The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.
This site is unabashedly Pro-American and Pro-Military however none of the views expressed here are to be considered as endorsed, proposed, or supported by the Department of Defense or any other Agency, government, public, or private. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/
SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html
http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.
This is the document that clearly authorizes what the Federal government is allowed to do, what authorities and responsibilities the separate entities of the Government have. It is what Our Troops swear to defend and what our politicians and judges have sworn to uphold:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
As is pointed out within that article, the US Constitution is but four (4!!!) pages of simple language setting out what America is/will be, and what it is NOT. The foundations upon which a great nation was based seem to have been shaken to the core in recent years, as the current crop of politicians seem determined to over-reach the very clear limits placed upon them within that framework. Today, from where I sit, America is under attack by those very 'servants' of the people who - as noted above - swore to uphold the Constitution.
'Support the Troops' is what Red Shirt Friday is all about. The concept is not just restricted to Canada; it reaches across America too. One American Veteran who is speaking out, reaching out on issues facing our Troops - our WarFighters - is Boone Cutler. Take a look and really LISTEN!
Charlie is always in the corner with Troops and Veterans.
The discussion has been going on for a long time. The current rulers in Washington DC won't even use the words Victory or Win. They're more likely to call American political activists "enemy" or "terrorists" than they are to call the Islamists Our Troops fight on a daily basis. They demean Our Troops by calling the attack at Fort Hood "workplace violence," rather than the terrorist attack that it was. I thought the American Electorate would awaken by the time of the 2012 elections.
There is but one goal in war: to win. Everything else is just a strategy, tactic, or the means of achieving Victory. There is but one means of winning: to destroy the enemy's will to fight. Everything else is just a strategy or tactic to that goal.
To send Our Troops into harm's way without a commitment to win is downright criminal.
Much has happened in the lives of Americans since September 11, 2001, when we were attacked on our own soil.
There are many memorial sites and videos out there, each offering a fitting tribute to those people who died that day, to their families, to the survivors and to the brave men and women who turned towards the destruction to help, many of whom lost their lives also. i.e. 911 digital archive and this special page from my good friend Steve aka "Snakecharmer .
I would ask that people take time to stop and reflect on where this country would be today if not for those who ran into the buildings, towards the flames, towards the airplane cockpits, who deployed overseas seeking those who attacked us.
Remember also that we still have men and women who were there helping that day and for days afterwards that are still serving in our Armed Forces right this very minute.
The worst thing (in my mind) would be to forget those sacrifices that were made, those lives that were unexpectedly taken that day.
Please take a moment today to stop and honor those who gave their all, their families, members of our Armed Forces, our firefighters, EMT's, police officers and citizens who stepped up that day. Whether you choose to spend a moment in silence, offer a pray, hoist a drink to them, it matters not, just REMEMBER!!!!!
“In The Fight” is an award winning monthly half-hour program. Footage is captured by active and deployed service members. These brave men and women share their missions, training, battles, victories and loss from their perspective as they continue to fight and serve in the United States Military. These often untold stories bring new light to the frontlines of war.
Here is one such episode. Footage is captured by the active duty and deployed service members. Enjoy this episode then read below for more information on how to locate and watch more episodes of "In The Fight."
For a peak at a remote Marine Outpost be sure to watch closely starting at 12:47 minutes into the clip.
This edition features stories on Marines in the Helmand province pushing out the Taliban, NATO forces adapting to inventive attacks from their enemies, one unit of Marines ending their tour in Afghanistan, celebrities entertaining the troops as part of the USO tour, and a husband and wife who both serve as Apache helicopter pilots. Presented in anamorphic 16:9 format.
There are 77 episodes currently found here at DVIDS.
DVIDS’ program “In The Fight” is now available on the free, ad-supported Hulu and Hulu Plus subscription service.
Currently, 17 episodes of “In The Fight” can be found under the ‘Recently Added/ Shows’ section on Hulu and Hulu Plus. In the future, the program can easily be found by searching for “In The Fight” in the search field. New content will be updated monthly and interested Hulu Plus subscribers can set the show as a ‘favorite’ to automatically capture new releases.
Two explosions have been reported near the finish line of the Boston Marthon at 4 hours and 9 minutes and 45 seconds into the Marathon, at approximately 2:50PM ET. Reports indicate one of the explosions occurred inside the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, and another a few buildings down, approximately 50-100 yards away. The Marathon has been halted and an unknown number of people have been injured. Law Enforcement and medical personnel are on the scene and rendering aid. 3:15PM ET More to follow as facts are known.
Approximately half the field had finished the marathon at the time of the explosion.
A suspicious package has been reported at the Mandarin Hotel. 3:27PM ET.
Lennox Hotel evacuated as a precaution. NYC has increased security around landmarks as a result. 3:45 ET
Two fatalities and 22 injuries are reported. 4:04PM
Two other devices reportedly found. 4:25PM 28 injured.
A third explosion occured at the JFK Library in Boston, at approximately 4:30PM ET, according the Boston Police Spokesman. 4:53 ET A device has been reportedly detonated by EOD, but it is unclear whether this was the device at JFK Library or at another location.
Bridges over Charles River closed. 49 Injured. Security increased in NYC, San Francisco, and Washington DC. 5:08 ET
JFK School of Government evacuated. 5:12ET
NY Post reports Saudi National detained in connection to bombing at Boston Hospital. Los Angeles security tightened. 5:25 ET More than 100 injured.
JFK device reported to be incendiary device or unrelated fire. 5:59pm
POTUS states we "don't know who did this and should not jump to conclusions." Does not mention terrorism, despite MSM stating prior that he had no choice but to call it that, politically. All news agencies and multiple government agencies are now stating that this was a "terrorist attack," not a "gas explosion" as they had previously speculated. MSM has decreased but not completely ended speculation that it was a case of "domestic extremism." 6:10pm
One of the two fatalities reported to be an 8 year old child. 6:35PM ET
Three fatalities have now been reported. Hospitals are reporting the removal of ball bearings from victims. Police are reportedly searching for a man with dark skin, dark clothes, a dark backpack, and possibly a foreign accent, who had previously attempted to gain access to a restricted area. A suspect with injuries is reportedly being held. 141 injured. 11PM ET
RIP Martin Richard, 8 years old, Boston, MA RIP Krystle Campbell, 29 years old, Medford, MA A Chinese national graduate student whose family has requested privacy
Authorities are now reporting that they believe the explosive devices used a timer, BB's, and ball bearings inside pressure cookers, and hidden in backpacks, a technique that has been used in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Times Square bombing in NYC, by the Taliban. The explosive compound used was a "slow burning" explosive, meaning it traveled at speeds less than 3300 feet per second.
The Saudi Arabian national previously reported as a suspect is in the US on a valid student visa, and it was his apartment in Revere, MA that was searched. He was injured in the explosion, but LE officials in Boston are downplaying their interest in him as being connected to this act of terrorism. Law Enforcement denied reports at the time of his detention that they had anyone in custody.
Meanwhile, they are searching for a man seen in video carrying two backpacks, for a rental van seen in the area, and for a man photographed on a nearby roof acting suspiciously following the attack. They are asking the public to send all pictures and videos they took of the event in hopes of finding evidence, and have stated that EOD sweeps of the area had occurred prior to the marathon, and again at about 1 hour prior to the bombing. Assuming the areas where the bomb had been placed had been properly searched by a qualified explosives working dog, it would indicate that the bombs had been placed within an hour of detonation. 16 April 2013
The FBI released pictures and video of 2 "suspects." Unfortunately, the quality of the releases was insufficient to distinguish anything of value. It is insufficient to even identify the race of the subjects, or the logos on their hats and clothing.
Earlier, it had released pictures of components of the bomb, and a light colored bag placed in one of the locations of the bombs, which does not match the bags carried by their two suspects. The components included the twisted metal of the pressure cooker, 14 gauge wire made in China, and a battery made in China. 18 April 2013
At approximately midnight, police got in a shootout with two men they claim were the suspects, killing the one listed as "Suspect #1" Tamarlan Tsarnaev, in the black ball cap, and an MIT Police officer, in Watertown, MA. As of 0630, Suspect #2, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is still on the loose.
More recent news reports indicate the pair are brothers and Russian Chechen residents, while the AP are reporting that the 2nd suspect is a Cambridge, MA resident.
The brothers reportedly immigrated to the US in 2002, and Dzorkhar was reportedly receiving scholarship money for his studies at MIT from the City of Cambridge and the US Government. Tamarlan dropped out of Community College, after studying engineering.
