Coalition operations lead to death of al Qaeda terrorist

Since the last video was depressing, here's one via Mudville Gazette that shows our team in action:

"On September 25, 2007, a coordinated air strike by a USAF F-16 killed Abu Usama al Tunisi. Al Tunisi was one of the most important leaders within al Qaeda in Iraq and part of the inner circle of advisors to Abu Ayyub al Masri."

Flag Burning in Washington DC

Can I question their fu#kin' patriotism NOW!? I wish I had seen that. I would have been on the news.

Next time, I plan to have enough cash for bail.....

Richmond City Tags 100 Porn Surfers

I'm wondering what the "corporate culture" is like in these agencies when on any given day you've got up to 100 "aroused" employees panting in their cubicles.

Since child pornography was not involved, Police Chief Rodney Monroe turned the investigation over to the city's deputy chief administrative officer, Harry E. Black. No charges will be filed. It remains to be seen if heads will roll.

Excerpt from inRich.com
Monroe earlier said that the city's investigation involved "several hundred" visits to about 100 porn sites.

The personal logons of more than 100 city employees in at least 10 city agencies were identified.

Those agencies included the Department of Public Works, the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Office, the Finance Department, the City Attorney's Office and the City Auditor's Office, he said.

Black noted yesterday that employees are aware that using city computers to visit pornographic sites violates the rules governing use of city-owned computer equipment.

Marines being spit upon in Oakland

This makes me want to throw things. We need to contact the TSA and complain. This is completely wrong! Add this to the refusal of San Francisco to let the Marines film in the city.
The Marines should remove as much money from California as possible. They should fly through Washington or Oregon. They should close bases. I don't know. We have to do something to send a message to these scumbags.

Spitting on the Marines [Michael Ledeen]

Here is an e-mail from a Marine chaplain recently returned from Iraq. The story speaks for itself—lousy treatment of our troops at our own airports. He writes about Oakland, and while checking around I find that this is a common experience. I hope that one of our leaders will find a way to put an end to such behavior.

Marines and Soldiers Returning from Iraq not allowed into Oakland terminal

On September 27th 204 Marines and soldiers who were returning from Iraq were not allowed into the passenger terminal at Oakland International Airport. Instead they had to deplane about 400 yards away from the terminal where the extra baggage trailers were located.
This was the last scheduled stop for fuel and food prior to flying to Hawaii where both were based. The trip started in Kuwait on September 26th with a rigorous search of checked and carry on baggage by US Customs. All baggage was x-rayed with a "backscatter" machine AND each bag was completely emptied and hand searched. After being searched, checked bags were marked and immediately placed in a secure container. Carry on bags were then x rayed again to ensure no contraband items were taken on the plane. While waiting for the bus to the airport, all personnel were in quarantined in a fenced area and were not allowed to leave.

The first stop for fuel/food and crew change was in Leipzig Germany. Troops exited the aircraft and took a bus to a reception area in the terminal, where there was a convenience store, phones, Internet and restrooms. As we excited the bus we were given a re-boarding pass. Three troops remained on the plane with the rifles and pistols. There was no ammunition on the plane and the bolts of the rifles had been removed. After about 2 hours troops re-boarded the plane and flew to JFK in NY.

At JFK the procedure was similar to Germany, 3 troops stayed on the plane to guard weapons while the rest deplaned. At the gate we were each given a re-boarding pass and spent about 1.5 hours in the terminal, at which time we re-boarded and flew to Oakland.

As we came in for the final approach to Oakland a Lieutenant who served in Afghanistan with the same unit in 2006 mentioned how when they landed in Oakland they were not allowed in the terminal. He said, "they made us get out by the FED EX building and we had to sit out there for 3 hours". He also indicated he was almost arrested by the TSA for getting belligerent about them not letting the Marines into the terminal.

Well the same thing happened again. This time we did not park by the FED EX building, instead we were offloaded near the grass that separates the active runway from the taxi ramp, about 400 yards from the terminal. When we inquired why they wouldn't allow us in the airport they gave us some lame excuse that we hadn't been screened by TSA. While true, the screening which we did have was much more thorough than any TSA search and was done by US Customs. Additionally, JFK didn't seem to have a problem with our entering their terminal, nor did security in Germany.

