Baqubah Surge

On July 15, 2008, there was a suicide bombing here at FOB Gabe.  I was not here for the event, but two bombers infiltrated into a group of Iraqi Army recruits at the Entry Control Point to FOB Lion (Saad) the Iraqi side, and blew themselves up about a minute apart.  According to news reports “two bombers blew themselves up minutes apart among recruits at a U.S.-Iraqi army base in the eastern suburbs of Baqubah, killing 27 people and injuring 68, Iraqi security officials said….  A member of the Diyala province security operations command said Sunni and Shiite Muslim tribal leaders had been asked to send recruits to join a new offensive against insurgents who have terrorized the eastern Iraqi province….  Iraqi officers were organizing the recruits outside the main entrance to the Saad base when the explosions went off in quick succession, a familiar tactic of Sunni insurgents. No U.S. casualties were reported.”  (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq16-2008jul16,0,7370032.story )

Days later, al Jazeera announced the Iraqi’s surge in Baqubah to root out the AQI elements that have reportedly moved back into the area. They are sick and tired of these zealots killing their brothers.

Now, for some good news, it would seem that these bombers had the same effect as the German bombers of London did in WW2; their resolve was strengthened.  Iraqis are doing the heavy lifting for this surge in Baqubah. 

They are flying their own Air Force helicopters and they are professional.  They fly UH1's that I suspect have been around since we used to like “So Damn Insane” but I must admit, I did not do a tail number search to verify.  The pilots are mission ready and rated on Night Vision Goggles (NVG’s).   I do not worry about getting out of their way as they ferry in and out of our LZ.  One of the pilots flew with the “Night Stalkers” at Ft. Campbell and was rated in a Kiowa on NVG’s. 

The Iraqi Special Forces are well disciplined and trained troops -- not like the previous bullet sponges we saw with the police and the Iraqi Army of the past.  The Iraqis are getting their hands dirty and taking some initiative.  They take their wounded to their hospitals and don’t expect us to Medevac them in our UH-60’s.  It takes time. 

They are rounding up the insurgents and taking them in and out of their base to do the interrogations needed to root out this plague. 

Tags: Iraq, Baqubah, Iraqi Air Force

Man Accidentally Shoots Himself while Robbing a "Would-Be" Robber

Turn about:
	Roland Scott, while staring down a shotgun in West Baltimore, decided to fight back. Scott, brandishing a fake replica handgun, wrestled the shotgun away from the would be robber. Then while standing in the middle of Laurens Street, ordered the robber to strip. Scott then relieved him of $800, demanded a cell phone and more money.  Then began to beat him with the same shotgun he just took off the "robber." In the ensuing "pistol whipping" with the shotgun, the shotgun accidentally discharged, hitting Scott in the stomach and killing him. The "robber" then fled and was later arrested at the hospital. Charges of murder were not filed after a witness corroborated the events but it remains undetermined if the "robber" will face charges for armed robbery.  As an aside, the "robber" said he needed money for "his rent and for pharmacy school."  Who teaches this class, another "street pharmacist?"  Is that why he needed to be packing a shotgun at 0400 hours?
	Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-md.ci.shooting28mar28,0,5234060.story

Tags: Crime,

Update on some previous blog entries

Can you believe it? 

John McCain was attacked by the NY Times for something that occurred many years ago and for which they had prior knowledge well ahead of their endorsement of him for POTUS.  The best part is that McCAIN's staff had this potential fire put out before it started to smolder. 

Amazingly, Vince FUMO, aka "Vinny from Philly," has thrown in the towel and withdrew from the Pennsylvania Senate race to focus on his upcoming trial.  139 counts of corruption would be enough for me to not consider him for the Pennsylvania Senate but not for Ed RENDELL (EdRonDell) who said, "all he has to do is ask," when queried about supporting the beleaguered politico.

Tags: Election 2008, FUMO, McCain, NY Times

When did Audacity steal Hope?

When did Audacity steal Hope?

Perhaps it started, when Michelle OBAMA had the audacity to say, "Work for the community. Be social workers. Be a nurse. Those are the careers that we need, and we're encouraging our young people to do that. But if you make that choice, as we did, to move out of the moneymaking industry into the helping industry, then your salaries respond."   If that were true then why did she not refuse The University of Chicago Medical Center center’s salary of more than $300,000 a year for her services as "vice president of community and external affairs" while no longer possessing a valid license to practice law.   How audacious is it to have a position because your husband is a US Senator and to not practice what you preach.    

