For those of you that think Islam is the religion of peace...please watch the video.
And do read "infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Open your eyes.
...
Monday, September 22, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Some Great Quotes
H/T LomaAlta over at LinknZona
There alot more....check them out!
Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress....But then I repeat myself.
-Mark Twain
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
-George Bernard Shaw
A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man ...which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-G Gordon Liddy
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
-James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)
Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University
There alot more....check them out!
Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress....But then I repeat myself.
-Mark Twain
I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
-George Bernard Shaw
A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man ...which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.
-G Gordon Liddy
Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
-James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)
Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
21 years old from Forks, Washington
3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
July 29, 2006
L/Cpl. Jason Hanson died when a gasoline truck near a building he was in exploded, causing the building to collapse in Al Anbar province, Iraq. Three other Marines were also killed in the blast. Lance Cpl. Anthony E. Butterfield, 19 yrs. old, of Clovis, California; Cpl. Phillip E. Baucus, 28 yrs. old, of Wolf Creek, Montana; Sgt. Christian B. Williams, 27 yrs. old, of Winter Haven, Florida.
Hanson graduated in 2003 and joined the Marines in 2005. He married his wife just before shipping out.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Who Am I ?
I am under 45 years old,
I love the outdoors,
I hunt,
I am a Republican reformer,
I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,
I have many children,
I have a spot on the national ticket as vice president
with less than two years in the governor's office.
with less than two years in the governor's office.
Teddy Roosevelt, 1900
Awesome trivia....gotta love it!
Die with you boots on!
...
Thursday, September 11, 2008
In Honor of Patriot Day
7 years....
I am not going to wax poetic on this somber day. I am only going to share some things...some of you may already know, some maybe haven't ever read these.
Always remember, Never forget....
From the Lads at Shilelagh Law (My favoritest ever Irish Band)
(words written by R. Popovic)
"So Bless NY's Finest, our Angels in Blue.Giving us hope and helping us through.
"So Bless NY's Finest, our Angels in Blue.Giving us hope and helping us through.
And Bless NY's Bravest, the FDNY.Giving their sweat and their tears and their lives.
And Bless all the medics and our troops overseas.
Bless the guys in the hardhats removing debris.
Bless the everyday people who answered the call.
Bless those who gave some and those who gave ALL.
Bless all the souls who left us this year.
You may be gone but you'll always be here.
Singing and dancing with family and friends........"
We Remember
And lest we forget....
Patriot Day, 2008
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
September 11, 2001, was etched into America's memory when 19 terrorists attacked us with barbarity unequaled in our history. On Patriot Day, we cherish the memory of the thousands of innocent victims lost, extend our thoughts and prayers to their families, and honor the heroic men and women who risked and sacrificed their lives so others might survive.
Since 9/11, we have recognized the threat posed by terrorists to the safety of the American people and worked to protect our homeland by fighting terrorists abroad. We are confronting terrorism by advancing freedom, liberty, and prosperity as an alternative to the ideologies of hatred and repression. Our Nation pays tribute to our courageous men and women in uniform serving around the world and the devoted members of our law enforcement, public safety, and intelligence communities at home who work night and day to protect us from harm and preserve the freedom of this great Nation.
Seven years ago, ordinary citizens rose to the challenge, united in prayer, and responded with extraordinary acts of courage, with some giving their lives for the country they loved. On Patriot Day, we remember all those who were taken from us in an instant and seek their lasting memorial in a safer and more hopeful world. We must not allow our resolve to be weakened by the passage of time. We will meet the test that history has given us and continue to fight to rid the world of terrorism and promote liberty around the globe.
By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2008, as Patriot Day. I call upon the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day. I also call upon the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and remembrance services, to display the flag at half-staff from their homes on that day, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at
8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent Americans and people from around the world who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
GEORGE W. BUSH
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
September 11, 2001, was etched into America's memory when 19 terrorists attacked us with barbarity unequaled in our history. On Patriot Day, we cherish the memory of the thousands of innocent victims lost, extend our thoughts and prayers to their families, and honor the heroic men and women who risked and sacrificed their lives so others might survive.
