Iraqi Ambassador: Shoe Thrower Lucky It Wasn't Saddam

As much as the "mainstream" media and other juveniles loved the shoe-throwing incident against President Bush in Iraq, for anyone with a sense of shame, this was more insulting to the show-thrower and unfortunately to the people of Iraq than it was to President Bush.

In the video below, Iraqi Ambassador Samir Sumaida’ie explains the sad truth of this incident to those liberals who have thus far lacked the maturity to understand it.

Responding to a group of Code Pink protestors, Ambassador Samir Sumaida’ie said: "Had it been Mr. Saddam Hussein he'd be (inaudible). Number 2, in our country, I know that people have told you that showing shoes at someone is an insult. But, it is a bigger insult to the host; in our culture anyone who insults a guest is insulting the host. So in our culture we believe that what Mr al-Zeidi did was reprehensible."

Obama: Power Trumps Morality

Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe focused on one question and answer during the debate last night. Brokaw asked of both candidates, what would be your “doctrine” in regards to intervening in the actions of other countries when genocide is occurring and when the U.S. otherwise does not have a particular national interest? Brokaw gave the examples of Rwanda and Somalia in which millions have died in genocidal attacks and in ethnic cleansing.

Jaboby writes in his article on-line:

In such cases, answered Obama, ‘we have moral issues at stake.’ Of course the United States must act to stop genocide, he said. ‘When genocide is happening, when ethnic cleansing is happening . . . and we stand idly by, that diminishes us.’
But that wasn't how Obama sounded last year, when he was competing for the Democratic nomination and was unbending in his demand for an American retreat from Iraq. Back then, he dismissed fears that a US withdrawal would unleash a massive Iraqi bloodbath. ‘Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep US forces there,’ the AP reported on July 20, 2007 (my italics).
What kind of candidate is it whose moral response to genocide - genocide - can reverse itself 180 degrees in a matter of months? Is that the kind of candidate who ought to be the leader of the free world?

This is more than a minor slip. Obama answers Brokaw the way most Americans would expect their president to answer, recognising the moral responsibility we have in the world. But when it comes to Iraq Obama clearly betrays a bias that cannot be explained except that he has made a calculated decision to abandon Iraq regardless the price that might be paid in human blood and misery. This can only be a political expediency dictated by the Democrat base represented by MoveOn.org and other Soros-backed organizations. This tells us more about the man Barrack Hussein Obama than all his speeches and promises and even his two memoirs. In essence, political power comes first, humanitarian considerations a distant second, at best.

Palin Puts War Protester in His Place

This is Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin putting an anti-war protester in his place:

HT to Michelle Malkin.

Joe Biden Condemns Obama's Lack of Support for the Troops

Obama on Iraq: Keep the Change

Amir Taheri at the New York Post has this piece that sheds some light on what Obama is willing to do to secure his election in November. With all the good news of American success in Iraq, Obama has lost the source of his primary appeal to the far Left, from which comes much of his campaign’s financial support. Obama correctly assesses that a draw-down of forces in Iraq would bode badly for his campaign and that delaying action (never mind what’s best for the troops and for the Iraqis) keeps the issue alive for him to demagogue.

WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.
[…]
Though Obama claims the US presence is "illegal," he suddenly remembered that Americans troops were in Iraq within the legal framework of a UN mandate. His advice was that, rather than reach an accord with the "weakened Bush administration," Iraq should seek an extension of the UN mandate.

While in Iraq, Obama also tried to persuade the US commanders, including Gen. David Petraeus, to suggest a "realistic withdrawal date." They declined.

Obama has made many contradictory statements with regard to Iraq. His latest position is that US combat troops should be out by 2010. Yet his effort to delay an agreement would make that withdrawal deadline impossible to meet.

Joe Lieberman: The Empire Strikes Back

We knew Senator Joe Lieberman would pay a price for speaking at the 2008 GOP Convention a few mights ago.

Lieberman, while still a liberal in most areas, nevertheless has enough intellectual honesty and love of country to part ways with the Democrat Party when it comes to protecting American security and credibility.

This one area of departure with his party cost him his party's support in the 2006 primary, leading Lieberman to run in the general election as an independent. He subsequently won that general election.


CNS News reports the hammer is now about to fall for Lieberman's support of John McCain--the only presidential candidate who can be trusted with U.S. national security and credibility:

"Lieberman went too far when he distorted Sen. Obama's record," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley. "From Reid's perspective, (Lieberman) has every right to give a partisan speech to whomever he wants. But he doesn't have the right to distort Sen. Obama's record like that. Sen. Reid was very disappointed in Lieberman's speech."

No, what he means is, "Lieberman went to far when he confirmed Senator Obama's record."

What is the truth Lieberman revealed that Democrats have been trying to hide about Obama?

When others wanted to retreat in defeat from the field of battle, when Barack Obama was voting to cut off funding for our troops on the ground, John McCain had the courage to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge, and because of that, today, our troops are at last beginning to come home, not in failure, but in honor!

Indeed!

We may not agree on much, Senator Lieberman, but thank you for your dedication to our nation's security and to our troops! And thank you for the sacrifice you made in speaking at the GOP Convention.

Rapid City Deserter Coming Home for Justice

Deserter Jeremy Hinzman is coming home from Canada to face justice for deserting the military, according to the Rapid City Journal.

