3646
Di-Fi flap fails to faze Dems
The hardest thing to get used to as a Republican is how they immediately cave in on everything. Like the firing of political appointees for being political. Why do those guys think they got the job? You’d never find a Democrat running from controversy! It’s just a smoke screen to cover the tail between their legs as they cut and run in Iraq. I’ll stay Republican so I can vote in the primaries, but these folks are just so wimpy I go crazy. And they really aren’t strong on pro-life anymore, and will probably collapse on stem-cell if a Democrat celebrity with a disease says BOO. God knows, the Republicans spend money like Democrats--and I didn’t like that even 10 years ago.

So now that Diane Feinstein (D-CA) has resigned as chair of the Military Appropriations Subcommittee (MILCON) after six years of running it with a conflict of interest because of her husband's war contracts (Richard C. Blum's companies) and oversight for funding for wounded soldiers, I'm pretty sure there won't be calls for her to close her office and quit (except from the farleft who see her as an evil Republican). Democrats seem to lead a charmed life when it comes to ethics and conflicts of interest. They don't even mind that George Soros, who supports all sorts of left wing causes, gets richer daily with Halliburton stock. (BTW, I see that Halliburton is 6th in government contracts, but University of California system is 7th--oops, the top 5 are also in California.

"As of December 2006, according to SEC filings and www.fedspending.org, three corporations in which Blum's financial entities own a total of $1 billion in stock won considerable favor from the budgets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs:

Boston Scientific Corporation: $17.8 million for medical equipment and supplies; 85 percent of contracts awarded without benefit of competition.

Kinetic Concepts Inc.: $12 million, medical equipment and supplies; 28 percent noncompetitively awarded.

CB Richard Ellis: The Blum-controlled international real estate firm holds congressionally funded contracts to lease office space to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It also is involved in redeveloping military bases turned over to the private sector."

Disclosure: Everything I've read about this seems to point back to this source, and I know little about it except it covers California's celebrity scene.

Update: Here in central Ohio, a sheriff in a nearby county has been disgraced and had to leave office for directing a contract worth $1300 to his son-in-law. He has pled guilty, apologized, and said he was ignorant of the law, but because of his position of trust, that's no excuse. Now there's a man who knows what to do when you're caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Di-Fi should be so brave.Source URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3643
Korean War Vet proposes duct tape solution
When Sen. Joe Biden was stumping a very small audience in Sumter,SC, he asked them for Iraq solutions. A 79 year old Korean War veteran suggested duct tape:


"But when Biden turned to the audience for questions, John Stevens, a 79-year-old Air Force disabled veteran of Korea and Vietnam, told Biden he had a better solution.

The war's being lost in Congress by the people who give aid and comfort to the enemies that are killing our troops," he said.

Stevens then said he had his own plan: "I call it the duct tape solution. You take a roll of duct tape and you put it over the mouths of the people that are criticizing our troops and also causing the enemy to continue attacking our troops and blowing them up."


Story at Myrtile Beach Online, noticed at Don Surber's site.Source URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3630
New assaults on Administration for deaths of U.S. civilians
USA Today ran an article today on the sad situation for U.S. civilians who are employees of companies who are working in Iraq. KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton, figures prominently in the story, because the media know that will bring up mental images of Dick Cheney without ever mentioning his name. George Soros owns a lot of stock in Halliburton, according to what I've read, and Cheney doesn't, but the media isn't about to say "the left is making money from this war." KBR has had construction contracts for the U.S. military for over a half century, and bankrolled LBJ for his presidential bids. But, let's not confuse quacks and frauds. Nor should we ask why a man or woman, who could be doing something much safer and signs up for bonuses and huge paychecks to go into a dangerous war zone, should expect their families to be entitled to more than other construction workers on any other job if they are injured or killed on the job.

The story in today's paper (or you can google "Halliburton civilian workers in Iraq" and see this has been covered many times but right now is a pile-on) mentioned relatives who want extended COBRA, funeral expenses, cleaned up dead bodies returned to them, and new government regulations for the contractors. And of course, this: "Critics of the war are pressing the Bush Administration to disclose more details on injuries and deaths among private contractors."Source URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3601
Only 7,000 dead and wounded
Today I was reading about the Battle of St. Mihiel in northeastern France in September 1918 during WWI. The chart says there were low losses--only 7,000 between the Americans and the Germans in the one week campaign. Usually I don't use Wikipedia as a source, but WWI battles are pretty well researched.

