And don't forget about the troops.
The amazing U.S Military has helped secure or freedom and our independence, they deserve the biggest thanks.
AJC
The outgoing U.S. commander in Afghanistan marked his last Fourth of July ihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifn uniform by speaking to American troops during a re-enlistment ceremony Monday in the country's restive south.
Gen. David Petraeus, who was recently confirmed as the next director of the CIA, told the 235 troops re-enlisting in Kandahar province that they have achieved progress on the battlefield but that "much work remains" to be done in Afghanistan.
"You raised your right hand and said 'Send me,' and today you raised your right hand again and said 'Send me again, if needed,'" he told the soldiers on America's 235th birthday.
"I cannot say how impressive your action is," he said. "It is the most meaningful display of patriotism possible."
Petraeus will be replaced by U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Allen even as 33,000 U.S. troops begin to withdraw from Afghanistan, the start of President Barack Obama's promised withdrawal of all combat troops by 2014.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Petraeus marks July 4 with troops in Afghanistan
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Iraqis fear renewed violence as U.S. disengages
"The U.S. withdrawal from Iraq will pave the way for the violence and sectarian fighting to return.
On one hand they want us to leave , on the other hand they are scared to see us go !
And the way the Iraqi's are so un-willing to wipe their own ass's when it comes to taking control of their own Country , the Violence and Sectarian Fighting will indeed return .
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama says Washington will fulfill its pledge to halt combat operations in Iraq by the end of this month, but many Iraqis fear that U.S. disengagement could portend surge in violence.
Violence has plunged since the peak of the conflict in 2006-07, but bombings and other attacks occur still daily and Iraqi officials say the civilian death toll rose last month.
Squabbling politicians have been unable to agree on a coalition government since an inconclusive March 7 parliamentary election, raising tensions and opening the way for insurgents.
"The U.S. withdrawal will pave the way for the militias and armed groups to work freely, and they will activate their operations again," said Samer Ahmed, 32, a Baghdad laborer whose brother was killed by militants at the height of Iraq's sectarian warfare in 2007.
"I believe Iraq's security situation will deteriorate severely. A civil war is coming to devour everything in Iraq."
then I would say it is time for the Iraqi's to pull their collective heads out of the sand , and fight for their country .
If they can't do this then they don't deserve what they have !
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Al Qaeda Leader in Iraq Calls for Continued Jihad Against U.S. 'Occupiers'
Nothing is ever good enough for the Mujahideen , no matter what it is they have their panties in a bunch over it !
The whole Jihad thing is getting so played out in the Muslim world , they call for a jihad over everything , and really all it amounts to is an excuse for them to be themselves - miserable , angry ,violent people !
Foxnews
CAIRO -- The self-described leader of an Al Qaeda front group has called for continued jihad against Iraq's American "occupiers" in the wake of the March 7 election that he claimed was boycotted by most Sunni Arabs, according to an audio tape posted Tuesday on militant Web sites.
In the 24-minute tape, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi said the parliamentary election and its results meant nothing for the mujahideen, or holy fighters, and that the next government would be no different from the previous one.
Shiites, who are the majority in Iraq, have dominated governments in Iraq since the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein, himself a Sunni.
Al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, had vowed in his first election-related audio tape to violently disrupt the vote and warned Sunnis not to take part.
The turnout on March 7, however, was officially put at a respectable 62 percent despite mortar and rocket attacks that killed at least 36 people, almost all of them in Baghdad.
"We announce that the elections outcome means nothing to us ... we will continue chasing the [American] occupier and his agents until we purify the land from their filth," he said in the tape.
My name iz , Abu Omar al-Baghdadi , And Iz roll wit da Al Qaida , And Iz very Angry Wit Americans Ocupiers inz Iraq ,Iz callz for da Holy Jihad Against dem !
Friday, January 8, 2010
Yellow ribbons for soldiers banned in Connecticut town
WTF? NBC
The yellow ribbon controversy in Litchfield is far from over. Even though the ribbons were banned from the town green several months ago, people keep putting them up.[...]
