Crossroads Baptist Church 8/12/2018

Today Pastor Kirk gave a service on God's word being our focus, our goal post. Of course, but do you go to church just to hear the word and then live your life as if you are a part of this world? Or are you moved into action? We, as Christians, are called to be Christ-like. No, we are not perfect. That is why Christ paid our sin debt in full.

After you surrender your life to Christ, you become a new creation! We are now different than those of this world. So when we live our lives, we should stand out among others. What do I mean?

Exactly this: We are called to be different. Not self-righteous, but God-righteous. And in this manner, he emphasized 5 main points that we, as adults, are responsible for when it comes to our children's education.

1. Encourage testimonies. Parents and children are not required to leave who they are at the door. No one else does, and neither did Daniel. Daniel 1:3-8. This is a good way to let people know who you are and what you are about.

Yes, it gets tough, but it is worth it.

2. Parents, lead by example. There was a father whose son was very important to a particular team, but the final game was on a Sunday. He was conflicted. Should he let his son play and teach him that baseball was more important than God?

An easier way to go about this conflict is to let the coach know at the beginning of the year that Sunday's and Wednesday's are priorities elsewhere. That way, it is no surprise to the coach or the team.

3. Students should get 100% benefit every year. If you study and work hard, put your whole effort towards your education, there is no reason you cannot achieve your best. If your best is a B or a C, then you have done your best! But if your best is an A and you get a C, you are cheating yourself and God. God gave you the talent and ability. Make sure to use them.

4. Set goals for your children. Many times children go away to  revivals, Vacation Bible School, etc., and within a month or two they are back to the way they were before they left. We call that backsliding. If you set goals for them, encourage them, be a part of their lives by getting materials that you can use together; it can be a great influence on your child's life.

5. Your children's friends DO matter. Good people do good things. Bad people do bad things. Life is hard enough for our children. If they start out by telling you that their friend did this and that, but they are good person, stop it right there. It may be true. Are you willing to risk your child? I am not.

We have to be diligent. Look on their Facebook accounts! Both your child's and their friends. You will learn more than you ever wanted to know. They post everything!

I have to check on the pot roast right now, so I hope these words of encouragement helped you in some way. :)

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Tea Party Patriots: Onward March in Remembrance of Andrew Breitbart

Today is a very sad day because of America's loss of Andrew Breitbart, but he would encourage us to move forward most enthusiastically. For those who have been on the sidelines, it's okay. Pick up your banners and join us so we can finally bring our country to its constitionally limitted authority.

Andrew Breitbart was born in 1969, he leaves behind a very charming wife and four children. He was 43 years old. This is tragic.

I would like an autopsy so we can know possitively that no jihadi can claim responsibility for Andrew's demise, because he put his life on the line for ALL Americans. It is true that his life was in danger for us.

Now it appears the only way to pay tribute to our well respected and tirelessly working friend is to pick up where he left off so what he started was not in vain. I accept this challenge. I am back.

Please contact me if you can help in any way toward our next Tea Party (Long Beach Patriots) on April 15, 2012.

Lastly but NOT leastly. Please pray for Andrew's family, friends, and other loved ones. Please send them words of encouragement. If anyone feels the need to send them angry, obscene words, please remember that God is watching you. I do not have to because God will take care of this family and He will also deal with you. So please stay away if you do not want to be encouraging. Thank you.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

This Slavery Needs To STOP

Since I was a child, I never understood slavery. Doesn't everyone bleed the same? Are we all not children of God? Then how on earth can we allow others to treat our brothers and sisters so cruelly? Please watch the following video.

Here is the link in case my computer is not working properly.

I am going to sit still for a while now and cry. I cannot bear it.

Hat tip: secularstupiddd.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again. Digg!

NAACP Should Lose Nonprofit Status

There have been times when different organizations throughout our history whom have called for the nonprofit status of a group to be dishonored and suffer the loss of such nonprofit status after it has been proven that said group is politically partisan. I am sad to say that I agree this is one of those times.

Below you will find some people who agree with me (of course). The difference? They are also black, and they are fed up with the hypocracy. Please read further.

NAACP Executive Caught on Tape Lying About Tea Party Attendance

If the NAACP Will Lie About This, What Else Might Its Leadership Be Lying About?.

Washington, D.C. - In [an] appearances on the Fox News Channel this week, NAACP executive Hilary Shelton claimed he attended a major tea party event despite having said three days before that he had not attended a tea party, was "afraid" to go to a tea party rally and had only watched media reports about them.

"Did Hilary Shelton lie to me?" asked Deneen Borelli, full-time fellow with the Project 21 black leadership network. "If he can't give a simple, straightforward answer about whether he has been to a tea party, that certainly calls the truthfulness of his other claims about the tea party movement into question."

On the July 16 edition of "America's Newsroom" on the Fox News Channel, Borelli and Shelton — the NAACP's senior vice president for advocacy — debated the merits of the NAACP's resolution decrying alleged instances of racism at tea party events. In this debate, Shelton claimed to have attended the tea party rally at the U.S. Capitol on the weekend of the House of Representative's vote on health care:

Borelli: "Have you been to a tea party?"

Shelton: "I was. As a matter of fact I was on Capitol Hill at that tea party rally "

However, on the July 13 edition of "America Live," he had a different answer when asked the same question by Phil Dennis of the Dallas Tea Party:

Dennis: "Have you been to a tea party event?"

Shelton: "I have watched you on TV. I'm afraid to go I have not."

Which is it?

"The increasing politicization of the NAACP is putting the reputation of this venerable civil rights institution at risk. For it to be allowed to be used as a weapon to attack the tea party movement calls its credibility into question, and Hilary Shelton telling two tales of his interactions with the tea party is troubling," added Borelli. "I would suggest he take the time to read the tea party's Contract from America and attend a tea party rally — for the first or second time — with an open mind."

Video of both interviews can be seen at [the] [ConservativeBlog.org].

Borelli has a statement about the NAACP's racism allegations at the BigGovernment.com website [snip] and another at the FoxNews.com website [snip], has appeared repeatedly on the Fox News Channel to discuss the issue (clips at the SunnyDayAmerica YouTube channel [snip], and joined in a press release condemning the NAACP allegations with other members of Project 21 in a press release[:

"Progressives have hijacked the NAACP to the extent that the group stands silent as conservative blacks suffer indignities for their beliefs. Some NAACP even egg on this appalling behavior – providing political cover and lapdog services for these elitists," said Project 21 member Kevin Martin. "As a conservative black man, I have felt more welcomed and at home within the tea party movement than among those of my own who side with the this new NAACP. If a few random signs of President Obama looking like the Joker is indeed racist, then where was the NAACP when conservative blacks are depicted as lawn jockeys, Oreos and Uncle Toms?" [Continue reading.]