He must leave Canada by September 23, according to his deportation order.

Hinzman, who is among an estimated 200 resisters in Canada, said he would face a court martial if he returns to the U.S., the likelihood of jail time and a dishonourable discharge from the military, which would show up on his record as a felony conviction.

He said he still believes he and other deserters did the right thing by coming to Canada.

"Iraq was an unjust war based on false pretences, and every soldier who refused to fight probably saved a lot of lives," he said.

I guess that's what you get for drinking the MoveOn.org Koolaid. The Iraq invasion was justified on multiple levels for multiple reasons, and it doesn't take a genius to figure that out; just a mind unclouded by liberal self-loathing.

Those who join the military just for a college education, without regard for what you may be called to do, should take heed. The United States military isn't some cushy government program that exists to fulfill your material and self-actualization needs. It exists to defend this country.

Hinzman is about to come home and learn that the hard way.

Landstuhl Military Hospital Visit Brought Hope to Wounded Vets

GUEST COLUMN

By JOSHUA REVAK (Ret.), U.S. Army

When I heard Barack Obama had planned a trip to visit Landstuhl Military Hospital in Germany, I knew from personal experience how much of a lift it would have given the hundreds of soldiers recovering from war wounds there. As fate would have it, I was sent to Landstuhl two years ago, after my lower legs were shattered by shrapnel from a mortar round in Iraq.

After undergoing surgery, I spent nearly a month as a bedridden patient in the recovery care unit, uncertain whether or not I would ever walk again.

It was around July 4th and I was feeling down, alone in a hospital room in Germany without family or friends.

The days all ran together, until a big cowboy hat poked through the door of my hospital room. At first I thought it was the painkillers playing tricks on me, but it was Nashville songwriter Thom Shepherd and his band, the Nashville Songwriters.

Thom came into my room and played one of his most popular hits, “Riding with Private Malone,” a song about a soldier who never made it back home. I played along with him on my guitar and shared one of my own songs.

His band stayed and played music for our whole floor, going from room to room, lifting spirits around the hospital. They did it at no charge, as a thank you to all of us.

That visit really helped pick me up—and not just for a few hours or days. Thom and I are still in touch and he’s encouraged me to continue writing and performing music. Later on, I learned he wasn’t even scheduled to visit Landstuhl, but fit it in on the way to another USO tour in the Middle East.

It’s disappointing that Senator Obama recently passed up his chance to meet and thank the wounded warriors in Landstuhl, too. Not only because I personally understand how much it would have meant to those heroes, but also because of the impact it undoubtedly would have had on Barack Obama to hear from the men and women in uniform he hopes to command someday.

All I know is that many veterans such as myself find it hard to accept the fact that Senator Obama made time to work out and to hobnob with Europeans, while failing to find time to visit our bedridden soldiers recovering abroad. I can’t help but wonder about the judgment of someone who holds a rally before a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Berlin, but cancels his visit with our wounded troops hospitalized in the same country.

What does it say about Barack Obama that he chooses to meet with the media in Paris and London over meeting with our brave veterans, who were left high and dry, apparently because there wasn’t going to be a photo op? For me it says everything about Barack Obama’s lack of judgment and experience, his habit of putting politics ahead of principle.

Does anyone have any doubt what John McCain would have done in the same circumstances? Senator McCain has always put his country first, from his military service in the Navy and heroic actions as a P.O.W. in the “Hanoi Hilton”, to his years of public service in Congress.

I can’t get the image out of my mind of how the wounded troops in Landstuhl Military Hospital must have felt after hearing all the buildup to Barack Obama’s visit last week and how let down they had to be after hearing the senator cancelled on them. The way I see it, the most Senator Obama had to sacrifice in going to Landstuhl was the loss of additional media exposure, while many of the veterans who were waiting for him have sacrificed so much more.


Joshua Revak received the Order of the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster for wounds incurred during Operation Iraqi Freedom and is an active member of Veterans for John McCain.

Obama on Iraq: Change That Works For Him

Video Script:
Obama: My assessment is that the surge has not worked.
Obama: I would end this war, and I would have our troops out within 16 months.
Obama: I will immediately begin to remove our troops.
Murtha: I think the surge is working.
Lieberman: The surge is working.
Clinton: We've begun to change tactics in Iraq, and in some areas, particularly in Al Anbar Province, it's working.
Gibbs: The security situation has improved, much as everybody admitted it would if we put more troops on the ground.
Axelrod: I mean, he never disputed the fact that if you throw a surge of American soldiers in an area that you can make a difference.
Obama: I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is gonna solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse.
Reporter: You did not refer to the 16 month timetable. Does that mean you can tell us today that you will not change the 16 month timetable?
Obama: (smiles and breathes) Uh... I... (scratches head)

Iraqi Yellowcake Sent to Canada

There's a veeeeeeery interesting article at Investor's Business Daily today concerning 550 metric tons of yellowcake uranium found in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.

The piece says it was recently and quietly sent from Iraq to Canada for processing into nuclear fuel.

But I thought "Bush lied, people died?" I thought Bush just invaded Iraq for all that cheap oil (that's selling in the form of gasoline at over $4.00 a gallon)? I thought Saddam was peaceful, had gotten rid of all his WMD materials, and was blissfully tending to his flower garden?

