Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Nigeria: Twenty nine students murdered..does anybody notice?
That 'religion of peace' strikes again.
From CBS:
Go here for more gruesome details.
Allen West says this:
No, me neither. Go read Allen West here.
From Jihad Watch:
Much more here.
What happens 'over there' has nothing to do with us. Right?
From CBS:
February 25, 2014
Boko Haram Islamic militants storm Nigeria boarding school, kill 29 children
DAMATURU, Nigeria -- Gunmen from Islamist group Boko Haram stormed a boarding school in northeast Nigeria overnight and killed 29 pupils, many of whom died in flames as the school was burned to the ground, police and the military said on Tuesday.
Some of the students bodies were burned to ashes,รข€ Police Commissioner Sanusi Rufai said of the attack on the Federal Government college of Buni Yadi, a secondary school in Yobe state, near the state's capital city of Damaturu.
Female students were spared in the attack, said spokesman Abdullahi Bego. The attackers went to the female dormitories and told the young women to go home, get married and abandon the Western education they said is anathema to Islam, he said. He was relating to The Associated Press what survivors and community leaders told Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam when he visited the now-deserted and destroyed Federal Government College at Buni Yadi, a secondary school 45 miles south of the state capital, Damaturu..
Soldiers guarding a checkpoint near the government school were mysteriously withdrawn hours before the attack, said Abdullahi Bego, the spokesman for the governor of Yobe state....
Go here for more gruesome details.
Allen West says this:
Some may read this story and ask who cares?
I’m not advocating the United States police the world but if we refuse to comprehend the global threat of Islamic totalitarianism, we are only fooling ourselves.
This is not about occupation warfare but strike operations against these non-state, non-uniform belligerents, and we must interdict their flow of financial and materiel support. Along with that we must stop the PC mantra of not attacking their ideology, stop calling them extremists and refer to them as who they are, jihadists, Islamic terrorists.
I am waiting to hear condemnation from President Obama. Not holding my breath.
No, me neither. Go read Allen West here.
From Jihad Watch:
Nigerian students trying to escape college attack were “slaughtered like sheep” by Islamic jihadists who slit their throats
February 25, 2014
Remember: when you hear Leftists and Islamic supremacists going on about “Islamophobia,” demonizing those who call attention to atrocities like this, this is what they are enabling: students burned alive, and having their throats slit when they tried to escape. This is, apparently, what the “Islamophobia” industry — the real one that pushes the concept, not the counter-jihad one that Hamas-linked CAIR imagines to exist — wants to see: heaps of dead Infidel bodies....
[...]
Adamu Garba said he and other teachers who ran away through the bush estimate 40 students died in the assault that began around 2 a.m. Tuesday at the Federal Government College at Buni Yadi.
It is a co-ed school about 70 kilometres south of Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, and difficult to communicate with because extremists last year destroyed the cellphone tower there.
Soldiers still are gathering corpses so he could not give an exact number of dead, said military spokesman Capt. Eli Lazarus....
Much more here.
What happens 'over there' has nothing to do with us. Right?
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
World Trade Center 1993: Terrorism comes to America
Always remember.
February 26th marks the 21st anniversary of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the first of the two terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Towers.
1,042 people were injured after a truck bomb detonated in the garage of the WTC North Tower, killing six. The blast from the 1,500-pound bomb blew a hole five stories deep and half-a-football field wide,badly damaging the tower's inner support beams and causing $500 million in property damage. It took officials 11 hours to completely evacuate roughly 50,000 people from the massive buildings. But the twin towers were repaired, cleaned, and reopened in less than a month.
Kirkpatrick,
Knapp, Macko and Rodriguez smith were all
employees of the Port Authority of New York and
New Jersey, owners of the World Trade Center
buildings. They were having lunch when the
blast took place. The three men were mechanical
supervisors for the agency and Rodriguez Smith was
Macko's secretary. DiGiovanni, a dental
supply salesman was visiting the site and Wilfredo
Mercado was checking the food deliveries in the
basement.
Much more here.
1993 World Trade Center Bombing Documentary by prediqnous11
(source)
From the BBC:
Go here for more - plus video.
NEVER FORGET.
February 26th marks the 21st anniversary of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the first of the two terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Towers.
1,042 people were injured after a truck bomb detonated in the garage of the WTC North Tower, killing six. The blast from the 1,500-pound bomb blew a hole five stories deep and half-a-football field wide,badly damaging the tower's inner support beams and causing $500 million in property damage. It took officials 11 hours to completely evacuate roughly 50,000 people from the massive buildings. But the twin towers were repaired, cleaned, and reopened in less than a month.
Since
then, each year we honor the memory
of Robert Kirkpatrick, 61,
Stephen A. Knapp, 47, William Macko, 57, John
DiGiovanni, 45, Wilfredo Mercado, 37 and Monica
Rodriguez Smith, 35, and her unborn child
.
At about 17 minutes past noon, a thunderous explosion rocked lower Manhattan.
Investigators going through the rubble following the bombing of the World Trade Center.
The epicenter was the parking garage beneath the World Trade Center, where a massive eruption carved out a nearly 100-foot crater several stories deep and several more high. Six people were killed almost instantly. Smoke and flames began filling the wound and streaming upward into the building. Those who weren’t trapped were soon pouring out of the building—many panic-stricken and covered in soot. More than a thousand people were hurt in some way, some badly, with crushed limbs.
It was Friday, February 26, 1993, and Middle Eastern terrorism had arrived on American soil—with a bang.As a small band of terrorists scurried away from the scene unnoticed, the FBI and its partners on the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force began staffing up a command center and preparing to send in a team to investigate. Their instincts told them that this was terrorism—they’d been tracking Islamic fundamentalists in the city for months and, they’d later learn, were tantalizingly close to encountering the planners of this attack. But hunches weren’t enough; what was needed was definitive proof.
