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POPSTours Being Extended in Afghanistan * Bush admits to 'tough month' in Afghanistan (4.00 / 1) WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Wednesday acknowledged that June was a difficult month for American and allied troops in Afghanistan, saying the higher death toll there was because troops are taking the fight to Taliban militants. Because they are taking the fight to the Taliban? What does he think they were doing before? Haven't they always been taking the fight to the Taliban in Afghanistan? Forty-six U.S. and allied personnel lost their lives in Afghanistan last month, the highest monthly toll since the war started. The 28 American troop deaths also marked the highest U.S. monthly death toll in Afghanistan in the conflict. In May and June, the American and allied death toll surpassed those in Iraq, where there are far more U.S.-led coalition troops.
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POPSChickenhawk Smears Clark;Tries to Speak for Military But the fact that CNN had this kid on to talk about things for which he has no understanding wasn't the only thing that was disturbing. I love how it's totally unacceptable to give anything other than glowing reviews of John McCain's military experience in Media World, while it's okay to slander General Clark's military service. After Ferguson said that Clark had "ticked off everyone in the military," he went on to say that John McCain had "been in actual war zones while Wesley Clark was sitting in an air-conditioned room, telling people what to do with NATO." Ben needs to brush up on his talking points, because Clark was actually shot four times in Vietnam, and left the country on a stretcher. Most people would consider that having been in an "actual war zone." And to be honest, the next person to debate this kid on TV should ask for an apology--or just ask him what he has against wounded Vietnam veterans.
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POPSMcCain Flips at Legit Question
McCain's response? "Please," he said, recoiling back in his seat in distaste at the very question. Uh uh. That's not good enough. You would assume that given all the whining over General Clark's legitimate point, that John McCain had some obvious answer to the question. Instead, he refused to answer the question, and let Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham come to his defense, babbling to the reporter about character, but not a word about qualifications. The fact of the matter is that General Clark was absolutely right. McCain's service, while heroic and honorable, is not very relevant when it comes to preparing him to be the military's ultimate commander. His experience didn't involve executive decision making in the military, or global strategy. Very few candidates for the presidency have had the experience in life that prepares them for that role. In fact, McCain said it himself in 2003, that some of our best Commanders in Chief had no military experience at all.
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POPSMore Delays With Iraq SOFA A majority of the Iraqi parliament wrote to the US congress last week rejecting a long-term security deal with Washington if it is not linked to a requirement that US forces leave. "The majority of Iraqi representatives strongly reject any military-security, economic, commercial, agricultural, investment or political agreement with the United States that is not linked to clear mechanisms that obligate the occupying American military forces to fully withdraw from Iraq," the letter to the leaders of Congress said. A majority of the Iraqi population does not want a long term military presence in Iraq, and Iraqi politicians are mindful of this as election time nears. At the same tine, the US is also approaching elections, and the war in Iraq is extremely unpopular among the majority of the American people.
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POPSIn Their Boots If we don't listen to the ones who are really fighting this war. We will have another Vietnam. And a regime that knows it can get away with anything.
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POPSThe Media's "Wes Clark Hyperventorama" Gen. Clark was absolutely right in his praise and valid criticism of Sen. McCain. Bob Schieffer has an opportunity here to show himself to be a responsible journalist by putting the comments back in their proper context, i.e. when he makes his closing comments on Face the Nation. But I'm not holding my breath on that one! Brandon, can you get the vets in your "Veterans Respond to General Clark's Comments" on video? YouTube would be a great vehicle for this. Thanks for the posts. for the last four years, so I am not acclimatized to the US media anymore. WTF happened to my country????? No one has bothered to look at McCains voting record on vet issues for the last twenty years. He's voted no on practically every piece of legislation benefiting the VA. If he used his "military/vet/pow" creds to boost the VA, then I and many of my younger brothers and sisters from Iraq and Afghanistan would probably not have the serious problems they have getting their benefits.
