I heard on the news and on the radio yesterday that there was a story, I think in the Washington Post about White House staffers complaining about long hours. I have not read the story, I will say this up front, but from what I heard I just kept thinking of our troops, especially our Marines who were force marched across the desert of  Helmand Province, Afghanistan in120 deg. F heat carrying a 100 lb pack along with wearing body armor. I don’t there is much room for complaint for the White House staff until they have spent a day with the Marines on a forced march like this.

God bless our troops and may they have the restricted rules of engagement lifted so they can win this war and come home to V-A Day (Victory in Afghanistan) very soon.

Various stories from around the Global War on Terrorism, the GWOT:

1.) 2/3 NCO dies from blast wounds suffered last month. God bless his family, and I am so thankful for his service. I read that when Gen. McChrystal took over he was going to respect the Afghan culture as they want to compensate for wrongs. With all the killings they have done of our troops, I don’t know what type of culture would kill innocent Marines there to help them. In any case, I have written my senators and representative and the Armed Services Committee and asked for a copy of the statement from the Afghan government, the village, and a link if it is posted on YouTube of the compensation ceremony where Gen. McChrystal said he would accept compensation for our troops and our country from the Afghans as they had a strong sense of wanting to compensate for wrongdoing. To win the hearts and minds of Americans, it would be beneficial to see the general accepting the compensation and apologies for our war dead and injured, at least as a down payment for what they owe to compensate the US government for the death of our Marine. Link to 2/3 Marine story:

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/07/marine_lembke_071309w/

2.)  Crooked Afghan police, smoke pot, load guns near Marines in threatening manner:

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/07/ap_marines_afghan_police_071309/

3.) U.S. troops rightfully protect themselves in Iraq-shoot drivers approaching their convoy.  Link:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/11/iraq.main/index.html?iref=newssearch

4.)  Why aren’t the lawyers and others in headquarters out on the ground with the Marines? The lawyers should be with the Marines on the ground, and shot at just like the Marines.

The USA cannot win a war this way and Marines and troops on the ground are endangered.  I sent the following letter by e mail to my senators and representative and suggest others reading this who support the American troops also write to their representatives.

DEAR SIRS:

THIS STORY STATES THAT THE LEADERSHIP COMPROMISES THE U.S. FIGHTER PILOTS WHO MIGHT HAVE A MARINE KILLED WITH THEIR INACTION, BUT THEY HAVE TO COMPARE THIS WITH THE THREAT OF PROSECUTION IF A CIVILIAN IS KILLED IF THEY DROP A BOMB WHICH WOULD SAVE MARINES.

TOP LEADERSHIP FROM THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF ON DOWN HAS PUT OUR GROUND TROOPS AT HIGH RISK FOR DEATH OR MAIMING WITH THE RESTRICTED RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. A WAR CANNOT BE WON THIS WAY. THE CIVILIANS ARE NOT TARGETED BY THE U.S. TROOPS, BUT IN A WAR, THERE WILL BE CIVILIAN DEATHS. IF THE LEADERSHIP CANNOT STOMACH THIS, THEN ALL U.S. TROOPS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.

IT IS A SHAMEFUL DAY WHEN U.S. MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN HEADQUARTERS WOULD TOLERATE A MARINE DEATH RATHER THAN RISK A CHARGE BEING FILED AGAINST THEM, SO THEY IN EFFECT, SIDE WITH THE TALIBAN AND ENEMY RATHER THAN THEIR OWN FELLOW AMERICANS ON THE GROUND WHO NEED AN AIR STRIKE TO STAY ALIVE.

THIS STORY STATES THAT U.S. PILOTS ARE AFRAID TO DROP BOMBS WHEN CALLED IN BY MARINES OR SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND AND HAVE TO CONSULT WITH A LAWYER AND OTHERS IN A HEADQUARTERS FIRST.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A WAR.

THE LAWYERS SHOULD DEPLOY WITH THE MARINES OR SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE SHOT AT FIRST HAND. THE HEADQUARTERS SHOULD BE CLEANED OUT AND ALL LAWYERS PUT ON PATROLS WITH THE MARINES AND SOLDIERS.

ALSO, WITH THE LAWYERS ON THE GROUND WITH THE SOLDIERS AND MARINES, THE FIGHTER PILOTS WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY WHEN THEY DROP THEIR BOMBS.

THE FIGHTER PILOTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR GLOBAL CARBON FOOTPRINT EITHER, WITH NEEDLESS FLIGHTS JUST FLYING OVER A TERRORIST COMPOUND.

I ALSO HAVE TO ADD: THIS STORY STATES THAT THE LOUD NOISE OF THE FIGHTER PLANE SILENCED THE ENEMY. I DON’T THINK THIS IS PERMANENT AS DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH A BOMB. THE ENEMY IS ALIVE AND CAN STILL SHOOT AT OUR TROOPS, OR FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

THE LAWYERS AND OTHERS IN THAT HEADQUARTERS NEED TO BE GIVEN A FORWARD ADDRESS AND EMBEDDED WITH COMBAT TROOPS ON THE GROUND SO THEY CAN COME UNDER FIRE AND KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE PINNED DOWN NEEDING AN AIR STRIKE.

 LAWYERS SITTING IN A HEADQUARTERS WITH OTHERS CANNOT POSSIBLY KNOW THE SITUATION LIKE THEY WILL WHEN THEY ARE PUT IN WITH THE TROOPS. THIS SHOULD BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.

 THANKS FOR SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS.

