Free Republic

Top US military leaders have stated their support for the current strategy in Afghanistan. The commander of the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, the head of the regional Central Command, General David Petraeus, and the top US military officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, have endorsed the counter-insurgency strategy now being carried out in the Afghan war. The three officers were part of a review of war strategy at the White House on Wednesday, to give advice to President Barack Obama who has to decide whether to send more troops to Afghanistan. The Pentagon has said the leaders prefer the...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The top general in Iraq is sending home thousands more U.S. troops by the end of October as the American military pulls back from the six-year war. Army Gen. Ray Odierno said in remarks prepared for a congressional hearing Wednesday that the number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq will total about 120,000 over the next month. He said that will mean about 4,000 fewer troops than are in Iraq now—about the size of an Army brigade.

Idiotic Rules Of Engagement that are killing our soldiers, a General who’s more concerned with civilians than killing the enemy, a President who couldn’t care less, and a partridge in a pair tree… Bring the troops home. We’ve already lost. Let’s stop kidding ourselves, and spending our soldiers.

“But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord. At an acceptable and opportune time, O God, in the multitude of Your mercy and the abundance of Your loving-kindness hear me, and in the truth and faithfulness of Your salvation answer me.”Psalm 69:13 AMP

On the eighth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack on America, a band of patriots were on a special mission at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, DC, with America’s wounded warriors. Their mission, the brainchild of 69-year old, decorated Vietnam veteran, George Samek, was to help the wounded warriors’ recovery by providing them with donated laptops with webcams.

Six months after it announced its strategy for Afghanistan, the Obama administration is sending mixed signals about its objectives there and how many troops are needed to achieve them. The conflicting messages are drawing increasing ire from U.S. commanders in Afghanistan and frustrating military leaders, who are trying to figure out how to demonstrate that they're making progress in the 12-18 months that the administration has given them. Adding to the frustration, according to officials in Kabul and Washington, are White House and Pentagon directives made over the last six weeks that Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military...

"My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. There is none holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God." I Samuel 2:1-2

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Across just a few deadly yards of rocky terrain, the private’s cries grew weaker. Even though bullets came pouring in like hail, Staff Sgt. Jared Monti made a break for it. The enemy was strong — maybe 50, to the 16 Americans. But Pvt. Brian Bradbury was Monti’s guy. He was isolated and bleeding badly on this grim mountain ridge in northeastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province. Monti didn’t get far. A barrage of fire cut down the 30-year-old moments before air cover he’d requested arrived. Exhausted and reeling from a desperate fight that left Monti and another...

Wow! 0bama sure went 180 on his decision to send more troops into the war in Afghanistan. Do you think the fringe liberal left gave hime the facts on how things work? You want my vote on healthcare, shut down the war like they did in Vietnam and let the Taliban start chopping off the heads of anyone that helped the Americans. Nawww the lib's would never do it again.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States will probably need to deploy more troops to Afghanistan despite almost doubling the size of its force there this year, the top U.S. military officer said on Tuesday. The assessment by Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the clearest signal yet that commanders will tell President Barack Obama in the coming weeks that they need extra forces to defeat Taliban insurgents. "A properly resourced counterinsurgency probably means more forces. And, without question, more time and more commitment to the protection of the Afghan people and to the development of...

DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, THIS HOUR AND THIS SECOND. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME YOUR SAINTS CAN GATHER BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. LORD, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SAINTS NO MATTER WHERE THEY MAY BE OR WHATEVER THEIR NEED. LORD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TROOPS AND PATRIOTS WHO FAITHFULLY PLACE THERE PRAYERS FOR OUR HEROES AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE,AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT WHO HOLD YOUR TRUTHS CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS. LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED HAND OF GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION IN...

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Many of the troops at this sprawling U.S. air base were in their mid-teens when they watched the planes hit the World Trade Center's twin towers on television and vowed to join the military. Eight years later, many of those who enlisted in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks are now part of a massive military effort in Afghanistan that some are saying has no clear exit. Remembrances of the attacks started at dawn Friday, with more than 1,000 service members donning shorts and sneakers to run exactly 9.11 kilometers (about 5.5 miles)...

