Afghan, US forces kill 55 Taliban after ambush

US and Afghan forces fought a major battle with the Taliban and "inflicted heavy casualties" on the force just miles from the Pakistani border on June 20, Combined Joint Task Force - 101 reported.
More than 55 Taliban fighters, including three senior leaders, were reported killed, 25 were wounded and three were captured by a combined air and ground counterattack after a Taliban force ambushed a patrol in Paktika province. "Patrols in the ambush area continue to report additional enemy casualties," the US military reported.
The attack occurred in the northeastern corner of Paktika province, close to the Pakistani border on a road between the districts of Zirok and Orgun districts. The US Army maintains Forward Operating Base Orgun-E in the region to interdict Taliban cross border raids.

US forces kill al Qaeda's leader in Mosul

US special operations forces scored a major victory in Mosul today. US forces killed al Qaeda's emir, or leader, of the northern Iraq city during a raid on a safe house.
The emir, who has not been named, was killed after a special operations forces team from Task Force 88, the hunter-killer teams assigned to take down terrorists in Iraq, stormed a building in Mosul. The commandos opened fire after one of the terrorists attempted to detonate his suicide vest was shot and another reached for a pistol. A woman with the group attempted to detonate the vest on the dead al Qaeda operative.

The New York Times Version Of Historical Atrocities

This is a must read, please follow the link and read the whole thing.

To get an idea of what I’m talking about, let’s examine some highlights from the history of the Times — not only America’s most famous newspaper, but the one from which the nation’s media have, to an extraordinary extent, taken their lead for generations. These highlights do not even begin to tell the whole story of the Times’s treatment of totalitarianism over the decades, of course, but they point to something chronic, unhealthy, and dishonest at the heart of the Gray Lady’s editorial sensibility that has yet to be effectively addressed - and that has its counterparts in countless less prominent media on which the Times has long exerted a major influence.

Hero: Brian Neuman

Brian Neuman

Because Brian enlisted in the service as a Ranger during his first stint with the Army, he did all of his ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was subsequently assigned to Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, where he remained for four years. Only once did he come close to combat during that enlistment, when his unit was deployed off Haiti in 1994 in Operation Uphold Democracy to end an unlawful military takeover of that country from its democratically elected government. As the security situation on the ground worsened, diplomacy backed by the threat of military force won the day before combat was necessary to end a coup that had brought a new reign of terror upon the Haitian people. Honorably discharged from his first enlistment, Brian earned an associate degree from Bristol Community College in Massachusetts and worked in the construction industry for a few years. However, after the events of September 11, 2001, Brian felt a strong inner force of patriotism compelling him to return to the service of his country.

Some years had passed, and he was unable to get back into the Ranger program. He went into psychological operations, since that was a way to get attached to a Ranger battalion. After going through training all over again, as well as advanced infantry training in psychological operation, Brian studied the Arabic language for six months.

When he went to Afghanistan in November 2003, Brian got his wish. He was attached to his old outfit, the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, for the first three months of his seven-month tour and spent the remaining four months with another battalion from the same regiment. He saw plenty of combat while in Afghanistan, but no major fighting. As he described it, “We did a lot of missions but had just had little contacts with the enemy.” What Brian did emphasize was the severity of the climate in which the troops operated – the austere mountain landscape and extreme cold of winter.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina may be “The Home of the Rangers,” but garrison life didn’t appeal to Brian when he returned to the United States in May 2004. He managed to get deployed to Iraq in August 2004, just three months after returning from Afghanistan.

In Iraq, Brian was attached to the 1st Marines Division doing psychological operations in the dangerous area surrounding the Sunni city of Fallujah. At the time, instability was mounting inside the city; it would culminate in the Battle for Fallujah, launched November 7, 2004. Brian was heavily involved in the battle from the first day. He led a team into the city in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle on November 7, 8 and 9, but they came out at night when the city calmed down. On November 10, the city did not calm down, and they maintained their presence overnight.

