The New York Times, Sunday 1-13-08, has an ‘Eye Opening’ Report, Across America, Deadly Echoes of Foreign Battles with this one only being Part 1 !!
Tag: Afghanistan
Jan 01 2008
2007 A Year of Advancements and Dissapointments
unlike the previous Congress, Investigate and hold Hearings, way too numorous to list all.
We have some seeking to find the answers to all the wrongs committed by an administration
shown time and again to be Incompetant and Corrupt! And we have many, who once controlled,
playing the Obstructionists on every issue raised.
These Obstructionists were extremely lax in
their roles as the peoples representatives when they did hold that control, and will continue to be so,
we would have already seen a change in their ideology, whatever the hell that is!
One Extremely Important Issue that stood out, of the previous Congress, and the Media didn’t even question,
as they were beating the War Drums, and using three words ‘Support The Troops’ to marginalize
anyone questioning the Policies of the Administration, was ‘What About The Troops?’.
Jan 01 2008
The Army’s Other Crisis
cross-posted from Daily Kos
is the title of an important piece in Washington Monthly, subtitled “Why the best and brightest young officers are leaving”. Written by Andrew Tilghman, it provides the statistics that let us understand that the leadership of the Army is effectively broken, now and for the future.
Consider the following: of the West Point Class of 2002, 58% left the Army upon completion of their minimum 5 year commitment. Or on a larger scale, consider this:
In the last four years, the exodus of junior officers from the Army has accelerated. In 2003, around 8 percent of junior officers with between four and nine years of experience left for other careers. Last year, the attrition rate leapt to 13 percent. “A five percent change could potentially be a serious problem,” said James Hosek, an expert in military retention at the RAND Corporation. Over the long term, this rate of attrition would halve the number of officers who reach their tenth year in uniform and intend to take senior leadership roles.
(more)
Dec 30 2007
3901 with Today and Tomorrow till Month Ends
I was hoping that I wouldn’t find a need to Update that original post after the month of December ends!
But I will with a heavy heart!
Dec 29 2007
NOW!! They WORRY about SPILLOVER!!
Never mind answering, I already know, we are what we hire or allow to steal those jobs, it’s been coming for a Long Time, and Now we’re going to suffer the consequences for as Long or Longer!
And what do ‘We The People’ do, Not A Damn thing as to holding anyone accountible for the actions taken ‘In Our Names’!
Dec 29 2007
Why are Wives or Husbands, Mothers or Fathers Sacrificing…
Today the puppeteers pulled the puppets strings and the puppet says it will veto the Defense Department bill passed by the House and Senate containing
The bill is important to members of the military and their families, since it provides for a 3.5 percent pay raise for the troops and contains measures intended to improve the much-criticized health-care system for veterans.
Dec 28 2007
Al Qaeda and the Taliban
I am doing research for an article for a magazine. I have been speaking with troops directly in Iraq and Afghanistan on the front. I also speak with Veterans who have left the military who were in both these battle fields.
In general these men and women believe that we need to remain in Afghanistan. They firmly believe that both the Taliban and Al Qaeda remain strong forces. Their thoughts are that essentially these groups are organizations setup with a corporate structure. Many said it does not matter whether Bin Laden or any other leaders are dead or not, there are many second in command (vice presidents) who will take over.
They feel as strongly as we on the left about getting out of Iraq. Virtually every one of them I spoke to currently in the military and those who have returned believe it was wrong to go into Iraq and we need to be out ASAP.
We currently have 160,000 troops in Iraq and 50,000 in Afghanistan.
They know Bushco used 9/11, Al Qaeda, Bin Laden and The Taliban for fear mongering. They believe that he just exploited a situation that is real. Their thoughts are that both these groups are as strong or stronger than they were on 9/11.
Those in Afghanistan believe in what they are doing there and are very frustrated that Pakistan is not allowing them in their country to pursue the Taliban and Al Qaeda. On this battle front the men and women universally are committed to their cause.
Those in Iraq are completely discouraged and feel their training is being wasted and they are killing for no good cause. They know they are in an un-winnable war that is virtually a civil war within Iraq. The Iraqi government and military are NOT “stepping up to the plate” and taking the lead and doing their job. They should be preparing to take things over as we withdraw but are doing little to show signs of doing so.
In general the troops in Iraq would gladly go to do what they were trained to do in Afghanistan.
I have spoken to over 50 men and women who are in or were in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have spoke to officers as high as Majors. That is three promotions from General. They are of the same belief.
What are your thoughts on these issues? PLEASE TAKE POLL, THIS IS A LARGE PART OF WHY I POSTED THIS ESSAY. THANKS.
Dec 28 2007
Kucinich: Statement on the death of Benazir Bhutto w/poll
The US had chosen who to back in Pakistan, and that was Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Not surprisingly, it’s blown up in our faces. We have no idea where things will lead, but the world is an ever more dangerous place tonight. With an unstable Afghanistan on one border, Iran on another, longtime rivals India on another and China on the fourth, the instability that this adds could lead to a regional war involving the world’s two most populace countries (and Pakistan is no slouch at over 164 million people.
Dec 28 2007
So This Was Christmas
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
A song I kept hearing, over and over each day almost hourly, as my coworkers wanted to listen to Christmas music at the jobsite, so we switched channels, and the canned programming played this a number of times. I kept wondering if there was a message there or if whoever made up the program list really knew what the song was about, or if it was just about Lennon singing about Christmas, much like the Reagan campaign took to ‘Born in the USA’ as their own, remember that, nobody apparently knowing the words to!
Dec 24 2007
HONORING THE FALLEN: US Military KIA, Iraq – December 2007
It’s become more of a grab fest of materialistic riches and buying frency starting with Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which somehow also has lost it’s meaning, from the wew morning hours right through the evening hours of the Eve. And now, with the political primaries so close, for the coming elections, a Spirit of anything but The Birth and Teachings of Christ has developed, while his name is bandied about by those seeking political office!
But one thing has stayed consistant these last few years, because of a failure of our Countries Policies and it’s Arrogance, wether Christmas is celebrated or not, there will be tens of thousands of Empty Chairs at the dinner tables, and family gatherings, on the Eve of and on the Day of ‘The Birth of Christ’, a savior to some, a prophet to some, or non-existant to others!
Dec 16 2007
Got Kids, Meet Their Future
An Iraqi boy reacts after seeing his sister and both of his parents killed in the car, in Ramadi, 60 miles west of Baghdad, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005
As we bring Freedom and Democray at the point of a gun!
Dec 13 2007
Congress Vows Action On Vets’ Suicides
This is a Quick posting as I just Uploaded the Video’s and am running around getting ready for work.
Congress Vows Action On Vets’ Suicides
‘Make VA go to the soldier’