Since 9/11, we have recognized the threat posed by terrorists to the safety of the American people and worked to protect our homeland by fighting terrorists abroad. We are confronting terrorism by advancing freedom, liberty, and prosperity as an alternative to the ideologies of hatred and repression. Our Nation pays tribute to our courageous men and women in uniform serving around the world and the devoted members of our law enforcement, public safety, and intelligence communities at home who work night and day to protect us from harm and preserve the freedom of this great Nation.
Seven years ago, ordinary citizens rose to the challenge, united in prayer, and responded with extraordinary acts of courage, with some giving their lives for the country they loved. On Patriot Day, we remember all those who were taken from us in an instant and seek their lasting memorial in a safer and more hopeful world. We must not allow our resolve to be weakened by the passage of time. We will meet the test that history has given us and continue to fight to rid the world of terrorism and promote liberty around the globe.
By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2008, as Patriot Day. I call upon the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day. I also call upon the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and remembrance services, to display the flag at half-staff from their homes on that day, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at
8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honor the innocent Americans and people from around the world who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Die with your boots on brothers and sisters.
...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
Staff Sgt. Andy Pena performs in-flight calibrations on a HH-60 Pave Low while flying Sept. 3 over Ellington Field, Texas. He and members of the 55th Rescue Squadron deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., to Ellington Field in response to Hurricane Gustav with less than 24 hours after notification. Sergeant Pena is an aerial gunner.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Have Every Right To Dream Heroic Dreams. 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.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
18 years old from Greenbrier, Arkansas
2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
October 12, 2007
Pvt. Nathan Z. Thacker had only been in the country for two weeks before his death, according to the soldier's father, Stephen Thacker.
Thacker's father said his son felt a duty to enlist. "He said it was his job. Even after he got his orders that he was going over there, he said it's his job."
Thacker had attended Guy-Perkins High School in Guy, Arkansas. He earned his GED in 2006, his father said. Thacker enlisted in the Army in April 2007 and completed his training at Fort Benning, Ga. He arrived at Fort Drum in August 2007. His honors include the Purple Heart.
"Nathan was an excellent man," sister Sabrina Black said. "He loved me, I loved him, and I’d give anything to have him back."
Pvt. Thacker was killed when an IED was detonated near his vehicle near Kirkuk. Three other soldiers were injured in the attack.
Pvt. Thacker is survived by his parents, siblings and his grandfather.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Someone you should know: Jose Navario
Jose Navario is being tried for warcrimes...as a civilian and in a civilian court.
The way this young former Marine is being treated...has been treated is nothign short of criminal.
Watch the video:
And if you'd like to help the Navario family you can go here.
Semper Fi' Sgt Navario.
You are not alone.
....
The way this young former Marine is being treated...has been treated is nothign short of criminal.
Watch the video:
And if you'd like to help the Navario family you can go here.
Semper Fi' Sgt Navario.
You are not alone.
....
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
23 years old from West Henrietta, New York
Company C, 70th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division
March 9, 2005
Spc. Matthew A. Koch was on his second tour of duty when he was killed by an IED that was detonated near his vehicle in Taji. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He previously was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon and medals for service in the fight against terrorism.
Koch enlisted in the Army in January 2002 after the attacks on September 11, 2001 and re-enlisted because he wanted to help the Iraqi people. "He was a brave soldier who made the greatest sacrifice anyone could make for everyone else's freedom," Diane Worman, Koch's mother, said through tears. "He realized that by being over there, he was going to make a difference in the lives of those people." She said her son once unsuccessfully sought green cards for an Iraqi family that had been threatened for helping Americans.