More allegations were made] in a series of statements at BigGovernment.com.

Project 21, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research, has been a leading voice of the African-American community since 1992. For more information about the history of Project 21, visit the Project 21 website.

This is a group that is fair and does not discriminate. Isn't that what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed about? Black or white, yellow or red, we are all Americans. We are brothers and sisters. To hate your brother or sister is to hate yourself. Is this why Conservatives are happier than Liberals? Perhaps. We live each new day as it comes, and that's the way life ought to be without the government interference! Have a blessed day.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again. Digg!

My Black Brothers and Sisters: Wake Up

To define a group of people in any way other than humans, Christians, Jews, Muslims, sports teams, political party, etc, is racist. No one is a victim, not anymore. Even those who have suffered racism can rise above it by simply not accepting what others may say. We consider ourselves Survivors. Now if someone lays their hands on you or your property, that's another story. That is a crime against all of us. Call the Police!

It breaks my heart that the Democrats have taken very beautiful people and stomped all over their Liberty, confidence, patriotism, and their education. What is this? "I am not going to learn because that is a white thing!"? HOW DARE THEY!

It is not a white thing that drove Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to demonstrate. It was not a white thing that freed the slaves. It was Christians who could not tolerate this injustice and hypocry that brought us to blows against brother, father, son, and the rest of the family. Then we had to repair the Union so it could stand under the this division after the civil war was over. That was not a white or black issue, it was a moral issue.

Since when did moral issues become white? They never where and never will be. I have personally learned very much from my black sisters. I was raised by a lady whom I love very much. She just happened to be black. SHE taught me right from wrong, good from evil, and how to not get a spanking when my Dad came home. haha.

I put her on a pedastal because that is where she belongs. Her name is Willie. I miss her terribly, but she had to leave to take care of her own Mom. I pray God has blessed them both greatly. The last I heard, He has.

I don't want my other brothers and sisters to be mistaken by these self-serving Democrats. Why is it that they can use racist terms and nothing is said? No consequenses! (KKK Byrd, for one.) By letting this be done, whitey reporters, it does NOT pay back anyone for the crimes that have been brought them here and beyond. If you did not commit the crime, you cannot ask for forgiveness. Unless, of course, you will choose to accept the punishment. What's that? *chirp* *chirp* Just as I thought. All lies.

You can do the best for our brothers and sisters everyday. TREAT THEM AS YOUR EQUAL, because they are. Love them as Americans, because they are, do not treat them any differently than you would treat your own friends. That is, of course, unless you're a jerk to begin with. In which case I recommend you keep on walking.

Please wake up, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has anyone informed you that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican? Did you know it was white Republicans who started the College Fund with motto: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste"? Have you been taught all of these accomplishments of our Americans that happened to be black?

We would not have street lights today if not for our brother. Sorry, but I don't remember his name. Could that be because I'm tired of being called racist (I am a Tea Party Patriots coordinator, Long Beach Patriots), or maybe because the Democrats do not want this taught? Or could it be I just have a bad memory about everything? Yeah, that's the truth, but will you accept and/or believe that when I am being honest with you? That's up to you.

I did not learn this in school. I learned it on my own. Many of us would love to embrace all Americans who want a strong national defense (to stay alive), a constitutionally (and bill of rights) limitted government without so much power (it was never meant to be a boot on our necks), and an opportunity to sell our goods that we have made with our hands to other people next door, in the next state, or in other countries (that are not our enemies) without tarriffs (taxes). That is called a free market.

Please do not determine what you believe by the words of those with alterior motives. Come to a Tea Party and find out for yourself. I have never heard of anyone NOT being accepted except racists and trouble-makers. I've removed one myself.

I'm not going to go into the work I've done to help bring us closer, because I know that's just grandisement.

Rather I will emplore you, remember that you are a free individual who can do anything (legal) you desire if you aspire to do it. No one rules your life except God and you. Your happiness is determined by you, not by others. This is America. You are an American just as much as I am an a American. Please hold that in your heart, because it is very important.

This country was founded by Christians, and we are feeling some of the exclusion you have suffered. No, there's no way we could what you felt felt fully, but somewhat.

Do not allow ANYONE to put unseen chains upon your spirit. That is what the Democrats have done. Just take a look at your city if it is run by a Democrat. Then look at a city run by a Repubican. Notice any difference? It has nothing to do with color, thank God. It has to do with values. What do you value? Your values will determine which political party or candidate has earned your vote. Like it or not (at first).

God bless you all, my friends.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again. Digg!

July 4th Tea Party Coming Up

For everyone who has questions, I'm trying to find the answers. So far this is what we know.

Matthew Perdie, who has walked 3600 miles across America talking to REAL people, shall be in the home stretch early July. We are trying to raise enough money for his parents and him to stay in a hotel. Five dollars would be better than nothing, I always say. :)

We will meet at Memorial Park for a picnic around 4 pm. Then we will walk the rest of the way with Matthew to show him our support. We will end up at the Santa Monica Pier for a Tea Party at 6 pm. Matthew, of course, will be one of the speakers.

Please wear your walking shoes! We do not want anyone to feel pain during this event. If you cannot walk this distance, please meet us at the Pier.

Speakers, music, entertainment, etc has been taken care of by the Pasadena Patriots Tea Party - Matthew Perdie. The media will be there this time, even if it is only FOX TV. (I'm trying to PJTV.com to come.) They have done an excellent job, as usual.

No ride? Call Metro. It's on one of the first pages of the schedule.
No idea how to get there if you're driving? Try Google maps. If you do not know how to use this, put in your search engine "google maps". When that screen appears, choose the one that is not advertised. Hey, why should we give them money for every click they get, right? *heh* Okay, know you put into the search field, 'Memorial Park Santa Monica, California' or 'Santa Monice Pier'. They will give you directions if you just click on one of the links in the upper right corner.

Please let me know if you are interested in coming to this event. Let's show them that Long Beach Patriots do care, that we are a viable contender against Congresswoman Laura Richardson, and that we are ready and able to pick our own Crosses to carry them to the finish line! LET'S ROLL!

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again. Digg!

'MSM' Show Bias so Tea Partiers Respond

If the dinosaur media thinks we are going to sit back and take it like we used to, they have another thought coming. What do they think made us get up and get out to protest in the first place? NO ONE WAS LISTENING because the so-called press was not doing its job. Well, take this!

If the video isn't working properly, you view it at Stix.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again. Digg!

Truth, Justice And The American Way

This audio/video speaks for itself as to why we need to protect our borders.

In case something should happen to the video, here is the link to YouTube.