They’d have it soon enough. The massive investigation that followed—led by the task force, with some 700 FBI agents worldwide ultimately joining in—quickly uncovered a key bit of evidence. In the rubble investigators uncovered a vehicle identification number on a piece of wreckage that seemed suspiciously obliterated. A search of our crime records returned a match: the number belonged to a rented van reported stolen the day before the attack. An Islamic fundamentalist named Mohammad Salameh had rented the vehicle, we learned, and on March 4, an FBI SWAT team arrested him as he tried in vain to get his $400 deposit back.
One clue led to another and we soon had in custody three more suspects—Nidal Ayyad, Mahmoud Abouhalima, and Ahmed Ajaj. We’d also found the apartment where the bomb was built and a storage locker containing dangerous chemicals, including enough cyanide gas to wipe out a town. All four men were tried, convicted, and sentenced to life.
Much more here.
1993 World Trade Center Bombing Documentary by prediqnous11
(source)
From the BBC:
In May 1994, four men - Mohammed Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Mahmud Abouhalima and Ahmad Ajaj - were sentenced to life for bombing the World Trade Center, which killed six people and injured 100.
In October 1995 Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a blind cleric who preached at mosques in Brooklyn and Jersey City, was sentenced to life for masterminding the bombing,.
He was also found guilty of the murder of extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane and a scheme to assassinate Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak during a trip to New York in 1993.
Go here for more - plus video.
NEVER FORGET.
Lee Rigby killers get life
From the Beeb:
26 February 2014
Lee Rigby murder: Adebolajo and Adebowale jailed
Michael Adebolajo has been given a whole-life term and Michael Adebowale has been jailed for a minimum of 45 years for murdering Fusilier Lee Rigby.
Adebolajo, 29, and Adebowale, 22, drove into Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in Woolwich, south-east London, in May last year.
The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said Adebolajo's case was one of those "rare cases" warranting a whole-life term.
The pair were absent during sentencing after a scuffle in the dock.
As Mr Justice Sweeney began to sentence the men they started shouting and scuffling with court security guards. They had to be forced to the ground and were removed from court.
Sentencing the killers in their absence, the judge said they had been convicted on "overwhelming" evidence of the "barbaric" murder of Fusilier Rigby...
Much more here.
The family is quoted as saying that no other sentence would have been acceptable, and I have to agree....although it galls me that a) there is no death penalty in GB, and b) I suppose a long appeal process will now commence and c) these scum get to live on the taxpayer GBP for the rest of their lives..
Rest in Peace, Fusilier Rigby. Rest In Peace....
GITMO: British graduate arrested *gasp*
I know, I know, I am as surprised as you are (ie NOT AT ALL!)
Mainstream media, on both sides of the pond, is reporting that GITMO graduate has been arrested in Birmingham.
There is more on this one here.
I had forgotten about him, and how the msm had painted him as misunderstood blah blah....until I heard an interview on radio last night with one of Begg's long-time friends in England, commenting on Beggs' arrest.
It is well known that a huge percentage of the GITMO grads return to their old ways. It is also well documented (here and other places) that Syria is a magnet for foreigners who want the terrorist training offered there, so they can return to their own countries and raise hell. This is not news.
As part of the Beggs focus on CBC last night, they rebroadcast a clip of an interview they did with him after his release from GITMO. Interesting on a number of levels, not least of which was his telling his knowledge of Omar Khadr. Khadr and Beggs seem to be cut from the same cloth: both misunderstood.
As noted above, Beggs raked in the money, after successfully suing the British government. Khadr obviously paid attention, since he is currently suing the Canadian government for $60m. (Yes, million.)
As POTUS MIC continues trying to close GITMO, and releases all those misunderstood residents, we will be seeing more of these stories.
PAY ATTENTION.
Mainstream media, on both sides of the pond, is reporting that GITMO graduate has been arrested in Birmingham.
From The Telegraph (London):
Former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg arrested following compensation payout
Begg won compensation from the British taxpayer just over three years ago after suing government
By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent, and Miranda Prynne4:43PM GMT 25 Feb 2014
A former Guantanamo detainee who won a huge compensation payout from the British taxpayer after suing the government has been arrested on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offences.
Moazzam Begg was one of four people arrested by counter-terrorism officers in Birmingham on Tuesday morning.
Begg was being questioned on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp and facilitating terrorism overseas.
The 45-year-old Briton was originally held on suspicion of being an “enemy combatant” and a “confirmed member” of al-Qaeda after a raid in Pakistan by FBI agents and local police.
He was transferred to Bagram detention centre in Afghanistan then to Guantanamo Bay, but was released without charge in January 2005 after the British government intervened....
There is more on this one here.
I had forgotten about him, and how the msm had painted him as misunderstood blah blah....until I heard an interview on radio last night with one of Begg's long-time friends in England, commenting on Beggs' arrest.
"He is a very calm, very articulate sort of person so to suggest he would go off and raise a kalishnakov (sp?) is out of character..."...He is an advocate...The whole interview is here.
It is well known that a huge percentage of the GITMO grads return to their old ways. It is also well documented (here and other places) that Syria is a magnet for foreigners who want the terrorist training offered there, so they can return to their own countries and raise hell. This is not news.
As part of the Beggs focus on CBC last night, they rebroadcast a clip of an interview they did with him after his release from GITMO. Interesting on a number of levels, not least of which was his telling his knowledge of Omar Khadr. Khadr and Beggs seem to be cut from the same cloth: both misunderstood.
As noted above, Beggs raked in the money, after successfully suing the British government. Khadr obviously paid attention, since he is currently suing the Canadian government for $60m. (Yes, million.)
As POTUS MIC continues trying to close GITMO, and releases all those misunderstood residents, we will be seeing more of these stories.
PAY ATTENTION.
Wednesday Hero
This post was suggested by Michael
Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton85 years old from Tucson, Arizona
42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron
November 16, 1918 - September 19, 2004
Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton was a navigator who was shot down over Vietnam in April of 1972. He was the only one of six crewmen to survive and was behind enemy lines for 11 days before being rescued.
You can read more about Lt. Col. Hambleton 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.
:
42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron
November 16, 1918 - September 19, 2004
Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton was a navigator who was shot down over Vietnam in April of 1972. He was the only one of six crewmen to survive and was behind enemy lines for 11 days before being rescued.