Law Enforcement officials locked down 1 Million plus Americans, as they searched 60-100% of the homes in Watertown, MA, without finding Dzorkhar. All forms of travel were forbidden to those in the search area. The University of Massachusetts- Dartmouth was also shut down as the University reported that a suspect in connection with the crime was reported to be amongst their student body. LE has indicated that they are also looking for a 3rd suspect but have not released a name or picture of anyone new.
The younger brother, the 2nd suspect, was arrested at approximately 8:45PM ET hiding in a boat in a residential neighborhood.
It is now quite apparent that this was an act of Islamist Terrorism. 19 APR 2013.
I don't always agree with Jon Stewart, but I do think he's funny, even when I disagree, and I respect him for his intellectual honesty. He's not a blind supporter of his party. He does call them out when they're wrong, at least when they're wrong according to how he sees things.
On March 29th, 1973, the last US Troops left Viet Nam, officially ending a war that was not considered a war. The official dates of the war to this day are not the same as the dates that the war was fought. The war began under Dwight Eisenhower and expanded under JFK.
The perception, falsely, remains that Our Troops lost. They did not. The politicians gave up, in the face of protests, initiated by our Cold War enemy. The politicians had tried to play General, hamstrung Our Troops, and failed to take the fight to the enemy for years before that.
The iconic images of the end of the war were taken 2 years later, on March April 30th, 1975, when the US Embassy in Saigon was evacuated, as Saigon fell to the Communist North. Some, many, will say that because we had US Marines at the Embassy, the war continued. Every Embassy has Marines. Their role is to protect the US soil of the Embassy, and more practically, particularly in situations like this, the US Citizens that work in the Embassy. Our Marines, on March April 30th, 1975 performed valiantly, saving as many lives as humanly and physically possible, but it was the South Vietnamese government, not the US Military that fell that day.
Our Troops fought Valorously and Honorably in Viet Nam. They did what was asked of them, and won the battles they fought. Our Nation still owes the Veterans of Viet Nam, primarily because Our Citizens maligned them, ignored them, and abused them for so long.
On this day, and every day that a Viet Nam War Veteran reveals himself, please Welcome him Home, and thank him for doing a difficult, and thankless job.
In the video above, Sergeant Major Max Beilke, US Army is shown in CBS footage. He was the last to leave Viet Nam, and became one of the first to fall in the War On Terrorism. He was killed in the Pentagon, on 9/11/2001, still serving his Nation and fellow Veterans, as a civilian.
With your help, Sgt Elton Adams made the National Finals...Today, voting daily is off and running again to keep Elton in the contest to be named Canada's Best New Artist. Read on:
HERE
WE GO EVERYONE, the National finals have begun with only 24
bands/artists remaining. In this first round we will be fighting to
make it into the top 16 and only have 1 week to do it, so we really need
to get desperate for votes. Please continue to utilize all of your
electronic devices and vote every day. Here is the link to vote---
Because this is a long list, you'll need to scroll waaaaaaaay down this time, but please continue to vote daily for one of our own. Thank you...
Canadian soldier, Elton Adams has been performing for his fellow soldiers since he joined the military at the age of 17. While serving his country in Afghanistan in 2008, Sgt Adams performed his song, What A Soldier Left Behind, with Canada’s beloved rock band Blue Rodeo. (One of this writer's favourite songs. Take a listen at the link.) He released his first rock album in March 2009 (most of the songs on the album were written in Afghanistan) upon returning to Canada. In addition to having his songs chart on various internet radio stations, Sgt Adams has received numerous awards for his music contributions to the Canadian Forces including 5 coins of excellence from 5 different generals and the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal. The Canadian Forces also released Sgt Adams’ new song, “Lock and Load”, which commemorates the amazing efforts of Canadian soldiers while deployed to Afghanistan. Further, after returning from his third tour of duty (second tour to Afghanistan), Elton released two songs, “My Canadian Girls” and “Gunslinger”(2012).
Now Sgt Adams is entered into a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation national contest to name Canada's Best New Artist.
Finestain says the Iraq war caused "new phenomenon" of PTSD means Troops and Veterans shouldn't be exempted from gun ban legislation.
Sen Coryn notes Veterans with PTSD are already banned from owning weapons. The exemption for Veterans, Troops, and Retirees was voted down on a Partisan line. Exemptions have been emplaced for retired LEO's, but not retired or currently serving Military.
Chairman: Senator Josef Biden Ranking Republican: Senator Orin Hatch Member: Senator Diane Feinstein
Testimony: victims, law enforcement, politicians, August 3rd, 1993:
2013: (Acting) Chairman: Senator Diane Feinstein notes that in 10 years 350 were killed by what she had banned. This bill purports that it would have prevented 35 lives a year. (Video not yet available).
Car accidents kill tens of thousands of people every year. Use of a cell phone while driving is a major factor in those deaths. Ten times as many people are murdered by hammers and other blunt objects every year. Fifty times as many people are killed by knives and other sharp objects. Less than 10% of all murders involving a rifle, are done by a criminal bearing an assault rifle. More people defend their lives, successfully, with an "assault" rifle, than are murdered by one, every year in the United States.
Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha, United States Army
CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Section Leader with Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Outpost Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on October 3, 2009. On that morning, Staff Sergeant Romesha and his comrades awakened to an attack by an estimated 300 enemy fighters occupying the high ground on all four sides of the complex, employing concentrated fire from recoilless rifles, rocket propelled grenades, anti-aircraft machine guns, mortars and small arms fire. Staff Sergeant Romesha moved uncovered under intense enemy fire to conduct a reconnaissance of the battlefield and seek reinforcements from the barracks before returning to action with the support of an assistant gunner. Staff Sergeant Romesha took out an enemy machine gun team and, while engaging a second, the generator he was using for cover was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, inflicting him with shrapnel wounds. Undeterred by his injuries, Staff Sergeant Romesha continued to fight and upon the arrival of another soldier to aid him and the assistant gunner, he again rushed through the exposed avenue to assemble additional soldiers. Staff Sergeant Romesha then mobilized a five-man team and returned to the fight equipped with a sniper rifle. With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Romesha continually exposed himself to heavy enemy fire, as he moved confidently about the battlefield engaging and destroying multiple enemy targets, including three Taliban fighters who had breached the combat outpost’s perimeter. While orchestrating a successful plan to secure and reinforce key points of the battlefield, Staff Sergeant Romesha maintained radio communication with the tactical operations center. As the enemy forces attacked with even greater ferocity, unleashing a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades and recoilless rifle rounds, Staff Sergeant Romesha identified the point of attack and directed air support to destroy over 30 enemy fighters. After receiving reports that seriously injured Soldiers were at a distant battle position, Staff Sergeant Romesha and his team provided covering fire to allow the injured Soldiers to safely reach the aid station. Upon receipt of orders to proceed to the next objective, his team pushed forward 100 meters under overwhelming enemy fire to recover and prevent the enemy fighters from taking the bodies of their fallen comrades. Staff Sergeant Romesha’s heroic actions throughout the day-long battle were critical in suppressing an enemy that had far greater numbers. His extraordinary efforts gave Bravo Troop the opportunity to regroup, reorganize and prepare for the counterattack that allowed the Troop to account for its personnel and secure Combat Outpost Keating. Staff Sergeant Romesha’s discipline and extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty reflect great credit upon himself, Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE:
At 6 a.m., Oct. 3, 2009, Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, came under complex attack by an enemy force estimated at 400 fighters. The fighters occupied the high ground on all four sides of the combat outpost and initiated the attack with concentrated fire from B10 recoilless rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, known as RPGs, DSHKA heavy machine gun fire, mortars, and small-arms fire.
Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Romesha displayed extraordinary heroism through a day-long engagement in which he killed multiple enemy fighters, recovered fallen Soldiers, and led multiple recovery, resupply, and counterattack operations.
At initial contact, Romesha pushed to the Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance vehicle battle position 1, or LRAS 1, under heavy enemy fire to ensure that the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher and Spc. Zachary S. Koppes were in the proper sector of fire and engaging enemy targets. After ensuring that Koppes was suppressing enemy activity in his sector, Romesha moved to the barracks and grabbed an MK-48 machine gun and an assistant gunner, Spc. Justin J. Gregory.
