Bunny In The Foxhole
Friday, June 30, 2006
Our country's bday is coming up this Tues...here's a few lil factoids...
US FLAG FACTS
US flag has 50 stars representing the 50 states, and 13 stripes representing the 13 original states.
Earlier flags had a British Union Jack or the motto "Don't Tread on Me," . The first flag approved by the Continental Congress had thirteen stars on a field of blue and thirteen stripes.
The credit for designing the first flag perhaps goes to Francis Hopkins.
The Continental Congress approved the design of the first official U.S. flag on June 14, 1777. This day later came to be celebrated as the Flag Day.
The official colors of the flag are "Old Glory Red," white, and "Old Glory Blue."
On June 14, 1777, Congress adopted a resolution calling for a flag with thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, and with a blue canton or "union", with thirteen white stars. The resolution defined the significance of the colors: "White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; Blue, Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice."
The thirteen stripes and thirteen stars are representative of the original thirteen colonies. The five pointed stars used as a flag symbol gained popularity only after its incorporation into the American flag. Since then it has been used in many state flags and in foreign flags, including Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and the once sovereign nations of the Republic of Texas and the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Until 1818, an additional star and stripe was added as each new state was admitted to the Union. However it later became evident that it was not at all practical as the flag would inevitably become unwieldy. On April 4, 1816, a new scheme was made official. The Flag of the United States would have thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, and a blue canton on which a white star would be added for each state. Each star would be added to the flag on the July 4th following the admission of the new state to the Union.
In 1912, the government specified official patterns, proportions and colors, for the Flag we know today.
Traditionally a symbol of liberty, the American flag has carried the message of freedom to many parts of the world. Sometimes the same flag that was flying at a crucial moment in America's history has been flown again in another place to symbolize continuity in the struggles for the cause of liberty.
The American flag first flew over Fort Derne, off the shores of Tripoli in Libya.
INTERESTING FACTS
On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament Building is an American flag.
On an American one-dollar bill, there is an owl in the upper left-hand corner of the "1" encased in the "shield" and a spider hidden in the front upper right-hand corner.
One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television.
In Los Angeles, there are fewer people than there are automobiles.
The United States Government keeps its supply of silver at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.
52% of Americans drink coffee.
27% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.
A Californian doctor has set the record of eating 17 bananas in two minutes.
Approximately 35 million Americans are linked by blood to one (or more) of the 102 pilgrims who came to America on the Mayflower in 1620.
There are five US states with no sales tax. They are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work.
It was once illegal to take a bath in the wintertime in Indiana.
Ohio is the birthplace of more Presidents than any other state - eight.
US FLAG FACTS
US flag has 50 stars representing the 50 states, and 13 stripes representing the 13 original states.
Earlier flags had a British Union Jack or the motto "Don't Tread on Me," . The first flag approved by the Continental Congress had thirteen stars on a field of blue and thirteen stripes.
The credit for designing the first flag perhaps goes to Francis Hopkins.
The Continental Congress approved the design of the first official U.S. flag on June 14, 1777. This day later came to be celebrated as the Flag Day.
The official colors of the flag are "Old Glory Red," white, and "Old Glory Blue."
On June 14, 1777, Congress adopted a resolution calling for a flag with thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, and with a blue canton or "union", with thirteen white stars. The resolution defined the significance of the colors: "White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; Blue, Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice."
The thirteen stripes and thirteen stars are representative of the original thirteen colonies. The five pointed stars used as a flag symbol gained popularity only after its incorporation into the American flag. Since then it has been used in many state flags and in foreign flags, including Uruguay, Puerto Rico, and the once sovereign nations of the Republic of Texas and the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Until 1818, an additional star and stripe was added as each new state was admitted to the Union. However it later became evident that it was not at all practical as the flag would inevitably become unwieldy. On April 4, 1816, a new scheme was made official. The Flag of the United States would have thirteen stripes, alternating red and white, and a blue canton on which a white star would be added for each state. Each star would be added to the flag on the July 4th following the admission of the new state to the Union.
In 1912, the government specified official patterns, proportions and colors, for the Flag we know today.
Traditionally a symbol of liberty, the American flag has carried the message of freedom to many parts of the world. Sometimes the same flag that was flying at a crucial moment in America's history has been flown again in another place to symbolize continuity in the struggles for the cause of liberty.
The American flag first flew over Fort Derne, off the shores of Tripoli in Libya.
INTERESTING FACTS
On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament Building is an American flag.
On an American one-dollar bill, there is an owl in the upper left-hand corner of the "1" encased in the "shield" and a spider hidden in the front upper right-hand corner.
One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television.
In Los Angeles, there are fewer people than there are automobiles.
The United States Government keeps its supply of silver at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used.
52% of Americans drink coffee.
27% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.
A Californian doctor has set the record of eating 17 bananas in two minutes.
Approximately 35 million Americans are linked by blood to one (or more) of the 102 pilgrims who came to America on the Mayflower in 1620.
There are five US states with no sales tax. They are: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.
Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work.
It was once illegal to take a bath in the wintertime in Indiana.
Ohio is the birthplace of more Presidents than any other state - eight.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Got this gorgeous link thru one of my groups.Best viewed with a broadband connection.It is absolutely stunning...click here.
Monday, June 26, 2006
CIV VS MIL
Credit for this goes to Carrie =) This made me cry...so I am fixin to post it everywheres.(I am so glad I can say I don't do the "civvie" listed things here.)
Civilian life vs Military life Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes. He stays up for days on end. _______ You take a warm shower to help you wake up. He goes days or weeks without running water. _______ You complain of a "headache", and call in sick. He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward. _______ You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends. He still fights for your right to wear that shirt. _______ You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket. He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags. _______ You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you. He knows he may not see some of his buddies again. _______ You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls. He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists. _______ You complain about how hot it is. He wears his heavy gear in the desert not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow. _______ You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong. He eats what he can or does not eat today. _______ Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes. He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean. _______ You go to the mall and get your hair redone. He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today. _______ You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over. He is told he will be held an extra 2 months. _______ You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night. He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home hoping he still has a girl to go home to. _______ You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday. He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume. _______ You ditch class to go to a movie. He goes where he is told. _______ You roll your eyes as a baby cries. He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet. _______ You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything. He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting. _______ You tell jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him. He hears the gun fire and bombs. _______ You see only what the media wants you to see. He sees the bodies lying around him. _______ You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't. He does what he is told. _______ You stay at home and watch tv. He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat. _______ You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable. He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire. _______ You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men or women like them. If only there were more men and women like him _______ PLEASE REPOST!! OUR HUSBANDS/WIVES, SONS/DAUGHTERS, COUSINS, FRIENDS ARE OUT THERE FIGHTING AND RISKING THEIR LIVES FOR US!! PLEASE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!
Credit for this goes to Carrie =) This made me cry...so I am fixin to post it everywheres.(I am so glad I can say I don't do the "civvie" listed things here.)