On Tuesday night, the board that voted to remove them scheduled a public hearing to figure out a more permanent show of support.
“I think it’s impressive so many people are showing support for the yellow ribbons and the only reason I got involved is because I had heard they were taken down,” said Leslie Caron, of Litchfield.
The reason they were taken down, according to the Board of Warden and Burgesses, was that they set a precedent for other causes to hang ribbons. More importantly, the board says the worn and tattered ribbons are a disrespectful display.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
I'm thinking very dark thoughts about the Ft. Hood Jihadi right about now...
His attorney says his widdle civil rights are being viowated - he's not able to pray from the Koran with his brother. Or so he claims.
What really happened? The guards stopped him from speaking in Arabic to his brother over the phone. Who knows what he was REALLY saying. (thanks to Logan's Warning for the ping.)
From the SF Chronicle:
The lead defense lawyer for accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan said Monday that he believes the Army is violating Hasan's religious rights because it prohibited him from praying from the Koran in Arabic with a relative.
Attorney John P. Galligan said he learned that police guarding Hasan at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio cut short a phone conversation Hasan was having with one of his brothers on Friday because Hasan was not speaking in English.
“Police at the hospital refused to let him pray, in Arabic, from the Quran with his brother,” Galligan said. “I think it's illegal and a violation of his religious rights.”
Hasan practices Islam, a religion whose followers hold that Jumu'ah (Friday) prayers are one of its most strongly affirmed duties. (Ed. Note: No kidding. Thanks for clearing that up, SF Chronicle)
[...]
His command, the Army's III Corps at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, has imposed pretrial restrictions on Hasan, including a requirement that he speak only in English with visitors or on the phone, unless an Army-approved translator is present.
Army officials did not respond to requests for comment about Galligan's contention. [...]
Read the rest here.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Remember when Obama said the troops made a "great photo op'?
The Commander in Chief playing politics with our troops. ----->
From The Cable. (h/t FReeper Yo-Yo)
When President Obama spoke to troops at Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force Base last month, the unit there parked a shiny new F-22 fighter plane in the hanger. But according to multiple sources, White House aides demanded the plane be changed to an older F-15 fighter because they didn't want Obama speaking in front of the F-22, a controversial program he fought hard to end.
"White House aides actually made them remove the F-22-said they would not allow POTUS to be pictured with the F-22 in any way, shape, or form," one source close to the unit relayed.
Stephen Lee, a public affairs officer at Elmendorf, confirmed to The Cable that the F-22 was parked in the hanger and then was replaced by an F-15 at the White House's behest.
The airmen there took offense to the Obama aides' demand, sources told The Cable, seeing it as a slight to the folks who are operating the F-22 proudly every day. They also expressed bewilderment that the White House staff would even care so much as to make an issue out of the fact that the F-22 was placed in the hanger with the president.
A White House official, commenting on background basis...
Continue reading here.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Things that make you go, "Awww!"
photo by: TSgt. Francisco V. Govea II
(h/t FReeper BadRodeo)
Friday, March 20, 2009
Afghan and U.S.-led troops kill 30 Afghan militants
More bad guys taking Themselves a dirt nap today !
....
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan and U.S.-led forces killed 30 militants in southwest Afghanistan, the U.S. military said in a statement on Friday.
Violence in Afghanistan is at its highest since the Taliban was ousted by U.S.-led forces in 2001, with attacks spreading from the south and east to the outskirts of Kabul, forcing Washington to consider new policy options including a counter-insurgency push.
The operation, which U.S. forces said was led by Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers advised by U.S.-led coalition troops, took place in Gereshk district, some 530 km (330 miles) southwest of Kabul, on Thursday.
"After positively identifying the enemy fighting position and assuring there were no non-combatants in the area, the combined element returned fire ... killing 30 militants," the U.S. forces statement said.
Small arms fire and close air support were used to kill the militants, the statement said, adding that one ANA soldier was injured but no civilians were harmed.
The United States will send up to 17,000 additional troops this year to reinforce largely NATO-led military efforts in south Afghanistan, including Helmand province, which alone supplies around half the world's opium.
