Are you going to line George Tenant's pockets?

George Tenant has no shame. Here we have the man who was responsible for an agency that provided intelligence to President's Clinton and now Bush, running around on TV shooting off his big yapper about how he has absolved himself of any blame for the pre Iraq War intelligence debacle!

Because this man has a connection to the Democratic party, through his service in the Clinton Administration, he is being handed a free pass. And now, he has the unmitigated gall to write a tell all book? Just imagine for a second, that Donald Rumsfeld wrote such a book. Do you think he would be given the same free pass the media is giving Tenant? Not on your life!

Where will all of the profits from Tenant's books sales go? Straight into his pockets. Do you think that perhaps the thought ever entered his mind to donate the profits to the Soldiers who were sent to Iraq based on his faulty intelligence? Probably not.

There are no morals to be found on Capital Hill today. George Tenant is barely better than Benedict Arnold, just barely. Everything is the fault of George Bush. Tenant doesn't even have the guts to stand up like a man and accept the consequences for the intelligence his agency produced. His "slam dunk" comment didn't mean what everyone thought? Oh, my goodness, hey Mr. Tenant, how stupid do you think I am? How stupid do you think Americans are?

And now, the final stab in the back. Tenant runs around from one television show to another jumping on the "Everything is George Bush's Fault" Bandwagon.

I have a suggestion for George Turncoat Tenant. Get on an airplane, fly to Iraq and apologize to each and every Soldier who is over there. Then come back and apologize to the family of every dead American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman. Seems like a funny time to write a tell all book to me. Now that it is okay to voice certain criticisms about the war, George Tenant speaks out. Yeah, now that it's safe. Now that the heat on him has died down.

I haven't forgotten your dismal performance George Tenant. I haven't forgotten, and I think you are one despicable human being.

You were for the war in the beginning and that is exactly what you mean with your "slam dunk" comment. Where is your courage of conviction Mr. Tenant? You were for the war then but you criticize it now. Lame! Just plain lame Mr. Tenant. I hope you choke on all of that money you are preparing to get standing on the back of the troops.

Democrats; Demonizing the Military

Yesterday, General David Patreaus was on Capital Hill to brief government officials and members of congress about the current situation in Iraq. But if you were watching the main stream media you might not have even learned that he was in Washington D.C. Why was such a significant news event unreported? I submit to you that many members of the media and house democrats didn't want you to know, I submit to you that the main stream media and the democrats in congress are embarked on a disinformation campaign designed to demonize the military. They seem to be following the Vietnam template to set conditions that may well see the day when our returning Iraq Veterans return to a United States that does not appreciate their efforts, worse, that they step off the plane only to be spat upon by the self righteous anti war surrender monkeys.

As the military dutifully executes it's duty in Iraq, trudging forward, quelling violence block by block, attempting to create the conditions of stability that will permit diplomats the opportunity to find a political solution, there is an insidious effort, ongoing. A subtle propaganda campaign by democrats and members of the media, and our troops are their target. Democrats are fond of telling America that even General Patreaus himself states that the military cannot resolve the situation. This is true, but the democrats fail to add that the military is a vital component of the whole equation. Meanwhile, the media elite and democrats continue to slap our military in the face and undermine the faith most Americans feel toward the military and members of the military. Naively believing that they will eventually be given a fair shake in the media our military bravely meets the enemy, sacrificing life and limb for an increasingly ambivalent nation and an unsupportive congress.

Slowly but surely, the leadership of the surrender monkey party (Democrats), bang on the anti war bongo drum, subtly undermining the military. Anti military bomb throwers in the media and house democrats describe unfortunate breaches of high moral standards maintained by military members, not as the aberrations they are, but as the norm. They paint insignificant setbacks as shocking defeats. Statements made by insignificant Iraqi tribal members as representative of the Iraqi population. What passes for journalism when it comes to reporting on the war is simply irresponsible, inaccurate one sided propaganda.

The inane rantings of Cindy Sheehan, Rosie O'Donnell, Bill Mahr, John Murtha and Nancy Pelosi just to name a few begin to gain traction through sheer repetitiveness. And gradually, those who have always hated the military feel emboldened and crawl out from under the rocks they live under. And slowly, the nation gets accustomed to seeing their hateful and disgusting antics; they get used to seeing their repugnant message.

General Patreaus briefed members of congress yesterday but guess who was not in attendance? None other than the Shrieker of the House Pelosi, and the alpha surrender monkey John Murtha. How can this be seen as anything other than a clear and public rebuff of the General? He travels all this way and is publicly, symbolically slapped in the face by Murtha and Pelosi? Are you telling me that neither of them could make the appropriate adjustment to their schedules so as to allow them to attend this very important briefing? My friends, Pelosi and Murtha aren't interested in hearing good news about our efforts in Iraq. Their minds are made up; we lost. Which is exactly the perception they are trying to create.

Over the last few days the media have stumbled all over Jessica Lynch and the Tillman family appearing before members of the congress, you can almost picture various TV news anchors drooling over the prospect of what would be said in those meetings. But where was the coverage of General Patreaus' visit to Capital Hill? Well, his visit doesn't meet the prerequisites of the media's agenda which is to present news in a carefully crafted way to undermine men like General Patreaus and the men and women he leads.

The Democratically controlled Congress of the United States approved an emergency war funding bill yesterday that contains congressionally mandated time lines for troop withdrawal despite many promises by the president to veto it. The democrats seem to be hell bent on buying part ownership of the war in Iraq, resulting in them sharing the blame line with the president. Not a terribly astute move politically. But nobody has accused the Democrats of ever being politically astute. In the unlikely event that President Bush signs the bill, Democrats will be partly responsible for the consequences of the war and directly responsible for what happens if we leave prematurely, which is a subject that Democrats avoid considering like the black plague. For now, the Democrats will be satisfied if they can destroy the good reputation of our military.

