Frontlines Of Freedom

Another radio show host

2010-04-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

When Afgam Mujeeb Saify became an interpreter for the US 3 years ago, he spoke Urdu, Pashtu, Dari, Panjabi and English. Then, he used his spare time to take classes in Arabic.

In his "spare time" he started hosting a weekly radio broadcast called “Shedding Light on the Civil War in Afghanistan.” His show became so well-known that the Taliban offered 1 million Afghanis for his capture and death. But he's still on the air.

He has also written a paper on the importance of true democracy for Afghanistan. Then he applied for a scholarship to Georgetown University, with the support of a number of faculty members there. If accepted, he may start classes as early as this summer.

After 2 years, interpreters working on behalf of our military have a chance to get a special immigration visa. Saify noted that many translators want to go to America to
enjoy our many freedoms, including partying or dancing, which have been forbidden by the Taliban in the past.

He hopes to study toward a doctorate in diplomacy and political science. Of course, he wants to bring his family with him to America, but plans to later return to his home country and possibly enter politics. “My goal is to serve Afghanistan,” he said. Three cheers for this talk-radio show host.

Join the Taliban

2010-04-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

The current prime minister of Iraq mentioned joining the Taliban. Our president is shocked by such a statement. Am I the only one who thinks that maybe the message is a request that we stay in Iraq for a lot longer with a large fighting force, because the bad guys do know our withdrawal schedule and very, very likely plan to wait until we're gone and then kill everyone who has anything to do with the current government? Granted, the Iraqi national government is a mass of confusion with all kinds of claims and counter claims about who won the recent election. But we do want a stable government in Iraq don't we? I thought that was the goal.

Our Navy SEALs

2010-04-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

On this Easter Sunday I was thinking about the brave men and women who have fought and died to protect our right to freely practice our faith. Then I thought of the wonderful Navy SEALs who are being prosecuted for, perhaps, punching a know terrorist they were sent to capture. I simply can not imagine why the senior uniformed people in these SEALs chain of command aren't resigning in protest against whatever power is persisting on this prosecution. What a terrible message we are sending to the very few Americans who are willing to wear our country's uniform.

Pirates

2010-04-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

The sea captain who was a prisoner of pirates until he was rescued by our brave navy SEALs last year now has a book out. The news also includes the story of some pirates who attacked a US Navy warship; they are now either dead or captured. Earlier this year we interviewed a sea captain whose anti-pirate plans include ambushing them and simply blowing them away. Piracy is a real problem in the world today; it affects the US because when ships are captured or when money is spent to aviod capture that drives the price of goods up on the world market. Captured ships and their crews are held for randsom; we certainly don't want American ships, cargo, or crews captured. Pirates are a real menace. We'll soon be interviewing on the show a sea captan who goes out and steals back ships that have been wrongfully seized.

Oxygen therapy

2010-04-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

There was an item in the news that military docs are proposing a form of oxygen therapy for troops suffering from head wounds. Oxygen in the blood does promote healing (I'm no doc, so I'm just taking their word for this), so putting folks in an oxygen only environment, perhaps under pressure, will put more oxygen in the blood. I'm glad to see that we're continuing to look for ways to heal our wounded warriros. The article didn't mention it, but I assume that all the troops participating in the test will we volunteers.

In Tampa

2010-04-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Somehow it's harder to think about work when I'm in Tampa--which I am. My wife and I were stationed in Tampa for 7 years when I was on active duty. I spent 4 years assigned to US Readiness Command at MacDill Air Force Base (which we called Fort MacDill). I was the Mideast war planner. Then I was offered and took the Professor of Military Science (Department Head of the Army ROTC) at the University of Tampa. Since then we tend to return to Tampa for Spring Break to visit friends and enjoy the sun. We often stay on base at MacDill, as we are this year. It's a pleasure to be back in a military community where service to our nation is the norm and pride in our flag and accomplishments is part of the culture. I do believe that every young person should be required to serve our nation.

Terror in Russia

2010-03-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

Terror isn't just for democracies. Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up on Moscow's subway system as it was packed with rush-hour passengers this past Monday, reportedly killing at least 37 people and wounding 102.

The head of Russia's main security agency said preliminary investigation indicates that the bombers were rebels from the Caucasus region that includes Chechnya, where separatists have fought Russian forces since the mid-1990s.

The first explosion took place just before 8 am at Moscow's Lubyanka station, which happens to be underneath the building that houses the main offices of the Federal Security Service, the KGB's main successor agency. This kind of thing has been going on around the world for some time. It's not going to end anytime soon.

Radio in Afghanistan

2010-03-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

Paving the way for success in the Afghan New Year, the people of Paktika Province, heard the voice of their local government on radio, thanks to our troops. The province has 333 schools,
with 10 under construction. Of these schools, 37 are closed because of threats from the Taliban, said the province head of education. Despite the school closures, the total student enrollment is a little more than 121,000, with almost 20,000 female students. The school system as been successful so far in maintaining a 37:1 student-teacher ratio, comparable to many school districts in the US.

According to Army CPT Matt Sraj, who oversees radio ops in Paktika, this interview is the first
in a series of programs aimed at connecting the people with their government in a widely-accessible format. Radio is the most-effective way to reach the people, because of the low literacy rate. “In Western Paktika, the literacy rate is currently well under 5%. Therefore, most of the population receives their info from one of two ways: word of mouth or radio broadcasts. By bringing the Afghan govt leaders onto the radio the people not only receive info on what their
govt is doing, but it also gives local govt the opportunity to get their message directly to the people, ensuring that the info is not altered,” Sraj said.

This is the kind of progress that never makes the news, but is absolutely necessary for the
Afghan people to take control of their country. Besides, I'm slightly prejudiced towards radio.

Really, do get active

2010-03-28T05:52:00.000-07:00

As I read what is going on in Washington I am very sad for America. All people who consider themselves to be patriots absolutely must get politically active now. We must find candidates for office who will stand for the US Constitution as written--not as interpreted by non-elected Supreme Court justices. The time to act is now, before the political parties pick their candidates for this November's election--patriots must dominate the primary elections. We must find candidates who stand for smaller, less intrusive government and work for them now and give their campaigns money now. It's not too late, but we must have people who care for America stand up. Now.

The Marines are right

2010-03-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

There's much political pressure from the White House to allow gays to serve openly in our military. Gays can serve now under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy--but they can not be openly gay or they can be discharged.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James Conway stated that even if the ban on openly-gay people serving in the military is lifted, he would draw the line at forcing heterosexual Marines to bunk with gays. "We want to continue [two-person rooms], but I would not ask our Marines to live with someone who is homosexual if we can possibly avoid it."

If a soldier is assigned to live with another soldier it's pretty clear that neither should be in danger of being "hit on" by his/her roommate. This is true for everyone; it's doubly true for our military; and it's ten-times that for our military when we're at war. Keep your social experiments away from our military!

Islam and war

2010-03-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of interesting, if inaccurate, things going around the internet about the role of war and fighting in Islam. Most claim that Islam, regardless of it's statements to the contrary, is absolutely not a religion of peace. It is accurate to say that Radical Islam is a religion of death, but how about main-stream Islam?

At a regional meeting, shura, in Afghanistan, Mullah Rahman Sadique, a religious leader for two provinces, discussed helping illiterate villagers to learn thier culture as Afghans. “Our religion bars students of the Muslim religion from harming others. Nonetheless, enemies of Afghanistan come into a village and tell villagers, by word of mouth, to take actions that defy Muslim principles. Due to so many being uneducated, these disadvantaged citizens may be confused and follow the wrong path, and worse yet, be led astray by enemies of Afghanistan, who have agendas,” Sadique said.

It's my opinion that we need to free the world of Radical Islamists--that's the war we're fighting right now. Then all people, including main-stream Muslims, can enjoy peace.