Hat tip: ALIPAC1.

U.S., Iraq closer to meeting deadlines

American Forces Press Service American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (June 24, 2009) – Iraqi and U.S. forces continued to make strides toward meeting the terms of the U.S.-Iraq security agreement in recent days with the transfer of a joint security station to Iraqi control and meetings that offered provincial leaders and female business owners an opportunity to pave the road ahead.

The security agreement calls for the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraqi cities by June 30 and all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by 2011.

In Wasit province, U.S. forces handed over the responsibility of Joint Security Station Salaam, near Numaniyah, to the Iraqi army June 20. "We celebrate today to receive the JSS in Numaniyah in accordance with the security agreement between Iraq and the American government," said Brig. Gen. Abed Gabr Mazloum, 32nd Iraqi Army Brigade commander.

The ceremony marked the turnover of the last security station in the province where soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Fires Brigade, worked in partnership with Iraqi security forces. The soldiers of the battalion’s Battery A have controlled the station since August.

"I am proud of Alpha 2-20 for their partnership with both the Iraqi police and Iraqi army while they were here at JSS Salaam. You have prepared your [Iraqi security forces] brothers well," said Army Col. Dick Francey, 41st Fires Brigade commander.

Two other facilities in Wasit province will be handed over to Iraqi security forces this month -- JSS Aziziyah and Combat Outpost Summers.

Elsewhere, Army Col. Butch Kievenaar, commander of the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, met with sheiks from Basra province June 16 at the province’s Basra Operations Center. The meeting focused on the security agreement and the way ahead. The commander touched on the closure of several bases, and how the closures pertain to the June 30 deadline.

"We are turning over this month two locations. They both will be handed over to the police before the end of the month," he said. Two other locations will continue to have a U.S. presence to train Iraqi security forces at the request of provincial leaders, he said.

The commander also highlighted the brigade's civic action initiatives aimed at improving quality of life. "Currently, we have 103 projects ongoing in the city of Basra,” he noted.

The sheiks raised issues concerning agriculture, power and water distribution, and the continuation of projects once U.S. forces depart. Kievenaar said he is determined to keep the lines of communication open with the sheiks. "What we are trying to do is open up communications between all of the tribal leaders and our forces so that there are no secrets and we are sharing information to provide an avenue to resolve any issues," he explained.

The security agreement also took center stage at a June 20 women’s business seminar in Baghdad, coordinated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division. About 30 Iraqi businesswomen attended the half-day event, part of a continuing series of meetings under the Women's Advocate Initiative.

"Our goal is to encourage and support Iraqi businesswomen to be more involved in the execution and management of construction and in nonconstruction projects," Richard Hancock, division’s director of programs, told the audience.

The focus of the initiative was changed from construction projects to ongoing sustainment as building activities wind down in accordance with the security agreement, division officials said. Andy Scharein, a program manager in the division’s operations and maintenance section, encouraged the audience with the potential value of sustainment contracts.

"Normally, [operations and maintenance] is where a lot of money can be made, because a construction project may last a year and a half while building a facility, but for 10, 20 or 30 years or more, that facility will need to be cared for," Scharein said. "And 5 to 10 percent of what that facility cost is generally what we think it takes to take care of it. So, over time, it [means] stable employment and good money to be able to do these kinds of efforts."

Mohamad Husam, deputy program manager for the division’s operations, maintenance and sustainment program, presented a history of the division’s experience with 133 primary health care centers constructed across Iraq, and how maintaining them could mean business opportunities for Iraqi women. To jump-start that process, the division has committed to performing maintenance on 17 of the completed primary health care centers, which could be good news for women-owned businesses.

Four Iraqi businesswomen briefed the audience about the success of their projects arranged through division contracts. Hancock noted these projects were operations, maintenance and capacity development work for primary health care centers. "In fact, 50 percent of contracts for primary health care facilities were won by women-owned businesses," Hancock said.

The women's business program began in 2005, and so far has directed $500 million to Iraqi businesswomen who perform service or construction contracts for various coalition forces and agencies operating in the country.

Source: CENTCOM.

Afghan tribes find common ground during humanitarian aid drop

by Sgt. Rob Frazier
5th MPAD

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan (June 12, 2009) – Every summer, the Kuchi tribe migrates through the Daymardad district of this central-Afghanistan province, allowing their animals to graze in the open pastures belonging to the Hazara tribe. This frequently has sparked violent territorial disputes.

After hearing of the conflict, U.S. forces at Forward Operating Base Airborne approached Wardak Gov. Mohammad Halim Fidai about a peaceful way to resolve the fighting between the two tribes.

“The mission was inspired from the age-old conflict between the Kuchi nomads and the Hazara,” said Army Maj. Joe Asher, deputy civil affairs officer for the 10th Mountain Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team. “Three weeks ago, we went to Daymardad, and it was a very positive step for us. The Kuchi elders said they would not migrate if they were given food, water and vaccination supplies for their animals.”

Once learning of a possible solution, soldiers from 4th Battalion, 25th Field Artillery Regiment, delivered the first installment of humanitarian aid to the Daymardad people.

“We hope this demonstrates that we’re saying, ‘Hey, we’re taking the steps to alleviate your problems,’” Asher said. “Although this is funded by us, it’s important for the Kuchi and Hazara to know this is enacted by the Afghan government.”

The first delivery included sacks of beans, sugar, flour, rice and boxes of cooking oil. Asher added that a second shipment of humanitarian aid likely would be made within the next week.

“We plan to follow this up with water, tents and veterinarian supplies,” Asher said. “This way, the Kuchi won’t have to move their livestock, because they will have what they need.”

Ali Khashe, deputy governor of Wardak province, was on hand to greet the soldiers and meet with the Kuchi tribesmen prior to handing out the food. Inside the district center, Khashe fielded questions from the elders regarding water and vaccination requests for their livestock. Khashe told them he knows their issues cannot be solved all at once, but that he hopes they understand the leaders are working as hard as possible to meet their needs.

“The governor’s office is trying to solve their problems,” Khashe said. “It’s our priority to convince the two tribes to live like brothers.”

The deputy governor said the humanitarian aid is a step in the right direction, and another example of coalition efforts to help the Afghan people.

“The district center and the people here all know the U.S. comes to help,” he said. “They are very happy, because everyone knows the U.S. forces came to help rebuild Afghanistan. We are very grateful for their assistance.”

Asher said that with U.S. assistance and cooperation from the Wardak government, the humanitarian aid will signal the start of a change for the Kuchi and Hazara tribes in the Daymardad region.

“Hopefully, this will result in the first nonviolent summer between them in a long time,” he said.