The following day, November 11, Brian’s team, which included his interpreter and two soldiers, had been inside their Bradley for 36 hours. They had been hit by 10 to 15 rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), but all of them bounced off without doing any harm to the troops and the interpreter inside. However, at noon, the Bradley was hit by an explosively formed projectile (EFP), which hit the vehicle about six inches from Brian’s arm and penetrated three inches of steel before entering the Bradley.The EFP took off Brian’s arm at the elbow and ripped across his chest, cutting his pistol and everything else he had on his chest in half. “Thank God for my body armor,” Brian said. “It saved my life.” The EFP passed through the body of Brian’s interpreter, killing him instantly. Then, it went up into the turret of the Bradley, cooking off many rounds of ammunition.

As the smoke in the vehicle cleared, Brian saw that his arm would never be reattached to his body; the destruction was too bad. Brian’s soldiers were unharmed and were looking at him as if he were a ghost. He got them out of their trance so they could apply pressure to his wound and stop the bleeding. They got out of the Bradley. Brian went first, running for a medic holding his arm. The two soldiers covered him as all three took small-arms fire from the enemy. Brian is proud of his soldiers. Due to their presence of mind, all three survived the Battle for Fallujah.

Recuperation: Brian had his first major surgery at a medical aid station in Iraq. From there he went to the military hospital at Balad Airbase in Iraq, and on to the Army’s Landstuhl Regional Army Medical Center in Germany. He arrived at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., within a week of his injury. He had five surgeries as a result of his wounds.

“You feel guilty at first because your friends are still in Iraq and you’re not with them,’ said Brian of the time after his arrival back in the United States, “but then you realize that you’re not going to be able to do what you’ve been doing any longer. There are a lot of things you can do to deal with that, and one thing I did was focus on the next big event outside the hospital.” Of course, “big events outside the hospital” are a major piece of the rehabilitative program offered by the Wounded Warrior Project.Involvement with WWP: The event that captured Brian’s attention was the Bataan Memorial Death March of 2004. This 26.2-mile trek is held annually in the brutal desert environment of New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range to honor the World War II troops who suffered the horrors of the Bataan Death March. Many of the wounded soldiers who participate carry 35-pound packs as they drive their bodies through this grueling march. Brian has participated every year since his return from Iraq, and he loves the World War II veterans he meets as a result of this event.

Describing the value of events like this, Brian said, “It’s so important to have the recreational opportunities that these events provide, but it certainly doesn’t end there. These events get injured troops out of the hospital environment. They get the minds of the troops focused on something. It really helped me, and I see how much it helps others to get out and do it."

“Take a leg amputee learning to walk on ice. If that veteran goes on a ski trip with the Wounded Warrior Project, he or she will walk on ice for the first time while surrounded by therapists and prosthetics professionals. That’s a whole lot better than just walking out of your house the first time and doing it on your own.” Brian explains.

Brian was medically retired from the Army on September 28, 2005, and went to work for the Wounded Warrior Project the following day. He loves the WWP mission and talks about it in terms of the organization’s logo, which features a soldier carrying a wounded comrade off the field of battle. “When you wear a shirt or hat with the WWP logo on it, you’re not just another guy with one arm. You’re a wounded soldier. That’s important. It says something to the people you meet.”Speaking of his work with the Wounded Warrior Project, Brian says, “I want to use my injury in a positive way, and WWP is the only organization I’d want to do it with. It feels great to be of use to other people.

“I never felt I could make a difference in the life of another person, but now that happens all the time. To see another wounded soldier do something for the very first time and get really excited about it – now, that’s awesome!“I love giving people the tools to adjust to life after they’ve been injured – to transition to civilian life or to return to the military. That’s cool. And to help military families with the little things that can go wrong and the problems that can turn up – that’s really rewarding!”