Our poor constitution

2010-03-24T03:24:00.001-07:00

The Constitution of the US was written by a bunch of rich, white guys who had just risked everything to fight the strongest nation in the world, England--and won. They knew that their document wouldn't be perfect, so they put in a provision to allow it to be amended. That worked really well. Then Franklin Roosevelt got the court to forget about Federalism (the powers that belong to the state; the 10th Amendment). Then the Warren Court started writing law--even though the Congress is supposed to do that. Now the President has totally thrown the whole thing in the trash with his unconstitutional power grab in the form of health care reform.

But we military folks have taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Folks, let's begin the fight at the ballot box. This is an election year. Don't support anyone who doesn't believe in the 10th Amendment. Don't support anyone who supports Obamacare. Don't support anyone who wants larger, more intrusive government. But do find the right person and support him or her. This is not the year to sit back and wait. We must be proactive to defend our constitution.

It's a sad day for America

2010-03-21T18:03:00.001-07:00

Apparently the US House of Representatives voted today to pass Obamacare. This is going to very negatively affect the lives of military people as well as the lives of most Americans. Folks, you can't just say that we'll survive--no big deal. This is a huge deal and we're all going to hurt. We need to get rid of everyone in Washington DC, and soon.

The opposite of love

2010-03-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

I spent some time this afternoon at a large, local sports show. There were lots and lots of people there happily looking at boats, fishing rods, and other good things. I was there because a friend of mine, Mike Cox, is running for governor of Michigan; Mike is a former marine and is very pro-gun, so he had a booth there. I was there working the booth. I was asking folks to take a minute and care about the horrible condition of our state and nation. Way too many of them showed no interest at all.

The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference. I'm hoping that the indifference I saw today is not indicative of a greater indifference to our nation--but I fear that it is. Our nation is more at risk now--from our government--than at an time that I can remember. It will take America's citizens to get aware, get active, and elect people who want to retain the republic that is the United States of America. I don't trust either party; we must elect folks who will read bills before they vote for them and who want a smaller, less intrusive national government.

America needs her people to love her. I wonder if they do.

The IRS

2010-03-19T17:32:00.000-07:00

As the government in Washington rushes to spend trillions of dollars it doesn't have, the IRS is
doing its part to pinch every last penny from American taxpayers. In my birthplace of Sacramento, two IRS agents recently showed up at Harv's Metro Car Wash to demand payment of 4 cents in back taxes from 2006. Well, 4 cents before taxes and penalties, that is. All told,
the pennies debt had accrued an additional $202.31, leaving the owner with $202.35 in payment due.

Oh, yeah, the feds came calling after the IRS issued a letter last October stating Harv's "has filed all required returns and addressed any balances due." Not surprisingly, the IRS refused to comment on the issue, citing "privacy and disclosure laws."

Although he complained that the IRS agents "didn't even get a car wash" during their visit,
the owner nonetheless noted the humor in the situation. "It's hilarious that two people hopped
in a car and came down here for just 4 cents. I think [the IRS] may have a problem with
priorities." Sounds like Washington to me. And Obama's new Healthcare Bill enlarges and gives
more power to--yup, the IRS.

I have an idea. Let's go to a Fair Tax, greatly reduce the size of the IRS and let's increase the
size of our military so all our brave troops can get a break from back to back to back tours.

Get politically active

2010-03-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

If there ever was a year when every caring American needs to be, first, registered to vote, and, second, paying attention to issues and carefully examining candidates for office, this is that year. That the congress and president is considering trying to get a bill into law that will skip having a vote in congress is truly unbelievable. We need a much less intrusive government--and one that is committed to the constitution as written--not as they'd like to see it written. It's this constitution that today's and tomorrow's veterans fought to defend.

Note to self

2010-03-15T03:45:00.000-07:00

I live in Michigan. One of my US Senators, Debbie Stabenow, was just quoted on the radio saying that the majority of the American people want Obamacare. Hummm. Either Debbie is unable to read and understand polls or she really believes that she knows better than we do what is best for us--a typical elitist, thus it's what we would want if we were as smart as she is.

Note to self. Get rid of Debbie and replace her with someone who can read and understand polls and who doesn't think he/she is smarter than the rest of us.

It is okay for an elected leader to go against the will of the majority of the people he/she represents; we elected them to be them--to stand up for their values. But it's not okay to pretend that it's what the people really want. That's dishonest.

Oil in the US

2010-03-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

About 6 months ago, one of the Forbes brothers was a guest on a news program on oil. The host said to Forbes, "I am going to ask you a direct question and I would like a direct answer; how much oil does the U.S. have in the ground?" Forbes did not miss a beat, he said, "more than all the Middle East put together."

The US Geological Service issued a report in April 2008 that only scientists and oil men knew was coming, but it was big. It was a revised report (hadn't been updated since 1995) on how much oil was in this area of the western 2/3 of No Dakota, western So Dakota, and eastern Montana; check it out: http://bakkenshale.net/bakkenshalemap.html

I wonder why the US government isn't doing anything about this? I wonder why the states aren't doing anything about this? I love my country, but I don't trust my government.

Unbelieveable

2010-03-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe that the Speaker of the House, right behind the Vice President in line of succession for the president, Nancy Pelosi, said that we need to get the Obama-health bill passed so that we can see what it says. Uhhhh. I think the congress should read, publish, debate, and, then, maybe, vote on any bill.

Pull out early?

2010-03-10T17:51:00.000-08:00

Just when you think that nothing can get any dumber--you're proven wrong. Defense Secretary Gates suggested today that some of our forces that were a part of the surge into Afghanistan could leave the country before the President's announced July 2011 withdrawal-begin-date. Gates gave no specifics saying that it would be dependent on conditions. While our troops are doing wonderfully in Afghanistan there is so much to do it is beyond belief. We sent fewer troops in the surge than the commander on the ground wanted, they're staying for an altogether insufficient amount of time to accomplish anything of lasting significance, and now the SecDef is suggesting that we may start pulling them out early. This is, well, dumb.

Joe is off to Israel

2010-03-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

Vice president Joe Biden is off to Israel to try to play kissy-face with hosts who are likely in no mood to pucker up. And for good reason: There's a super abundance of evidence that President Obama is no friend of the Jewish state, and the Israelis must make the not-too-difficult decision of whether to believe Joe Biden or their own eyes and ears. What would you do if you were Israel and you were confronted by a now-nuclear Iran?

9-11 didn't happen

2010-03-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

Iran's hard-line idiot president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called the US version of the 9-11
attacks a "big lie" used by us as an excuse for our war on terror. "September 11 was
a big lie and a pretext for the war on terror and a prelude to invading Afghanistan," he said,
terming the attacks a "complicated intelligence scenario and act." This is the same jerk who
says that the mass murder of Jews by the Nazis didn't happen. But this guy heads a nuclear nation. The world is a really, really dangerous place.

He's a pirate

2010-03-07T07:31:00.000-08:00

Army Sergeant Benjamin Rudy is a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division; he's also a pirate. Deployed or at home, he's always quoting some historical fact or joke about pirates, and his coffee mug definately says pirate. However, this story is something he came up with as a way of explaining his deployments to his very young children, who really didn't understand what the army was or did. So, he'd say that he was a pirate and going to get treasure--this the kids understoon. Every month he has to go on his current deployment is the number of "ships he has yet to search." Of course, he always brings "booty" home for his children. Way to go, SGT Rudy!