Source: CENTCOM.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Cross-posted @ Rosemary's News and Ideas. Digg!

Success in Afghanistan, Pakistan requires knowledge of region

by Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (June 5, 2009) – Success in Afghanistan and Pakistan will require an intimate local knowledge of the tribal culture and a small coalition footprint, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here Friday.

Navy Adm. Eric Olson told the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on terrorism, unconventional threats and capabilities that the United States stands ready to do whatever it can to help Pakistan combat extremists, but “I think that we can't help Pakistan more than they want to be helped,” he added.

The situation in Pakistan is complicated, the admiral said, and the United States will not force help on people who don’t want it.

“One of the filters on sort of their willingness to be helped is how the Pakistan military is perceived within Pakistan,” the admiral said. “It is the strongest element of Pakistan, historically. It is the element of government upon which the people depend.”

Pakistan is a proud country with a proud military tradition, and America cannot take actions that would cause the Pakistani military to appear to be an extension of the U.S. military, Olson said. “We can only help them in a way that truly helps them, and they are much more expert in that than we are,” he told the subcommittee.

The Pakistanis also have never forgotten the cut-off of military contacts in 1990 as a result of the Pressler Amendment, which sought to pressure Pakistan into not developing nuclear weapons. Even though full relations were re-established between the countries in 2003, Olson said, a full generation of Pakistani officers did not work with their American counterparts.

“I think the best thing that we can do is develop the relationships that will erode whatever atmosphere of distrust exists, help the Pakistani people understand that our interests there are theirs and that our commitment is a long term commitment for the good of Pakistan and the stability of the region,” Olson said.

The admiral called the environment in Afghanistan uniquely complex. “It is really a village-by-village, valley-by-valley counterinsurgency,” he said. “One of the things that I'm finding myself saying more often is that presence without value is perceived as occupation.” Afghans have a long history of mistrust toward outsiders, he noted, and they will resist outside influence.

“Much of Afghanistan has not felt … the impact of a central government in Kabul, ever,” Olson said. “I think a large part of our goal there is to encourage the people who are now deciding where their allegiance will be … to decide to place their bet with a legitimate government, at whatever level that is.”

Whether Afghans pledge loyalty to tribal, local, regional or federal government, “it will come down to ultimately where they place their bet,” the admiral said. “I think in the absence of solid metrics, it will be our sense of where the people are beginning to place their bets that will lead us to understand whether or not our efforts are successful in the hinterlands of Afghanistan.”

Any effort in the country will require a careful U.S. approach, and “it will require as small a footprint as we can get away with in the places we go with the capability and the security considerations as part of that,” he said.

“It will require … a shift towards true local regional knowledge, however that is obtained,” the admiral said. “We have to get beyond generalizations in Afghanistan into true deep knowledge of tribal relationships, family histories, the nuances of the terrain and the weather and how that affects how business is done, how money is made, how their world operates.”

Leaders have to be able to assess what impact American operations and just mere presence will have in remote regions of Afghanistan, Olson said.

“I think this is a long-term commitment for us, in order to build that depth of knowledge and then allow it to have the impact in the places where that needs to occur,” he said. “This will not be people deciding overnight where their allegiance is, it’s going to have to be convincing them over a long period of time that they are better off placing their bet with the local regional governments than with the illegitimate power players in the region.

Source: CENTCOM.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Cross-posted @ Rosemary's News and Ideas. Digg!

Americans Have NOT Changed

Many times I hear how much we as Americans have changed, and I would like to challenge this notion with a few facts.

First of all, does anyone remember September 11, 2001? New York City was transformed that day, but its citizens were not. Many people think of us as a rude, uncaring, cold people. I protest this notion!

On that day, you saw who we truly are. We are people, just like any other, who care about our neighbors whether we know them or not. Hard to believe? You have not lived amongst us then.

There is also the massive hurricane Katrina. Was it the county, state, or federal government who was first on the spot, or was it volunteers and first responders who saved some of the people you never hear about because the media only wanted to focus on what could hurt President Bush? It was us volunteers.

A side note, the press has not changed either. If it bleeds, it leads. I don't know they think this way, but they do. That is why people do not watch them anymore, and they cannot understand this simple fact. Oh well. This is one area I don't really care about (maybe). Actually, I would prefer to hear more Sully stories anytime of the week! (The man who landed the plane in the Hudson River and saved everyone's life and the plane lost both engines.)

Even before these incidences, does anyone remember the San Francisco earthquake? There was an outpouring of love throughout the United States. People sent money, food, they showed up, and more.

Does anyone remember the earthquake in Iran? I believe it was in the year 2002 or 2003. (I know there was another in the same place the next year, but I am referring to the first one.) Even though we despise their government, we do not despise their people. There was an outpouring of aid from the citizens of this country (besides the government).

Yes, when a neighbor is in need, we are there to assist without question or hesitation or a requirement to be paid back (in most cases). That is who we are. That is who we were. That is who we shall always be.

So if you want to believe the worst of us, go right ahead. That is your choice. I am just letting you know you are wrong. But then again, I am not a Leftist/Marxist, so I don't have the desire to destroy those who built me up! *heh*

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Cross-posted @ Talon, TCU Nation and Rosemary's News and Ideas. Trackback URI. Digg!

Mullen Surveys Golden Mosque Reconstruction

by Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

SAMARRA, Iraq, Dec. 18, 2008 – The bombs that severely damaged the Golden Mosque in this city on the Tigris River almost destroyed the foundations of the nation, but the Golden Mosque is rising again, just like Iraq. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, toured the city and saw the reconstruction effort Thursday.

Steel beams gracefully soar into the sky where ruined masonry once stood. The mosque is a holy site to Shiia Muslims around the world, and is the focus of pilgrimages for the faithful. The United Nations declared the Golden Mosque -- and the nearby Blue Mosque -- as a world heritage site, which is a site of cultural or natural importance to humanity.

The al-Qaida attack on the holy place Feb. 22, 2006, shook Iraq. “It was akin to terrorists bombing St. Peter’s [Basilica] in the Vatican or the Western Wall in Jerusalem,” said Michael C. Craft, the Samarra team leader for the provincial reconstruction team in Iraq’s Salahuddin province.

The analogy is not exact, because while the Golden Mosque is a Shiia shrine, Samarra is a Sunni Muslim city. The attack threatened to ignite a sectarian civil war inside Iraq, pitting the two largest ethnicities against each other. All members of the government pulled together to try and keep a lid on the violence, but ethnic killings multiplied, and the country threatened to spin out of control.

Walking through the streets of Samarra in 2006 would not have been a safe option. But American and Iraqi officials had no compunction about the highest-ranking U.S. officer taking a stroll through the city today.