Or was he just biding his time until the noodle-spined UN walked away completely, and he could resume his WMD program unhindered?

This is clear, since Saddam acquired most of his uranium before 1991, but still had it in 2003, when invading U.S. troops found the stuff. (The International Atomic Energy Agency seems to have known about the yellowcake in the 1990s, but did nothing to force Saddam to get rid of it. It's duplicating its error today with Iran and North Korea).

That means Saddam held onto it for more than a decade. Why? He hoped to wait out U.N. sanctions on Iraq and start his WMD program anew. This would seem to vindicate Bush's decision to invade.

The American Thinker Web site reported four years ago on the scary math behind Saddam's uranium hoard: 500 tons of yellowcake, once refined, could make 142 nuclear weapons.

But yellowcake wasn't all they found at Tuwaitha. According to the AP, the military also discovered "four devices for controlled radiation exposure . . . that could potentially be used in a weapon."

How did our "objective" "mainstream" media miss a story like this? How did they miss it in 2003? How did they miss it now?

Did it simply fail to fit the "Bush lied people died" motif favored by our "mainstream" "objective media?

Maybe it was just the media that failed to find WMDs...

Milestones on the Road to Iraq

Arthur Herman has a great piece on "Why Iraq Was Inevitable" at Commentary Magazine.

The Left and their accomplices in the "mainstream" media have been hard at work since the war itself trying to ignore and rewrite history, but Herman does a thorough job of cataloging what led to the 2003 invasion and why, under any standard of common sense, it was inevitable.

Among the key milestones cited by Herman:


- Saddam Hussein must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas, or biological weapons. . . . Other countries possess weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. With Saddam, there is one big difference: he has used them. Not once, but repeatedly. . . . I have no doubt today that, left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again. - President Bill Clinton, December 16, 1998

- Six weeks earlier, Clinton had signed the Iraq Liberation Act authorizing Saddam’s overthrow

- You allow someone like Saddam Hussein to get nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, chemical weapons, biological weapons. How many people is he going to kill with such weapons? . . . We are not going to allow him to succeed. - Vice President Al Gore

- The U.S. had already been at war with Iraq for a decade when George W. Bush took office; the end of the Persian Gulf War was a cease-fire, not a formal surrender followed by a peace treaty. That cease fire agreement required regular weapons inspections to ensure Saddam's weapons were destroyed, and sanctions to prevent Saddam from building more WMDs

- On February 17, 1998 President Clinton said there was an “unholy axis” of rogue states and that “There is no more clear example of this threat than Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.”

- In October 1998 Iraq threw out ten American weapons inspectors and ceased cooperation with the UN inspection team.

- In December 1998 Richard Butler said Saddam was engaging in obstruction and deception

- John Kerry and several other Democrats sent Clinton a letter urging him to act against Iraq and the “threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its WMD programs.”

- On December 16, 1998 Clinton launched Operation Desert Fox against Iraq, which involved days of bombing by U.S. and British warplanes and missile attacks. Unobstructed inspections still did not resume

- In 1999 Clinton looked at options to invade Iraq, since many Democrats were supportive, like John Kerry who had said Saddam was determined “to build WMD’s no matter what the cost,” and that the U.S. “must be prepared to use force to achieve its goals.”

- By the end of 1999, the UN passed yet another ineffective resolution demanding inspections cooperation. But even that weak option split the Security Council; France, Russia, and China were either ideologically aligned with Iraq or on the take from the "Oil for Food" program kickbacks or selling weapons systems to the Iraqis, or both, and refused to back the measure.

- After 911, the Bush White House found that al Qaeda leader Abu Musab Zarqawi had received safe haven in Iraq. There was also evidence that other al Qaeda had joined Zarqawi in Iraq.

- A March 2002 New Yorker article said members of Ansar al-Islam were being trained in al Qaeda camps and paid through Saddam's intelligence service

- In September 2002 the CIA released the "Iraqi Support for Terrorism" report which said "Iraq continues to be a safe haven, transit point, or operational node for groups and individuals who direct violence against the United States.”

- Captured intelligence shows that Saddam was involved with Palestine Liberation Front, Hamas, and other terrorist groups.

- The UN estimated there were 1.5 tons of VX gas for which there was no proof of destruction

- The UN also believed Saddam still had SCUD missiles which could be used to deliver WMD payloads.

- By October 2000 Saddam was working militarily with Syria despite the UN policy of "containment"

- Saddam had been firing on US and British warplanes over the no-fly zone for years

- "Hussein’s vigorous pursuit of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, and his present and potential future support for terrorist acts and organizations . . . make him a terrible danger to the people of the United States." - Senator Chuck Schumer, September 2002

- "My position is very clear. The time has come for decisive action to eliminate the threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s WMD’s." - Senator Hillary Clinton

- "Every day [Saddam] gets closer to his long-term goal of nuclear capability." - Senator John Edwards

- "There’s no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat to the U.S. and our allies." - Howard Dean

- 81 House Democrats voted to authorize President Bush “to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq”

- France, one of the nations on the take in the corrupt "Food for Oil" program, declared “nothing! nothing!” could justify invading Iraq, and the opposition of other UN nations on the take effectively de-toothed any effectiveness sanctions might have had.