It felt like being spit on. Every Marine and soldier felt the message loud and clear, "YOU ARE NOT WELCOME IN OAKLAND!"

Chaplain Brandon Harding

1ST BN 3D MARINES

Returning soldiers gunning for Democrats

No, I'm not talking about hit squads roamimg the halls of Congress. (Although, while not acceptable, in some cases, perfectly understandable).
I'm talking about politics. Elective politics.
Chris Cook has some words of advice for Democrats.

Democrats take away Veterans' benefits

via Times Gazette in Ohio,
While I don't care if Filipino vets get benefits, since the Phillipines were American Territory at the time, don't take away my benefits. Cancel some pork instead.

Democrats give away veterans' benefits

Rep. Mike Turner

As a member of the House Veterans' Affairs (VA) Committee, the work of helping to ensure that those who have worn a military uniform receive the benefits and respect to which they were promised, is often rewarding.

A recent Veterans' Affairs Committee meeting took an unusual twist, which many people are surprised to learn about when I tell them.

This story is about a two-part process that led to unbelievable decisions. First, the Veterans' Committee took away benefits from some very deserving American veterans. Second, the committee gave benefits to veterans of another country who don't live in the United States, and never have lived in this country or been American citizens. I opposed both actions.

I am against the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 (H.R. 760). This legislation will provide benefits to Filipino World War II veterans.

These veterans were members of the Philippines military. They fought in the Pacific Theater, presumably on behalf of their native country.

They are citizens of the Philippines and not U.S. citizens. While these Filipino troops may have fought bravely, side-by-side, with American soldiers, they should be looking to the Philippines for veterans' benefits.

The United States has obligations to American veterans. We should not be held responsible for the benefits of the Philippines or any additional countries.

The Filipino veterans' provisions in HR 760 are similar to a plan passed by the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

If signed into law, it would provide full veterans' status to World War II era Filipino soldiers and even their survivors.

This would include pay for service related disabilities, survivor pay for service-connected deaths, as well as pensions and death benefits.

Those who are living in the Philippines, and are not U.S. citizens, would receive $6,000 to $8,400. Low-income widows would receive $3,600.

I have witnessed some contentious hearings in my years in public service. VA Committee Chairman Bob Filner, D-Calif., was determined to pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Act. When the exchanges between the chairman and ranking member (and former chairman) Steve Buyer, R-Ind., became too heated, Filner ordered a recess to plot strategy with the Democratic majority.

The measure passed on a straight party-line vote and Filner refused to recognize any additional Republican amendments.

Providing veterans' benefits to Filipino service members is only half of the issue.

Perhaps more egregious is how the Democrats offset the cost of the new benefits. Because of House PAYGO rules, any new entitlement spending (such as the Filipino Veterans Equity Act) must be funded by either a corresponding cut in existing spending or matching revenue gains.

In this case, the Democrats on the Veterans Committee voted to save nearly $1 billion by eliminating a $2,200 special monthly payment to veterans who are less than 100 percent disabled, but 60 percent or greater disabled.

Paying Filipino service members who served alongside American troops in the Philippines during World War II sets a dangerous precedent. There were certainly brave Koreans and Vietnamese who served alongside Americans during the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts.

There are some Afghanis and Iraqis who are serving nobly with their American counterparts today. The Filipino Veterans Equity Act makes it logical for the United States to pay foreign fighters from these conflicts future benefits as well.

It is outrageous that U.S. veterans who have a high level of disability have lost up to $2,200 per month in benefits.

Rather than using U.S. tax dollars to pay American veterans who have sacrificed, Chairman Filner and the Democrats on the Veterans' Affairs Committee decided that paying non-U.S. citizens was a more important national priority.

This does not serve our nation.

Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, represents Ohio's Third Congressional District.

Brown Hound: Saluting out of Uniform

Brown Hound has some good news for vets and military members. Stand up and Salute!


Brown Hound: Saluting out of Uniform

Who Do You Trust?

New post on another blog I setup especially for my TankerBrothers

Seems Master Gunner is in a place where he can't get any website with "blogspot" in the URL. So, I set up another blog on Vox.

Vox is also the home of RCT-6 Regimental Combat Team 6, who have been complaining lately that it's so boring in Al Anbar Province, the media won't even show up.