What is the most frustrating thing about recent events is that the Democratic strategy is patently obvious, but the media steadfastly refuses to report it. The Democrat agenda is to stop victory in Iraq at any cost. To demonize the military. Deny President Bush any chance to claim even a modicum of success in Iraq and this is all for one prime objective. To land a Democrat in the Oval Office in January of 2009.

It amazes me that the Democrats are being taken seriously. Have any Democrats discussed what happens after we withdraw? Surely America understands the kind of total chaos that will rule the streets of Baghdad, of the high probability of very serious regional warfare? Of the likelihood that terrorists, freed from the task of meeting our troops in Iraq, will follow the troops home and begin operations inside our own borders? Does America understand that? I sometimes wonder.

Democrats are guilty of skewing the facts of Iraq. Omission of pertinent facts in describing events. Twisting other people's words, the embellishment of negative incidents as well as out and out lying to America. This is all because they must have defeat, after all, they are heavily invested in our defeat. The Democrats have painted themselves into a corner through their history of publicly saying irresponsible and stupid things about the subject. Ignoring our successes and playing up our missteps or setbacks, it is blatantly obvious which way they want the tide to turn in Iraq. They are on the side of the terrorists, they are allied with the enemy. Let there be NO doubt about that, it isn't even debatable.

I want to be understood. I don't think that the Army is perfect. Obviously, the Pentagon has mishandled some issues and given the Army a black eye, that kind of thing happens, even accidentally. The Pat Tillman issue is just sad all the way around. I do not defend the conduct of the Pentagon with regard to the Pat Tillman issue, but try and remember this. Could it be that the Army made it's decision based on compassion for the Tillman family? I don't blame the Tillman family for being bitterly angry with the Army. But lets keep it in perspective , the troops in Iraq, and Afghanistan by in large adhere to the high moral and ethical standards that have always been the basic tenants of Soldierly conduct.

In closing I ask you to ponder this. Will the Democrats be happy when they ultimately destroy the image of the military? The last remaining federal organization to enjoy the respect of the American people? Who will they attack after that? Look at the evidence, they have gone after the tobacco industry, automobile manufacturers, fast food, energy, Wal-Mart, the wealthy, anywhere they can extract money for their precious social welfare state, because control of that welfare state is the ultimate power and modern day slavery. They would blackmail their own grandparents if they thought they could get away with it. If the American public's complacency remains, the Democrats might be able to usher in a new era in government. For all of the disinformation that we all know is contained in the Democratic message, it is folly to trust them. And we do so at our own collective peril. The warning signs are ominous and the stakes could not be higher.

If the Democrats are willing to sully the reputation of the United States Military, they are willing to stop at nothing in their naked pursuit of perpetual power.

Rockheads, I've neglected my blog that nobody reads. But I have been very busy with life and the pursuit of wealth, etc.

I don't even know what topic to comment on, there have been so many since my last entry.

How about the Shrieker of The House? Running around the middle east complicating foreign policy for the executive branch. Isn't it great that she decided this was alegitimate role for the legislative branch? Since when? Did I miss the amendment to the constitution? What unmitigated gall! The pure audacity, the arrogance, the selfishness, the megalomania! Of course, there are leftist, nutjob, kooks out there who will claim that congressional fact finding committees travel overseas all the time and that Pelosi's trip is common enough. But oh, if only that were so. If only she would stay!

How is it that the Prime Minister of Israel; according to Pelosi, gave her a letter stating that Israel was ready to have peace negotiations with Syria? Well how about that? Hey Peloski! Haven't you fucking heard? Israel doesn't negotiate with terrorists let alone bend over and kiss their feet. Well what do you know? Turns out that the Prime Minister's office claims they gave that wacky wench no such letter. Ha ha ha! Pelosi, isn't fooling me, I don't know about you but I'm tired of the Democrats treating me like a damn fool. Look, I'm not stupid and I know damn good and well why she made this trip and it reverts back to President Bush, doesn't it always with these nitwits?

I have yet to be disproved, that the liberal nut jobs across America are still stuck in the year 2000. They are still squinting their eyes trying to imagine up votes for Gore that weren't counted! Stuck in the past, that's the Democratic Party for you! So, why is it, that Dancing Nancy decided to take this little middle east junket? Was it so she could try out her brand new carbon discharging giant airplane? No, I know what she is talking about with these dictators and terrorists. She is saying that if a Democrat gets elected to the Oval Office, things are going to change, that we'll get out of the way and let them do whatever they want to do in their part of the world. Whatever they want to do is okay with her, even torturing it's citizens, killing women and children. And, my friends, have the Democrats ever been right when it comes to foreign policy? Think about it for a few minutes, just give it a second or two of honest thought; what did you come up with? Yeah, me too. Nothing.

I can picture the leaders of these terrorist states and our muslim enemy, laughing their little brown asses off at Pelosi, thinking that she could possibly come to the middle east, and think that she would have the same credibility and influence as a man. Do you think? I'll tell you this, those guys are playing her skinny ass like a fiddle! Pelsoi is giving these terrorist assholes the credibility they have sought for decades. Thanks a lot Pelsoi, you fucking DOLT!

Iran releases the captured British Sailors and Marines and call it a "gift" to the British people. What a load of crap!

I don't have time to comment at length, but keep your eyes open, keep your ear to the ground Rockheads. Be on the alert. The Democrats are stealth socialists and communists, pure and simple. If you think Bush is a fascist like the ultra hating liberal ass hats in this country? You just let our country fall under the free spending ways of Hillary Clinton from the Oval Office and Nancy Pelosi as Shrieker of the House. My fellow Rockheads, if we allow that to happen, the Republic is doomed.

And I mean that....

College students are more selfish than ever before.

I remember when I was a young father and serving in the US Army hearing the psychobabble emanating from progressive circles that American parents should do all in their power to create an attitude of "I am special" in their children. I remember news reports of teachers marking up poorly written papers turned in by students because the old red pen was too harsh. I remember hearing of sporting events where every team and every participant went home with trophy in hand because it was important not to make any of the children feel like they had lost; to send them all home feeling like a winner no matter their performance. Daycare centers were told to use care and make sure that no children felt inferior to others or that any of them felt superior. These are but a couple of examples; but there are many more, of the philosophy in liberal progressive circles that it was important that all of our children feel a sameness. Superior performances were not to be rewarded for the sake of the kids who could not, or would not put in the same time and effort. And I remember at the time, this psychobabble was just a load of crap. Now the chickens are coming home to roost.

