Publius Forum

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Welcome to my new look

You may be wondering why I changed my style as I had a very nice one before, or so I thought! I asked my brother for his opinion on something I had been working on and lo and behold, my template looked awful! Where there were supposed to be spaces, there were none. Not even now am I able to bring back to their natural size some of my posts.

That is why I decided to try as many tricks as I could. I am now thinking about going back to wordpress. Why? I have had the *(&_*(&_* pleasure of learning three languages (at least) without so much as an instructor. I've had it. If I have to learn this language to bring my site back to its natural beauty, I might as well learn a language I've been wanting to learn. Not one that I'm stuck with.

Then again, I do like the fact that it doesn't take foreeeeeeeeever to write a post and pull up my site whenever I wish. Blogger allows me this benefit. This is also the place who gave me my start in blogging. I do feel a little devotion to them. However, they've gone over to the other side! That's right. They sold out to google! Google is one of those companies that censores Chinese bloggers. I want nothing to do with them. They have no devotion to me.

Would someone PLEASE help me decide? Are you willing to teach me WordPress? Oh, I already own a site with the same name, Rosemary's Thoughts.com and Rosemary's Thoughts.wordpress.com. I also have one at TownHall and vox. They both take too long, although I do like vox. They have something to do with MSN though. I need help!

Well, this is my rant for the morning. I hope everyone has a very fine day.

Posts that I have trackbacked to: The World According To Carl: Final Farewell To The S.S. Hurricane Camille, Right Voices: Democrats think taxing oil companies will fix this problem?, Right Truth: YOM HA'ATZMAOUT MARKED BY PROTESTS, 123beta: Inhale The Web, third world county: OS Play Time, The Yankee Sailor: Building a Case for War in Iran - Part 2. Digg! Digg!

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Wednesday Hero: Tech. Sgt. Shawn D. Foust

This week's Wednesday Hero is Tech. Sgt. Shawn D. Foust, a man who has been to Iraq for two tours so far. He has earned the Bronze Star on this tour for his bravery and composure during an ambush on his convoys. Please read about him below.
Technical Sergeant Shawn D. Foust.

Technical Sergeant Shawn Foust responded to the military’s need to lessen the strain on the country’s traditional ground forces, putting the Tech Sergeant in command of a medium truck detachment from April to October of 2007 in Iraq. TSgt. Foust’s leadership throughout two attacks on his convoy earned him the Bronze Star.

Confronting the challenges presented by the unconventional war in Iraq, Air Force Technical Sergeant Shawn Foust was assigned to Joint Logistic Task Force 1144, becoming a Convoy Commander for the 424th Medium Truck Detachment. In 212 missions during his second tour of duty, Foust encountered various obstacles and challenges while amassing over 507,000 cumulative miles on the dangerous roads of Iraq.

Convoy mission 57-459 would present the greatest challenge, earning Foust praise for his ability to overcome such a daunting task. As his convoy was approaching Forward Operating Base Al Asad, a roadside bomb detonated, wounding the driver and passenger of the third truck, and leaving the vehicle partially disabled. A possible full-scale ambush was upon them as scattered mortar and small arms fire landed on their position. The intermittent insurgent fire raised the threat level for the entire convey and Foust knew he had to remain calm and professional. He immediately moved the convoy past the kill zone and went back for the wounded men.

Foust organized his Airmen into a defensive posture, and prepared to repair the damaged truck. Working tirelessly and on constant guard for six hours, throughout the night, Foust and his fifteen man squad replaced each of the damaged 250 pound tires until the vehicle was operational. Foust successfully completed this mission all those before and all those that followed.

In the six months he spent in Iraq, he exhibited a sense of service, devotion to duty, and commitment to the overall success of his unit that went above and beyond what was expected, earning him the Bronze Star Medal for exceptionally meritorious service.
To learn more about this brave man, here is some information:

Hometown: Gowonda, NY
Awarded: Bronze Star
Download this hero's story: Right click and "Save Target As..." to download.

We Should Not Only Mourn
These Men And Women
Who Died
We Should Also Thank God
That Such People Lived
.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Linkfest Haven, the Blogger's Oasis

This is an open trackback post. Feel free to put your best, funniest, or misc. work here. Share it with others. Not familiar with trackbacks? First, choose the article you want to promote. Copy/paste my permalink (URL) to your post. Then send a trackback to me. Don't have one? You can use Wizbang Standalone Trackback Pinger. Otherwise, leave a comment for me with the permalink for your post, the name of your blog, and a small excerpt, and I will add it to the list.

Posts that have trackbacked to this post:
1. 1. The World According To Carl: Final Farewell To The S.S. Hurricane Camille.
2. Right Voices: Democrats think taxing oil companies will fix this problem?
3. Right Truth: YOM HA'ATZMAOUT MARKED BY PROTESTS.
4. 123beta: Inhale The Web.
5. third world county: OS Play Time.
6. The Amboy Times: Muslim Cleric: Every Muslim Should Be a Terrorist.
7. Stageleft:. Life on the left side: If You Redefine It As Something It Ain’t –. Digg! Digg!

Arms dealer charged by US AG, caught in Thailand

So. You think it's a bad idea to allow Americans to trade with Columbia duty free, while they already have this privelege? What do you think about the arms that are being sold to FARC to kill Americans and law abiding citizens of Columbia? This all has to do with CAFTA which is being held up in Congress.

I do not understand your reasoning. Maybe you could enlighten me? If our countries could trade with each other on a level playing field, more jobs would stay here because it cost less if the companies stayed here. They would no longer have to pay the duty they have to pay now. This would mean they could hire more people, buy more equipment, etc. with the money saved by not having to fork over big bucks just to sell their goods. BTW, only the big companies are able to do this now. Think about how prosperous it would be for our small and middle sized companies.

Why am I bringing up trade when the topic is weapons being sold to kill Americans? Think about the economy. If we increase our economy, so do they. The better their economy, the better they will be able to protect themselves and us. Here is article from US DOJ.
Indictment: Arms dealer offered weapons to kill Americans.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. government has charged an international arms dealer with conspiring to sell a rebel group millions of dollars in weapons "to be used to kill Americans in Colombia," federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Viktor Bout is accused of selling missiles, rockets and other weapons to FARC, a Colombian rebel group.Viktor Bout, who was recently captured in Thailand, had agreed to sell the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) surface-to-air missiles, armor-piercing rocket launchers, "ultralight" airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other weapons, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

There was no immediate public response from Bout, who remains in custody in Thailand.