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she sees little support for sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, forecasting a potential showdown with the Obama administration over how to win the war. Pelosi's comments put President Barack Obama in an uneasy position as he considers whether to side with his top commander in Afghanistan, who is expected in coming weeks to ask for more troops and other resources. She is the highest-ranking Democrat to signal that any White House or Pentagon push for more troops will be resisted in Congress. "I don't think there's a great deal of support...

“HEAR MY cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the rock that is higher than I [yes, a rock that is too high for me]. “ For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me, a strong tower against the adversary. “ I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!” Psalm 61:1-4

for He [God] himself has said I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:5,6)

“The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.” Psalm 18:2 Amplified Bible

ASHINGTON: The Obama Administration has declined to set a deadline for withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, arguing that the situation there is different from that of Iraq and 9/11 plotters are still holed up in the Af-Pak region and planning attack against the US. "We have a different situation in Afghanistan. It is actually the place that - Afghanistan and Pakistan - where the folks who attacked us on 9/11 are holed up and plotting against us still," David Axelrod, Senior Advisor to the US President, told the NBC news channel in an interview.

All military personnel will be vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus, and the vaccine will be available to all military family members who want it, a Defense Department health affairs official said today. The H1N1 vaccination program will begin in early October, said Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Wayne Hachey, director of preventive medicine for Defense Department health affairs. The vaccine, which has been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, will be mandatory for uniformed personnel, Hachey said. "What we want to do is target those people who are at highest risk for transmission," he said. Health-care workers, deploying troops,...

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 4, 2009 – Air Force Maj. Dan Rooney knows that just a dollar or more added to your golf greens fees this Labor Day weekend can provide millions of dollars to help servicemembers and their families. Rooney, a professional golfer and an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, is the founder of Patriot Golf Day, a fundraiser that starts today and continues through Sept. 7. Golfers will be asked at 5,000 participating golf courses if they want to add an extra buck to their greens fees to fund scholarships for disabled veterans and...

“Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12

DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, THIS HOUR AND THIS SECOND. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME YOUR SAINTS CAN GATHER BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. LORD, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SAINTS NO MATTER WHERE THEY MAY BE OR WHATEVER THEIR NEED. LORD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TROOPS AND PATRIOTS WHO FAITHFULLY PLACE THERE PRAYERS FOR OUR HEROES AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE,AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT WHO HOLD YOUR TRUTHS CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS. LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED HAND OF GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION IN...

"When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him " A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." ~~ Proverbs 16:7,9 ~~

DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, THIS HOUR AND THIS SECOND. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME YOUR SAINTS CAN GATHER BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. LORD, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SAINTS NO MATTER WHERE THEY MAY BE OR WHATEVER THEIR NEED. LORD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TROOPS AND PATRIOTS WHO FAITHFULLY PLACE THERE PRAYERS FOR OUR HEROES AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE,AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT WHO HOLD YOUR TRUTHS CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS. LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED HAND OF GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION IN...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24, 2009 – The Santa Ana, Calif., police department will receive the Defense Department's top employer-support award for providing exceptional financial and emotional support to its employees who deploy as National Guard or Reserve members. The police department provides its deployed members with differential pay and continued family health benefits, among other accommodations that go beyond what the law requires. For example, military liaisons stay in touch with deployed employees to let them know what’s happening back at the department and to see if they need anything, Cmdr. Bill Nimmo said. The department recognizes its employees’ military service...

My associate and I got a letter for a Korean War Veteran who thought his service was long forgotten. You can go to the original article and post your thanks in the comment section.

"Send a warrior to Congress." "Does this look like a Rino?" In the battleground of American political power, candidates for office tend to use every weapon at their disposal to be heard above the din. Now, a U.S. Marine who helped lead the initial charge into Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein is taking that approach literally by brandishing his M-16 assault rifle in some eye-catching campaign fundraising ads. "I'm taking full credit for that," says 28-year old Jesse Kelly of Tucson, Ariz., a Republican seeking to boot Democrat Gabrielle Giffords from the U.S. House of Representatives. "If you're not going...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2009 – When a TriWest Healthcare Alliance nurse who serves in the Kansas Air National Guard got notice of an upcoming deployment in 2006, TriWest President David McIntyre ensured the company would see to her family’s needs. “There was no hesitation when I said that I was going to deploy,” said Janet Hanson, a colonel with 24 total years of active and Air Guard military service. “Mr. McIntyre personally said that if my family or I need anything during the deployment to contact him personally, which was great.” McIntyre’s gesture is just one of the reasons TriWest...