Civilian life vs Military life Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes. He stays up for days on end. _______ You take a warm shower to help you wake up. He goes days or weeks without running water. _______ You complain of a "headache", and call in sick. He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward. _______ You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends. He still fights for your right to wear that shirt. _______ You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket. He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags. _______ You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you. He knows he may not see some of his buddies again. _______ You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls. He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists. _______ You complain about how hot it is. He wears his heavy gear in the desert not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow. _______ You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong. He eats what he can or does not eat today. _______ Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes. He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean. _______ You go to the mall and get your hair redone. He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today. _______ You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over. He is told he will be held an extra 2 months. _______ You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night. He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home hoping he still has a girl to go home to. _______ You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday. He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume. _______ You ditch class to go to a movie. He goes where he is told. _______ You roll your eyes as a baby cries. He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet. _______ You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything. He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and remembers why he is fighting. _______ You tell jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him. He hears the gun fire and bombs. _______ You see only what the media wants you to see. He sees the bodies lying around him. _______ You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't. He does what he is told. _______ You stay at home and watch tv. He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat. _______ You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable. He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gun fire. _______ You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men or women like them. If only there were more men and women like him _______ PLEASE REPOST!! OUR HUSBANDS/WIVES, SONS/DAUGHTERS, COUSINS, FRIENDS ARE OUT THERE FIGHTING AND RISKING THEIR LIVES FOR US!! PLEASE SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!
Sunday, June 25, 2006
The 'Flag Desecration Amendment'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'Flag Desecration Amendment' is moving through the Senate and could come to a floor vote as early as next week. At stake is the very freedom at the heart of our democracy.
Congress has already rejected constitutional amendments on the flag three times, but the issue is back for the sake of election year demagoguery. This time the vote in the Senate will be dangerously close. With states poised to ratify the amendment, literally one or two votes in the Senate will determine if, for the first time in our history, we curtail the liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
Please write your senators today and tell them to vote NO on SJR 12, the 'Flag Desecration Amendment.'
Visit FlagAction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 'Flag Desecration Amendment' is moving through the Senate and could come to a floor vote as early as next week. At stake is the very freedom at the heart of our democracy.
Congress has already rejected constitutional amendments on the flag three times, but the issue is back for the sake of election year demagoguery. This time the vote in the Senate will be dangerously close. With states poised to ratify the amendment, literally one or two votes in the Senate will determine if, for the first time in our history, we curtail the liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
Please write your senators today and tell them to vote NO on SJR 12, the 'Flag Desecration Amendment.'
Visit FlagAction
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
I also wanted to post that I found another link thru Soldiers Angels that ya all may be interested in.Its called Fight Media Bias. I just sent mine and my son's info in.this is on the front page.I hope more folks will send a soldier a tag and let em know we are behind them!
Send a "Dog Tag" in your name to a soldier in Iraq
I’m not ashamed of our troops -- are you?
The mainstream liberal media want you to believe that U.S. troops in Iraq are guilty of widespread torture ... oppressing civilians ... murdering U.S. journalists ... opposing the war effort ...
And losing the war.
Well, after a military career that stretched from World War II through Korea, Vietnam, and the fall of the Soviet empire, I can tell you this --
Our troops in Iraq are winning the war.
Number of personalized "Don’t Believe the Liberal Media" Dog Tags created for troops on the front lines so far: 74,339
Goal: 150,000
And they’re upholding the highest standards of decency and civilization in their selfless mission to liberate the Iraqi people from tyranny and confront the America-hating terrorist fanatics on their own ground.
These courageous men and women need to know that somebody back home is working to restore fairness and balance to the media’s coverage of the sacrifices they’re making for us.
That’s why I want you to add your name to a special “dog tag” that I’ll send to one of our heroic soldiers on the front lines.
The dog tag bears the message, “Don’t Believe the Liberal Media -- America Supports Our Troops!” -- in your name, personally.
And it promises your prayers until that soldier comes home safe and sound.
I’ll also send you a second “dog tag.”
I hope you’ll put your dog tag on your key chain as a daily reminder to pray for our troops and their safe return home.
Join me in demanding that the media tell the truth about our troops in Iraq and help me get a signed tag to every single one of the 150,000 men and women in uniform over there. Please add your name, a message, and an email address in the form on the right side of this page and we'll take it from there.
Send a "Dog Tag" in your name to a soldier in Iraq
I’m not ashamed of our troops -- are you?
The mainstream liberal media want you to believe that U.S. troops in Iraq are guilty of widespread torture ... oppressing civilians ... murdering U.S. journalists ... opposing the war effort ...
And losing the war.
Well, after a military career that stretched from World War II through Korea, Vietnam, and the fall of the Soviet empire, I can tell you this --
Our troops in Iraq are winning the war.
Number of personalized "Don’t Believe the Liberal Media" Dog Tags created for troops on the front lines so far: 74,339
Goal: 150,000
And they’re upholding the highest standards of decency and civilization in their selfless mission to liberate the Iraqi people from tyranny and confront the America-hating terrorist fanatics on their own ground.
These courageous men and women need to know that somebody back home is working to restore fairness and balance to the media’s coverage of the sacrifices they’re making for us.
That’s why I want you to add your name to a special “dog tag” that I’ll send to one of our heroic soldiers on the front lines.
The dog tag bears the message, “Don’t Believe the Liberal Media -- America Supports Our Troops!” -- in your name, personally.
And it promises your prayers until that soldier comes home safe and sound.
I’ll also send you a second “dog tag.”
I hope you’ll put your dog tag on your key chain as a daily reminder to pray for our troops and their safe return home.
Join me in demanding that the media tell the truth about our troops in Iraq and help me get a signed tag to every single one of the 150,000 men and women in uniform over there. Please add your name, a message, and an email address in the form on the right side of this page and we'll take it from there.
Missing soldiers found dead in Iraq
The bodies of two American soldiers, who were reported captured last week, were recovered Tuesday in Iraq, near Yusufiya. The two soldiers, Pfc. Thomas Lowell Tucker, 25, of Madras, Oregon, and Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, Texas, went missing Friday during an insurgent attack on a US position south of Baghdad.
Although unconfirmed, the Associated Press reported that an in an internet posting Tuesday, the Al-Qaeda affiliated group, the Mujahedeen Shura Council, said the two soldiers were killed by their new leader, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer. The language used in the post suggested they were killed in a brutal fashion. Al-Muhajer took over control of the umbrella insurgency group shortly after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
An Iraqi defense ministry official said the bodies showed signs of torture. "With great regret, they were killed in a barbaric way," he said. Officially, the cause of death for the soldiers is listed as "undeterminable at this point." and the two bodies will return to the United States for DNA testing to confirm their identities.
My heart aches for these young men and their families.YOU,Abu Hamza al-Muhajer,shall die too.Not IF,but WHEN.
Rest in Peace,beloved soldiers,you shall NEVER be forgotten.
The bodies of two American soldiers, who were reported captured last week, were recovered Tuesday in Iraq, near Yusufiya. The two soldiers, Pfc. Thomas Lowell Tucker, 25, of Madras, Oregon, and Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, Texas, went missing Friday during an insurgent attack on a US position south of Baghdad.
Although unconfirmed, the Associated Press reported that an in an internet posting Tuesday, the Al-Qaeda affiliated group, the Mujahedeen Shura Council, said the two soldiers were killed by their new leader, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer. The language used in the post suggested they were killed in a brutal fashion. Al-Muhajer took over control of the umbrella insurgency group shortly after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
An Iraqi defense ministry official said the bodies showed signs of torture. "With great regret, they were killed in a barbaric way," he said. Officially, the cause of death for the soldiers is listed as "undeterminable at this point." and the two bodies will return to the United States for DNA testing to confirm their identities.