Wounded Hero: John Fernandez

John Fernandez

John trained as an artillery officer at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery. He went to Kuwait with the first wave of troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom and was among those who moved into Iraq on March 19, 2003, the very first day of the war.
John’s unit was hit by indirect fire, mortars and enemy artillery, but they fought their way through. On April 3, 2003, John and his troops had just moved through the Karbala Gap and were about 30 kilometers south of Baghdad. They were firing artillery missions in support of maneuvers moving in on the Iraqi capital.
While doing reconnaissance in a Humvee, John and his men were taking shifts at watch while the others slept during the night. John heard what he first thought was one of his rocket launchers, but it was really incoming fire.
There was a horrendous explosion. When John came to, he checked out what was left of his legs and screamed, realizing his life had changed forever. But John had men to lead, even though his body was mangled. He dragged himself back to the vehicle to save his gunner who had also been wounded.
The Humvee was spewing fuel. There was fire in some places. After John dragged the gunner some distance, two other soldiers came and took him the rest of the way. Then, as they carried John away, the Humvee blew up, knocking them to the ground. The vehicle blazed, with ammunition cooking off like crazy. Finally, a helicopter flew John to a hospital in Kuwait.
“Three men died that day,” said John. “Once I got to the hospital in Kuwait, I felt pretty much lucky to be alive. I don’t feel sorry for myself.”
Recuperation: John arrived at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 2003. “One of the doctors explained my options, and I said, go ahead and do what you gotta do.”
John’s left foot was amputated, as was his right leg below the knee. There were 12 surgeries altogether.
John is very straightforward in describing rehabilitation: “It’s a crawl, walk, run, skip process. I wasn’t going to give up until I was able to run. It took time more than anything else. Your body has to get used to the prosthesis and the new situation.”
That may sound like it took one heck of a long time, but John walked down the aisle and danced when he married his wife, Kristi, on October 11, in a big wedding ceremony that they were unable to have when they were first married on December 27, 2002. Running came very soon after that as John trained on how to run on his new legs. And he got a major round of applause when he played lacrosse on the West Point alumni team.
Involvement with Wounded Warrior Project: So early in the war, the Wounded Warrior Project had not yet been born when 1st Lieutenant John Fernandez arrived at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. But the organization captured his imagination when he learned about it from another West Point alumnus, whose brother was among WWP’s first staff members.
Long before John ever went to work for the organization, his enthusiasm boiled over: “The Wounded Warrior Project is the main point of reference for the transition from the military hospital to civilian life. They help you cut through all the red tape. They’re a real group of people doing just the right things in terms of helping wounded soldiers.”
“From the beginning, the Wounded Warrior Project has had the right mindset and the right goals," John states. “We see on the news that a lot of troops are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, but many more are getting hurt over there and they must not be forgotten. Dealing with what has happened to the wounded is going to take a long time – a period of years, a lifetime really. That’s what America has to confront, and the Wounded Warrior Project is getting the work underway.”
Feelings about Helping Other Vets thru WWP: As a West Point grad, John Fernandez could have worked toward a master’s degree in business and found his way into a high paying job. Maybe he will do that someday, but right now he has a different agenda. Shortly after he became aware of the Wounded Warrior Project, he felt a powerful pull toward a new way to serve our country. Toward the end of 2006, he discontinued his graduate studies and went to work as WWP’s Director of Alumni/Outreach.