In an extensive study by five prominent psychologists it has been found that college students today are more selfish, self centered and narcissistic than their predecessors. And it is reason to be concerned, these psychologists claim. These students will tend to lack a sense of empathy, react aggressively to criticism and favor self-promotion over helping others.

Nice going liberals.

Today, General William S. Wallace, Commanding General of the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) announced that the results of a TRADOC survey among American youth contained some interesting responses. I make the connection of these the college study and TRADOC survey myself, General Wallace did not.

The TRADOC survey found that:

Propensity to enlist in the Army is at the lowest it has been in over two decades.
Patriotism has steadily decreased since 2002.

College is overwhelmingly the preferred post-high school choice, for both prospects and influencers. Educational opportunity is the major incentive.

Breaking through media "clutter" continues to be challenging.

The Army is perceived as "ordinary" vs. other services.

The Global War on Terrorism continues to have a polarizing effect on the youth market.

General Wallace continued; "We found out some pretty interesting statistics. Eighty percent of the youth today said the never watch the commercials on television. Ninety percent engage in text messaging in some form or another on a daily basis, 85 percent have access to an Internet connection that they access routinely." This explains why I see so many 250 lbs 13 year old kids these days.

If you haven't figured out why the college study and the TRADOC survey are important to our country and our Army, I'll tell you why. College students in my opinion, continue to be influenced and indoctrinated into the lunatic liberal, anti military camp and enlisting in the Army to these young people is looked upon with disfavor, even disdain. I think that young people tend to think they are above serving their country in the Army.

And yet, according to TRADOC; Only 27 percent of young Americans age 17 to 24 actually qualify to be in the Army. The other 73 percent are disqualified either morally, intellectually or physically. On a personal note, I can back up those numbers. Based on my experience as an Army Recruiter from 1995-98 in Denver, Colorado. It was a continual source of amazement to me, to watch potential recruits fail the military entrance examination. It isn't that hard, at least I thought it wasn't that hard. How could anyone who paid any attention in high school fail the entrance exam?

Our nation has more than one problem in this regard. Only 27 percent of 17-24 year old American youth are eligible to serve in the Army. The majority of this 27 percent do not consider the Army a valid career choice. High School and College campi across the nation seem to be doing their level best to bar military recruiters from school property. Our students continue to be indoctrinated into the lunatic left fringe rather than being trained to think for themselves. We are in a struggle for our very survival, engaged in what will be a decades long fight against global terror. So, who will man the front lines? Who will protect the homeland? Who will vanquish our enemy? Democrats have even broached the subject of reviving the draft. The progressives, liberals, socialist and communist faculty and staff across the land beware; continue to indoctrinate our young students, continue to preach an anti military attitude, continue to resist allowing recruiters to visit prospects on school property and stand by for the draft to be revived, and you have yourselves to thank for it.

Europe has for all intents and purposes lost it's culture and we are treading the same path. I tend to think that this is exactly what the far left wants. It is, it has always been incumbant upon those of us who have worn the uniform to be ambassadors for the military. Although many on the left can't stand this, it is a fact that we are looked upon more or less with respect and honor by most Americans even if they won't say it. People listen to what we say and we have great influence, our words have an impact, our mentorship is valued. We should mentor young Americans who in our estimation could be successful in the military to visit a recruiter and learn the facts. It is incumbant upon us to help dispell this inane beleif that all recruiters are crooks. It is incumbant upon us to do what we can. Most of us would put the uniform back on and man the front lines if we could, but most of us can't. So, lets do what we can to be a voice of realism, and reality when it comes to serving in the military today.

A Gathering Of Eagles

My friends, you have no doubt heard the news that anti war protesters plan to meet on March 17th in Washington D.C. to demonstrate against the war. I suppose those of us who support our troops have grown accustomed to hearing the harping, sniping, hate filled drivel hurled by the likes of William Arkin, Cindy Sheehan, George Soros, Jane Fonda, Al Franken, Bill Mahr and an assortment of other loud mouthed liberal do gooders. Since the revelation of their plans to meet on hallowed ground, the Vietnam Memorial, a grass roots counter demonstration has evolved and has continued to attract patriotic Americans from every state. They are going to protect that memorial and to show America that the anti war rabble rousers aren't the only ones who can turn out the membership in force.

I have no problem with misguided anti Americans exercising their free speech, but when they think they can use the symbol of the generation of my older brothers; Vietnam Veterans, who bled and died for that wall. When elements of the closet socialist/communist movement in America plan to politicize the war, to cheapen the sacrifices of our nations patriots I've got a problem with it, to be sure.

I urge anyone who is so inclined, contact A Gathering Of Eagles at the link provided at the top of this post and go to Washington D.C. I don't know about you, but I'm getting sick and tired of these defeatists who want us to retreat from Iraq in defeat.

Who are these people? What motivates them to actively seek failure? With red faces and spittle flying from the corners of their mouths, they grandstand in front of military hospitals treating our war wounded, and yet they want us to think that they really care about our troops? Two years of outrageous lies, conspiracy theories, unfounded accusations, desperate tactics from people with no grounding in reality. It looks like the folks who will participate in A Gathering Of Eagles has had quite enough of it and the anti war cabal will no longer have the stage to themselves.

I refuse to post a link to any of the crackpot websites that protest the war. You can google them and read to your hearts delight, but I will not give them space on this blog. Just know that these anti war organizations have allied themselves with our enemy, some have even sent money to them.