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.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
WELCOME HOME HMS Richmond!
From The News (Portsmouth)
HMS Richmond sailors’ joy at seeing families again after seven months
22 February 2014
HELICOPTERS roared over the heads of cheering families in a salute as HMS Richmond returned home from seven months at sea.
- by Sam Bannister
The Royal Navy frigate has spent 2,881 hours at sea, clocking up 33,316 nautical miles and visiting several foreign countries.
Yesterday, excited mums, dads, sons and daughters, lined the jetty at Portsmouth Naval Base for the ship’s homecoming.
Banners and flags were waved at the frigate’s crew as they arrived in the harbour in the early morning.
And once the gangways were lifted into place, the ship’s company flooded off the ship and out to meet their loved ones.
Chief Petty Officer John Hobson, 30, was met off the ship by his two-year-old son John, four-month-old son Albie, and wife Natasha, 32.
He said: ‘I’m pleased to be back home.
‘It’s been a long and hard deployment but everyone has worked hard.
‘Everyone on board has been looking forward to this day for a very long time....
Much more here, and while you are there, go check out exactly where HMS Richmond has been at this link.
WELCOME HOME!
Operation Ranch Hand: Agent Orange Legacy
From Homeland Security News Wire:
C-123 returns home from Vietnam with Agent Orange contamination // Source: xuite.net
I personally know of Vietnam Vets who were exposed to Agent Orange, and have seen how the subsequent governments have dragged their heels in compensating these Vets.. Today, we are seeing the same kind of political bs regarding the known toxins that our GWOT Vets have been exposed to in the sandbox.
Read the rest of this one here, and PAY ATTENTION.
C-123 returns home from Vietnam with Agent Orange contamination // Source: xuite.net
Aircraft used in Vietnam source of postwar Agent Orange contamination in U.S.
24 February 2014
From 1971 to 1982, Air Force reservists who flew in about thirty-four dioxin-contaminated aircraft used to spray Agent Orange and who returned to the United States following discontinuation of the herbicide spraying operations in the Vietnam War, were exposed greater levels of dioxin than previously acknowledged, according to a study published in Environmental Research.
“These findings are important because they describe a previously unrecognized source of exposure to dioxin that has health significance to those who engaged in the transport work using these aircraft,” says lead investigator Peter A. Lurker, Ph.D., PE, CIH, an environmental engineer with many years of experience evaluating environmental exposures in the Air Force.
An Elsevier release reports that during the Vietnam War, in an operation called Operation Ranch Hand, approximately twenty million gallons of herbicides, including around 10.5 million gallons of dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange, were sprayed by about thirty-four C-123 aircraft. These aircraft were subsequently returned to the United States and were used by Air Force reserve units between 1971 and 1982 for transport operations. After many years without monitoring, tests revealed the presence of dioxin (also known as TCDD). All but three of the aircraft were smelted down in 2009.
The Air Force and Department of Veterans Affairs have previously denied benefits to these crew members. Current policies stipulate that “non-biologically available dried residues” of chemical herbicides and dioxin would not have led to meaningful exposures to flight crew and maintenance personnel, who are therefore ineligible for Agent Orange-related benefits or medical examinations and treatment....
I personally know of Vietnam Vets who were exposed to Agent Orange, and have seen how the subsequent governments have dragged their heels in compensating these Vets.. Today, we are seeing the same kind of political bs regarding the known toxins that our GWOT Vets have been exposed to in the sandbox.
Read the rest of this one here, and PAY ATTENTION.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Israel and the jihadi threat from Iran
From The Jerusalem Post:
Military Intelligence expanding to cope with jihadi threat from Syria
02/24/2014
Syria: Misses chemical weapons deadline
There's a surprise - NOT!
From Homeland Security News Wire:
After failing 5 February deadline, Syria wants 100-day extension to remove chemicals
24 February 2014
After missing the 5 February deadline to have all its chemical weapons removed from its territory, Syria has submitted a new 100-day plan for their removal. The international group monitoring the operation says the completion of the removal can be accomplished in less time than that. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) executive committee met on Friday in The Hague to discuss the joint mission at a time when there is a growing international frustration with Syria over its failure to live up to its commitments.
Arutz Sheva reports that the Syrian government failed to meet the 5 February OPCW deadline to move all of its declared chemical substances and precursors out of the country.
The OPCW deadline for all of Syria’s declared chemical materials to be destroyed is 30 June.
“The Syrian 100 day plan for removal of the chemicals, on which we have been briefed, is not adequate,” Philip Hall, head of the British Foreign Office Counter Proliferation Department, told the OPCW, according to a copy of his statement.
“We now urge the Syrian authorities to accept the proposals submitted by the Operational Planning Group that provide for removal in a much shorter time frame, without compromising on security,” he said.
A senior UN diplomat, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said the OPCW believes the operation can be carried out before the end of March, adding that Syria’s proposed end-May deadline would not leave enough time for the chemicals to be destroyed before the end of June....
ANYbody who has been paying attention, would have predicted this. Read the rest here.
Op/Ed on WI Honor Guard: Words (and pictures) Matter
Words have power: Use them wisely.
Last week social media was abuzz with news, and commentary, of a series of photos taken by a group of National Guards. The msm soon jumped in, and copies of those photos, and the accompanying cut-lines, became the topic du jour.
I first became aware of the gathering storm via a social media group of Gold Star Families, some of whom I have known and loved for many years. Witnessing their pain and anguish in reaction, I followed the trail back to the origin of the offending - and offensive - pictures. As often in the past, when any of our Troops have been cast in a bad light in the msm, I had no intention of writing about this specific incident. I usually choose not to join any public lynch mobs. However, as I watched and heard the Gold Stars, I knew I had to share their perspective on the disrespect laid bare for all to see.. They gave me permission to share their thoughts, and that was this column.
Within that column, I chose not to reprint the offensive photos, (unlike most msm reporting) and instead chose to share pictures of the Fallen Heroes represented by the Gold Star Families' words. As always, I was determined to give voice to those we rarely hear from, at least in print, in public.