Moving through an open and uncovered avenue that was suppressed with a barrage of RPGs and small-arms fire, Romesha grabbed a limited amount of cover behind a generator and engaged a machine gun team that was on the high ground to the west. After destroying this team, he acquired an additional machine gun team that was firing an overwhelming amount of fire into the LRAS 2 from the switchbacks. As he was engaging, an RPG struck the generator and knocked him onto his assistant gunner. He quickly assessed Gregory and determined that he was fine. Not noticing his own wounds, Romesha re-engaged the enemy with his weapon system until an additional Soldier arrived to man the machine gun, at which point Romesha moved back through the open avenue to the barracks to assemble an additional team. Once at the barracks, Spc. Thomas C. Rasmussen noticed Romesha’s wounds and provided first aid.
Romesha assembled a five-man team and instructed them to load up on ammunition and crew-served weapons. While they were preparing, he again moved out to check on Koppes, grabbing the only accessible sniper rifle along the way, a Dragunov belonging to the Afghan National Army. Despite having only a basic knowledge with the foreign weapon, Romesha engaged multiple enemy positions on the north face, including a machine gun nest and sniper position. While continuing to expose himself to heavy enemy fire, Romesha engaged the enemy positions until they were no longer effective.
After engaging those targets, he moved back to the link up with his team. Enroute to that location, he saw three Taliban fighters who had breached the combat outpost’s outer perimeter and were moving toward the laundry trailer. With a sense of calmness that inspired his Soldiers, Romesha engaged and destroyed the three targets with the Dragunov rifle and moved to the tactical operations center to give 1st Lt. Andrew L. Bunderman a report confirming that enemy forces were indeed moving inside the wire.
Identifying the essential need for ammunition, Romesha planned and led a mission to secure the ammunition supply point. Under withering fire and multiple RPG strikes, Romesha pushed his team to secure the ammunition supply point. In an attempt to provide covering fire for his maneuvering forces, Romesha used an M-240B machine gun team to secure a stronghold at a sandbagged position. He then led the team to clear the area support group commander’s quarters, and once the building was clear, he solidified his position to provide multiple sectors of fire to suppress the high ground to the west and the south.
While an enemy fighter attempted to breach the wire near Romesha’s location, a member of his team was shot in the arm, so Romesha returned accurate M-4 fire and threw multiple hand grenades to destroy the enemy fighter. Romesha evacuated the casualty and returned to improve his position. In doing so, Romesha engaged targets and suppressed enemy forces to allow the remaining Soldiers at LRAS 2 and Truck 1 battle positions an opportunity to break contact back to friendly forces. Romesha coordinated and led his men to clear the ammunition supply point and then set up positions to secure it. Once the ammunition supply point was secure, Romesha determined that the entry control point was the next obstacle that needed to be reinforced, because it was the only remaining enemy avenue of approach to the tactical operations center and aid station from the northwest.
As 3rd Platoon provided a base of fire to cover the assault on the entry control point building, Romesha led his team to secure and reinforce the entry control point building using an M-203 and a squad automatic weapon. After the entry control point was secured, enemy fighters engaged with a new intensity, sending a barrage of RPGs and B10 rounds into the building. Romesha informed the tactical operations center that the rounds were originating from the village of Urmul and the Afghan National Police checkpoint directly to the front of the entry control point. Calling grid coordinates to the enemy locations, Romesha enabled the critical 120mm mortars and air support to drop in Urmul and the checkpoint. As a result, more than 30 enemy forces were destroyed and Romesha and his men were able to hold the entry control point. Romesha’s reporting and ability to direct air and indirect fire assets allowed friendly forces to gain and maintain this critical objective.
After receiving reports that there were still friendly forces at LRAS 2, Romesha provided an overwhelming amount of covering fire to allow Sgt. Bradley D. Larson, Spc. Ty Carter, and Pfc. Stephan L. Mace, who was seriously injured, to withdraw from a previously pinned down location. Once the three Soldiers arrived at the aid station, 3rd Platoon was instructed to maneuver and support Romesha’s next objective: to recover personnel killed in action at the LRAS 2 vehicle battle position. Due to heavy fire, 3rd Platoon was unable to maneuver, but Romesha decided to push anyway without the necessary suppressive and covering fire. Under overwhelming enemy small-arms fire and RPG fire, with little support or covering fire, Romesha’s team pushed through 100 meters of enemy fire with few covered positions along the way. Upon arriving at the objective, they evacuated the bodies of two American heroes, Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos and Sgt. Vernon W. Martin. This maneuver, with great risk to himself and his Soldiers, prevented the enemy fighters from taking the American bodies off the combat outpost.
Throughout the day, Romesha understood the risks he was taking, and he knowingly put his life in danger to save the lives of his Soldiers and repel a numerically superior enemy force. Romesha was personally responsible for killing more than 10 enemy fighters with either a Dragunov, an M-4 or an MK-48, and an estimated 30 anti-Afghanistan forces with indirect fire and air support. He also led his men in killing a minimum of five others beyond that. Romesha recovered his fallen Soldiers and preserved the lives of several more. His heroic actions allowed B Troop to reconsolidate on the combat outpost and enabled him to lead the counterattack that secured Combat Outpost Keating.
BACKGROUND:
Former Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha (pronounced Row-ma-shay) was born in Lake City, Calif., in August 1981.
Romesha enlisted in the Army in September 1999, as an M1 armor crewman. After completion of training at Fort Knox, Ky., he was assigned as a tank gunner with B Company, 1-63rd Armor, Camp Vilseck, Germany, which included an operational deployment to Kosovo.
After Germany, he was assigned as a gunner/assistant tank commander with A Company, 2-72nd Armor, Camp Casey, Korea. Following Korea, which included a combat tour to Iraq, he was assigned as a section leader with 3-61st Cavalry, Fort Carson, Colo. There he completed the Long Range Reconnaissance Course, Advanced Leader Course, and Air Assault Training.
Romesha deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
At the time of the deadly attack on Combat Outpost (COP) Keating, Kamdesh district, Afghanistan, on Oct. 3, 2009, Staff Sgt. Romesha was assigned as a section leader for Bravo Troop, 3-61st Cavalry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Romesha's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars), Iraq Campaign Medal (with 3 Bronze Service Stars),Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (with Numeral Two Device), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (with Numeral 5 Device), NATO Medal (with Bronze Service Star), the Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Combat Action Badge.
Romesha separated from the Army on April 4, 2011. He and his wife Tamara (Tammy), their three children, Dessi, Gwen, Colin, and Tammy's parents Kevin and Lorin, currently live in Minot, ND. Romesha works as a Field Safety Specialist with an oilfield construction company. He credits the Army's transition assistance program as being helpful in preparing his resume and engaging the company. Romesha equates his civilian job to that of a noncommissioned officer who establishes risk mitigation policies and enforces safety standard operating procedures. He says his current profession is similar to an Army observer/controller, identifying areas the organization can improve and making on-the-spot corrections.
Romesha has two older brothers, one older sister and a younger sister. His fondest childhood memories are of spending time with his grandpa, the late Aury Smith, a WWII veteran, on his small ranch in Vya, Nevada. His grandpa told him to always do his best, and that the integrity of the family name was Romesha’s legacy to be cherished.
When he gets time away from restoring his 100-year-old home, he enjoys watching and attending hockey games.
TEDD (Tactical Explosive Detection Dog) "Livee" and PFC Franklin Sena conduct their first combat patrol together in Southern Afghanistan. Produced by Sgt. Kyle Burns, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division
The Zabul Agribusiness Development Team conducts a three-day seminar to better equip Para-Veterinarians with the knowledge and tools of their trade. (Video by Spc. Jovi Prevot, 102nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
00:38: SEN Menendez (D-NJ) welcoming Hillary Clinton and heaping praise on her.
[WOTN note: Some of the following is paraphrased and some is quotes. Some of the quotes are not in quotation marks. Effort was made to capture the essence of the words, in order to allow readers to find the specific portions of most signifcant interest to them. Some key phrases are emphasized, as Hillary acknowledges that Al-Qaeda is still and will be a threat for a long time.
In this testimony, Hillary avoids stating why no action was taken in the 7 hour attack and at times refuses responsibility for inaction, while at other times proclaiming that she takes full responsibility. She does indicate that Rice was using Admin approved talking points, but feebly attempts to defend it.]
10:46: SEN Corker (R-TN) welcoming Hillary, the "aftermath" of "Benghazi represents the worst of Washington," "there was spin from the White House," "it represented of the denial of the world as it really is," "it also represents an awakening," "the spiking of the ball" and the thinking that al-Qaeda was defeated when we killed bin Laden, that the world is a much more dangerous place today.
