Leap

Posted By Blackfive

A U.S. Marine with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7 patrols back to Patrol Base Gorgak after a controlled detonation of an improvised explosive device in Garmsir, Afghanistan, on July 5, 2010. When found improvised explosive devices are destroyed by a small charge placed on top of them.   DoD photo by Lance Cpl. Cody A. Fodale, U.S. Marine Corps.

No word on whether the Marine made it across without getting wet...ne Corps.

Major changes needed in Afghanistan

Posted By Crush

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney writes that if we are to win in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal isn't the only official worthy of firing, and President Obama must abandon his denial that we are at war with "radical Islam." (HT Kenny B.)

First to the State Department: Ambassadors Eikenberry and Holbrooke have long outlived their effectiveness. They are a drag on success in this difficult war. They must go.

Next, to the Department of Defense: This a war is not an "Overseas Contigency Operation (OCO)" as President Obama’s administration calls it. We have lost 89 ISAF soldiers and 53 US soldiers this month with 2 days left to go.Mr. President, we are in a violent war against radical Islam and your denial of this fact will ensure our defeat.

You and your administration cannot even define the ideology we are fighting against. John Brennan, your National Security adviser for counterterrorism, thinks "jihad" means "holy struggle" not a war against infidels.

Your Secretary of Defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have accepted these ridiculous new definitions of the threat.

This means you, and your national security leadership team are clueless about how to defeat this violent threat against America.

They must all go and you must change your senseless strategy.

It is unfortunate that nearly all of the flag officers that make sense have retired.

I have seen no indications that this administration desires victory in Afghanistan. We can debate who should be sacked and who shouldn't be, but regardless of whether McChrystal, Petraeus, or Sun Tzu is commanding ISAF, the result will look pretty much the same as they must follow the Commander-in-Chief. So rather than simply sacking commanders and ambassadors (treating the symptoms and not the disease), I would like to take things one step further: Let's go back to the drawing board.

The president must answer these questions (truthfully):

1. Who is our enemy in Afghanistan and what are their intentions?
2. What are our intentions in Afghanistan?
3. How do you define victory in Afghanistan?
4. What are you doing to achieve victory in Afghanistan?

America deserves clear and concise answers, not lies and distractions. If his answers stink, then "We the People" must remind him that the government ultimately works for us. We must fight in Afghanistan - that's not the debate we should have. It should be who we are fighting and how we should fight them. Worry about firing commanders and diplomats after we have a solid and just foundation.

Anniversary of Rocky Versace memorial

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

There is a nice memorial to Rocky Versace and Vietnam veterans a couple of blocks from my house. It was first dedicated 8 years ago in part of a series of events honoring CPT Versace. He was finally awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions while a prisoner of war in the same camp that held Nick Rowe. The video is a slideshow of the memorial dedication, the awarding of the medal to his family and his addition to the Pentagon Hall of Heroes.

Warrior Legacy Foundation fundraiser

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

This Saturday some of WLF's most active members are holding their annual motorcycle ride and fundraiser. The money goes to their extremely important program Maine's Wounded Heroes which assists wounded vets with the transition to civilian life. They provide help with pretty much anything they need and have helped many of our troops through some tough times. I will be heading up there tomorrow and can't wait to see all the great patriots there.

 

A double dip of sweetness & light

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

Two feelgood stories for you. First a couple who both fly for Uncle Sugar join the mechanical mile high club.

Air Force Capt. Christine McLean pilots a refueling plane and Navy Lt. Jeff McLean flies an F/A-18 Super Hornet.

After Christine McLean was deployed from England to southwest Asia in May for refueling missions in the skies over Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries, she hoped she might hook up - literally - with her husband, who has been flying combat and support missions from the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier since January.

But it wasn't until last week, on Jeff McLean's final and 40th flight on this deployment that he rendezvoused with the air refuelers over Pakistan and was happy to see it was his wife's plane.

And second Marines and kitties. h/t MKH

In Afghanistan, in the midst of war, many animals are lost and separated from their family. Many are found later by troops from the US, UK and Canada. Soldiers rescue these animals and get help from rescue groups that help them send these animals out of the country and to a forever loving home that they deserve.

Three US marine soldiers, Brian Chambers, Chris Berry and Aaron Shaw, started a mission to help bring home the kittens they have befriended while serving in Afghanistan . With generous donations from cat lovers and help from Noward Dogs animal rescue, Kiki and Keykey, two lovely ginger kitties, have successfully made it home in the US.

I feel so warm and fuzzy.

Hero

Posted By Blackfive

No other word describes US Marine Corporal Larry Harris...

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." -- General George Patton

Guest-hosting for Frank Gaffney

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

I did Frank's show today with some very interesting guests.

Lee Smith from the Wall Street Journal joins guest host Jim Hanson to analyze the death of Hezbollah leader Sayyid Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah.  Then, Jeremy Scahill from The Nation discusses a story he has been covering about the CIA’s use of contractors in the war on terrorism.  Scahill later weighs in on the successes and failures of the controversial contracting company, Blackwater.  Finally, Bill Roggio of The Long War Journal updates us on what is playing out behind the scenes among the terrorist leadership in the Afghanistan-Pakistan war.

It was entertaining talking w/ Jeremy Scahill who is obviously on the other side of the fence politically but well-informed and I thought the segments with him went well.