By Bill Roggio
The only member of the jihadi assault team captured during the Mumbai attacks has fingered several Pakistani organizations as providing support to the group, according to reports in the Indian press.
Ajmal Amir Kasab (or Azam Amir Kasav) was captured by police after a shootout near the docks in southern Mumbai. He was wounded and feigned being dead, but was picked out by police after he was seen breathing.
The siege in Mumbai lasted 62 hours and claimed more than 195 lives. Terror assault teams held the city hostage as they fanned out through the city and attacked policemen, five-star hotels, a train station, a cinema, a cafe, and a residential complex.
Kasab has provided details on how his team of 16 terror commandos departed Karachi, linked up with a freighter carrying arms, hijacked an Indian fishing boat, and infiltrated into Mumbai via inflatable rafts.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Gene "silencing" drug blocks heart disease in mice
LONDON (Reuters) - An international research team has identified a tiny piece of genetic material that plays a key role in heart failure, and shown how an experimental compound prevents the condition in mice, scientists reported on Sunday.
Wounded Warrior Project: Patient and Family Support
Patient and Family Support
Our services don’t end when injured service members are ready to check out of the hospital. Programs such as Family Assistance and Benefits Counseling are designed to meet the long-term needs of wounded warriors.
Family Assistance
Injury can create an added financial burden on wounded warriors and their families. During rehabilitation, we help with necessary expenses for families of the wounded, including housing, food, child care, and transportation costs to the hospital so the service member does not have to recover alone.
Benefits Counseling
Benefits counselors work with severely wounded service members as soon as they return to the United States. Counselors provide guidance and help to navigate government benefits available to military personnel and their families. They also help build connections between wounded warriors, establishing a network of peers to provide the necessary assistance, friendship, and inspiration.
Home Front Heroes: Our Military Kids
Our Military Kids provides tangible support to the children of deployed and severely injured National Guard and Military Reserve personnel through grants for enrichment activities and tutoring that nurture and sustain the children during the time a parent is away in service to our country. OMK grants are made to honor the sacrifices military parents make and to ensure that the children have access to activities and support that help the children better cope with challenges arising during a parent's deployment or injury recovery.
Hero: Lt. Commander Benito Baylosis
Volunteering for a year-long tour in Iraq in July 2005, Lt. Cmdr. Baylosis led a team of electronic engineers and technicians that analyzed 5,500 improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Baylosis personally handled more than 1,000 roadside bomb detonators and provided critical countermeasures. His team studied the electronic circuiting of the enemy’s homemade bombs and how they were rigged to explode when Coalition and Iraqi troops were nearby. Baylosis, a leading expert of IED initiators, also developed and examined more than 136 bomb-maker profiles. For his critical work on IEDs that likely saved numerous Coalition lives, Baylosis was awarded the Bronze Star in August 2006.
Obama to unveil national security team
President-elect Barack Obama will announce his national security team in Chicago Monday, his transition team announced, amid reports that Hillary Clinton has been tapped as the next US secretary of state.
Mumbai attacks: 'It's war' declares Indian press
"It's war," declares the editorial in the Times of India. "The scale, intensity and level of orchestration of terror attacks in Mumbai put one thing beyond doubt: India is effectively at war and it has deadly enemies in its midst." Its coverage draws parallels with the September 11 attacks and says the attacks are in part a consequence of the war on terror.
not good
Same Old New Deal? George Will
Early in what became the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes was asked if anything similar had ever happened. "Yes," he replied, "it was called the Dark Ages, and it lasted 400 years." It did take 25 years, until November 1954, for the Dow to return to the peak it reached in September 1929. So caution is sensible concerning calls for a new New Deal.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wounded Warrior Project's Warriors to Work program helps individuals recovering from severe injuries received in the l
Wounded Warrior Project's Warriors to Work program helps individuals recovering from severe injuries received in the line of duty connect with the support and resources they need to build a career in the civilian workforce. It can be tough to transition into civilian life. It's even tougher to adjust to life after a serious injury.
Warriors to Work is a free service for the new generation of service men and women who have been injured in the line of duty. Go to Getting Started to contact our Warriors to Work manager for career guidance.
Our 2007-2008 Warriors to Work corporate sponsor, CSX, has provided funding to help make this program a success. Go to Featured Sponsor to learn more about a career with CSX.
Home Front Heroes: Landstuhl Hospital Care Project
Welcome to the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project!
LRMC has thousands of holday cards sent this time each year. We are very thankful for the out pouring of support but the amount of holiday cards is over whelming. This year please consider sending ITune cards with no holiday card this year.
The Landstuhl Hospital Care Project (LHCP) is a non-profit organization that provides comfort and relief items for military members who become sick, injured, or wounded from service in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Donated items are distributed to patients at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) in Germany, the largest American military hospital outside the U.S.; to field hospitals in Afghanistan and Iraq; and to VA facilities throughout the United States.
Donations to LRMC are done through the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center. This allows all in-patients, out-patients, LRMC liaisons, LRMC nurses, and medical escorts access to supplies. The purpose of the program is to enhance the morale and welfare for troops and veterans by contributing quality of life items.
Each shipment that LHCP sends is sent in honor of a military member who has made the ultimate sacrifice and lost his or her life in service to our country. Hospital staff report that when patients learn that they and their fallen service members are remembered "back home," spirits are lifted. As one nurse wrote in an e-mail, "It's a reminder that what we do is not in vain. It means a lot to the guys that are back there recovering — it helps them know they are not alone."
For more information, including a current list of needed items, please go to our How You Can Help page.
Your contributions and fundraising tell our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that they are supported. Thank you for making a difference in the life of service members hospitalized outside the United States.
Dems: Obama picks Clinton for secretary of state
President-elect expected to nominate former rival on Monday
Gee, Bill with a bigger expense account again, bet he goes for lookers this time heheheheCrisis will help us regain power - Russia's Communists
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Communists expect the global financial crisis will cause social unrest and help them challenge for power, the party's leader said on Saturday.
Great, I've missed those magnificent bastards!!!!
Great, I've missed those magnificent bastards!!!!
Irrational Obama Exuberance
For the first time in a long time, Americans are happy about their political leaders. Three reasons why Obamania isn’t just completely ridiculous.
t's bizarro world in America post-election—we feel hopeful about our politics and fearful about the markets.
It's the opposite of what we've come accustomed to in recent years, times when if the economy's grooving than all other factors fade away—even war itself—or as it was ten years ago, when the internet bubble happily distracted us from the Monica-mess.
But right now we're enjoying a bit of bliss after a 22-month build-up, and President-elect Obama is basking in approval ratings well ahead of his final vote-total. A November 25 Gallup poll showed that "between 63 percent and 67 percent of Americans have, in the weeks since Election Day, said they are confident in Barack Obama's ability to be a good president." His wisely centrist Cabinet picks have led to that broader confidence. Apparently even some McCain supporters are now thinking this historic turn of the page and change of pace might be what the nation needs to revive and re-center itself.
t's bizarro world in America post-election—we feel hopeful about our politics and fearful about the markets.
It's the opposite of what we've come accustomed to in recent years, times when if the economy's grooving than all other factors fade away—even war itself—or as it was ten years ago, when the internet bubble happily distracted us from the Monica-mess.
But right now we're enjoying a bit of bliss after a 22-month build-up, and President-elect Obama is basking in approval ratings well ahead of his final vote-total. A November 25 Gallup poll showed that "between 63 percent and 67 percent of Americans have, in the weeks since Election Day, said they are confident in Barack Obama's ability to be a good president." His wisely centrist Cabinet picks have led to that broader confidence. Apparently even some McCain supporters are now thinking this historic turn of the page and change of pace might be what the nation needs to revive and re-center itself.
Stop Covering Up And Kill The Community Reinvestment Act
Regulation: The Community Reinvestment Act is to blame for the financial crisis, but it so powerfully serves Democrats' interests that they'll do anything to protect it — including revising history.
The CRA coerces banks into making loans based on political correctness, and little else, to people who can't afford them. Enforced like never before by the Clinton administration, the regulation destroyed credit standards across the mortgage industry, created the subprime market, and caused the housing bubble that has now burst and left us with the worst housing and banking crises since the Great Depression.
The CRA should be abolished, along with the government-sponsored enterprises that fueled the secondary market for subprimes — under pressure from Clinton, who ordered HUD to set quotas for "affirmative action" lending at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
But powerful Democrats in Washington want to protect the act — along with Fannie and Freddie — and spin the subprime scandal as the result of too little regulation, not too much.
"Repealing or weakening the CRA would be a mistake," warns Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who argues that the CRA should be strengthened.
Dodd, the top recipient of Fannie donations and himself a beneficiary of a sweetheart mortgage brokered by a subprime lender, recently invited one of Clinton's top enforcers of the CRA to testify.
"The notion that CRA has caused this problem is a pernicious thought," said former Comptroller of the Currency Gene Ludwig. "These are not truthful statements. The CRA has helped to create a better and sounder world for finance, not the opposite."
Dead wrong. But the mainstream media believe it, and have attacked those, including this paper, who dare to tell the truth about the crisis. Already the debacle has erased $13 trillion in wealth, while putting taxpayers on the hook for up to $8 trillion in bailouts.
"The latest salvo from conservatives began via a Sept. 15 editorial in Investor's Business Daily, titled 'The Real Culprits In This Meltdown,' " grumbled a column distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. "Its editorial blamed President Clinton for today's mess."
As we said, Clinton beefed up the CRA and used it to force banks to subsidize poor communities with close to $1 trillion in high-risk loans and other commitments that flouted underwriting rules.
Yet, somehow, these media-driven myths keep getting in the way of actual facts, such as:
Fact: The 1977 law was only lightly enforced until Clinton added teeth to it in 1994 and launched an anti-redlining campaign against banks, led by Ludwig, Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros (and later Andrew Cuomo) and Attorney General Janet Reno that lasted into this decade.
Minority homeownership rates, which had been flat, began a steep rise in 1995, and home prices soon followed, stoked by easier lending. Numerous bank officials complain that they still feel pressured by CRA regulators to make inner-city loans they know are at great risk of defaulting.
Myth: The CRA could not have led to financial Armageddon, because the overwhelming share of subprime mortgages came from lenders that were not banks and not regulated by the CRA.