Federal authorities unsealed an indictment charging Bout with four terrorism offenses: conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, conspiracy to kill U.S. officers or employees, conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile, and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

FARC is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. Justice Department officials said they are seeking Bout's extradition to the United States. The indictment alleges that Bout made agreements with FARC between November 2007 and March of this year.

In their news release, federal prosecutors said Bout agreed to sell weapons "to two confidential sources" working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, who had "represented that they were acquiring these weapons for the FARC, with the specific understanding that the weapons were to be used to attack United States helicopters in Colombia."

The news release also refers to a "covertly recorded meeting in Thailand on March 6, 2008." "With the unsealing of this indictment, we are one step closer to ensuring Bout has delivered his last load of high-powered weaponry and armed his final terrorist," DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Loenhart said in the news release.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey last month singled out Bout as a leading example of a new breed of organized crime leaders who operate across international boundaries to amass wealth without regard to political ideology.

"Viktor Bout has long been considered by the international community as one of the world's most prolific arms traffickers," U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said in the news release Tuesday.

Bout's assets in the United States were frozen in 2004 after he allegedly shipped weapons to Liberia in violation of U.S. government restrictions.
Nice guy, eh? Come on, Senate. Do your job and pass that Free Trade Agreement with Columbia. Can you at least do this? You haven't done much of anything else. God, I can't wait to hear the cries about how we're treating this creep. Yes, politics does make strange bedbellows. What do terrorist and Senators make?

Posts I've trackposted to at Linkfest and other sites: Right Truth: Obama lied, and lied, and lied.., Potbelly Stove: Jimmy's Pals. Digg! Digg!

Okay, it finally happened

I've been blogging since July 5, 2004, and I promised in 2005 that I would post everyday. Even if it was only to say hi, even when I was sick, I managed to keep that promise...until yesterday. Why was I not blogging, you ask? ARE YOU NUTS? I was blogging my butt off! I had to re-do many of the blogs wrote MONDAY! As I was doing this late into Tuesday morning (there's a story in there, too), my computer froze up, I was thrown offline a number of times, and I was still typing my heart out in the hopes that I may...just MAY...be able to post something. But Nooooo.

What was it that happened Monday that had me in such a tizzy? I was supposed to have my post for Tuesday's blog over at Eagles Up (named the Talon) ready to be posted in the afternoon the day before it is due. Well. All these things sure didn't help! Then I had to rewrite much of it.

By the time I was ready to turn it in (it's still Monday morning), I can't login. Huh? I tried every password I've ever used, every ID I've ever used, and I used every combination. Nothing! Panic had already sunk in.

I sent away for a lost password, but I never received an email. That's probably because I am NOT the editor! These guys are so wonderful. They helped me out, and they even forgave me! I am on warning, though. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN! (I'm exaggerating.) There's a reason why I should not allow this to happen again. I am supposed to be responsible!

And that brings me back to the start of this post. I am responsible to have a post (or two or three...) up there for you to read. That is my promise to you and to myself. Did I tell you why I made that promise? No? Okay. I was playing too many games when I first started, and I felt that I was neglecting my friends. Also, I did not want to become addicted to those stupid games. It was great discipline. It only took me three and a half years to break my 2005 New Years Eve Resolution. (Now that it happened, I can tell what and why it was.)

My new pledge. I am going to keep the old one. I promise to write everyday EXCEPT in cases of extreme emergency (hospitalization, no computer, etc.). It is very stressful, but in a sick way I like it. Ouch! ;)

Posts I've trackposted to: Leaning Straight Up: School Stupidity of the Year (Decade?) Award goes to Land ‘O Lakes Florida: Teacher fired for “Wizardry” for making a toothpick disappear, Planck's Constant: When should children leave home?, Right Voices: Updated:Obama Promised The Teamsters That He Would End The Oversight And Allow The Mafia Back In…Change the Teamsters can believe in, part 2, Tel-Chai Nation: Philly policeman murdered by thieves in Muslim niqab garb, Faultline USA: Black Theology & Black Power, third world county: When memory fails…, Woman Honor Thyself: Myanmar receiving Aid from the U.S. and IsraeL, Kodera's Korner: Erie Bloggers Kurse Kodera, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. Digg! Digg!

Monday, May 5, 2008

Left: You have no moral authority

Cross-posted @ the Talon.

I have worked many years trying to get people involved in this movement against the Sudanese government. The Left is not interested. I have contacted the black caucus in Congress only to receive a hang-up. I have called President Bush and left lengthy arguments for military action such as surrounding the state, stopping the inflow and export of products, and even action if necessary.

He did, however, send a few thousand men into Liberia. Another place where I was concerned about the people under the thumb of Charles Taylor, a war criminal who is now on trial in the Hague. Call me a whoos, but I care. I can't stand genocide. I thought when we made that promise, 'Never again', we meant it. I do. Forgive me for being naive if everyone else knows better.

What did the Left do? They threw out numbers of the suffering people while on TV, just as they do now with our Soldiers, but that is as far as they are willing to go. They have not gone to Sudan or any other African country. Oh, they have those green wrist bands which everyone is supposed to wear.

Why? What good will that do? Will it make them feel better? I do not see how, because I will still know that there are people still suffering, still being raped, still being murdered, still being sold into slavery, still being burned alive, etc. But they do not want any military intervention. Why put an end to end to it? Then they might actually have to get a REAL job. Well, I want the troop intervention, and I'll try to explain why.

Sudan is the place where Osama bin Laden was first heard of for many people. He was also provided to the USA as a trade so they could be taken off the 'terrorist' list at the State Department while Bill Clinton was in office, but he thought there was 'no legally binding authority'. [What is wrong with these people?] No, you can invade Waco, Texas, but you cannot stop 9/11/2001. Yeah, I get it. NOT. Back to point.

When bin Laden left Sudan, he was one person. Not all of his minions left with him, and there are still many more of them in hills and mountains of Darfur and Sudan. They are forcing the people to live in fear, to live under sharia law, to become muzlims or else! With the Janjaweed and al Qaida, the Darfurians don't stand a chance without outside intervention. [BTW, the Darfurians are Muzlims but they are African, not Middle Eastern.]

Without intervention, the genocide continues. There are now over 3,500,000 people murdered, raped, enslaved, [REALLY] tortured, starved, displaced, burned alive, etc. The Left has more rallies, and they collect a lot of money from unsuspecting people who truly wish to help. The money is used for their next rally, not for the Darfurian people. How is that compassionate? How does that stop anything? These people understand one thing: Force. Since the Left believes so strongly in Darwinism, you'd think they'd understand, 'Only the strong survive.'

Update: These three links are from Pajamas Media, and it is an interview with a FREED SLAVE from Sudan. Listen, PLEASE.

Part I and Part III. This video is Part II.

