sudan aiming to disrupt shipments of arms to Hamas; in April 2011 Israeli special forces, ferried by helicopters into Sudan, ambushed and killed two high-level Hamas officials who were on their way to Libya to finalize a deal, financed by Iran, to buy about 800 chemical munitions from anti-Qaddafi rebels who had taken over a couple of chemical weapons depots from the pro-Qaddafi forces


Sudan’s defense minister earlier today said that four Israeli military planes attacked and destroyed an arms factory in Khartoum, the capital, around midnight Sudan time. The distance from Israel to Kahrotum is 1,300 miles. The attack ignited a huge fire in the destroyed facility and neighboring buildings.


Sudan has been serving as major corridor for arms supplies to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Some of the arms come from Iran and China, and others are being manufactured in Sudan itself. The arms are being loaded onto ships, which unload their cargo on the western coast of the Sinai Peninsula, where Bedouins, who are paid by Iran, ferry them north to the Gaza Strip.


Israel has conducted military operations in Sudan in the past, aimed to disrupt the weapons shipments to Hamas....


Much more here.


From Israel National News:

Israeli Official: Sudan is a 'Terrorist State'

A top Israeli defense official said that Sudan was a terrorist state, and that its accusations against Israel could not be taken seriously.
 
10/25/2012
 
Israel hit back at Sudan Thursday, after Khartoum on Wednesday accused Israel of attacking a military installation in the country. A top Israeli defense official told Army Radio that Sudan was a terrorist state, and that its accusations that Israel engaged in terrorism against that country could not be taken seriously.


“Sudan is a dangerous terrorist state. To know exactly what happened (there), it will take some time to understand," said Amos Gilad, director of policy and political-military affairs at the Defense Ministry. "There are different versions of the Sudanese side, so there is no reason to go into details," Gilad responded to questions of Israeli involvement in the attack.


Sudan says it has evidence that Israeli warplanes carried out the attack, although it has so far failed to present that evidence. Sudan claimed that four Israeli aircraft fired missiles that hit a military factory and killed two people in Khartoum. The explosion at the military factory in Sudan's capital before dawn Wednesday sent detonating ammunition flying through the air, causing panic among residents, the official news agency and local media reports said. Sudan has demanded that the UN Security Council condemn Israel for the raid. A Sudanese official, Bilal Osman, said that a response by Sudan for the attack would be forthcoming, although “we reserve the right to react at a place and time we choose."


Israeli officials have long been following the situation in Sudan, which security officials said was a major source of weapons for Gaza Arab terrorists. Gangs of terrorists trained and set up areas of influence in the remote parts of the country, with large weapons warehouses. According to security officials, Sudan is a major hub on the route of smugglers moving weapons from Iran and Syria to terror groups in Gaza, Lebanon, and elsewhere. Several months ago, a car carrying several weapons smugglers and a large amount of weapons exploded at Port Sudan. Sudan accused Israel of involvement in that attack as well.


Meanwhile, a report in Arab media Thursday said that the U.S. had closed its embassy in Khartoum, Sudan's capital, on Tuesday – just before the attack took place, as if the U.S. had advanced knowledge of the attack. Hundreds of Sudanese gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum calling for “death to Israel” and “death to America,” as they burned American and Israeli flags.  (emphasis mine)

 
 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Obama's failed foreign policy



Monday night's debate was supposed to be about US foreign policy.  This on the heels of more evidence coming out daily that Obama's administration is directly responsible for the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi.  Check out this video.


Many of us have been waiting for the Romney campaign to show us how differently they will approach America's foreign policy.

War On Terror News:

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

KRH WELCOME HOME!

From MoD:

King's Royal Hussars return home from Afghanistan

22 Oct 12
Soldiers from C Squadron of the King's Royal Hussars (KRH) have returned home from a demanding but successful deployment as part of 12th Mechanized Brigade in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Soldiers from C Squadron of the King's Royal Hussars
Soldiers from C Squadron of the King's Royal Hussars march into Aliwal Barracks on Tidworth Camp
[Picture: Corporal Kellie Williams, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

90 members of C Squadron, led by Officer Commanding Major Alex Michael, were welcomed home to Aliwal Barracks on Tidworth Camp in Wiltshire on Friday 19 October 2012.

The servicemen and women were given an extremely warm welcome by their families, friends and colleagues who were accompanied by colourful banners, balloons and flags.