There are indeed, two Americas my friends, which one do you belong to? The Democratic party has sold it's soul to a thousand different one issue special interest groups and can no longer hold them together, they are tearing apart at the seams. The Democrats are now ruled by the ultra liberal left, these are not your run of the mill lefties. These are people who lament over the near miss our vice president experienced in Afghanistan. These are the people who call our president an outright fascist. These are the people who deep down, want to see American torn asunder and for a socialist form of government to rise from the ashes. The people who want to steal your hard earned income and give it to the "poor", raise your taxes, people who think the government should be central to our lives, a people who want our government to replace God as judge of man.

Stand up patriots! Stand up and be counted because we are in grave danger. These lunatics are the minority and I don't care what poll numbers anyone tries to shove in my face. These people live in denial, they have no concept of the danger we live in today. Iraq is the issue that keeps their faces smashed against the glass of reality, that forces them to see the world as it is. Full of enemies, danger, mayhem, chaos and suffering. They don't like what they see. But there is a big difference between us and them. We know that we have to meet these dangers head on and that sometimes we have to fight, we must not shrink from them; for they will not go away, we have to make them go away by whatever means necessary.

My fellow Americans, our nation is in danger, from the socialist, communist, the dirty terrorist mufisden who live in our midst as well as enemies from the outside. A Gathering of Eagles will demonstrate how much and how many people who live in this great country are willing to stand up to aggression and tyranny wherever it may exist. Even if it is within the halls of our own congress.

Hillary Clinton is a radical.

This is all that you really need to know about Mrs. William Jefferson Clinton. She is a died in the wool liberal, and that's a putting it mildly. At heart, Hillary Clinton is a socialist and probably believes communism would work in America. Of course this is my personal opinion, but I know it is an opinion shared by millions of my fellow Americans.

I have made it a point not to comment heavily on the topic of politics but I have very strong feelings when it comes to the Clinton's. Perhaps it is due to my career in the Army, but ethics and moral standards are important to me. I feel they are vital attributes in our president, for all our elected representatives in fact. This is why I have a favorable impression of President Bush. Regardless of whether I agree with him on an issue or not, I don't have to guess where he stands. The nation cannot rely on that kind of courage from Hillary Clinton. Isn't it obvious having observed her for the past two decades, that she has no problem with flip flopping? How many times do we have to witness her saying one thing to a group of people, to have her later say the opposite to another group in another forum? How can America possibly entrust it's future to her? What would she do? What would she try and do?

Well, we know this much:

She doesn't like the military. She insisted that military personnel not visit the White House in uniform, rather that they wear civilian clothing. Her husband wrote a paper in which he admitted loathing the military.

She has a terrible memory at the most convenient times, for her, especially if the truth would reflect badly upon her, read; Whitewater.

Hillary Clinton wants to appear to be an independent woman capable of standing on her own. But she needs her husband if she is to stand a chance at the Oval Office, and she knows it. This is why she stands behind her adulterating husband while he insults women.

Why did Hillary Clinton ask her Alma mater, Wellesly College to put her undergraduate thesis under lock and key? Because in that thesis, she embraces the model presented by a far left radical Saul Alinksky. A man who outlined the necessity of reforming our capitalistic society through a direct takeover of power.

I think, no, I know that Hillary Clinton is a socialist. Why does she hide it?

Because if that particular gene were let out of the bottle, she wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of ever getting elected president.

As first lady she told the country she was the "co-president" she actually headed the health care reform effort, an effort the failed miserably. Who in the hell did she think she was? She wasn't elected and she had NO right to insert herself to any position of authority.

Hillary Clinton is not the altruistic woman she would have us think. Her political career is based on lies and deceit. While claiming she had no intention of ever running for president and claiming that she only wanted to be a senator from New York; that she would give her undivided attention to the people of New York, every move she made since then as been with an eye on the White House. She saw the senatorship as punching her ticket, a way to pad her resume for a White House bid.

And so, Hillary Clinton has, and does continue to present an untrue image of herself that she thinks she can sell on the American electorate. You must always keep in mind, Hillary Clinton lusts for power, she will say or do anything to achieve it. She has sold her soul in pursuit of it. And I have to wonder, what would she do if she were the president? I don't think she even knows, to people like her, the thrill is in the campaign, the goal is the victory, what comes after is secondary.

I know that she would increase your taxes and she would confiscate corporate profits, she would gut the military and she would put America's future in the hands of the United Nations.

Hillary Clinton's strategy is obvious. She must appear to be a liberal because liberals vote in large numbers in the Democratic primary. But she must also convince America she is a conservative, because she can't win the general election without major conservative votes.

I actually shudder at the thought of our future with Hillary Clinton at the helm of our nation.

I do not know who I will vote for in the 2008 presidential election. But I have made a decision already. And that is I will not vote for Hillary, and I will actively work against her candidacy. Not that I dislike her personally. But because I don't trust her, and I don't respect her. The President of the United States at the very least must be trustworthy, and respectable. Even if we disagree with his policies, that is something we can work around. However, if you are constantly trying to figure out what your president really believes? Well, that's a recipe for the fall of America.

It is difficult for me to comprehend that Hillary Clinton is taken seriously as a presidential candidate, and I think it has much to do with the fact that she is the wife of Bill Clinton more than anything else.

I have heard liberals say anyone but George Bush, while I disagree with them I can relate to how they feel. Because in my mind, its anyone but Hillary Clinton.

I don't know about you, but I think our future is too important for a reactionary, socialist radical like Hillary Clinton to be entrusted with the office of the presidency.

I hope you will join me in pointing out her lies, hypocrisy and deceit whenever the opportunity presents itself.