The following day, the Adjutant General of the Wisconsin National Guard issued a public statement, with assurances that an investigation would be underway, and appropriate consequences would occur. Despite my initial scepticism of any need for an investigation - to me, the photos were all I needed for proof - since then, I understand that some of the participants of those ill-chosen words and deeds has been suspended as the investigation proceeds.
All good, right? and we can be confident that these latest delinquents will feel the wrath of their Military command. Yes, I really DO have confidence in our Military leadership (well, for the most part,) and the mainstream media seems to have moved on to the next headlines.
However, since I published the original column, my thoughts have been not only with our Gold Stars, but also with the hundreds of thousands of men and women of our Military, both Active Duty and Veterans.
In short? I feel as if I failed all our Military (past and present) and I am sorry. As the furore raged this last week, many Veterans (from all our recent Wars) commented both publicly and privately. Their outrage and their condemnation was unanimous.
I feel that by my choice not to acknowledge the effect of these photos on all of our Military, I could be perceived as one of those who only ever writes about our Troops and Veterans when they have something negative happen.
Yes, I am well aware that it was not my photos/comments that caused the storm, and yes, I know that my complete body of work over the years clearly demonstrates my unwavering support for our Troops. However, by my own ill-chosen words in that one column, I added to the arsenal of those who always salivate over anything they can find to smear all our Troops in a bad light. As many in the new and old media know, some stories drive up readership, and affect the bottom line. On the former, I can report that this is true right here on this site. The day my headline was "WI NG..." I had more daily readers than I have had on any other single day for the past year.
I can safely deduce that many who found my column were not regular readers, but were driven here on a quest to feed their need for negative news about our Military.. By my perhaps poorly chosen words, I feel that I gave those fly-bys more ammunition, to reinforce their own anti-Military biases. I regret that.
By my own editorial comments, (and omissions) I know I did a disservice to our men and women, who never makes the headlines, as they Serve with integrity. Through my own lapse in judgement, I fell into the 'he we do not name' school of hack journalism. I have edited the original now (the joy of being an independent!) and removed what I consider inappropriate and unacceptable.
Over the years of online writing, I have learned a few lessons, which I suspect those young National Guards are discovering the hard way: the internet is forever (and never private); once you have put something out there, you lose all control over it, and whilst you the originator know what you meant by any specific posting - your intent - you have no control over any future readers/viewer's interpretation. Once a word or image is on the internet, its reach becomes global, often to places unimagined by the poster. Those who insist on posting pictures of their youthful indiscretions on the internet, discover that their choices will come back to haunt them (Mouth In Chief, anyone?) I guess these young miscreants never read This Ain't Hell who, when these incidents occur, frequently advise: don’t act a fool, and certainly, don’t take pictures of it and post it to the internet, FFS
Our Military has many enemies, both foreign AND domestic. Those enemies drool at any opportunity to portray our Serving men and women in a negative light, all the while totally ignoring the good they do day in, day out, for years. No matter that this current group of jack asses represent but a tiny 'smidgen' of the majority wearing the uniform; our Military's enemies never miss a chance to use any propaganda tool to cover all our Troops with the cloak of the usual inaccurate vitriol that they so delight in to paint anybody in a Military uniform. Oh and yes, murderers in international Terrorist networks do use the internet, and use any negative press about our Military as weapons against us. It seems that every time a small handful of our Troops (or Veterans) is caught on camera during a momentary lapse of judgement, anti-Military politicians, and the msm, also rush to heap a full measure of scorn on the entire Military community. (John Murther ring a bell?)
This latest example of 'letting loose' by a handful of our Troops disrespected all our Fallen Heroes and was in direct contradiction of the training and mindset they are expected to uphold. Every Military member I know (Veteran and Active Duty,) strongly condemns as 'indefensible' the behaviour of the latest delinquent Soldiers. As we all should.
I don't know these particular Soldiers, so I cannot say what was in their minds when they a) took the pictures, or b) when they posted them...I have no clue of any of their backgrounds. However, I do know this: these photos and their actions, are now the public - permanent - record of their infamy. I also know that when any recruit swears an oath upon enlistment into our Military, they then become the representative of the whole profession. It is no longer about one individual, but of the common goal to serve a larger ideal.
Our Fallen Heroes, their families, all our Troops, have earned our respect. I apologise if any of MY previous words fed into the festering pus that is the anti-Military crowd. Our Troops deserve better from me.
Words have power - I will use them more wisely in the future...
(H/T Deb)
[Bratnote: This one is for all who have paid the ultimate Sacrifice - and those Troops and Veterans who continue their honourable Service - protecting my rights to free speech and my rights to prove what an ass I also can be! : Sgt Major MacKinder, SSG Cowdrey, SSG Arnette, SGT Stokely, SSG May, MAJ Galloway, and so many more that I am privileged to know and love.. Thank you.]
Last week social media was abuzz with news, and commentary, of a series of photos taken by a group of National Guards. The msm soon jumped in, and copies of those photos, and the accompanying cut-lines, became the topic du jour.
I first became aware of the gathering storm via a social media group of Gold Star Families, some of whom I have known and loved for many years. Witnessing their pain and anguish in reaction, I followed the trail back to the origin of the offending - and offensive - pictures. As often in the past, when any of our Troops have been cast in a bad light in the msm, I had no intention of writing about this specific incident. I usually choose not to join any public lynch mobs. However, as I watched and heard the Gold Stars, I knew I had to share their perspective on the disrespect laid bare for all to see.. They gave me permission to share their thoughts, and that was this column.
Within that column, I chose not to reprint the offensive photos, (unlike most msm reporting) and instead chose to share pictures of the Fallen Heroes represented by the Gold Star Families' words. As always, I was determined to give voice to those we rarely hear from, at least in print, in public.
The following day, the Adjutant General of the Wisconsin National Guard issued a public statement, with assurances that an investigation would be underway, and appropriate consequences would occur. Despite my initial scepticism of any need for an investigation - to me, the photos were all I needed for proof - since then, I understand that some of the participants of those ill-chosen words and deeds has been suspended as the investigation proceeds.