- The "mainstream" media's much-touted "rush to war" took something like 7-8 months, roughly from August 2002 to March 2003.

- In November 2002, the UN finally passed Resolution 1441 requiring Saddam to disarm and prove it or face “serious consequences.”

- In late November, Saddam dropped tons of irrelevant documents on UNMOVIC, which would require months to sift through the mess, buying himself even more time with no real compliance.

- Even Bob Woodward (no Right-winger for sure) said in his book Plan of Attack that Bush had been “a study in patience.”

- It was Saddam's failure to comply with his own burden of proof, not Bush's doctrine of preemptive war, that resulted in the March 2003 invasion

- Despite Powell's later back peddling, in February 2003 he provided more than 100 examples of Saddam’s deceptions which were backed up by eyewitness testimony, radio intercepts and satellite photos.

- Even Democrat Senator Joe Biden said "Saddam is in material breach of the latest UN resolution. . . . The legitimacy of the Security Council is at stake, as well as the integrity of the UN." (I would add that even more importantly, the United States' credibility was at stake)

- After the invasion, the Iraqi Survey Group (ISG) reported “dozens of WMD-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment”

- David Kay said “Iraq indeed had WMD’s” and told the Daily Telegraph that he had found evidence that some of them had been moved to Syria before the invasion

- Kay also said in Senate testimony that “the world is far safer with the disappearance and removal of Saddam Hussein”

Herman's conclusion:

Given the logic of the situation, at what point could Bush have avoided war? To have taken the military option off the table before going to the UN would have undercut everything his analysts and policy advisers, including at the CIA, had been saying since 9/11—and brought howls of protests from leading Democrats in Congress. Doing so after the passage of Resolution 1441 would have made a mockery of the rationale for going to the UN in the first place, and, as Powell explicitly recognized, undermined the resolution itself.

Herman also cites other negative consequences of not invading Iraq, but I'll leave you to read them on your own.

Saddam should have been removed under the Clinton administration when it first became apparent that there would be no meaningful or lasting peace with him. Clinton decidedly lacked the courage or conviction to do that, however; lobbing a few missiles at the problem from a safe distance was as much political risk as he was willing to take.

George W. Bush has not been another Ronald Reagan, but he has kept the country safe since 911. And he had the courage of conviction to do what needed to be done in Iraq, despite the political cost. For both of those accomplishments, I salute him.

And I resist attempts to rewrite history by cowards and political opportunists.

Herman's entire piece is over 6,800 words long, so grab a Coke before you sit down, but it's worth it.

It might surprise a few of you Bush-hating "blood for oil" disciples...if you can open your mind up long enough to read it.

Jericho Fans Mobilize to Support Deployed Troops

Thank-you messages from Jericho execs to accompany DVD shipment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

There’s more to fans of the serial post-apocalyptic show Jericho than shipments of nuts. They’re also good for hundreds of DVDs being shipped to deployed service men and women who need a little entertainment and relief while serving their tours of duty in harm’s way. It is just the latest in Jericho fans’ continuous drive for humanitarian efforts via the Internet, while they also forge ahead in the quest for a new home for their canceled show and a more accurate ratings system to measure TV viewership.

On the heels of a successful DVD campaign that garnered more than 100 Jericho Season 1 DVDs for members of the military over the last Christmas holiday season, Jericho fans -- intent on reminding our brave soldiers that they are never far from their hearts or minds -- have come together in the second leg of their efforts to double their first-time total. With $5,380 in donations gathered through an Amazon.com gift wish program, Jericho fans, or Rangers, as they are often called, wrapped up the DVDs for the Troops 2 campaign last week with 219 Jericho Season 2 DVDs. They will be shipped directly to the troops from the Staten Island Project Homefront (SIPH), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting U.S. troops with frequently requested items such as snacks, CDs, books, and personal items.

As with the first effort, the DVDs will be accompanied by messages of support from Jericho fans all over the country. As a special additional treat, each DVD also will include words of encouragement and gratitude from writers and producers of Jericho. They’ll hear messages, such as Co-Executive Producer Dan Shotz’s: “Jericho, at its core, is a show about hope. You guys define hope. Thank you for all you do,” or from Executive Producer Jon Turteltaub (“National Treasure,” National Treasure: Book of Secrets”): “You’re an inspiration to all of us.”

Of the 219 total Season 2 DVDs, 21 of them came from a middle school classroom in Boca Raton, Florida, where teacher Susan Oyer challenged her students to help make a difference. Through money earned by doing chores and hunting for spare change on schoolroom floors, they raised nearly $450 for the cause. The Jericho4Kids site (www.Jericho4Kids.com), created for and by young Jericho fans, raised $267 for the effort, and an auction of show memorabilia obtained and donated by Jericho on-set dresser Mike Loomer produced an additional $975 for the campaign.

Beyond the DVDs for the Troops effort, Jericho fans have made an impact with other humanitarian fundraising efforts as well, including:

- A $20,667 donation in 2007, with the assistance of www.Nutsonline.com, to Greensburg, KS to aid in a massive rebuilding effort following a catastrophic F5 tornado;

- A charity auction at Jerichon, the annual convention hosted by www.guardiansofjericho.com that produced nearly $4,000 for Greensburg and VFW efforts;

- Ongoing care package shipments of toiletries, games, books, DVDs, etc. to a designated military contact and Jericho fan on behalf of other troops serving in Iraq;

- The current Spreading the Nutty Love campaign, in which nearly $1,080 worth of peanut butter (378 jars) and other food essentials are being donated to the Kansas Food Bank (in a state especially hard-hit by tornadoes); and,

- Various smaller efforts on behalf of individual Jericho fans who suffered various medical and/or financial difficulties.