"He always looked out for the other guy, never thought of himself. He volunteered to go to C Co before our first deployment so that one of the guys from our Platoon didn't have to deploy early and would have a chance to marry his fiance. That's Koch for you, always looking out for his buddies." - David A. "Buch" Buchanan.
"He really loved the service and went back," said James Worman, Koch's stepfather. "He had no problem. He was dedicated to the fact that people over there needed help. He was always concerned about other people. He loved children. He was a nice, soft-hearted kid."
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Senior Airman Kimberly Bickford performs a pre-load check July 28 on an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, to ensure the cable that releases the bomb is operational.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
27 years old from Ward, Arkansas
C Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division
October 14, 2007
An Eagle Scout, Thomas M. Martin took on cleaning up an old red train caboose as a service project. "He remodeled it to make it where people could go inside. If you saw it before and looked in it after he was through - it was daylight and dark", said his former principal, Robert Martin, who is no relation. "Tom was involved in Key Club, German Club and band, making All-Region Band his sophomore year", said Robert Martin. "He was a wonderful young man. Those that knew him knew he was funny and outgoing."
Lt. Martin died in Al Busayifi, Iraq of wounds sustained from small-arms fire when insurgents attacked his unit during combat operations. He enlisted in the Army in 1998 after graduating high school and served in Korea before accepting an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 2005.
"He was very polite and respectful. I can't think of him ever overreacting; he had a wonderful, good-natured personality", said Pat Hagge, a family friend. "It's a terrible tragedy; he was a great young man."
Lt. Thomas Martin is survived by his parents, Edmund and Candis.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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, July 29, 2008
More Injustice from the "justice dept"
Many of you are familiar with the injustice of the incarceration of 2 of our Border Patrol agents. Ramos and Compean. Their appeal was rejected.
This from grassfire:
After months and months of delays, today the 5th Circuit rejectedthe most important aspects of the appeal by imprisoned borderpatrol agents Ramos and Compean.
That means the court has sided with Johnny Sutton -- and Ramos and Compean now face at least 10 years in prison for attempting to apprehend an convicted illegal alien drug smuggler!
We have posted a link to the court's ruling in which the judges conclude that the trial "was conducted fairly and without reversible error" -- even though the court admitted to "exclusion of evidence"(i.e. suppression of evidence) regarding the drug smuggler!
The Scumbag that testified against our Border agents.
Go here to read it for yourself (all 45 pages):
http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=9692&CID=142&RID=15253391
Get involved. This is a travesty of justice. What kind of world is it when our law enforcement officals are incarcerated for doing their job on the word of an illegal drug smuggler...
Die with your boots on.
...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Propoganda?
OK.
I have some left leaning friends.
Yep. I sure do. And they're good people.
They are intelligent and well read and researched people.
Through them I've come to know, in the virtual sense, a fellow liberal friend of theirs.
They have a website and a forum. I frequent it mainly because I enjoy the discourse and they are my friends.
This particular individual and many of the the others that frequent their site are constantly harping about how the military industrial corporate machine controls the media...how GW and his administration control the media...most of the time I just chuckle.
I am now going to issue the challenge here that Senor Obama...the Democratic Presidential hopeful who seems to think he's already POTUS, has more control over the media than the evil conservative corporate machine.
His record breaking performance in Oregon according to WaPo. Oh and let's see what KGW.com had to say. Well, that farce has been exposed. The fact that he used a free rock concert to stage his appearance had nothing to do with the record numbers I'm sure...
Now his infamous German speech has been exposed as well. Of course, for the folks who don't scour the internet for the real news, they'll never know of course because Obama is leading the top news agencies around like the pied piper. Lets see what the NYT had to say. While we're at it..let's see what WaPo had to say. How about CNN. While his republican rival...you know the all powerful controllers of the media gets a couple of reporters to cover his campaign...interesting.
You know. If I knew there was a free concert going on with free brats and free beer...not to mention free pizza...I would definitely be there...free beer...mmmm.