"For all historians, the battle of Saint-Mihiel is an example of advancing an army against one that preferred to leave a difficult to supply bulge. Overall casualties were low as defense was mainly rear-guard oriented. Strategically it was good news for the Allies. Compared to huge battles such as Verdun or the Somme, this was merely a skirmish. Its real importance is in the huge boost that this advance had on the US and Allied morale."

I had looked up this battle because in reading War Record of Mount Morris I noticed a WWII veteran from our town, Eli Raney, I considered "old" when I was young (although truthfully, I thought anyone over 25 was old). Born in 1892, he was 50 when he reenlisted during WWII and he served 14 months in frontline construction in New Guinea and the Philippines. So I flipped to the back of the book for his WWI service and see that he was a member of Company D, of the 104th infantry, and arrived in France in August 1918, just in time to be in this battle in September. He was not among the wounded, but was wounded in the Argonne campaign.

This is a public service announcement for the war protestors and peaceknickers who forget that most people don't want sons and brothers lost in battle, certainly not one that historians see as a "morale boost." Our recent marchers in Washington want the US to shame the memories of those who've died and to run out on the people it has liberated.

Iraq WarSource URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3598
From the front lines
This has been posted on many blogs, but I just saw it today when a high school friend forwarded it to me via e-mail. Sgt. Eddie Jeffers in Iraq writes: "Democrats and peace activists like to toss the word "quagmire" around and compare this war to Vietnam. In a way they are right, this war is becoming like Vietnam. Not the actual war, but in the isolation of country and military. America is not a nation at war; they are a nation with its military at war. Like it or not, we are here, some of us for our second, or third times; some even for their fourth and so on. Americans are so concerned now with politics, that it is interfering with our war.

Terrorists cut the heads off of American citizens on the internet...and there is no outrage, but an American soldier kills an Iraqi in the midst of battle, and there are investigations, and sometimes soldiers are even jailed...for doing their job.

It is absolutely sickening to me to think our country has come to this. Why are we so obsessed with the bad news? Why will people stop at nothing to be against this war, no matter how much evidence of the good we've done is thrown in their face? When is the last time CNN or MSNBC or CBS reported the opening of schools and hospitals in Iraq? Or the leaders of terror cells being detained or killed? It's all happening, but people will not let up their hatred of President Bush. They will ignore the good news, because it just might show people that Bush was right."

Full letter here.

Iraq WarSource URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3597
The fallout of Vietnam--dragons and tigers
As misguided but sincere Christians return home from the pitiful march on Washington on the 4th anniversary of the war, some trying to recapture their youth and energy of the 60s and 70s, it's instructive to note this article in the Jan-Feb 2007 issue of Foreign Affairs. I am not familiar with the author, Lee Kuan Yew who was Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959-1990, and I would have preferred some attention to the 3 million people we abandoned to be slaughtered by the Communists, but he does have a less parochial view than American peaceknickers who think everything is about us. He presents an Asian viewpoint as to what the benefits of that war were.

"I am not among those who say that it was wrong to have gone into Iraq to remove Saddam and who now advocate that the United States cut its losses and pull out. This will not solve the problem. If the United States leaves Iraq prematurely, jihadists everywhere will be emboldened to take the battle to Washington and its friends and allies. Having defeated the Russians in Afghanistan and the United States in Iraq, they will believe that they can change the world. Even worse, if civil war breaks out in Iraq, the conflict will destablilize the whole Middle East, as it will draw in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey." p. 3

"Conventional wisdom in the 1970s saw the war in Vietnam as an unmitigated disaster. But that has been proved wrong. The war had collateral benefits, buying the time and creating the conditions that enabled noncommunist East Asia to follow Japan's path and develop into the four dragons (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) and, later, the four tigers (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillippines, and Thailand). Time brought about the split between Moscow and Beijing and then a split between Beijing and Hanoi. The influence of the four dragons and the four tigers, in turn, changed both communist China and communist Vietnam into open, free-market economies and made their societies freer." p. 7

He also predicts the next president (I'm assuming a Democrat) will be facing a long-term fight against Islamist militants, a battle which is only in its early rounds. And I predict lots of career building activity for our leftist protestors as the older ones go into nursing homes and make way for the younger.