16:46: SecState Clinton (D) pointing out past attacks, that she immediately began talking to people about talking, began investigation the next day. The attack "was a part of broader strategic challenge" to the United States. "I was there on the night of 9/11/2012." I was talking to everyone, and the military did not deny support. I was already there dealing with the attack on the US Embassy in Cairo. Everyone has been talking about things ever since, and when people stopped talking and finished writing about the talking, I told people to start writing some more about making changes. "The Arab revolutions have shattered" the stability of the Middle East. We're working with the Algerians to prevent this from happening again. I talked to a bunch of Arab leaders after the 9/11/2012 attacks. Then I talked to them some more. "We cannot afford to retreat now." "It is our responsibility to make sure they have the resources they need." The State Department has 70,000 people working in 275 locations around the world.
29:34 Menendez: 5 minutes per Senator to discuss Benghazi. Menendez goes first. Why was the location chosen.
31:03 Hillary: There were attacks in the parking lot of the Hotel where they previously were, as well as many other locations. There were ongoing efforts to find the best place. "There were inadequacies in the response." "During most of the day, prior to getting notification on the attack in Benghazi, I was focused on the attack on our Embassy in Cairo" "I was notified of the attack shortly after 4pm." I immediately started talking to people. I ordered people to get the Libyan government to do something. I talked to Petraeus since he had people in the same area. We were going over every possible option and talking to everybody that we could talk to. It was constant talking and I talked to Obama later in the evening. While we were trying to understand we were faced with protests all over the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
37:03 Corker: "There were systemic deficiencies and I know you know that." "No one has been held accountable." "Could you mention one reform" that could have made it known to you that there were problems there.
38:14 Clinton: "I didn't see the requests."
Corker: "They did come into folks. Someone did turn them down."
Clinton: We're on the path to fix it. We want to re-allocate funds. We need more money for construction and for Marines. "Noone wants to sit where I am."
Corker: "None of the ARB's have been fully implemented."
Clinton: "The vast majority have been implemented."
Corker: "We were woefully unprepared for what happened in North Africa." Benghazi symbolizes that.
Clinton: 4 years ago, "no one" thought that Mubarrak, Qaddaffi, and others would be gone. None of us predicted this. "This is a serious threat to our country." "They don't have any real experience in running countries." "We face a serious jihadist threat."
Despite the facts, some are arguing that long metal tubes embedded in plastic, ie. rifles, are evil. Senator Feinstein is arguing that we should ban and confiscate the tools of self-defense, though she owns and carries firearms herself, and works behind the protection of armed security.
Several politicians have stepped up to the podium to bemoan the electoral muscle of the NRA, but the NRA cannot pull a lever or push a button for any candidate. What it does do, is monitor the politicians and tell the voters how a particular candidate has voted on gun legislation. The influence of the NRA is that the majority of voters are against unConstitutional gun restrictions, in most of America.
Paul Howe, a 20 year Special Operations veteran and weapons instructor, explored the possibilities of how gun confiscation programs would be executed. In essence, he concluded that a forcible attempt to take firearms from the People would result in violent resistance, and that those officials that attempted it would be run out of town. In places like Texas, where Mr. Howe works, and in places like Tennessee, he is possibly correct. In places like Chicago, California, and New York, things could very well be different. In fact, much of the Northeast and the Left Coast have already voluntarily given up huge parts of their 2nd Amendment Right, voluntarily, without a fight. These days, I don't underestimate the people's willingness to tolerate "small" abuses of tyranny, by the government they "know."
“Confiscation could be an option. Mandatory sale to the state could be an option. Permitting could be an option — keep your gun but permit it.”– Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y.
Others have opined that the gun control debate is just a distraction technique, to get people's attention off the fact that Obama just raised taxes on 100% of America's workers, and other negatives out of Washington. At a minimum, FICA taxes went up by 2% on the first dollar (and most of the rest)you made this year, and 2% on your employer for paying you to work, as well as the ObamaCare taxes. These tax increases won't pay for the new subsidies to DNC special interests, like "green energy." In their arguments, the politicians know that the House will prevent gun grabs, and are happy that the economy and fiscal cliff are finally seeing reduced air time in the media.
Even General McChrystal decided now was the time to break his silence. He opined that M4's belong on the battlefield, not in schools. Who could argue with that? I'll argue that airplanes belong in the air and airports, not on the roads and rivers, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be allowed to land one on your own cornfield, or keep one in your barn. When I was on the battlefield, I preferred that I had better weapons than the enemy, and that the bystanders be unarmed, but that doesn't mean I shot someone just because they had an AK-47, or even took it away from them. It just would have been easier to identify the actual enemy if non-combatants didn't have weapons, and that I could have shot all those that did, from a distance beyond the AK's effective range.
Then again, General McChrystal was fired by the politician he voted for, and ordered that Our Troops unload their weapons inside our bases in Afghanistan. Perhaps, he should have weighed in on why that politician ignored him and his recommendations on Afghanistan, instead of whether or not American Citizens should be stripped of their Rights. Perhaps, he should protect the Constitution he swore to protect, rather than the party he voted to put in power.
The gun industry and sports stores got an economic boost from the "debate," as law abiding citizens stocked up on what they feared would be taxed out of the supply system, or banned outright. Or as others have opined, Americans aren't stocking up before a ban, but preparing for a Civil War.
While the state legislature in Tennessee along with county and municipal officials discuss meaningful means to safeguard Our Children, politicians in other States are passing new laws that infringe the 2nd Amendment Rights of their subjects. Some of the new measures do include armed officials at the schools, as well as controlled entry points into those schools, with locked doors and key cards to get inside. Tennessee is considering the authorization of armed teachers, which has worked in Utah and Texas. The discussion of School Security did not start after Newton, but it was given greater prominence as a result.
On the other hand, Govenor Cuomo is pushing for banning even more rifles in the State of New York. The mayor of Burlington, VT has enacted new laws against rifles, though there appears to be no history of rifles being used in Burlington crimes.
And while the MSM returns to using the Aurora, CO massacre as an emotionally charged call for banning the means of self-defense, it ignores the more recent San Antonio theater shooting, in which a massacre was prevented by a woman with a gun. They ignore the Aurora church shooting which preceded the theater shooting, where an Armed Citizen prevented another massacre. They ignore thousands of such stories every year, because it doesn't fit their argument.
Some are claiming that the NRA and gun-owners are out of touch, and short on facts, or unskilled in debate. I contend that those that defend the Constitution, and Individual Liberty, are instead poor at executing their "marketing campaign." History and facts are clearly behind Liberty and small government leading to prosperity, and national prominence.
I would argue that the MSM's monopoly on information dissemination has hamstrung those that oppose their view. While the internet provides the tools for information to be disseminated outside of the MSM monopoly, even those that report information on websites rely on the MSM for their sources of information. This has created a circuitous cycle where the MSM still controls the debate, while individuals can falsely conclude that they are immune from its influence. The MSM talks about Aurora, or Newton, or Karzai, and the bloggers and Facebookers cite them. If you don't believe me, just look at the topics you discuss on Twitter and Facebook versus what the MSM is talking about.
While there are occasions that the internet buzz forces the MSM to address that which they attempt to ignore, like the Green Movement in Iran, or the Islamist takeover in Egypt, or Benghazi terrorist attack, it is both rare, and again slanted to their views. While CNN has no qualms publishing classified information from the US, it bowed to the demands to keep its reporters out of the streets of Tehran. And as they ignore the persistance of Islamist terrorists taking over the revolution in Syria, their female reporters are indicators as they cover their hair in the presence of Islamists. The more their hair is covered, the more extreme the Islamist faction.
Some facts: 33,808 Americans were killed in automobile accidents in 2009. 4,872 of those killed were not even in a vehicle. 4,092 of those killed were simply walking along. In contrast, 351 people were murdered with a rifle in 2009 (323 in 2011). Personal objects (817 murders) such as hand and feet, blunt objects such as hammers (623), knives (1,836), and shotguns (423) were used in more murders than were rifles of ANY kind in 2009.
Hopefully, there will never be a call to ban hands and feet, though more people are killed with them. It is impractical to attempt to ban hammers, though there are probably fewer of them. And despite the fact that cars kill more people than firearms, by more than 100 times the rate, I haven't heard anyone call for a ban on automobiles, other than the environmental whackos, and that's for an entirely different reason. Ten times as many pedestrians were killed by cars than were all Americans killed by rifles, and yet, there's no call to ban Sports Cars, or Limos, or even Pintos.