....
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wednesday Hero Blogroll
I have decided to participate in the Wednesday Hero Blogroll.
If you would like to post on your own blog visit here to get the code.
This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Toni
1st LT. Frank B. Walkup, IV
23 years old from Woodbury, Tennessee
2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
June 16, 2007
Toni already has a great post up on her site, so I'll just link to it.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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.
If you would like to post on your own blog visit here to get the code.
This Weeks Hero Was Suggested By Toni
23 years old from Woodbury, Tennessee
2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
June 16, 2007
Toni already has a great post up on her site, so I'll just link to it.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
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, July 22, 2008
Are We Surprised...?
Leave it to Fox news to publish what the NYT refused to.
Kudos to Fox on that. I find it preposterous that what used to be the most prominent newspaper refused to publish an Op-Ed piece countering the Op-Ed piece of another presidential hopeful.
This reeks of favoritism and not of unbiased journalism. Well, it's their paper, they can do what they want with it. Just one more reason not to patronize them any more.
McCain's response to Obama's Op-Ed piece is reprinted below. Some of us respect the free and fair coverage idea...just not the NYT.
Link to Fox here.
The McCain Op-Ed The New York Times Wouldn’t Publish
By Sen. John McCain
In January 2007, when General David Petraeus took command in Iraq, he called the situation “hard” but not “hopeless.” Today, 18 months later, violence has fallen by up to 80 percent to the lowest levels in four years, and Sunni and Shiite terrorists are reeling from a string of defeats. The situation now is full of hope, but considerable hard work remains to consolidate our fragile gains.
Progress has been due primarily to an increase in the number of troops and a change in their strategy. I was an early advocate of the surge at a time when it had few supporters in Washington. Senator Barack Obama was an equally vocal opponent. “I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there,” he said on January 10, 2007. “In fact, I think it will do the reverse.”
Now Senator Obama has been forced to acknowledge that “our troops have performed brilliantly in lowering the level of violence.” But he still denies that any political progress has resulted.
Perhaps he is unaware that the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has recently certified that, as one news article put it, “Iraq has met all but three of 18 original benchmarks set by Congress last year to measure security, political and economic progress.” Even more heartening has been progress that’s not measured by the benchmarks. More than 90,000 Iraqis, many of them Sunnis who once fought against the government, have signed up as Sons of Iraq to fight against the terrorists. Nor do they measure Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s new-found willingness to crack down on Shiite extremists in Basra and Sadr City — actions that have done much to dispel suspicions of sectarianism.
The success of the surge has not changed Senator Obama’s determination to pull out all of our combat troops. All that has changed is his rationale. In a New York Times op-ed and a speech this week, he offered his “plan for Iraq” in advance of his first “fact finding” trip to that country in more than three years. It consisted of the same old proposal to pull all of our troops out within 16 months. In 2007 he wanted to withdraw because he thought the war was lost. If we had taken his advice, it would have been. Now he wants to withdraw because he thinks Iraqis no longer need our assistance.
To make this point, he mangles the evidence. He makes it sound as if Prime Minister Maliki has endorsed the Obama timetable, when all he has said is that he would like a plan for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops at some unspecified point in the future.
Senator Obama is also misleading on the Iraqi military’s readiness. The Iraqi Army will be equipped and trained by the middle of next year, but this does not, as Senator Obama suggests, mean that they will then be ready to secure their country without a good deal of help. The Iraqi Air Force, for one, still lags behind, and no modern army can operate without air cover. The Iraqis are also still learning how to conduct planning, logistics, command and control, communications, and other complicated functions needed to support frontline troops.
No one favors a permanent U.S. presence, as Senator Obama charges. A partial withdrawal has already occurred with the departure of five “surge” brigades, and more withdrawals can take place as the security situation improves. As we draw down in Iraq, we can beef up our presence on other battlefields, such as Afghanistan, without fear of leaving a failed state behind. I have said that I expect to welcome home most of our troops from Iraq by the end of my first term in office, in 2013.