Just Askin' is all....

While surfing, I checked out Snapped Shot and came across a question that I hadn't thought of before.

Why does the press cater to thuggish groups that supposedly speak for the "people" like Hamas, Hezbelloh, and Al Fatah, but would be horrified at treating OUR terrorist group, the KKK, with respect. Well, they do treat Senator Byrd with respect.....

Why the price of oil is high

OPEC and the Big Oil are the reasons that oil prices are high, right? Russia has a vested interest in the stability of the Middle East, right? Putin is a man that Bush can trust, right?

Well, the thing things to remember is that oil produced in Russia are of a lower grade and more expensive to produce in Russia. Oil prices below $60/barrel keep Russian oil from being profitable. Oil revenues are the main source of money into the government. And Putin wants to rebuild the military, which also makes the surrounding countries nervous..... Sooooo...here's Garry Kasparov explaining why we need a new government in Russia via Transatlanic Politics:

Gary Kasparov, the man who was a world chess champion for 15 years in a row is trying now to checkmate Vladimir Putin in politics. Wishful thinking? A mirage of the West projected onto Russia? Maybe. Leader of the opposition movement "The Other Russia", Mr. Kasparov admits quite sincerely: "We are not trying to win the elections, we are trying to have elections!" In Kasparov's view, the main goal of Russian foreign policy is to raise the oil price, no matter what - that's why the tensions in the Middle East are so important to Putin:

"Putin doesn't run a country, he runs a corporation. He is the ugliest mixture of Karl Marx and Adam Smith. He is not interested in restoring the Russian influence, he's just interested in Gazprom's and Rosneft's influence. Actually, Putin is destroying the Russian state. "

"Selling nuclear technology to Iran is good - you get money and create tensions - selling missiles to Hezbollah through Syria serves the same purpose. "
"Everything that will raise the oil price is good, in Putin's view."

"If the price of oil falls under 50 dollars a barrel, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to predict that the regime will fall. But even if the price of oil stays high, the regime will collapse. The problem with this regime is that the oil money disappears, you can't find it in Russian banks or investments. You can find it anywhere from Riga til London, but not in Russia."

Support the Troops Rally - Gathering of Eagles

For those of you that missed it, here's just one of the great speakers we watched.

ANSWER infiltrated!

Remember, that photographer you're tormenting at the "peace" march, might be on your side.....

Check out Age of Hooper and just keep scrolling. He has great pics and, dare I say it, VIDEO!

Pop Civics Quiz

Apparently, college makes you more ignorant. Yes, yes, I know, but those jokes would be too easy.

So, Pop quiz time, class.....
Break out your paper and pencils. No, really. This quiz is not online. You have to read the questions and write down your answers. You remember.... paper, pencils... I know the flashbacks can be hard. But, the good news is that the answers are at the end of the 60 question quiz.

This is for bragging rights. No cheating.

I scored 90% right. Woohoo! That would be 6 wrong, for you guys in liberal arts....

Gays For Thee, But Not With Me

Ok, there's just no way to let the day pass by without posting a genuine laugh, and a snark at Iranian clown "Ma-MOOD" "Ahmadine-junkie."

Most of the statements he made at his "visit" to Columbia University Re-education camp, were totally expected: plenty on evasive non-answers to the questions posed to him.

What we failed to see ahead of time was that "My Mood" really did have a bomb -- and apparently, used it on the Iranian people to eradicate all gays from the face of Iran. He declares that the "phenomenon" that is affecting the rest of the world has no impact on Iran; they have no gays.

The only thing crazier than his answer is the reaction of the Columbia student/faculty/"what ever"audience. A crowd that had previously backed the tiny dictator, suddenly turned offensive and boo-ed and laughed at his statement. Apparently planning to eradicate one of the largest Jewish states from the face of the earth if fine, but declaring there be no more gays just can't be tolerated by the inhabitants of the ivy-league.

What's really funny, is that if "Ma-mood's" stupid story had been correct, the "gay-rights" activists, atheists, and other anti-war loonies who support the gay agenda would have been guilty of aiding and supporting the very regime -- a religious regime -- that had succeeded in doing what their arch-enemy Christianity had never been able to do -- eradicating the gay life-style from the face of an entire country. Maybe one day they will figure it out.