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POPSVeterans Respond to General Clark's Comments The bottom line is this: If Democrats tuck tail and run from Republicans in this instance, we run the risk of ceding authority on military issues to John McCain for the rest of the campaign. Whether you like Clark or not, everyone has an interest in defending him vigorously in this case. We cannot allow the Right and the media to get away with trashing the first guy to come out in prime time to slam McCain's military "expertise." If our organizations don't defend Clark as being right in this case, we give in to the idea that Republicans are the parents in terms of national defense, and Democrats are the children--something those on the Right will be more than happy to reinforce. This idea that we can't question someone's expertise on military matters simply because they served could very easily become the next "whoever is against the war is unpatriotic" mantra. And that's not something I'm prepared to accept.
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POPSMcCain's "Truth Squad" John McCain, Bud Day and Paul Galanti are all war heroes. As is General Clark who returned from Vietnam after receiving four bullet wounds. The difference is that while General Clark reasonably questioned a political candidates ability to lead a nation, John McCain welcomed into his flock two dishonest, deplorable political operatives who he previously described as "dishonorable" Day, and the swifties, opened themselves up to not only criticism but also the complete loss of face, i.e. hero worship and that Honored Discription of others, Hero, by their Blatant Lying with nothing to back up their charges against a Sailor doing an Extremely Dangerous Job On The Ground, i.e. in small boats on the rivers of, Vietnam! And not only one Sailor but those serving with him directly, those serving on the other boats from that base, All Navy Personal Serving In-Country
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POPSAdmiral Mullen is Wrong There are some soldiers that are adamantly against an activist foreign policy. They are individuals that would share the philosophy in this regard with Patrick Buchanan. Foreign policy is an area that falls completely within the purview of the Executive Branch. It would be completely inappropriate for a soldier to "campaign" for one of the candidates because that candidate is less interventionist or more interventionist. No we get to the "elephant in the living room." I am a senior Officer in the United States Army who has attended the senior service colleges. I have served in a multitude of command, instructor and staff positions over two decades.
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POPSRemember this About where the moneys going, More of sending the few into Multiple Tours and Stoploss! More of Not Taking Care of those sent when They Return! As long as most of them don't have to Sacrifice and can continue to call themselves a Party of Moral Americans! I never heard an APOLOGY to the few who Serve and are Awarded Purple Hearts, America's Highest Honor, for Dying and being Maimed in America's Wars, Wars mostly of Choice not Need!
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POPSA Tale of Two Johns We? Out of the 92-6 vote, two senators were not present. One of them was Ted Kennedy, who is home recovering from brain surgery. The other was John McCain. Even John Cornyn was faux-brave enough to vote "yea" after his defiance was stomped out of Congress like a flaming bag of dog shit. Time and time again, John McCain has been a detriment to troops and veterans, not only for his disastrous plans for Iraq but for the curtailing of benefits soldiers receive when they come home. His loyalty no longer resides with fellow veterans but to slick D.C. politics. I know you're not reading this, Senator McCain, but we'll be watching for more of the same.
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POPSCheap Labor By Jim Small Senator, "...Harper also said the state should cut the amount it spends on overtime for corrections officers in the state prisons. In the current budget, the Department of Corrections was allotted more than $24 million for overtime pay due to a shortage of officers. To achieve savings in the prisons without diminishing public safety, Harper proposed deploying the National Guard to state prisons and having soldiers replace corrections officers. The soldiers, he said, don't earn overtime pay. He said they could work 72 hours a week as prison guards - 12-hour shifts, seven days a week - and save the state millions of dollars. I find it unbelievable that people like Senator Harper only see the military as their labor pool!!!
