U.S. v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi

DOD Announces Charges Referred Against 9-11 Co-Conspirators

The Department of Defense announced today that the convening authority, Office of Military Commissions, referred charges to a military commission in the case of “United States v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi.”

The charges allege that the five accused are responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., resulting in the killing of 2,976 people.

The convening authority referred the case to a capital military commission, meaning that, if convicted, the five accused could be sentenced to death. Pursuant to the reforms in the Military Commissions Act of 2009, each of the five accused have been provided, in addition to their detailed defense counsel, learned counsel, possessing specialized knowledge and experience in death penalty cases, to assist them in their defense.

Based on the allegations outlined in the charge sheets, the five accused are charged with terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, and destruction of property in violation of the law of war. The convening authority has referred all charges to a joint trial.

The charges are only allegations that the five accused have committed offenses punishable under the Military Commissions Act of 2009, and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

In accordance with Military Commissions rules and procedures, the chief judge of the Military Commissions Trial Judiciary will assign a military judge to the case, and the five accused will be arraigned at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within 30 days of service of the referred charges upon them.

Month of the Military Child

From the DoD:

Official: Take Time to Honor Military Kids’ Service

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2012 – Children of U.S. service members around the world will be honored throughout April for their contributions to their families’ well-being and sacrifices on behalf of the nation, a Defense Department official said.

Each April, Americans pause to recognize the nation’s 1.8 million military children during the Month of the Military Child.

“It’s really important to recognize that military children also serve,” Barbara Thompson, director of military community and family policy, children and youth, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service.

It’s also important, Thompson said, to take time to let military children “know how proud we are as Americans that they … are supporting mom or dad in uniform, who is making great sacrifices for this country.”

While frequent moves and school transitions can be challenging, Thompson said she believes the most challenging endeavor a military child has to endure is a parental separation due to deployment.

“While we’ve made great strides with technology and Skype … it’s not the same as having your mom or dad at your baseball game or high school graduation or one of your birthday parties,” she said.

These separations can have a “serious impact” on military families’ well-being, Thompson noted, particularly on the children. Younger children may experience separation and attachment issues, while older children may engage in risky behaviors, she explained....

Much more here, and go check out the series from the DoD here.

The children ALSO serve.

200 US Marines arrive in Darwin

From the BBC:

3 April 2012

The first contingent of 200 United States Marines has arrived in Darwin.

The troops are there on a six-month rotational basis and will take part in training exercises with the Australian Defence Force.

The two countries are boosting defence ties, with the US eventually deploying a 2,500-strong force in northern Australia by 2017.

The move has irked Beijing but US and Australian leaders have stressed it is not an attempt to contain China.

Welcoming the troops, Australia's Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the decision to host them was a response to a changing global balance.

"The world needs to essentially come to grips with the rise of China, the rise of India, the move of strategic and political and economic influence to our part of the world," he said....

Much more here.

There they go again: the NYPD is investigating suspicious terrorist threats to their city, and *surprise* look what group it includes! Read on:

NYPD investigating image on Al Qaeda forums as possible threat to New York City

Graphic warning: 'Al Qaeda coming soon'

By Rocco Parascandola AND Sarah Armaghan / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Published: Monday, April 2, 2012

Police Handout

The NYPD Intelligence Division’s cyber unit is investigating the origin and significance of the graphic that appeared Monday on Arabic-language Al Qaeda forums.

A graphic featuring the New York skyline and posted on terrorism websites blares a chilling message in bold letters: “Al Qaeda coming soon again in New York.”

The NYPD and the FBI are scrambling to locate the source of the message and trying to figure out whether it’s a credible threat or a sick taunt.

The 3-D images spotted on Al Qaeda Internet forums Monday show the letters scrawled across a city street, as a father and son stroll by in amazement.

“It’s something we’re looking into,” said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne. “We’re trying to determine the origins of it. We take all things like this seriously.”...

And so they should. Go read the rest of this here.



Wait for various groups to scream 'profiling' or whine that they are being unfairly targetted in 3...2...1..