Small successes

2010-03-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

The Afgan military and police forces, working with NATO forces, had a lot of activity last week. While none of these events is really big, it's the series of small discoveries that show that the local people are providing this information. As these small caches are discovered and the Afgan citizens who reported them are protected, then the government gains credibility and effectiveness. This is how you eat an elephant, one bite at a time.
--They arrested a suspected bomb maker after discovering an explosives cache in Helmand prov. The cache consisted of more than 100 lbs of explosives, 220 lbs of ammonium nitrate, an 8 2mm mortar fuse, 3 ammo-filled vests, and various explosive components such as anti-tamper switches. The bomb maker was found with blasting caps on his person.
-- They searched a vehicle in Helmand Prov., after intel reports indicated militant activity. A search of the vehicle indicated a Taliban cmdr was possibly in a nearby village, which the combined force searched with the assistance of local elders. Several men were detained for
further questioning.
-- A patrol discovered a weapons cache consisting of 22 mortar rounds in Khost prov. The
ordnance was destroyed on site.
-- In Helmand province, a patrol discovered 15 bags of marijuana totaling more than 200 pounds. A separate patrol discovered a weapons cache, while searching an insurgent bunker. The cache consisted of 3 107 mm rockets, 5 RPGs, 2 anti-personnel charges, an artillery fuse and a hand grenade.
-- They defused 4 mines and discovered 110 lbs of explosive materials in Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan and Kunduz provs.
-- In Herat prov. they discovered a machine gun, 3 mines, 3 hand grenades, 5 rocket
rounds and 1,150 rounds of rifle ammo.
-- A patrol discovered an explosives cache in Kandahar prov. The cache contained nearly 90 lbs of ammonium nitrate, 8 155 mm shell casings, 2 radios, a dismantled radio, a circuit board and a large spool of wire.

More Guns, Less Crime

2010-03-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I commented that the firearms murder rate had dropped across the country.
This trend was in spite of, or, maybe, because of increased individual ownership of firearms.
A couple specific items are emerging from the national trend. A preliminary FBI report shows murder and total violent crime decreased by 10% and 4% respectively in the first half of 2009 as compared to the same time frame in 2008.

One of the cities with the most dramatic decreases is Washington, DC, this after the US Supreme Court struck down the city's outrageous handgun ban. Like most anti-gun politicians, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty had predicted increased handgun violence--and like all of them, he's totally wrong. Anyone want to bet that he'll never, ever admit that he was wrong. America is getting safer. There's a book title that sums it up: More Guns, Less Crime.

Our soldiers' weapons

2010-03-03T13:19:00.000-08:00

It seems that even the Pentagon is beginning to understand that the two basic weapons for our troops in combat, the M-16 rifle and the 9mm pistol aren't very good or effective. They don't compare to what the enemy is using. Our larger weapons are quite good. Perhaps we'll see some improvements in weapons, but probably not soon. Why is this a shock? My rifle platoon in Vietnam was issued some of the very first M-16s in 1966. They weren't very good then, and they still aren't.

Aerospace quality

2010-03-02T05:40:00.000-08:00

From Secretary of Defense Gates down through the ranks, Pentagon officials are unhappy with the quality of work they're receiving from the aerospace industry. So far the specifics are about missiles and target vehicles that don't work properly--not things that put aircrews at risk. This isn't good. The US leads the world in this arena, and quality has to be first rate. We are, indeed, moving quickly towards being a second rate power.

Misuse of Marines

2010-03-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

General James Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps, has made it clear that he doesn't like the fact that the Marines have become a 'second land army' in the current war. He wants to return them to their expeditionary, door-kicking roots. The IED resistant vehicles that come with being a
second army are much too heavy for the lighter, traditional Marine role. They need to be either
able be landed amphibiously or by helicopter. He's looking into buying some lighter vehicles.

The good general is right. The US of A only needs one army. It should be the US Army. Using marines out of their specific role only allows them to say that they fought in the conflict--good for morale and history, but not a wise use of their primary focus and abilities.

Targeting Civilians

2010-02-27T15:10:00.000-08:00

Taliban terrorists wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic rifles attacked a hotel and a
guesthouse in central Kabul Friday. They killed at least 15 people. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said by phone that five bombers attacked two compounds used by foreigners. The Safi Landmark hotel on the top floor of the shopping centre is popular with Westerners. The area under attack is in the central, most fortified part of Kabul.

We are at war with an enemy that does not follow the rules of war. These rules require that combatants wear uniforms and not primarily target civilians. Our enemy absolutely does not follow these rules. They don't follow them in Afghanistan--and they won't here. Once we leave the Mideast is there any reason why they won't come here? No, there's not.

General apologizes

2010-02-26T15:53:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month a NATO airstrike killed a number of civilians in Afghanistan; that was very unfortunate, but certainly not what was intended. So General McChrystal, the commander of US and Nato forces, took his apology for a weekend airstrike directly to the Afghan people Tuesday, with a video in which he pledged to work to regain their trust as NATO continues a mass offensive against the Taliban in the south.

This is a tight line our troops must walk; we must be seen as very different from the terrorist Taliban who regularly and willingly target civilians and who will use civilians as shields as they conduct their terrorist acts. At the same time we must regularly and soundly beat, defeat, and kill the terrorists. It's going to get worse before it gets better. Don't believe everything you read in
the newspapers. Our troops do care about the local people--and they know it.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

2010-02-24T17:21:00.000-08:00

The administration's efforts to end the "don't ask, don't tell" approach to dealing with homosexuals in the military are a bad idea that is meeting real resistance from the military chiefs of the services. The issue is not sexual preference; it's behavior. Under the present system there is little chance of a soldier (male or female) receiving unwanted sexual advances in the barracks or shower--their homes. If open homosexual behavior becomes legal our military could become a very unfriendly place for hetrosexual soldiers.

Second Amendment March

2010-02-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

There will be a Second Amendment March in Washington, D.C., on April 19, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Attendees will gather on the northeast corner of the Washington Monument grounds at 10:00 a.m. "to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense." Frontlines of Freedom totally supports this march; I encourage all patriotic citizens who can do so to attend.

A success in Afghanistan

2010-02-20T19:19:00.001-08:00

Marine recon teams were inserted by helicopter behind Taliban lines last Friday as the US-led force stepped up operations to break resistance in the besieged enemy stronghold of Marjah. The before-dawn insertion of about two dozen Marines was into an area where Taliban snipers areknown to operate. Marines and Afghan forces began movingin--in a bid to link up with Marine
outposts there, carefully searching compounds on the way. The 7-day-old Marjah offensive is
the biggest since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and a test of Obama's strategy for reversing the rise of the Taliban while protecting civilians. Residents said some Taliban fighters in the area were non-Afghan. That's nothing new. This seems like a successful operation at this point.

Our young service members' victory

2010-02-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

Vice President Biden recently claimed for the administration the credit for the great successes
we are experiencing in Iraq. And there are successes, but their government is no where near ready to stand alone.

We live in a nation where most young people are focused primarily on themselves; yet our young airmen, sailors, soldiers, coast guardsmen and marines serve a much higher calling, true to their oaths to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..." If only our political leaders had any concept of those values.

In Iraq and in other operations around the world, these young folks, and those in their chain of command, have made real progress toward establishing a functional, sustainable democracy in the heart of the Middle East. And despite what Vice President Joe Biden may believe, this remarkable achievement is theirs, not his.

New citizens

2010-02-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

This week in Baghdad more than 100 US service members became naturalized citizens. Lt. Gen Charles Jacoby, Deputy Commanding General for Operations and Corps Commander, was the host for the ceremony. The 107 new citizens had come from 44 counties and decided to serve their new country before they even became citizens. Each candidate did have to pass two tests; the first required proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking the English language. The second was a civics test.

I like the idea of requiring military service of all legal aliens who would be citizens--at least all who
are physically and mentally fit enough to serve. Let's talk to Congress.

Breaking Ice with the USCG

2010-02-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I escorted a group of Michigan employers to the US Coast Guard Station at St. Ignace, MI. It's right at the narrow straights that a great deal of ship traffic uses to move lots of cargo, 12 months a year. But it gets cold up there and our Coast Guard keeps the shipping lanes open. I'm a volunteer with a group called the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The purpose of this trip was to familiarize employers with what the military is all about, to better help them understand what their employees who are members of the National Guard or military Reserves do when they're performing their military duties. I'd never been on an ice breaker before; it was a blast. If you're an employer and you're interested in something like this, go to esgr.mil and make contact.