Hero: Captain Kent G. Solheim

Kent G. Solheim

On July 27, 2007, Captain Kent Solheim, United States Army, participated in Operation VOLCANO II, an operation designed to capture a senior leader of the infamous Shiite militia, the Mahdi Army in the city of Karbala, Iraq.
Solheim’s team "fast roped" from helicopters into the area, and set up their position near the target building. Insurgents viciously attacked the American forces from three sides with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and AK-47s. As the enemy fire got heavier, combat air support was called in to eliminate some of the aggressors, but a significant number of attackers remained to the north of Solheim and his unit. These insurgents used the dust that the assault force’s helicopters had kicked up to conceal their movements.
With the insurgents targeting one of the American positions, Solheim aggressively maneuvered his men to reinforce the beleaguered soldiers. It was then that he noticed an insurgent armed with an RPG, less than ten meters away from his position. Disregarding any concern for himself, he bravely charged forward, shot and killed the insurgent, saving the Americans in the nick of time. Realizing that the US forces in the building were in grave danger, Solheim exposed himself to enemy fire in order to gain a better position to cover the other soldiers in his unit. From this location, he managed to limit the insurgent fire on his team. In the final moments of the engagement he rounded a corner and he found himself face to face with an AK-47-wielding Mahdi fighter. Solheim made a split second decision, firing at and killing the insurgent. However, as the terrorist fell to the ground fatally wounded, he let loose one last burst from his AK-47, which wounded Solheim in the legs and back.
Thanks to Captain Solheim’s selfless and heroic actions, dozens of American lives were saved. His actions demonstrated how he placed the lives of his men over that of his own, earning him the Silver Star..

Hero: Chris Hahn

Chris Hahn

Chris shipped out for Iraq on the U.S.S Nassau in November 2005. After landing in Kuwait, his unit transported up to Hit, city on the Euphrates River about halfway between Baghdad and the Syrian border.
Inside the Sunni Triangle, this town was in dangerous territory, and Chris’ unit took on several hazardous missions and patrols. The mission right before Chris was injured was particularly dangerous, a long sweep from a distant town back to Hit in search of weapons caches stored by insurgents and terrorists. That mission was a success with 30 caches found and destroyed.
Just a couple days later, on January 30, 2006, Chris’ unit took on a night operation, dropping combat teams at locations outside Hit. Wartime conditions have left roads in this part of the world treacherous, filled with holes and rubble. Chris was manning a machine gun atop of one of the vehicles when it rolled. In the accident, Chris’ foot and ankle were crushed.
Recuperation: The doctors tried to save Chris’ foot; but, two months after he came home, it turned black, and a decision was made to amputate below the knee. After surgery at Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Chris did rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He spent a total of seven months of hospitalization and rehabilitation in Washington, D.C., but it wasn’t boring.
A highly patriotic young man, Chris used his time to see as many historic sites in our nation’s capital as he possible could. Besides that, as he got better, he also began to play golf again, feeling frustrated that his game was better on one leg than it was when he was using his new prosthetic leg. He even played a few rounds with a couple leaders of the Wounded Warrior Project. “I didn’t fare so well in those games,” he reported with a laugh. We’ll see how he does when he gets used to that prosthetic leg.
Involvement with Wounded Warrior Project: Chris first became aware of the Wounded Warrior Project when RJ visited his room at Bethesda and dropped off a WWP backpack filled with clothing items, toiletries, a CD player, and other stuff that comes in handy when a veteran just arrives at the hospital. Since that day, WWP has been a factor in Chris’ life. “This is not just a job for WWP representatives. For them, it’s like being your friend, being a buddy when you really need someone like that. Anything I needed, they were right there for me."
So far, WWP events Chris has participated in or plans to take part in include skiing, adaptive water sports, golf, and hunting. “Participating in WWP programs let me know that, even though I lost my leg, there was a lot that I can do – everything really. But it’s more than that. It gives you a sense that you’re not going through the process of dealing with your disability all by yourself. You’re not alone in what you’re going through.”

Leadership Summit For Wounded Warriors

Wounded Soldiers Gain Business Skills to Grow Career “Beyond the Battlefield”

Wounded Warrior Project and The Hartford to host inaugural Leadership Summit June 18-21

Master Aviator Michael Durant, inspiration for Black Hawk Down, to keynote

Jacksonville, FL. Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that honors and empowers wounded warriors, announced today the inaugural “Beyond the Battlefield” Leadership Summit, an intensive four-day conference designed to maximize the leadership skills, financial success, and quality of life for men and women with serious injuries from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sixty wounded warriors from across the country are expected to attend the summit, offered through a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Project and The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG), which will be held June 18-21 at TPC Sawgrass in Jacksonville, Fla.