It is estimated that Jericho Rangers have raised at least $32,000 total in the past year for philanthropic endeavors, though the figure is probably much higher.

If you would like more information about DVDs for the Troops and plans for further expansion of those efforts, please visit www.jerichorangers4ourtroops.com.

Iraq in the Election: More Emotionalism From the Left

The America-haters at MoveOn.org are at it again. This time they're coming out with an anti-McCain video that exploits raw, naive emotion against the Iraq War and the war on terrorism.

CNS News has this excerpt from the video:

"John McCain, when you say you would stay in Iraq for a hundred years, were you counting on Alex? Because if you were, you can't have him," the mother (actress) says with a quaver in her voice.

Since we have a volunteer military, it might be Alex's choice to join the military when he grows up. The odds are he'll grow up like his cowardly, naive parents, but some kids manage to find a patriot's heart from somewhere unexpected.

We most likely would have been done in Iraq a long time ago if our "allies" around the world--and the American Left--had stood firmly with us against Saddam Hussein and against the terrorism that arose in Iraq after the war. But many of our allies chose financial interest over what was right, and many in the American Left chose political points over a decisive victory for their country and safety for the Iraqi people.

The enemy has seen a deeply divided free world, and a deeply divided American political scene, and they have taken heart. Like any enemy would, they have seen our lack of resolve and it has bolstered theirs: hang on, and the weak-willed Americans will leave sooner or later, and Iraq will be ours.

If we don't decisively complete the mission in Iraq, and if we don't decisively crush terrorism, we will indeed be fighting a 100-year war (if we survive that long, with weak leadership); we will definitely be fighting until Alex is old enough. The bloodthirsty around the world will see a weak America, and they will press home the attack as they did during the do-nothing Clinton years. They will smell blood in the air, and they won't quit until they're satisfied with a carcass.

Ultimately, though, we're never going to be done with wars until God creates the new heaven and new earth. Human beings are fallen creatures with a sin nature that is going to make wars a reality until that time.

What's more, evil men cannot be reasoned with or negotiated with or made peace with; they're just not interested in any of the above. We maintain peace through strength, strength which deters the designs of evil people.

People who value safety and security would do well to acknowledge this reality, and prepare for it. And in being prepared to defeat those who would do us harm, a lot of that war might just be avoided.

This is what the Left never seems to understand. This is why, despite John McCain's failings, Barack Obama must not be elected in November.

Healing, Hope, and Restoration For Our Courageous Troops

By Marie Jon'

"From the start, I knew I'd get better. — I always knew that it was a part of God's plan. God's been very faithful to me even though I don't deserve it." — U.S. Marine Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin

Physicians and nurses are a part of the surgical teams that bring our troops hope and healing. They are proud to serve awesomely brave men and women of America's armed services who fight the war against terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. With skilled, trained hands they help our wounded warriors heal both physically and emotionally. Dedicated medical teams with heart and soul provide our troops a faster return to a well and productive life. They help improve the quality of life of our injured service men and women.

The Department of Defense created the federally-funded Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM.) Many of the doctors are board-certified plastic surgeons by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). They hold to the very highest of standards in their field.

The ASPS was established in 1931. It is the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. To qualify for membership, a physician must have at least six years of surgical training, including three years in plastic surgery. Other specialties participating in AFIRM include general surgery, orthopedic, otolaryngology, and dermatology. There are special departments that offer therapy and the latest in prosthetics. The medical staff and therapists inspire their patients. In return, the patients provide an emotional uplift to the care providers. Our recuperating troops are amazing and courageous people with unquestionably remarkable fortitude and strength.

"The war has inspired great advances in plastic surgery to correct the awful injuries that are inflicted on its participants. In fact, it was the war to end all wars — World War I that challenged plastic surgeons to achieve groundbreaking advances in wound repair and reconstruction. With this latest conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, plastic surgery, once again, is integral to saving and restoring soldiers' lives." — Dr. Richard D'Amico, ASPS board-certified plastic surgeon.

A generous grant of $85 million has been awarded to help provide the best care for our American heroes. AFIRM is directed and funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, with additional funding from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, the National Institutes of Health, and the Veterans Administration. Statistics come from the Department of Defense indicate that approximately 29,800 troops had been wounded in action in the Iraq war, and another 1,927 in Afghanistan operations this year.

All the medical procedures that are used on our troops are subsequently adapted to meet the needs of the general public, including reconstructive plastic surgery techniques. Burn and trauma patients will benefit from the latest innovations brought to light through the need to heal the wounded combat service people.

UCLA Medical Center has established a new program, Operation Mend. The very first participant in Operation Mend is U.S. Marine Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin. Aaron has a way to go before he is fully restored, being still in need of a series of facial reconstructive surgeries. He was injured in Iraq in May of 2005 when an explosive device burned more than 25% of his body, including severe damage to his face. Forty-eight hours elapsed after the explosion before help and hope arrived.