My fellow Rockheads, consider if you will. Operation Fadr al-Qanoon (which the media calls the “Baghdad security plan”) is underway. Progress is measurable, remember though, that this is a marathon, it’s still a bit early to know how it will turn out, but there is reason to hope.
The message for all of us, especially professionals like me who do this for a living, is patience, family members who have loved ones in Iraq can also counsel patience to their friends and acquaintances, we need to steady the nerves of our fellow Americans. The war has been going for almost four years, the current strategy just few weeks. We need to give it more time.
It will take time to bring security to the people of Baghdad and the Al Anbar Province. To do this , we need to build trust with the people, engage community leaders, develop intelligence and trusted networks, then compete with the insurgents and death squads to deny them access to their targets – their fellow Iraqis, whom they cynically exploit and kill. All these things we are doing, but the process cannot be rushed, and requires detailed local understanding: so we move at the pace the Iraqis can sustain.
Patience, determination, courage and stamina are vital. Political reconciliation at the grass roots level is what is going make this work, with security as a buffer. Needless to say, we are not leaving this to luck: some commentators have focused on the troop surge, but the main effort isn't the surge, the anti war crowd as usual focuses on the narrow, missing the big picture almost entirely. The main effort is a political effort, by Iraqis with our support, to reconcile at the local level. The surge is simply to create an environment for this political effort to take place. This is going to be a lot like heavy peace enforcement or police work, not so much like classical counterinsurgency, let alone conventional combat. And with just one additional brigade in Baghdad and four more on the way, look at the result; we are getting somewhere now on a political level. And there is an oil revenue sharing agreement; we've cleared a high hurdle.
Our task is to stay alert, focused, and with a keen eye, read the situation, ready to modify our approach as this develop.
I think these are the major trends:
Muqtada al-Sadr has run off to Iran, leaving some of his thugs scratching their heads and wondering if they have been Persian stooges all along.
Iraq on the whole has been relatively quiet, as it has been for much of the past year, nearly two. At least half the incidents in Iraq still happen within Baghdad city limits; control Baghdad, and you have the upper hand, the insurgents and terrorists knew this inherently having lived in the country all or most of their lives, it just took us a while to catch up.
Al Qa’ida in Iraq has successfully been marginalized, with alliances of local Sunni leaders, and some other jihadist groups, opposing its brutality and murder, its terrorist campaign of viciously murdering fellow muslims in the streets. They are contesting its self-styled, self proclaimed leadership.
Increased targeting of helicopters has led to increased shoot downs (out of hundreds of flights every day) a Baghdad helicopter ride is still safer than a cab ride in New York City..
Security in key neighborhoods of Baghdad shows positive signs of improvement, as Americans and Iraqis partner at the grass roots to clamp down on violence and insurgent influence. Terrorists have are now using car bombs against innocent bystanders in markets and public places a sign that they know where the danger lies (loss of influence with the population) and are trying to kill the “surge” using the most mass casualty producing terrorist weaponry available, in other words, they are truly desperate now to influence not only Iraqis, but the American public, you need to keep that in mind.
Some sectarian and insurgent groups have seemingly appeared out of nowhere to attack outposts, local communities working with the government, and security forces; more desperate measures.
This last trend is the most professionally intriguing. In counterinsurgency operations killing the enemy is not difficult, finding them is difficult. But finding them, and distinguishing them from the innocent population, can be terribly difficult. In shifting our tactics away from directly hunting down insurgents, and to protecting the people, we have undercut insurgent influence and they know it, their options are to flee, wait us out, or come into the open to fight, to contest control of the neighborhoods, they will not do this for it means certain death. But the fact that some are coming into the open suggests they realize that waiting us out is not an option. It also makes the job of finding the enemy far easier. This is good, but we must not lose sight of the focus; protect the people.
On this score, again, it’s too early to say for sure but initial signs are really encouraging. One indication that is not very useful is car bombs, we can expect these to be one of the last insurgent tactics to diminish, for a couple of reasons. It takes an entire community, coupled with its local security forces to defeat a clandestine suicide bomber, and it will take a while to build effective networks to achieve this. Second, insurgent tactics are driven by the need to capture the attention of the nearest television camera, nothing does this better than a big bomb; remember that. The bad guys will hang on to this method as long as the news media reward it.
Overall, then, though early signs give us genuine reason to hope, prudence, patience and professional judgment must be our watchwords. There will be tough days as always; the problems remain daunting, complex and deeply ingrained in the social and political fabric of the Iraqi society. Violence will ebb and flow, come and go, and there will be “spikes”. But over time, if the strategy works (and I think it will), we should see a downward trend in violence and an increase in trust and reconciliation at the local level, in remaining ready, as we certainly are, as we always have been, as we have been doing, to refine our approach if needed.
We must not allow ourselves to confuse the country of Iraq, where there is a real war, a real people, and a real obligation to provide security for them, with constant harping of the "Vietnam template, quagmire Iraq" of popular liberal, anti war, anti American, Democratic, wild-eyed imagination. The professionals have a duty to be clear-headed and to accurately analyze and assess the situation in a professional fashion, adapting as the situation dictates. We have a duty to care for our people, their families, and the Iraqis, America must give this time, take it slow and carefully, we must not allow the Democrats, liberals, or any other anti war organization rush us either to judgment or failure. We have a real shot now, we can do this. We will do this.

Thank God for our troops, for the overall professionalism, courage and determination to get this job done despite the best efforts of congress to stop them from reaching their goals.
I think we've learned much over the past four years, about our Army, our troops, our president, the congress, and the Iraqi people.

American liberals, Congressional Democrats and anti war idiots across the fruited plain are doing their best to ignore something, they don't want you to notice either and are pulling out all the stops to divert your attention from it.

We are winning the struggle for Iraq.

I submit for your consideration. The main stream media, with it's predominantly anti war agenda has almost imperceptibly begun to broadcast positive news coming from Baghdad. And never forget, Baghdad is the key to Iraq. Baghdad and the Al Anbar Province is where the violence is concentrated, but Baghdad is generally recognized by the experts as the linchpin of Iraq. Control the situation in Baghdad and you control Iraq.

Mooky Al Sadr has fled Iraq and is now safely tucked away in Iran. Do you need any further proof that Iran has been supporting Mooky and his ilk all along?

Iraq has ordered her borders with Syria and Iran sealed.

Since our courageous troops began offensive operations in Baghdad, there have been no attacks on our troops.

The spectre of our troops going on the offensive and taking the fight right at the militias and death squads in Baghdad was enough to force them into hiding. Our troops are weeding them out and killing or capturing them at breakneck speed. And high ranking terrorists have been killed or captured as well.