My heart aches for these young men and their families.YOU,Abu Hamza al-Muhajer,shall die too.Not IF,but WHEN.
Rest in Peace,beloved soldiers,you shall NEVER be forgotten.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
U.S. vows to find soldiers missing in Iraq
By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi farmer said Sunday that he saw seven heavily armed gunmen capture two American soldiers during an attack on a road checkpoint south of Baghdad, while U.S. troops searched for their comrades for a second day.
Another Iraqi said the Americans were offering $100,000 for information leading to the abductors, but the U.S. command denied that.
The White House promised to do everything it could to find the soldiers and said it had a message for anybody who may have taken the two men: "Give them back."
Gunmen, meanwhile, kidnapped 10 bakery workers in Baghdad, and a mortar attack killed four people in the capital. Police also found 17 bodies around the city, including four women and a teenager handcuffed and shot in the head — apparently the latest victims of sectarian death squads.
While suffering the new blows to his effort to restore security in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki pushed ahead with negotiations on a plan for reconciling the country's ethnic and religious communities.
But his proposal, which would include a limited pardon for insurgents according to a draft obtained by The Associated Press, has been snarled by stark differences on that issue among the various groups, legislators said Sunday.
U.S. troops, backed by helicopters and warplanes, fanned out across the "Triangle of Death" south of Baghdad searching for the two missing servicemen, but the military offered no new information after saying Saturday that at least four raids had been carried out.
The predominantly Sunni region is the scene of frequent ambushes of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi troops.
Ahmed Khalaf Falah, a farmer who said he witnessed the abduction of the Americans on Friday, said three Humvees were manning a U.S. checkpoint near Youssifiyah, about 12 miles south of Baghdad, when they came under fire from many directions.
Two Humvees chased after the assailants, but the third was attacked before it could move, he told AP. Seven masked gunmen, including one carrying what appeared to be a heavy machine gun, killed the driver of the third vehicle, then took the other two soldiers captive, Falah said.
Falah said tensions were high in the area as U.S. troops raided some houses and detained men in looking for the missing soldiers. He said the Americans were setting up checkpoints on all roads leading into the area of the attack and helicopters were hovering at low altitudes.
A Youssifiyah resident, who said his house was searched by U.S. soldiers Sunday afternoon, said the Americans were using translators to offer $100,000 for information leading to those who took the soldiers.
The U.S. military denied a reward had been offered. It said only that coalition and Iraqi forces were continuing the search and "will continue to use every resource available."
The man in Youssifiyah said he would not cooperate.
"I will not do it even if they pay one million dollars," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he feared retribution. "They deserve all that they are facing ... we are living a hard life because of them."
White House spokesman Tony Snow said he could not confirm the two missing soldiers were abducted, but he told "Fox News Sunday" that anybody who might be holding them should "give them back."
"Obviously, there is a vigorous effort to try to locate them and to bring them back safely," he said in an interview with CNN.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the soldiers appeared to have been taken prisoner. "Hopefully they will be found and released as soon as possible," he said on CNN's "Late Edition."
The U.S. military said Saturday that soldiers at a nearby checkpoint heard small-arms fire and explosions during the attack at 7:15 p.m. Friday, and a quick-reaction force reached the scene within 15 minutes. The force found one soldier dead but no signs of the other two.
Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman for U.S. forces in
Iraq, said blocking positions were established throughout the area within an hour of the attack to keep suspects from fleeing. He also said divers would search a Euphrates River canal near the attacked outpost.
The two soldiers were the first to go missing in the Iraq war since Sgt. Keith M. Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, was captured on April 9, 2004, when insurgents ambushed his fuel convoy west of Baghdad.
A week later, Al-Jazeera television aired a videotape showing the 20-year-old Maupin sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles.
That June, Al-Jazeera aired another tape purporting to show a U.S. soldier being shot. But the dark, grainy tape showed only the back of the victim's head and did not show the actual shooting. The Army ruled it was inconclusive whether the soldier was Maupin.
Elsewhere in Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi troops met little resistance as they established new outposts in southern Ramadi in an operation aimed at denying supplies to insurgents in Iraq's biggest Sunni Arab city.
U.S. commanders said the move wasn't the precursor to a rumored assault to drive out insurgents along the lines of the 2004 attack in Fallujah, but rather an "isolation" tactic.
My thoughts and prayers are with our soldiers and their families...come home SAFE!!
By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi farmer said Sunday that he saw seven heavily armed gunmen capture two American soldiers during an attack on a road checkpoint south of Baghdad, while U.S. troops searched for their comrades for a second day.
Another Iraqi said the Americans were offering $100,000 for information leading to the abductors, but the U.S. command denied that.
The White House promised to do everything it could to find the soldiers and said it had a message for anybody who may have taken the two men: "Give them back."
Gunmen, meanwhile, kidnapped 10 bakery workers in Baghdad, and a mortar attack killed four people in the capital. Police also found 17 bodies around the city, including four women and a teenager handcuffed and shot in the head — apparently the latest victims of sectarian death squads.
While suffering the new blows to his effort to restore security in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki pushed ahead with negotiations on a plan for reconciling the country's ethnic and religious communities.
But his proposal, which would include a limited pardon for insurgents according to a draft obtained by The Associated Press, has been snarled by stark differences on that issue among the various groups, legislators said Sunday.
U.S. troops, backed by helicopters and warplanes, fanned out across the "Triangle of Death" south of Baghdad searching for the two missing servicemen, but the military offered no new information after saying Saturday that at least four raids had been carried out.
The predominantly Sunni region is the scene of frequent ambushes of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi troops.
Ahmed Khalaf Falah, a farmer who said he witnessed the abduction of the Americans on Friday, said three Humvees were manning a U.S. checkpoint near Youssifiyah, about 12 miles south of Baghdad, when they came under fire from many directions.
Two Humvees chased after the assailants, but the third was attacked before it could move, he told AP. Seven masked gunmen, including one carrying what appeared to be a heavy machine gun, killed the driver of the third vehicle, then took the other two soldiers captive, Falah said.
Falah said tensions were high in the area as U.S. troops raided some houses and detained men in looking for the missing soldiers. He said the Americans were setting up checkpoints on all roads leading into the area of the attack and helicopters were hovering at low altitudes.
A Youssifiyah resident, who said his house was searched by U.S. soldiers Sunday afternoon, said the Americans were using translators to offer $100,000 for information leading to those who took the soldiers.
The U.S. military denied a reward had been offered. It said only that coalition and Iraqi forces were continuing the search and "will continue to use every resource available."
The man in Youssifiyah said he would not cooperate.
"I will not do it even if they pay one million dollars," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he feared retribution. "They deserve all that they are facing ... we are living a hard life because of them."
White House spokesman Tony Snow said he could not confirm the two missing soldiers were abducted, but he told "Fox News Sunday" that anybody who might be holding them should "give them back."
"Obviously, there is a vigorous effort to try to locate them and to bring them back safely," he said in an interview with CNN.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the soldiers appeared to have been taken prisoner. "Hopefully they will be found and released as soon as possible," he said on CNN's "Late Edition."