And let's look at England, as "gun murders" there are often used as proof that dis-arming the People leads to lower crime rates. The reality is that it does change the weapons used, but that England has a far greater violent crime rate, per capita, than does America. We could look at Mexico, but there are far more similiarities between the English and Americans than there are between Mexicans and Americans. Still, the gun murder rate in Mexico is far greater than in either, and they've banned guns for far longer. More than 12,000 were murdered over drugs alone in our less populous Southern Neighbor in 2011.
In England and Wales, 615 murders occurred in the 2009-10 timeframe, along with 588 attempted murders. Of the 54,509 sexual crimes, 13,991 women and 1,174 men were raped, making Detroit's 427 rapes look like a safe haven. There were 1,868 kidnappings. England and Wales had 55,240,000 people at the end of that period, or roughly 1/6th the US population. There were 871,712 violent crimes in that period, which includes part of 2009 and part of 2010. There were 32,491 charges of illegal weapon possession, along with 9,962 conspiracies to commit murder, in 2007/08. 19% of violent crimes involved a weapon, including 7,995 involving firearms and 33,771 involving a knife.
Only 45% of violent crimes were reported to the Police in England. Of those not reporting, 52% said they believed the Police could not or would not do anything about it (or it was "too trivial"), while 36% said they dealt with it themselves. Another 3% said they didn't report it because it was "a common occurrence." There were an estimated 2.2 Million violent crimes committed in England & Wales in 2010/2011.
England and Wales have a violent crime rate of 1,574 per 100,000 in 2009/10 and far worse than even America's most violent cities, such as Chicago's 1,050 per 100,000 or Washington DC's 1,326/100,000. And far worse than the US National rate of 405 per 100,000. What do Chicago, DC, and England have in common? Anti-gun laws. In contrast, Chicago is far more urban than England, and England is less urban than America as a whole.
Many argue that we "must do something." The "something" so many argue for ignores the facts, and plays on emotion. The "something" almost always calls for greater government interference in the lives of individual Citizens. It may feel like we have "done something" by holding a protest or signing a petition, and sometimes those are the best ways for Individual Citizens to "do something," but the most important "something" we can do is educate ourselves, and point Our Friends and Family to the base information, so that they can as well. It may be emotionally satisfying to "do something" but before we do, we should look at the facts, and make the decision based on logic and reason, not just jerk our knee in reaction.
In this particular case, the fact is that about 1 in One Million Americans are killed by a rifle, so banning rifles, much less a particular type of rifle would have negligible or no effect on anything. The problem is not the means by which a life is taken, but the person who takes the life. As the trend in China demonstrates, evil, or psychotic individuals if you prefer, will use the weapons on hand to commit violence. In their case, is mass stabbings at schools, since that is the weapon to which they have access, and all guns are banned.
And if the government banned cars, more people would be killed in horse accidents.
By SSG Christopher Harper and Melissa Charbonneau, HQ ISAF
KABUL, Afghanistan (Jan. 6, 2013) – Embracing their newfound independence and inserting themselves in an increasingly more secure and modern Afghanistan, some local women have organized to hold a new type of traditional bazaar.
Each month, weather and security permitting, International Security Assistance Force invites more than 30 female vendors to sell their mostly handmade wares at its headquarters in Kabul. The monthly bazaar nets the women more than just much needed additional income and the ability to help support their families.
An Air Force servicemember negotiates lightheartedly with an Afghan girl over the price for her handmade bracelets at a women’s bazaar at International Security Assistance Force headquarters, Kabul, Jan 5. The monthly bazaar is designed to empower the underprivileged female entrepreneurs. (U.S. Army photo by SSG Christopher Harper)
“The money I earn here supports me attending university,” said Jamila, a vendor who sells original artwork at the bazaar. Jamila studies public health, “my dream is to become a doctor.”
The women have been holding the monthly bazaar at ISAF headquarters for nearly two years.
Jamila has been participating in the bazaar for eight months.
“Many of the women can earn in a day what would normally take weeks,” Jamila said. “This is a great opportunity for us.”
Vendors can make hundreds at a single bazaar, and depending on the number of bazaars worked, could average up to $1000 per month. The earnings help these women start up their own businesses, pay for medical care and drug rehab services for family members, and fund education for their children. Bazaar organizers also assist women opening their own bank accounts and taskera identity cards, and discounts on medical services.
Storai Jalal, an ISAF Afghan-American civilian contractor, is the bazaar organizer who pioneered a business model to empower the underprivileged women of Afghanistan. The model focuses around the core concept of building self-sufficiency through sustainable livelihoods to Afghan women.
"Ninety-five percent of these women were illiterate, yet in a very short time they have learned how to convert Afghanis to dollars to Euros," Jalal says. "They have learned business development, marketing, advertising, and limited English. These women are highly talented. They have just never been given the opportunity nor have they had the courage to stand up on their own feet."
The project launched in June 2010 with 97 participants and has expanded to regular bazaars at multiple coalition bases including HQ ISAF, KAIA, New Kabul Compound, Camp Eggers, and Bagram. Today the program supports almost 800 Afghan women directly and more than 5,000 indirectly through women who produce goods for sale.
Coalition servicemembers and civilians working at ISAF headquarters appreciate the chance to interact with the women and find treasures at the bazaar.
In addition to shopping for traditional Afghan souvenirs and unique handmade crafts for their loved ones back home, many of the coalition servicemembers volunteer to assist the women to ensure they can setup and breakdown the bazaar each month.
Air Force TSgt. Shawna Williams, an administration noncommissioned officer at ISAF headquarters, enjoys shopping at the women’s bazaar, “because the women are not as aggressive,” as their male counterparts. Williams, like many other coalition servicemembers, appreciates the lighter atmosphere often filled with playing children.
Even the ISAF commander, Gen. John Allen, along with other senior coalition headquarters staff, has been seen taking time from their busy schedules to shop and interact with the women.
This month, Pulitzer Prize winning Afghan photographer Massoud Hossaini visited the bazaar. “What are really great are these women’s stories,” said Hossaini.
In the practice of special counter-drug patrols, cars and semi-trucks are pulled over on excuses of small infractions. The targets have out of state license plates. They are then "asked" if they will allow a search of their vehicle. (Just say NO!) The police are looking for cash. The cash is then seized on the suspicion that it is drug profits. The driver is pushed to deny ownership to make the legal proceedings simpler. The cash is then kept by the law enforcement agencies involved in seizing it. If the Citizen wants his money back, the prosecutor's office requires them to fight for it, with lawyers, sometimes for years, at considerable cost.
While it was Tennessee's journalists that uncovered it here, these shakedowns are not just happening here. News Channel 5, WSMV, Nashville has been investigating the illegal seizures of property for two years, since the Institute for Justice came out with their report. What they found was an abuse of power, greed, and corruption. It is clear from the words of those in power, those stealing from The People, that it is a breach of the Constitution. The people of Tennessee are outraged over it, even though the police are targeting guests of our great state.
The Institute of Justice points out that this practice is happening elsewhere. It includes Michigan, Texas, and Georgia in its reports as being worse than Tennessee, and more than half the Nation gets graded at least as bad. It found that in 2008, more than $1 Billion had been seized from individual Citizens and was being held by the Department of Justice's Assets Forfeiture Fund.
Download Inst for Justice - Policing for Profit
I encourage you to watch the video series. The defense of the practice by prosecutors and police officers should enrage you. When a police officer says "he didn't prove it wasn't drug money," it demonstrates a practice of "guilty until proven innocent."
"It is illegal to have proceeds." [of criminal activity], District Attorney General Kim Helper. The "fact that no one ever claimed the money proves it was illegal."
"The doctrine of in rem forfeiture arose from Medieval ideas, rooted in the ancient law of “deodand.”Kings, for instance, could seize an instrument that caused the death of another in order to finance the deceased’s funeral mass.The idea arose from a superstitious belief that objects acted independently to cause death." Policing for Profit, Institute of Justice
There is nothing illegal about using and/or having cash. I understand that in today's world few people use cash, but short of gold and silver, paper currency is still the closest thing to real money.
Constitutionally, it is the burden of the prosecutor and police to prove guilt in a crime, not the accused to prove innocence. This fundamental premise must be upheld in law, in legislation, and in practice.
Constitutionally, you and your property cannot be searched without proof of cause. It cannot be seized without Warrant.