Liberal bloggers both professional and amateur are going nuts! They have gone off the deep end. Our troops are now regularly being called mercenaries. In general, the liberal blogesphere has pulled out all the stops in a desperate smear campaign directed at our Commander in Chief and our Soldiers and Marines. It has been a very disgraceful display.

The Democratically controlled Congress, now full of yellow bellied anti war cowards have spent the last week debating a useless nonbinding vote to oppose a troop surge that has already begun?! Talk about desperation. I hold any representative who votes in favor of this measure in utter contempt! Words fail to describe how I feel about these traitors! Lets suffice to say that I think our troops will remember this in the next election; I know I will.

Consider if you will, the mass and power of the United States Army, and Marine Corps. If our ground forces are determined to out last the insurgents they can. It is a matter of numbers. While I don't think that ten Iraqi lives are worth one of our troops, I submit to you that our overall casualty rate in Iraq is mild in comparison to wars past. And considering what our troops have accomplished in Iraq, the casualty rate is astounding. Our troops, even with draconian rules of engagement and other rules that interfere with their ability to protect themselves have performed miraculously.

All classic insurgencies eventually transition from guerrilla tactics to conventional military tactics. Read your military history, there are a plethora of examples. Where is the insurgent Army? Where is it hiding? Fact is, they don't have an army and they can't take control of Iraq when or if we leave. One of the features of this war that makes it different from insurgencies of the past is that the conventional component of the insurgents is non-existent. In other words, the insurgents and the foreign terrorists goal is simple, to force us out of the country. Once this was accomplished, what you would have seen, was the Iranian military moving in and taking over the country and we can all agree that would be a disaster.

Our troops have turned the corner my friends. And the worst nightmare of the screeching anti war crowd is on the verge of coming to fruition. We are going to win! Our troops have had to fight against the odds since the day widespread looting broke out upon the fall of the Hussein regime. But our troops never gave up, they watched, and they learned. The applied those lessons learned and became experts in this kind of war.

During this operation, I had faith in our military, hell, I helped train some of the troops over there and I know their quality. While I became frustrated with Rumsfeld and the OSD, I never lost faith in the military. Now, we have who I consider the best General Officer in the entire US Military leading the best Army we have ever had. We are going to win.

Be happy my friends, be happy indeed. And witness the three ring circus on Capital Hill as the Democratically controlled Congress attempts to convince the American public that we are losing, that we can't win and that we simply must leave Iraq.

Too late. We're winning.

William Arkin must go!

As you well know by now, William Arkin an employee of the Washington Post has created a firestorm in his blogs insulting, attacking the integrity of the American Soldier, questioning their motives for serving and berating them for craving the support of the American public.

I have been going to his blog since Feb 1 every so often to read responses to his hate filled diatribe and it can only be described as a circus.

I would caution anyone thinking about accessing his blog to see the responses, you will probably be disappointed. It is now dominated by five or six morons who have turned the comment's page into a running verbal abuse contest, not worth your time.

And as I pondered this issue, the thought occurred to me that Arkin may have created this controversy on purpose for the sake of ratings and attention. It seems like a strange way to go about it, but then again, Arkin is an avowed liberal lunatic, a hater in the first order who doesn't let facts get in the way.

I would urge Americans to respond in a way that Arkin, the Washington Post, NBC and General Electric will actually feel it.

Believe it or not, I subscribed to the Washington Post as a way to keep tabs on what the wacky left is up to, but two days ago I cancelled my subscription.

I will boycott NBC, if I could I would remove that channel from my television. Be that as it may, I will never tune to NBC again, or, until Arkin appears on national TV to admit his stupidity and apologize or, he is fired.

I have written an email to the CEO of General Electric, which is the parent company of NBC and the Washington Post and in that email I urged Jeffrey Immelt to have Arkin fired. I also informed Mr. Immelt that I'm dumping my shares of GE stock this week. I have procured a fair amount of GE stock as part of my kid's stock portfolio's that I intended to use to help pay for their college. But, there are plenty of blue chip stocks out there performing better than GE, it's no sacrifice to dump it.

I urge you all to stand up and be counted. This is something that you can do to really put some meaning in the statement "I support our troops."

Do it now people.

Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman & CEO
jeff.immelt@corporate.ge.com
General Electric Company3135
Easton Turnpike
Fairfield, CT 06828-0001

DUNCE!

Rockheads, below, you will find a blog entry from William Arkin of the Washington Post. I must give credit where it is due, I have read some of Arkin's writings and found them to be generally well informed, articulate and sometimes interesting, others not.

But, in the case of his blog "Troops Should Also Support The America Public" Arkin strikes me as a big baby. As a man who "got mad" at the troops because they had the nerve to express an opinion about the lack of support from the folks back home. As you read this incredibly ill advised blog, keep in mind that Arkin is a professional journalist, working at newspaper with a global readership and a good amount of influence. I think that Arkin's blog is more damaging then he realized.

One thing that I hoped that America would be able to avoid regarding the war in Iraq is an us versus them mentality i.e. an anti military movement against Soldiers. It appears that intended or not, Arkin's ill advised words have moved us one step closer to that catastrophe.

I would advise Mr. Arkin, that the I believe the vast majority of America does support the troops in so far as they will not tolerate a journalist using his position to attempt to discredit them. In fact, I think a good number of Americans are downright protective of their troops. From the number of responses his blog prompted, I'd say that is logical assumption.

If you are going to blog about the troops Mr. Arkin, weigh your words carefully and never presume, assume or guess.

I might add that this has turned into a running event. William Arkin has updated his blog in the attempt to explain why he was so critical of our troops and why he used the pejorative term "mercenary" to describe them, but I'd say he has a lot more to answer for than that. For his blog was more than inflammatory, it was divisive and even hurtful. If your going to blog like this Mr. Arkin, you should expect such responses, like they say. If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.