U.S. soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team drove the admiral to the middle of the city in a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle. Mullen and Army Maj. Gen. Bob Caslen, commander of Multinational Division North, then strolled through the main shopping street toward the mosque.

The stores were full of goods, and people were in the streets. Shoppers could buy everything from electronic gear to baby clothes. Vendors stood outside their shops, barbers stood by to give haircuts, and workmen scurried about bringing building supplies into the few vacant storefronts left.

When the Iraqis saw the admiral, they felt free to walk right up to him with suggestions, complaints and advice. The mayor of the city met the admiral, and the two men and interpreters climbed three flights of stairs to the roof of a ruined building that overlooks the Golden Mosque construction site.

“The Samarrans see the mosque as an engine of growth for the city,” Craft said. “Even with the mosque being rebuilt, there are still between 5,000 and 15,000 pilgrims coming to the city each weekend.” That number grows during important anniversaries, he said.

And that’s part of the problem, he said. Charter buses bring the faithful in, mostly from Baghdad. The pilgrims get off the buses and walk through concrete Jersey barriers to enter the shrine area. Once they finish the visit, they get back on the buses and leave. “The Jersey barriers effectively cut off the city from the shrine,” Craft said.

Samarrans want the barriers taken down so the pilgrims can at least see the shops and hotels along the city’s riverside. The city and surrounding area are recovering from the dark days. Samarra once was the center of the Iraqi pharmaceutical industry. That is returning, and a factory in town employs more than 3,000 people. The company ships pharmaceuticals throughout Iraq and soon will expand production to supply medicines to other nations in the region.

City officials are working with provincial and national leaders to build the infrastructure. “The people are demanding services, and the city officials are responding,” Craft said. City officials are involved in building the budget and spending the funds.

The city is moving ahead, but there are other, systemic problems. Under Saddam Hussein, the social infrastructure was stunted, and there still are no Iraqi equivalents to the Rotary Club or the Lions. Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts do not exist here. “We are working with local citizens to build these institutions,” Craft said. “These are organizations that we take for granted in the United States, but they are nonexistent or nascent here. They are necessary for a society of law.”

The American footprint in Samarra will change in the future, military officials said, though they did not discuss how. But the workmen still climb about the Golden Mosque even as the calls to prayer go out over the loudspeaker. In 2010, the Golden Mosque will be rebuilt, Inshallah, the mayor, said.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visits with a resident of Samarra, Iraq, Dec. 18. Mullen visited Patrol Base Olsen and got a walking tour of the market that is in the shadows of the Golden Dome Mosque that was nearly destroyed in 2006 by extremists.

Source: CENTCOM.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Cross-posted @ The Conservative Underground, Smart Girl Politics and Rosemary's News and Ideas. Digg!

Soldier Profile: Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Corbett

By Spc. George Welcome
101st Combat Aviation Brigade

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Duty, Respect and Honor. They are the second, third and fifth tenants of the Army values respectively. Most Soldiers display these core values daily while performing their duties, often times without realizing they are doing so. However, there are some specialties which require Soldiers to be completely conscious of these values in order to do their jobs.

A Soldier with such a job is Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Corbett, of HSC, 96th Aviation Support Battalion. Corbett, a native of Winnabow, North Carolina, serves as the brigade’s mortuary affairs non-commissioned officer. His job is to prepare and care for the remains of fallen service members and contractors and return them to their families.

“My first four years in the Army I was in a couple of MOS’ that were phased out,” Corbett said. “I decided that I didn’t want to go through that again. I picked up a copy of Soldiers magazine and I read an article about [mortuary affairs] guys going to Vietnam looking for missing Soldiers from that war. I decided that was what I wanted to do.”

Becoming a mortuary affairs specialist isn’t for every Soldier. The job is intense and requires a great deal of mental fortitude.

“The training was really decent,” he said. “You have to have a good mindset because you go to the medical examiner’s office in Richmond, Va. On day two of training they subject you to human remains. If you come back from that trip and decide you can’t handle it, you get re-classed into a different MOS. We usually lose a couple of people per cycle, but those who do stay in our field, stay for the long haul, very few people ETS. It’s a very self satisfying job, because when you ship a Soldier home, you know you’ve done your best to send them home with all honors. It gets you in the heart to know you’ve done your best for a Soldier who has given his all for his country.”

For fallen service members who are processed at Bagram Airfield, the mortuary affairs team follows a certain set of procedures to ensure handling of the remains.

“We inventory everything the Soldier had on them, and we process them and prepare them for transport,” explained Corbett. “They go from here to the port mortuary in Dover, Delaware.

Generally, we have 48 hours from the time we get them here in Bagram to have them [prepared before they arrived] in Delaware.”

An aspect of his job that Corbett enjoys is the fact that there isn’t a set daily routine. When he’s not working, he has hobbies that help him relax.

“When I am not working I like to read and play video games. Basically anything to relax my mind. I really don’t like to watch horror films and I can’t watch military films because I always find things wrong with the uniforms. I also enjoy talking to my wife. She is a great stress reliever for me.

One of the highlights of his career has been a mission in which he, along with other mortuary affairs specialists recovered the remains of a service member

“I was with the Central I.D. lab in Hawaii, and for four years I was TDY every other month,” he said. “I went to Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, China, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, and Australia looking for guys missing from our past wars. That was a lot of away time, but it was the absolute most rewarding four years of my career. The best part was when we recovered a Marine from Cambodia who had been killed in the Khmer Rouge incident in 1975. After we sent him home, someone I knew gave his [the recovered Marine’s] mother my e-mail address and she wrote me the most beautiful three-page e-mail.

In mortuary affairs we have saying, “We don’t work for our units, we work for the families of the fallen.”

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Corbett
ID: 107394
Date Taken: August 7th, 2008
Location: BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AF
Photographer: Spc. George Welcome, 101st Combat Avation Brigade Public Affairs.

Source: DVIDS News.

Cross-posted @ Rosemary's News and Ideas. Digg!
May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Iraqi forces making progress in Basra, Baghdad

Department of Defense

BAGHDAD (Apri 14) – Iraqi security forces are continuing to lead operations against insurgents in Basra and Baghdad and have made significant progress toward establishing security, a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq said. Speaking to reporters in Iraq, Navy Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, detailed recent operations, including those in the southern city of Basra, where Iraqi and coalition forces have been conducting increased operations since March.

“In Basra this week, Iraqi security forces continued operations against illegally armed gangs, intimidation and extortion groups, and other criminals,” Driscoll said. “Although there still is much work to be done, citizens in Basra are beginning to report a return to normal life.”