Then again, it could have robbed it when Michelle OBAMA had the audacity to say, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country," and then have Barack OBAMA clean up her “Freudian slip” claiming it was simply pride in the success of his political campaign.  A careful read of the title of her senior thesis would argue differently. 

Maybe hope waivered a little when we learned that Barack’s “spiritual advisor”, the Reverend WRIGHT, has the audacity to say from the pulpit, among other things, “God damn America!”  How audacious is it for Barack OBAMA to then claim, "I did not hear such incendiary language myself, personally either in conversations with him or when I was in the pew,” and “If I had been in church those days, I would have objected fiercely to them and I would have told him personally."  Could it also be when his pleas of ignorance contributed to hope sliding away a little bit more?  Were he truly outraged; he would have distanced himself from these haters a long time ago.

Ultimately, it happened when Obama had the audacity to rationalize "the history of racial injustice in this country" fuels Rev. Jeremiah WRIGHT's racist rants.  By that statement alone we understand where Barack OBAMA’s hope rests, with the camp followers of Jessie JACKSON, Al SHARPTON, Louis FARRAKHAN, and Jeremiah WRIGHT, reverends all.

Realistically, he has lacked the audacity to be candid enough with the voters that he would have us believe that he wants change but has never told us his brand of change is steeped in racism.  The stealth candidate was “outed” by his closest allies and himself and “hope will not ride again.”   

Tags: OBAMA, racism, election 2008

John McCAIN the RINO

John McCAIN is a RINO just like Arlen SPECTER of the magic bullet theory fame, and Rudy JULIANI. 

Does Ann COULTER make any sense when she states, "If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans."? If McCain is elected president then she is wrong.  None of them have any brains and it is time to start over. 

Now that the NY Times has endorsed McCAIN for the Republican nomination.  If he becomes the Republican nominee, watch how fast the very same MSM reminds us of John McCAIN's involvement with "The Keating 5". They will sound just like Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar when in "Heaven On Their Minds" he laments:

And remember, I've been your right hand man all along.
You have set them all on fire.
They think they've found the new Messiah.
And they'll hurt you when they find they're wrong.

Tags: Election 2008, Politics, John McCain

On Pennsylvania's First Senate District race

As long as there is not a criminal in the Pennsylvania First Senate District seat I'll be happy.  “Vinnie” FUMO had decided that he was untouchable.  How, after an indictment on 141 counts, can he claim, in good faith, to be representing Pennsylvanians, let alone those from the "City of Brotherly Love?"  Perhaps he started out that way but it is clear he is representing his own self interest now.  Power may corrupt but it does not have to corrupt. 

On another note, why should the rest of the Commonwealth have to subsidize public transportation for the cities?  I-80 is seldom used by folks from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh so it is no hardship for them to support paying for public transportation with OPM (other people’s money.)   According to the indictment, this was FUMO’s method of financing his projects.   The Highway Trust Fund is funded by monies that were garnished from gasoline receipts.  The states are to use these funds for the stated purpose of the legislation, to build/maintain roads and bridges.  Taking money from this fund for any other purpose is misappropriation of funds.  How can any candidate be trusted when that is their stated plan?  Why do we elect the candidate whose stated purpose is the raid the treasury for funds to enrich his or her district alone?  If lower taxes are ever to be accomplished, we must stop electing politicians who want “to bring home the pork.”

With regard to stricter gun control in Philadelphia, since when is it legal to have a handgun in Philadelphia without a permit?  Philadelphia has a law on the books regarding weapons in the city that does not apply to anywhere else in the state (PA Crimes Code 6108 - Carrying firearms on public streets or public property in Philadelphia).    Why has that not curbed gun violence?  Laws do not curb violence and an unarmed citizen is easy prey.  Let’s not forget what Ben FRANKLIN had to say about armed citizens and Democracy:

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.  

Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.

Tags: Guns, Philadelphia, Taxes

Hillary won?

They said Obama had a huge lead in New Hampshire and then Hillary turned on the "water works."  So what happened? 

Some believe it was the voting machines: http://presscue.com/node/38170
Hillary victory tainted by vote fraud claims

But then again, maybe it is just practice for the General Election; Vote Early and Vote Often.  Typical Democratic election ploy.  Obama, say you didn't miss that trick in Chicago of all places?

Tags: Obama, election, Clinton