Being greeted by such friendly faces was exactly what the soldiers needed, according to Major Michael:

"C Squadron has been working very closely with the Afghan Uniform Police in the area of Babaji, previously an extremely volatile and dangerous area of Helmand where the Taliban's intimidation and improvised explosive devices made life a misery for all," he said.

"However, C Squadron has been responsible for continuing the remarkable progress made by the British and Afghan forces in the area.

"Over the past six months, the squadron has continued to hand over the responsibility for security to the Afghan Police, whilst continuing to train and mentor them.
Major Alex Michael with his family
Major Alex Michael with his wife, Lucy, and children Michael, Bertie and Olly
[Picture: Corporal Kellie Williams, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]


Major Michael explained that the mentoring programme carried out by the KRH soldiers had been extremely successful:

"Throughout the challenging summer months, when insurgent activity is always at its peak, the performance of the Afghan Police has been excellent, reflecting the intelligent support provided by C Squadron," he said....


Much more here.

Welcome home and THANK YOU!

Wednesday Hero

This Post Was Suggested By Michael
Sgt. Darrell Cole
Sgt. Darrell Cole 24 years old from Park Hills, Missouri 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines July 20, 1920 - February 19, 1945 U.S. Marines Sgt. Darrell Cole joined the U.S. Marines in 1941 and appointed to the Field Music School because he knew how to play the French Horn. He wasn't happy with the assignment and applied to be a machine-gunner four times before he was finally approved.
 
 In his three years of service, Sgt. Cold saw action in Guadalcanal, Kwajalein, Saipan and Iwo Jima. Sgt. Cole was KIA on February 19, 1945 in Iwo Jima when he was killed by an enemy grenade after he had single handily attacked two gun emplacements armed with only a pistol and one hand grenade. 
 
For his actions that day Sgt. Darrell Cole was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Leader of a Machine-gun Section of Company B, First Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines, Fourth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. Assailed by a tremendous volume of small-arms, mortar and artillery fire as he advanced with one squad of his section in the initial assault wave, Sergeant Cole boldly led his men up the sloping beach toward Airfield Number One despite the blanketing curtain of flying shrapnel and, personally destroying with hand grenades two hostile emplacements which menaced the progress of his unit, continued to move forward until a merciless barrage of fire emanating from three Japanese pillboxes halted the advance. Instantly placing his one remaining machine gun in action, he delivered a shattering fusillade and succeeded in silencing the nearest and most threatening emplacement before his weapon jammed and the enemy, reopening fire with knee mortars and grenades, pinned down his unit for the second time. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation and evolving a daring plan of counterattack, Sergeant Cole, armed solely with a pistol and one grenade, coolly advanced alone to the hostile pillboxes. Hurling his one grenade at the enemy in sudden, swift attack, he quickly withdrew, returned to his own lines for additional grenades and again advanced, attacked, and withdrew. With enemy guns still active, he ran the gauntlet of slashing fire a third time to complete the total destruction of the Japanese strong point and the annihilation of the defending garrison in this final assault. Although instantly killed by an enemy grenade as he returned to his squad, Sergeant Cole had eliminated a formidable Japanese position, thereby enabling his company to storm the remaining fortifications, continue the advance and seize the objective. By his dauntless initiative, unfaltering courage and indomitable determination during a critical period of action, Sergeant Cole served as an inspiration to his comrades, and his stouthearted leadership in the face of almost certain death sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country."
 
 In March 11, 1996 he received the honor of having a Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Cole (DDG-67), named after him.
 
 
You can read more about Sgt. Darrell Cole here and here These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero. Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Monday, October 22, 2012

Suicide in the US Military

Anybody who watches the Global War On Terror closely, knows that the reported number of suicides in the US Military continue to rise at an alarming rate. Department of Defense releases monthly figures (September here) and it is now being suggested we are losing more Troops to suicide than are being killed by the enemy.  Suicide has become an enemy of the US Military. This despite a very public effort by the leadership to prove they are addressing what is now a huge problem.

War On Terror News:

10/20/2012

Sunday, October 21, 2012

The TRUTH about Libya: Obama's failed foreign policy



Oct 20, 2012 by
A joint SecureAmericaNow.org - A RightChange.com Production. America was attacked on September 11th, 2012 by Al Qaeda at our consulate in Libya. Our consulate was burned and four Americans including our ambassador were murdered. President Obama and his administration denied it was a terrorist attack for weeks. Since then, Americans have learned that Obama and his administration knew it was an act of terror all along and chose to tell the public it was because of a Youtube video protest. It's time for Obama to tell the truth on Libya. We can't afford more apologies, excuses, and weakness.