The U.S. military said Saturday that soldiers at a nearby checkpoint heard small-arms fire and explosions during the attack at 7:15 p.m. Friday, and a quick-reaction force reached the scene within 15 minutes. The force found one soldier dead but no signs of the other two.
Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman for U.S. forces in
Iraq, said blocking positions were established throughout the area within an hour of the attack to keep suspects from fleeing. He also said divers would search a Euphrates River canal near the attacked outpost.
The two soldiers were the first to go missing in the Iraq war since Sgt. Keith M. Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, was captured on April 9, 2004, when insurgents ambushed his fuel convoy west of Baghdad.
A week later, Al-Jazeera television aired a videotape showing the 20-year-old Maupin sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles.
That June, Al-Jazeera aired another tape purporting to show a U.S. soldier being shot. But the dark, grainy tape showed only the back of the victim's head and did not show the actual shooting. The Army ruled it was inconclusive whether the soldier was Maupin.
Elsewhere in Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi troops met little resistance as they established new outposts in southern Ramadi in an operation aimed at denying supplies to insurgents in Iraq's biggest Sunni Arab city.
U.S. commanders said the move wasn't the precursor to a rumored assault to drive out insurgents along the lines of the 2004 attack in Fallujah, but rather an "isolation" tactic.
My thoughts and prayers are with our soldiers and their families...come home SAFE!!
I wanted to say this in a different post than the previous,cos I feel it deserves a place of its own.To all of our dads fighting for our freedoms...here's to YOU!
I just watched Baghdad ER.And I have to say I cried.It IS a very powerful program.My heart aches even more for the men and women over in that..hell.I would highly recommend it to anyone who can handle the very emotional scenes.I would not suggest that younger children see this.Its about an hour long.I can't really say much more...its really effected me to the point of must find something else to do.I just wanted to post my opinion on it.Very well made.MUCH LOVE AND SUPPORT TO OUR TROOPS!
Friday, June 16, 2006
Rules for the Non Military (or Military in civvies(?))
Dear Civilians,
"We know that the current state of affairs in our great nation has many civilians up in arms and excited to join the military. For those of you who can't join, you can still lend a hand. Here are a few of the areas where we would like your assistance:
1. The next time you see an adult talking (or wearing a hat) during the playing of the National Anthem---kick their ass.
2. When you witness, firsthand, someone burning the American Flag in protest---kick their ass.
3. Regardless of the rank they held while they served, pay the highest amount of respect to all veterans. If you see anyone doing otherwise, quietly pull them aside and explain how these veterans fought for the very freedom they bask in every second. Enlighten them on the many sacrifices these veterans made to make this Nation great. Then hold them down while a disabled veteran kicks their ass.
4. (GUYS) If you were never in the military, DO NOT pretend that you were. Wearing battle dress uniforms (BDUs) or Jungle Fatigues, telling others that you used to be "Special Forces," and collecting GI Joe memorabilia, might have been okay when you were seven years old. Now, it will only make you look stupid and get your ass kicked.
5. Next time you come across an Air Force member, do not ask them, "Do you fly a jet?" Not everyone in the Air Force is a pilot. Such ignorance deserves an ass-kicking (children are exempt).
6. If you witness someone calling the US Coast Guard 'non-military', inform them of their mistake---and kick their ass.
7. Next time Old Glory (the US flag) prances by during a parade, get on your damn feet and pay homage to her by placing your hand over your heart. Quietly thank the military member or veteran lucky enough to be carrying her---of course, failure to do either of those could earn you a severe ass-kicking.
8. Don't try to discuss politics with a military member or a veteran. We are Americans, and we all bleed the same, regardless of our party affiliation. Our Chain of Command is to include our Commander-In-Chief (CinC). The President (for those who didn't know) is our CinC regardless of political party. We have no inside track on what happens inside those big important buildings where all those representatives meet. All we know is that when those civilian representatives screw up the situation, they call upon the military to go straighten it out. If you keep asking us the same stupid questions repeatedly, you will get your ass kicked!
9. 'Your mama wears combat boots' never made sense to me---stop saying it! If she did, she would most likely be a vet and therefore, could kick your ass!
10. Bin Laden and the Taliban are not Communists, so stop saying 'Let's go kill those Commies!' And stop asking us where he is! Crystal balls are not standard issue in the military. That reminds me---if you see anyone calling those damn psychic phone numbers, let me know, so I can go kick their ass!
11. 'Flyboy' (Air Force), 'Jarhead' (Marines), 'Grunt' (Army), 'Squid' (Navy), 'Puddle Jumpers' (Coast Guard), etc. , are terms of endearment we use describing each other. Unless you are a service member or vet, you have not earned the right to use them. That could get your ass kicked.
12. Last, but not least, whether or not you become a member of the military, support our troops and their families. Every Thanksgiving and religious holiday that you enjoy with family and friends, please remember that there are literally thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen far from home wishing they could be with their families. Thank God for our military and the sacrifices they make every day. Without them, our country would get it's ass kicked."
"It is the Veteran, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press.
"It is the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.
It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.
"It is the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
(Please pass this on so I won't have to kick your ass!) :-) "If you can read this, thank a teacher" If you are reading it in English, thank a Veteran "
I will add one more:
13. If you ever see anyone either standing for or singing the national anthem in Spanish - KICK THEIR ASS - OR CALL ME AND I WILL KICK THEIR ASS!!!!
Got this in an email forward.
Dear Civilians,
"We know that the current state of affairs in our great nation has many civilians up in arms and excited to join the military. For those of you who can't join, you can still lend a hand. Here are a few of the areas where we would like your assistance:
1. The next time you see an adult talking (or wearing a hat) during the playing of the National Anthem---kick their ass.
2. When you witness, firsthand, someone burning the American Flag in protest---kick their ass.
3. Regardless of the rank they held while they served, pay the highest amount of respect to all veterans. If you see anyone doing otherwise, quietly pull them aside and explain how these veterans fought for the very freedom they bask in every second. Enlighten them on the many sacrifices these veterans made to make this Nation great. Then hold them down while a disabled veteran kicks their ass.
4. (GUYS) If you were never in the military, DO NOT pretend that you were. Wearing battle dress uniforms (BDUs) or Jungle Fatigues, telling others that you used to be "Special Forces," and collecting GI Joe memorabilia, might have been okay when you were seven years old. Now, it will only make you look stupid and get your ass kicked.
5. Next time you come across an Air Force member, do not ask them, "Do you fly a jet?" Not everyone in the Air Force is a pilot. Such ignorance deserves an ass-kicking (children are exempt).
6. If you witness someone calling the US Coast Guard 'non-military', inform them of their mistake---and kick their ass.
7. Next time Old Glory (the US flag) prances by during a parade, get on your damn feet and pay homage to her by placing your hand over your heart. Quietly thank the military member or veteran lucky enough to be carrying her---of course, failure to do either of those could earn you a severe ass-kicking.
8. Don't try to discuss politics with a military member or a veteran. We are Americans, and we all bleed the same, regardless of our party affiliation. Our Chain of Command is to include our Commander-In-Chief (CinC). The President (for those who didn't know) is our CinC regardless of political party. We have no inside track on what happens inside those big important buildings where all those representatives meet. All we know is that when those civilian representatives screw up the situation, they call upon the military to go straighten it out. If you keep asking us the same stupid questions repeatedly, you will get your ass kicked!