Iraq WarSource URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3592
We're not losing
"In terms of fundamental historical changes favoring 21st century freedom and peace, what Free Iraq and its Coalition allies have accomplished in four short years is nothing short of astonishing." The story of how a fossilized society is coming to life ready to meet the 21st century is here.

Iraq WarSource URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3586
The Old man's draft registration
Some time back, I mentioned that I was able to find my grandfather's draft registration for WWI. He was 44 years old and plans were in place to also draft women for support positions. I wasn't aware that there was an "old man's draft registration" for WWII. It's available at Ancestry.com, and I'm not sure I can bring it up at my library's system, because the website is too vague. But if you are a subscriber, you should be able to.

On April 27, 1942 men who were born on or between April 28, 1877 and February 16, 1897 were required to register. That means they were between 45 and 64 years old and not already in the military. This information is useful for genealogists because it includes name, age, birth date, birth place, residence, employer, name and address of who knew the registrants whereabouts, and physical description. Not all states are included yet, and some states destroyed their records. My paternal grandfather (51) would have been required registered, and my maternal grandfather (68) just barely was too old. However, Illinois isn't one of the states on the completed list, and Tennessee (for other relatives) destroyed its records.

As the party of death, destruction and defeat and the media (and you know who you are) attempt to undermine all efforts in Iraq because "American lives are being lost," or "it's a quagmire," or "it's gone on too long," they need to take a look at our history, at a time when we lost more men in one battle than we've lost in this whole war, and when we defeated a world threat by uniting with other free countries--but just barely.

Iraq WarSource URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3578
Pamela Hess, UPI correspondent
Don't miss her interview on C-SPAN talking about what she saw in Iraq. I don't think I've ever seen a reporter cry when talking about what is going on there. She had been there in 2003 and makes some comparisons.

Iraq WarSource URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3576
Advice for the 2008 presidential candidates
While cleaning out some files, I found this one written for the 2004 campaign. No one listened to me then, so I'll give it another shout out. This is for the Democrats or Republicans or Libertarians.

Jobs: Make Cleveland, Detroit, New York, etc. "union-free" areas--no unions in industry, in the schools, or any areas of government, or in non-government associations. Unions are strongest in cities with the most serious poverty problems. Time to run a test and see if there is a cause and effect relationship. Invite industry in. Let in some fresh air. If these cities can turn around in say, a decade, move the system to other cities.

The War: Let the Iraqis have as much time to settle into independence and democracy as the United States did--about 15 years--1775-1789 (I said this in 2004--so knock four years off the remaining time). Remove US troops as quickly as possible without endangering the Iraqi people. Rid America of the "instant solution" mentality (this is now called Murthanizing).

Energy: Allow drilling in Alaska as a trade off for more economizing and more fuel efficiency.

Health care: Introduce more competition, not less. Move away from government interference and control as quickly as possible, so we don’t lose the best system in the world.

Prescription drugs: Reduce the red tape and regulations for drug development to reduce the price of development.

Transportation: Get our passenger rail system going again. Terminals in every major city. Environmentally, it makes a lot more sense and is probably cheaper than messing with forests and farm lands for biofuels and windmills.

Nation building: Make English the official language of the US, but offer many more foreign language options, and make at least one a requirement for graduation from high school.

Terrorism: Secure our borders, improve our airport, train and bus screening. Use profiling to find terrorists.

And I ought to add something about global change.

Require anyone spouting hot air to answer questions from the press and audience. That will cool things down in a hurry.Source URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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3189 A little truth in humor for the Democrats

From Peace Moonbeam.

"As expected, the Republicans are crying a river over our plans to exit Iraq gracefully with dignity, ["Forces Leaving Early Expeditiously" plan (FLEE)] but no big surprise there - you'd cry too if someone took away your oil wells. The biggest whiner is the Iraqi government itself, "Oh boohoo, our government will collapse, hundreds of thousands of people will die in sectarian violence, Muslim extremist groups will take over, blah blah blah." Oh please, over here we're battling for stem cell research and tax hikes, fending off Evangelical homo-drug addicts, etc., and you're complaining about a few heavily-armed over-stimulated camel jockeys? Give me a break."Source URL: https://maryelizabeth-winstead.blogspot.com/search/label/Iraq%20War
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