In case you are worried about how much time this will take away from your precious day, this one is only 5 minutes long. It seemed like it was only one minute.

Hat tip: Pajamas Media, and a great big THANK YOU!

Left: You have no moral authority Part II.**

Last week I addressed the Sudan situation. This week I would like to touch on the Tibet situation for a moment, and then I want to address another issue in a larger context. If you would like to review or read last week's post, click on that link. It is also the lead in to Part II. You will also be able to watch the video there.

The Left has been wearing 'Free Tibet' on their car bumpers for over 50 years now, but what do they do when they finally have an opportunity to make their voices heard? Do they call Congress? Do they call the president? I suppose some of them did. Others however, want to boycott the games of the Olympics, and they try to protest by attacking the people carrying the torch. Oh, that's very brave! Why did they not interfere with the Chinese police? After all, they are not afraid of our police! They shrank away from these animals in fear.

It is time to address this issue. I would also like to discuss Iraq, because some of the people seem to believe that Iraqi blood is not as important as American blood is. That is the only way I can summarize it from all the cross-talking I'm hearing about changing this, we're on the wrong path, etc. You may be surprised to find I believe we were on the wrong path myself! We did not have the policies we needed for our men and women at war, and their hands were tied. That is no way to fight a war.

Then back home, we had many discussions about bringing the troops home. Huh? Before the enemy is stomped out? If I tell my enemy when I am leaving where I have defeated them, the people who are fighting with me, side by side, will refuse to fight along side me any longer. They will abandon me, just as we would be abandoning them. I cannot blame them. They will know better than to risk their lives for a traitorous policy. Another promise broken.

Many people want the Iraqi people to step up? Have. They. Not. Been. Paying. Attention? What do they think the Anbar Awakening was all about? A tea party? Don't forget, our Boston Tea Party may not have seemed like much at the time, but everyone remembers it!

Do they not read any IRAQI Papers? We have been gaining ground by leaps and bounds. Something we would not have been able to do as quickly but for the IRAQIS Leading the fight! They are taking the fight to the enemy, and it doesn't matter what their religion is anymore. They are tired of it. It has nothing to do with what we are saying in our comfortable homes, and the Left is saying a lot of the wrong things, in my humble opinion (IMHO).

Many people, including Congressmen, have stated that they want the troops withdrawn one battalion of troops every month, no matter the conditions on the ground. They believe this will encourage the Iraqis to fight harder, the government to come together quicker. Since when? We should send some of these people first to my neighborhood so they could sit down with the GANGS and 'talk' with them so they will put down their arms! Only so they may learn how truly difficult it is when you're dealing with people who truly hate you and wish you dead.

If we are not wise, these policies will cause the world to believe it all depends on the politics of the day in the United States of America, not the commitments made, whether or not to support us in any conflict. It may get tough. After all, in 1944, we were losing! Can you imagine if we had this press back then? I wonder how they would have reported the Battle of the Bulge?

Do you ever wonder what these other countries will do with this knowledge if we decide to cut and run? Especially Iraqis? They will do what they know is necessary for themselves to stay alive.

Right now, they ARE stepping up to the plate. They are doing quite a good job of it, too! Just read articles such as this: Admiral: ISF fight well in Basra, Baghdad battles. Read Michael Yon, The Long War Journal, Blackfive, Iraq the Model, or even CENTCOM! Is that too much to ask?!

Some people do not understand that giving up will [unwittingly] give a victory to the terrorists, and this will forsake all the hard work and the good souls that gave all they could give. This is wrong. Then it will certainly be just as it was in Vietnam. We won on the battlefield, but lost in the minds of the American people because the press lied to the American people. Thank God for the internet!

There will be bloodshed like I don't think even I understand if the policy of cut and run is put into practice. The genocidal maniacs will proclaim victory, and who will be there to argue their point? Who will be there to stop Iran from crossing the border and taking over Iraq? [Iran is already in the Iraq government!] You think oil prices are high now? You have no idea what is out there just waiting for you and me.

Do you not understand what genocide is? Do you not remember Vietnam? Cambodia? Do you not remember our promise, 'Never Again'?

If we are not careful and cause America to have another black eye, she will not be the same America that will be remembered in the history books when we knew her. Then, maybe some day far away will look back and discover this land used to belong to the land of the free and the home of the brave. Yes, and we were also very prosperous. Was it greed that defeated us? Or was it the unwillingness of the comfortable to fight for their own freedom so they lost it for everyone else? This will be one of the many questions facing us during this 22nd Century and into the future...

***I do have an edition over at the Talon, but it is slightly different from this Part II post.

Linkfest Haven, the Blogger's Oasis

Posts I've trackposted to at Linkfest and other sites: Pirate's Cove: North Carolina Primary Day Linkfest, The Pink Flamingo, Big Dog's Weblog: Stephen King Pulls a John Kerry, A Blog for All: Photo of the Day, Democrats=Socialist: THINGS YOU’LL NEVER SEE #3, McCain Blogs: North Carolina Primary Day Linkfest, Right Truth: Oprah moved from Rev. Wright to ... the dark side ..., The Yankee Sailor: Tuesday Open Post, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. The Yankee Sailor: Religious Extremists, Between the Sheets, Stop the ACLU: Friday Free For All.

Posts that have trackbacked to this post:
1. Leaning Straight Up: School Stupidity of the Year (Decade?) Award goes to Land ‘O Lakes Florida: Teacher fired for “Wizardry” for making a toothpick disappear.
2. Planck's Constant: When should children leave home?
3. Right Voices: Obama Promised The Teamsters That He Would End The Oversight And Allow The Mafia Back In.
4. Tel-Chai Nation: Philly policeman murdered by thieves in Muslim niqab garb.
5. Right Truth: Obama lied, and lied, and lied...
6. Potbelly Stove: Jimmy's Pals.
7. A NEWT ONE: Pay Close Attention John McCain.
8. Leaning Straight Up: Why won’t Hillary quit? Racism…of course.
9. Pirate's Cove: HuffPo Commenters Love Drunken Little Slut Jenna’s Wedding. Digg! Digg!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Flight 93 Blogburst 5.4.2008

Crescent controversy on Fox News television and Fox News front page!

Fox News front page snapshot, 5-4-08, 45%Check out the Fox News front page today, where "Crescent Outrage" alternates top billing with "Six-Legged Soldiers!" Finally, more than a handful of Americans will at least know that there is a controversy over the Flight 93 memorial.

They won't get much more than that from Fox's text report, which is pretty bare. There is no mention of the Mecca orientation of the giant crescent, no mention of the 44 inscribed translucent blocks on the flight path, no mention of the Islamic sundial, and no fact checking (the modern media disease). Still, this is big.