Since operations began in Basra in late March, Iraqi security forces have arrested more than 430 criminals, including 28 death-row convicts who had been at large, Driscoll said. He said he spoke with an official from the Iraqi Interior Ministry overseeing security operations in Basra who indicated that the situation in the city has improved and stability is being restored. In part, the progress is due to a growing number of tips from local citizens, which are allowing security forces to conduct targeted raids on suspected criminal hideouts, Driscoll said.

“Coalition forces continue to provide operational advisors, surveillance information, and air-strike support for operations in Basra,” Driscoll said. “But the progress thus far in Basra is largely due to the resolve and bravery of the Iraqi ground forces, the efficiency of the Iraqi air force in maintaining supply and support, and the operational direction of Iraqi civilian and military leadership.”

In Baghdad, Iraqi security forces have redoubled their efforts against insurgents in recent days in certain parts of the city, including Sadr City, Driscoll said. Coalition forces continue to support the Iraqi forces in these operations, which focus on areas of the city that have suffered under criminals, he said. “Without improved security, it is difficult to provide essential services so that people can live their lives peacefully and freely,” he said, adding that the Iraqi government is committed to following security with the delivery of essential services such as health, electricity, water, and sewage and trash disposal. “The people of Iraq deserve an opportunity to live without fear and intimidation brought upon them by criminals and thugs,” Driscoll said. “They also deserve reliable public services, employment opportunities, and hope for a better life.”

Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for the government of Iraq, joined Driscoll at the news conference and highlighted political progress made by the government recently. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today is starting a visit to the European Union, where he will meet with several leaders with an aim of enhancing Iraq’s political and economic situation, Dabbagh said. The prime minister also will conduct talks about gas and energy, and cooperation between Iraq and the European Union, he said. Iraq’s Council of Ministers decided yesterday to approve the provincial elections bill, and the bill will now move forward to the Council of Representatives, Dabbagh said. If the bill is passed, elections could be held at the beginning of October, he said.

Source: CentCom. Digg!

Shilling for sharia at Harvard

By Hillel Stavis
FrontPageMagazine.com

Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman touched off a fierce debate when he recently wrote in The New York Times Magazine that Islamic Sharia law represents the highest state of “the rule of law.” But what many of Feldman’s critics did not recognize is that his argument has been building over several years.

Just as an old photographic print slowly becomes visible when immersed in developing solution, Noah’s claims about the alleged virtues of Sharia first surfaced in his 2005 book, Divided by God written when he was still a professor at NYU. Three years later, Feldman, who helped draft the Iraqi constitution, has turned his argument into a new book, called The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State. The book marks Feldman’s emergence as a leading academic advocate for Sharia law.

If this seems like a bizarre role for someone who attended the Orthodox Maimonides School near Boston, it is in line with the career trajectory of a very bright young man who wants to be preeminent among the severely compromised academics inhabiting the Middle East Studies Association. Thus, one week after his article, “Why Sharia?” was featured in the Times’ magazine, Feldman presented his position at Harvard’s “Interfaculty Initiative on Contemporary State and Society in the Islamic World.” The initiative previously had featured UCLA’s Khaled Abou el Fadl, who set the tone for the series with his opening statement that “Whether Sharia complies – or does not comply – with fundamental human rights is vacuous and irrelevant.” So much for a thousand years of western humanist thought and liberal jurisprudence.

What made Feldman’s lecture different from his magazine piece was what he left out of the latter. Obviously, any discussion of Sharia must include what informs the law at its heart – The Koran, Sunna and, to a lesser extent, Sira. Writing for the Times, he at least traced the roots of Sharia to the Koran. But that was as far as he would go. At Harvard, his analysis of Sharia was limited to “the rule of law” as interpreted by “scholars” producing an Islamic “constitution,” all of which is refined and perfected by a “balance of power” between rulers and scholars.

In Feldman’s revisionist account, the evolution of Islamic law echoes the Western experience and is compatible with it. To Feldman, Sharia evolves from “higher law” to “the rule of law” in a neat conflation of the secular with the holy that places the Islamic code alongside the West’s rigorously evolved concept of secular justice. Feldman suggests that the dreaded huddud laws of amputation and other draconian penalties for apostasy and blasphemy are mere “worldly commands,” notwithstanding the fact that they are drawn directly from the Koran. For example, Sura 5:33 prescribes amputation of limbs “on opposite sides,” a dreadful penalty that has found new life in some of the Sharia ruled lands today. Indeed, the fundamental nature of Sharia law is inextricably connected to divine revelation, a concept with which the West did away centuries ago. The fact that a Nigerian woman, Amina Lawal, was recently spared the Hadithic-inspired penalty of being stoned to death for adultery, had more to do with international outrage and pressure than any “nuanced” application of traditional Sharia law.

All this was utterly missing from Feldman’s lecture. There was much else, too, that the professor obscured. For example, Feldman cited the 11th century Baghdad jurist, al-Mawardi, as a shining example of the purity of Sharia in the face of the abuse of secular rulers. A pity Professor Feldman failed to note that the medieval Basra scholar was a staunch proponent of jihad war and violent imposition of Sharia law as it applied to dhimmis, that is, Christians and Jews. Al-Mawardi writes in his epic Laws of Islamic Governance of the jizhya or compulsory poll tax levied on dhimmis, “Payment is made immediately and is treated like booty. It does, however, not prevent a jihad being carried out against them in the future.”[1]

Similarly passed over by Feldman were some telling observations on Sharia by one of Professor Feldman’s favorite historians of Islam, Sir Hamilton Gibb: “The evidence of two women is reckoned as equal only to that of one man; that of non-Moslems against Moslems is occasionally, but grudgingly admitted, and on serious charges not admitted at all.” (italics added) “…the Muslim murderer of a dhimmi does not suffer the death penalty; a dhimmi man may not marry a Moslem woman, whereas a Moslem man may marry a dhimmi woman. In the second place, dhimmis are obliged to wear distinctive clothes so that they may not be confused with true believers [ i.e., Muslims], and are forbidden to ride horses, or carry arms. Finally, though their churches may be, and in practice frequently have been, converted into mosques, they are not to build new ones. The most they may due is repair those that have fallen into decay.” [2]

We find no reference whatsoever, in either Professor Feldman’s New York Times article or in his recent lecture, to Sharia and its impact on non-Muslims, whether they be dhimmis or idolaters (those that “associate” other gods with Allah – mushrikun). The body count and the divinely inspired discriminatory laws resulting from the Muslim conquests of the 7th century up to the present belie Feldman’s grandiose apologetic that “…Islamic law offered the most liberal and humane legal principles available anywhere in the world.” [3]

Indeed, even a critic sympathetic to Islam, Alan Wolfe of Boston College, recognizes Feldman’s intent. He writes, “The problem with Feldman's compromise lies elsewhere. Offered as a non-biased solution to church-state conflicts, Feldman's proposal, like separation of church and state itself, is biased against some religions and in favor of others.”[4] You guess which religion Feldman favors. And it can only be a matter of time before the professor, having asserted that Sharia law is desirable, will assure us that its introduction in the United States is inevitable.