"He has shown you, O'man,what is good;and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly,to love mercy,and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

OBAMA MISMANAGING THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN  Move America Forward     MORE VOICES CALL FOR GIVING TROOPSTOOLS TO WIN THE WAR IN AFGHANISTANSEN. JOHN MCCAIN SAYS “DOUBLE” MARINES IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN. More and more Americans are concerned about the direction of the Obama Administration in carrying out the war in Afghanistan.  He seems to sliding into making the same mistakes that we made in Viet Nam – gradually increasing our involvement, but preventing our troops from using the means they need to win the war conclusively. Instead, we hear our troops told not to use air support to suppress...

” Be merciful to me O God , be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calmites have passed by”. “I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.Selah. God shallsend forth His mercy and His truth”. ~Psalm 57 :1-3~

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Aug. 12, 2009 – U.S. Soldiers, airmen and civilians here are taking part in a special opportunity to learn Arabic. Army 2nd Lt. Noel Cronin converts an Arabic word to its feminine form during the first Introduction to Arabic class offered by the Basra Education Center, Basra, Iraq, Aug. 5, 2009. U.S. Army photo by 1st Sgt. Larry Mears  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. On the first day of the first Introduction to Arabic class offered here through the Basra Education Center, their teacher, an Army interpreter known as Ms. Lucy, wasted no time with...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2009 – One of the soldiers in the opening scene of “GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” wasn't able to see the film's debut last week. The bottom portion of the promotional poster for "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" is featured in this illustration for the film. Soldiers provided advice and assistance to make the movie more realistic. Courtesy graphic  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Chief Warrant Officer John "Buzz" Covington was with the 21st Cavalry Brigade when he helped to film an Apache attack helicopter scene at Fort Hood, Texas. But he's now...

DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY, THIS HOUR AND THIS SECOND. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME YOUR SAINTS CAN GATHER BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE WITH PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. LORD, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF YOUR SAINTS NO MATTER WHERE THEY MAY BE OR WHATEVER THEIR NEED. LORD, WE PRAY ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TROOPS AND PATRIOTS WHO FAITHFULLY PLACE THERE PRAYERS FOR OUR HEROES AT THE FOOT OF THE THRONE,AND TO ALL MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT WHO HOLD YOUR TRUTHS CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS. LORD, WE PRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED HAND OF GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION IN...

//Update: Paypal is owned by eBay. Their PR department is at (408) 376-7458. Please be polite. This is turning into a big PR mess for them, and a couple thousand voice messages suggesting that, while we don’t think they hate wounded soldiers, we’d love it if they could, you know, confirm that.// No Good Deed Goes Unpunished From Kevin @ The smallest minority OK, I'm livid. As most of you know, the fourth annual Gun Blogger's Rendezvous is fast approaching (43 days away as I write this), and this year I planned to make a special contribution to support Project...

Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.Psalm 61:1-4

For some service members, serving at Joint Task Force Guantanamo is one more chapter in the book they call life. For others, the significance of the mission holds a deeper meaning -- more personal -- especially for service members who have lost friends, loved ones or know someone affected by the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. For the Soldiers of the 189th Military Police Co., the mission became more personal when family members of September 11 attack victims, visiting Guantanamo during the recent military commissions proceedings, made a special effort to say “thank you,” and convey gratitude, face to face,...

...they open their arms and welcome those who deserve to be celebrated.When about 300 American soldiers on their way to Iraq were grounded in Ireland, they wound up in a hotel where a wedding reception was in full swing.Now, erroneous reports first said the soldiers crashed the party for Amelia Walsh and Sean O'Neill, but actually they were invited to join the celebration at the Clare Inn in Newmarket-on-Fergus. The groom's uncle, Joe O'Neill said: "It didn’t take long before the combat fatigues were maneuvering to the strains of ‘The Walls of Limerick'." The newlyweds posed for pictures with the troops and the father...