The text report DOES show the side-by-side comparison of the Crescent of Embrace and the Islamic crescent and star insignia. It also reports Tom Burnett's condemnation of the crescent design as an insult to his murdered son, and it mentions our petition.

UPDATE: Red Lasso has the Fox News video clip (thanks to Avid Editor).

This is powerful stuff. Not only do they show the clear likeness between the original design and an Islamic crescent and star flag, but the image they show of the redesign shows pretty clearly how the giant crescent remains intact in the redesign:

Fox News, Bowl of EmbraceFrom the crescent and star likeness, they cut to Tom Burnett, asking what people would think if a memorial were laid out in the shape of a swastika. If viewers hadn't just seen the crescent and star likeness, that statement could be made to sound crazy, but Fox does right by Tom, giving viewers the information they need to see the reasonableness of the comparison. Many thanks to Fox for getting this right.

Fox has a lot more information at their disposal. They had a television crew at the Somerset County Courthouse yesterday where Colonel Harry Beam laid out a precise and devastating exposé of Islamic and terrorist memorializing design features, and they were sent extensive fact checking materials. None of this gets into their present reporting. If they put that material into an investigative feature, they can knock the crescent memorial out for good. Watch it to understand the threat to our homeland.

UPDATE II: Avid Editor found another completely different Fox News segment on Red Lasso. This one is even better, mentioning the Mecca orientation of the giant crescent! To view this video at Alec's Error Theory or Cao's Blog. Thank you.

Hat tip: Error Theory and Cao's Blog.

To join our blogbursts, just send your blog’s URL here. Thank you.

This is an open trackback post. Feel free to put your best, funniest, or misc. work here. Share it with others. Not familiar with trackbacks? First, choose the article you want to promote. Copy/paste my permalink (URL) to your post. Then send a trackback to me. Don't have one? You can use Wizbang Standalone Trackback Pinger. Otherwise, leave a comment for me with the permalink for your post, the name of your blog, and a small excerpt, and I will add it to the list.

FLIGHT 93 BLOGROLL.



Posts I've trackposted to at Linkfest and other sites: The Yankee Sailor: Monday Open Post, Right Truth: The Saudis, when do we deal with them?, Big Dog's Weblog: Frank Rich of the NYT Should Look Left for Racists, Democrat=Socialist: BLOG, RSS & THE NEED FOR SCHLITZ, Stageleft: Open Trackbacks & Comments Sunday, The World According To Carl: Biopsy Scheduled & I Got A Phobia! [UPDATE], Kodera's Korner: Erie Blogs Has A Thought Cop, DragonLady's World: OTA Monday 82, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Linkfest Haven, the Blogger's Oasis


Posts that have trackbacked to this post:
1. Wolf Pangloss: Egypt May 4 Strike Fizzles, "inshallah".
2. The Yankee Sailor: 2026: An Opening For The Second Coming?
3. Potbelly Stove: Evidence of Recession?
4. Wolf Pangloss: Hillary’s Good Luck Charm Finishes Second, Dies.
6. Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker: Cyclone Nargis rips through Myanmar.
8. Adam's Blog: Interview with Congressional Candidate Greg Nemitz.
9. The Yankee Sailor: Religious Extremists, Between the Sheets.
10. Big Dog's Weblog: Stephen King Pulls a John Kerry. Digg! Digg!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Talon: The Eagles Up blog

We opened last Monday, and we did very well. This is just a little reminder to keep up the great work, keep visiting us (because we really do appreciate it), and spread the word about our opening.

As a reminder, here is a list of our contributors at the Talon:

Mon. - Rurik. (Head honcho!)
Tue. - Rosemary and Concrete Bob.
Wed. - Wednesday Hero and John Lilyea.
Thu. - Cao and Dave Jeffers.
Fri. - Ron Winter.

These are all fabulous writers in their own right, except for that Rosemary character. I don't know about her. She sometimes flies off the handle when she hears someone is messing with our troops. She gets so mad, I've never seen a person get that so blindly angry. I sure wouldn't want to be the target of her anger! No telling with crazy people, ya know?! (lol)

Please don't forget to read our front page also, Eagles Up! This is where you will find information about activities planned, news that isn't covered, and a host of other issues. You may also become an activist in this war at the homefront. Remember, to win this war it will take the whole country's will. Let us always be part of the solution. Thank you again. Have a great day.

This is an open trackback post. Feel free to put your best, funniest, or misc. work here. Share it with others, and they will share their work with you (if you like). Not familiar with trackbacks? First, choose the article you want to promote. Copy my permalink (URL) to your post. Then send a trackback to me. Don't have one? You can use Wizbang Standalone Trackback Pinger. Otherwise, leave a comment for me with the permalink for your post, the name of your blog, and a small excerpt, and I will add it to the list.

There are three trackbacks which I recommend: If you would like to join the Open Trackback Alliance visit The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns. If you would like to host a trackback party, or join another blogger's party, go to Linkfest Haven Deluxe for more information. If you would like to join the Open TrackBack Provider Blogroll visit The Blue State Conservatives for more information.

Posts I've trackbacked to at 'The Crazy Rantings of Samantha Burns' OTA
:

The Crazy Rantings of Samantha Burns: OTA Weekend and Petition.
Other members of OTA:

Su. walls of the city.
Su. Grandinite.
Su. Onemanbandwidth.
Su. Stageleft.
Su. InMuscatine.