All good, right? and we can be confident that these latest delinquents will feel the wrath of their Military command. Yes, I really DO have confidence in our Military leadership (well, for the most part,) and the mainstream media seems to have moved on to the next headlines.
However, since I published the original column, my thoughts have been not only with our Gold Stars, but also with the hundreds of thousands of men and women of our Military, both Active Duty and Veterans.
In short? I feel as if I failed all our Military (past and present) and I am sorry. As the furore raged this last week, many Veterans (from all our recent Wars) commented both publicly and privately. Their outrage and their condemnation was unanimous.
I feel that by my choice not to acknowledge the effect of these photos on all of our Military, I could be perceived as one of those who only ever writes about our Troops and Veterans when they have something negative happen.
Yes, I am well aware that it was not my photos/comments that caused the storm, and yes, I know that my complete body of work over the years clearly demonstrates my unwavering support for our Troops. However, by my own ill-chosen words in that one column, I added to the arsenal of those who always salivate over anything they can find to smear all our Troops in a bad light. As many in the new and old media know, some stories drive up readership, and affect the bottom line. On the former, I can report that this is true right here on this site. The day my headline was "WI NG..." I had more daily readers than I have had on any other single day for the past year.
I can safely deduce that many who found my column were not regular readers, but were driven here on a quest to feed their need for negative news about our Military.. By my perhaps poorly chosen words, I feel that I gave those fly-bys more ammunition, to reinforce their own anti-Military biases. I regret that.
By my own editorial comments, (and omissions) I know I did a disservice to our men and women, who never makes the headlines, as they Serve with integrity. Through my own lapse in judgement, I fell into the 'he we do not name' school of hack journalism. I have edited the original now (the joy of being an independent!) and removed what I consider inappropriate and unacceptable.
Over the years of online writing, I have learned a few lessons, which I suspect those young National Guards are discovering the hard way: the internet is forever (and never private); once you have put something out there, you lose all control over it, and whilst you the originator know what you meant by any specific posting - your intent - you have no control over any future readers/viewer's interpretation. Once a word or image is on the internet, its reach becomes global, often to places unimagined by the poster. Those who insist on posting pictures of their youthful indiscretions on the internet, discover that their choices will come back to haunt them (Mouth In Chief, anyone?) I guess these young miscreants never read This Ain't Hell who, when these incidents occur, frequently advise: don’t act a fool, and certainly, don’t take pictures of it and post it to the internet, FFS
Our Military has many enemies, both foreign AND domestic. Those enemies drool at any opportunity to portray our Serving men and women in a negative light, all the while totally ignoring the good they do day in, day out, for years. No matter that this current group of jack asses represent but a tiny 'smidgen' of the majority wearing the uniform; our Military's enemies never miss a chance to use any propaganda tool to cover all our Troops with the cloak of the usual inaccurate vitriol that they so delight in to paint anybody in a Military uniform. Oh and yes, murderers in international Terrorist networks do use the internet, and use any negative press about our Military as weapons against us. It seems that every time a small handful of our Troops (or Veterans) is caught on camera during a momentary lapse of judgement, anti-Military politicians, and the msm, also rush to heap a full measure of scorn on the entire Military community. (John Murther ring a bell?)
This latest example of 'letting loose' by a handful of our Troops disrespected all our Fallen Heroes and was in direct contradiction of the training and mindset they are expected to uphold. Every Military member I know (Veteran and Active Duty,) strongly condemns as 'indefensible' the behaviour of the latest delinquent Soldiers. As we all should.
I don't know these particular Soldiers, so I cannot say what was in their minds when they a) took the pictures, or b) when they posted them...I have no clue of any of their backgrounds. However, I do know this: these photos and their actions, are now the public - permanent - record of their infamy. I also know that when any recruit swears an oath upon enlistment into our Military, they then become the representative of the whole profession. It is no longer about one individual, but of the common goal to serve a larger ideal.
Our Fallen Heroes, their families, all our Troops, have earned our respect. I apologise if any of MY previous words fed into the festering pus that is the anti-Military crowd. Our Troops deserve better from me.
Words have power - I will use them more wisely in the future...
(H/T Deb)
[Bratnote: This one is for all who have paid the ultimate Sacrifice - and those Troops and Veterans who continue their honourable Service - protecting my rights to free speech and my rights to prove what an ass I also can be! : Sgt Major MacKinder, SSG Cowdrey, SSG Arnette, SGT Stokely, SSG May, MAJ Galloway, and so many more that I am privileged to know and love.. Thank you.]
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Iran: Poet, Activist Hanged
From Iran comes yet more proof of that tolerant regime - you know, the one that Kerry et al believe as they give false assurances on faux treaties designed to make our world safer.
From The Clarion Project:
Iran Hangs Well-Loved Human Rights Activist, Poet
From The Clarion Project:
Iran Hangs Well-Loved Human Rights Activist, Poet
Israel: MUST READ Open Letter to John Kerry
John Kerry MAY be the current US Secretary of State, but just about daily, he proves what a clueless moron he is. As we have seen, his boss - the Mouth In Chief - also demonstrates on a daily basis just how dangerous, to all of us, this wilful ignorance about world affairs really is.
Now from Israel comes an open letter to John Kerry; you know, giving him FACTS from the Israeli point of view.
From The Times of Israel:
I prefaced this post by calling it a MUST READ. Sadly, John Kerry, and others in this administration who should read this and learn, will not. You can find the rest of this letter here.
Now from Israel comes an open letter to John Kerry; you know, giving him FACTS from the Israeli point of view.