“Through these leadership summits, The Hartford and the Wounded Warrior Project are giving the severely wounded men and women of our armed forces an amazing opportunity to improve their personal finance knowledge and develop the skills needed to form solid business relationships,” said Wounded Warrior Project Founder and Executive Director John Melia. “The leadership summits will help inspire and motivate the warriors to achieve their personal and business goals.”

Many challenges lie ahead for the nearly 31,000 wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The leadership summit is the latest addition to the growing number of services and programs Wounded Warrior Project offers wounded military personnel and veterans including career and benefits counseling, adaptive sporting activities and combat stress seminars. Thanks to a $250,000 commitment from The Hartford, veterans will attend the summit free of charge.

“These brave men and women are returning from the front lines with a diverse set of experiences, leadership skills, and knowledge that directly translate to the business world,” said Ramani Ayer, chairman and CEO of The Hartford. “As a corporate community and a nation, we have a responsibility to recognize the enormity of the sacrifice these individuals have made and to help them return from the battlefield to business.”

Programming at the summit will include:

A forum on small business ownership, showcasing a panel of veterans who have successfully pursued entrepreneurial ambitions after leaving the service. The panel will feature Charles B. Perry, chairman and CEO, of Pinkney-Perry Insurance Agency, Inc.; Karl Dorman, co-founder of Front Line Medical, a national producer and distributor of American made, top quality orthopedic and sports medicine care products; Brendan Hart, founder and CEO of Quantum Executive Group, a management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern for leaders of companies, governments, and institutions; and Michael Durant, a seasoned helicopter pilot and inspiration for the film Black Hawk Down, now the owner of Pinnacle Solutions, Inc., a company that provides flight simulator devices. Durant will also serve as the summit’s keynote speaker.

A financial literacy seminar addressing the unique challenges of disabled veterans, based on content from The Hartford’s financial literacy program, Playbook for Life. The summit will also include one-on-one financial planning sessions for wounded warriors and their families.

A career fair that will offer one-on-one sessions with The Hartford’s vocational counselors, who are experts at integrating disabled individuals into the professional workforce. The fair will also feature a number of companies that have committed to hiring wounded veterans, whose leadership skills are in high demand by large corporations.

A seminar in business golf etiquette led by PGA TOUR professionals, followed by the inaugural Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament, where wounded veterans will play along with business leaders.

For a full schedule of summit events, please contact Ayla Hay at (757) 340-7425 or via e-mail at ayla@themeridiangroup.com. For more information on the business programs offered by The Hartford, please contact Kelly J. Carter at (860) 843-9420 or via email at Kelly.carter@hartfordlife.com.

About Wounded Warrior Project:
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a non-profit that honors and empowers wounded warriors. Beginning at the bedside of the severely wounded, WWP provides programs and services designated to ease the burdens of these heroes and their families, aid in the recovery process and smooth the transition back to civilian life. For more information, please call (904) 296-7350 or visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

About The Hartford:
The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with 2007 revenues of $25.9 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and Ireland. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.

Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Pinkney-Perry Insurance Agency, Inc., Front Line Medical, and Quantum Executive Group are not affiliates or subsidiaries of The Hartford.