W. Stop The ACLU.

F. Stix Blog.
F. The World According To Carl.
F. Perri Nelson (M, W, F).
F. 123beta (F, Wknd).

D. The Dumb Ox.
D. Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker.
D. Conservative Cat.

S. LyfLines.
S. Church and State.

Wknd. Maggie's Notebook.
Wknd. Stuck On Stupid,.
Wknd. Blue Star Chronicles.
Wknd. The Uncooperative Blogger.
Posts I've trackposted to at Linkfest, OTA, and other sites:
W. Right Truth: OPERATION CORDUROY CAPACITOR: Taking the planet back from the radical Islamists.
Beagle Scout: The Nebraska State Senator who filed a lawsuit against God. A good read.
The Yankee Sailor: Weekend Open Post.
F. third world county (W, F): On Liberty.
A NEWT ONE: War News: About That War For Oil Lie.
F. Woman Honor Thyself: The I.D.F. Kills Shalit Kidnapper?
F. Pirate's Cove (M, F): Pirate Weekend Linkfest Sticky Post 5/2=5/4.
F. Pirate's Cove: 8 Stages Alert: This Time Blaming Hillary, Though.
Shadowscope: Blogs For Borders Video Blogburst.
Potbelly Stove: Evidence of Recession?
Wolf Pangloss: Hillary’s Good Luck Charm Finishes Second, Dies.
123beta: Last Day On The Job.
Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker: Cyclone Nargis rips through Myanmar.
Right Truth: Oprah moved from Rev. Wright to ... the dark side ....
Adam's Blog: Interview with Congressional Candidate Greg Nemitz.
Linkfest Haven, the Blogger's Oasis Add this post to Technorati Add this post to Del.icio.us. Digg! Digg!
Posts that have trackbacked to this post:
1. W. Right Truth: THE BASIS FOR A STRONG NATION - FOREIGN RELATIONS (THANK GOD I’M NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
THE BASIS FOR A STRONG NATION By R.J. Godlewski © May 3, 2008, All Rights Reserved 10. FOREIGN RELATIONS (THANK GOD I'M NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT) There's an old saying that God created families so that people would learn to...
2. Su. The Amboy Times: 58% Think Obama Denouced Wright to save face.
Hat tip, Hot Air. Most people aren't buying it. The plausibility of knowing Rev Wright for twenty years, attending his church, and even featuring some of his sermons in his book, but not knowing Wright's beliefs, is not selling. A Rasmussen...
3. Th. Diary of the Mad Pigeon: How to Identify Phishing: "IRS" Case Study.
Thank god I have experience with computers. You see, I got this in my email this afternoon: And no, my spam trap didn't catch it! Sure looks legit, doesn't it? Says it's from not-reply@irs.gov, has an official looking banner... But...
W. third world county (W, F): On Liberty.
Cutting off (or shouting down) debate on an issue to avoid having to deal with facts is the mark of a weak argument, which says a lot about most fake liberals’ arguments...

Friday, May 2, 2008

ACT! for America 5.2.08

"Rachel's Law" is signed by NYS Governor Patterson: Brava to Rachel Ehrenfeld.

Currently, libel plaintiffs can bring suit against an author in a country where the author sold only a few books. Foreign libel laws frequently place significant and expensive burdens on authors to defend their work. The statute combats such "forum shopping" in two ways. First, it bars New York courts from enforcing a foreign libel judgment unless the country where it was decided grants the same or better protection as US standards for freedom of speech. Second, it expands an individual's ability to have a court declare a foreign libel judgment invalid in New York. Without this statute, an author could be forced to live indefinitely under the pall of a libel judgment, deterring publishers from disseminating that author's work. [Continue reading.]

More Somali refugees from Malta courtesy of the UNHCR: Have we gone mad?

Ambassador Bordonaro observed that all refugees are assigned a sponsor agency that provides initial services such as housing, food, and clothing, as well as referral to medical care, employment services, and other support during a transition period lasting up to two years in order to ensure integration and assimilation. "I have personally met many of the refugees who are part of the programme," Ambassador Bordonaro said, "and they will make outstanding U.S. citizens." [Continue reading.]

Flying Blind in the War on Terror.

But the key component needed for any future government policies regarding terrorism must be the long overdue assessment of our enemy's strategy and ideology. The present guidelines effectively prohibit any such analysis. Until such a comprehensive study by our intelligence, military and law enforcement communities is complete, we are left flying blind in the war on terror. As we should have learned on 9/11 at the cost of lives of three thousand innocent civilians, the enemy's vision is not likewise obscured. [Continue reading.]

Yom Ha Shoah - Hamas Holocaust perversion: "Jews planned Holocaust to kill handicapped Jews!!".

It is a good thing there is the Jewish state of Israel with a mighty armed force in the Middle East. After all an IAF squadron took out the Syrian plutonium bomb factor last September. That sent a message to Ahmadinejad that a second Holocaust will not occur, despite threats to "wipe Israel off the map of the World". If a Jewish state had existed prior to World War Two, then perhaps Hitler's 'final solution' might not have occurred. But the reality on this Yom Ha Shoah, that there was no pre-war Jewish state and Six million were murdered in unspeakable ways and within this decade many of the eyewitness survivors will be gone. [Continue reading.]

"Iran Presses Ahead With Proposed Natural Gas Cartel": Another OPEC!!.

In her statement Wednesday, Ros-Lehtinen also said the U.S. should work with its allies to diversify natural gas sources and increase access to international markets through the construction of new pipelines. [Continue reading.]

"Somali rebels defiant after al Qaeda chief killed": another US airstrike kill.

Shabaab is the armed wing of the Somalia Islamic Courts Council that took over most of southern Somalia for six months in 2006, until government troops backed by Ethiopian forces routed it in a two-week war. Western security officials have long seen Somalia as a haven for militants. Warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, casting the country into chaos. [Continue reading.]

"The Translator Scandal Ripens": A Call for Congress to act!

Called "Wake Up America" the Myrick proposal has ten points regarding investigation of the threat and infiltration of radical Islamist elements in America. Point three mirrors our earlier recommendation and investigations: "Will call for the Government Accounting Office (GAO) to investigate the selection process of Arabic translators in the FBI and DoD." This article will endeavor to lay out the factual background in support of this agenda by elucidating the depth of the translator scandal. Perhaps now Congress will finally investigate and undertake overdue remedial actions on this issue. [Continue reading.]

"Making Mischief": Islamo Mafia Syria is at it again!!

In other words, Syria is too deeply committed, on too many levels, to its alliance with Iran to consider abandoning it for the Golan and the Arab mainstream. Syria's conflict with Israel can't be separated out from Damascus's larger regional concerns. Hence, with all due respect to the Turkish mediators, we are faced here with another manifestation of that well-known Middle Eastern phenomenon: much ado about nothing. [Continue reading.]

As Goes Serbia, So Goes Israel?

Serbia must be supported by all who still cherish morality over expediency. Historical correctness must in all such cases trump so-called political correctness. As goes Serbia, so goes Israel. Neither nation deserves to become victim to the international greed for black gold and the attendant groveling acceptance by oil-importing states to the demands of the oil producing dictatorships and Islamic theocracies. Indeed, the stench from corrupting oil that permeates the international corridors of power makes the very angels in heaven gag. [Continue reading.]

On The Eve Of Destruction? Yes, Iran's Nuclear facility at Natanz looks ominous.

With increasing evidence of Iran's role in smuggling weapons into Iraq used in attacks on U.S. troops, a second aircraft carrier was sent to the Persian Gulf on Tuesday and the Pentagon ordered commanders to draft options for a U.S. attack on Iran. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen warned Iran that "it would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability." This week, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is expected to confront Tehran with evidence of Iranian activities. [Continue reading.]