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall NOT be violated.." 4th Amendment, Bill of Rights, US Constitution
".. nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." 5th Amendment, Bill of Rights, US Constitution
If you are pulled over and asked to forfeit your Rights, i.e., "Can we look in your vehicle?" Just say NO! It may be the practice, but it is un-Constitutional, for the government to presume you are guilty because you retain your rights.
What should happen now? The Governor and Legislature of Tennessee should act to remove the excuse for unlawful search and seizure. The Judges should clamp down on the practice and protect the Constitution they swore to uphold. And beginning with the DAG Kim Helper, and including every official uncovered in Channel 5's investigation, demonstrating the corrupt and un-Constitutional "justification" for these roadside shakedowns should be fired, and stripped of any chance of ever being in a position of authority again. Ms. Helper should be disbarred.
And Citizens of other States should press for their governments to do the same. I'm all for seizing the finances of criminal organizations, but that money is not guilty of anything. The owner of the money must be proven to have gained it through criminal activity, before it can be seized.
In 2012, two videos achieved notoriety. One demonstrated the atrocities of Islamists in Egypt against Christians and spotlighted the precedents of the "prophet's" behavior in child molestation, and murder of civilians, war crimes, tyranny, and terrorism, as written in their holy book. The other was of an Asian in a dance he "created" which mimics the actions of a cowboy riding a horse.
One of the artistic creators was invited to perform for President Obama. The other was jailed by agents of the President.
But these men have a history. One is a refugee of Islamist abuses in Egypt while the other called for the torture of those following the orders of a previous President, following the orders of the American People. These are the 2004 words of one of the artists:
“Kill those f–ing Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives.” “Kill those f–ing Yankees who ordered them to torture.” “Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers” “Kill them all slowly and painfully.” Psy
One was accused of hate crimes and of inspiring violence around the world. The other was given photo-ops with the Royal, er, First Family. One has lived under threat to life and family and the other espoused that the families and children of others be tortured. One has been threatened with death and the other has called for the death of innocents. Both have American citizenship. Both have attained the attention of the Emperor, er President.
You know what, I don't give a dayum about an apology 8 years after the fact from the rapper. He has a 'right' to say what he does and I have a right to invite him to move to North Korea where his anti-American antics will get him celebrity status in a kingdom where subjects must express gratitude for every grain of rice they receive, from their Communist god-king.
But since the POTUS is so good and experienced with apologies, I do call on him to apologize for his actions, for his rewarding of and embracing a man who called for the rape, torture, and murder of Americans, and their children. He can't claim ignorance. It was well known who and what it was before he met with him. And he can't claim lack of authority. He has used the power of the office to uninvite others to functions he has attended, as well as having the symbols of Christianity covered in his presence.
It would be nice for him to apologize for his own misdeeds for a change, instead of for the successes of America, and for the hard road American Troops have taken to free the people of foreign lands of tyrants.
His apology doesn't mean I'll forget his actions, nor that I'll forgive him for embracing the one that called for torture and jailing the one that complained of oppression, but it is the right thing, for him to do.
I'm not alone in my disgust with the actions of the POTUS in this. Fellow Veterans reported the story first, over at This Ain't Hell.
As Jonn at This Ain't Hell notes, Hillary has claimed all blame in turning down requests for more security ahead of the Benghazi attacks. As Jonn also points out, the world has recently learned that Obama can rarely be bothered with actually being briefed on National Security threats.
“I take responsibility” for what happened on September 11, Clinton said in an interview with CNN’s Elise Labott. Clinton insisted President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are not involved in security decisions, Clinton said. “I want to avoid some kind of political gotcha,” she added, noting that it is close to the election.
Ignorance is not an excuse. It is particularly not an excuse when it is the willful ignorance of not taking the time to listen to the reports especially prepared for the guy that won the 2008 election, and NO ONE else. It's one thing that Jimmy Carter did not understand the monster that Iran would become in 1978 when he ordered the Shah to let the Ayatollah return from exile. It's completely different to ignore your daily intelligence briefings, and ignore the rise of Islamism in the Middle East, while we continue the Global War on Terrorism.
That's a far cry from what he said in 2010:
Obama wants to claim that Foreign Policy and National Security are his strong suit. He wants to hide behind a claim to being a "war-time President." Yet, his decision to ignore the daily intelligence brief led to his claim that he didn't know there was any threat in Benghazi, or Cairo.
We learned in "No Easy Day" by "Mark Owen", that there was a lot of hemming and hawwing in the White House, before it "accepted the political risk" to kill OBL. In the Vice-Presidential debate, we heard Joe Biden outright lie to the American people in stating that categorically there would be "No Troops in Afghanistan after 2014," when
Download 2012 Afghan Obama Agreement Obama signed an agreement keeping Troops (in a training status) in Afghanistan through at least 2024. In fact, he signed the letter of intent on his Victory lap over OBL's death. He signed it on May 1st, 2012, in a "surprise visit" to Kabul, and then signed the formal agreement later.
The chief politician wants to have it both ways. He wants to claim the hard fought Victories of Troops who put their lives in harm's way. And then he wants to disown the failures brought on by his own decisions. He has sent Hillary out to fall on her sword for him, because he claims ignorance of the threat. And since he isn't paying attention to the National Security briefings, he may well be ignorant of the emerging threats in the world, as well as the old ones.
But it was also his decisions that prevented a Marine FASTeam from responding when the Islamist terrorists breached the walls, when they opened fire with machine guns and RPG's on the Consulate in Benghazi. It may not be his fault that there was no fire department to respond to the flaming embassy, but he made the decision to position Marines in the vast Pacific, instead of in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. He could send Panetta out to fall on that sword, but it's not Panetta's decision to send Marines to save Diplomats from terrorists shooting RPG's and Mortars at the Consulate. Instead, Obama called a Transitional government (Libya) and asked them to send re-inforcements.
Marines have the FIRST Mission in protecting Our Embassies abroad. There are other security forces, including Diplomatic Security Forces, local security, and contractors, but the Marines have the primary mission. They are first on the list of response teams. There are others, including Special Forces and SeALs, but the Marines are FIRST on the list when the Sovereign grounds of a US Embassy are breached.
Those decisions rest in the Oval Office, and whether he or his supporters will publicly admit it or not, the blame lies on the guy behind the desk in it. Or using his golf clubs, as the case may be.
Many have expressed concern that the current Presidential campaign has been devoid of National Security/Foreign Policy issues, myself included. I've said very little about Romney, because he has previously said very little about National Defense. I've picked up a few encouraging snippets in the last few weeks, but finally he has added some substance, on the topic Obama considers his strong suit.
"Hope is not a strategy." Romney is not the first I've heard say that. My old team Sergeant said it on a regular basis, when he felt complacency was setting in, when he thought someone wasn't planning or preparing properly, when someone forgot to plan. He was right "Hope is NOT a strategy." You can't just hope the right supplies and equipment will be available when you need it, where you need it, or that the other units involved are on the same sheet of music. You have to have a plan and you have to have thought out all the details of that plan, including what the enemy may do in response to your moves.
Romney is right. Hope is not a strategy. You have to have a plan for how to help your friends, and how to defeat your enemy.
Romney has pledged to roll back the Obama cuts to the Troops, to the restore the Navy from its current 1916 strengths. He has pledged to lead the Free World, not just hope others will do the right thing. He stated his recognition that a strong military prevents war, and that the world is more dangerous today than it was in 2008.
He noted that our Friends, our Allies, want American leadership, that the people of the Middle East, and the world want the Freedoms we have here. He pointed out that Libyans rejected the presence of the Islamist terrorists that had killed our diplomats, from remaining in their midst.
In the short 22 minutes of Romney's speech he points out many failures of the current Administration, such as Obama's silence when the Iranian people risked, and sacrificed their lives, in hopes that the world would help them overthrow their tyrannical regime, in 2009.
And when the civilian fatalities stood at half of the now 30,000, Obama sent Panetta & General Dempsey to Congress where his Secretary of Defense stated he would not get Congressional permission to go to war in Syria, but would wait on UN or NATO approval, despite the Constitution. And when the civilian fatalities stood at 1/3rd, the Administration said they didn't know who the rebels were, even after a year of combat. Now, al-Qaeda has made inroads, along with Hamas into the Syrian Civil War against Bashar Assad, his Russian and Communist Chinese allies, his Iranian allies, and their Hezbollah underlings. Lost in the crossfire are Syrians, who want Freedom, and democracy.