From The Times of Israel:
Greater Men have Tried
February 2, 2014
Paula R. Stern
Dear Secretary of State John Kerry:Because of my respect for the United States, I will attempt to afford you the honor you think you so richly deserve. It’s hard to speak to you with anything but anger, hard to feel the need, again, to start from the beginning because you clearly choose to ignore history in your quest for glory. It is a quest destined to fail but its outcome, even, or more accurately especially, in failure, will hurt Israel.Greater men than you have tried to make, to force, peace on the Middle East. I promise you, you will fail too. You will fail because you are not addressing the root cause of the problem. You, like so many before you, take the easy way out. Blame Israel. It is so easy to do, and so stupid.I could speak to you of history – a history longer and greater than you can imagine. I could speak to you of injustices – yes, our land is filled with the graves of those murdered for the unjust reason that they lived here, or traveled abroad, or ate in the wrong restaurant, or took the wrong bus.I could speak to you of justice – of a population exchange similar to those that have taken place throughout history as nations settle between war and peace. They left their lands to go there, most voluntarily so that their invading brothers would have a clear path as they pushed the Jews into the sea. And our people, who left their homes and possessions in Arab lands, most forced, not voluntarily, and came here...
I prefaced this post by calling it a MUST READ. Sadly, John Kerry, and others in this administration who should read this and learn, will not. You can find the rest of this letter here.
Arizona: Unemployed Homeless Veterans find jobs, homes
The numbers of our Veterans who are homeless and unemployed (in all our coalition countries) is truly beyond outrageous. Now comes news of a programme that is actually doing something positive to address this injustice.
From FOX News:
Go here and read the rest of this - and watch the video interview with Carlos Garcia.
This is a good start, but we need more creative programmes like this.
[H/T Kevin]
From FOX News:
Arizona parks program helps homeless veterans become rangers
By Will Carr
Working as an Arizona State Park Ranger isn't just a job for Army veteran Carlos Garcia, it's a second chance.
Under a program the state launched in partnership with a host of public and private agencies to put homeless veterans to work, he is earning $12 an hour and living in a FEMA trailer. He is taking part in the Arizona Action Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans, and he said it has changed his life.
“I was homeless,” Garcia said. “I was out of work for about two years and I had gotten into a little bit of trouble so this program boosted me, my morale -- it's just helped me out a lot. I'm glad to be working again.”...
Go here and read the rest of this - and watch the video interview with Carlos Garcia.
This is a good start, but we need more creative programmes like this.
[H/T Kevin]
NASA: Speedy star
The Shocking Behavior of a Speedy Star
02/21/2014
Roguish runaway stars can have a big impact on their surroundings as they plunge through the Milky Way galaxy. Their high-speed encounters shock the galaxy, creating arcs, as seen in this newly released image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. In this case, the speedster star is known as Kappa Cassiopeiae, or HD 2905 to astronomers. It is a massive, hot supergiant moving at around 2.5 million mph relative to its neighbors (1,100 kilometers per second). But what really makes the star stand out in this image is the surrounding, streaky red glow of material in its path. Such structures are called bow shocks, and they can often be seen in front of the fastest, most massive stars in the galaxy. Bow shocks form where the magnetic fields and wind of particles flowing off a star collide with the diffuse, and usually invisible, gas and dust that fill the space between stars. How these shocks light up tells astronomers about the conditions around the star and in space. Slow-moving stars like our sun have bow shocks that are nearly invisible at all wavelengths of light, but fast stars like Kappa Cassiopeiae create shocks that can be seen by Spitzer’s infrared detectors.
Friday, February 21, 2014
DHS: Flying? Go shoeless - still
Remember Richard Reid, the man whose actions have seen us all have to remove our shoes before we board a plane?
Today, via Homeland Security News Wire comes this:
Yes, there is more here...
Today, via Homeland Security News Wire comes this:
DHS warns airlines of renewed shoe-bomb risk
21 February 2014
DHS has alerted airlines flying to the United States to the possibility that terrorists might try to bring explosives on board in their shoes. The airlines were told that there were no specific plots, and that the information was based on information collected in the United States and abroad that bomb makers affiliated with terrorist groups were working on a shoe-bomb design. Hiding explosives in shoes is not new. In December 2001, passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami prevented a U.K. citizen, Richard Reid, from detonating explosives hidden in his sneakers.
An airline industry source said the DHS warning listed 25 to 30 cities overseas, all with nonstop flights to the United States. Johannesburg, Paris, London, and Cairo, as well as some cities in the Middle East, were on the list.
The alerts advised carriers that there would be increased scrutiny of people who appear on the TSA’s “selectee list,” which includes people deemed suspicious who could require additional screening, as well as randomly picked passengers....
Yes, there is more here...
NYPD did not target muslims
Under Ray Kelly's 14 year watch as New York's Commissioner of the NYPD, much was made of his efforts to 'target' muslims. He has gone from that position now, but his legacy is still under scrutiny. Today comes news of a ruling in New Jersey.
From JihadWatch:
Much more here.
Pay attention.
From JihadWatch:
NJ judge rules NYPD didn’t discriminate against Muslims with counter-terror surveillance
Robert Spencer 20 February 2014
This lawsuit was a craven attempt to end NYPD counter-terror efforts. If it had succeeded, it would have given a green light to Islamic jihad activity, with the NYPD handcuffed and unable to do anything to stop jihad terror plots. Judge William Martini ruled in favor of common sense: “The police could not have monitored New Jersey for Muslim terrorist activities without monitoring the Muslim community itself. … The motive for the program was not solely to discriminate against Muslims, but to find Muslim terrorists hiding among the ordinary law-abiding Muslims.”
AP suffers a blow with this decision as well: they disclosed the surveillance in order to bring an end to it. They failed. But there is no doubt that Islamic supremacists and their allies in the mainstream media will try again, and again, and again, until they get the outcome they want, while free people stand by on the eroding bank of their freedoms and refrain from getting involved in anything “controversial.”
“NJ judge throws out NYPD spying lawsuit,” from the Associated Press, February 20
NEW YORK — The New York Police Department’s intelligence unit didn’t discriminate against Muslims with far-reaching surveillance aimed at identifying “budding terrorist conspiracies” at Newark mosques and other locations in New Jersey, a federal judge ruled on Thursday.
In a written decision filed in federal court in Newark, U.S. District Judge William Martini dismissed a civil rights lawsuit brought in 2012 by eight Muslims who alleged the NYPD’s surveillance programs were unconstitutional because they focused on religion, national origin and race. The suit had accused the department of spying on ordinary people at several mosques, restaurants and grade schools in New Jersey since 2002....