Fact: Nearly 4 in 10 subprime loans between 2004 and 2007 were made by CRA-covered banks such as Washington Mutual and IndyMac. And that doesn't include loans made by subprime lenders owned by banks, which were in effect covered by the CRA.
Last year, when the bubble burst, bank subprime loans totaled $142 billion, dwarfing those made by lenders.
What's more, the biggest subprime lender, Countrywide, while not subject to the law, still came under federal pressure to make risky loans in minority communities.
Clinton created a separate department at HUD to police "fair lending" at Fannie and Freddie and also at lenders like Countrywide, which became Fannie's biggest client. In 1994, Countrywide became the nation's first mortgage lender to sign with HUD a "Declaration of Fair Lending Principles and Practices."
As a result, Countrywide made more loans to minorities than any other lender — and not surprisingly, was one of the first lenders swamped by loan defaults.
Other lenders felt the heat from Reno's Justice Department, which prosecuted them for failing to operate enough branches in black neighborhoods. Reno put the entire banking industry on notice about the CRA and her enforcement program.
Myth: The CRA did not force anyone to do subprime loans or take excessive risks.
Fact: Subprime loans were the vehicle banks used to satisfy CRA compliance, and Clinton and his regulators encouraged their use. Before Clinton took office, subprimes were virtually unheard of. By the time he left, they made up more than 9% of the market for mortgage originations. Today they're 20%.
"It's instructive to go back to the early stages of the subprime market, which has essentially emerged out of the CRA," ex-Fed chief Alan Greenspan said in recent testimony on the roots of the crisis.
Clinton pushed banks to grant mortgages to minorities with poor credit by using "flexible" underwriting standards — or risk being branded racist. Rules were weakened to the point where welfare and unemployment checks were accepted as qualifying income.
Myth: Greedy investment bankers, who securitized and sold subprime mortgages, drove us to the credit crisis, not government.
Fact: Clinton's regulatory policies led to the creation of this new risk on Wall Street. His CRA amendments created the subprime market, and only after he pressured Fannie and Freddie to socialize the risk and guarantee the profit from the subprime loans did Wall Street get involved in a big way.
The exotic securitizations that have gotten so much of the blame were a symptom, not the cause, of the crisis.
The architects of the crisis want to divert attention from their own culpability by blaming the markets rather than their own regulations mandating that banks make high-risk loans based on race.
In fact, regulations had almost everything to do with this mess. And instead of strengthening them to atone for the alleged "sins of capitalism," we should be abolishing them.
Two bills in the House would be a good place to start. HR 7264, which has nine co-sponsors, would repeal the CRA. And HR 7094, with 17 co-sponsors, would dissolve Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
During the last severe slump, President Reagan deregulated the economy, saying: "Government is not the solution to the problem; government is the problem." He's as right today as he was then.
The CRA coerces banks into making loans based on political correctness, and little else, to people who can't afford them. Enforced like never before by the Clinton administration, the regulation destroyed credit standards across the mortgage industry, created the subprime market, and caused the housing bubble that has now burst and left us with the worst housing and banking crises since the Great Depression.
The CRA should be abolished, along with the government-sponsored enterprises that fueled the secondary market for subprimes — under pressure from Clinton, who ordered HUD to set quotas for "affirmative action" lending at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
But powerful Democrats in Washington want to protect the act — along with Fannie and Freddie — and spin the subprime scandal as the result of too little regulation, not too much.
"Repealing or weakening the CRA would be a mistake," warns Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who argues that the CRA should be strengthened.
Dodd, the top recipient of Fannie donations and himself a beneficiary of a sweetheart mortgage brokered by a subprime lender, recently invited one of Clinton's top enforcers of the CRA to testify.
"The notion that CRA has caused this problem is a pernicious thought," said former Comptroller of the Currency Gene Ludwig. "These are not truthful statements. The CRA has helped to create a better and sounder world for finance, not the opposite."
Dead wrong. But the mainstream media believe it, and have attacked those, including this paper, who dare to tell the truth about the crisis. Already the debacle has erased $13 trillion in wealth, while putting taxpayers on the hook for up to $8 trillion in bailouts.
"The latest salvo from conservatives began via a Sept. 15 editorial in Investor's Business Daily, titled 'The Real Culprits In This Meltdown,' " grumbled a column distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. "Its editorial blamed President Clinton for today's mess."
As we said, Clinton beefed up the CRA and used it to force banks to subsidize poor communities with close to $1 trillion in high-risk loans and other commitments that flouted underwriting rules.
Yet, somehow, these media-driven myths keep getting in the way of actual facts, such as:
Fact: The 1977 law was only lightly enforced until Clinton added teeth to it in 1994 and launched an anti-redlining campaign against banks, led by Ludwig, Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros (and later Andrew Cuomo) and Attorney General Janet Reno that lasted into this decade.
Minority homeownership rates, which had been flat, began a steep rise in 1995, and home prices soon followed, stoked by easier lending. Numerous bank officials complain that they still feel pressured by CRA regulators to make inner-city loans they know are at great risk of defaulting.
Myth: The CRA could not have led to financial Armageddon, because the overwhelming share of subprime mortgages came from lenders that were not banks and not regulated by the CRA.
Fact: Nearly 4 in 10 subprime loans between 2004 and 2007 were made by CRA-covered banks such as Washington Mutual and IndyMac. And that doesn't include loans made by subprime lenders owned by banks, which were in effect covered by the CRA.
Last year, when the bubble burst, bank subprime loans totaled $142 billion, dwarfing those made by lenders.
What's more, the biggest subprime lender, Countrywide, while not subject to the law, still came under federal pressure to make risky loans in minority communities.
Clinton created a separate department at HUD to police "fair lending" at Fannie and Freddie and also at lenders like Countrywide, which became Fannie's biggest client. In 1994, Countrywide became the nation's first mortgage lender to sign with HUD a "Declaration of Fair Lending Principles and Practices."
As a result, Countrywide made more loans to minorities than any other lender — and not surprisingly, was one of the first lenders swamped by loan defaults.
Other lenders felt the heat from Reno's Justice Department, which prosecuted them for failing to operate enough branches in black neighborhoods. Reno put the entire banking industry on notice about the CRA and her enforcement program.
Myth: The CRA did not force anyone to do subprime loans or take excessive risks.
Fact: Subprime loans were the vehicle banks used to satisfy CRA compliance, and Clinton and his regulators encouraged their use. Before Clinton took office, subprimes were virtually unheard of. By the time he left, they made up more than 9% of the market for mortgage originations. Today they're 20%.
"It's instructive to go back to the early stages of the subprime market, which has essentially emerged out of the CRA," ex-Fed chief Alan Greenspan said in recent testimony on the roots of the crisis.
Clinton pushed banks to grant mortgages to minorities with poor credit by using "flexible" underwriting standards — or risk being branded racist. Rules were weakened to the point where welfare and unemployment checks were accepted as qualifying income.
Myth: Greedy investment bankers, who securitized and sold subprime mortgages, drove us to the credit crisis, not government.
Fact: Clinton's regulatory policies led to the creation of this new risk on Wall Street. His CRA amendments created the subprime market, and only after he pressured Fannie and Freddie to socialize the risk and guarantee the profit from the subprime loans did Wall Street get involved in a big way.
The exotic securitizations that have gotten so much of the blame were a symptom, not the cause, of the crisis.
The architects of the crisis want to divert attention from their own culpability by blaming the markets rather than their own regulations mandating that banks make high-risk loans based on race.
In fact, regulations had almost everything to do with this mess. And instead of strengthening them to atone for the alleged "sins of capitalism," we should be abolishing them.
Two bills in the House would be a good place to start. HR 7264, which has nine co-sponsors, would repeal the CRA. And HR 7094, with 17 co-sponsors, would dissolve Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
During the last severe slump, President Reagan deregulated the economy, saying: "Government is not the solution to the problem; government is the problem." He's as right today as he was then.
Hero: Cpl. Nathaniel Baughman
Cpl. Baughman was deployed with the 187th Infantry Regiment in September 2005 for a year-long deployment to Iraq. On July 17, 2006, Baughman’s Humvee was part of a convoy participating in patrol operations in the city of Bayji, Iraq. His Humvee was hit by a RPG, severely injuring him. Later that day, Baughman died from his injuries. For going beyond the call of duty and for giving his life for his fellow soldiers, on July 19, 2006, Baughman was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart.
US strike in North Waziristan kills 3
The US launched another unmanned Predator aircraft strike in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal areas, according to reports from the region.
The Predator fired several Hellfire missiles at a Taliban and al Qaeda safe house in North Waziristan. The strike took place in Chashma, a village on the outskirts of Miramshah, the main town in the tribal agency, Reuters reported.
The Predator fired several Hellfire missiles at a Taliban and al Qaeda safe house in North Waziristan. The strike took place in Chashma, a village on the outskirts of Miramshah, the main town in the tribal agency, Reuters reported.
Rubin, Under Fire, Defends His Role at Citi
Under fire for his role in the near-collapse of Citigroup Inc., Robert Rubin said its problems were due to the buckling financial system, not its own mistakes, and that his role was peripheral to the bank's main operations even though he was one of its highest-paid officials.
"Nobody was prepared for this," Mr. Rubin said in an interview. He cited former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan as another example of someone whose reputation has been unfairly damaged by the crisis.
Mr. Rubin, senior counselor and a director at Citigroup, acknowledged that he was involved in a board decision to ramp ...
nice to see some actual critique of THE One's choices
"Nobody was prepared for this," Mr. Rubin said in an interview. He cited former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan as another example of someone whose reputation has been unfairly damaged by the crisis.
Mr. Rubin, senior counselor and a director at Citigroup, acknowledged that he was involved in a board decision to ramp ...
nice to see some actual critique of THE One's choices
Bush contemplates how he’d like to be remembered
President George W. Bush, nearing the end of his final term in office, says he most wants to be remembered as someone who came to Washington and didn’t lose his values.
Someone who didn’t sell his soul to the political process.
Somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace.
Someone who didn’t sell his soul to the political process.
Somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace.