Obama claims success for Iraq

2010-02-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

Fox News is reporting that Pres Obama--through VP Biden--is claiming credit for the success in Iraq. These two guys voted against the surge. The Status of Forces agreement (SOFA) stipulating the withdrawal process was negotiated by Bush. What kind of jerk would try this hard to take credit for something that turned out right that he had nothing to do with. Obama and Company must think the public is truly stupid. What a Commander in Chief our military has.

We don't want to win

2010-02-11T04:22:00.000-08:00

Rep Buck McKeon, the senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, hammered away at the administration’s national security policies the other day. “A reluctant wartime President, I fear, abstains from using words like victory and winning—because he is more committed to ending the conflicts we’re in rather than winning them," he said.

And failing to win is a loss in anyone's book; why wouldn't a winning terrorist organization follow our retreating military back to America and attack us here? The answer, they would. We need to win--and to win, we have to want to win.

Normal American Soldiers

2010-02-10T04:01:00.000-08:00

Sergeant First Class Bruce Wolaver, a platoon sergeant working in Iraq, noticed a child playing at a
street corner without any clothes; the child was always at that corner; Wolaver had seen poor kids
before, but not one that ran around nude. He thought of how he'd feel if that was one of his own
kids. You can guess the rest; he called his family and quickly received a couple of packages full
of things for a 2 year old. A bit of research led him to the boy's home where the gifts were shared.
This is really no big deal; this is what American soldiers do everywhere. A Frontlines of Freedom
salute to SFC Wolaver--and to all generous soldiers, everywhere.

Weather politics again

2010-02-08T18:04:00.000-08:00

Last Monday, in the middle of the heaviest snow season on record, The Obama administration proposed a new agency to study and report on the changing climate, formerly known as global warming.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), announced NOAA will set up the new Climate Service to operate in tandem with their National Weather Service and National Ocean Service.

It seems that Mr. Emmanuel does not ever want any crisis to go to waste, but this is a bit bizarre even for him. More relevant might be a national snow removal and mediation agency.

American Moslems - a threat or help?

2010-02-08T06:12:00.000-08:00

It turns out after the shooting at Fort Hood that there are other American Muslems who claim to be moderate that are training our military--and some of these folks have the same attitudes and relationships as did the traitor-major at Fort Hood. It's time to build clear criteria for American Moslems who would work with our government. Political correctness must be put away; we must realize that we are at war with Radical Islam--thus we must ask questions that might otherwise be seen as a violation of freedom of religion. It's time for the safety of America to come first.

Stomp out fake heroes

2010-02-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

The City of Houston had a mayoral election last Dec. At the vicory party of the winner a Houston citizen appeared in the uniform of an Army general, resplendet with very high awards for valor as well as a Purple Heart. Someone took pictures, and it turns out he was a fake. While he did serve in the Army in the 1980s, he was a private.

Michael P. McManus, 44, was charged with five federal misdemeanors, accusing him of unlawfully wearing an unauthorized military uniform and prestigious combat medals, the Department of Justice said.

One of the charges - wearing and possessing certain specified military awards for bravery - carries a maximum punishment of one year in federal prison and a fine of $100,000. The other four counts carry a maximum sentence of six months and a $5,000 fine.

My goal. Let's find, expose, humiliate, and jail every one of the thousands of fake heroes in our nation.

Women in the Iraqi Army

2010-02-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

A major breakthrough. In late January a group of 65 Iraqi women started army basic training; this is the same basic training that men take. One female soldier said that she had lost her husband and son in an explosion and needed a job so she could take care of herself. Unemployment is a major issue in Iraq, especially for women. Most of the women will be assigned to clerical positions, however, they will help provide security in the upcoming elections by searching females.

Iraqi Air Force

2010-02-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

The Iqaqi Air Force marked another milestone as new Iraqi pilots graduated from the 2nd rotary wing and 5th fixed wing classes, at the Iraqi Flight Training School on 1 Feb. The 17 new pilots completed rigorous training that included classroom time, simulator sorties and practical exercises in flying training devices. Four of the fixed wing graduates also qualified for T-6 training.

The excellent performance by these pilots is good for Iraq, but the small number is just one indicator showing why it will take many, many years before the country can stand on its own. The US military presence in Iraq will have to be there to support them from the likes of Iran and Syria for many more years--if we don't want to see all this success thrown away.

The Pentagon's QDR

2010-02-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

The Pentagon creates a Quadrennial Defense Review--to look forward and provide the basis for planning; it's just out. The focus is on defeating the bad guys in Afghanistan and Pakistan and that region of the world. It also mentions Iran and North Korea. These are reasonable and expected topics. However, there is no mention of other threats, and the QDR should be quite comprehensive. I hope that this is not yet another example of our nation's defense being degraded.

Commander releived

2010-02-01T05:26:00.000-08:00

The word is out that last week in Afghanistan an Army battalion commander and his command sergeant major were releived for "poor judgment that created a command climate inconsistent with the army values." I really hope that this is a serious matter and not another example of political correctness run amok.

Tet 1968

2010-01-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

The Tet holiday, the lunar new year, was celebrated by all the different factions in Vietnam. It was agreed by both sides during December of 1967 that there would be a truce during the holiday that began at the end of January 68. And on 31 Jan 68, in the middle of the truce, the North Vietnamese began their one big attack, attempting to knock out the South Vietnamese government. I know; I was there. As a rifle company commander in the 101st Airborne Division, I was located right outside of Hue when it all began. The lesson to be learned here is that one can never trust an enemy who lacks honor and decency. We should, to quote Ronald Reagan, trust, but verify. Let us not trust the radical muslims who hate us.

The way of the future in Afghanistan

2010-01-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

On 12 Jan in Afghanistan there was a protest against the government during which things got violent and the local school was burned down in the village of Garmsir. US Marines were present but did not interfere at all, as no lives were threatened. Last week about 800 local residents gathered to discuss what had happened. One major concern was that a Quran had been desecrated--indeed, about 300 copies had burned with the school.

The local governor pointed out that the demonstration was not like the local population. He pointed out that it was the Taliban, the local terrorists, who stired people up. The loss of the school, the place the future citizens were being educated to help bring a better future to the area, plus the distrust among the local people was their goal.

All agreed that they must work together. They also thanked the Marines for being respectful during the disturbance. This is the way of the future for this area--recognizing who the enemy really is.

The fall of Venezuela

2010-01-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

Remember the great leader of Venezuela who takes pride in putting down America? well, Venezuela is literally falling apart. Indeed, this week President Chavez threatened his opponents with "a frightful reaction," can you say slaughter? They know what he means. Like what is going on in Iran, thousands of students are protesting in the street--and being tear-gassed for their efforts. Both the Venezuelan vice president and defense minister resigned this past Monday. There was a coup attempt earlier this month that was brutally put down. And the great democrat Chavez, when commenting about a peaceful transition said, "Let no one think of peaceful transitions." He's going to take the nation down with him. This is what dictators do. This is why we must oppose dictatorships, wherever we find them. Have you heard any of this from our main-stream media? Me, either.

Obama and outer space

2010-01-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

I listened to some of President Obama's first State of the Union speech last night. It reminded me that some 30 or so years ago while I was on active duty, the Army offered me the opportunity to enter the space program--this probably because my degree is in engineering. I declined. Now I wish that I'd gotten involved--I'm not sure what planet Mr. Obama lives on, but it's not the one I live on. His speech had little to do with the reality that I know and live. So, I'd like to be a part of the search for his planet. Help your military--help us get someone much better as the Commander in Chief.

The Lunatic Left and Senator-elect Scott Brown

2010-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's quite clear to most of the world that the US mainstream media is very far to the left of center; indeed, it was only since the Christmas Day pantie bomber incident that the Administration would admit that we were at war with anyone--other than Fox News.
But the lunatic left of the media is the perfect example of all that is bad in America--the unwarranted, bitter, name-calling that seeks to dehumanize all who disagree with them. Here's an example of a response to the selection of Republican Scott Brown to be senator by the people of his state. On national TV MSNBC Keith Olbermann proclaimed that Scott Brown is an "irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, tea-bagging supporter of violence against women and against politicians with whom he disagrees." If you're curious, MSNBC is a part of the lunatic left.