9. 'Your mama wears combat boots' never made sense to me---stop saying it! If she did, she would most likely be a vet and therefore, could kick your ass!
10. Bin Laden and the Taliban are not Communists, so stop saying 'Let's go kill those Commies!' And stop asking us where he is! Crystal balls are not standard issue in the military. That reminds me---if you see anyone calling those damn psychic phone numbers, let me know, so I can go kick their ass!
11. 'Flyboy' (Air Force), 'Jarhead' (Marines), 'Grunt' (Army), 'Squid' (Navy), 'Puddle Jumpers' (Coast Guard), etc. , are terms of endearment we use describing each other. Unless you are a service member or vet, you have not earned the right to use them. That could get your ass kicked.
12. Last, but not least, whether or not you become a member of the military, support our troops and their families. Every Thanksgiving and religious holiday that you enjoy with family and friends, please remember that there are literally thousands of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen far from home wishing they could be with their families. Thank God for our military and the sacrifices they make every day. Without them, our country would get it's ass kicked."
"It is the Veteran, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press.
"It is the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech.
It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate.
"It is the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
(Please pass this on so I won't have to kick your ass!) :-) "If you can read this, thank a teacher" If you are reading it in English, thank a Veteran "
I will add one more:
13. If you ever see anyone either standing for or singing the national anthem in Spanish - KICK THEIR ASS - OR CALL ME AND I WILL KICK THEIR ASS!!!!
Got this in an email forward.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
The following message was written by John Ubaldi, a U.S. Marine who served in both Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq). Mr. Ubaldi is a member of the Board of Directors of the pro-troop organization, Move America Forward.
June 14th, America will celebrate Flag Day; and from the birth of this republic the flag has been the symbol of this nation. To the forces of tyranny this flag is the symbol that keeps them from enslaving mankind, to those seeking freedom it is that one image of salvation that brings liberty to a beaten people.
September 11th changed the lives of America, and world around us, forever altering our perceptions about the position we should play in world affairs. Viewing the images of destruction, my thoughts, and emotions reminded me of another time when a pervious generation in American history was forever altered by December 7th.
Deploying with the Marines to an arid, wind swept, and forsaken land of Afghanistan, I found myself standing in formation on the one-year anniversary of that tragic day, to commemorate the disaster that befell the nation. I listened to the speeches, but found myself viewing the American flag as it flapped in the wind swept breeze and thought of all those that had perished under its banner.
In the last century their lives have ended in places called Belleau Wood, the Argonne, Omaha Beach, Salerno, and half way around the world on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Pork Chop Hill, The Chosin Reservoir, and hundreds of rice paddies and jungles in Vietnam.
In our lifetime they fell in the Persian Gulf, Somalia, the mountains of Afghanistan, Fallujah, Nasiriyah, Ramadi, and on the streets of Baghdad.
The American flag has become the symbol of this nation, a symbol of freedom, a place where freedom-loving people can look to for hope. The Sher family are one of these individuals hoping for a better life. Having spent years in a Nazi concentration camp, they immigrated to America; standing in a small apartment in New Orleans they recounted the difficult journey that brought them here. Holding in her arms there one month old son Mordecai, who was born in a Displaced Person's camp in Europe and who still clutched an American flag in his hands.
The young mother stated, "It is for him particularly that I am happy," said the sweet young mother. "That he should grow up in this great land which is America, grow up to be free that is what I thought of as our ship pulled in and saw welcoming me from the shore of your little Statue of Liberty."
Thinking back to my youth and the stories that my father always told me of his aunt, who passed away a few years ago, but always reminding me of her love and compassion that she showed his family after the death of both his parents. The one story that I am most fond of hearing, is how having never visited America or smelled its sweet breath of freedom, she always kept an American flag in her home, because she knows first hand what America brought to Italy and the world after the Second World War.
Witnessing first hand the vast arsenal that secured freedom from the brink of extinction, then built the economic resurrection of Europe, keeping the Soviet system of tyranny from enslaving the weakened countries of Western Europe enabling generations to enjoy freedom.
Weeks before the onset of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson stated, "My dream is that, as the years go on and the world knows more and more of America, it ...will turn to America for those moral inspirations which lie at the basis of all freedom...that America will come into the full light of the day when all shall know that she puts human rights above all other rights, and that her flag is the flag, not only of America, but of humanity."
Today, in that same spirit the American flag is flying proudly in Afghanistan and in Iraq, not over a conquered people, but to plant the seeds of liberty into a region that is void of freedom.
Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi addressed a joint meeting of Congress on September 23, 2004 stated, "The overwhelming majority of Iraqis are grateful. They are grateful to be rid of Saddam Hussein and the torture and brutality he forced upon us, grateful for the chance to build a better future for our families, our country and our region. We Iraqis are grateful to you, America, for your leadership and your sacrifice for our liberation and our opportunity to start anew."
Viewing the image of the six Marines raising the flag on top of Mount Suribachi, you notice the hands of Marine Private First Class, Ira Hayes struggling to reach the American Flag as it begins to be raised on that pivotal battle, a battle that continues to this day, the symbol of freedoms precarious struggle in the hearts of man.
As President Kennedy stated in Berlin June 1963, "Freedom is indivisible, and when one man is enslaved, all are not free."
As America is engaged on the War on terror the flag of this republic again is unfurled so all that wish to do us harm may see that the banner of liberty again is on the march to bring the light of liberty to freedom loving people everywhere!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Friday, June 09, 2006
A twisted reaction to Zarqawi's death
Posted: June 9, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
He's dead, he's dead, Hallelujah!
The hottest corner in hell just found itself a new occupant with the death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and one can now conjure up the vision of Mr. Zarqawi searching in vain for those promised 72 virgins.
By now he's probably figured out that he would have had a better chance finding 72 virgins had he been attending Bill Clinton's campaign fund-raisers instead of waging Islamic jihad against the West.
One would expect that most sane, rational people, upon hearing the news of Zarqawi's death, would be happy or relieved, just as the world rejoiced at the death of Adolf Hitler. But then again, we've long since moved beyond "The Greatest Generation" and instead now walk through the generation of Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan and anti-war activists protesting at the funerals of military personnel.
Siding with the terrorists
The American political left is so committed to seeing President Bush brought down and the war on terrorism brought to an end that they instinctively side with America's enemies.
That may sound harsh, and the anti-war left activists will swear to you that it's not the case, but their own words belie their claims.
Across the websites and message boards of liberal America yesterday were cries of protest from many about the news that Zarqawi's reign of terror, murder and violence had come to an end.
At the Democratic Underground website, users attempted to manipulate MSNBC's online poll to suggest that the mission to kill Zarqawi would be meaningless in the war in Iraq. Whether or not the death of Zarqawi will have a major impact on the war effort is beside the point. The efforts by liberals to manipulate a poll so as to beat down the morale of the American people and make them believe we can't win is revolting. There is a sickness that has infected the anti-war movement.
Other liberals at Democratic Underground were foaming at the mouth with indignation about the mission to kill Zarqawi: "He's a fictitious character," said the poster "ShortnFiery." Another poster named "wizdum" agreed: "… I never believed in this pat story of al-Qaida in Iraq. It set off my ******** meter right from the get go."