Friday, November 28, 2008
After absentee ballot loss, Franken eyes options
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota's U.S. Senate showdown is veering down a path toward the courts and possibly the Senate itself after a panel's ruling on rejected absentee ballots dealt a blow to Democrat Al Franken's chances.
For the first time, his campaign on Wednesday openly discussed mounting challenges after the hand recount involving Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman concludes. That includes the possibility of drawing the Senate into the fracas.
The state Canvassing Board denied Franken's request to factor absentee ballots rejected by poll workers into the recount. He sought to overturn the exclusions in cases where ballots were invalidated over signature problems or other voter errors. Coleman's campaign maintained the board lacked power to revisit those ballots.
Franken entered the recount trailing Coleman by 215 votes out of 2.9 million ballots. As of Wednesday night, Coleman was up 292 votes, including results from Nov. 4 and recounted ones.
All told, 86 percent of the ballots have been recounted. However, about 4,740 ballots have been challenged by the two campaigns that could fall to the canvassing board to rule on.
For the first time, his campaign on Wednesday openly discussed mounting challenges after the hand recount involving Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman concludes. That includes the possibility of drawing the Senate into the fracas.
The state Canvassing Board denied Franken's request to factor absentee ballots rejected by poll workers into the recount. He sought to overturn the exclusions in cases where ballots were invalidated over signature problems or other voter errors. Coleman's campaign maintained the board lacked power to revisit those ballots.
Franken entered the recount trailing Coleman by 215 votes out of 2.9 million ballots. As of Wednesday night, Coleman was up 292 votes, including results from Nov. 4 and recounted ones.
All told, 86 percent of the ballots have been recounted. However, about 4,740 ballots have been challenged by the two campaigns that could fall to the canvassing board to rule on.
Acid Attack Shows Nature of Taliban By Jim Garamone
Acid Attack Shows Nature of Taliban
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON - It's a measure of the enemy in Afghanistan that Taliban terrorists attacked girls walking to school in Afghanistan on Nov. 12 by throwing acid in their faces, a senior Defense Department official said today. "It was obviously a despicable attack," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "It's a reflection of the brutality and backwardness of the enemy we're dealing with here. I certainly hope this is not any trend of tactic that the Taliban have, because it is a truly despicable act." Three girls were seriously injured in the attack. "The Taliban's continued terror attacks threaten the progress that has been made in Afghanistan," first lady Laura Bush said in a statement released by the White House. When they were in power in Afghanistan, the Taliban forbade women from attending school or even going outside. Women doctors were forbidden from practicing, and no woman was allowed to serve in political office. Bush noted how that has changed since Operation Enduring Freedom began in October 2001. "Today, Afghan women are attending school, running for political office and serving as police officers," she said. Afghan women are 28 percent of the country's legislature, and almost 2 million Afghan girls are now in school, she added. "The United States and our allies are working with the government of Afghanistan to build more schools where children can learn, open additional roads so that commerce can grow and provide basic health care for the Afghan people," she said. "These cowardly and shameful acts are condemned by honorable people in the United States and around the world."
Hero: Colonel Juan Ayala
A secure Iraq requires competent local police and national army. In Iraq, U.S. commanders have helped achieve stability in former hotbeds of violence by building up Iraqi Security Forces, thanks to the creative efforts of soldiers and Marines, such as Marine Corps Col. Juan Ayala.
During his third tour in Iraq, from January 2006 to January 2007, Col. Ayala served as the Senior Advisor to the 1st Iraqi Army Division, based at Camp Habbaniyah. Numerous challenges faced Ayala and his 29-man team, as they operated daily in tandem with the Iraqis. The Division lacked soldiers, trained officers and equipment. The surrounding terrain proved hostile as well. In early 2006, Anbar province remained volatile, and the Iraqi Army often found itself engaged in battles with civilians allied with insurgents.
Over time, under Ayala’s guidance, the Iraqis increased their areas of responsibility and gained credibility among the population. Specifically, Col. Ayala revamped the staff functions of the Division, drawing up missions that fit its skill set. He collaborated with local imams and sheiks to obtain approval for operations. As a result of the built-up trust, the flow of actionable intelligence to the Division increased, as did the number of formerly hostile Sunnis to the Division’s ranks. So many ended up joining the Iraqi forces that they eventually gained a title: the “sons of Al Anbar.”
Ayala helped plan and execute 52 direct action patrols in the area, which yielded 25 captured insurgents. Ayala’s input resulted in the creation of a 24-hour joint Iraqi/Advisor Combat Operations Center, which helped obtain situational awareness on the ground. Other positive developments under Ayala’s tenure included equipment improvements and the purging of hundreds of bogus soldiers from the Division’s ranks. Under Ayala, the implementation of a Unit Tracking Program (UTP) was influential in maintaining accountability among the Iraqi soldiers in the Division.
Ayala often went on patrols, serving as a vehicle and convoy commander. He was hit twice by IEDs, but kept going out on missions to assess the Division’s ability in the field. He led 17 teams and 225 advisors at different levels of command, to improve the capabilities of the Division. Today, two of the Division’s Brigades, the 3rd and the 4th, function without coalition assistance.
For his efforts in building up the 1st Iraqi Army Division, Col. Ayala earned the Legion of Merit with Combat Distinguishing Device.
Home Front Heroes: The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is a leader in supporting the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Begun in 2000 under the auspices of the Intrepid Museum Foundation, and established as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2003, the Fund has provided close to $60 million in support for the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation, and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans. These efforts are funded entirely with donations from the public, and hundreds of thousands of individuals have contributed to the Fund. 100% of contributions raised by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund go towards these programs; all administrative expenses are underwritten by the Fund’s Trustees.From 2000 to 2005 the Fund provided close to $20 million to families of United States military personnel lost in performance of their duty, mostly in service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Fund provided unrestricted grants of $11,000 to each spouse and $5,000 to each dependent child; and $1,000 to parents of unmarried servicemembers. The payments were coordinated with the casualty offices of the Armed Forces, to ensure all families received these benefits. In 2005 a new law substantially increased the benefits granted to these families. With that mission therefore accomplished, the Fund redirected its support toward the severely injured. For information on Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund support provided to families of those lost prior to May 12, 2005, click here.In January 2007, the Fund completed construction of a $40 million world-class state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation center at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The “Center for the Intrepid” serves military personnel who have been catastrophically disabled in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and veterans severely injured in other operations and in the normal performance of their duties. The 60,000 square foot Center provides ample space and facilities for the rehabilitation needs of the patients and their caregivers. It includes state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation equipment and extensive indoor and outdoor facilities. Click here for more information on the Center for the Intrepid.The Center is co-located with two 21-room Fisher Houses that house the families of patients (www.fisherhouse.org).Although sufficient funding has been received for the Center’s construction costs, the Fund is accepting donations to provide additional services for our wounded military and veteran heroes and their families. The Fund’s Board of Trustees is currently determining, in consultation with the Armed Forces and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the next area of need for our wounded military personnel and veterans that the Fund will address. All contributions received will be directed to support this new project.
Giving thanks for self-reliant Americans by Michelle Malkin
Giving thanks for self-reliant Americans
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
In The Year of Bottomless Bailouts, I am most grateful this Thanksgiving for Americans who refuse to abandon thrift, personal responsibility, and self-reliance. When the moochers and entitlement-mongers drive you mad, remember that our nation still serves as home to millions of citizens who do for themselves. Like our Founding Fathers, they are God-fearing people – the ones elitist pundits deride as “oogedy-boogedy” – who will never put their faith in The Cult of You Owe Me.
They are people like my reader Jen, who runs a family farm called the Double Nickel in New Mexico. Tired of hearing all the hand-wringing, “in times like these” rationalizations for unprecedented federal intervention in the market to rescue beleaguered businesses and homeowners, Jen wrote me a letter this week about her own plight and triumph over adversity:
“I am writing to you to share my story of how one can survive hard times and land solidly on one’s feet…
So here goes: My husband had an auto accident on 1 January 2005, and our lives and finances changed dramatically. Our income was cut in half as he has permanent injuries, and went from being a field officer to a desk job in a less fast paced career…”
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
In The Year of Bottomless Bailouts, I am most grateful this Thanksgiving for Americans who refuse to abandon thrift, personal responsibility, and self-reliance. When the moochers and entitlement-mongers drive you mad, remember that our nation still serves as home to millions of citizens who do for themselves. Like our Founding Fathers, they are God-fearing people – the ones elitist pundits deride as “oogedy-boogedy” – who will never put their faith in The Cult of You Owe Me.
They are people like my reader Jen, who runs a family farm called the Double Nickel in New Mexico. Tired of hearing all the hand-wringing, “in times like these” rationalizations for unprecedented federal intervention in the market to rescue beleaguered businesses and homeowners, Jen wrote me a letter this week about her own plight and triumph over adversity:
“I am writing to you to share my story of how one can survive hard times and land solidly on one’s feet…
So here goes: My husband had an auto accident on 1 January 2005, and our lives and finances changed dramatically. Our income was cut in half as he has permanent injuries, and went from being a field officer to a desk job in a less fast paced career…”
The Washington Stock Market
By Charles Krauthammer
WASHINGTON -- In the old days -- from the Venetian Republic to, oh, the Bear Stearns rescue -- if you wanted to get rich, you did it the Warren Buffett way: You learned to read balance sheets. Today you learn to read political tea leaves. You don't anticipate Intel's third-quarter earnings; instead, you guess what side of the bed Henry Paulson will wake up on tomorrow.
Today's extreme stock market volatility is not just a symptom of fear -- fear cannot account for days of wild market swings upward -- but a reaction to meta-economic events: political decisions that have vast economic effects.
WASHINGTON -- In the old days -- from the Venetian Republic to, oh, the Bear Stearns rescue -- if you wanted to get rich, you did it the Warren Buffett way: You learned to read balance sheets. Today you learn to read political tea leaves. You don't anticipate Intel's third-quarter earnings; instead, you guess what side of the bed Henry Paulson will wake up on tomorrow.
Today's extreme stock market volatility is not just a symptom of fear -- fear cannot account for days of wild market swings upward -- but a reaction to meta-economic events: political decisions that have vast economic effects.