Gun sights and Scripture verses

2010-01-22T06:45:00.001-08:00

Trijicon, Inc. makes very, very good gun-sights. They have a big contract to provide sights for sniper scopes for our military and for several other countries. For decades now, at the direction of their owner and founder, they have printed references to Bible verses on their scopes. Someone just noticed this and the "I hate God" group of loonies are now calling this a violation of the separation of church and state--I wonder what funny cigarettes they've been smoking. You know, the references were there when the Pentagon ordered them. For Trijicon to deliver scopes without the references would be to deliver something other than what was ordered. But, no, the company will "cease and desist" because they don't want to have to put up with the crap the loonies will certainly create if they don't. I feel sorry for Trijicon. I'm more sorry for America--the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to our Constitution does not at all mean separation of church and state--and even if it did, what does an inscription on a scope have to do with that? Political correctness is killing our fine nation.

Senator Scott Brown

2010-01-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted that the new senator-elect from Mass is Scott Brown. He's a fine and honorable man and, for someone from his state, a conservative. I'm told, haven't confirmed, that he's pro-choice and does not favor dealing severely (militarily) with Iran. Still, he's an honorable man who will represent his constituents well. Congratulations, Senator.

Haiti

2010-01-19T06:52:00.000-08:00

The situation in Haiti seems to be as bad as things can get. It is now estimated that there are 200,000 dead and 1.5 million homeless in this earthquake-ravaged country. In the midst of all this, some survivors are still dying in the streets, doctors beg for help, and looters attack survivors with machetes to take the supplies just provided by aid workers. This as our military works to provide a degree of order.

As horrible as this is, we must keep in mind that Haiti was once a very prosperous land; yes, they’re in the hurricane area and frequently get hit by them. But the problem is not the hurricanes or, in this case, the earthquake. The problem is that the national government is and has been so corrupt that they do no preparation for such disasters. Since we’ve been to Haiti many times in the past decades to help out with problems, isn’t it time to help them help themselves in the future? Maybe it’s time for the UN or some other agency to step in and run the country.

Haitians are so used to others coming in and helping them that they fell no obligation to prepare to take care of themselves. Indeed, one Haitain, Jean Michel Jeanete shouted, "Have we been abandoned? Where is the food?" Uhhh, where did you store it, Jean Michel?

Yes, we absolutely do need to continue to help them through this present crisis. But, then, we must do what is necessary to ensure that they plan to care for themselves in the future. How is it right or merciful to allow them to live in this poverty/charity cycle?

The Pentagon's report on Fort Hood

2010-01-16T07:22:00.000-08:00

The Pentagon released their 86-page report on what happened at Fort Hood when the radical-Islamist Army major decided to shoot and kill as many Americans as he could. The report didn't find room to mention that the major was a known member of radical-Islam who openly favored those who would kill us. They also apparently didn't think it important that on Fort Hood soldiers are not permitted to go about armed. Political correctness still rules big time at the Pentagon. We should not feel safe.

Taking out Iran's nucs

2010-01-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Mideast last week; it carries carries 8 squadrons of aircraft and adds some teeth to the statement of CENTCOM's General David Petraeus, when he said that the storage tunnels that Iran has built to protect its nuclear infrastructure can be taken out. The general would not comment on whether Israel will attack them. It's all a question of the proper capacity--not if there is a way to do so. Stay tuned.

Scott Brown for US Senate

2010-01-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Scott Brown is also a state senator in Massachusetts and is a candidate for the US Senate seat vacated by the death of Ted Kennedy. I totally endorse Scott and encourage everyone to vote for him, if you can legally, and to assist him in any way possible.
Massachusetts needs a senator with a work ethic and common sense. Vote for Scott.

Gitmo detainees

2010-01-13T13:21:00.000-08:00

A former GI, identified only as Neely, who was a guard at the detainee camp at Gitmo, recently met with two of his former detainees and apologized to them on British TV. Neely was assigned to Gitmo in 2002 and was there when the first detainees arrived. When he left the Army he headed a chapter of Iraqi Veterans Against the War and alleged in an interview with a human rights group that he had witnessed abuses while there.

The two detainees were from Britian and were released after two years. They said they were merely delivering humanitarian aid. The two former detainees had been saying for years that they had been abused.

That's the challenge when the enemy refuses to follow the rules of war that require the combatants wear uniforms and prohibits the deliberate targeting of civilians. While I suspect that the former detainees were telling the truth, it should have occurred to them that they were going into an area where they could well be confused with the enemey--and when you play with fire--well you can get burned. Whatever level of abuse they endured I suspect it was quite mild compared to what westerners endure at the hands of the terrorists.

I wonder why they didn't mention the abuses of the terrorists? Well, in England no one can say anything bad about anyone who is a Muslim--they're that controlled by political correctness. And they could try it in Iran or Syria--yeah, right.

Political Correctness strikes again

2010-01-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

A just released Defense Dept review of the Fort Hood shooting has found that, in my opinion, political correctness was the primary cause for the shooting. It seems that the army doctors who oversaw Major Hasan's medical training repeatedly indicated concern about his radical views on Islam and his very inappropriate behavior--yet they continued to give him positive performance evaluations that kept him moving through school and the ranks of the military. These supervising doctors failed to follow their own guidance about dealing with an officer un-suited to be in the Army, much less as an officer--can you say "political correctness?" Let's hope that we learn something from this.

Blindsided

2010-01-10T16:29:00.000-08:00

Last night my wife and I saw the movie Blindside. It was great. In my not-very-humble opinion, it was the best movie I've seen in many years. It's a rare Hollywood movie where a decent, religious person is the hero; normally that person is the hypocrite. Faith and honor were clearly demonstrated and recognized as good. The story line of a sense of duty to our community and nation that was demonstrated is so lacking in our nation. I'm a big, brave, retired army ranger, so I never cry--but sometimes my eyes sweat; they did last evening.

Sheep for peace

2010-01-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

In Afhganistan's Aghdis Province a Spanish government team provided aid to 20 families of terrorists who had decided to lay down their weapons and cooperate with the Afgan government. Provided to the families were supplies such as sheep, rice, blankets, and tents. The gifts were made in public to demonstrate the benefits of living in peace and to recognize those who have made this decision. This should work, as long as the population can be defended. If the terrorists are allowed to come back in force, this will all be for naught.

Thank You American Muslims

2010-01-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

Depending on what resource you read, somewhere between 1% and 10% of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims support the terrorist approach to life. The odds are pretty good that in America's Muslim population there are very, very, very few of the terrorist persuasion. Assuming I'm right, I have long wondered where the pro-American Muslims are when the terrorists do their thing; why, I wonder, aren't they out protesting to the world that these idiot terrorists do not speak or act for them or for their religion.

Well, it happened--and I hope we'll see more of this. As I read my morning paper today there was a picture of Muslim protesters marching outside the Federal Court House in Detroit where the "underwear bombler" was entering his "not guilty" plea. The protesters were carrying the American flag and signs stating that "Islam is against terrorism." I'm proud of these Americans who happen to be Muslim; I stand with them. Religions should not be allowed to be hijacked by a bunch of extremists; I'm happy that the normal people are fighting back.

Obamacare and transparency

2010-01-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

Obamacare will affect all Americans, including active and reserve military, retired military, and vets. So he promised that everything would be out in the open, on CSPAN. But it's not; it's all being done behind closed doors--right now.