It has been no walk in the park for Marine Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin. He has undergone two-and-a-half years of multiple surgeries, including many skin grafts. May God bless the outstanding medical team led by Timothy Miller, chief of plastic surgery at UCLA Medical Center. It is Dr. Miller's trained hands that began the process of reconstructing Aaron's face.

Excerpts from The Morning News Front: Injured Marine Returns for the Holidays — 2005:

"ROGERS — He watched as the helicopter's rotors circled above him. Told to keep his eyes open, Aaron Mankin gazed up as he lay on a cot in the bottom rack of a military helicopter in a place far from his Rogers home.

"He remembers raising his left hand, staring at the blister, noting the skin had peeled back. Mankin knew he'd been burned and he knew he was in pain, but didn't comprehend the severity of his wounds as he noticed the beauty of the puffy white clouds against a bright blue sky above the Iraqi desert on May 11.

"U.S. Marine Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin, a 2000 graduate of Rogers High School, was riding atop the military transport vehicle when the 26-ton vehicle hit a mine that day. It was tossed straight up and slammed down on the hard sand road with its load of Marines, ammunition and other supplies.

"Mankin remembers falling in through the hatch, watching as debris crashed around him, flames flared and the hatch closed above. Emergency equipment in the vehicle apparently malfunctioned. Fire control devices didn't go off and a rear ramp wouldn't open. Marines were able to open a side door, but by then the ammunition had started to cook and began to go off.

"Amid the chaos, Mankin found his way out. He recalled those first-grade lessons of 'stop, drop and roll,' and the 23-year-old rolled and rolled in the sand, stopping several times to see if he was still on fire. When he couldn't roll anymore, his fellow Marines came to his rescue. He heard someone yell, 'Put him out, put him out.'

"Aaron Mankin supports the effort in Iraq and is proud of the freedom that the United States has helped bring to the Iraqi people, despite his severe injuries and his fear for the safety of his fiancé." Full Article

Aaron and his wife, Marine Lance Cpl. Diana Mankin, and their daughter, Maddie, who is just eight months old, have taken up residency at UCLA Tiverton House while Aaron undergoes surgery. The Katz Family Foundation is paying all non-covered costs, such as travel and housing during treatment.Other soldiers are being scheduled as part of Operation Mend. UCLA is but one of the world-class hospitals that are lending their extraordinary expertise in plastic reconstructive surgery to our magnificent troops.

Americans must come to a place called "Reality." We need to understand that the United States has no other choice but to continue fighting a war we did not ask for. The enemy came to our homeland long before 9/11. Radical Islam has been at war with America for decades, yet we were blindsided by their hatred for us due to our leaders' shortsightedness and subversive influences from within. We are despised because, according to Jihadists, their prophet Mohammad designates non-believers as infidels who are worthy of brutality and death.

We are indeed at war, and it is time to stop second-guessing our president. America took the appropriate stand.

Do not allow the biased media to depress you with their demagoguery. We've all heard the same vitriolic rhetoric ad nauseam. The Democrats are invested in retreat and defeat. We who believe in winning the war in Iraq and stabilizing the Middle East feel confident that John McCain can achieve that goal.

Be proud that you're an American. Our accomplishments in Iraq are honorable and commendable. The president's first job is to protect our country. George Bush acted wisely. We liberated millions of innocent people. There are no more rape rooms in Iraq. Women and children are safer than ever before. Saddam is dead and al-Qaeda has been driven back by Iraq's troops and the Iraqi people. Like the land of Israel, the people of Iraq deserve peace.

Our service men and women will come home after the work we have begun is finished. Our troops will begin to stand down when Afghani and Iraqi troops are able to take care of their newly-formed democracies. Until then, it is their duty to take care of our nation via providing safety in the Middle East. If anyone tells you differently, they are either naïve or treasonous. We are living in a dangerous time and cannot afford to let down our guard again.

Most Americans are ill-informed of the potential attacks that have been thwarted by our Homeland Security intelligence gathering — nineteen planned terrorist attacks against America since that infamous day of September 11, 2001. You can thank this administration for keeping America safe. That will not be the case if the Islamic sympathizer Barack Obama becomes president.

If you have any doubts that what our troops have endured for our freedom has been worthwhile, just look into the eyes of Marine Cpl. Aaron P. Mankin and the thousands of others who joined the Armed Services to protect America. We have more than sufficient justification to feel admiration and love for them and our country. One phenomenal reason to puff up your chest with pride is Aaron Mankin.

Related Readings:

Operation Mend Video

'Operation Mend' Partnerships Offers New Hope For Wounded Warriors

Reflections on Nursing Leadership- A Noteworthy Feature

National Veteran Foundation Services Sate by State

Iraq Star Foundation Website Iraq Star Cosmetic Surgery For Iraq War Vets

Townhall Radio Jerry Newberry talks with Maggie Lockridge RN Foundation: Iraq Star

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Marie Jon' is a political/religious-based writer and founder of http://www.drawingclose.org/ — a sister website to RenewAmerica. Marie extends her hand of welcome; visit DrawingClose and receive your free gift of salvation by taking an online Bible study. Join Christians from all over the world by becoming a free member of GO Fellowship. The website is a nondenominational gathering of believers.