Chicago defies forgotten 2nd Amendment -Steve Chapman
Since the Supreme Court upheld the individual right to own guns last summer, one municipality with handgun bans after another has faced reality. Washington, which lost the case, changed its law. Morton Grove repealed its ban. So did Wilmette. Likewise for Evanston. Last week, Winnetka followed suit.
Then there is Chicago, which is being sued for violating the 2nd Amendment but refuses to confront the possibility that what the Supreme Court said may apply to this side of the Appalachians.
Then there is Chicago, which is being sued for violating the 2nd Amendment but refuses to confront the possibility that what the Supreme Court said may apply to this side of the Appalachians.
Somali pirates hijack ship, British guards escape
NAIROBI, Kenya – Somali pirates hijacked a chemical tanker with dozens of Indian crew members Friday and a helicopter rescued three British security guards who had jumped into the sea, officials said.
A warship on patrol nearby sent helicopters to intervene in the attack, but they arrived after pirates had taken control of the Liberian-flagged ship, according to Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Malaysia.
A warship on patrol nearby sent helicopters to intervene in the attack, but they arrived after pirates had taken control of the Liberian-flagged ship, according to Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Malaysia.
Obama's First Test
The series of terror attacks in Mumbai comes at a sensitive time for the US. President Bush is no longer in a position to lead, and President-elect Barack Obama has not yet been given the reins. Still, the attacks represent Obama's first foreign policy test.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanks to the founders
For creating a country that welcomes immigrants like me
Thursday, November 27, 2008
By Andrew G. Kadar
Thursday, November 27, 2008
By Andrew G. Kadar
I was 10 years old and didn't speak a word of English when we boarded our plane to Los Angeles. By the time we landed, my father had taught me to say, "Hello Aunt Susan," and hello to my uncle and cousins.
Aunt Susan had immigrated to the United States 20 years earlier, when she was nine. Her mother sent her to school wearing high-top leather shoes appropriate for a 9-year-old girl in Hungary, but odd and out of place in her new environment. Determined to spare us such embarrassment, Susan took my brother and me shopping before we began school.
I entered my first American classroom in jeans, a T-shirt and tennis shoes, blending perfectly with every other boy. I didn't understand everything that went on that first day, but many of my new classmates said "hi" and welcomed me with smiles and invitations to play with them during recess. Since I arrived before the days of bilingual education, I jumped into full immersion language learning and became fluent in English within months.
Because of time spent in refugee camps, I had missed out on a year of schooling. My parents bought a children's encyclopedia and instructed me to start reading about our new country's history, to catch up with my classmates. I dutifully read a chapter every week.
Five months into the school year, we were going over the colonial period. One day, the teacher asked who could tell the class about the French and Indian War. I alone raised my hand. The teacher asked if anyone else in the class knew anything about that war. Nobody did. So the teacher asked me to speak.
I described the war's importance in establishing English dominance in North America and how it provided military training and experience for many of the future leaders of the American Revolution, including George Washington. My classmates were amazed at what I knew and I was stunned by what they didn't. My role changed that day from a struggling, language-deficient immigrant to a student in good standing, no longer in catch-up mode.
That evening, I told my parents what had happened and concluded that I had caught up with my classmates in American history. In fact, I had caught up entirely. I felt fully American in less than a year.
I didn't, however, sound fully American. Hungarian lacks the "th" sound and my rendition came out like a cross between a "t" and a "d." A seventh-grade teacher referred me to speech therapy. Once a week, I went to sessions with four other kids. We recited exercises designed to help with each of our problems. By the end of the semester, I could say the "th" sound correctly.
My mother marveled that the school provided special assistance to an immigrant student. She said that I should be grateful that this country was so welcoming that it even gave me extra help just to sound like other Americans. She was right, and I continue to be grateful to this day.
Some people lament that Americans treat immigrants unkindly, that we discriminate against them and make their lives more difficult. I never experienced that. To the contrary, Americans went out of their way to help me become one of them.
My family's attitude contributed to our reception. We didn't come here to be Hungarians in America. We came here to be Americans. We made the effort to live and act like Americans to the best of our ability from day one. We all learned to speak English as soon and as well as possible. We eagerly absorbed American culture, history and customs, which we grew to appreciate and love.
I can't even begin to tell you the extent of my delight upon learning about Halloween. At first I thought the other kids were pulling my leg. "Oh sure, you just ring a doorbell, say 'trick or treat' and everybody gives you candy. You think I'm gonna fall for that?" Amazingly, it was true.
Over time, Thanksgiving, that most American of all holidays, became my favorite. I love the idea of dedicating a day to give thanks for our good fortune, our freedom and bountiful opportunities. So on this Thanksgiving, I want to thank that veteran of the French and Indian War, George Washington, and all the other founders for launching a nation that transforms former immigrants like me into citizens who can participate fully in the glorious enterprise that continues to be our United States of America.
Andrew G. Kadar is a physician and writer who lives in Los Angeles (andrewgk@ sbcglobal.net).
Official says siege ends at Mumbai's Taj hotel
MUMBAI, India – A state official says the siege has ended Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel and the last three gunmen there have been killed.
An official with the Maharashtra state home department, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said there were no further details.
At least 119 people were killed and 288 injured when suspected Islamic militants attacked 10 sites in Mumbai.
Black-clad Indian commandoes raided two luxury hotels to try to free hostages Thursday, and explosions and gunshots shook India's financial capital a day after the attacks.
About 10 to 12 gunmen remained holed up inside the hotels and a Jewish center, a top Indian general said. The remaining gunmen appeared to have been killed or captured, Maj. Gen. R.K. Hooda told New Delhi Television.
Authorities said 119 people died and 288 were injured when suspected Islamic militants — armed with assault rifles, hand grenades and explosives — launched a highly coordinated attack against 10 sites in the city Wednesday night.
Officials said eight militants were also killed.
Dozens of people were being held hostage at the hotels, as well as a nearby Jewish center, by the well-trained and heavily armed gunmen, authorities said.
While hostages trickled out of the hotels throughout the day, witnesses said many bodies remained inside and the two-day siege showed few signs of ending quickly. Several bodies were carried out of the five-star Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel.
The attackers had specifically targeted Britons and Americans inside the hotels, witnesses said.
Dozens of people were also apparently still hiding in their hotel rooms, terrified by occasional bursts of gunfire and explosions, as well as fires burning in parts of both hotels, and waiting for authorities to get them to safety.
After dusk Thursday, police brought hostages out of the Oberoi, one of the city's best-known five-star hotels.
One man, a who identified himself as a Pole but did not give his name, told reporters he had seen many bodies inside, but refused to give more details, saying he had promised police not to discuss details of the rescue operation.
The Maharashtra state home ministry said 84 people had been freed from the Oberoi — 60 of them hostages — and dozens more were still trapped inside.
Police said they were going slowly to protect the captives.
A previously unknown Islamic militant group claimed responsibility for the carnage, the latest in a series of terror attacks over the past three years that have dented India's image as an industrious nation galloping toward prosperity.
Among the dead were at least four Australian and a Japanese national, according to the state home ministry. An Italian, a Briton and a German were also killed, according to their foreign ministries.
The most high-profile target was the Taj Mahal hotel, a landmark of Mumbai luxury since 1903, and a favorite watering hole of the city's elite.
Police loudspeakers declared a curfew around the hotel Thursday afternoon, and commandos ran into the building as fresh gunshots rang out from the area. Into the night, brief exchanges of gunfire and explosions could be heard coming from the building.
The attackers, dressed in black shirts and jeans, stormed into the hotel about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday and opened fire indiscriminately.
Dalbir Bains, who runs a lingerie shop in Mumbai, was about to eat a steak by the hotel pool when she heard gunfire. She ran upstairs, taking refuge in the Sea Lounge restaurant with about 50 other people.
They huddled beneath tables in the dark, trying to remain silent as explosions went off.
"We were trying not to draw attention to ourselves," she said. The group managed to escape before dawn.
The gunmen also seized the Mumbai headquarters of the ultra-orthodox Jewish outreach group Chabad Lubavitch. Around 10:30 a.m., a woman, a child and an Indian cook were seen being led out of the building by police, said one witness.
Chabad spokesman Moni Ender in Israel said there were eight Israelis inside the house, including Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his wife.
Among those foreigners still held captive in all three buildings were Americans, British, Italians, Swedes, Canadians, Yemenis, New Zealanders, Spaniards, Turks, French, Israelis and a Singaporean.
At least three top Indian police officers — including the chief of the anti-terror squad — were among those killed, said Roy.
The United States and Pakistan were among the countries that condemned the attacks.
In Washington, President George W. Bush offered Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "support and assistance" as he works to restore order in the populous and growing Southwest Asian nation, according to White House press secretary Dana Perino.
The motive for the onslaught was not immediately clear, but Mumbai has frequently been targeted in terrorist attacks blamed on Islamic extremists, including a series of bombings in July 2006 that killed 187 people.
An Indian media report said a previously unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks in e-mails to several media outlets. There was no way to verify that claim.
Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism specialist with the Swedish National Defense College, said there are "very strong suspicions" that the coordinated Mumbai attacks have a link to al-Qaida.
He said the fact that Britons and Americans were singled out is one indicator, along with the coordinated style of the attacks.
India's prime minister blamed "external forces."
"The well-planned and well-orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of panic, by choosing high profile targets and indiscriminately killing foreigners," Singh said in address to the nation.
Indian navy spokesman Capt. Manohar Nambiar said navy officers had boarded a cargo vessel that had recently come to Mumbai from Karachi, Pakistan. Hours later, he said nothing suspicious had been found on board and the ship had been released.
Mumbai, on the western coast of India overlooking the Arabian Sea, is home to splendid Victorian architecture built during the British Raj and is one of the most populated cities in the world with some 18 million crammed into shantytowns, high rises and crumbling mansions.
Among the other places attacked was the 19th century Chhatrapati Shivaji railroad station — a beautiful example of Victorian Gothic architecture — where gunmen sprayed bullets into the crowded terminal, leaving the floor splattered with blood.
"They just fired randomly at people and then ran away. In seconds, people fell to the ground," said Nasim Inam, a witness.
Other gunmen attacked Leopold's restaurant, a landmark popular with foreigners, and the police headquarters in southern Mumbai, the area where most of the attacks took place. Gunmen also attacked Cama and Albless Hospital and G.T. Hospital.