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POPSEquipment or Troops? Pick One In other words, we either get troops or equipment. We don't get both. At a time when we are fighting a global war on terror on multiple fronts, with the bulk of our military tied up in Iraq, we are looking at possible troop cuts. The military is scrambling to re-equip because the Pentagon failed to plan for the long and expensive war in Iraq, said Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who chairs the House panel that oversees military spending. That failure, Murtha said, makes the Pentagon's plan to add 92,000 new soldiers and Marines unrealistic. Although new troops would help reduce repeated, lengthy deployments, there are other more pressing demands, Murtha said
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POPS[2nd Update: w/ Video ] VA Lawsuit: A country without Honor. CBS 5:SF Federal Judge Refuses To Order Overhaul Of VA KTVU: Federal Judge Refuses To Order Overhaul Of VA Los Angeles Times:Judge rejects court order to improve VA's treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder San Francisco Chronicle: Judge rules court won't step in to aid vets Reuters: Judge dismisses suit over veteran health care AP: Federal judge refuses to order overhaul of VA
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POPSIraqi Councilman Kills U.S. Soldiers Two members of the Iraqi parliament recently visited the US in an effort to more fully explain their concerns with a continued US presence. First, that it is a threat to their sovereignty. Secondly, that our continued presence contributes to instability in the region. They feel that they are capable of defending themselves against foreign threats, and solving their own problems. Now one Iraqi councilman has taken matters into his own hands. BAGHDAD, June 23 -- Two U.S. soldiers were killed and three were wounded Monday when a council member opened fire on them after a meeting in a small town south of Baghdad. Residents Rafi Suleiman, 39, and Abu Dawood said in phone interviews that Ajil, a Sunni tribal leader, opened fire on the soldiers without provocation. Suleiman said the soldiers were in town for the opening of a park built with U.S. funds. The FBI sent a team of agents to Baghdad to investigate the shooting. None of the guards has been charged
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POPSOn Petraeus' Counterinsurgency Guidance That's all well and good, but it's just unfortunate that no such organization exists. I'm still not sure why we keep asking the Army and Marine Corps to do such a thing. Back before the insurgency in Iraq started, it was commonly known that the purpose of the Army was to "break things and kill people." Therefore, if that wasn't your intent (the thought went), then you shouldn't be utilizing the Army. As far as I'm concerned, that still should be a general rule. If we can't "kill our way out of this endeavor," then we need far less reliance on the military to fix Iraq. Because that's what the military does.
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POPSMcCain Talking Himself into Knots over WWIII and the Draft NEWT GINGRICH: I believe, if you take all the countries I just listed that you've been covering, put them on a map, look at all the different connectivity; you'd have to say to yourself this is in fact World War III. LARRY KING: Senator McCain, do you agree? JOHN MCCAIN: I do to some extent. I think it's important to recognize that we have terrorist organizations which -- who are dangerous by themselves, are now being supported by radical Islamic governments, i.e., the Iranians, which makes them incredibly more dangerous because they are trained, equipped, motivated and assisted in every way by the Iranians. So that it's the Iranians that gave them the rockets that they are reigning down on Haifa as we speak. So what's the deal, Senator McCain? You going to call for a draft, or what? Or is this war in Iraq not the big deal you've made it out to be?
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POPSYesterday was the 64th Anniversary Click on the link= Yesterday was the 64th Anniversary For complete story. I am of that era of learning and expanding our horizons. Of having a better life then my parents. But the past 30 years or more I have seen the raping of that life. And I don't see any change for the better.
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POPS"Thank God for John McCain" Now that I have gained my bearing back I feel that the least the oil companies could do is put a little bit of money back in our pockets. The following proposals are a few ideas I have come up with. A modest 80% tax on all oil pumped out of Iraq to be paid back to the American taxpayer for our continued support. Establishment of $1 million dollar trust funds for all families of soldiers killed in Iraq. A guaranteed donation each year of all profits in Iraq to the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover PTSD and war related illness. Feel free to add your own proposal.
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POPSIraq's WMD's = Gravely ill American Soldiers To get full story and the video click the second link= Iraq`s WMD`s=Gravely ill American soldiers This has happened in all our wars. When we realize we are being used by the power Elite. And say no more. Only then will we have a free and truthful country.
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POPSNew GI Bill Close to Final Approval The package also includes a monthly living stipend, an annual book allowance, and money for tutorial assistance, along with many other features. At this point it gets complicated, however, in terms of how they're going to actually implement this thing. But for all of you affected by this, Maze explains: Benefits increases take effect as soon as the war funding bill is signed into law by President Bush, which will happen in the next few weeks. But veterans now in school will not get the higher amounts right away because lawmakers are giving the Veterans Affairs Department until Aug. 1, 2009, to calculate and pay amounts that will vary by state and by school. Retroactive payments will have to be made. Also, anyone who had not previously enrolled in the GI Bill will have to wait until Aug. 1, 2009, to collect any payments.