Linkfest Haven, the Blogger's Oasis

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Posts I've trackbacked to at 'The Crazy Rantings of Samantha Burns' OTA: S. The Crazy Rantings of Samantha BurnsS. The Crazy Rantings of Samantha Burns: OTA Weekend and Petition, F. MacBro's Place: City of Fredericton NB - Flood of 2008, 3. F. Pirate's Cove (M, F): Palestinian Terrorists Collide Head On With Concrete Barrier.

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2. A NEWT ONE: War News: About That War For Oil Lie

SF bring together American, Afghan children

CJTF-101

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (April 24, 2008) – Elementary school children from the U.S. and Afghanistan met each other Wednesday over a video teleconference facilitated by the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, as part of a partnership program and cultural exchange. CJSOTF-A has been working with village elders, teachers, parents and students of the Jan Qadam elementary school, outside the gates of Bagram Air Field, to enable the school to become a more effective center of education. Coalition troops have been able to supply more than 1,200 students with notebooks, pens, pencils, backpacks, rules and glue to get them started on a good school year, with the help of Calvert City Elementary School in Calvert City, Kentucky.

Students and teachers from the Jan Qadam elementary school in Bagram clap at the answer a U.S. school child gave to a riddle they asked, during their first video teleconference. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Marie Schult)The Jan Qadam students used a conference room on Bagram Air Field while the Calvert City students used a conference room at Fort Campbell, Ky. Young Afghan girls wearing black dresses and white scarves excitedly whispered to each other, about the pretty, colorful shirts and long loose hair of their American counterparts. The Afghan boys, dressed similar to any American child with jeans, shirts and baseball caps, fidgeted as they waited their turn to talk and answer questions.

One of the highlights of the conference was when a young, confident Afghan boy stood up and read a letter he wrote to the American students in almost perfect English. At the end of the letter he said he hoped the American students would try to learn Dari and talk to him some day.

“We have been enriched by this program,” said Phyllis O’neill, Calvert City Elementary School Principal. O’neill said she encourages her students to do volunteer work and explore other cultures to gain an understanding of those cultures. This is important for the U.S. students because it really shows them it’s not easy for other students to go to school and get an education, O’neill said. “I appreciate all the students for sending these items,” said the Jan Qadam headmaster. “We are relatively poor and all the kids here are really happy for the supplies.”

Most students wanted to know simple things about each other. They asked about school, choice of favorite foods, sports, and animals and what activities they do during recess. Some of the Afghan children tried to stump the Calvert students with riddles and they clapped joyfully when the answers came over the airwaves. However, this is not the first communications these students have had. A few months ago, some of the Calvert City students wrote letters to the Jan Qadam students and their Afghan peers are in the process of writing them back.

According to a coalition representative, the goal is for the relationship between these schools to continue in order to enrich all of the students and show the importance of education. The partnership is meant as an exchange that will continue for years; enriching the lives of both sets of students.

Students and teachers from the Jan Qadam elementary school in Bagram clap at the answer a U.S. school child gave to a riddle they asked, during their first video teleconference. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Marie Schult).

Source: CENTCOM. Digg! Digg!

Cuscatlan Battalion delivers wheelchairs, gives hope

by SFC Stacy Niles
214th Fire Brigade PAO

FOB DELTA, Iraq (April 24, 2008) – The El Salvador Cuscatlán Battalion X rotation distributed 125 wheelchairs to disabled children and adults at the al-Rhama Disabled Association in al-Kut, Iraq, April 18. “I was shocked by the large number of children,” said Col. Walter Arévalo, commander of the Cuscatlán Battalion. Many of the wheelchair recipients suffer from conditions such as epilepsy, heart disease, migraines and eye and skin disorders, said Arévalo.

Salvadoran Soldiers from the Cuscatlán Battalion X rotation distributed 125 wheelchairs, food packets and school supply kits at the al-Rhama Disabled Association in al-Kut, April 18.Hussein Kase, a 12-year-old who received a wheelchair, is mute and suffers from a skin condition in addition to being paralyzed. The chair will give him mobility, said his father Kas Salaman. “I’m very happy about this gift,” Salaman said. “It will help him move and be able to play with the other children.”

More resources are needed to increase the quality of life for these individuals, said Arévalo. People had traveled from as far away as Basra, he said, to receive assistance. “It is important for us to run this type of activity,” Arévalo said. “We like to be able to give hope to the people.”

In addition to the wheelchairs, the Salvadoran soldiers distributed 125 packets of food and school supply kits.

Salvadoran Soldiers from the Cuscatlán Battalion X rotation distributed 125 wheelchairs, food packets and school supply kits at the al-Rhama Disabled Association in al-Kut, April 18.

Source: CENTCOM. Digg! Digg!

Iraqi lieutenant gets prosthetic limb

by Tami Hillis
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

FOB KALSU, Iraq (April 25, 2008) – At about 12:46 p.m., Jan. 10, everything changed for one Iraqi Army special forces platoon leader. While on a joint mission with coalition forces, the 8th IA Division Soldier was struck by an improvised explosive device as he crossed a pedestrian footbridge on the east side of Route Minnesota in the Chaka Four Region. First Lt. Mohy Ali lost his right foot and sustained trauma to his right wrist in the attack.

A little more than three months later, Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, are helping the 42-year-old soldier get his life back to normal, one step at a time. Capt. Jacob Turnquist, the 4th BCT surgeon, identified a clinic near the Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where Mohy was originally treated, that specializes in getting prosthetics for Iraqis.

The IA Surgeon General’s Office Prosthetics Clinic is run by Iraqis, with American civil affairs support. Turnquist contacted the clinic and spoke with Chris Cummings, a retired Army medic and a prosthetist in the prosthetics clinic. Cummings, who is also an adviser for Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, assisted the unit with the process.

Chris Cummings, a prosthetist in the IA surgeon general's office prosthetics clinic in Baghdad, runs some tests on 1st Lt. Mohy Ali's limb during an initial visit on April 21. Mohy, an IA soldier, lost his foot during an IED attack on Jan. 10 while on a joint mission with Coalition forces. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Tami Hillis)The next step was linking Mohy up with coalition forces in his area, which was done through Staff Sgt. Alfonza Chatfield, a medic with the 31st Military Transition Team, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, in al-Hillah, Iraq. Mohy was escorted to the Green Zone, Baghdad, on April 21 by Chatfield, an 18-year veteran and Georgia native, to the prosthetics clinic.

Cummings checked Mohy’s limb to ensure it had healed properly. Cummings then manually measured different parts of the limb. Next, with the use of a computer-aided design program, he created a three-dimensional view of Mohy’s limb on a computer. Between the manual measurements and the program, Cummings generated a close representation of the limb. With the information gathered from this first trip, Cummings will create a prosthetic foot for Mohy, which will be fitted during the next visit.