An official with the Maharashtra state home department, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said there were no further details.
At least 119 people were killed and 288 injured when suspected Islamic militants attacked 10 sites in Mumbai.
Black-clad Indian commandoes raided two luxury hotels to try to free hostages Thursday, and explosions and gunshots shook India's financial capital a day after the attacks.
About 10 to 12 gunmen remained holed up inside the hotels and a Jewish center, a top Indian general said. The remaining gunmen appeared to have been killed or captured, Maj. Gen. R.K. Hooda told New Delhi Television.
Authorities said 119 people died and 288 were injured when suspected Islamic militants — armed with assault rifles, hand grenades and explosives — launched a highly coordinated attack against 10 sites in the city Wednesday night.
Officials said eight militants were also killed.
Dozens of people were being held hostage at the hotels, as well as a nearby Jewish center, by the well-trained and heavily armed gunmen, authorities said.
While hostages trickled out of the hotels throughout the day, witnesses said many bodies remained inside and the two-day siege showed few signs of ending quickly. Several bodies were carried out of the five-star Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel.
The attackers had specifically targeted Britons and Americans inside the hotels, witnesses said.
Dozens of people were also apparently still hiding in their hotel rooms, terrified by occasional bursts of gunfire and explosions, as well as fires burning in parts of both hotels, and waiting for authorities to get them to safety.
After dusk Thursday, police brought hostages out of the Oberoi, one of the city's best-known five-star hotels.
One man, a who identified himself as a Pole but did not give his name, told reporters he had seen many bodies inside, but refused to give more details, saying he had promised police not to discuss details of the rescue operation.
The Maharashtra state home ministry said 84 people had been freed from the Oberoi — 60 of them hostages — and dozens more were still trapped inside.
Police said they were going slowly to protect the captives.
A previously unknown Islamic militant group claimed responsibility for the carnage, the latest in a series of terror attacks over the past three years that have dented India's image as an industrious nation galloping toward prosperity.
Among the dead were at least four Australian and a Japanese national, according to the state home ministry. An Italian, a Briton and a German were also killed, according to their foreign ministries.
The most high-profile target was the Taj Mahal hotel, a landmark of Mumbai luxury since 1903, and a favorite watering hole of the city's elite.
Police loudspeakers declared a curfew around the hotel Thursday afternoon, and commandos ran into the building as fresh gunshots rang out from the area. Into the night, brief exchanges of gunfire and explosions could be heard coming from the building.
The attackers, dressed in black shirts and jeans, stormed into the hotel about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday and opened fire indiscriminately.
Dalbir Bains, who runs a lingerie shop in Mumbai, was about to eat a steak by the hotel pool when she heard gunfire. She ran upstairs, taking refuge in the Sea Lounge restaurant with about 50 other people.
They huddled beneath tables in the dark, trying to remain silent as explosions went off.
"We were trying not to draw attention to ourselves," she said. The group managed to escape before dawn.
The gunmen also seized the Mumbai headquarters of the ultra-orthodox Jewish outreach group Chabad Lubavitch. Around 10:30 a.m., a woman, a child and an Indian cook were seen being led out of the building by police, said one witness.
Chabad spokesman Moni Ender in Israel said there were eight Israelis inside the house, including Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his wife.
Among those foreigners still held captive in all three buildings were Americans, British, Italians, Swedes, Canadians, Yemenis, New Zealanders, Spaniards, Turks, French, Israelis and a Singaporean.
At least three top Indian police officers — including the chief of the anti-terror squad — were among those killed, said Roy.
The United States and Pakistan were among the countries that condemned the attacks.
In Washington, President George W. Bush offered Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "support and assistance" as he works to restore order in the populous and growing Southwest Asian nation, according to White House press secretary Dana Perino.
The motive for the onslaught was not immediately clear, but Mumbai has frequently been targeted in terrorist attacks blamed on Islamic extremists, including a series of bombings in July 2006 that killed 187 people.
An Indian media report said a previously unknown group calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks in e-mails to several media outlets. There was no way to verify that claim.
Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism specialist with the Swedish National Defense College, said there are "very strong suspicions" that the coordinated Mumbai attacks have a link to al-Qaida.
He said the fact that Britons and Americans were singled out is one indicator, along with the coordinated style of the attacks.
India's prime minister blamed "external forces."
"The well-planned and well-orchestrated attacks, probably with external linkages, were intended to create a sense of panic, by choosing high profile targets and indiscriminately killing foreigners," Singh said in address to the nation.
Indian navy spokesman Capt. Manohar Nambiar said navy officers had boarded a cargo vessel that had recently come to Mumbai from Karachi, Pakistan. Hours later, he said nothing suspicious had been found on board and the ship had been released.
Mumbai, on the western coast of India overlooking the Arabian Sea, is home to splendid Victorian architecture built during the British Raj and is one of the most populated cities in the world with some 18 million crammed into shantytowns, high rises and crumbling mansions.
Among the other places attacked was the 19th century Chhatrapati Shivaji railroad station — a beautiful example of Victorian Gothic architecture — where gunmen sprayed bullets into the crowded terminal, leaving the floor splattered with blood.
"They just fired randomly at people and then ran away. In seconds, people fell to the ground," said Nasim Inam, a witness.
Other gunmen attacked Leopold's restaurant, a landmark popular with foreigners, and the police headquarters in southern Mumbai, the area where most of the attacks took place. Gunmen also attacked Cama and Albless Hospital and G.T. Hospital.
Down with Barriers, Up with Iraq - Michael Yon
....After EOD arrived, I talked with one of the MP escorts, SGT Jeremiah Norton, who today is serving a second Iraq tour. SGT Norton said that as late as March 2008, they were getting 10 to 15 EOD calls per day in the area, and many or most were real bombs. But now, EOD personnel sometimes don’t get a single call all day, and most calls end up having no bombs at all. Every sign I see, every little spot report like this, indicate the same thing: The war is over.....
Thailand On The Brink Of Civil War
November 26, 2008: Small bombs went off at the two international airports, but there were no injuries. Both airports are closed by demonstrators. Pro and anti-government demonstrators in the capital have begun shooting at each other. The battle is basically between the educated urban royalists, who want to overthrow the populist politicians that have attracted the support of the majority of voters, most of them poor, less educated, rural people. The urbanites believe these populist politicians are corrupt (which some are, but that is common in all Thai political parties) and not fit to rule, even if they got the most votes, and seats in parliament. The military, whose officers largely side with the anti-government demonstrators, does not want to run the country again, because most Thais oppose military governments. But unless the demonstrations stop, the escalation is headed for a bloody civil war. Many politicians, from all parties, want to avoid this, but it's all spiraling out of control.
Read The Whole Thing
Home Front Heroes: The Fisher House
The Fisher House™ program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House™ Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.
There is at least one Fisher House™ at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House™ program serves more than 10,000 families, and have made available nearly 2.5 million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!
In addition to constructing new houses, Fisher House™ Foundation continues to support existing Fisher Houses™ and help individual military families in need. Families and friends of patients at any of the military's hospitals can now receive up-to-the-minute reports on a loved one by going to the patient's own customized web page, thanks to new services provided through CaringBridge. We are also proud to administer and sponsor Scholarships for Military Children, the Hero Miles program, and co-sponsor the Newman's Own Award.
Hero: Navy Seal Matthew Axelson
Many Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives hide among the treacherous peaks of Afghanistan, making searches and missions difficult and dangerous. However, for Navy Seals called in to search the hostile areas, it’s just another day’s work.
Petty Officer Axelson, along with Petty Officer Dietz, were part of a four-man reconnaissance team sent on one such mission, tasked with finding a key Taliban leader east of Asadabad, Afghanistan. As the team made their way through the mountainous region, Taliban sympathizers spotted the Seals, and alerted terrorist fighters of the team’s presence.
A deadly firefight ensued between the four Seals and an enemy force of at least 30 fighters. Positioning themselves as best they could, the team realized they needed help. They radioed for reinforcements – and soon, a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was on its way to help in the fight.
However, the Taliban fighters spotted the Chinook as it made its way toward the Seals’ position, and they launched a RPG toward the aircraft, shooting it down and killing all 16 men aboard.
The Seals knew their chances were slim, but they continued to hold their ground. Both Axelson and Dietz were severely injured, but they continued to fight, taking several of the enemy with them to their graves.
Although Axelson and Dietz died from their wounds, their actions allowed one of the Seals to evade the enemy and escape. A few days later, the surviving Seal was recovered by U.S. forces.
Both Axelson and Dietz were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross on Sept. 13, 2006.
Petty Officer Axelson, along with Petty Officer Dietz, were part of a four-man reconnaissance team sent on one such mission, tasked with finding a key Taliban leader east of Asadabad, Afghanistan. As the team made their way through the mountainous region, Taliban sympathizers spotted the Seals, and alerted terrorist fighters of the team’s presence.
A deadly firefight ensued between the four Seals and an enemy force of at least 30 fighters. Positioning themselves as best they could, the team realized they needed help. They radioed for reinforcements – and soon, a MH-47 Chinook helicopter was on its way to help in the fight.
However, the Taliban fighters spotted the Chinook as it made its way toward the Seals’ position, and they launched a RPG toward the aircraft, shooting it down and killing all 16 men aboard.
The Seals knew their chances were slim, but they continued to hold their ground. Both Axelson and Dietz were severely injured, but they continued to fight, taking several of the enemy with them to their graves.
Although Axelson and Dietz died from their wounds, their actions allowed one of the Seals to evade the enemy and escape. A few days later, the surviving Seal was recovered by U.S. forces.
Both Axelson and Dietz were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross on Sept. 13, 2006.
Is Obama a Christian? The Sequel
Steven Waldman is president and editor-in-chief of Beliefnet.com, and author of Founding Faith. Previously the national editor of U.S. News & World Report, he is a recognized expert on religion, social issues and politics. Click here for Mr. Waldman’s full bio.
Get ready for the sequel to the debate over whether president-elect Barack Obama is a Christian.
But this time, the debate isn’t related to spurious charges that he’s a Muslim.
The impetus was an interview conducted four years by Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun Times. She’d already published a column based on the interview but Beliefnet published the full transcript after the election.
Obama: There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell.