The world is upside down.

Beat up by a girl.......

Hahahahahahahaha!
h/t Jules Crittenden

Head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the Eastern province Dr. Mohamed bin Marshood al-Marshood, told Asharq Al Awsat that two of the Commission's employees were verbally insulted and attacked by two inappropriately-dressed females, in the old market in Prince Bandar street, an area usually crowded with shoppers during the month of Ramadan.

According to Dr. Al-Marshood, the two commission members approached the girls in order to "politely" advice and guide them regarding their inappropriate clothing.

Consequently, the two girls started verbally abusing the commission members, which then lead to one of the girls pepper-spraying them in the face as the other girl filmed the incident on her mobile phone, while continuing to hurl insults at them.

The Eastern Province's head of the commission also revealed that with the help of the police his two employees were able to control the situation.

Can't you see the police laughing at these poor b@@tards? They deserve it every time. Next time they'll call in swat for backup.

A. G. Bob McDonnell Live-Blog At Good Sense 5p.m.

Charlie over at Good Sense is hosting a live-blog this evening with Attorney General Bob McDonnell. Advance questions for the A. G. can be left at Questions for the Attorney General or made online during the event this evening.

Live-blog with Bob McDonnell
at Good Sense
Monday, Sept. 24th, 2007
5:oo p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

War and Congress

From a President that knew war was a serious matter.......

"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged."

President Abraham Lincoln

“The day we swore we would never forget, and then we did just that…

This is the first post of a soldier that just returned from Iraq. Every Senator, Congressman, citizen, moonbat, ignorant sonofa....., should get a fu**in clue!

“The day we swore we would never forget, and then we did just that…

Sgt Jeffers

More about Sgt. Eddie Jeffers. From Gazing at the Flag.....

Part of an email sent to Flag Gazer:

You see to Eddie, he was just doing his job and what he believed was his life mission from God.

We thank you in advance for your condolences and prayers. Please pray especially for Eddie's wife Stephanie; as you can imagine she is devastated. Our prayer is that Eddie's death will exalt Christ as did his life.

In lieu of any flowers we are asking all donations be given to the Fisher House in memory of Eddie; he loved that charity.

Love in Christ Jesus
The Jeffers Family

"Blessed be the Lord my Strength, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight." -Psalm 144:1 (Eddie's favorite Bible verse)

Here is another from Sgt. Jeffers. He will be missed, even by those that never met him.

Freedom Feels Good

by Sgt Eddie Jeffers
February 10, 2007

Everyday, I live, I breathe, and I think Iraq. It is my life...more so than many of the so called experts who rant and rave about it. I walk these streets, I trudge through this darkness that so much of my life has seemed to become. And I am frustrated. It is hard to battle on the behalf of the ungrateful.

The Iraqis are just as guilty as the Americans in this. It infuriates me to no end to try so hard, to put myself and the ones I lead into the line of fire, and to be forsaken by the ones I am here to save. They turn their heads when we ask questions. They say there are no terrorists...but there are...everywhere. The Iraqi people unfortunately respond only to force, violence, dominance...it has been their life for so long. Our cultures and religions alone widen the gap between our struggles over here.

The ones who have stepped up to fight are few...the Army and police are small, and struggling to grow. They are the hope of their nation ever leaving our control.

But more than anyone, I sometimes see futility in my actions. I fight, I kill, I scar myself emotionally, psychologically, and in some ways physically...and as I lay in the dark at night, I wonder what it's for. I wonder if the Iraqi people will ever get it together or if the country will collapse on itself whether I am here or not. It makes me angry, and a big part of me is content to let it fall apart. Part of me doesn't care what happens to this God-forsaken city after I leave it...as long as "me and my boys" make it out in one piece.

But that is the viewpoint of a man who wishes his actions to be in vain. I do not. I have lost very close friends over here. I don't want their lives to have been given in vain. Simply put, we are fighters. We are all in the same place for various reasons, for me, it's personal. I am in a modern day crusade to exterminate evil. People whose atrocities I cannot even begin to name cannot be allowed to exist among us. As long as these people are here, everything that is just and good is at risk.