Hat tip: American Congress for Truth.
P.O. Box 6884
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
member AT americancongressfortruth DOT org.

Above is an article I've received through e-mail that I am sharing with you. I want everyone to WAKE UP.

Posts I've trackbacked to: Wolf Pangloss: Buchenwald and Yale, Adam's Blog: Obama and the Pope, A NEWT ONE: War News: We Have Lost The War.

Digg!

News: Terrorism, Racism, Flight 93 Memorial

Today has been very in the destruction business by the oh-so-peaceful 'people'. We have been hit in NYC again, but the person has not been caught. There is a witness, however. Israel was hit by an Arab-Israeli with an automatic machine gun, and 55 Iraqis were blown-up today by terrorists. Some people will consider these facts 'poisonous' to the debate as to whether or not to do this or that. I disagree. These are facts. They are very stubborn things, you know.

I will also share with you an article on true racism later in this post. Let us start with the article provided by Gathering of Eagles:

Domestic Terrorism Alert: Small Bomb Explodes at Times Square Recruiting Center.
March 6, 2008

UPDATE: This is the recruiting office most often defended by NY GOE members against leftist attacks. Make no mistake, there is an enemy here at home, and regardless of their claims of “peace,” they have no problem engaging in acts of violence and domestic terrorism.

NEW YORK - A small bomb caused minor damage to an empty military recruiting station in Times Square early today, shaking guests in hotel rooms high above “the crossroads of the world.”

Police blocked off the area to investigate the explosion, which occurred at about 3:45 a.m. No one was injured. The blast left a gaping hole in the front window and shattered a glass door, twisting and blackening its metal frame.

Authorities said at a news conference that a witness saw a person on a bicycle wearing a backpack and acting suspiciously, but that no one saw a person place the device in front of the recruiting center.

Read the whole article at Boston Herald.

That is domestic terrorism. Now for some Arab terrorism:

Palestinian Terrorist Kills at Least Eight at Jerusalem School.

For expert sources.

Statement on attack by Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Sallai Meridor.

A Palestinian terrorist infiltrated a religious school in Jerusalem at about 9 p.m. Thursday (March 6) and opened fire throughout the complex, shooting dead at least eight mostly high school-age students. [1] Reports put the number of wounded at about 10, among them a 16-year-old boy in serious condition from chest wounds. [2]

The terrorist, an East Jerusalem resident, is believed to have perpetrated the attack, [3] and police and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops searched the premises for two hours to determine whether there was a second or third terrorist. [4] The perpetrator attacked the students as they celebrated a holiday in the "Mercaz Harav" school dining room and studied religious texts in the school library. [5] Details were still unclear in the immediate aftermath of the event, but reports suggest that the terrorist was killed by an IDF paratrooper who engaged him in a gun battle. [6]

In Gaza, where Iran-backed terrorists have fired more than 4,000 rockets at civilians in Israel during the past two years, Palestinians celebrated the attacks by firing guns in the air, handing out candy and giving prayers of thanks at local mosques. [7]

On the same day as the attack, an Israeli soldier was killed and another seriously wounded in an ambush by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists on the Gaza border. [8] Israel evacuated all of its citizens from Gaza in Aug. 2005 in hopes of paving the way for an independent Palestinian state. [Continue reading.]

Afterward, the Israeli envoy to the UN stated that they were going to continue the peace talks. Excuse me, but doesn't there need to be someone on the other side of the table with whom you are discussing peace who actually WANTS PEACE? Please pray for Israel and the situation on the ground over there. I do not have a good feeling about this. Oh, btw, the Arabs were dancing in the streets celebrating the deaths of the Israelis. That is how I determine who is in favor of this atrocity and who is not. Just in case anyone is wondering, THIS IS ISRAELI LAND. Nowhere in history, other than Israel, does the loser get their land back. Besides, it wasn't the Arabs land to begin with, but that's a whole 'nother story.

Big Dog's Weblog has news of that ugly cresant they are trying to put in the field of Sommerset, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 was taken down by our brave citizens. If you have not been following this situation, the people in charge of this project have decided to become multi-cultural on us, and they want to place an Islamic cresant as the memorial. This is unacceptable! We (many bloggers, family members, and readers) took the 'streets' (blogs) and protested loudly. We also got a hold of their numbers, and they did not like that very much. GOOD. Please read his article today. They are also having a blogburst about this (which I was unaware of, but I will be joining). If you would like to join, please email Cao (caoilfhionn1 at gmail dot com) with your blog's URL.

I have come across some more disturbing news about racism. One of these articles is written by Ronald Kessler in Newsmax, and the second article is written by La Shawn Barber in TownHall.

Black Leader: Democratic Party Architect of Racism.
Monday, February 25, 2008 9:43 AM
By: Ronald Kessler

Frances Rice, chairman of the National Black Republican Association, describes the Democratic Party as the architect of modern day racism.

Rice, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and lawyer, says in an interview it was Republicans who pushed through much of the ground-breaking civil rights legislation in Congress. Now, she says, Republicans stand for empowering blacks to help them out of poverty. In contrast, Rice says, the Democrats push to keep blacks dependent on government handouts and encourage them to see themselves as victims.

“The Democratic Party has built its power base on the backs of poor blacks, and they want to keep blacks poor, angry, and voting for Democrats,” Rice tells Newsmax. “Every election cycle they go into the black community and preach hatred against the Republican Party and get blacks to cast a protest vote against Republicans.”
*snip*
The organization has grown from five members to over a thousand members. It publishes a quarterly glossy magazine — The Black Republican — and has a Web site: www.nbra.info. [Continue reading.]

Frances Rice is a very brave woman. She is doing today what a few good men did a long time ago, she is standing up against the powers-that-be to offer a different life to people where they do not have to be dependent on the government. Once you become dependent of the government, then they control your lives. That is NOT freedom.

Digging Up Democratic Skeletons.
By La Shawn Barber
Thursday, February 7, 2008

[V]irtually every significant racist in American political history was a Democrat. – Bruce Bartlett

Democrats, seen as the civil rights party, supported slavery, opposed civil rights legislation, instituted the "Black Codes," and created the Jim Crow system. The Republican Party, in contrast, was founded in opposition to slavery, and supported post-Civil War and Civil Rights Movement-era legislation.