I recommend reading his blog entries of Jan 30, 31 and Feb 1. His original attack on the troops, his condescending response to the hundreds of angry responses he received, and his attempt to explain why he did it.

William Arkin's blog

I've been mulling over an NBC Nightly News report from Iraq last Friday in which a number of soldiers expressed frustration with opposition to war in the United States.
I'm sure the soldiers were expressing a majority opinion common amongst the ranks - that's why it is news - and I'm also sure no one in the military leadership or the administration put the soldiers up to expressing their views, nor steered NBC reporter Richard Engel to the story.
I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people.
Friday's NBC Nightly News included a story from my colleague and friend Richard Engel, who was embedded with an active duty Army infantry battalion from Fort Lewis, Washington.
Engel relayed how "troops here say they are increasingly frustrated by American criticism of the war. Many take it personally, believing it is also criticism of what they've been fighting for."
First up was 21 year old junior enlisted man Tyler Johnson, whom Engel said was frustrated about war skepticism and thinks that critics "should come over and see what it's like firsthand before criticizing."
"You may support or say we support the troops, but, so you're not supporting what they do, what they're here sweating for, what we bleed for, what we die for. It just don't make sense to me," Johnson said.
Next up was Staff Sergeant Manuel Sahagun, who is on his second tour in Iraq. He complained that "one thing I don't like is when people back home say they support the troops, but they don't support the war. If they're going to support us, support us all the way."
Next was Specialist Peter Manna: "If they don't think we're doing a good job, everything that we've done here is all in vain," he said.
These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President's handling of it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.
Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order.
Sure, it is the junior enlisted men who go to jail. But even at anti-war protests, the focus is firmly on the White House and the policy. We don't see very many "baby killer" epithets being thrown around these days, no one in uniform is being spit upon.
So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?
I can imagine some post-9/11 moment, when the American people say enough already with the wars against terrorism and those in the national security establishment feel these same frustrations. In my little parable, those in leadership positions shake their heads that the people don't get it, that they don't understand that the threat from terrorism, while difficult to defeat, demands commitment and sacrifice and is very real because it is so shadowy, that the very survival of the United States is at stake. Those Hoovers and Nixons will use these kids in uniform as their soldiers. If it weren't about the United States, I'd say the story would end with a military coup where those in the know, and those with fire in their bellies, would save the nation from the people.
But it is the United States, and the recent NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for a mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force that thinks it is doing the dirty work.
The notion of dirty work is that, like laundry, it is something that has to be done but no one else wants to do it. But Iraq is not dirty work: it is not some necessary endeavor; the people just don't believe that anymore.
I'll accept that the soldiers, in order to soldier on, have to believe that they are manning the parapet, and that's where their frustrations come in. I'll accept as well that they are young and naive and are frustrated with their own lack of progress and the never changing situation in Iraq. Cut off from society and constantly told that everyone supports them, no wonder the debate back home confuses them.
America needs to ponder what it is we really owe those in uniform. I don't believe America needs a draft though I imagine we'd be having a different discussion if we had one.

Pretty incredible stuff huh? And some people wonder why the main stream media has such a terrible reputation.

We are going to defeat the Iraqi insurgents, and we are going to accomplish what we set out to do!

My fellow Rockheads. That movement you have been detecting underfoot over the past few days is the earth shaking. And the reason that the earth is shaking, is because some are beginning to say that we can achieve our goals in Iraq. Finally, people are beginning to think about Iraq in a logical manner, leaving politics and personal feelings out of the equation.

Can it be? Is America beginning to understand the consequences of leaving Iraq undone? It must be so. I'm beginning to see articles offering hope.

It is far too early to tell if this idea will catch on, and of course there is that stubborn, reflexive, unthinking element on the far left determined to relive the "glory days" of the anti Vietnam War movement. Never mind the fact that we were beating the shit out of the enemy in Vietnam, and the ONLY reason we did not win there is because we gave up. Lets hope the America is coming to that realization about Iraq.

Insurgencies take a long time to put down because the insurgents objective is so easy. All they have to do is create doubt long enough that the counter insurgents give up. Some car bombs here, a few midnight murders there, and they have the American public ready to throw in the towel in no time. But maybe, people are coming around to the President's way of thinking.

George W. Bush, while maybe not the most intelligent president we have ever had, certainly is the most determined since Lincoln. I admire his determination and his ability to keep faith while those around him crumble, criticize and complain.

What folly it would be to give up on Iraq after investing what we have to date! My friends, we are winning in Iraq. The insurgents control very little ground in Iraq, they have to hide and operate in secrecy. They have to threaten and murder to stay in the game. They have no conventional Army to speak of, how are they going to control the urban areas? All insurgencies have to move from the insurgency and guerrilla operations into conventional military operations sooner or later, the insurgents in Iraq don't have such a force. We will out last them if we have the will to see it through.

The newspapers tell of an insurgency getting the hell beat out of it over the past week, with hundreds of enemy killed and captured. And of the cleric Muktada Al Sadr ready to cooperate with the realization that with the additional troops on the way the handwriting is on the wall. Rather than giving up and going home as the insurgents were counting on, and as the mindless anti war cabal has been screaming about, when all is said and done George Bush is sending MORE troops? I think that maybe the insurgents are beginning to realize that they miscalculated the determination of President Bush and the United States Military!

My friends, the fastest way to bring this operation to a close and to get our troops back home is to get on board and support our troops, support the president and bring Operation Iraqi Freedom to an historic and successful close.

How to solve Iraq.

My fellow Rockheads. My Holiday hiatus at an end, it is time to begin posting to my blog once more.

Over the Holiday break, the war in Iraq weighed heavily on my mind as it always does. With the Democrats taking over the majority in Congress it is time for the Bush Administration to do something bold or the Democrats will most assuredly doom any future attempts to bring the operation to a successful close. The mindless anti war crowd in America continues their inane screaming, and it's giving me a headache. So, here is my proposal.

What do we have in Iraq today? Who are we dealing with? Well we are essentially dealing with the same groups. We have the Kurds in the oil rich north and their region is relatively peaceful but for tension with Turkey, nothing that level headed people can't deal with.