"We will have a public, uh, process for forming this plan. It'll be televised on C-SPAN....
It will be transparent and accountable to the American people." --Barack Obama, November 2007

"That's what I will do in bringing all parties together, not negotiating behind closed doors, but
bringing all parties together, and broadcasting those negotiations on C-SPAN so that the American people can see what the choices are, because part of what we have to do is enlist the American people in this process." --Barack Obama, January 2008

"[T]hese negotiations will be on C-SPAN..." --Barack Obama, January 2008

"We're gonna do all these negotiations on C-SPAN so the American people will be able to watch
these negotiations." --Barack Obama, March 2008

"All this will be done on C-SPAN in front of the public." --Barack Obama, April 2008

"I want the negotiations to be taking place on C-SPAN." --Barack Obama, May 2008

"[W]e'll have the negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can see who is making
arguments on behalf of their constituents, and who is, who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies." --Barack Obama, August 2008

"We will work on this process publicly. It'll be on C-SPAN. It will be streaming over the Net."
--Barack Obama, November 2008

Shocking

2010-01-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

President Obama's national security adviser, retired marine general Jim Jones, told us that the president's statements today would be shocking. Having heard the president's talk I heard only one shocking thing--this is the first time in a year that something went wrong and he didn't blame former president Bush. The president also said that the buck stops with him, which means that he isn't going to fire any of the incompetents who failed to do their jobs. My wife believes that the real reason for this nonsense speech is to take the media attention away from the Congress where they're trying to find a way to get the stupid health reform bill passed without following normal Congressional procedures. I think she's right.

Attacking Cuba

2010-01-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

As Cubans end 51 years of living under the Castro brothers' rule, the regime continues to crack down on bloggers, artists, dissidents and others who dare question the communist dictatorship. While sometimes it seems that little will ever change. However, apparently the new generation of Cubans raised on the government's anti-American propaganda aren't buying it.

The Cuban government, however, is continuing. Foreign Minister Bruno Ródriguez went on the attack and called President Obama an ``imperial and arrogant liar,'' according to the Miama Herald. Then Raúl Castro mentioned Cuba's recent `war games' to prepare for an expected American invasion.

So, all is not well--in any part of the world. We Americans need to wake up and see just how dangerous the world is, and how very vulnerable we are.

P-3s in the fight against piracy

2010-01-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

Piracy remains a huge problem along the coasts of Africa, particularly the east coast. During the last week of Dec alone four vessels were sezed off the Somalia coast. The pirates makes millions in ransom, this despite increased safety measures. Last month our navy deployed three P-3 Orion aircraft from their Maine-based squadron. The planes will be depoloyed to the Seychelles to patrol the waters off of East Africa. With their 8-hour loiter ability, this is a very suitable platform for anti-piracy patrol but there are only 3 of them and they've got a whole lot of water to cover. US Africa Command said there are no plans to arm the aircraft that are there to provide only
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support. I'm glad that we're providing this support-- but why can't they shoot when they find bad guys--you can count on the fact that the bad guys will shoot. This is all part of making our military more likeable, and it's baloney.

Our Remarkable Media

2010-01-03T19:07:00.000-08:00

It's sometime said that our main-stream press is biased. We do know that their reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan is, well, something less than accurate.

Anyway, consider this. Isn't it remarkable that the media can find every woman with whom Tiger has had an affair in the past few years, with photos, text messages, recorded phone calls, etc.

Yet they can't locate President Obama's birth certificate...or find out what passport he traveled to Pakistan with...or find any of his papers or funding sources while in college. They are truly remarkable. Truly.

The Army's new truck

2010-01-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

I am one of the many who have not been following the Army's problem-filled effort to buy a new somewhat armored, tactical cargo vehicle--well, okay, a new truck. The Army awarded the $3 billion Family of Medium Trucks (FMTV) contract to Oshkost last August. They won the bid by being $400 million under the other main bidder--who, of course, complained. The GAO then ruled that the competition was flawed--the problem is not that Oshkosh can't build the vehicles at the price quoted; it's that the bid assumed that Oshkosh had all the required tooling to make the trucks--and they don't yet. Wow, that's a big problem. I see it as saving $400 million for the Army--but, then again, I'm just a dumb infantryman.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

As 2009 ends we should all re-commit ourselves to be sure we express our appreciation and support for our military personnel, to love our nation, and to do something (running your mouth doesn't count) to make our nation better. My modest suggestion is that you log into Icaucus.org and get involved in replacing every single elected official in Washington DC; this would be a great step forward for our nation. May God bless America.

Terrorists on civilian airliners

2009-12-28T05:35:00.000-08:00

Let's see. Virtually every (not all) people who have been involved in any way with a terrorist assault on a civilian aircraft have, to my knowledge, been male, of Arab background, Muslims, with "Muslim" names, traveling from countries with a strong Muslim presence. I think that these are facts; I don't think that I'm biased against males, arabs, or Muslims. Just using the logic process that was part of the goal of my engineering education at West Point, I think it would be logical to say that all security people at airports should be taking a long, careful look at all arab, male, Muslims--every time they show up. Perhaps our nation, and all the world's civilized nations, should make a public statement to the world, apologizing to the 95-99% of the world's Muslims who are not radical, but explaining the statistics and announcing that henceforth all folks who are or could be arab, male, Muslims are going to get the "works" at all airports. I'm afraid that this is too logical to ever be done.

The terrorist on the Delta flight

2009-12-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

On Christmas day a terrorist claiming to be linked to al Qaeda tried to blow up a Delta airliner while it was approaching to land at Detroit. He was apparently burned very badly and was subdued by a passenger. The terrorist is now in the hospital recovering from the burns caused by his aborted efforts.
Let me make one thing clear!!! This guy is not a criminal--he's a soldier fighting in a war against the US. He should not go to jail, have attornies appointed, and the like. He should be turned over to the military where he can be exploited for the intelligence he has and then confined as a POW; yes, he should be tried for violating the rules of war in that he was not in uniform and did target civilians. But this trial should take place in military court.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T10:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all. To celebrate this day of peace the Taliban today released a video purporting to show the only know American soldier in captivity. PFC Bowe Bergdahl was captured on 30 June; the video shows what appears to be a healthy man dressed in an American uniform and wearing sunglasses. He identifies himself and then goes into a long blast at US activities in the Mideast. It’s nice to know that he’s still alive; it’s unfortunate that he was used as a propaganda tool.

A season of giving

2009-12-24T08:08:00.000-08:00

The invasion of Europe in WW II took place on D-Day, 6 June 1944; the amphibious assault was preceded by an airborne assault early in the morning. Included in that assault was the newly formed 82nd Airborne Division. Jumping that day was trooper Everton Bushnell. A quarter of a century later, his son, Ellsworth Bushnell, fought in Vietnam as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. This past summer the third generation of Bushnells wore the All-American patch of the 82nd into combat as Sergeant First Class John Bushnell deployed to Iraq. This is a great family with a proud tradition of serving their nation in time of war. In this season of giving, I wonder why more families don’t have the tradition of giving their service in defense of their nation.

Our European Allies

2009-12-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

We all know that the media tells us that President Obama’s charm has the world respecting us again. We all know, too, that he’s been pressing all these countries that like us so much now to provide some military help in Iraq and Afghanistan. Well, here is an example of the help our “allies” are giving. Croatia delivered 6 explosives detection dogs to Iraqi officers on 16 Dec. The dogs will be used by the Iraqi Police. While the dogs certainly are useful, one thousand combat troops would be better, don’t you think?

Spying on Venezuela

2009-12-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Venezuela President Hugo Chavez accused the US of violating Venezuela's airspace with an unmanned spy plane; he ordered his military to be on alert and shoot down any such aircraft in the future. Speaking during his weekly television and radio program, Chavez said the aircraft overflew a Venezuelan military base after taking off from neighboring Colombia. He did not elaborate, but suggested the plane was being used for espionage. He did not ask either the US or Columbia about the situation; both countries deny any such event took place. President Obama gives Chavez great respect; indeed, they shared the spotlight at the big Greenhouse Gas gig. I wonder why Chavez just didn’t ask his friend Obama?

