Military

Soldier Spotlight

March 14, 2010 by Daniel

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (March 10, 2010) — Sgt. Scott D. Brooks, 82nd Engineer Support Company, 65th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, received the Silver Star medal from Maj. Gen. Michael J. Terry, commanding general, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, during an award ceremony here, March 10.

Brooks received the award for his actions on June 25, 2007, where his bravery resulted in saving the lives of five Iraqi policemen and untold American Soldiers following a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device that struck the walls of Forward Operating Base Summerall in Iraq.

Congratulations to Sgt. Scott Brooks for receiving the Silver Star. Your bravery, as well as the bravery of all those in the US Military, is greatly appreciated.

Live Coverage of Taliban Attacks Banned By Afghanistan

March 2, 2010 by Daniel

While there has been a draw-down in Marjah, changes are beginning to take shape. One major change is that Afghanistan has banned live coverage of the Taliban attacks, saying that it enables the enemy. This has been a source of concern during the entire war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan alike. The constant feed of news is finally being slowed to ensure not to help defeat the advancement of liberty.

Reuters – Afghanistan bans coverage of Taliban attacks

The announcement came on a day when the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) fighting the Taliban reported six of its service members had been killed in various attacks.

Journalists will be allowed to film only the aftermath of attacks, when given permission by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) spy agency, the agency said. Journalists who film while attacks are under way will be held and their gear seized.

“Live coverage does not benefit the government, but benefits the enemies of Afghanistan,” NDS spokesman Saeed Ansari said. The agency summoned a group of reporters to announce the ban.

The move was denounced by Afghan journalism and rights groups, which said it would deprive the public of vital information about the security situation during attacks.

One could accept the argument made by the journalists, however, if it is helping aid the enemy by providing the public information then the journalists should wait to share their story. The only objection one could make is if the locals are in immediate danger.

Another change being seen in the Marjah region, is that of the people and their understanding of just what type of action is being taken.

AssociatedPress – Afghan complaints show obstacles ahead in war

An Afghan government delegation from Kabul, headed by Vice President Karim Khalili, made its initial foray to the town to meet with some 300 tribal elders and residents at the largest shura, or council meeting, since coalition troops seized control of Marjah last month.

NATO military commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal and civilian chief Mark Sedwill came along in a sign that international forces intend to support the Afghan government’s efforts in the troubled south.

“The most important thing is to bring peace and stability to the people in Afghanistan,” Khalili told the residents. “This is a promise. … It’s our priority to talk to each other. But others want to prevent this. We will not allow them to keep people hostage again. This is a beginning in Marjah. We will be with you. We will stay and fight. We will bring you good governance.”

But the townspeople appeared skeptical — and some were angry.

An elderly man, wearing a gray turban, stood up to say that his family members had been killed during the military operation, although he didn’t say by whom.

After offering his condolences, Khalili reached out to embrace him and promised some money and assistance to his family.

Another elderly man, dressed in a white turban and blue tunic, complained that his house was destroyed during the offensive.

“You promised not to use big weapons. Why was my house destroyed?” he asked.

He invited the delegation to visit his home nearby.

The allied forces have cleared most of Marjah and are now working to secure the area, though NATO has warned there could be pockets of violence for weeks. Hundreds of Afghan police and civil servants are being brought in with the goal of establishing public services to win the support of the population.

NATO officials say establishing good local governance is key, because corruption and lack of services have led many Afghans to turn to the Taliban.

“We need to move fast enough to try to meet expectations. But carefully enough that we’re not party to being blind to some of the nuances,” McChrystal told reporters. “The key thing is to get the locals represented and shape it the way they want because they’ll know best. In the near term, they have to feel represented. They have to feel it’s fair.”

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Jules Crittenden

The Tragedy at Ft. Hood on More Than One Front

November 7, 2009 by Daniel

There is no denying that what happened the other day at Ft. Hood was a tragedy. However, it is the underlying issues that face this a tragedy on more than one front.

Ask anyone and they will tell you that their thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost a loved one and also with those who were injured by this act of terrorism. But most people, especially those in the media, will say that is where this ends. But it doesn’t.

As said before, this is a multi-faced tragedy. The media is trying to portray Nidal Malik Hasan as the enraged victim. The only way he is the victim is that he was shot in order to stop the assault. Now he is laying in intensive care, probably against his jihadist wishes, hooked to a life-saving ventilator.

You see, that is where the line gets fuzzy with many people. That being referring to Hasan as what he really is, a radical Muslim extremist. To deny that fact would be to deny that those 13 people didn’t die by gun shot.