In central Iraq we have the Sunni, Saddam Hussein's people. They are the ethnic minority in Iraq, but enjoyed most favored status while Hussein was in power. The area of Iraq in which the Sunni live however, is resource poor. The Sunni made up the bulk of the insurgency, at first because they actually harbored the illusion that Hussein would come back. Now, they are fighting for their survival.

This brings us to the Shia. For over four decades they were governed and abused by Hussein, Hussein's tribe and his fellow Sunni Muslims. Now, the Shia (in my opinion) want to be the only real power in the new Iraq government, I don't think they are into any kind of power sharing with the Sunni. The Shia have the Sadr Army, militias and death squads who are prosecuting a sort of ethnic cleansing of Shia neighborhoods and towns of the minority Sunni. This isn't good. While the Shia are the majority in Iraq, it is the Sunni that are the majority in the whole of the middle east. The Shia simply are in no mood to relinquish a thing to the Sunni and I think Prime Minister Malaki is one of those people, but that's just me, and I could be wrong but I don't think I am.

We are reaching the limits of the American publics support for the effort in Iraq. I have to confess that as a supporter of the effort my will has been tested too. But, it is the essence of war to have ups and downs, victory and defeat. But like a football game, you don't know who the winner is until it is over. For the anti war crowd to say we are not winning is to forget this concept because you can also make the claim that we are not losing either. A classic case of is the glass half empty or half full?

Nobody had presented to me a good case for why we should leave Iraq now. Or that we are losing. And I'm still of the opinion that most of the anti war crowd is composed of people who hate President Bush. And I think they hate him because they have not been able to put the 2000 and 2004 elections behind them. In 2000 the election results were contested and we waited weeks for ballots to be examined, we saw the election issue go to the US Supreme Court and Bush prevailed. 2004, most of the main stream media was forecasting a Kerry victory, but by next morning Bush had made a furious comeback; he won by a hair. Losing elections that way has to be disappointing but it is no reason to turn into a Bush hating moron. And due to this and more it is my opinion that the left simply can't stand to see Bush get credit for anything and they are willing to suffer defeat in Iraq to prevent it.

But what to do about Iraq? The most basic component that is missing is resolve from the folks on the home front. But it is also a fact of history regarding counterinsurgency operations that the local populace must get involved. We seem to be missing both in Iraq. So, I must admit that we have gotten to the brass tacks of the issue. Prime Minister Malaki is going to have to prove he is serious about sharing power with the Sunni, he is going to have to take on his Shia militias, the death squads, insurgents and terrorists that are feeding upon the people of Iraq. Malaki must preside over a national reconciliation process and spread around the oil revenue. Short of that there is always the option of creating three autonomous sectors in Iraq, Sunni, Shia and Kurd with perhaps a central government in Baghdad.

We must put training and equipping the Iraqi Army on the fast track. The Police force is an unmitigated debacle and I think General Patreaus will have to address that issue with a clean slate, because the police are key to ending the insurgency, more so that the military.

Let me close by saying that this effort would be over more quickly if the American public stood shoulder to shoulder. It is our infighting that is encouraging the enemy to continue the fight. To be quite honest about it, I'm ashamed of the American people. We have our kids over there in Iraq trying their level best to accomplish a mission that we approved of initially. We shouldn't have (we don't deserve) the luxury of changing our minds in the middle of the fight or when the going gets tough. Americans used to be made of tougher stuff. I think we can all agree that our troops have proven their mettle. How about you?

My fellow Rockheads, today I write to vent my frustration. I've had it with liberalism. I'm tired of their condesending, arrogance, their anger, and their meaness.

It is plain to see, there are examples of it all around you. The latest example of course is that woman, Rosie Odonnell. Has she every said anything nice about a conservative? Has she? Oh maybe if there were money involved, but I mean other than that?

Donald Trump is her latest target, and he is not standing for any of it by the way, and it's about time somebody slapped her fat jowels. You see, Rosie O'donnell is a raging lesbian, a radical lesbian, a feminist, in short, she is everything unattractive in a women today. Brash, confrontational, mean, loud, rude, arrogant, ugly, condesending, but the thing is this, she thinks that because she is a woman, and a lesbian that nobody can challenge her. You see, according to the unwritten rules of political correctness, nobody should be allowed to stand up to her, due to her various minority status she enjoys, she thinks that puts her off limits while allowing her to viciously attack others with impunity.

Why is it that liberals cannot debate based on the merits of the facts? Why is it that liberals cannot debate without calling their opponents nasty names? Why must liberals wallow in the mud like that? I'll tell you why, because conservatives aren't willing to go there, it is the liberal sanctuary. Why is it that liberals cannot defend the tenants of their philosophy? Hell, do you even know a liberal who can describe their philosophy to you? Bet you don't. Because they don't have one. It seems to me that liberalism is a ghost movment, a loose conglomoration of single issue radical groups pushing their particular cause and all falling (thankfully) under the Democratic umbrella. My friends, a simple experiment can demonstrate this for you easily. Ask a conservative to explain conservatism to you, and he can do it in about thirty seconds. Ask a liberal to explain theirs and you'll never get the same answer twice.

I know conservatives who have had their cars egged for no other reason that they have a George Bush bumper sticker on their car. I know conservatives who have had their yards toilet paperd for no other reason that they had a campaign sign touting a Republican in their yard.

In some liberal internet discussion boards I participate on I have read some of the most offensive, inaccurate, mean statements about President Bush that I can scarcely beleive an American wrote them. I never saw such inflammatory things written about President Clinton, because conservatives refuse to stoop to that level.

My friends, I'm planning on writing about this topic in detail after Christmas and New Years. Untill then, remember the reason for the season. Thank the Lord above for your life and your family, thank him for being blessed to live in this land. And don't let the liberal cabal get you down. Feel free to post some comments describing some of your experiences with liberals and progressives and I'll incorporate them into my next blog entry.

Merry Christmas friends.