"All of the racism that we associate with [the southern] region of the country originated with and was enforced by elected Democrats," writes Bruce Bartlett, a former domestic policy advisor to President Ronald Reagan and a Treasury official under President George H.W. Bush. In Wrong on Race: The Democratic Party's Buried Past, Bartlett goes deep into the history of the Democratic Party and attempts to set the record straight. [Continue reading.]

La Shawn Barber is a freelance writer and Townhall.com book reviewer who blogs at www.lashawnbarber.com.

This is a very interesting article. She takes you back in time to shine the light on the truth about who was really behind the racist policies, the racist people, and who sat a member of the KKK on the Supreme Court. This should settle it, but I know it won't. That is alright. I am willing to go to whatever lengths it takes so that we may all come together as one people under God in the most beautiful country.

Posts I've trackbacked to at Linkfest and other sites: Beagle Scout: 2008 Mississippi Primaries, Adam's Blog: Chairman Dean Puts His Foot Down, Shadowscope: New Evidence in the Briana Denison Case, Pirate's Cove: Weekend Pirate Linkfest Sticky Post 3/7-3/9, Diary of the Mad Pigeon: Thursday Open Roost, Woman Honor Thyself: HugginG in SchooL?, and Right Voices: Remember Marc Rich and Pardongate? It's Baaack!, Conservative Cat: Here’s How Barack Obama Can Prove He Has What It Takes, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Posts that have trackbacked to this post:
1. Conservative Cat: Here’s How Barack Obama Can Prove He Has What It Takes.
2. The Amboy Times: Bjork Sings for Tibet.
3. Beagle Scout: California Home Schooling Furore Deflated.
4. Big Dogs Weblog: Hillary’s Ireland Claims Debunked.
5. Stageleft:. Life on the left side: Shorter George Bush.
6. Adam's Blog: The Left v. The Miliary. Digg!

Diversity is strength for new Iraqi Army; OTB

28 Aug 07
By Sgt. Andy Hurt
13th MEU.

NEAR KARMAK, Iraq - The strength of any democracy is the equal representation of various cultural interests; thus, the power of a military force can be measured by diversity as well. American culture takes pride in boasting equal opportunity in public service roles. Iraqi culture mirrors this attitude, and the warriors of the Iraqi Army’s 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division – currently conducting a force integration with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines – are a simple, flawless example of strength in diversity.

Speaking from an office at Combat Outpost Golden in Al Anbar Province here, Iraqi Col. Ali Jassimi, 1/2/1 commanding officer, explained the cultural representation within his unit. “My staff is Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish. We have officers from many different areas of Iraq; Mosul, Baghdad, Ramadi – and we’re all here working together,” he said. “There are many people around the world who would think this would be a problem. We are a perfect example that it is not.”

Jassimi, a native of Southern Iraq, said there is a preconceived notion in some global media circles that various sectarian issues create problems within the new Iraqi Army. To combat this, he said, he avoids prejudice by ignoring religious preference altogether. “When I get a new officer, I do not ask him if he is Shiite or Sunni. I don’t care.” The recent history of the diverse organization’s success in Falluja (a primarily Sunni area), conducting security and stability operations is a testament to the camaraderie of junior enlisted troops (Juundis) who come from all walks of life, said Jassimi.

“We’ve had great success in Falluja, and it’s because of the Juundis-- they’re all brothers.” The colonel went on to explain that junior enlisted troops in his battalion ignored sectarian issues during operations. “If anyone needed help, we helped them. We visited mosques, and no matter if it was Shiite or Sunni, we prayed with them.”

Captain Mustafa Al Jaaf, a Kurdish staff member of 1/2/1, echoed his commander’s sentiments. “We are from all over Iraq, and it makes a stronger force. You can see now Falluja is a much safer place.”

Originally from Ramadi, Capt. Basim Ashumari said his anger over foreign fighters – Al Qaeda subordinates historically from Egypt, Jordan and Syria – caused him to join the new Iraqi Army and fight for his countrymen, no matter what religion they were. “In Ramadi, I saw men from another country come and kill civilians, so I decided to join the new Iraqi Army. No matter what religion they are, these officers here are on a mission to keep the Iraqis safe. We are one team with one goal.”

Marine Lieutenant Col. Woody Hesser, Military Transition Team commander, said within the MTT, the ethos of “one team, one fight” is clearly evident during joint operations. Hesser and his team have shadowed 1/2/1 since January, and he says with each patrol a shared interest in Iraqi security is obvious. “We’re here fighting a war, and when we go on patrol, it’s one fight. There have never been any sectarian issues,” said Hesser. “Really, it’s almost like another Marine unit taking over, but it’s not about ‘Marines’ and ‘Iraqis,’ it’s about good guys versus bad guys.”

As Marines have always kept close the ethos of “brothers in arms,” the Iraqi Army shares the exact ideal. During a nightly dinner with 1/2/1 staff, uniforms and language are the only visible difference between 3/1 Marines and Iraqi Army forces here. The staff laughs, jokes and singles out members with good-natured scrutiny. At the end of the night, they shake hands and go on with business. Officers constantly duck in to the commander’s office to have forms signed and plans authorized. The parallels between US and Iraqi forces are striking.

For the Iraqi Army, however, it is not a mimicking act – it is an old way of life. “I’m from the north and I’m a Sunni,” began Maj. Istabraq Ashawani. “That man over there,” he gestured, “is a Shiite. That man over there is Kurdish … everyone in this battalion is a family. We eat together, sleep together and pray together. Anything you hear on the news about us being ‘different’ is not true,” he exclaimed. “Ask any Juundi or officer … we’re all the same.”

Photo - Colonel Ali Jassimi, commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army division, speaks proudly of the ethnic and cultural diversity within his unit. Despite claims by liberal media that the IA is one-sided, Jassimi said, his battalion is a perfect example of strength in diversity. Photo by: Sgt. Andy Hurt.

Source: MNF-I.

This is one article I just could not pass up. It is absolutely NEWSWORTHY, and you will never read about it in the news. For this reason, I am going to have two posts to Linkfest today. Thank you for induging me, and please read it.

These are the post I've backtracked to: Webloggin, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Planck's Constant, DeMediacratic Nation, Adam's Blog, Right Truth, Pursuing Holiness, Conservative Thoughts, Nuke's News & Views, Leaning Straight Up, Cao's Blog, Conservative Cat, Woman Honor Thyself and third world county, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

My friends have submitted their posts for your reading pleasure:
1. The Amboy Times: CAIR: Media Cowers in Face of Islamist Threat.
2. The Florida Masochist: Knucklehead of the day award.
3. Faultline USA: America at a Crossroads –The Missing European Anti-Americans.