But I have also said that any draw-downs must be based on a realistic assessment of conditions on the ground, not on an artificial timetable crafted for domestic political reasons. This is the crux of my disagreement with Senator Obama.
Senator Obama has said that he would consult our commanders on the ground and Iraqi leaders, but he did no such thing before releasing his “plan for Iraq.” Perhaps that’s because he doesn’t want to hear what they have to say. During the course of eight visits to Iraq, I have heard many times from our troops what Major General Jeffrey Hammond, commander of coalition forces in Baghdad, recently said: that leaving based on a timetable would be “very dangerous.”
The danger is that extremists supported by Al Qaeda and Iran could stage a comeback, as they have in the past when we’ve had too few troops in Iraq. Senator Obama seems to have learned nothing from recent history. I find it ironic that he is emulating the worst mistake of the Bush administration by waving the “Mission Accomplished” banner prematurely.
I am also dismayed that he never talks about winning the war — only of ending it. But if we don’t win the war, our enemies will. A triumph for the terrorists would be a disaster for us. That is something I will not allow to happen as president. Instead I will continue implementing a proven counterinsurgency strategy not only in Iraq but also in Afghanistan with the goal of creating stable, secure, self-sustaining democratic allies.
Die with your boots on....
...
Kudos to Fox on that. I find it preposterous that what used to be the most prominent newspaper refused to publish an Op-Ed piece countering the Op-Ed piece of another presidential hopeful.
This reeks of favoritism and not of unbiased journalism. Well, it's their paper, they can do what they want with it. Just one more reason not to patronize them any more.
McCain's response to Obama's Op-Ed piece is reprinted below. Some of us respect the free and fair coverage idea...just not the NYT.
Link to Fox here.
The McCain Op-Ed The New York Times Wouldn’t Publish
By Sen. John McCain
In January 2007, when General David Petraeus took command in Iraq, he called the situation “hard” but not “hopeless.” Today, 18 months later, violence has fallen by up to 80 percent to the lowest levels in four years, and Sunni and Shiite terrorists are reeling from a string of defeats. The situation now is full of hope, but considerable hard work remains to consolidate our fragile gains.
Progress has been due primarily to an increase in the number of troops and a change in their strategy. I was an early advocate of the surge at a time when it had few supporters in Washington. Senator Barack Obama was an equally vocal opponent. “I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there,” he said on January 10, 2007. “In fact, I think it will do the reverse.”
Now Senator Obama has been forced to acknowledge that “our troops have performed brilliantly in lowering the level of violence.” But he still denies that any political progress has resulted.
Perhaps he is unaware that the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has recently certified that, as one news article put it, “Iraq has met all but three of 18 original benchmarks set by Congress last year to measure security, political and economic progress.” Even more heartening has been progress that’s not measured by the benchmarks. More than 90,000 Iraqis, many of them Sunnis who once fought against the government, have signed up as Sons of Iraq to fight against the terrorists. Nor do they measure Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki’s new-found willingness to crack down on Shiite extremists in Basra and Sadr City — actions that have done much to dispel suspicions of sectarianism.
The success of the surge has not changed Senator Obama’s determination to pull out all of our combat troops. All that has changed is his rationale. In a New York Times op-ed and a speech this week, he offered his “plan for Iraq” in advance of his first “fact finding” trip to that country in more than three years. It consisted of the same old proposal to pull all of our troops out within 16 months. In 2007 he wanted to withdraw because he thought the war was lost. If we had taken his advice, it would have been. Now he wants to withdraw because he thinks Iraqis no longer need our assistance.
To make this point, he mangles the evidence. He makes it sound as if Prime Minister Maliki has endorsed the Obama timetable, when all he has said is that he would like a plan for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops at some unspecified point in the future.