Falsani: You don’t believe that?
Obama: I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell. I can’t imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity. That’s just not part of my religious makeup.”
Get ready for the sequel to the debate over whether president-elect Barack Obama is a Christian.
But this time, the debate isn’t related to spurious charges that he’s a Muslim.
The impetus was an interview conducted four years by Cathleen Falsani of the Chicago Sun Times. She’d already published a column based on the interview but Beliefnet published the full transcript after the election.
That interview included the following exchange:
Obama: There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell.
Falsani: You don’t believe that?
Obama: I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell. I can’t imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity. That’s just not part of my religious makeup.”
GM Said to Study Shedding Saab, Saturn, Pontiac to Win U.S. Aid
well that has to be at least a lost sales of hundreds of cars hehehehe
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
hehe: Obama Names Bill Clinton to Presidential Post
WASHINGTON DC - Ending weeks of speculation and rumors, President-Elect Barack Obama today named Bill Clinton to join his incoming administration as President of the United States, where he will head the federal government's executive branch.
Israeli world first: Surgeons weld wounds shut with surgical laser
Surgeons of the future may have to learn welding rather than sewing, now that a team of applied physicists at Tel Aviv University have developed an efficient and safe way to close incisions in the skin that they say could also be used on cuts inside the body.
GOP recovery: Fire Rush Limbaugh
How can the Republican Party rebound? The first step would be to quit letting Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham set its agenda.
Gee, maybe they should just change the name to something like ahhh the Democratic Party!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
It's A Two-Fer: Mr Co-President? Obama upstages Bush on economy
CHICAGO (Reuters) - There may be only one U.S. president at a time, but you wouldn't know it by watching Barack Obama this week.
The Democratic president-elect, who kept a low profile for three weeks after his White House win, has swung into action with a series of economic pronouncements and cabinet selections that have overshadowed President George W. Bush.
The Democratic president-elect, who kept a low profile for three weeks after his White House win, has swung into action with a series of economic pronouncements and cabinet selections that have overshadowed President George W. Bush.
Once Considered Invincible, Chávez Takes a Blow
CARACAS, Venezuela — From the hardened slums of this city to some of Venezuela’s most populous and economically important states, many of President Hugo Chávez’s supporters deserted him in regional elections, showing it is possible to challenge him in areas where he was once thought invincible.
Fed announces new U.S. mortgage-support program
WASHINGTON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve, in another massive life-support intervention for the U.S. financial system, on Tuesday announced a $600 billion program to buy mortgage-related debt and securities and a $200 billion facility to buy consumer debt securities,
Icelanders demand PM resign during violent protests
Thousands of Icelanders took to the street in violent protests in Rekjavik, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Geir Haarde and central bank governor David Oddsson in the wake of the country's complete financial collapse.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Bush pardons 14 and commutes 2 prison sentences
WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush has granted pardons to 14 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of two others, The Associated Press learned Monday. The new round of White House pardons are Bush's first since March and come less than two months before he will end his presidency. The crimes committed by those on the list include drug offenses, income tax evasion, bank embezzlement and violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Bush has been stingy during his time in office about handing out such reprieves.
Including these actions, he has granted a total of 171 and eight commutations. That's less than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their time in office. Both were two-term presidents.
Bush has been stingy during his time in office about handing out such reprieves.
Including these actions, he has granted a total of 171 and eight commutations. That's less than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their time in office. Both were two-term presidents.
Signs of the times: Coming to an Obama school near you
What a Single Nuclear Warhead Could Do
Why the U.S. needs a space-based missile defense against an EMP attack.
Home Front Heroes: The Coming Home Project
The Coming Home Project
The Coming Home Project is a non-profit organization devoted to providing compassionate care, support and stress management tools for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. We are a group of veterans, psychotherapists and interfaith leaders committed to helping transform the wounds of war. We help veterans and family members rebuild the connectivity of mind, heart, body and spirit that combat trauma can unravel; renew their relationships with loved ones; and create new support networks. We build a safe space – a community -- for veterans and their families to come together and share their stories, struggles and accomplishments. Single veterans are also most welcome. The Coming Home Project offers a range of free services: workshops and retreats; psychological counseling; training for care providers; and community forums. Our programs address the mental, emotional, spiritual and relationship challenges faced by veterans and families before, during and after deployment. All programs are free and confidential. Everyone is welcome as they are and all are treated with respect. The intention of the Coming Home Project is to serve veterans and families and contribute to their well-being and healing. There is no particular political or religious belief or affiliation that is represented or required.
Hero: Captain Joel Arends
Then-1st Lt. Arends and his team of 30 soldiers operated in and around Baghdad from February 2004 to April 2005. They were responsible for catching a number of terrorists, including one carrying bomb-making materials, jidhadist propaganda and large sums of cash. The terrorist claimed to be a professor at a major university in the United States. They also captured one of Saddam Hussein’s personal bodyguards. Another time, Arends’ team rescued Iraqi civilians from burning vehicles when insurgents attacked a checkpoint near their patrol area. Members of the team rushed into the flames and pulled several Iraqi civilians out of burning vehicles and administered lifesaving medical treatment. For his efforts, Arends was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in March 2005. Arends is now a Captain in the Army Reserve.
Fed Pledges Top $7.4 Trillion to Ease Frozen Credit
A trillion here, a trillion there now we are talking real money!!!!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Hero: James Arellano
Pfc. Arellano was deployed to Iraq in November 2005 with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. While on a foot patrol south of Baghdad on Aug. 17, 2006, Arellano encountered insurgents using IED and small-arms fire. Arellano stepped on an IED; the explosion severely injured the soldier. He died from injuries sustained from the blast.For his work while in Iraq, Arellano was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Badge on Aug. 30, 2006.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Survivor Corps - Breaking The Cycle Of Violence
Breaking the Cycle of Violence:
Survivor Corps is a global network of people helping each other to overcome the effects of war and conflict and give back to their communities.
In 2008, Survivor Corps grew from Landmine Survivors Network. The organization has expanded its mission to help all survivors of war. Landmine Survivors Network was co-founded in 1997 by two landmines survivors, Jerry White and Ken Rutherford. From the late Princess Diana of Wales to Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan the organization received support, praise and partnerships at the highest levels.Survivor Corps focuses on the unique contribution and leadership of conflict survivors because we believe no one is better equipped and motivated to break cycles of violence than those who have survived war. Our programs currently help survivors in: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Colombia, Croatia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Uganda, Rwanda, United States and Vietnam.Our signature peer support program connects survivors with survivor role models to offer encouragement and motivation. This is crucial to helping new survivors find hope, get jobs, and get on with their lives.Through our community building programs, survivors rebuild communities broken by war by connecting diverse survivor groups and former enemies through collective action. By training and organizing survivor advocates to campaign for their rights, survivors change the world by raising their voices together and addressing the challenges they face in life after war and conflict. Our Campaigns Make History: • The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines. (The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty survivors helped negotiate what was the first arms control agreement in history to include provisions to help victims of the weapon.) • The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to end discrimination and bring equal opportunity to 650 million people with disabilities around the world. • The Convention to Ban Cluster Munitions being negotiated in 2008 to end the use of cluster bombs and help victims of this indiscriminate weapon.
Survivor Corps works to break cycles of victimization and violence, individual by individual, country by country. At our core is a survivor-centered approach for victims of war to recover, rebuild their communities and change the world.
Rise Above
Through our signature peer support program, survivors help each other recover from the injuries and trauma of war. Survivor role models offer encouragement and motivation crucial to helping new survivors find hope, get jobs, and get on with their lives.
Learn More about Peer Support
Reach Out
Survivor Corps works through an ever-growing network of partners all around the world to ensure that our services reach as many survivors as possible.
Learn More about Survivor Corps Partners
Give Back
Survivors have the power to rebuild broken communities by engaging diverse groups and former enemies in collective action. We equip survivors with the tools and experience to become leaders in their communities and advocates for change.
Learn More about Survivor Advocacy
Survivor Corps is a global network of people helping each other to overcome the effects of war and conflict and give back to their communities.
In 2008, Survivor Corps grew from Landmine Survivors Network. The organization has expanded its mission to help all survivors of war. Landmine Survivors Network was co-founded in 1997 by two landmines survivors, Jerry White and Ken Rutherford. From the late Princess Diana of Wales to Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan the organization received support, praise and partnerships at the highest levels.Survivor Corps focuses on the unique contribution and leadership of conflict survivors because we believe no one is better equipped and motivated to break cycles of violence than those who have survived war. Our programs currently help survivors in: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Burundi, Colombia, Croatia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Uganda, Rwanda, United States and Vietnam.Our signature peer support program connects survivors with survivor role models to offer encouragement and motivation. This is crucial to helping new survivors find hope, get jobs, and get on with their lives.Through our community building programs, survivors rebuild communities broken by war by connecting diverse survivor groups and former enemies through collective action. By training and organizing survivor advocates to campaign for their rights, survivors change the world by raising their voices together and addressing the challenges they face in life after war and conflict. Our Campaigns Make History: • The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines. (The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty survivors helped negotiate what was the first arms control agreement in history to include provisions to help victims of the weapon.) • The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to end discrimination and bring equal opportunity to 650 million people with disabilities around the world. • The Convention to Ban Cluster Munitions being negotiated in 2008 to end the use of cluster bombs and help victims of this indiscriminate weapon.
Survivor Corps works to break cycles of victimization and violence, individual by individual, country by country. At our core is a survivor-centered approach for victims of war to recover, rebuild their communities and change the world.
Rise Above
Through our signature peer support program, survivors help each other recover from the injuries and trauma of war. Survivor role models offer encouragement and motivation crucial to helping new survivors find hope, get jobs, and get on with their lives.
Learn More about Peer Support
Reach Out
Survivor Corps works through an ever-growing network of partners all around the world to ensure that our services reach as many survivors as possible.
Learn More about Survivor Corps Partners
Give Back
Survivors have the power to rebuild broken communities by engaging diverse groups and former enemies in collective action. We equip survivors with the tools and experience to become leaders in their communities and advocates for change.
Learn More about Survivor Advocacy
Clear and Present Danger
The Obama administration is about to discover that the terrorists detained at Guantánamo are there for good reason.