I am not naive...not anymore, too many people who believe in good are unaffected by evil. I have faced it and compromised with it and even felt its poison flow in my veins at times. But this is for a purpose; if anything to provide the example. If the Iraqi people have learned one thing, it is that the Americans will not quit. They gun us down and we advance without blinking, through homes, living rooms, kitchens, into the streets, courtyards, palm groves and back into their face. That example of unrelenting spirit is our greatest gift to the Iraqi people. Some of them have taken the example to heart and signed up for the Army and police.

Things can't change overnight and we can't expect a country whose culture has been dominated by state mandated way of thinking to change in an instance...take the Japanese in World War Two for example. Our example as warriors for the just and good, who will never quit no matter what is thrown at us or no matter how many fall will pay off eventually. But first we have to break the back of a way of thinking that has been in place for decades...it took some very horrible things to break the "yamato damashii" of the Japanese in our Second World War, but we succeeded and look at them now.

The Iraqis are capable of free government but we cannot call it quits because we think they aren't. Someone has to believe in them, someone has to help them out; someone has to provide the example. We are showing it to them. Some have taken it, many haven't, but it will spread...because freedom feels good.

"Blessed be the Lord my Strength, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight." Psalm 144:

And an excerpt from another:

The Real Deal in Ramadi
April 17, 2007

So now, the war has changed on us. Transitioning into a new role, we strapped on the guise of military advisors, security guards and bringers of goodies to the Iraqi people. After the push we established a Joint Security Station and reintroduced the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police back into the area. They've been doing patrols and keeping the peace and doing a damn fine job of it. We go out with them here and there but we leave it mostly to them.

We've been recruiting more police and outfitting them with better vehicles and equipment. We've been going around, getting the citizens to take a little charge and fix their city up. We've tossed around a little money and hired day laborers so to speak. The people have grown to trust us. They make citizen's arrests of insurgents and turn them over to us. We received little to no contact since the push and we have implemented a system that is working now.

All across Iraq, units are taking note. Everyone from the media to General Petraeus himself has come out here to see what we've done. We're winning the war and setting a good example of how to do it. Although my boys are bored because there aren't any doors to kick in or insurgents to shoot, they realize that this is the ticket out of this country in the right way. Overall, things are going go.

So, three more months than originally planned.Nothing that can be done about it except what we're doing now; continuing the mission and insuring America's success in this war.

OBAMA GIRL - I like a boy....

Here's one for Sgt. Jeffers and all of our brothers and sisters in arms.

Theo Spark: The Democrats on Iraq.....a reminder.

Here's a trip in the way back machine from our English patriot, Theo Sparks.


Theo Spark: The Democrats on Iraq.....a reminder.

Hope Rides Alone

I want to see this posted on every blog in the universe.

A message to the extreme leftwing fanatics I saw marching on Pennsylvania Ave last Saturday.

Sgt Eddie Jeffers fought and died for your right to be an a**hole in public. He died protecting your right to burn a flag and desecrate a memorial. He died to keep your sniveling cowardly a** safe.

When will the extreme left in this country realize they are the ones hurting the troops? When will they realize that their actions do have consequences?

My guess is never. Unless they are slapped repeatedly and made to understand.

It sickens me to know there are American citizens, enjoying freedoms unheard of in any other country, willing to stand and support groups with proveable, definable links to communist groups, and individuals who give aid and support to the terrorists.

You morons better wake up. You better get a grip. It's crunch time.

LET US WIN

This is for Sgt. Jeffers, so that he sees that hope is not lost, that some are fighting for us in Congress. Via The Weekly Standard (emphasis mine)

McCain on the Webb Amendment: "Unprecedented"