Meanwhile, at another liberal website named Daily Kos, some liberals were outright upset that the military had chosen to kill a terrorist. "Bush's idea of justice is bombs falling out of the sky?" asked a user named "Justice."
Another user named "ronik" expressed a similar sentiment: "If you agree with this killing, do you also agree with lynchings because people 'knew' the person was guilty and should be put to death? Also, do you support the death penalty? I don't, but at least those people have been put on trial. Why should it be different for this person?"
Do these people not realize our nation is at war, and the enemy is attempting to kill our troops and eventually murder the rest of us here in the United States?
Apparently not, because another Daily Kos member offered consolation about Zarqawi's death, opining that, "This too shall pass."
These people comprise the constituency of Air America, the people who give money to MoveOn.org and who voted for John Kerry for president. And the saddest thing is that most of the reporters in the "mainstream media" are sympathetic to their point of view.
Some liberals thought Zarqawi had been given an unfair reputation. "How do you know 'he was guilty of masterminding suicide bombings and beheadings of innocent civilians'? Did you hear this on the MSM? Or are you privy to information the rest of us don't have access to?" asked Daily Kos user "Johann."
Others insisted Zarqawi isn't really dead, but is instead part of some conspiracy to deceive the American public. "Personally, I think they've got him in a cell somewhere, and they trot him out whenever the political situation seems dire and let him make a speech," said a user named "Pragmatic Left." The liberal member "iconoclast022" echoed that sentiment. "It seems that Osama and George are just playing their role for the family in each one's bid for empire and power. I'd be willing to bet that this plan has been in the works for a very long time. I bet they see themselves as overlords or something."
Ignoring the carnage
Those who want to see the United States and Coalition forces lose the war on terrorism have somehow found a way to make themselves positively numb to the record of carnage that Zarqawi and al-Qaida have left behind in Iraq.
The Associated Press published a list of terrorist attacks attributed to Zarqawi dating back to 2002. These include the horrific truck bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad that killed 23 people, including the U.N.'s top envoy, Sergio Vieira; the March 2004 bombings of Shiite Muslim shrines in Karbala and Baghdad that killed 181 people; the kidnapping and beheading of Nicholas Berg; a car bomb attack on a vehicle convoy in Baghdad that killed 13 people, including three General Electric employees; the kidnapping and beheading of South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il; the kidnapping and beheading of two Bulgarian truck drivers; the kidnapping and beheading of a Turkish truck driver; and the September 2004 bombings in Baghdad that killed 35 children and seven adults as U.S. troops handed out candy during the opening of a new sewage treatment plant.
That's just a brief listing of some of the murderous actions of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. I don't have enough space in 10 columns, let alone one column, to detail the others.
This is a man – along with the terrorist effort he helped lead – that is vile and inhuman. These people must be stopped, and we must strike them where they are based in Iraq, Afghanistan and other reaches throughout the Middle East.
If we don't take action there, then we know what will happen: They will fly planes into our government and office buildings as they did on September 11; they will detonate bombs in American high-rise buildings as they did in 1993; they will hijack our cruise ships as they did in the case of the Achille Lauro; and on and on.
I don't know why more Americans don't understand this.
You may not like George Bush's personality, or you may disagree with his policies on immigration and federal spending. You might even believe he has made some mistakes in how he's conducted the war on terrorism.
But his basic premise in fighting the war against Islamic terrorism is spot-on right. Instead of hoping that Bush will be embarrassed by a failure in Iraq, these people need to realize that if we fail there, the consequences will be disastrous. We will have emboldened the most radicalized elements of Islam and sent them a message that if they only act more ruthlessly and savagely, they can bring America down to her knees and sap our morale and determination to fight for freedom, democracy and peace.
We can't do that, no matter how badly some of the sick and twisted people on the political left in this country might wish us to.
From Melanie Morgan
I said it many times yesterday..and I am more than happy to say it again..I am glad Zarkookoo is DEAD.(I can never spell his name correctly,I think my rendition is more appropriate anyways)
Posted: June 9, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
He's dead, he's dead, Hallelujah!
The hottest corner in hell just found itself a new occupant with the death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and one can now conjure up the vision of Mr. Zarqawi searching in vain for those promised 72 virgins.
By now he's probably figured out that he would have had a better chance finding 72 virgins had he been attending Bill Clinton's campaign fund-raisers instead of waging Islamic jihad against the West.
One would expect that most sane, rational people, upon hearing the news of Zarqawi's death, would be happy or relieved, just as the world rejoiced at the death of Adolf Hitler. But then again, we've long since moved beyond "The Greatest Generation" and instead now walk through the generation of Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan and anti-war activists protesting at the funerals of military personnel.
Siding with the terrorists
The American political left is so committed to seeing President Bush brought down and the war on terrorism brought to an end that they instinctively side with America's enemies.
That may sound harsh, and the anti-war left activists will swear to you that it's not the case, but their own words belie their claims.
Across the websites and message boards of liberal America yesterday were cries of protest from many about the news that Zarqawi's reign of terror, murder and violence had come to an end.
At the Democratic Underground website, users attempted to manipulate MSNBC's online poll to suggest that the mission to kill Zarqawi would be meaningless in the war in Iraq. Whether or not the death of Zarqawi will have a major impact on the war effort is beside the point. The efforts by liberals to manipulate a poll so as to beat down the morale of the American people and make them believe we can't win is revolting. There is a sickness that has infected the anti-war movement.
Other liberals at Democratic Underground were foaming at the mouth with indignation about the mission to kill Zarqawi: "He's a fictitious character," said the poster "ShortnFiery." Another poster named "wizdum" agreed: "… I never believed in this pat story of al-Qaida in Iraq. It set off my ******** meter right from the get go."
Meanwhile, at another liberal website named Daily Kos, some liberals were outright upset that the military had chosen to kill a terrorist. "Bush's idea of justice is bombs falling out of the sky?" asked a user named "Justice."
Another user named "ronik" expressed a similar sentiment: "If you agree with this killing, do you also agree with lynchings because people 'knew' the person was guilty and should be put to death? Also, do you support the death penalty? I don't, but at least those people have been put on trial. Why should it be different for this person?"
Do these people not realize our nation is at war, and the enemy is attempting to kill our troops and eventually murder the rest of us here in the United States?
Apparently not, because another Daily Kos member offered consolation about Zarqawi's death, opining that, "This too shall pass."
These people comprise the constituency of Air America, the people who give money to MoveOn.org and who voted for John Kerry for president. And the saddest thing is that most of the reporters in the "mainstream media" are sympathetic to their point of view.
Some liberals thought Zarqawi had been given an unfair reputation. "How do you know 'he was guilty of masterminding suicide bombings and beheadings of innocent civilians'? Did you hear this on the MSM? Or are you privy to information the rest of us don't have access to?" asked Daily Kos user "Johann."
Others insisted Zarqawi isn't really dead, but is instead part of some conspiracy to deceive the American public. "Personally, I think they've got him in a cell somewhere, and they trot him out whenever the political situation seems dire and let him make a speech," said a user named "Pragmatic Left." The liberal member "iconoclast022" echoed that sentiment. "It seems that Osama and George are just playing their role for the family in each one's bid for empire and power. I'd be willing to bet that this plan has been in the works for a very long time. I bet they see themselves as overlords or something."