KABUL (Reuters) - A U.S. service member was killed as the deadliest month for foreign troops in the Afghanistan war drew to a close, the U.S. military said on Friday, with commanders vowing to continue the fight despite the toll. The death in southern Afghanistan brought to 40 the number of U.S. troops killed in July, by far the heaviest monthly toll in the 8-year-old war. The worst previous month for U.S. forces was in September 2008, when 26 were killed.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. general in charge of turning around the war in Afghanistan is likely to recommend significant changes to U.S. and NATO operations, military officials and others familiar with his forthcoming report said. Those changes could include additional U.S. troops despite political headwind against further expansion of the war. As Gen. Stanley McChrystal readies his assessment of the war, due next month, numerous U.S. officials and outsiders apprised of his thinking suggest McChrystal will request more American troops, probably including Marines, to be added next year. Officials and advisers spoke on condition of anonymity because the report...

Walter Reed - Weeks 220 and 221, July 17 and 24, 2009; New Buses For Wounded Warriors New Buses, Wounded Warriors, and BirthdaysAnother great night to be at the Front Gate of Walter Reed.. Good camaraderie and good weather. And, as is the norm, many passengers in cars waved and drivers honked showing their support of the troops and their families. Slipping beneath our radar on the 17th was the fact that the Big Bus, returning wounded warriors and their families from the Friday Night dinner hosted by one of several restaurants in the DC area, had been replaced by...

Troops Suffer from Heat, Brutal Hours and Extended Time Away from Home  Move America Forward Troops Suffer from Heat, Brutal Hours and Extended Time Away from Home I wanted to share with you some insightful and powerful words by Bing West about the conditions in Afghanistan.  Bing West is a Marine, so he knows the sounds, pain and brotherhood of war. Last week, terrorists in Afghanistan killed his bunkmate, a strong soldier and the father of twin baby girls. Mr. West wrote about the situation in Afghanistan and how it is wearing on our troops. Mr. West wrote the...

How Was Your Weekend? As Americans back home are enjoying the sun and fun of another summer season, let’s not forget the tough going our troops have in Afghanistan and Iraq. US Millions of Americans went to religious services this weekend at synagogues, churches, temples and other houses of worship. Across the nation people listened to sermons, and knelt to pray for wealth, their health, a promotion, more money, a new car, a chance to hit that lotto number. Is there anything better than a nice barbeque in the backyard or a picnic at the park? Thousands this weekend...

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRPLANE -- The United States is considering speeding up its withdrawal from Iraq because of the sustained drop in violence there, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday following discussions with his top commanders in the war."I think there's at least some chance of a modest acceleration," this year, Gates said.It was the first suggestion that the Obama administration might rethink its difficult choice to leave a heavy fighting force in Iraq long past the election of an American president who opposed the war.Gates said the consideration came because the situation is "better than expected."

WASILLA, Alaska — Gov. Sarah Palin kicked off the first of three picnics marking her departure from office with a hometown tribute to the troops and an elbow at the news media. Speaking before a friendly crowd of nearly 5,000 at a park here Friday night, two days before she resigns, Palin invoked her soldier son to assure supporters that she is not downcast over the political frustrations that are prompting her to quit before her term is up.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). (2 Cor. 3:17)

"Oh,bless our God,you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard,Who keeps our soul among the living,And does not allow our feet to be moved. For You,O God,have proved us; You have refined us as silver is refined.You brought us into the net;You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water;But You brought us out to rich fulfillment."(Psalm 66:8-12)

by Michael Mandaville Our Heroes are everywhere. They pass by us at the market. They work for us. They walk our streets. I’m talking about the men and women of our Armed Forces who serve and have served our country ably, courageously and without acclaim. We all know one such individual. They don’t talk much about it, except with hesitation and humility. And they believe that their unbelievably difficult sacrifices have been forgotten. Letter of Appreciation [can be viewed at www.CitizenSoldierHandbook.com] And they live across from us. One such Hero is Adolph Arujo who served in the Korean war as...

Should U.S. Troops be in Afghanistan right now? A Daily Poll

While standing in front of an AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, right, discusses weapons systems with Col. Douglas Gabram, commander of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, during a visit to Camp Taji, July 18. Photo by Spc. Alun Thomas, 1st Cavalry Division. TAJI — Far away in the hot, arid climate of Iraq, it might be easy for Soldiers to become distant from the places they like to call home, as life goes on without them. However, for some members of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade on Camp Taji, a...

"If God is for us,who can be against us?... ..I am convinced that neither death nor life,neither angels or demons,neither the present nor the future,nor any powers,neither height nor depth,nor anything else in all creation,will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31,37-39