Fox News – Witnesses to Fort Hood Shootings Tell Tales of Horror, Heroism

As a psychiatrist, Hasan, 39, had listened to soldiers’ tales of horror. Now, the American-born Muslim was facing imminent deployment to Afghanistan. In recent days, Hasan had been saying goodbye to friends. He had given away many of his possessions, including copies of the Holy Koran.

At 2:37 a.m. Thursday and again around 5, Hasan called neighbor Willie Bell. Bell could normally hear Hasan’s morning prayers through the thin apartment walls, but Hasan skipped the ritual Thursday.

Bell didn’t pick up either time, but Hasan left a message.

“Nice knowing you, old friend,” Hasan said. “I’m going to miss you.”

About an hour later, surveillance cameras at a 7-Eleven across from the base captured images of a smiling Hasan, dressed in a long white garment and white kufi prayer cap, buying his usual breakfast — coffee and a hash brown.

At the processing center on the southern edge of the 100,000-acre base, soldiers returning from overseas mingled with colleagues filling out forms and undergoing medical tests in preparation for deployment.

Around 1:30 p.m., witnesses say a man later identified as Hasan jumped up on a desk and shouted the words “Allahu Akbar!” — Arabic for “God is great!” He was armed with two pistols, one a semiautomatic capable of firing up to 20 rounds without reloading.

So how does one go about making the claim of calling Hasan a Muslim extremist? Simple. Take a look again at the facts. He had obviously planned this attack, all be it small or large. He planned an attack. He was giving away his possessions. He was passing out copies of the Koran. Phone calls to some of those whom he felt most closest to at abnormal times in the middle of the night. Only a radical idealist would do this.

He is a devout and heavily practicing Muslim. That in itself is not extreme. The beauty of being an American is that you can freely practice whatever religion you want to. Same with Hasan. He freely studied being Muslim. What is extreme is climbing on a desk, guns in hands, and shouting “Allahu Akbar!” Granted, God is great, but radical Muslim extremists shout out “Allahu Akbar” when they begin their assault. Same as Hasan. He is a radical Muslim extremist.

Another front of this tradgety is that this attack happened on U.S. soil, on a military installation (Ft. Hood), by a U.S. soldier. Now the threat has been introduced to within the ranks of the U.S. military.

The Hill – Top GOP recruit says Ft. Hood shooting shows ‘enemy is infiltrating our military’

A top Republican congressional recruit said on Friday that the shooting at Ft. Hood, Texas yesterday by a solider allegedly sympathetic to suicide bombers shows that the “enemy is infiltrating our military.”

Allen West (R-Fla.), a retired military colonel who served as a commander at the Texas base, said in a release that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan’s attack may indicate a broader effort by Islamic extremists to recruit downtrodden members of the military.

“This enemy preys on downtrodden soldiers and teaches them extremism will lift them up,” West said in a statement. “Our soldiers are being brainwashed.”

The release added that West claims “the horrible tragedy at Fort Hood is proof the enemy is infiltrating our military.”

In Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, he says: “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. . . Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.”

How true those ancient words are still relevant today. When near, seem far way; when unprepared, appear unexpected. To echo Mr. Allen West, this “is proof the enemy is infultrating our military.” Reguardless if Hasan was being teased about being Muslim, it is his being Muslim that opened him to the extreme “teachings” and “brainwashing” of our enemies. This does not give anyone the right to go on a murderous spree killing 13 fellow soldiers and wounding 30 more.

Even if Hasan was not contacted to act in this manner, it does not cancel the idea that he was acting on behalf of the extremist ideology. He had been red-flagged by the military for over six months. Also, in that same period of time, he was making comments on blog posts in a manner that showed his support for terrorism and the ideology that followed.

Another front of this tradgety is people again painting him the victim saying that he was suffering from Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) because he had been the psychiatrist for many returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. Only one problem with that arguement. He NEVER served a tour in Iraq or Afghanistan, or any place else for that matter. How does one suffer from PTSD without ever serving in combat? Yes, he had heard a lot. Yes, he had seen soldiers in pain. Had he suffered? It is different. He didn’t suffer from PTSD. That sounds like more of a copout than truely addressing the real issue. He is a radical Muslim extremist!

To sum all of this up, he is a radical Muslim extremist. The media is waging a multi-faced front on the issue. Too many people are too concerned about labeling him for what he is. Let the facts speek for themselves. Nidal Malik Hasan: Radical Muslim Extremist!

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