Cyberspace or Battlespace

2009-12-19T05:05:00.000-08:00

Although some pentagon officers expressed concern that this would happen as long as 5 years ago, our military was unprepared for what happened this month. Iraqi terrorists hacked into the system to download video and communications from some UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). We keep thinking that we’re the only ones smart enough to fully exploit the internet. Yet the Islamofacists use it as their primary source of information and, to some extent, training. It has been suggested that we start thinking of cyberspace as being “battle space” and that we start developing the ability to wage war there. Not a bad idea.

Winning in Afghanistan

2009-12-16T11:01:00.000-08:00

On 14 Dec the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mullen said that the insurgents “have a dominant influence in 11 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces.”
Further, they are becoming more effective at using IEDs and small-unit tactics. Mullen said that he is deeply concerned by the growing level of collusion between the Afghan Taliban, al-Qaida, and other extremist groups taking refuge across the border in Pakistan. He sees getting at this network as key to success in the country. Fortunately, there’s other good news. The Pakistani offensive in South Waziristan is going well, Mullen said. “The Pakistani military, while taking a significant number of casualties, is taking the fight to this most dangerous enemy of their state,” he said. It’s clear that consolidating military gains by ensuring a safe environment for building and governance is the most difficult part of counterinsurgency ops.
Mullen’s comments are right on target. The war in Afghanistan needs to be won on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan boarder, and the Paks are now seriously focusing on the previously ignored part of their country. Once the terrorists are dealt with it will be up to the local people to govern themselves.

More on the Surge in Afghanistan

2009-12-15T12:27:00.000-08:00

While General McChrystal, the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, sought 40,000 additional troops, Obama eventually settled on 30,000 after an intensive 3-month study of the mission and how best to achieve goals. According to the White House, most of the shortfall between what McChrystal sought and what Obama approved was expected to be made up from NATO allies and other countries that have sent forces to the conflict. The only problem here is that, except for Brittan and France, the troops sent do little but sit in their camps—they are not warriors and their country’s Rules Of Engagement prohibit doing anything unless they are attacked. They are military forces in name only—they add nothing to the accomplishment of the mission.
It seems the idea is to mimic - to some extent - the Bush administration's troop increase in Iraq that deflated the Sunni insurgency there by bringing many of the bad guys to our side. That worked, but it took troops and time. Stay tuned.

Our future in Iraq

2009-12-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

In a speech recently delivered near Kirkuk, Iraq, Sec Def Gates said that the role of our military in Iraq remains critical in preserving gains made and helping to prevent violence prior to Iraq's national elections. The Iraqi theater has largely disappeared from the headlines, Gates said, calling it the result of tremendous contributions our troops have made. I’m concerned that Gates did not articulate a clear need beyond the upcoming elections. I hope it’s not cut-n-run time then.

Happy, uh, celebration?

2009-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

To my liberal friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010 , but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere . Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wish.

To My Conservative Friends: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!

President Obama and the Just War

2009-12-11T21:07:00.000-08:00

I’m indebted to my West Point classmate, Mike Wikan, for his comments on President Obama’s speech this evening as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. I couldn’t my thoughts any better, so I have borrowed most of is words. I’m guessing that the president (or his speech writers) had just read Governor Sarah Palin’s book and learned from it.
As I listened to Obama wax eloquent about "Just War" I considered that this concept was not in his lexicon during previous months and years. His speech was, in places, halting as he either revised or stumbled over sentences. I think he delivered his best shot at an explanation that could only be made in light of calling on the "Just War" concept. In that speech he perhaps had to come to terms with concepts he did not earlier buy into. If that be the case, it shall be interesting if "maybe" he becomes more decisive in his wartime decisions.

This will be a long war

2009-12-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

Before anyone starts deciding just what it will take for us to win in Afghanistan and come home, remember the war in Iraq isn’t over yet. Yes, the Iraqi military and government are doing much better and have taken on much of their own self defense—much, but not all. The bad guys are still there and still have a lot of bite
Just this week in a series of coordinated attacks they struck Baghdad. There were three car bombs that blew up near government sites. At least 103 were killed and 197 wounded in the worst wave of violence in the capital in more than a month. A total of four attacks, which also included a suicide car bomb on a police patrol, showed the ability of insurgents to strike high-profile targets in the heart of Baghdad. It was another embarrassment to Iraqi forces in their expanding role as front-line security as American forces plan their withdrawal.
The blasts came as Iraqi officials prepared to announce the date for next year's parliamentary elections - a move the security forces fear will bring an escalation in attacks to discredit their pro-Western government.
Folks, this is not the Iraq War or the Afghanistan War. This is the war against Radical Islam. They attacked us here—remember 9-11? The war is a broad one and will continue for decades, unless we cut and run. Then it will come here.

Let's investigate

2009-12-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

FBI Director Mueller has asked former FBI director William Webster to take a look at how the bureau handled information about the Army major psychiatrist in the months before the shooting at the Texas military base where he killed 13 people. The Dept of Defense is also reviewing how it handled the information about this guy, they had lots of info about his activities, before he began his shooting spree. In the FBI's case, members of two anti-terrorism task forces saw e-mails between the Army psychiatrist and a radical imam overseas beginning in December 2008.
I will never mention the name of this traitor army psychiatrist. He was born and raised in the good old USA. He joined the Army and let them educate him, and then he joined forces with the sworn enemies of our nation. It’s clear that we knew what he was doing and did nothing—probably because of political correctness. It’s even more important that drive political correctness out of our intelligence gathering agencies than we shoot this traitor.

Bye, bye bad guy

2009-12-07T18:55:00.000-08:00

Late last month friendly forces targeted a known Taliban commander. Dowron was the Taliban commander of the Pech River Valley and was taken out with a rocket attack. His tactics included using Afghan civilians as human shields. He attacked Afghans during the normal conduct of business and elections. Way to go, troops.

Iraqi prison

2009-12-06T13:36:00.001-08:00

Remember all the boo-hoos about how the prisoners at Abu Gahrib prison were so poorly treated? While I'm not proud of the way our soldiers treated the prisoners, the "mistreatment" was akin to a college fraternity initiation. Nevertheless, our military has changed its way of handling prisoners. See if this doesn't ring your bell--it does mine.
At the Bagram Detention Facility, where they have over 500 prisoners or detainees or whatever:
-most are released after 24 months
-the average weight gain is 46 pounds
-they learn to read their language to the 4th grade level
-they have the option of learning English, too--and most do
-they receive vocational training
-they have access to an Islamic scholar
So you won't be surprised that when the facility commander interviews each one upon release, the most common response is thanks and a hug. No doubt about it, with this attitude and practice, we are winning over there.

Key enemy leaders "removed"

2009-12-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Between 20 Aug and 17 Oct more than 30 key insurgents, mostly Taliban and Haqqani network senior leaders, known for leading the planning and executing of deadly attacks directed towards Afghan citizens, government officials, and the military, as well facilitating the trafficking of fighters, weapons, explosives and money to support their terrorist activities, have either been killed or captured. Over 30 significant enemy leaders killed or captured—I wonder why we haven’t heard about that in the main-stream media?

SEALs arrested

2009-11-28T22:39:00.000-08:00

I've heard that some of the Navy's SEALs were arrested for bloodying the nose of a terrorist they were capturing. I truly that this is not true. I've talked to some chopper gunship pilots who have been in Iraq and Afghanistan recently; they say the the rules of engagement are so tight that they can't shoot most of the time--and when they do they know that if they hit someone they were not supposed to hit, then they will be charged--a bit like the SEALs. Our military's purpose is to kill people and break things. I fear that under new management we are more focused on being liked, being diverse, and having a nice smile. God help us.

Win in Afghanistan

2009-11-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

Recent releases from the White House indicate that the president will use my alma mater, West Point, as the background for his announcement that he will, indeed, reinforce our troops in Afghanistan. He'll do it with fewer troops than the commander requested, and he's doing it much later that the commander requested, but President Obama says that his speech announcing his decision will pull all of America together behind this mission. Somehow, I doubt that he will succeed.