Jeremy Feldbusch - Hero

Jeremy Feldbusch

Jeremy was assigned as a mortar man to the 3rd Battalion, of the elite 75th Ranger Regiment on April 5, 2002. In March 2003, he deployed with his fellow Rangers to Iraq for the opening of Operation Iraqi Freedom. There they participated in a critical battle to seize the Haditha Dam on the Euphrates River. This structure is two miles long, holding back 2.2 trillion gallons of water. If Saddam Hussein’s forces had succeeded in blowing up the dam, Baghdad and other cities downriver would have been flooded, setting the invasion back by months. Seizing and securing the dam made it possible for the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division to continue its drive to Baghdad.
On April 2, 2003, Jeremy’s unit was helping to guard that dam when Saddam’s Baathist forces subjected them to an intense artillery barrage. During the battle, a one-inch piece of red-hot shrapnel sliced through Jeremy’s right eye, crashing through his sinuses and lodging in the left side of his brain. It caused severe damage to the optic nerve of his left eye and sent splinters of bone throughout his brain.
Recuperation: Jeremy lost his right eye immediately upon the injury. After evacuation and transportation back to the United States, he faced seven hours of brain surgery. It threatened his life, but there was no alternative. He remained in a coma for several weeks. In the end, the sight of his remaining eye could not be saved. Further surgeries were necessary, including the reconstruction of Jeremy’s face. Then came a long recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Jeremy has gone on from there, learning to use a white cane, read Braille, and gain control of the mood swings that once controlled him due to the injury to his brain.
Involvement with Wounded Warrior Project: Jeremy has been a very prominent spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior project, even doing some legislative work with the organization. Among the programs in which he has participated with WWP is SoldierRide, a bicycling event in which Jeremy rode tandem with a sighted partner.