“I’m a commander and I want to get back with my soldiers,” Mohy said. “I want to be able to walk and run again.”

Chris Cummings, a prosthetist in the IA surgeon general's office prosthetics clinic in Baghdad, runs some tests on 1st Lt. Mohy Ali's limb during an initial visit on April 21. Mohy, an IA soldier, lost his foot during an IED attack on Jan. 10 while on a joint mission with Coalition forces. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Tami Hillis).

Source: CENTCOM. Digg! Digg!

Poultry means prosperity in Hawr Rajab

by Sgt. David Turner
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

FOB KALSU (April 30, 2008) — Two Iraqi poultry farmers received 3,000 chicks each April 27 in a bid to jump-start their industry in Hawr Rajab, a rural community south of Baghdad. The farmers, Mohammed Hussein and Amman Kameers, accepted the chicks from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division and the Baghdad-7 embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team. “It’s meant as a start-up packet,” said Mike Stevens, the ePRT agriculture adviser. “It’s just to cut back on their input costs so they can make a profit and become self-sustaining.”

First Lt. Michael Falk rescues a chick while poultry farmers load 6,000 of them onto trucks in Hawr Rajab, April 27. (Photo by Sgt. David Turner)Poultry farming in Hawr Rajab, once a thriving industry, suffered at the hands of insurgents. Stevens said insurgents came to the area and stole chickens and destroyed chicken coops as a way to threaten the farmers. “We had a lot of losses,” said Sheikh Majid Wiese, chairman of the local farmers union. “Since we started working with the (Sons of Iraq) and Coalition forces, we’ve gotten rid of those insurgents. Now we’re gearing toward agriculture.” Distributing chicks to farmers is just one part of the program, said Stevens. In the coming months, the 2nd BCT and the ePRT will distribute feed and more than 12,000 egg-laying chicks to Hawr Rajab farmers. They are also working to secure funds to complete refurbishment of the al-Ra’ad Poultry processing plant in Hawr Rajab, which could provide much-needed jobs to the region.

Increased capacity in poultry farming is intended to have a trickle-down effect in the local economy, Stevens said. Hatcheries in Baghdad will be able to sell more chicks to farmers, who in turn can supply more poultry products to local markets. “Providing these chicks will help to increase our capacity about 25 percent,” said Rarad Abd Jalel Rashed, a poultry representative of the farmers union. “If we can get up to 50 percent, we will be able to be on our own and not need any assistance from anybody else.”

First Lt. Michael Falk rescues a chick while poultry farmers load 6,000 of them onto trucks in Hawr Rajab, April 27. (Photo by Sgt. David Turner).

Source: CENTCOM. Digg! Digg!

Mahmudiyah radio station ready for first broadcast

by Kerensa Hardy
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Coalition forces provided training on April 24 to local citizens employed at the new radio station on the Iraqi army compound in Mahmudiyah. The Mahmudiyah IAC received new radio station equipment on April 12 to increase communication means in the area, in conjunction with Operation Marne Piledriver. The new station, 106.5 FM, will be used as a conduit to keep the community informed. The inaugural broadcast will air April 27. During the training, employees learned the program clock, types of broadcast, equipment familiarization and how to create scheduling calendars for future events. Iraqi army soldiers from 25th Brigade, 6th IA Division also received training on the equipment from Company A, 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The Iraqi soldiers may fill in if regularly scheduled employees are unable to travel. Soldiers from 3-320th FA are working to inform local Iraqis about the new station and available services offered by Operation Marne Piledriver.

Source: CENTCOM.

Digg! Digg!

Admiral: ISF fight well in Basra, Baghdad battles

by Gerry Gilmore
DefenseLink.

BAGHDAD (April 28, 2008) – Iraqi security forces fought and performed well during recent battles against insurgents in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Basra, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said Monday. “We’ve had significant achievements in the fight against criminal groups over the last several weeks,” Navy Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, a Multi-National Force - Iraq spokesman, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. “In Basra and Baghdad, Iraqi security forces have demonstrated bravery and professionalism and have made great strides in securing those areas where Iraqis were held hostage by those who oppose the rule of law and commit acts of violence that endangered innocent Iraqis.”

Iraqi and coalition security forces have cleared hundreds of roadside bombs and other deadly ordnance from the streets and byways of eastern Baghdad’s Sadr City sector, which houses 3 million Iraqi residents, noted Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, an Iraqi military spokesman who accompanied Driscoll at the news conference. The roadside-bomb removal improves safety and security and also “alleviates the traffic jams and also provides more freedom to the citizens to move from one neighborhood to another in Baghdad,” Atta said.

About two weeks ago, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki directed his security forces to confront illegal militias in the southern city of Basra. The fighting in Basra then spread to eastern Baghdad, primarily in Sadr City, the home to thousands of followers of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Recent anti-insurgent efforts by Iraqi and coalition forces in Basra and eastern Baghdad have improved security in those two areas, Atta reported. The Iraqi government has earmarked more than $100 million for reconstruction needs in Basra and $150 million for redevelopment in Sadr City, the Iraqi general said.

Security in Basra has “improved dramatically over the last several weeks,” Driscoll observed, noting the Iraqi security forces have driven out criminals and have moved into the city’s neighborhoods to ascertain citizens’ needs. The Iraqi Interior Ministry reports that Basra’s citizens are returning to their marketplaces and the city’s children are going back to school, Driscoll said.

Capacity has been expanded at Basra’s civil military operations center. Basra’s CMOC team manages reconstruction efforts across the city and includes Iraqi, U.S., and other-agency participation, he said. “This will help facilitate the quick delivery of essential services, get business going again, and provide basic aid to the populace,” Driscoll explained. In addition, coalition forces are reprioritizing funding to accelerate Basra reconstruction projects such as sewage services, new street lighting, medical care and business incentives, Driscoll reported. Similar reconstruction operations are taking place in eastern Baghdad, he noted.

“Once again, this is the process we’re hoping for, where security is established, and then that will allow us to bring in the services I’ve mentioned and also let people get back to a normal life,” Driscoll said.

Source: CENTCOM. Digg! Digg!

Marines open up 'Road to Peace'

by Cpl. Chadwick deBree
2nd Bn., 3rd Marines

KARMA, Iraq (Aprl 28, 2008) – The small Iraqi city street clamored with singing, dancing and rejoicing. It was a time of celebration. Marines of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1 and local Iraqi security forces and community officials celebrated the opening of al-Tareq Ela al-Salaam, which translates to “The Road to Peace,” here, April 14.