US MSM edits Zimmerman's call to 911 *gasp*

As we have all seen, the msm (and POTUS, Spike Lee, et al) are all determined to flame the fires of their outrage about the racist 'murder' of a young black boy.

However, already whispers of 'all is not as it seems' are being heard, now even from as far away as Europe. From the European Union Times come this:

US News Media edits Zimmerman’s phone call to 911

Posted by EU Times on Apr 1st, 2012

NBC appears to have edited an excerpt of a phone call made by Trayvon Martin’s killer to portray him as a racist. The edited George Zimmerman says he thinks Martin is ‘up to no good’ just because he was black – but that’s not what he really said.

On Tuesday, NBC’s Today Show hosted by Ron Allen ran a segment of a phone conversation Zimmerman had with police shortly before killing Martin, as reported by Fox’s Hannity Show. NBC’s version of the phone call allegedly had Zimmerman say the following about Martin: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”

But in reality the two sentences were separated by a question the 911 dispatcher asked. The original phone call transcript ran like this:

Zimmerman: “We’ve had some break-ins in my neighborhood and there’s a real suspicious guy. It’s Retreat View Circle. The best address I can give you is 111 Retreat View Circle. This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.”

911 Dispatcher: “Okay. And this guy, is he white black or Hispanic?”

Zimmerman: “He looks black.”

If one compares the NBC version with the original transcript, it appears the channel jettisoned Zimmerman’s real explanation on why he thought Martin looked suspicious, and also got rid of the dispatcher’s question.

Outrage from the black community has continued to intensify each day Zimmerman is not arrested, who early on was represented as a racist white male trigger happy self-appointed community watchman. Zimmerman’s family has been quick to emphasize his Hispanic roots to quell any racial accusations (as if only whites can be racist) that may have led to the shooting.

There is other evidence to show that the media is trying to portray this case as an archetypical hero-and-villain battle. The photos of Martin and Zimmerman that the media uses are actually dated and create a wrong impression of how both men looked at the time of their encounter. Martin’s picture, in which he appears to be an innocuous-looking smiling teenager, was taken 5 years ago. At the time of his death, Martin was a 6’3″ tall, 150 to 160 lbs, tattooed and with gold teeth, who had been suspended from his school for carrying marijuana....

There is much more, with current picture of the @no_limit_nigga - of who Obama says could be his son - plus academics weighing in on the phenonenom running amok within the msm. Go read it all here, and yes, prepare to be shocked at the agenda driving the outrage. Well okay, not really...

Navy medics train for rapid reaction ops

A Training and Adventure news article

3 Apr 12

Royal Navy medics have been sharpening their skills in the field in preparation to support 45 Commando Royal Marines lead the UK's response to unexpected global events.

Members of 3 Commando Brigade's Royal Navy medical services as they practise their role two light manoeuvre capability on Exercise Green Serpent
[Picture: Petty Officer Airman (Photographer) Sean Clee, Crown Copyright/MOD 2012]

Under Exercise Green Serpent, lessons learnt by Royal Navy clinicians and ground medics while deployed in support of operations in Afghanistan were brought to the Royal Marines Base at Chivenor as they put their mobile medical facility to the test for future operations.

Called the Commando Forward Surgical Group (CFSG), the advanced field hospital treats casualties brought in from medics on the field before sending them to a standard hospital for more extensive treatment.

Royal Navy clinicians deployed at National Health Service (NHS) hospitals around the UK could be called forward at short notice to support the CFSG which boasts an accident and emergency department, a surgical room with two operating tables and an intensive care unit. There is also a laboratory for testing blood and an ability to provide a limited number of transfusions.

Surgeon Captain Steve Bree, the Royal Marines Surgical Team's Operational Clinical Director and consultant paediatric anaesthetist at Derriford hospital, Plymouth, said:

"The idea of having a highly mobile hospital facility is that we can get it put up and taken down within an hour - allowing us to get our surgical teams as close to the fighting troops as possible....

There is more, plus pictures, here.

Falkland Islands: England, MY England!

On this day in 1982:

Argentina invades Falklands

Argentina has invaded the British territory of the Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic.