President Bush

For many Americans, there is no more pressing concern than the price of gasoline. Truckers and farmers and small business owners have been hit especially hard. Every American who drives to work, purchases food, or ships a product has felt the effect. And families across our country are looking to Washington for a response.
High oil prices are at the root of high gasoline prices. And behind those prices is the basic law of supply and demand. In recent years, the world's demand for oil has grown dramatically. Meanwhile, the supply of oil has grown much more slowly. As a result, oil prices have risen sharply, and that increase has been reflected at American gasoline pumps. Now much of the oil consumed in America comes from abroad -- that's what's changed dramatically over the last couple of decades. Some of that energy comes from unstable regions and unfriendly regimes. This makes us more vulnerable to supply shocks and price spikes beyond our control -- and that puts both our economy and our security at risk.
In the long run, the solution is to reduce demand for oil by promoting alternative energy technologies. My administration has worked with Congress to invest in gas-saving technologies like advanced batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. We've mandated a large expansion in the use of alternative fuels. We've raised fuel efficiency standards to ambitious new levels. With all these steps, we are bringing America closer to the day when we can end our addiction to oil, which will allow us to become better stewards of the environment.
In the short run, the American economy will continue to rely largely on oil. And that means we need to increase supply, especially here at home. So my administration has repeatedly called on Congress to expand domestic oil production. Unfortunately, Democrats on Capitol Hill have rejected virtually every proposal -- and now Americans are paying the price at the pump for this obstruction. Congress must face a hard reality: Unless Members are willing to accept gas prices at today's painful levels -- or even higher -- our nation must produce more oil. And we must start now. So this morning, I ask Democratic Congressional leaders to move forward with four steps to expand American oil and gasoline production.
First, we should expand American oil production by increasing access to the Outer Continental Shelf, or OCS. Experts believe that the OCS could produce about 18 billion barrels of oil. That would be enough to match America's current oil production for almost ten years. The problem is that Congress has restricted access to key parts of the OCS since the early 1980s. Since then, advances in technology have made it possible to conduct oil exploration in the OCS that is out of sight, protects coral reefs and habitats, and protects against oil spills. With these advances -- and a dramatic increase in oil prices -- congressional restrictions on OCS exploration have become outdated and counterproductive.
Republicans in Congress have proposed several promising bills that would lift the legislative ban on oil exploration in the OCS. I call on the House and the Senate to pass good legislation as soon as possible. This legislation should give the states the option of opening up OCS resources off their shores, provide a way for the federal government and states to share new leasing revenues, and ensure that our environment is protected. There's also an executive prohibition on exploration in the OCS. When Congress lifts the legislative ban, I will lift the executive prohibition.
Second, we should expand oil production by tapping into the extraordinary potential of oil shale. Oil shale is a type of rock that can produce oil when exposed to heat or other process[es]. In one major deposit -- the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming -- there lies the equivalent of about 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil. That's more than three times larger than the proven oil reserves of Saudi Arabia. And it can be fully recovered -- and if it can be fully recovered it would be equal to more than a century's worth of currently projected oil imports.
For many years, the high cost of extracting oil from shale exceeded the benefit. But today the calculus is changing. Companies have invested in technology to make oil shale production more affordable and efficient. And while the cost of extracting oil from shale is still more than the cost of traditional production, it is also less than the current market price of oil. This makes oil shale a highly promising resource.
Unfortunately, Democrats in Congress are standing in the way of further development. In last year's omnibus spending bill, Democratic leaders inserted a provision blocking oil shale leasing on federal lands. That provision can be taken out as easily as it was slipped in -- and Congress should do so immediately.
Third, we should expand American oil production by permitting exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR. When ANWR was created in 1980, Congress specifically reserved a portion for energy development. In 1995, Congress passed legislation allowing oil production in this small fraction of ANWR's 19 million acres. With a drilling footprint of less than 2,000 acres -- less than one-tenth of 1 percent of this distant Alaskan terrain -- America could produce an estimated 10 billion barrels of oil. That is roughly the equivalent of two decades of imported oil from Saudi Arabia. Yet my predecessor vetoed this bill.
In the years since, the price of oil has increased seven-fold, and the price of American gasoline has more than tripled. Meanwhile, scientists have developed innovative techniques to reach ANWR's oil with virtually no impact on the land or local wildlife. I urge members of Congress to allow this remote region to bring enormous benefits to the American people.
And finally, we need to expand and enhance our refining capacity. Refineries are the critical link between crude oil and the gasoline and diesel fuel that drivers put in their tanks. With recent changes in the makeup of our fuel supply, upgrades in our refining capacity are urgently needed. Yet it has been nearly 30 years since our nation built a new refinery, and lawsuits and red tape have made it extremely costly to expand or modify existing refineries. The result is that America now imports millions of barrels of fully-refined gasoline from abroad. This imposes needless costs on American consumers. It deprives American workers of good jobs. And it needs to change.
So today I'm proposing measures to expedite the refinery permitting process. Under the reformed process that I propose, challenges to refineries and other energy project permits must be brought before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals within 60 days of the issuance of a permit decision. Congress should also empower the Secretary of Energy to establish binding deadlines for permit decisions, and to ensure that the various levels of approval required in the refinery permitting process are handled in a timely way.
With these four steps, we will take pressure off gas prices over time by expanding the amount of American-made oil and gasoline. We will strengthen our national security by reducing our reliance on foreign oil. We will benefit American workers by keeping our nation competitive in the global economy -- and by creating good jobs in construction, and engineering, and refining, maintenance, and many other areas.
The proposals I've outlined will take years to have their full impact. There is no excuse for delay -- as a matter of fact, it's a reason to move swiftly. I know the Democratic leaders have opposed some of these policies in the past. Now that their opposition has helped drive gas prices to record levels, I ask them to reconsider their positions. If congressional leaders leave for the 4th of July recess without taking action, they will need to explain why $4-a-gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act. And Americans will rightly ask how high oil -- how high gas prices have to rise before the Democratic-controlled Congress will do something about it.
I know this is a trying time for our families, but our country has faced similar strains before and we've overcome them together -- and we can do that again. With faith in the innovative spirit of our people and a commitment to results in Washington, we will meet the energy challenges we face -- and keep our economy the strongest, most vibrant, and most hopeful in the world.