Friday, October 19, 2012

'Horse soldier' statue dedicated near Ground Zero

Lt. Gen. John Mulholland, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and former commander of Task Force Dagger, addresses the audience during the dedication and unveiling ceremony for the De Oppresso Liber statue at the Winter Garden Hall in Two World Financial Center near Ground Zero, Nov. 11, 2011. Members of Task Force Dagger, a Special Operations team made up Green Berets from 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), aircrew members from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), and combat controllers from Air Force Special Operations Command; joined Vice President Joseph Biden and business leaders and veterans support organizations to unveil the statue.(Photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Jacob)


Courtesy Story

NEW YORK, N.Y. - "It was as if the Jetsons had met the Flintstones," stated Capt. Will Summers, former Special Forces team sergeant for the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), as his team linked up and operated with members of the Afghan Northern Alliance just weeks after the 9/11 attacks.

A decade later those same words would resonate throughout the Winter Garden Hall in Two World Financial Center near Ground Zero as Vice President Joseph Biden, standing before the Ground Zero flag, spoke to the audience assembled for the dedication of a larger than life bronze statue depicting those same Green Berets.


Members of Task Force Dagger - a joint Special Operations team consisting mostly of Green Berets from the 5th SFG (A), aircrew members from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), and Air Force Combat Controllers - gathered with the Vice President and various New York business leaders and veteran support groups as they unveiled and dedicated an 18-foot statue, entitled De Oppresso Liber.

De Oppresso Liber, which in Latin means 'to liberate the oppressed', depicts a Special Forces Green Beret on horseback leading the invasion into Afghanistan in the weeks that followed the World Trade Center attacks. It captures the iconic image of adaptability, skill, and courage that characterized the mission and quality of U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers.

Read the rest here...



Tina Fineberg for The New York Times

A statue memorializing soldiers who rode into battle in Afghanistan after 9/11 has been placed in front of the World Trade Center PATH station and will be formally dedicated on Friday.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Stephanie Cutter is shifty

Stephanie Cutter is also delusional. So delusional is she, that I feel the need to shine the light of day on her latest attempt at creative writing.   In my Inbox yesterday:

Truth Team
  Brat--

Last night, President Obama won the debate and laid out the clear choice in this election. Americans saw a strong, steady and decisive president with a vision and plan to move this country forward. And when Mitt Romney tried to mislead voters -- which was pretty often -- the President exposed the real Romney.

Romney was shifty when it came to women's issues. He gave an awkward and dishonest answer about his refusal to stand up for legislation that helps women fight back when they don't receive equal pay for equal work. While the President talked about women as breadwinners for American families, Romney talked about them as resumes in a "binder." Romney also didn't tell the truth about his plan to take away women's access to affordable contraception by repealing Obamacare, or his support of an extreme proposal to put employers in charge of whether female employees can get contraception through their insurance plan. Today, his campaign called the issue of birth control "peripheral" for most women. Um, ok.

Take a look at this video we put together on Romney's trouble with women's issues, and then share it with others:

Video: Debate wrap
Share on Facebook    Share on Twitter    Share via Email   
Women's issues weren't the only area where Romney stumbled, though. Take a look:

Wrong on taxes
Romney continued to push his mathematically impossible tax math last night, while avoiding getting into any of the specifics in his plan. The President pointed out that Romney would have turned down a "sketchy deal" like the one he's offering the American people when he worked as an investor -- take a look.

Wrong on Libya
President Obama reiterated his commitment to tracking down those people responsible for the attacks on our consulate and bringing them justice. Mitt Romney tried to score points by saying President Obama didn't identify the attack in Benghazi as an act of terror for two weeks -- a falsehood that both the President and the debate moderator called Romney out on.

Wrong on immigration
Romney wasn't honest last night about his own promise to veto the DREAM Act or his support for self-deportation and Arizona's extreme anti-immigrant law, but he did call young undocumented Americans "illegals" while the President spoke about their dreams. Get the facts on what Romney's real immigration policies are.

If you watched, you know that President Obama won the debate last night -- so don't hesitate to say so. Watch this video, and share it with your friends and family:
Share on Facebook    Share on Twitter    Share via Email   
Thanks,
Stephanie

P.S. -- Tonight at midnight is the last FEC fundraising deadline of this campaign -- chip in $25 or more, and help us finish strong.







Fed Reserve Bomber is the victim - of entrapment

No, you really can't make this stuff up!