On Sunday, November 16, CBS News's 60 Minutes broadcast the first interview with President-elect Barack Obama. The exchange touched on a wide range of topics, from Obama's distaste for college football's computerized selection of a national champion to his plans for changing course in economic and foreign policy. At one point, Obama was asked about the terrorist detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. He responded:
I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantánamo, and I will follow through on that. I've said repeatedly that America doesn't torture and I'm going to make sure that we don't torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America's moral stature in the world.
The president-elect's comments were not surprising. He had often promised on the campaign trail to close Guantánamo. And in the days before the 60 Minutes broadcast, anonymous officials from his transition team had let the press know that the president-elect would deliver on his pledge. They cannot yet say what the Obama administration will do with the 250 or so detainees still being held, but according to the Washington Post, the new team will review the government's files on each detainee and make a determination case by case.
Hero: 1st Sergeant Paul Archie
A year ago, many people fretted that Iraq’s Anbar province was lost. Yet since then progress has come at an almost unthinkable pace, the results of principled and dangerous work by Marines working with locals. As the top enlisted Marine in his company, 1st Sgt. Archie provided consistent leadership in battle from August 2006 through February 2007, a key period of the turnaround in Anbar.In October of last year, insurgents launched a brazen attack on his company’s base: mortars, rockets, AK-47’s, and a suicide bomber driving a truck. Archie coordinated the defense of the base by setting up fortifications on six rooftops and sending out Humvees to block roads from incoming insurgents. Under constant and heavy fire, he moved throughout the battlefield, making sure his Marines had everything they needed. He also successfully oversaw the evacuation of two wounded Marines from the fight. Archie is largely credited for the defense of the base during the intense hour-long fight.
That was not 1st Sgt. Archie’s only encounter with insurgents: His company saw combat all over Anbar during the seven-month deployment. In all, Archie undertook more than 200 combat missions and guided his company through more than 100 engagements with the enemy. Archie estimated that in many areas, there was a 50 percent chance his unit would face an Improvised Explosive Device attack.
For his leadership, dedication, and courage, 1st Sgt. Archie received the Bronze Star with the Combat Distinguishing Device at Camp Lejeune on July 30, 2007.
GEITHNER LIKELY TO BE TREASURY SECRETARY
Barring last minute changes, the nominee for Treasury Secretary will be NY Fed President Tim Geithner -- a career Treasury official under both Bob Rubin and Larry Summers -- who actually had worked at the Treasury in three administrations under five Secretaries -- going back to 1988.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Light at the End of the Recession
...my conversations with economists who have been worth listening to in the past I detect some skepticism about the consensus that we are in deep trouble, headed for still more, and that we are in a tunnel in which no light is discernible. They sense unreasoned panic among consumers, related more to media fixation on share prices than to an appraisal of their own economic circumstances. The overwhelming majority are paying their mortgages on time, and quietly but importantly benefiting from the collapse in oil and petrol prices. They are adjusting by prowling the aisles of Wal-Mart rather than up-market retailers. It might be less fun to share a pizza while watching a rented DVD than dining in style before a night at the cinema, but that sort of hardship is tolerable if unpleasant. That is not to say that there is no real suffering out there. There is, especially among the unemployed. But this isn't the 1930s, or even the early 1980s.
great article
Christine M. Flowers: And then there were four. . .
I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send and who will go for us? Then said I, here am I, send me.
- Isaiah 6:8
- Isaiah 6:8
TIMOTHY Simpson heard a call in the night and answered without hesitation.
He was no different from all the others who put on a uniform in the morning, walk out the door and place their lives at the service of strangers. Simpson, 46, married, father of three, was killed while rushing to a robbery in progress, trying to protect people he didn't know and, tragically, would never meet.
He was the fourth this year.
Obama AG Pick Eric Holder on firearms policy:
Earlier this year, Eric Holder--along with Janet Reno and several other former officials from the Clinton Department of Justice--co-signed an amicus brief in District of Columbia v. Heller. The brief was filed in support of DC's ban on all handguns, and ban on the use of any firearm for self-defense in the home. The brief argued that the Second Amendment is a "collective" right, not an individual one, and asserted that belief in the collective right had been the consistent policy of the U.S. Department of Justice since the FDR administration. A brief filed by some other former DOJ officials (including several Attorneys General, and Stuart Gerson, who was Acting Attorney General until Janet Reno was confirmed)took issue with the Reno-Holder brief's characterization of DOJ's viewpoint.But at the least, the Reno-Holder brief accurately expressed the position of the Department of Justice when Janet Reno was Attorney General and Eric Holder was Deputy Attorney General. At the oral argument before the Fifth Circuit in United States v. Emerson, the Assistant U.S. Attorney told the panel that the Second Amendment was no barrier to gun confiscation, not even of the confiscation of guns from on-duty National Guardsmen.As Deputy Attorney General, Holder was a strong supporter of restrictive gun control. He advocated federal licensing of handgun owners, a three day waiting period on handgun sales, rationing handgun sales to no more than one per month, banning possession of handguns and so-called "assault weapons" (cosmetically incorrect guns) by anyone under age of 21, a gun show restriction bill that would have given the federal government the power to shut down all gun shows, national gun registration, and mandatory prison sentences for trivial offenses (e.g., giving your son an heirloom handgun for Christmas, if he were two weeks shy of his 21st birthday). He also promoted the factoid that "Every day that goes by, about 12, 13 more children in this country die from gun violence"--a statistic is true only if one counts 18-year-old gangsters who shoot each other as "children."(Sources: Holder testimony before House Judiciary Committee, Subcommitee on Crime, May 27,1999; Holder Weekly Briefing, May 20, 2000. One of the bills that Holder endorsed is detailed in my 1999 Issue Paper "Unfair and Unconstitutional.") After 9/11, he penned a Washington Post op-ed, "Keeping Guns Away From Terrorists" arguing that a new law should give "the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a record of every firearm sale." He also stated that prospective gun buyers should be checked against the secret "watch lists" compiled by various government entities. (In an Issue Paper on the watch list proposal, I quote a FBI spokesman stating that there is no cause to deny gun ownership to someone simply because she is on the FBI list.)After the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the D.C. handgun ban and self-defense ban were unconstitutional in 2007, Holder complained that the decision "opens the door to more people having more access to guns and putting guns on the streets."Holder played a key role in the gunpoint, night-time kidnapping of Elian Gonzalez. The pretext for the paramilitary invasion of the six-year-old's home was that someone in his family might have been licensed to carry a handgun under Florida law. Although a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo showed a federal agent dressed like a soldier and pointing a machine gun at the man who was holding the terrified child, Holder claimed that Gonzalez "was not taken at the point of a gun" and that the federal agents whom Holder had sent to capture Gonzalez had acted "very sensitively." If Mr. Holder believes that breaking down a door with a battering ram, pointing guns at children (not just Elian), and yelling "Get down, get down, we'll shoot" is example of acting "very sensitively," his judgment about the responsible use of firearms is not as acute as would be desirable for a cabinet officer who would be in charge of thousands and thousands of armed federal agents, many of them paramilitary agents with machine guns.
Wounded Warrior Project: Ride For Pride Tucson
Date: Saturday, November 22, 2008 At 08:00:00 AM
Get on your bike or be on location to cheer on the riders participating in the Ride for Pride! This "Poker Run" will start and conclude at Tucson Harley Davidson
Home Front Heroes: Blue Star Riders
We chose the name "Blue Star Riders" to express our support for those brave men and women who are serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Blue Star is a symbol that represents those who serve in the Armed Forces and are defending our country.
While we have unwavering respect and support for our troops serving in harm’s way, we have chosen to ride primarily for our wounded heroes. They really have no one to exclusively honor them, to express to them America's gratitude for their sacrifice to our great country. We honor not only those heroes wounded in today's war but those injured in all wars.
What We Do
We support all our troops and veterans. We visit hospitals, outreach centers, attend funerals for fallen heroes, and spread the word of the Fallen and Wounded Warrior Torch. We bring awareness of our fallen and wounded warriors by attending veterans events like Cripple Creek, Rolling Thunder and special memorial services for families.
Mission Statement
To honor those who have been wounded during a time of war. To support the Armed Forces of the United States of America, their families, and its veteran warriors.
To assist and participate in ceremonies which honor ALL our fallen and wounded warriors, including our nation veteran warriors.
To uphold the American principles of freedom, justice and equal rights for ALL.
Hero: Major Jason Amerine
The Story:
In mid-November 2001, then-Capt. Amerine’s small Special Forces team joined up with Afghan freedom fighters to root out the Taliban and to help stabilize the country. Amerine’s team also helped train, secure, and organize friendly Afghan forces. The treacherous Afghanistan terrain had proven to be a formidable defense against foreign fighters, but with the help of the Afghan freedom fighters, Amerine and his team were able to conduct several successful missions.
On November 16th, Amerine’s team, along with approximately 200 Afghan fighters led by now-president Hamid Karzai, entered the town of Tarin Kot, the place where the Taliban first began their rise to power. Coalition forces had taken the town early in the struggle, but reports indicated that the Taliban were going to try and reestablish control there.
Early the next morning, Taliban vehicles moved steadily toward Tarin Kot, but Amerine and his team were ready for the assault. He and his team, along with the freedom fighters, spread out along a mountaintop, watching the road below where the enemy vehicles would approach at any moment. After a few air strikes from the plateau above, the freedom fighters moved back into Tarin Kot. Without the full force available, the Taliban vehicles were able to regroup and keep moving, forcing Amerine and his soldiers to also fall back to the town.
With the help of the Afghan freedom fighters, they engaged in several hours of close combat with the enemies. In the end, Amerine’s team forced the Taliban to flee from Tarin Kot.