From The President

This week I'm traveling in Europe. In the past few days, I have visited Slovenia, Germany, Italy, and the Vatican. I'm spending this Saturday in France. And I will conclude my trip in the United Kingdom.
In my meetings, I've discussed our shared efforts to advance peace and prosperity around the world. America has strong partners in leaders like Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, Germany's Angela Merkel, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, and Britain's Gordon Brown. And together we're pursuing an agenda that is broad and far-reaching.
America and Europe are cooperating to open new opportunities for trade and investment. We're working to tear down regulatory barriers that hurt our businesses and consumers. We're striving to make this the year that the world completes an ambitious Doha trade agreement -- which will open up new markets for American goods and services, and help alleviate poverty around the world.
America and Europe are cooperating to address the twin challenges of energy security and climate change while keeping our economies strong. We're working to diversify our energy supplies by developing and financing new clean energy technologies. And we're working toward an international agreement that commits every major economy to slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of greenhouse gases.
America and Europe are cooperating to widen the circle of development and prosperity. We're leading the world in providing food aid, improving education for boys and girls, and fighting disease. Through the historic commitments of the United States and other G8 countries, we're working to turn the tide against HIV/AIDS and malaria in Africa. And to achieve this noble goal, all nations must keep their promises to deliver this urgent aid.
America and Europe are cooperating on our most solemn duty: protecting our citizens. Our nations are applying the tools of intelligence, finance, law enforcement, diplomacy, and -- when necessary -- military power to break up terror networks and deny them safe havens. And to protect against the prospect of ballistic missile attacks emanating from the Middle East, we're developing a shared system of missile defense.
We're also working together to ensure that Iran is not allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. This week, America and our European allies sent a clear and unmistakable message to the regime in Tehran: It must verifiably suspend its enrichment activities -- or face further isolation and additional sanctions. Together, America and Europe are pursuing strong diplomacy with Iran, so that future generations can look back and say that we came together to stop this threat to our people.
In the long run, the most important way we can protect our people is to defeat the terrorists' hateful ideology by spreading the hope of freedom. So America and Europe are working together to advance the vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in security and peace. We're working together to protect the sovereignty of Lebanon's young democracy. And we're working together to strengthen the democratically elected governments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In all of these areas, the United States and Europe have agreed that we must take action -- and that we must go forward together. The level and breadth of the cooperation between America and our European allies today is unprecedented. And together we're making the world a safer and more hopeful place.

Hero: Master Sergeant Brendan O'Connor

For an additional account of this harrowing battle, refer to Captain Sheffield Ford’s narrative

Surrounded on all sides by hardened Taliban fighters, a vastly outnumbered force of Americans and Afghans fought nearly to the last bullet. In June 2006, 47-year-old Master Sergeant Brendan O’Connor of the 7th Special Forces Group – the Army’s elite Green Berets – was the team’s medic during Operation Kaika. The Taliban believed this isolated group of Americans and Afghans, numbering less than 70, would be an easy target. They were gravely mistaken.
When the terrorists sprang their trap, the sky exploded with the thunder of rifle, machine-gun, and grenade fire from both sides. The main group was separated by more than 100 yards, and the situation at both positions was dire.
O’Connor heard over the radio that several wounded men ahead of a forward position could be overrun at any moment. Leading a team of eight, he quickly traversed the distance between the two positions and took stock of the situation. There he saw two wounded men – Staff Sergeant Matthew Binney and Staff Sergeant Joseph Fuerst – farther ahead and knew he had to reach them. Disregarding three enemy machine-guns, O’Connor dropped to his stomach and began an arduous crawl to the wounded troops. Restricted in his movements by his protective armor, O’Connor paused and removed the only shield he had from the hostile onslaught, his Interceptor bullet proof vest. He traded his armor for a cloth sign that he pinned to his back to alert the close-air support attack helicopters that he was friendly.
The 200 foot crawl was nearly an hour and a half of constant enemy fire directed at the brave American. Reaching a compound to which he could pull the wounded, he singlehandedly moved the two soldiers there and performed emergency first-aid. As night fell, O’Connor made several trips to move the Binney and Fuerst back to the advanced position. From there, they were able to medevac the injured, and begin their own exfiltration to the security of the patrol base.
While Fuerst did not survive his severe injuries, Binney lived because of the bold decision made by a 47-year-old-medic more concerned with the lives of his friends than his own. For his actions, O’Connor was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the first time a member of the 7th Special Forces Group was awarded this honor since July of 1964.