The islands, off the coast of Argentina, have been a cause of friction between the two countries since Britain claimed them in 1833.

The Argentine flag is now flying over Government House in the Falkland Islands' capital, Port Stanley.

The head of the country's military junta, General Leopoldo Galtieri, has welcomed the "recovery" of "Las Malvinas" - the Argentine name for the Falklands.

General Galtieri said Argentina had been left with no option other than military action.

The invasion followed months of sabre-rattling and a build-up over the past few days of Argentine war ships off the Falkland Islands, home to about 1,800 people.

'Unprepared'

At 0600 on Friday Argentina began "Operation Rosario" when a unit of Argentine troops landed near Port Stanley.

The leader of the Argentine forces, Admiral Jorge Anaya, had contacted the Falklands' governor, Rex Hunt, to appeal for a peaceful surrender.

But the request was rejected and the 80 members of the Royal Marine regiment stationed on the island and 20 locals were mobilised.

More at the Beeb here.

The subsequent war cost the lives of 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen, many of them sailors who died during attacks on warships.

It ended on 14 June when the commander of the Argentine garrison at Port Stanley surrendered to British troops.

That was then, with Margaret Thatcher as British Prime Minister and her great allie Ronald Reagan as President of the US. Today? We have David Cameron as British PM, and Obama as POTUS.

According to USAToday:

Mar 14, 2012

Brits irked by White House neutrality on Falkland Islands

Nearly 30 years after Britain and Argentina went to war over the Falkland Islands, the two countries have struck up a battle of words that the Obama administration is trying to steer clear of.

Back in 1982, Secretary of State Alexander Haig fruitlessly shuttled between London and Buenos Aires to try to mediate a solution on the island that's been in Britain's possesion since 1833. Argentina's navy invaded the island, spurring British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to dispatch a naval task force to start what would be a nearly 10-week war that left nearly 900 dead on both sides.

As President Obama hosts British Prime Minister David Cameron for an official visit today, there could be some awkwardness on the Falklands issue, says Nile Gardiner, a U.K. analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington. Gardiner says Obama's neutral stance is seen as a "knife in the back" in London. Britain backed the U.S. war in Iraq and has 9,500 troops in Afghanistan.

"This is an administration that hasn't attached a great deal of importance to the Anglo-American relationship, and therefore they don't instinctively side with Britain on these matters," Gardiner says. [Yes, emphasis mine]

More here.

I think by now, all of America's historical allies understand that with Obama in the White House, those alliances mean next to nothing, even as the American people still value old alliances.

Be that as it may, today services are being held in Britain and Argentina to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of the Falklands War.

From the Beeb:

[...]

Falklands War: UK and Argentina mark invasion 30 years on

Services are being held in Britain and Argentina to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of the Falklands War.

Some 255 British and 650 Argentine troops died after the UK sent a task force to the islands in response to Argentina's invasion on 2 April 1982.

The anniversary comes amid renewed tension, as Argentina has reasserted its claim to the archipelago.

The UK's prime minister has suggested the day is used to remember both the Argentine and British dead.

In a statement, David Cameron has also said that he remains committed to upholding British sovereignty over the islands.

Britain has controlled the Falklands since 1833 but Argentina claims the territory - which it calls the Malvinas - saying it inherited its rights to them from Spain.

Eternal flame

British veterans of the war - and relatives of those who died - will pay their respects at Britain's National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

There a single candle will be lit as a gesture to mark the anniversary.

In his statement, Mr Cameron said: "30 years ago today the people of the Falkland Islands suffered an act of aggression that sought to rob them of their freedom and their way of life.

"Today is a day for commemoration and reflection: a day to remember all those who lost their lives in the conflict - the members of our armed forces, as well as the Argentinian personnel who died."..

Read much more here.

Today IS a day of reflection, and remembrance.

Previous Falklands columns here, here, here and here, for just a few and put "Falkland Islands" in the search thing for more. More of the day's events from the MoD here.

No matter the sabre rattling out of Argentina, no matter BHO 'neutral stance,' or even Sean Penn's ignorant blatherings, the Falkland Islands is - and will remain - England, MY England.