Ignoring the carnage
Those who want to see the United States and Coalition forces lose the war on terrorism have somehow found a way to make themselves positively numb to the record of carnage that Zarqawi and al-Qaida have left behind in Iraq.
The Associated Press published a list of terrorist attacks attributed to Zarqawi dating back to 2002. These include the horrific truck bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad that killed 23 people, including the U.N.'s top envoy, Sergio Vieira; the March 2004 bombings of Shiite Muslim shrines in Karbala and Baghdad that killed 181 people; the kidnapping and beheading of Nicholas Berg; a car bomb attack on a vehicle convoy in Baghdad that killed 13 people, including three General Electric employees; the kidnapping and beheading of South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il; the kidnapping and beheading of two Bulgarian truck drivers; the kidnapping and beheading of a Turkish truck driver; and the September 2004 bombings in Baghdad that killed 35 children and seven adults as U.S. troops handed out candy during the opening of a new sewage treatment plant.
That's just a brief listing of some of the murderous actions of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. I don't have enough space in 10 columns, let alone one column, to detail the others.
This is a man – along with the terrorist effort he helped lead – that is vile and inhuman. These people must be stopped, and we must strike them where they are based in Iraq, Afghanistan and other reaches throughout the Middle East.
If we don't take action there, then we know what will happen: They will fly planes into our government and office buildings as they did on September 11; they will detonate bombs in American high-rise buildings as they did in 1993; they will hijack our cruise ships as they did in the case of the Achille Lauro; and on and on.
I don't know why more Americans don't understand this.
You may not like George Bush's personality, or you may disagree with his policies on immigration and federal spending. You might even believe he has made some mistakes in how he's conducted the war on terrorism.
But his basic premise in fighting the war against Islamic terrorism is spot-on right. Instead of hoping that Bush will be embarrassed by a failure in Iraq, these people need to realize that if we fail there, the consequences will be disastrous. We will have emboldened the most radicalized elements of Islam and sent them a message that if they only act more ruthlessly and savagely, they can bring America down to her knees and sap our morale and determination to fight for freedom, democracy and peace.
We can't do that, no matter how badly some of the sick and twisted people on the political left in this country might wish us to.
From Melanie Morgan
I said it many times yesterday..and I am more than happy to say it again..I am glad Zarkookoo is DEAD.(I can never spell his name correctly,I think my rendition is more appropriate anyways)
Thursday, June 08, 2006
I woke up to this WONDERFUL bit of GREAT news!!!! So of course I just HAD to post here.
Ifn it was'nt so early in the am,I do believe I would crack open a wine cooler...Cheers!
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed in air raid
By PATRICK QUINN, Associated Press Writer 50 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in
Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.
Al-Zarqawi and seven aides were killed Wednesday evening in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baqouba, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.
"Al-Zarqawi was eliminated," al-Maliki said.
At the White House,
President Bush hailed the killing, saying it is "a severe blow to al-Qaida and it is a significant victory in the war on terror."
But he cautioned: "We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continuing patience of the American people."
Al-Qaida in Iraq confirmed al-Zarqawi's death and vowed to continue its "holy war," according to a statement posted on a Web site.
"We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the mujahed sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," said the statement, signed by "Abu Abdel-Rahman al-Iraqi," identified as the deputy "emir" or leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.
"The death of our leaders is life for us. It will only increase our persistence in continuing holy war so that the word of God will be supreme."
Video from the scene of the attack showed children scrambling over a flattened jumble of cinderblocks, concrete reinforcing bars, blankets, blue plastic bowls and other debris. A pickup truck was scorched and crushed.
Two young members of the crowd showed the camera a child's sandal, a backpack with a teddy bear on it and a stuffed animal. The site sat across a dirt road from a grove of palm trees.
I certainly hope he is burning in hell for what he did.
Ifn it was'nt so early in the am,I do believe I would crack open a wine cooler...Cheers!
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed in air raid
By PATRICK QUINN, Associated Press Writer 50 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in
Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.
Al-Zarqawi and seven aides were killed Wednesday evening in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baqouba, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.
"Al-Zarqawi was eliminated," al-Maliki said.
At the White House,
President Bush hailed the killing, saying it is "a severe blow to al-Qaida and it is a significant victory in the war on terror."
But he cautioned: "We have tough days ahead of us in Iraq that will require the continuing patience of the American people."
Al-Qaida in Iraq confirmed al-Zarqawi's death and vowed to continue its "holy war," according to a statement posted on a Web site.
"We want to give you the joyous news of the martyrdom of the mujahed sheik Abu Musab al-Zarqawi," said the statement, signed by "Abu Abdel-Rahman al-Iraqi," identified as the deputy "emir" or leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.
"The death of our leaders is life for us. It will only increase our persistence in continuing holy war so that the word of God will be supreme."
Video from the scene of the attack showed children scrambling over a flattened jumble of cinderblocks, concrete reinforcing bars, blankets, blue plastic bowls and other debris. A pickup truck was scorched and crushed.
Two young members of the crowd showed the camera a child's sandal, a backpack with a teddy bear on it and a stuffed animal. The site sat across a dirt road from a grove of palm trees.
I certainly hope he is burning in hell for what he did.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
I found this in the local letters to the editor today.And I say cheers! And well said! I especially LOVE the Post Office story!! I woulda done the SAME thing,and made damn sure she was still in ear shot!
Our democracy is in a shambles
We need to straighten up our own democracy before we sell it to the world.
Seventy-seven percent of the American people believe all Congressmen take bribes. As evidenced this week, a Democratic Congressman hid $90,000 in his freezer. Repub-lican Congressmen defended the man, stating the FBI had over-stepped it bounds in raiding the Congressman’s office. Congressmen above the law? Democracy at its best!
Bush rationalizes we are a nation of immigrants. True, but most immigrants came here legally to escape op-pression, to find freedom and to become Americans.
Today it seems immigrants want the opportunities and benefits of America without allegiance to, or appreciation for, our country. Are we developing undermining, subversive mini-countries within our country?
These days, it’s confusing as to what it means to be an American. Is America losing its identify? The Senate is deliberating on a bill to make English our national lan-guage or make it something called a “unifying language.” Early immigrants learned English to en-hance/strengthen their new nationality.
Multi-culturalism is an as-set. Customs and religions can be maintained, but the end result should still be “American.” (Strengthen, not threaten a country.) Political correctness cannot shield or hide illegalities.
National pride is com-mendable, but shouldn’t American pride be first? Is loyalty to our country and our flag too great a price to ask for citizenship?
At the post office, a woman stated in broken English she wanted stamps. She received American flags. Her re-sponse, “No, no, not flags. No American flags.” After I mailed her package, I said, “I’d like a book of stamps please. American flags!” I didn’t need the stamps.
B.A. Buttz
(city name removed for privacy reasons)
Our democracy is in a shambles
We need to straighten up our own democracy before we sell it to the world.
Seventy-seven percent of the American people believe all Congressmen take bribes. As evidenced this week, a Democratic Congressman hid $90,000 in his freezer. Repub-lican Congressmen defended the man, stating the FBI had over-stepped it bounds in raiding the Congressman’s office. Congressmen above the law? Democracy at its best!