The enemy has spent these past few months resting, training, and re-equipping. They're about ready now for the winter offensive season. To be truly decisive we should have been hitting them for the past couple of months. That's okay. Let's see what the president proposes and if the reinforcements he will provide will be adequate. Just maybe he is willing to pay the price to win in Afghanistan. I sure hope so.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T14:09:00.001-08:00

Despite all the problems on the earth at this time and all the problems in the US at this time, we Americans still have much to be thankful for. We still live in the nation on this earth that provides the most freedoms and rights to its citizens--more than any other nation in the history of this world. Let us take this day to count and be thankful for our blessings--while re recommit to continue to fight to protect our rights and freedom.

Obama's Afghanistan Plan

2009-11-25T10:24:00.000-08:00

President Obama said Tuesday he intends to "finish the job" in Afghanistan on his watch and destroy terrorist networks there. The president said he would reveal his decision on how many additional troops to deploy to Afghanistan after Thanksgiving.
Military observers have been expecting Obama to deploy an eventual 32,000 to 35,000 US forces to the 8-year-old conflict. Well, that will surely “finish the job”—not! While the president has been contemplating the Taliban have been preparing for the winter offensive season—to beat them soon we should have been attacking them in their camps for the past several months, as our commander, General MacCrystal, proposed—who, by the way, said the minimum number of additional troops needed was closer to 45,000. The Pentagon has already said that we’ll be trickling these forces into country. The way to make an impact is to introduce them quickly. Will that be a challenge? Yes! But do we want to “finish the job” or just work comfortably. More pure politics here.

The MRAP All Terrain Vehicle

2009-11-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

The MRAP-All Terrain Vehicle, a tougher, more rugged vehicle is now be seen on the roads in Afghanistan. Designed for small unit combat ops, the M-ATV features a V-shaped hull that helps deflect roadside-bomb explosions away from its crew. The vehicle's design also delivers more comfort to the crew, as well as safety from different blast angles. Sporting an extended wheel base, the M-ATV keeps its crew a safe distance away from pressure plate IEDs, many of which are designed to detonate when tires roll over them.The M-ATV is not only mine, ballistic and IED resistant, it can roll through the desert without all the bumps encountered with the humvee. Most soldiers will welcome the comfort, but many will also be excited about the power. Sporting a 7.2-liter diesel engine, the M-ATV can reach 30 miles per hour in less than 11 seconds, despite weighing more than 25,000 pounds. The vehicle also tackles terrain at speeds the humvee could not, even when going up steep inclines. Another step forward in protecting our troops.

Germany is waiting, too

2009-11-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Pentagon says any surge into Afghanistan will be a challenge due to the poor infrastructure in the country. The talk was presuming that there would be such a surge. President Obama continues his deliberations.
In response Germany's defense chief told the Pentagon that his country will maintain its military commitment in Afghanistan, but did not promise to increase it for now. Germany's force of more than 4,000 is among the largest from any nation apart from the US. Germany will hold off on any decision about adding troops to Afghanistan at least until America makes a move, German Minister of Defense Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said following meetings at the Pentagon.
Why would any country plan to send more troops when all the signals from our president are that cut-n-run is the plan? I hope I’m wrong.

Changing the Culture

2009-11-22T07:11:00.000-08:00

One thing is sure. The culture of any group will trump any plan any leader has. The only way to make substantial change in any group is to change the culture.

Over 1000 candidates graduated from the Baghdad Police College on 9 Nov. They included 50 females—the very first female officers in history. Appropriately, the women had to meet the same standards as the men; 27 of these new officers had been to law school; many are mothers who must balance motherhood and a job, but all are trained and ready to go.

Iraqi Maj. Gen. Dr. Jassim, dir. of the BPC, said he was especially proud of these young female officers. “This course was a most daring step,” he said. “This was very difficult training, and these women performed to the same high standards that we set for our male officers.”
Congratulations, ladies. I’m sure you know that your future will be difficult as the culture hasn’t yet been changed—you are the vanguard.

The Asian failure

2009-11-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

"When it came to China, President Obama's famous powers of persuasion failed to persuade," wrote Barbara Demick in the Los Angeles Times. "Not only is the U.S. president coming away without definable concessions, but the Chinese appeared to be digging in their heels."Mr. Obama had sought three things in China. First, he wanted Chinese support for sanctions against Iran's nuclear program. Second, he wanted China to agree to curbs on fossil fuel emissions. Third, he wanted China to agree to a more realistic value for its currency. He batted zero for three.The most important of these is the currency issue. China pegs the value of the renmimbi (also called the yuan) artificially low in relation to the dollar to boost sales of its exports. This essentially mercantilist policy makes it harder for us to sell things to the Chinese, and for our economy to recover.What Mr. Obama received was a lecture on the danger of US budget deficits, and criticism of the protectionist policies his administration has implemented. Mr. Obama was treated with far less respect than were Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush when they visited China. The whole world sees us as weak and getting weaker—thus we are more likely to be ignored—or even attacked.

But Mr. Obama told the US media that his Asia trip was very successful—and so they reported it. As Mark Twain once said, if you don’t read the papers you are uninformed; if you do read them you are misinformed.

Is Obama legal?

2009-11-21T09:48:00.000-08:00

While I raised this as an issue during the campaign, I’ve pretty much dropped it since the elections a year ago. But someone has been keeping the lawsuit going. So President Obama will have to be in court on 26 Jan 10 before Federal judge David Carter in Santa Ana, CA, to deal with his status as a native-born American (being a native-born citizen is a requirement to be President of the US). Obama’s lawyers sought dismissal of this case, but the judge refused. The judge feels that this case must be resolved quickly so that the troops can know that their Commander in Chief is eligible to hold that position and to issue lawful orders. Stay tuned.

A Class Act

2009-11-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura secretly visited Fort Hood earlier this week and spent about two hours consoling those who were wounded in Thursday's shooting spree. They told the base commander that they did not want any press coverage. Now, this is how leaders act.

USS Ford

2009-11-16T05:12:00.000-08:00

It was recently announced that the USS Gerald Ford, the first of a new class of aircraft carriers, had it's hull laid. The sponsor of the ship was former President Ford's daughter; by naval tradition the sponsor is always a female. This is a worthy honor for a fine American. However, now I'm waiting for some fruitcake to file a discrimination lawsuit against the navy tradition of sponsors being women. I hope that it never happens, but this is America.

Terrorist Trials in NYC

2009-11-15T21:27:00.000-08:00

Despite all the comments of the apologists, I can't think of one single good reason to have the terrorist trials in NYC. First, they are people who have declared war on America, not criminals. As combatants, if they are going to be tried, it should be a court martial. Then, they are not Americans and do not have the rights of Americans. American defense attorneys will, of course, do all they can to see their clients freed--that's the American way--for criminals. How many Nazi soldiers captured in Europe and confined in the US were tried? None--they were combatants, not criminals. It goes on and on. Stupid idea.

Gaining US Citizenship

2009-11-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

There is no shortage of people who want to become American citizens—that’s not surprising as we Americans enjoy more freedom and prosperity that citizens of any nation on earth.

Many legal emigrants who seek citizenship join our military. I believe that this is an excellent way to show commitment to our nation—indeed, I think that service in the military should be a requirement for US citizenship, for those able to serve.

Well, on 12 Nov, Karl Eikenberry, US ambassador to Afghanistan, helped complete the citizenship journey for more than 120 US service members in a ceremony, by presenting them with certificates of naturalization. Eikenberry said. "I can't think of anyone who more deserves to become a citizen of the USA than somebody that has served in the US Armed Forces." I couldn’t agree more. Let’s make it law.

President Obama and Fort Hood

2009-11-14T22:05:00.000-08:00

Those who have read my blog or heard my show know that I am no fan of President Obama. He has been getting some flack because he has not spoken out against the murdering major who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas. Fortunately, the murderer did not die when he was shot and can be tried; the decision has been made, rightly I think, that he be court martialed. Since many decisions regarding courts martial are made by the chain of command it is altogether proper that President Obama remain silent on this matter. Were he to speak out it could properly be seen as command influence on the process.