Much more here.
Pay attention.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
GITMO: USS Cole Tribunal on hold - again
Remember the USS Cole bombing in October 2000?
Those charged with the attack have been held in GITMO, and are currently facing hearings in a Military Tribunal:
Thirteen years after the USS Cole attack, the families of those murdered still wait for justice.
This last Monday, the current round of Tribunal Hearings in this case - which was scheduled to last eight days - was abruptly halted. From Military.com:
On Thursday, October 12, 2000, while refueling at a port in Aden, Yemen, the U.S. Navy destroyer Cole was attacked by a two suicide bombers navigating a small motorboat full of explosives. The explosion occurred at 11:18 a.m. Bahrain time, killing 17 crew members and wounding 39 others....
[...]
The ship, which was carrying a crew of 293, was en route to the Persian Gulf to help enforce an oil embargo against Iraq. (source)
Those charged with the attack have been held in GITMO, and are currently facing hearings in a Military Tribunal:
Abd al-Rahim Hussein Muhammed Abdu Al-Nashiri (Saudi Arabian)
Al-Nashiri is charged with perfidy, murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, terrorism, conspiracy, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, and hazarding a vessel. The charges arise out of an attempted attack on the USS THE SULLIVANS in January 2000, an attack on the USS COLE in October 2000, and an attack on the MV Limburg in October 2002.
A charge is merely an accusation; an accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Thirteen years after the USS Cole attack, the families of those murdered still wait for justice.
This last Monday, the current round of Tribunal Hearings in this case - which was scheduled to last eight days - was abruptly halted. From Military.com:
USS Cole Bombing Hearing Halted at Guantanamo
Miami Herald | Feb 18, 2014
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba -- An Army judge abruptly recessed the first military commission session of the year Monday because the alleged architect of al-Qaida's 2000 USS Cole bombing may want to fire his lawyer.
One-time waterboarded Saudi prisoner Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, 49, is scheduled to face trial in September. The judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, had scheduled eight days of hearings to address defense and prosecution representation questions, efforts by Nashiri's lawyers to narrow the case -- as well as postponing the trial until at least February 2015.
But Nashiri's death-penalty defender, Rick Kammen, a civilian, told the judge moments into the hearing that the prisoner had lost confidence in him, and wanted to fire him. He asked for two days to work with the accused on preserving the relationship. Pohl agreed.
He recessed until Wednesday and said, if the hearings go forward, he'll hold Saturday and Sunday sessions to make up time.
Nashiri, who could be executed if convicted as the mastermind of the suicide bombing of the $1 billion warship off Yemen in October 2000, sat silently in the courtroom for the 10-minute hearing.
Seventeen sailors were killed in the attack, and the fathers of three said later that the recess was proof that the United States was bending over backwards to give the accused terrorist a fair trial.
"I'll be here no matter what. We owe this to our son to make sure this happens," said John Clodfelter, 65, whose sailor son Kenneth, 21, was killed in the blast. He's made the pilgrimage to this remote base in southeast Cuba for each hearing, and declared himself "past disappointed a long time ago."
Jesse Nieto, 70, whose son Marc, 24, was also killed, echoed long-held sentiment that the accused was engaged in stalling tactics. "Anything he can do to gum up the work's he's going to do it," he said.
No report out of GITMO yet as to the outcome today, but you can read the rest of the above account here.
As with the ongoing Military Tribunal relating to the 9/11 terrorist attack, the wheels of justice are grinding exceedingly slowly. For some sense of why, you might want to check out the 'unofficial/unauthorised transcript' of the USS Cole proceedings posted on the Military Commission's own website.
Mr Nieto, quoted above in the military.com story is not alone in his perception that the accused "was engaged in stalling tactics. "Anything he can do to gum up the work's he's going to do it," ...
I would be hard-pressed to argue their observations. However, even as we all watch the ongoing tactics of the accused, I continue to hold to the belief that for the USS Cole and 9/11 survivors, there WILL be ultimate justice.
(From the FBI site)
Video: The absurdity of Amnesty
As Obama continues to threaten us all with his "I have a pen and a phone,' comes a video from Top Right News .
Just over three minutes long, it is a very simple demonstration of the implications of MIC's determination to give amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens living in plain sight in the US.
Just over three minutes long, it is a very simple demonstration of the implications of MIC's determination to give amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens living in plain sight in the US.
WELCOME HOME Medics!
Another of my most favorite stories, featuring Blackhawk Medics, AND it was covered by the local msm!
From CBS Sacramento:
From CBS Sacramento:
Black Hawk Unit Gets Welcome Home From Afghanistan In Sacramento
February 16, 2014
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A California National Guard Black Hawk unit got a big welcome home in Sacramento after serving nine months in Afghanistan.CBS13 was there as 15 soldiers’ family and friends greeted them right after landing at Sacramento International Airport.It was an emotional day for the families who have waited nearly a year for their loved ones to return.“Words don’t even describe it,” said soldier Kevin Vinatieri.The members of the California National Guard Unit medevac team were on standby every day answering calls to take the wounded off the battlefield.“Always on duty, medevac standby waiting for any Afghani nationals all the way to obviously our personnel,” said Sgt. Cody Weaver....
Go read the rest of this - and watch the video - here.
WELCOME HOME... Thank you for your Service...
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Knesset votes to quit paying terrorists
Did you know that Israel has been paying a stipend to terrorists? I did, and have never understood this practice, but it seems that may be about to end.
From Israel National News:
Knesset Passes Bill Cancelling Stipends to Terrorists
Terrorists affected would be those who are Israeli citizens and who were released in deals and 'gestures.'
By Gil Ronen 2/19/2014
The Knesset passed Wednesday, in the preliminary reading, a bill proposed by MK Yariv Levin (Likud-Beytenu) that would cancel the eligibility of certain terrorists freed from Israeli jails to receive National Insurance payments.
The terrorists affected would be those who are Israeli citizens and who were released before the end of their jail terms in assorted deals and 'gestures.'