Karma Mayor Kamal Abd Al Salam Abd Al Wahid, spoke to the crowd of people including local Iraqi security forces, Iraqi government officials, and Marines. Sheikh Mishan, the preeminent sheikh in the area, then blessed the road as the Iraqi police moved the barriers that have been there for approximately three years. “Due to the (observation post) being so close to the road, in the past there was a great threat of (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) and (suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices),” said Capt. Phil Dykeman, commanding officer, Company F, 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines. “The road needed to be closed to protect the Marines that lived and operated out of OP Omar.”

In order to reopen the road to the local population, the situation in the area had to be stable enough so the risk was minimal, and combat engineers had to make new entry control points so Marines could enter and exit the observation post in a way that was safe for both service members and local Iraqis. Engineers attached to 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, worked tirelessly day and night to make sure that the opening of the road would go off without a hitch.

“Opening (the road) wasn’t as easy as you would think,” said 2nd Lt. Kevin Ritchie, platoon commander, Engineer Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines. “We made countless round trips delivering dirt and gravel. It took about a week to build new posts and reorganize the barrier structure. The platoon was up there until the day prior making sure everything was in place. We also received help from (Combat Logistics Battalion 1) and (Combat Engineer Battalion, RCT-1). They loaned us personnel and equipment, and Trucks Platoon lent us drivers and vehicles to help us get this accomplished. It was a lot of organizations coming together to help get this done,” said Ritchie.

With the mission in Iraq now focused on turning the country over to the Iraqis, the reopening of the road is just one of the many steps to return life back to normalcy and bring stability to the region. “We’re at the point where our convoys can pass alongside civilian traffic on (the road),” Ritchie, a native of Worcester, Mass., said. “Now the local civilians can drive through Karma like anywhere else without taking a long detour. It’s good to see that kind of consistency.”

This project was a main priority for both the local Iraqi government and the battalion. When the road was closed, local Iraqis were forced to take a detour that was narrow and dangerous for large vehicles and added more time for them to get to their destination, Dykeman said, and the Iraqis were happy that it was opened up to them. “The Iraqis were very happy that the road is open,” said the native of Central Square, N.Y. “There was music and dancing. The first vehicle through the road was an Iraqi Police vehicle, which is symbolic since they are instrumental in the security.”

The Island Warriors and ISF are working side-by-side on a daily basis in order to bring stability back to the region. This is all part of the mission the Marines are charged with during their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Source: CENTCOM. Digg! Digg!

Iraqi Security Forces clear Hyyaniyah

MND-SE

BASRA (April 29, 2008) — As part of ongoing operations to secure the Hyyaniyah district in Basra, Iraq, Iraqi Security Forces searched the area of criminals and weapons caches last week. The ISF involved were Soldiers from 1st Division, 14th Division; the 26th Brigade attached to the 1st Division; a Battalion with the National Police from Baghdad; and elements from an Emergency Police Battalion.

“It went rather well considering the threat and many different organizations that were involved,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Robert Washington, military advisor for the 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division. Additionally, the major said the Iraqi Army found a large weapons cache in a school during the search. In the two days, they found substantial amounts of 60 mm mortars, 105 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars, rocket-propelled grenade rounds, RPG tubes, artillery shells for use as improvised explosive devices, homemade grenades, heavy machine guns, various rockets, including a 220 mm rocket, large amounts of small-arms ammunition and various mortar tube sizes. “We were told it was a stronghold,” Washington said. “Possible threats were IEDs, small-arms fire, snipers and a house-borne IED where they rig a house to blow up when searched,” he added. “The Iraqi Army worked well. They met timelines and controlled their forces.

“They are continuing their efforts in humanitarian aid and intelligence gathering with the local populations,” Washington said.

Source: MNF-Iraq. Digg! Digg!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

To All Enemies of the USA

Foreign and domestic.


'Nuf said.

Hat tip: American Infidel who informed where to find this pic at MizGeminiStarz’s Blog.

This is an open trackback post. Feel free to put your best, funniest, or misc. work here. Share it with others, and they will share their work with you (if you like). Not familiar with trackbacks? First, choose the article you want to promote. Copy my permalink (URL) to your post. Then send a trackback to me. Don't have one? You can use Wizbang Standalone Trackback Pinger. Otherwise, leave a comment for me with the permalink for your post, the name of your blog, and a small excerpt, and I will add it to the list.

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Right Truth: OPERATION CORDUROY CAPACITOR: Taking the planet back from the radical Islamists.
Woman Honor Thyself: Obesity CauseS Global WarminG?
Beagle Scout: Buckley in 1955: The Liberal Mind and Democratic selection of the Republican presidential candidate.
The Yankee Sailor: Up To 20,000 Sailors & Civilians Eligible for Re-Education [Update].
A NEWT ONE: War News: About That War For Oil Lie.
Pirate's Cove: Palestinian Terrorists Collide Head on with Concrete Barrier.
Right Truth: THE BASIS FOR A STRONG NATION - FOREIGN RELATIONS (THANK GOD I’M NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
The Amboy Times: 58% Think Obama Denouced Wright to save face.
Diary of the Mad Pigeon: How to Identify Phishing: "IRS" Case Study.
Linkfest Haven, the Blogger's Oasis Add this post to Technorati Add this post to Del.icio.us. Digg! Digg!
Posts that have trackbacked to this post:
1. third world county: Those who do not learn from history…
In a democracy (”rule by mob”), those who refuse to learn from history are usually in the majority and dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance...
2. Right Truth: You can't fact-check emotion
Barack Obama was 'angry' ... at least according to him and according to the media who repeated what he wanted them to repeat. But you can’t fact-check emotion, can you? That's what the Columbia Journalism Review asks. Was Obama really...
3. Woman Honor Thyself: Yom Hashoah: Holocaust Remembrance Day.
What happened? How did it happen? How could it happen? Could it happen again?...
4. Wolf Pangloss: Reach for the Star and you might just reach the Moon.
This is a comment I made on the Spyglass, in response to a post about witnessing to and proselytizing to Muslims that focused on Father Zakaria Botros and Pope Benedict XVI.
As Skarbutts points out in Faith Against Faith, there is no belief system tha...
5. A NEWT ONE: War News: The Idiots Of Mission Accomplished.
Once again, the Leftinistra are grasping at straws and, we that know better must answer this blatant and purposeful stupidity. I have already written of this at A Newt One and I have also written on this subject twice before I merged with A Newt One...
6. Nuke Gingrich: Friday Reading.
Only three things in life make it worth living’: Guitars tuned good, Open Threads, and firm-feelin’ women. (not necessarily in that order)...