Marie's writings have appeared on many sites, including The New Media Journal, ChronWatch, and ABCNews, to name a few. She is a regular columnist for CapitolHillCoffeeHouse, The Daley Times Post, RenewAmerica, The Conservative Voice, Newsbull, GreatAmericanJournal.com, Radiofreewesthartford.com, Conservativecrusader.com, RightSideNews.com and WesternFrontAmerica.com.

Marie brings a refreshing and spirited point of view that is reflected in her writings, as well as genuine and spiritual insights regarding God and his teachings as they pertain to our modern society. Marie is a nurse, a lay student of the Bible, and a patriot. She is an advocate for American troops serving abroad, as well as the Blue and Gold Star Mothers of America and their families. Marie has appeared as a guest with political talk show host Bruce Elliott on WBAL-1090 AM (Saturdays 5AM-9AM EST).

© Copyright 2008 by Marie Jon'

Something New: Honesty from the Left on Iraq

I'll admit it: I'm stunned. I can't remember the last time I saw honesty on a polarizing issue from the Left--especially not from the "mainstream" media. Yet NewsBusters points out some amazingly refreshing honesty from a Leftwing newsman.

James Kirchick, the assistant editor of The New Republic, not only admits in the LA Times that President Bush didn't lie about Iraq, but provides information which illustrates that truth.

Even the report released earlier this month being touted by the Left as containing proof that "Bush lied, people died," doesn't really say what they claim.

Yet what did his report actually find? That Iraq-Al Qaeda links were "substantiated by intelligence information." The same goes for claims about Hussein's possession of biological and chemical weapons, as well as his alleged operation of a nuclear weapons program.

Kirchick's piece points out that a number of liberal politicians who were reading the same intelligence as President Bush were making the same alarmed statements before the 2003 invasion. The difference: when we didn't find the smoking gun we gave Saddam plenty of time to hide, the liberals became political opportunists, while Bush stayed the course for the greater good.

Were we wrong about some things? Maybe. Was Saddam in violation of the agreement he made at the end of the Persian Gulf War. Absolutely. Did we have justification and an obligation to take action. No doubt. Does that matter to those who prefer to rip the country apart for a few political points? Nope.

But perhaps there's hope that some on the Left still know how to be honest. Kirchick has restored some of my faith.

Operation to Give 100,000 Bibles to U.S. Troops in 100 Days

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Jennifer Riley
Christian Post Reporter
Mon, Jun. 02 2008 12:35 PM ET

Several large Christian organizations kicked off a campaign Sunday that aims to give 100,000 Bibles to U.S. troops worldwide over the course of 100 days.

The Operation Worship Bible, a special edition of the New Living Translation, was made available exclusively at Christian Booksellers Association retailers on June 1 for customers to buy and write a personal message of encouragement to an active-duty member of the military.

CBA is working with Operation Worship, a Christian ministry that works with U.S. troops, to help distribute the Bibles to soldiers. Meanwhile, partners Tyndale House Publishers is producing the Operation Worship Bibles, and the K-LOVE Radio Network is promoting the campaign through its airwaves.

“What better impact can you have on a soldier than to provide them with the Word of God,” said Jeff Hilliard, co-founder of Operation Worship and Open Window Foundation, in a statement.

“No matter how we feel about the war, our soldiers need our support. There is nothing more satisfying than being able to write a message of encouragement in a Bible and forwarding it to an active-duty soldier!”

Organizers hope to impact U.S. troops with God’s Word and urge American Christians to participate in the campaign.

Christians are invited to buy the special Operation Worship Bible at CBA retailers, write a personal message, and return it to the store where it will be shipped to Operation Worship for distribution to troops overseas.

“It is a privilege for Tyndale House to help ‘rally the troops’ in this unique outreach to our military,” said Blaine Smith, associate publisher at Tyndale House Publishers. “An Operation Worship Bible containing a personalized message offers tangible opportunities to let those who serve us in the military know we are praying for them and that they are not forgotten.”

During the week of July 4, K-Love Radio Network will feature a nationwide promotion of the campaign that includes more than 100 on-air giveaways and Internet spots broadcasting to nearly 2 million weekly listeners and 250,000 weekly Web site visitors.

The national marketing campaign also includes radio spots on Salem Radio Network, airing in 149 markets the week of Independence Day.


Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Scott McClellan Considering Vote for Obama?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Ain't that intriguing? Bush administration turncoat Scott McClellan likes what he hears from Obama?

So says the Politico:

Scott McClellan, making the media rounds to promote his book and push back against the ferocious counter-attack by Bush loyalists, declined to come out tonight for John McCain and said he liked what he had heard from Barack Obama.

"I haven't made a decision," McClellan told Katie Couric on CBS's "Evening News," when asked if he was backing the Arizona senator. McClellan paid homage to McCain, saying that the Republican nominee had "governed from the center, and that's where I am."

But without prompting, he said he was "intrigued by Sen. Obama's message."

"It's a message that is very similar to the one that Gov. Bush ran on in 2000," McClellan said.

Similar to the one Gov. Bush ran on in 2000? Boy, I don't remember being on Mars and having a bad transmission, but I could swear that while Bush's 2000 message in no way brought back memories of Ronald Reagan, it wasn't even in the same solar system with Barack Obama's empty message of "hope," "change," appeasement and celebration of homosexuality.

Are some true colors finally shining through, here?