STORY ABOUT LAWYERS CALLING THE SHOTS IN THE WAR FROM A HEADQUARTERS; LET’S GET THEM EMBEDDED WITH THE TROOPS AND NOT IN A HEADQUARTERS:

Mindful of Civilians, Pilots in Afghanistan Alter Tactics

By ERIC SCHMITT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/asia/14airstrike.html?_r=1

ABOARD U.S.S. RONALD REAGAN, in the Gulf of Oman — After taking repeated fire from Taliban fighters holed up in a building last week, a group of American Marines in southern Afghanistancalled in airstrikes to wipe out the threat.

But the Navy F/A-18 fighter pilots who responded worried that bombing the militants could hurt civilians, and suggested a different solution to the ground troops. The airmen then roared in low and fast, without firing a shot, in a deafening pass that frightened the militants into silence. 

DEAR SIRS:THIS STORY STATES THAT THE LEADERSHIP COMPROMISES THE U.S. FIGHTER PILOTS WHO MIGHT HAVE A MARINE KILLED WITH THEIR INACTION, BUT THEY HAVE TO COMPARE THIS WITH THE THREAT OF PROSECUTION IF A CIVILIAN IS KILLED IF THEY DROP A BOMB WHICH WOULD SAVE MARINES.

 

TOP LEADERSHIP FROM THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF ON DOWN HAS PUT OUR GROUND TROOPS AT HIGH RISK FOR DEATH OR MAIMING WITH THE RESTRICTED RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. A WAR CANNOT BE WON THIS WAY. THE CIVILIANS ARE NOT TARGETED BY THE U.S. TROOPS, BUT IN A WAR, THERE WILL BE CIVILIAN DEATHS. IF THE LEADERSHIP CANNOT STOMACH THIS, THEN ALL U.S. TROOPS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.

IT IS A SHAMEFUL DAY WHEN U.S. MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN HEADQUARTERS WOULD TOLERATE A MARINE DEATH RATHER THAN RISK A CHARGE BEING FILED AGAINST THEM, SO THEY IN EFFECT, SIDE WITH THE TALIBAN AND ENEMY RATHER THAN THEIR OWN FELLOW AMERICANS ON THE GROUND WHO NEED AN AIR STRIKE TO STAY ALIVE.

THIS STORY STATES THAT U.S. PILOTS ARE AFRAID TO DROP BOMBS WHEN CALLED IN BY MARINES OR SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND AND HAVE TO CONSULT WITH A LAWYER AND OTHERS IN A HEADQUARTERS FIRST.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A WAR.

THE LAWYERS SHOULD DEPLOY WITH THE MARINES OR SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE SHOT AT FIRST HAND. THE HEADQUARTERS SHOULD BE CLEANED OUT AND ALL LAWYERS PUT ON PATROLS WITH THE MARINES AND SOLDIERS.

ALSO, WITH THE LAWYERS ON THE GROUND WITH THE SOLDIERS AND MARINES, THE FIGHTER PILOTS WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY WHEN THEY DROP THEIR BOMBS.

THE FIGHTER PILOTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR GLOBAL CARBON FOOTPRINT EITHER, WITH NEEDLESS FLIGHTS JUST FLYING OVER A TERRORIST COMPOUND.

I ALSO HAVE TO ADD: THIS STORY STATES THAT THE LOUD NOISE OF THE FIGHTER PLANE SILENCED THE ENEMY. I DON’T THINK THIS IS PERMANENT AS DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH A BOMB. THE ENEMY IS ALIVE AND CAN STILL SHOOT AT OUR TROOPS, OR FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

THE LAWYERS AND OTHERS IN THAT HEADQUARTERS NEED TO BE GIVEN A FORWARD ADDRESS AND EMBEDDED WITH COMBAT TROOPS ON THE GROUND SO THEY CAN COME UNDER FIRE AND KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE PINNED DOWN NEEDING AN AIR STRIKE.

 LAWYERS SITTING IN A HEADQUARTERS WITH OTHERS CANNOT POSSIBLY KNOW THE SITUATION LIKE THEY WILL WHEN THEY ARE PUT IN WITH THE TROOPS. THIS SHOULD BE DONE IMMEDIATELY.

 THANKS FOR SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS.

STORY ABOUT LAWYERS CALLING THE SHOTS IN THE WAR FROM A HEADQUARTERS; LET’S GET THEM EMBEDDED WITH THE TROOPS AND NOT IN A HEADQUARTERS: 

Mindful of Civilians, Pilots in Afghanistan Alter Tactics

By ERIC SCHMITT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/asia/14airstrike.html?_r=1

ABOARD U.S.S. RONALD REAGAN, in the Gulf of Oman — After taking repeated fire from Taliban fighters holed up in a building last week, a group of American Marines in southern Afghanistancalled in airstrikes to wipe out the threat.

But the Navy F/A-18 fighter pilots who responded worried that bombing the militants could hurt civilians, and suggested a different solution to the ground troops. The airmen then roared in low and fast, without firing a shot, in a deafening pass that frightened the militants into silence.

Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/asia/14airstrike.html?_r=1

5.) A story from June 15, 2009 when Gen. McChrystal took command and said that he could tell if they were winning by the number of civilians protected not the Talinan killed. I have written my reps and said I wanted to know each week how many civilians are protected each week:

http://www.centcom.mil/en/news/mcchrystal-assumes-command-in-afghanistan.html

6.) Children being used in attacks:

http://www.centcom.mil/en/news/children-used-to-carry-out-attacks.html