On Dec. 5, an errant bomb landed close to the team, killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding several others, including Amerine. On Jan. 15, 2002, Amerine was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Purple Heart. Because of his heroic actions and courage under fire, Amerine was chosen as one of the faces included in the U.S. Army’s “America’s Army” video game.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wounded Warrior Project: Track
TRACK offers wounded warriors an integrated approach to address long-term needs for education and training, advocacy, and secondary rehabilitative care for the mind, body and spirit. This unique program offers participants a range of college preparatory classes and services customized to their needs, helping them build career skills, train in veterans' advocacy, and continue recovery toward a more independent life.Home Front Heroes: A Million Thanks
A Million Thanks is a year-round campaign to show our U.S. Military Men and Women, past and present, our appreciation for their sacrifices, dedication, and service to our country through our letters, emails, cards, prayers, and thoughts. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO SEND A THANK YOU NOTE OR LETTER TO OUR TROOPS, WE CAN HELP YOU. IF YOU WANT A SOLDIER PEN PAL, GO TO http://www.anysoldier.com/ THERE YOU CAN GET ADDRESSES OF SOLDIERS WHO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Donate HERE!
Hero: Specialist Jose Alvarez
Part of the Soldier’s Creed is never to leave behind a fallen comrade. On the night of March 13, 2006, then-Sgt. Wilzcek, Sgt. Row, then-Pfc. Alvarez, then-Pfc. Pushkin, and the rest of their squad risked life and limb to live up to that promise.
Row, the point man, was leading the soldiers through dark, narrow alleys in the city of Ramadi as the squad headed back to base. Suddenly two men darted into a nearby house – and at that hour, Row saw that as a clear sign of imminent danger. He stopped the team, but within seconds the street exploded with an onslaught of machine-gun and small-arms fire, RPG explosions, and hand grenades. The squad dropped to the ground and directed fire at the enemy’s position.
Alvarez moved to a covered position to reload his weapon, and he noticed one of his comrades had been hit and was lying in the middle of the firefight. Without hesitation, Alvarez rushed into the kill zone to check the soldier’s vital signs – but it was too late. He covered the soldier’s body with his own and continued firing on the enemy. When he ran out of ammunition, Alvarez stood up and started dragging the soldier out of the line of fire. Row, who was pinned down nearby, provided cover fire as Alvarez struggled to move the body. When Wilzcek and Pushkin saw Alvarez’s difficulties, they ran into the open to help. But as the three moved back toward cover, two RPGs exploded 10 meters away, knocking them down and sending a volley of shrapnel into Alvarez’s right knee. The men stood up and continued dragging their comrade to the safety of a nearby courtyard.
After establishing a safe area for the injured, Pushkin and Wilzcek ran back and forth several times from the courtyard into the line of fire to rescue trapped soldiers. Meanwhile, the RPG explosions had also injured Row’s elbow with shrapnel. Even so, he continued firing on the enemy position to help the others reach safety. Once everyone was clear, Row, who was alone in the middle of the street, called for help. As Row remembered later, “I was trapped in the street, and [Pushkin and Wilzcek] pulled me out of there.”
The squad was now in the courtyard and medical assistance was being administered – but their work was not done: enemy fire continued to light up the area. When the squad started planning the next phase, Alvarez refused to be moved with the other injured soldiers, staying to help in the fight.
The insurgents, seeing the evacuation in progress, focused their fire on the rescuers. Wilzcek, already on the roof, began firing back. After clearing the rooms below, Pushkin and his team hurried up to the roof to help Wilzcek. Row grabbed a Bunker Defeat Munition – a shoulder-launched explosive for use against fortified positions – but his injured elbow prevented him from using it. He ran up to the roof, handed the weapon to Pushkin, and helped guide Pushkin toward the targets. With Row and Wilzcek providing cover fire, Pushkin took aim and fired – destroying the enemy’s position and killing a number of insurgents. With that, the squad was able to leave the area safely.
On Feb. 15, 2007, Wilzcek, Alvarez, and Pushkin were awarded the Silver Star for their bravery and actions; Row was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor.
Row, the point man, was leading the soldiers through dark, narrow alleys in the city of Ramadi as the squad headed back to base. Suddenly two men darted into a nearby house – and at that hour, Row saw that as a clear sign of imminent danger. He stopped the team, but within seconds the street exploded with an onslaught of machine-gun and small-arms fire, RPG explosions, and hand grenades. The squad dropped to the ground and directed fire at the enemy’s position.
Alvarez moved to a covered position to reload his weapon, and he noticed one of his comrades had been hit and was lying in the middle of the firefight. Without hesitation, Alvarez rushed into the kill zone to check the soldier’s vital signs – but it was too late. He covered the soldier’s body with his own and continued firing on the enemy. When he ran out of ammunition, Alvarez stood up and started dragging the soldier out of the line of fire. Row, who was pinned down nearby, provided cover fire as Alvarez struggled to move the body. When Wilzcek and Pushkin saw Alvarez’s difficulties, they ran into the open to help. But as the three moved back toward cover, two RPGs exploded 10 meters away, knocking them down and sending a volley of shrapnel into Alvarez’s right knee. The men stood up and continued dragging their comrade to the safety of a nearby courtyard.
After establishing a safe area for the injured, Pushkin and Wilzcek ran back and forth several times from the courtyard into the line of fire to rescue trapped soldiers. Meanwhile, the RPG explosions had also injured Row’s elbow with shrapnel. Even so, he continued firing on the enemy position to help the others reach safety. Once everyone was clear, Row, who was alone in the middle of the street, called for help. As Row remembered later, “I was trapped in the street, and [Pushkin and Wilzcek] pulled me out of there.”
The squad was now in the courtyard and medical assistance was being administered – but their work was not done: enemy fire continued to light up the area. When the squad started planning the next phase, Alvarez refused to be moved with the other injured soldiers, staying to help in the fight.
The insurgents, seeing the evacuation in progress, focused their fire on the rescuers. Wilzcek, already on the roof, began firing back. After clearing the rooms below, Pushkin and his team hurried up to the roof to help Wilzcek. Row grabbed a Bunker Defeat Munition – a shoulder-launched explosive for use against fortified positions – but his injured elbow prevented him from using it. He ran up to the roof, handed the weapon to Pushkin, and helped guide Pushkin toward the targets. With Row and Wilzcek providing cover fire, Pushkin took aim and fired – destroying the enemy’s position and killing a number of insurgents. With that, the squad was able to leave the area safely.
On Feb. 15, 2007, Wilzcek, Alvarez, and Pushkin were awarded the Silver Star for their bravery and actions; Row was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Home Front Heroes: Cause
Comfort for America’s Uniformed Services provides recreational and entertainment programs for wounded warriors recuperating from injuries suffered while serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other military theaters.
Hero: Staff Sgt. Edward Albietz
Staff Sgt. Albietz’s job often sounds more like the script from an episode of 24 than the everyday occurrence that it is: Rush into enemy territory, oftentimes under fire, locate bombs, and defuse them before they can go off and harm troops or civilians.Albietz was the leader of an explosives team at Kirkuk Regional Air Base in Iraq, and was tasked with locating and disarming or destroying homemade bombs throughout a 42,000-square-kilometer area. As a result, Albietz was often caught in dangerous situations, with insurgent attacks always looming. In total, he was involved in more than 110 combat missions.In one such mission, Albietz and his team were called in to disarm a bomb that was blocking a logistical convoy trying to pass through the area. As the enemy fired from multiple locations, Albietz’s team successfully disabled the bomb. In a different mission, his team was sent to the city of Sulayman Bak to look for four pressure-switch-activated bombs that were hidden within a six-block area. Insurgents were trying to blow up Iraqi security and government buildings, but Albietz and his team of experts located each explosive and defused them before any harm could be done.During his time in Iraq, Albietz contributed to the recovery and destruction of more than 40,000 explosives, most of which were roadside bombs of the type that have inflicted numerous casualties on Coalition forces.For his work and leadership, Albietz received the Bronze Star on March 2, 2007.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Fighting the Financial Crisis, One Challenge at a Time
Gee, you almost think he knows what is happnin
Wounded Warrior Project: Project Odyssey
Project Odyssey
Program Description
Project Odyssey began with the idea to bring together warriors dealing with combat stress to offer them a chance to spend time with fellow warriors and start the healing process. Not all wounds from combat are visible. Combat stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder as it's more commonly known, has become the largest disability today's warriors are facing.
Combat stress presents unique challenges for warriors recovering in their home communities. Too often, individuals with combat stress issues feel isolated and worry they will face public censure if they share their struggles with others. This fear creates a barrier that makes it difficult for warriors to recover alone. Project Odyssey gives warriors a safe location to come together to acknowledge and understand the issues they are all facing. Together, they can openly discuss problems without being judged and take the first steps forward toward healing.
WWP's Project Odyssey became a reality in 2007. Since then, three groups of warriors have taken part in an Odyssey. During each session, warriors participate in an incredible lineup of outdoor activities, each designed with a therapeutic aspect to further the healing process. The VA's Outreach Program under Dr. Alfonso Batres has joined the cause to provide mental health specialists from the VA Vet Centers. Odyssey has also gained the support of Secretary Peake of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
On April 13, 2008, the first all-female Odyssey began in Miami, Florida. This Odyssey brought together ten warriors from across the country who share a common bond. They all proudly served their country during a time of war and were dealing with combat stress. To assist the warriors in their recovery, the Department of Veterans Affairs provided two doctors from VA Vet Centers, one Global War on Terror Readjustment Counselor, and one VBA specialist who assisted with their concerns about VA claim issues and benefits.
The event was conducted in partnership with Shake-A-Leg Miami and centered around water-related events like sailing, kayaking, and swimming with dolphins. When not on the water, the warriors participated in team-building exercises to help them recognize and adapt to stressful situations. During the evenings, the group met with mental health professionals to discuss issues each of them was facing in recovery from combat stress. The participants quickly discovered they were not alone, and there were other warriors with similar struggles. Over the week, they found they were not just individuals, but had grown into a cohesive group where they could openly discuss their concerns without being judged.
Most importantly, this group of warriors forged a bond of friendship and found others they could trust and call upon when times get tough. The healing process was started during the week, and for many, Odyssey was the first time they shared their pain with anyone.
This Odyssey was an overwhelming success, and all of the women who participated are incredible warriors who served their country honorably. During the week, they took steps together toward reclaiming life from combat stress.
WWP will continue to offer Odysseys for both male and female warriors. In many cases, women warriors react differently than men. They have their own concerns they often do not feel comfortable discussing with strangers, and especially men. As an organization, we want all warriors, male or female, to have their voices heard. Together, we will be working to help all warriors overcome the challenges of combat stress.
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