Though the Obama Administration denied the obvious for weeks, it has finally admitted that the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi was the work of Al-Qaeda, or at least its Islamist allies, and not just an overreaction to a two bit video no one had heard of or would have heard of, if it hadn't of been for the attack on our Embassy in Cairo. In fact, the attack on the Embassy in Cairo was advertised and supported by the Islamist Nour Party there, an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood ruling party, and the attack on the Consulate in Benghazi appears to have been led by a terrorist released prematurely from GITMO, and directed to occur by Al-Qaeda's leader, al-Zawahari.
And the attack came days before Obama announced he was releasing a 1/3rd of the remaining terrorists left at GITMO, and turning over the terrorists at Bagram, along with the prison to Afghanistan.
The Romney speech comes on the heels of Lara Logan's speech to the Better Governance Association in Chicago, where she told them that Islamism, the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda have grown stronger in the last few years (of the Obama Administration). She knows. She's been there. She was in the middle of the events in Cairo, and has the lumps to prove it. She has interviewed General Allen, President Karzai, and members of the Taliban. She wore no scarf with Karzai or Allen, semi-covered her hair with Karzai's underlings, and had to scarf the camera as well with the Taliban.
We now know there were many Islamists in that crowd that day.
Obama has abandoned the Middle East, and Latin America, while ignoring Africa, while ordering the Military to focus instead on the vast ocean of the Pacific, with fewer Troops. His Administration pulled back on security forces in Libya, when his Ambassador there asked for more, and intelligence noted a pending attack. And the Marine response team that should have been on a moment's notice, was days away. His Ambassador, OUR Ambassador there was murdered as a result. Yes, it is the fault of the Islamist Terrorists that conducted the attacks, but it is the Administration which is to blame for ignoring the intelligence and the requests of the Ambassador on the ground.
Romney has struck a stark difference between his policies in Foreign Affairs and the current Administration's. Romney says he won't publish an enemy emboldening timeline of retreat, but will instead use the Diplomacy of Strength. He won't abandon allies, or back down from enemies, but instead ensure that allies and enemies alike will know we mean what we say, and have the means to back it up, and the will to do so.
Romney has said he won't allow America to be tossed about on the waves of world events, but will lead from the front, and shape those events.
I'm not necessarily excited about Romney but I am impressed with his speech. And I'm glad he has finally stated some positions on National Security and Foreign Policy. I will hold him to those words if he wins, just as I have pointed out that Obama's were empty when he said "Afghanistan would be his top priority," in the 2008 campaign.
It is time to turn the tide back in the favor of Freedom, and to push the rise of Islamism back on its heels.
The Navy will commission the newest guided-missile destroyer, Michael Murphy (DDG 112), Oct. 6, during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony at Pier 88 in Manhattan, N.Y.
The newest destroyer honors Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan June 28, 2005.
Murphy led a four-man team tasked with finding a key Taliban leader in the mountainous terrain near Asadabad, Afghanistan, when they came under fire from a much larger enemy force with superior tactical position. Mortally wounded while exposing himself to enemy fire, Murphy knowingly left his position of cover to get a clear signal in order to communicate with his headquarters. While being shot at repeatedly, Murphy calmly provided his unit's location and requested immediate support for his element. He returned to his cover position to continue the fight until finally succumbing to wounds.
Video courtesy of SGT Jim
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Maureen Murphy will serve as sponsor of the ship named for her late son. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when she gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
"This ship honors the courage, service and sacrifice of Lt. Michael Murphy, his Red Wings brothers, fellow SEALs, special operators and service members around the world who answer the call of duty every day," said Mabus. "It is absolutely fitting that the USS Michael Murphy bears a SEAL trident on her crest because, much like Michael and every Navy SEAL who has earned the honor of wearing the trident, this ship is designed to counter threats from above and below the surface of the oceans, in the air and on land."
Designated DDG 112, Michael Murphy is the 62nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, capable of conducting operations from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. Michael Murphy is capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare.
"USS Michael Murphy, the most flexible, lethal and multi-mission capable ship of its kind, represents the backbone of our surface combatant fleet," said Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations. "It is one of the best destroyers in the world. This ship will operate forward around the globe, assuring allies, projecting power and defending our nation. And, like its namesake Lt. Michael Murphy, this ship will serve to protect, influence and win in an era of uncertainty."
Cmdr. Thomas E. Shultz, a native of El Cajon, Calif., is the commanding officer of the ship and will lead the crew of 279 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-ton Michael Murphy was built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The ship is 509 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and has a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.
The commissioning ceremony will be live at www.livestream.com/usnavy and you can join the conversation on Twitter with the hash tag #MURPH.
The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says he is “mad as hell” about attacks on Western troops by Afghan soldiers and police, known as “insider attacks.”
General John Allen said in an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, scheduled to air late Sunday, “we are willing to sacrifice a lot for this campaign, but we are not willing to be murdered for it.”
Allen said that just as homemade bombs had become the signature weapon of the Iraq war, he believed that in Afghanistan, “the signature attack that we are beginning to see is going to be the insider attack.”
A Taliban leader told CBS the insider attacks are part of the militant group's new military strategy. He said the Taliban has its people planted in the Afghan police and the army.
More than 50 international troops have been killed this year in a series of insider attacks. A similar number of Afghan security force members have been killed in such attacks.
I encourage you to watch the video, to listen to all the General has to say, to listen to the words of President Karzai, and to listen to the words of the Taliban:
Coalition officials originally had reported an insider attack late Saturday was responsible for the death of a U.S. soldier, foreign contractor, and three Afghan soldiers. But NATO has issued a statement saying the incident possibly involved insurgent fire and coalition and Afghan officials are still investigating. VoA
On 18 September 2012, the Egyptian government issued arrest warrants for Terry Jones, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, and six others associated with the amateur youtube video, the "Innocence of Muslims." The warrant alleges that they are wanted for the crimes of: "Harming national unity," "Insulting and publicly attacking Islam," and "spreading false information."
Aside from Terry Jones, the remaining individuals targeted in the warrant are Egyptian Coptic Christians, who fled the religious persecution of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
The Muslim Brotherhood has taken over the reins of government in Egypt, after Obama ordered longtime US ally, Hosni Mubarrak to resign. It is currently in the process of writing a new constitution for the country, which is expected to make it a crime to speak against Islam.
The video in question opens with scenes of the oppression Egyptian Coptics have experienced in Egypt where a Coptic daughter asks her father why they are being persecuted. The father tells the daughter, she'll have to come to her own conclusions as to why fellow Egyptians would commit such violence. It then portrays scenes described in the Koran, including allusions to the marriage of Muhammed to his supporter's post-toddler daughter, and overt calls of Mohammed to violence.
Lost in the violent aftermath, and to the public debate, is the irony that Islamists are acting out the very violence that the video producer was highlighting.
The Egyptian video producer, who lives in California, faces the possibility of a violent death over his production. Theo van Gogh, the great-grandson of the famous artist, was brutally stabbed to death in the streets of Europe for a film which Islamists considered blasphemous. A 14 year old mentally challenged Pakistani girl faced the death penalty for buring pieces of paper, on which verses of the Koran were allegedly written.
Meanwhile, today, a left-wing French magazine is publishing cartoons depicting Mohammed naked, along with other cartoons of the 7th Century Arab conquerer. And the French government is closing its Embassies in 20 Islamic countries to counter the threat.
The Obama Administration has made no statements concerning extradition or protection of the Americans wanted in Egypt, but the video producer has previously been brought in for questioning.
A man who says he was behind the private film sparking demonstrations in the Muslim world is criticizing the protesters.
In an interview with U.S.-government-funded Radio Sawa, the alleged director of the film says his fellow Arabs “have to learn demonstrate peacefully against the issues on which we disagree.” He says any allegation the United States government was involved in the making of the movie is “funny and ridiculous” and that “America has nothing to do with the film.”
Radio Sawa says the man refused to confirm his identity but that a source who provided the contact information identified him as Nakoula Basseley Nakoula.
Several news organizations have linked the inflammatory film, titled “The Innocence of Muslims,” to Nakoula, a 55-year-old Egyptian Coptic Christian who lives in California and recently served a prison sentence for bank fraud.
Initially, the film was said to have been produced by a man named Sam Bacile, who told news media he is Israeli-American. A consultant on the film confirmed the name “Sam Bacile” was a pseudonym. There is no record of the film or its producer in Hollywood reference sources.
The man believed to be Nakoula tells Radio Sawa he did not expect the film would cause such strong reactions from the Arab and Muslim world, saying the film's other producers “put my mind at ease.” But he also says all the film's advisers were “foreigners who do not know anything about Arabs and have never visited Arab countries.” VoA.