Iran Tops Terrorist Sponsorship List

The latest report on state sponsorship of terrorism is out, according to NewsMax.

"Country Reports on Terrorism," published annually by the State Department, lists Iran as the "most active state sponsor of terrorism." This is the same country working on creating a nuclear program.

From the report:

Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism. Elements of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were directly involved in the planning and support of terrorist acts throughout the region and continued to support a variety of groups in their use of terrorism to advance their common regional goals. Iran provides aid to Palestinian terrorist groups, Lebanese Hizballah, Iraq-based militants, and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Iran remains a threat to regional stability and U.S. interests in the Middle East because of its continued support for violent groups, such as HAMAS and Hizballah, and its efforts to undercut the democratic process in Lebanon, where it seeks to build Iran’s and Hizballah’s influence to the detriment of other Lebanese communities.

The report also indicts Iran for its involvement in targeting U.S. military forces and Iraqi civilians in Iraq:

Iranian authorities continued to provide lethal support, including weapons, training, funding, and guidance, to some Iraqi militant groups that target Coalition and Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians

Fellow Axis of Evil member Syria also makes the list once again:

Since Syria’s 1979 designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, it has continued to provide political support to Palestinian terrorist groups. Syria has also continued to provide political and material support to Hizballah since that group's creation. HAMAS, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PLFP), and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), among others, all have offices in Damascus and operate within Syria's borders. The Syrian government insisted that the Damascus-based groups are confined to political and informational activities, but Palestinian groups with leaders in Syria have claimed responsibility for anti-Israeli terrorist attacks.

As in 2006, President Bashar al-Asad expressed public support for Palestinian terrorist groups.

The brutal communist regime of North Korea received the cleanest terrorism prognosis of any member of the Axis of Evil:

It said North Korea "was not known to have sponsored any terrorist acts since the bombing of a Korean Airlines flight in 1987" but it still "harbored four Japanese Red Army members who participated in a jet hijacking in 1970."

We can't wait for these threats to come and visit us...unless we want another 911, perhaps a nuclear one next time.

B-1 Bomber was From Ellsworth AFB

The Rapid City Journal is confirming that the B-1 bomber which was involved in the incident in Qatar earlier today was from Ellsworth Air Force Base here in Rapid City.

The crew made it to safety, and the article says that details are uncertain as to whether the crew was from Ellsworth or from another base.

Sgt. Sandra Lucas of the Al-Udeid Air Base public affairs office confirmed Friday afternoon that the incident involved an Ellsworth plane. But she could not confirm whether any or all of the plane’s crew members were from Ellsworth.

The Air Force says the bomber was taxiing after landing at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar and caught fire. Few details are available, although the Air Force says the aircraft was involved in a ground incident.

All four crew members aboard the plane safely evacuated, according to the Air Force.

It was initially reported that the bomber crashed, but reports now say that wasn't the case. One report said that some of the munitions aboard exploded, but I've only seen that in one place, so don't know for sure if it's accurate.

You may notice from the Rapid Reply comments at the bottom of this article that there are a few childish liberals who, even in the midst of a frightening incident such as this (frightening for those involved, and especially for all the families of B-1 crews), feel compelled to make petty political jabs.

They should be ashamed, though I'm sure they're too far gone into their own petty little world to be.

President Bush made the right decision to invade Afghanistan, and again in Iraq. Our military heroes do their jobs whether they agree with those decisions or not, and their families sacrifice along with them.

For once, I wish the Left could get it's collective act together and grow up.

Thank God the B-1 crew is alright.

Hillary Clinton Connected to Accused Saddam Agent

Muthanna Al-Hanooti, the man accused of funneling money from Saddam Hussein to pay for Rep. "Baghdad" Jim McDermott's trip to Iraq to undermine his own country, er, check on hungry Iraqi children, has now been indicted for doing Saddam Hussein's bidding.

The indictment says Baghdad Jim's trip was set up under the direction of Saddam's intelligence agents.

OneNewsNow points out that Baghdad Jim, Rep. David Bonior (D-MI) and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) have all received campaign contributions from Muslims who have been convicted of terrorist-related activities.

Now the New York Sun reports that Hillary Clinton also fell under the spell of Muthanna Al-Hanooti.

Al-Hanooti says he met Hillary Clinton at the White House in 1996 and she was "very receptive" to his request for an easing of the American sanctions on Iraq. These sanctions were in place because Saddam had failed to live up to his obligations after the 1991 Gulf War, and had been slaughtering his own people.

Al-Hanooti claims Mrs. Clinton passed along his desire to see the UN "oil for food" program implemented. That was the program which was used to line the pockets of Saddam and his cronies and the UN thugs, er, I meant, feed hungry Iraqi children.

The Clinton campaign has been rather hushed about this new development in her "foreign policy experience," but according to the Sun article, some defenders say she couldn't have known Al-Hanooti would become one of Saddam's agents.

Am I the only one who sees a pattern here? Why is it that liberals just seem to naturally gravitate to criminals, tyrants, enemies of America and general dirtbags?

At the risk of painting with too broad a brush, the old saying that "Birds of a feather flock together" does come to mind.

Why anyone who loves America and wants to keep America safe could support a Democrat on the national level is beyond me. They continue to prove over and over and over that they couldn't even be trusted as assistant to the dog catcher's secretary.