Senator Obama is also misleading on the Iraqi military’s readiness. The Iraqi Army will be equipped and trained by the middle of next year, but this does not, as Senator Obama suggests, mean that they will then be ready to secure their country without a good deal of help. The Iraqi Air Force, for one, still lags behind, and no modern army can operate without air cover. The Iraqis are also still learning how to conduct planning, logistics, command and control, communications, and other complicated functions needed to support frontline troops.
No one favors a permanent U.S. presence, as Senator Obama charges. A partial withdrawal has already occurred with the departure of five “surge” brigades, and more withdrawals can take place as the security situation improves. As we draw down in Iraq, we can beef up our presence on other battlefields, such as Afghanistan, without fear of leaving a failed state behind. I have said that I expect to welcome home most of our troops from Iraq by the end of my first term in office, in 2013.
But I have also said that any draw-downs must be based on a realistic assessment of conditions on the ground, not on an artificial timetable crafted for domestic political reasons. This is the crux of my disagreement with Senator Obama.
Senator Obama has said that he would consult our commanders on the ground and Iraqi leaders, but he did no such thing before releasing his “plan for Iraq.” Perhaps that’s because he doesn’t want to hear what they have to say. During the course of eight visits to Iraq, I have heard many times from our troops what Major General Jeffrey Hammond, commander of coalition forces in Baghdad, recently said: that leaving based on a timetable would be “very dangerous.”
The danger is that extremists supported by Al Qaeda and Iran could stage a comeback, as they have in the past when we’ve had too few troops in Iraq. Senator Obama seems to have learned nothing from recent history. I find it ironic that he is emulating the worst mistake of the Bush administration by waving the “Mission Accomplished” banner prematurely.
I am also dismayed that he never talks about winning the war — only of ending it. But if we don’t win the war, our enemies will. A triumph for the terrorists would be a disaster for us. That is something I will not allow to happen as president. Instead I will continue implementing a proven counterinsurgency strategy not only in Iraq but also in Afghanistan with the goal of creating stable, secure, self-sustaining democratic allies.
Die with your boots on....
...
...A little peace corps...WTF?
CJ over at A Soldier's Perspective, went and made contact with a group of anti-war peaceniks.
A trio of old ladies with some really big signs and alotta false information and premises about our military and the war...well any war in general.
I commend CJ for his efforts and I agree with him...
“Are you pro-war or pro-peace?” was the first question that came out of the mouth of one of the war protesters as I explained that I was there to talk to them about their presence on a major intersection here in Huntsville, AL. I explained that I’m a Soldier, I hate war and love peace. But, I also recognize that peace comes at a price. It went downhill from there.
The whole story and the Podcasts can be heard here.
You really have to listen to the audio interviews...
The utter ignorance of these poor misguided souls is shocking...you really have to listen to understand.
All I could say is "wow".
...
A trio of old ladies with some really big signs and alotta false information and premises about our military and the war...well any war in general.
I commend CJ for his efforts and I agree with him...
“Are you pro-war or pro-peace?” was the first question that came out of the mouth of one of the war protesters as I explained that I was there to talk to them about their presence on a major intersection here in Huntsville, AL. I explained that I’m a Soldier, I hate war and love peace. But, I also recognize that peace comes at a price. It went downhill from there.
The whole story and the Podcasts can be heard here.
You really have to listen to the audio interviews...
The utter ignorance of these poor misguided souls is shocking...you really have to listen to understand.
All I could say is "wow".
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Monday, July 21, 2008
The Sky Is Not Falling...
173rd Airborne.. "Sky Soldiers"
There has been alot of media attention on the recent attack by Taliban insurgents on our troops in Afghanistan... I'm sure you've read about the soldiers of 173rd Airborne who fought off a massive assault losing 9 good troops and several more wounded.
What is interesting to note, is that the position this Infantry platoon was occupying was a temporary recon OP (Observation Post).