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POPSMichael Savage Wants to "Hang" JAG Officers This utter bullshit because it's officers like Lt. Cmdr. William C. Kuebler, "a self-described born-again Christian and conservative who has 'never voted for a Democrat'" who have the courage to challenge these kangaroo courts "designed to get criminal convictions" with "no real evidence," or the the fact that military prosecutors "launder evidence derived from torture." I suppose Savage also wants Lt. Cmdr. Charles D. Swift hanged. As the NYT reports, Swift helped "take the case of Salim Hamdan, a former driver for Osama bin Laden, to the Supreme Court. The ruling in 2006 invalidated the Bush administration's first military commission system." Lt. Col. Yvonne Bradley needs execution too, I suppose, for defending a "British resident accused of plotting with al-Qaida to bomb apartment buildings in the United States." Marine Corps Maj. Michael D. Mori defended Australian David Hicks an accused al-Qaeda trainee.
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POPSA Song about Staff Sergeant Will King The music is a little static. But I am more into the Eagles or Moody blues style. Still the lyrics are there in print and tell the story. The real story from real soldiers.
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POPSBush Sounds Like an Idiot -- Again Its an oldie but still a goody. They probably have an archive of this chimps ideology. And then there is Mrs. chimp making monkey faces while Georgie makes a monkey of himself and the American way.
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POPSBush: I Care About Bin Laden Again It took a presidential election to change his mind on bin Laden, which has has moved from viciously wanted to casually forgotten and back again. It didn't take 390 Taliban prisoners being freed in a suicide attack to get Afghanistan back in the news, or a 50% uptick in violence in the U.S. controlled southern region. It was simply a few words from the guy on his way out to find the glaring asterik of his presidency somewhere in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.
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POPSDrop Weapons Video would not clip. It will take some time to load. But is well worth looking at. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1463341016/bctid1584805268
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POPSSupport the Stop-loss Compensation Act Of all the abuses borne by our servicemembers since the beginning of our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, excessive reliance on stop-loss is one of the most egregious. Involuntary service negates the promise of our all-volunteer military. By forcing tens of thousands of troops to stay in the military, we have broken the contract that our servicemembers willingly entered into with their country. VFA applauds Rep. Sutton's efforts to mitigate the burdens placed on our troops and their families by stop-loss orders. We encourage her colleagues in Congress to support this legislation.
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POPSThe Crushing Burden of Multiple Deployments In April, Veterans for America's Wounded Warrior Outreach Program released two reports, The Consequences of Churning and Weekend Warriors to Frontline Soldiers, that showed that not only are these repeated deployments taking their toll on returning servicemembers with increased incidents of combat stress, but many frontline units are repeatedly experiencing higher KIA (Killed in Action) than most servicemembers who have been deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. The repeated deployment of "three deuce five" is hardly unique. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division, which has already been deployed three times since September 11, 2001, will be deployed again this fall, making it one of a handful of BCT's that will have seen four tours
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POPSLogjam of War Contractor Fraud Suits The exact number of qui tam cases stuck in legal limbo is unknown because the cases are kept under strict seal. But sources who have been following the issue closely estimate that there are between 50 and 70 Iraq contracting fraud cases under seal. Under normal circumstances, when the DOJ receives a qui tam case, it conducts an investigation into the whistleblower's claims. If there is sufficient evidence of significant fraud, the DOJ joins with the whistleblower to sue the company in question and recover the government's money. The whistleblower can receive up to 30 percent of money recovered as a reward for their service to the taxpayer. Not a single qui tam case against war contractors has been joined by the Bush administration DOJ despite the possibility of recovering billions of dollars for the US taxpayer and reining in war profiteers, who continue to cheat and defraud the government and the US troops mired in battle. Go to source for full story.
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POPSThe VA is a Real Class Act We know what that means -- fee waiver or not, the VA has no intention of letting any more incriminating e-mails out of its clutches. Let's hope there are more courageous VA employees willing to blow the whistle on what the VA is, and is not, doing for our veterans. The VA also claimed it could not respond to the request as written because CREW failed to identify the specific VA offices and employees that would have responsive records. As CREW made clear in its response, we are committed to shining the brightest light possible on the VA's treatment of veterans suffering from undiagnosed PTSD and we will not back down from these shameless excuses that the VA has offered.
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