From War On Terror News:

Thursday, October 18, 2012

RFA Memorial unveiled

From MoD:

15 Oct 12

A national memorial to commemorate all the members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) who have died while serving on operations around the world has been officially unveiled.

His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, Commodore Bill Walworth and Rob Langford
From left: His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, Commodore Bill Walworth and Rob Langford at the official unveiling of the RFA Memorial [Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) David Hillhouse, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]


Since 1905 the Royal Fleet Auxiliary has supported the Royal Navy across the globe during both peace and war, providing vital supplies such as food, fuel and ammunition.

The new dedication at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire lists the 24 ships involved in conflicts with loss of life - starting with RFA Thrush in 1917 and ending with RFA Sir Tristram in 1982 during the Falklands War.

The RFA Association, which includes former and serving personnel among its members, helped raise more than £30,000 to pay for the memorial, with some of the funding coming from events held on RFA ships across the fleet.

Commodore Bill Walworth, Commodore RFA, said:

"The National Memorial Arboretum is a wonderful location and I am pleased we are today dedicating an RFA memorial that is well designed, reflects our service, and sits beautifully in the peace and tranquillity of the park.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Memorial
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
[Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) David Hillhouse, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012] 

"Since 1905 the ships and people of the RFA have served their country, providing the lifeblood that keeps the Royal Navy fighting and its sailors and marines sustained. The RFA Memorial is an important symbol of this enduring commitment."
Attending the official unveiling was RFA Commodore-in-Chief His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, Vice Admiral Alan Richards, Chief of Defence Intelligence, and around 160 members of the RFA Association and serving RFA officers and ratings.

Addressing the assembled crowd, the Earl of Wessex said that the memorial was:
"in memory of all those who have and who will serve and a place for the families to visit. It is not a piece of stone but a place of memories."
Robin Lock, RFA (Retired), said:
"It is a special commemoration that met the old, the new and the future in recognition of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's 107 years of service to the Armed Forces and the Crown."

(c) MoD

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Video: Benghazi and Obama lies

Take a look:

Oct 17, 2012 by
On the anniversary of 9/11, four Americans, including our U.S. Ambassador to Libya, were murdered in a terrorist attack. Yet, for fourteen days, President Obama and his officials blamed the Benghazi attack on a video.

Yes, this is a video by the Romney/Ryan campaign, but the use of the deaths of four Americans being murdered to make political points by the MIC's administration - and the outright LIES - is what is "very hateful and very offensive" to all decent people.

It becomes more obvious with each passing day that NObody in the administration can handle the TRUTH.

Obama 'back on his game'


(source)



I deliberately chose to avoid the latest Romney/Obama encounter.  I refuse to call these tv stunts 'debates' since as far as I could tell from the first two, no rules of debate were followed, and ignorance was on full display.


Thank GOODness the CBC was paying attention and was able to *report* on the MIC and the next president of the US in NY last night:

Their 'unbiased' reporting began with "The president was back on his game."

Online:  "spirited,... re-energised ...An aggressive President Barack Obama accused challenger Mitt Romney of favouring a "one-point plan" to help the rich in America and playing politics with the deadly terrorist attack in Libya in a Tuesday night debate crackling with energy and emotion just three weeks before the election...."



CBC - as always - proves who they are backing in this never-ending run for the White House..

Not all watchers were so enamoured or blatantly biased and wearing their pro-MIC hearts on their sleeves, and the comments are fast and furious this morning.

One of my friends - a self  described 'Differently abled American Vet aka Enemy of the State' - has this:


Ok, I watched the "debate". As typical the "moderator" kept interrupting Mittens, and kissing the o's butt. The highlight for me was seeing o get so pissed off that it looked like he was going to snap and actually hit Romney. The only game o was on was his deflection of anything and everything. About the only thing that the two sort of agreed on was that China is to blame for some of the issues with the American economy. Which is complete bs, the simple fact is what they dont want to put out to the American people is that they have become lazy arrogant jackasses who think everything should be given to them. While in China the attitude is simple, 'everyone must have a job'. Good job or bad job its a job. Americans want the good job that has tons of perks and money and no effort, but politicians cant say that. The other big highlight was Mitts wife flipping the bird, yes that bird. "I hate it when it does that..." The simple summation is that o kept trying to lie and run from his record and Mitt pounded the living snot out of that record of fail. Short answer, Mitt won, hands down. But if you like, O was on his game......of failing.


[...]

And there you have it..  I am guessing this American Vet is not an "undecided"  voter..and I trust HIS judgement more than any of the high-priced pundits/reporters...