This was not a coalition base, not a FOB or a COP but a temporary postition. They were not overrun, they fought hard and defended their position. There is no telling what the toll was on the enemy, but I would have to hazard a guess and say it had to have been significant. This particular infantry unit is nearing the end of it's tour and has conducted around 9,000 patrols...they are tough as nails veterans and they still won the day.
Funny how the media misconstrues the facts to present what appeared to be a defeat. I am offended on so many levels by this.
The money quote is this:
"If there’s no combat outpost to abandon, there’s no position to abandon," he said. "It’s a bunch of vehicles like we do on patrol anywhere and we hold up for a night and pick up any tactical positions that we have with vehicle patrol bases.
"We do that routinely.... We’re always doing that when go out and stay in an area for longer then a few hours, and that’s what it is. So there is nothing to abandon. There was no structures, there was no COP or FOB or anything like that to even abandon. So, from the get-go, that is just [expletive], and it’s not right."
He also didn’t like the media’s characterization that his men were "overrun."
"As far as I know, and I know a lot, it was not overrun in any shape, manner or form," an emotional Preysler said. "It was close combat to be sure — hand grenade range. The enemy never got into the main position. As a matter of fact, it was, I think, the bravery of our soldiers reinforcing the hard-pressed observation post, or OP, that turned the tide to defeat the enemy attack."
"We do that routinely.... We’re always doing that when go out and stay in an area for longer then a few hours, and that’s what it is. So there is nothing to abandon. There was no structures, there was no COP or FOB or anything like that to even abandon. So, from the get-go, that is just [expletive], and it’s not right."
He also didn’t like the media’s characterization that his men were "overrun."
"As far as I know, and I know a lot, it was not overrun in any shape, manner or form," an emotional Preysler said. "It was close combat to be sure — hand grenade range. The enemy never got into the main position. As a matter of fact, it was, I think, the bravery of our soldiers reinforcing the hard-pressed observation post, or OP, that turned the tide to defeat the enemy attack."
The original article is over at Stars & Stripes.
Way to go Troops!
And a GREAT BIG FLIPPIN' BIRD to the MSM at this....
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Thursday, July 3, 2008
Happy July 4th...
a day early.
I just spent the last half hour composing a great July 4th tribute complete with all the cool images...and my freakin POS computer just lost it...
So have a good one. Enjoy your freedom and eat, drink, be merry and watch the fireworks and the parades.
Many good people died for the independence most take for granted. We celebrate them on other days. I think they would be happy if we just took a couple days this weekend and did a little "grounding", "unwinding," etc.
So enjoy!
I just spent the last half hour composing a great July 4th tribute complete with all the cool images...and my freakin POS computer just lost it...
So have a good one. Enjoy your freedom and eat, drink, be merry and watch the fireworks and the parades.
Many good people died for the independence most take for granted. We celebrate them on other days. I think they would be happy if we just took a couple days this weekend and did a little "grounding", "unwinding," etc.
So enjoy!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
National Gun Day
I've been reading alot of commentary from my fellow riflemen all over the blogosphere. Today is National Gun Day. So celebrate this win, but be prepared to fight tomorrow 'cause the war on guns ain't over yet.
The 2nd Amendment is upheld....for now.
The 2nd Amendment is upheld....for now.
Well, it appears that we had enough sense in SCOTUS to overturn the gun ban and declare the right to gun ownership is an individual right.
Tonight we celebrate!!!
Tomorrow we advance our line. Wayne LaPierre, The current president of the NRA has pledged to take the fight to the other cities that have draconian gun laws. Make no mistake fellow citizens, this is but one battle, although however small is huge in it's impact, in the fight against tyranny.
The right to keep and bear arms is an inherent right, the constitution is not a "living document" and the "supreme court" justices job is not to guide legislation. They are to interpret the constitutionality of laws. The Constitution seems pretty good to me. As I've said before and will say again, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Molon Labe!!!!
Die with your boots on....
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