Bush rationalizes we are a nation of immigrants. True, but most immigrants came here legally to escape op-pression, to find freedom and to become Americans.
Today it seems immigrants want the opportunities and benefits of America without allegiance to, or appreciation for, our country. Are we developing undermining, subversive mini-countries within our country?
These days, it’s confusing as to what it means to be an American. Is America losing its identify? The Senate is deliberating on a bill to make English our national lan-guage or make it something called a “unifying language.” Early immigrants learned English to en-hance/strengthen their new nationality.
Multi-culturalism is an as-set. Customs and religions can be maintained, but the end result should still be “American.” (Strengthen, not threaten a country.) Political correctness cannot shield or hide illegalities.
National pride is com-mendable, but shouldn’t American pride be first? Is loyalty to our country and our flag too great a price to ask for citizenship?
At the post office, a woman stated in broken English she wanted stamps. She received American flags. Her re-sponse, “No, no, not flags. No American flags.” After I mailed her package, I said, “I’d like a book of stamps please. American flags!” I didn’t need the stamps.
B.A. Buttz
(city name removed for privacy reasons)
Monday, June 05, 2006
Troops cleared of Iraq wrongdoing
US marine patrol near Falluja
Marines and other service personnel will be given ethical training
A US military investigation has found there was no misconduct by US troops over Iraqi civilian deaths in the town of Ishaqi, a spokesman says.
Maj Gen William Caldwell said reports that troops "executed" a family during a raid on a house in March and tried to cover it up were "absolutely false".
Questions over the 11 deaths in Ishaqi come amid a Pentagon inquiry into a bigger alleged massacre in Haditha.
The US has announced extra training in moral and ethical values for troops.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has criticised coalition forces for what he describes as habitual attacks against civilians.
News in the US this week has been dominated by discussion of the investigations in Iraq, the BBC's Adam Brookes reports from Washington.
The Bush administration has had an exceptionally difficult time focusing public attention on what it says is the progress being made by the new Iraqi government, our correspondent says.
'Correct procedures'
A report filed by Iraqi police accused US troops of rounding up and deliberately shooting 11 people in the house in Ishaqi, including five children and four women, before blowing up the building.
Footage shows dead at Ishaqi site
The BBC footage from Ishaqi was cross-checked with other images
Maj Gen Caldwell said the US investigation into events in Ishaqi, where the military says it was attempting to capture insurgents, had found no wrongdoing on the part of the troops.
Four bodies including that of an insurgent were found after the raid while up to nine "collateral deaths" resulted from the US raid, according to the investigation.
It added that a precise death toll could not be determined because of collapsed walls and debris.
All the correct procedures were followed when troops came under fire as they approached the house, Maj Gen Caldwell said.
"The investigation revealed the ground force commander, while capturing and killing terrorists, operated in accordance with the rules of engagement governing our combat forces in Iraq," he added.
"Allegations that the troops executed a family living in this safe house, and then hid the alleged crimes by directing an air strike, are absolutely false."
The outcome of the Pentagon investigation emerged a day after the BBC released video footage that appears to show the aftermath of US action in Ishaqi, about 100km (60 miles) north of Baghdad.
'Violence commonplace'
The video tape obtained by the BBC shows a number of dead adults and children at the site with what our world affairs editor John Simpson says were clearly gunshot wounds.
The pictures came from a hardline Sunni group opposed to coalition forces.
It has been cross-checked with other images taken at the time of events and is believed to be genuine.
Other probes are being carried out into the alleged massacre at Haditha, and also into claims that an Iraqi man was deliberately killed on 26 April in Hamandiya - and that the circumstances were covered up. Seven marines and a navy sailor are being held over the claims.
The Iraqi government has also launched an investigation into the alleged massacre at Haditha, where eyewitnesses claim US marines shot dead 24 civilians after a roadside bomb attack in November.
Mr Maliki said he would ask the US for the investigative files into the incident.
Violence against civilians was "common among many of the multinational forces", he added.
Many troops had "no respect for citizens, smashing civilian cars and killing on a suspicion or a hunch", he added.
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday that 99.9% of US forces conducted "themselves in an exemplary manner".
Original link
I for one am happy to see that our troops were cleared.In my opinion,the media is using that 9 year old to further their own agendas.
US marine patrol near Falluja
Marines and other service personnel will be given ethical training
A US military investigation has found there was no misconduct by US troops over Iraqi civilian deaths in the town of Ishaqi, a spokesman says.
Maj Gen William Caldwell said reports that troops "executed" a family during a raid on a house in March and tried to cover it up were "absolutely false".
Questions over the 11 deaths in Ishaqi come amid a Pentagon inquiry into a bigger alleged massacre in Haditha.
The US has announced extra training in moral and ethical values for troops.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has criticised coalition forces for what he describes as habitual attacks against civilians.
News in the US this week has been dominated by discussion of the investigations in Iraq, the BBC's Adam Brookes reports from Washington.
The Bush administration has had an exceptionally difficult time focusing public attention on what it says is the progress being made by the new Iraqi government, our correspondent says.
'Correct procedures'
A report filed by Iraqi police accused US troops of rounding up and deliberately shooting 11 people in the house in Ishaqi, including five children and four women, before blowing up the building.
Footage shows dead at Ishaqi site
The BBC footage from Ishaqi was cross-checked with other images
Maj Gen Caldwell said the US investigation into events in Ishaqi, where the military says it was attempting to capture insurgents, had found no wrongdoing on the part of the troops.
Four bodies including that of an insurgent were found after the raid while up to nine "collateral deaths" resulted from the US raid, according to the investigation.
It added that a precise death toll could not be determined because of collapsed walls and debris.
All the correct procedures were followed when troops came under fire as they approached the house, Maj Gen Caldwell said.
"The investigation revealed the ground force commander, while capturing and killing terrorists, operated in accordance with the rules of engagement governing our combat forces in Iraq," he added.
"Allegations that the troops executed a family living in this safe house, and then hid the alleged crimes by directing an air strike, are absolutely false."
The outcome of the Pentagon investigation emerged a day after the BBC released video footage that appears to show the aftermath of US action in Ishaqi, about 100km (60 miles) north of Baghdad.
'Violence commonplace'
The video tape obtained by the BBC shows a number of dead adults and children at the site with what our world affairs editor John Simpson says were clearly gunshot wounds.
The pictures came from a hardline Sunni group opposed to coalition forces.
It has been cross-checked with other images taken at the time of events and is believed to be genuine.
Other probes are being carried out into the alleged massacre at Haditha, and also into claims that an Iraqi man was deliberately killed on 26 April in Hamandiya - and that the circumstances were covered up. Seven marines and a navy sailor are being held over the claims.
The Iraqi government has also launched an investigation into the alleged massacre at Haditha, where eyewitnesses claim US marines shot dead 24 civilians after a roadside bomb attack in November.
Mr Maliki said he would ask the US for the investigative files into the incident.
Violence against civilians was "common among many of the multinational forces", he added.
Many troops had "no respect for citizens, smashing civilian cars and killing on a suspicion or a hunch", he added.
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday that 99.9% of US forces conducted "themselves in an exemplary manner".
Original link
I for one am happy to see that our troops were cleared.In my opinion,the media is using that 9 year old to further their own agendas.