Making light of a serious situation by the guys that earned the right to do so: Ranger Up!
H/T to This Ain't Hell, for posting some humor about the topic they take most seriously. Frankly, I needed some humor.
Stolen Valor is a widespread problem, as evidenced by the need to weed down the competitors in this year's competion over at This Ain't Hell. Ranger Up was able to deck out the star of their video to the point that even Jonn didn't think it possible anyone could be so stupid, but still the number of stupid fakers out there that could be that stupid made it possible, when the photo first surfaced.
By the way, Ranger Up has some of the best T-Shirt designs on the planet!
One year ago on this day, I stood on the New York Presbyterian Hospital
deck looking down at the East River. In the weeks prior to the 10th
anniversary of that terrible day when evil struck at the heart of
America, I had listened to Jack Delaney - who was Director of Emergency
Services at New York Presbyterian Hospital on 9/11 - as he shared his
experiences of that day and the aftermath. If you missed it the first
time, go here and read his first-hand account.
Now looking down at the river I felt so small as I watched the boat
traffic gently riding the waves on this Sunday morning. I thought back
to the Tuesday morning ten years earlier; one of America's darkest
days, but also a day where the heart of America shone so brightly.
As
I stood quietly watching the ebb and flow of this river, I was so
incredibly humbled. I had come to this place on this day at the
invitation of some very special Americans. I had come to remember and
honour. A few years earlier I had been privileged to interview the mom
and dad of Keith Fairben, a Paramedic who died on 9/11, along with his
partner Mario Santoro, as they were focused on saving others' lives.
First Diane, Keith's mom, and then Ken,
Keith's dad, had honoured me by sharing their hearts, the heart of
their son with me, and allowing me to tell the world the story of his
life.
Through
Ken and Diane, and then Jack, I came to see 9/11 through the hearts of
Americans, that the mainstream media will never understand.. Yes, last
year the msm was in a frenzy because it was the 10-year anniversary,
but I had been shown the still-beating hearts of those most directly
impacted, and I came to New York to see, and to hold, those hearts.
Standing next to Jack Delaney on the deck, I thought of all the broken
hearts - hearts that were stopped, and hearts that still beat, but will
forever be wrapped in sorrow because evil struck the heart of America on
that bright day in September 2001.
On September 11, 2001, I sat
in front of my television 3,000 miles away from Ground Zero as the msm
talking heads tried to make some sense of the horrific images they kept
repeating, over and over. I cried a lot that day and in the ensuing
weeks even though, on the surface of the matter, I was far removed from
the horrors of that day.
On 15 April 1941, the 3rd Armored Division was born. It was unstoppable by the Germans. The only thing that prevented it from taking Berlin was orders from above to halt, allowing the Soviets to enter Berlin.
It faced down the Red Hordes of the Soviet Army for decades of the Cold War, and picked a 2nd nickname for its most famous Soldier: the Elvis Presley Division.
From 24 February 1991 to 1 March 1991, during Desert Storm, the Division destroyed hundreds of Iraqi tanks and captured 2400 Iraqi POW's. On 17 January 1992, the heaviest Armored Division in the world, rolled up its colors in Germany. On 17 October 1992, after successfully defeating multiple divisions of Saddam's Republican Guard (his best) in Desert Storm, it rolled up its colors for the last time in Frankfurt, Germany.
The defeat of Imperial Japan & Nazi Germany may have ended the shooting wars, but it was not the end of Our Commitment, and it wasn't the end of dangers. Whole German and Japanese cities had been destroyed by allied bombs, but while we rebuilt our future allies, the Communists oppressed our future enemies.
The prognosis was bleak as the red flag of communism spread rapidly across Europe and Asia. The Cold War which began on the heels of WWII, would last until 1990. It would include the seige of Berlin, the hot wars of Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Grenada, Colombia, Nicarauga, El Salvador, and spawn the Islamist terrorists we fight now in the War On Terror. The Communist Cold War "hero" Che Gueverra would slaughter thousands of Bolivian peasants, after executing Cubans en masse.
But this video shows the first few years of the Communist rise to power.
In combat, there are no "days off." The enemy will attack at the time of his choosing, and he will choose the day he thinks you will relax your guard. On 4 July 2009, the enemy attacked, and Able Company was ready:
Remember those that put their lives on the line, so you can rest comfortably in peace.
The defeat of Imperial Japan & Nazi Germany may have ended the shooting wars, but it was not the end of Our Commitment, and it wasn't the end of dangers. Whole German and Japanese cities had been destroyed by allied bombs, but while we rebuilt our future allies, the Communists oppressed our future enemies.
The prognosis was bleak as the red flag of communism spread rapidly across Europe and Asia. The Cold War which began on the heels of WWII, would last until 1990. It would include the seige of Berlin, the hot wars of Korea, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Grenada, Colombia, Nicarauga, El Salvador, and spawn the Islamist terrorists we fight now in the War On Terror. The Communist Cold War "hero" Che Gueverra would slaughter thousands of Bolivian peasants, after executing Cubans en masse.
But this video shows the first few years of the Communist rise to power.
The Rock of Gibraltar has not only become a definition of permanence, it has also over the years been synonymous with UK military power.
It's name gives the Royal Marines their motto, after their role in establishing Britain's strong point at the gateway to the Mediterranean.
But like everywhere else in the defence world, the Rock is having to take its share of cutbacks.
Under a programme known as Project Euston, in five years the force deployed there from the UK will have fallen by a third and millions of pounds worth of real estate will be handed over.
A civilian element of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan are the Ministry of Defence's police.
Officers first deployed to Helmand four years ago, with the task of moving the Afghan force away from their traditionally paramilitary security role, and towards a more everyday police service for their community.
The main contingent of MoD police is at a dedicated training centre, but Forces News' Julie Knox has caught up with the two-man team of coppers who live at a patrol base, with the job of mentoring district Afghan Uniform Police chiefs.
Countless rescue and humanitarian aid missions in disaster regions all over the world have made the IDF experts in emergency relief. On May 15th, 2012 Israeli and US forces held a joint emergency rescue drill. Together, they trained how to extract injured victims from a collapsed building, to clear paths through debris and to navigate in the chaos that is left by a natural disaster. The IDF plans to hold similar drills each year with teams of the US Armed Forces, in order to pass on their knowledge and prepare for future disasters.
Today, Memorial Day in America, it seems more than fitting that a Memorial has been dedicated to my "nephew" SSG Brian Cowdrey, an American Hero:
On Memorial day many people visit memorial sites and cemeteries to honor those who have died serving our great country. Today the Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan are honoring a fallen hero and dedicating a helicopter ramp in his memory.
From RC East:
Monday, 28 May 2012 23:31
The real “memorial” day
Written by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Pahon, RC-East PAO
ALALABAD, Afghanistan – There wasn’t a BBQ with friends. No kids splashed in a pool or lined up for a rollercoaster on the official first day of the “summer fun” season. No-one got the day off. Memorial day wasn’t anything except a day to gather and remember, mark a patch of concrete with a small monument, and lament losing a friend.
82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Troopers salute a memorial dedicated to U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert "Brian" Cowdrey. Cowdrey died Oct. 13, 2011 while rescuing wounded servicemembers from a small combat outpost near the Pakistan Border. MEDEVAC troops on Forward Operating Base Fenty had the helicopter landing pad in the V.I.P. arrival area re-named "Cowdrey Ramp," and erected a small monument to honor his life on Memorial Day. Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Pahon
“Sometimes, I think about how many lives Brian affected,” said U.S. Army Capt. Augustine Castronovo, the MEDEVAC platoon leader on Forward Operating Base Fenty, near Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
On October 13th, 2011, Castronovo’s MEDEVAC unit responded to an urgent call from a small observation post in Kunar province, near the Pakistan border. The post had been under heavy enemy fire, and three Coalition Soldiers were critically wounded, requiring evacuation.
Among the medics on board was U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert “Brian” Cowdrey, from Atwater, Ohio. Cowdrey was seasoned combat veteran on his fourth deployment, known for his “hard right over easy wrong” attitude.
For a few bucks more you can get a signed copy from the author himself! http://www.deltabravosierra.us/2011/02/10/a-word-about-the-new-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3383
Get your copy of this legendary cartoon now (or wait a few days for the signed copy!)
Go to War against the Nazis with SSG Smith of the 94th Infantry Division. Review: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2010/04/everymans-war-vet.html.html
Ace Of Spades: Why Language Matters In this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.
Recent Comments