MK Levin noted that the release of security prisoners is absurd in and of itself, but paying them NII benefits is even more absurd. When freed from Israeli jails, terrorists who are Israeli citizens receive an “acclimation stipend.” In addition, they are eligible for welfare checks.
Levin told Arutz Sheva that the proposed law will make released terrorists ineligible for any NII payments for the duration of the term that they were sentenced to, so that terrorists who had received life sentences would never be eligible for payments....
More on the efforts to right this absurdity, here.
Wisconsin National Guard: Adjutant General responds
Yesterday I shared some of the Gold Star Families' reactions to a few of the WI NG actions.
Today, Wisconsin Adjutant Major General Donald P. Dunbar issues a statement.
A statement from the Wisconsin Adjutant General to the entire military family:
February 19 2014
The recently revealed inappropriate photos and commentary posted to a social media site by a Soldier under my command are unacceptable. I am taking this matter very seriously. Upon learning of this incident, I ordered an investigation and we will wait until that is concluded to evaluate appropriate action.
Military funeral honors are a sacred trust, and that is why this issue has generated such a public outcry. The general public is understandably upset, and I understand the anger and response that it has caused. For those of us who wear or have worn the cloth of our nation’s uniform, this story cuts like a knife. I fully understand why so many veterans have expressed outrage. Lastly, I am acutely aware of the pain that this story must have caused for our Gold Star family members.
I deeply regret the pain this has caused, and personally apologize to the entire military family.
Donald P. Dunbar Maj Gen, Wisconsin National Guard
The Adjutant General
(source)
I am assured by somebody who knows Major General Dunbar that he is sincere, and will pursue this matter.
This is not going away. Stay tuned.
Ft Hood tears down Building 42003
Building 42003 was the site of the Hasan terrorist attack - no, NOT 'workplace violence' as some people insist on calling it.
From Jihad Watch:
Yes, there is more here.
From Jihad Watch:
Fort Hood tears down site of 2009 jihad massacre
Robert Spencer
“For the building in which this horrific event took place just to be wiped off the map before we have a say in what’s done with it seems like another slap in the face.” Platoni is right: this is just another manifestation of the all-pervasive denial of the reality of jihad. They are pretending this jihad attack did not happen. Instead of acknowledging the murders realistically and redoubling our determination to resist jihad, U.S. officials have consistently dissembled and pretended that Nidal Hasan had motives other than the ones he repeatedly stated. And one thing is certain: whatever memorial is constructed there will say nothing whatsoever about why Hasan murdered these people — as if a Pearl Harbor memorial said, “Random airplane pilots spontaneously and for no discernible reason decided to attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.”
“Fort Hood tears down site of 2009 massacre,” by Nomaan Merchant for the Associated Press, February 18
DALLAS (AP) — A Texas Army post has razed the building where a former psychiatrist carried out one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history, with plans to put up trees and a memorial in its place.
Fort Hood officials said Tuesday that they have torn down Building 42003, the site of a 2009 massacre that left 13 people dead and more than 30 wounded.
The building was part of a processing center complex for soldiers deploying and returning from combat. On Nov. 5, 2009, then-Maj. Nidal Hasan carried two weapons inside, shouted “Allahu Akbar!” — “God is great” in Arabic — and opened fire on soldiers waiting for vaccines and paperwork.
Yes, there is more here.
Kosovo Refugee earns Royal Marine Green Beret
From the MoD:
Go read the rest of this great story here.
Thank you for your Service, Marine.
Marine Arben Islami
A refugee has become a reservist in the Royal Marines 15 years after his first encounter with them on the war-torn streets of Kosovo.
At the height of the Kosovo War, back in 1999, teenager Arben Islami saw Nato troops enter his country as part of the campaign to end Slobodan Milosevic’s persecution of ethnic Kosovo Albanians. Among those forces were the green berets of the Royal Marines.
At the time, the 14-year-old looked up to these men with awe, unaware of the remarkable path that lay ahead.
He fled Kosovo shortly afterwards, a solitary young refugee whose only hope was reaching an uncle he had heard about in the UK.
Making his away across Europe he arrived, destitute, in the UK where he was immediately placed into foster care. Over the years he learned English and settled in Birmingham.
He adapted to British life but never forgot where he came from or his encounters with the Royal Marines. So strong was the pull to join them, that at the age of 28 he passed the commando course and fulfilled his boyhood dream enabling him to proudly wear the green beret.
Marine Islami said:
As children we saw the marines in Kosovo and I knew I wanted to be one of them. Then I fled and came to the UK. I didn’t have the intention at the time as I was only just a young kid but when I got indefinite leave to stay here and became British I knew I had to....
Go read the rest of this great story here.
Thank you for your Service, Marine.
Wednesday Hero
This post was suggested by Michael
Lt. Col. Jerry Coleman89 years old from San Diego, Calif.
VMTB-341, VMA-323
September 14, 1924 - January 5, 2014
Jerry Coleman, a decorated war hero, Yankee World Series MVP and Hall of Fame San Diego Padres broadcaster, died January 5 at age 89 after a career of more than 70 years in baseball.
Coleman signed with the Yankees out of the San Francisco sandlots in 1942 only to spend the next three years as a Marine bomber pilot in the Pacific theater of World War II, flying 57 combat missions over the Solomon Islands. Upon his return from the war he rejoined the Yankees only to be called back to duty in '51. He flew another 120 missions in Korea and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
You can read more about Lt. Col. Coleman 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.
VMTB-341, VMA-323
September 14, 1924 - January 5, 2014
Jerry Coleman, a decorated war hero, Yankee World Series MVP and Hall of Fame San Diego Padres broadcaster, died January 5 at age 89 after a career of more than 70 years in baseball.
Coleman signed with the Yankees out of the San Francisco sandlots in 1942 only to spend the next three years as a Marine bomber pilot in the Pacific theater of World War II, flying 57 combat missions over the Solomon Islands. Upon his return from the war he rejoined the Yankees only to be called back to duty in '51. He flew another 120 missions in Korea and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
You can read more about Lt. Col. Coleman 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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