Remarks just delivered on the floor of the Senate by Senator John McCain: Madame president, I think we ought to understand what this amendment is all about. In the view of the secretary of defense, he says, "as drafted, the amendment would dramatically limit the nation's ability to respond to other national security needs while we remain engaged in Iraq or Afghanistan." He goes on to say that the amendment would impose upon the president an unacceptable choice between accelerating the rate of drawdown significantly beyond what General Petraeus has recommended, which he and other senior military commanders believe would not be prudent and would put at real risk the gains we've made on the ground in Iraq over the past few months, and resorting to force management options that would damage the force and its effectiveness in the field. That's what this amendment is about. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the president of the United States is deprived of the authority to decide when and where to send troops in time of war. Nowhere--nowhere in the history of this country have such restrictions been imposed or privileges assumed by the Congress of the United States. We have one commander in chief and one only, and to somehow assume that we would begin with Congress--535 commanders in chief--I think would reduce our ability to ever fight another war effectively. But let me sum up, madame president, by saying clearly the message I'm getting from the troops in the field is not that 'the war is lost,' as the majority leader of the senate stated last April; we are succeeding and we are winning, and with the enactment of this amendment, we will choose to lose. This is setting a formula for surrender, not for victory. And I'm hearing from the troops in the field, madame president, three words. Three words. 'Let us win.' They've sacrificed a great deal, as the majority leader just described very dramatically. Now give them a chance to win. That's what they want. They don't want that sacrifice to be in vain. This amendment would do exactly what the secretary of defense says as well as other interested observers. I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment, allow this new strategy and this great general who the American people had a great opportunity to see last week as he spoke to the Congress and the American people. Madame president, reject this amendment and let us win. Update: And the Webb Amendment fails.

Webb is a disgrace. At least Warner voted NO.

Hope Rides Alone: Sgt. Eddie Jeffers KIA 09-19-07

Sgt. Eddie Jeffers was killed in Ramadi, Iraq on September 19, 2007. Prayers up for Eddie and his family.

HOPE RIDES ALONE

by Sgt. Eddie Jeffers USA
Ramadi, Iraq

I stare out into the darkness from my post, and I watch the city burn to the ground. I smell the familiar smells, I walk through the familiar rubble, and I look at the frightened faces that watch me pass down the streets of their neighborhoods. My nerves hardly rest; my hands are steady on a device that has been given to me from my government for the purpose of taking the lives of others.

I sweat, and I am tired. My back aches from the loads I carry. Young American boys look to me to direct them in a manner that will someday allow them to see their families again...and yet, I too, am just a boy....my age not but a few years more than that of the ones I lead.

I am stressed, I am scared, and I am paranoid...because death is everywhere. It waits for me, it calls to me from around street corners and windows, and it is always there. There are the demons that follow me, and tempt me into thoughts and actions that are not my own...but that are necessary for survival.

I've made compromises with my humanity. And I am not alone in this. Miles from me are my brethren in this world, who walk in the same streets...who feel the same things, whether they admit to it or not and to think, I volunteered for this...

And I am ignorant to the rest of the world...or so I thought.

But even thousands of miles away, in Ramadi, Iraq, the cries and screams and complaints of the ungrateful reach me. In a year, I will be thrust back into society from a life and mentality that doesn't fit your average man.

And then, I will be alone.

And then, I will walk down the streets of America, and see the yellow ribbon stickers on the cars of the same people who compare our President to Hitler.

I will watch the television and watch the Cindy Sheehans, and the Al Frankens, and the rest of the ignorant sheep of America spout off their mouths about a subject they know nothing about. It is their right, however, and it is a right that is defended by hundreds of thousands of boys and girls scattered across the world, far from home.

I use the word boys and girls, because that's what they are. In the Army, the average age of the infantryman is nineteen years old. The average rank of soldiers killed in action is Private First Class.

People like Cindy Sheehan are ignorant.

Not just to this war, but to the results of their idiotic ramblings, or at least I hope they are. They don't realize its effects on this war.

In this war, there are no Geneva Conventions, no cease fires. Medics and Chaplains are not spared from the enemy's brutality because it's against the rules. I can only imagine the horrors a military Chaplain would experience at the hands of the enemy.

The enemy slinks in the shadows and fights a coward's war against us. It is effective though, as many men and women have died since the start of this war.

And the memory of their service to America is tainted by the inconsiderate remarks on our nation's news outlets.

And every day, the enemy changes...only now, the enemy is becoming something new. The enemy is transitioning from the Muslim extremists to Americans. The enemy is becoming the very people whom we defend with our lives. And they do not realize it. But in denouncing our actions, denouncing our leaders, denouncing the war we live and fight, they are isolating the military from society...and they are becoming our enemy.

Democrats and peace activists like to toss the word "quagmire" around and compare this war to Vietnam. In a way they are right, this war is becoming like Vietnam. Not the actual war, but in the isolation of country and military.

America is not a nation at war; they are a nation with its military at war.

Like it or not, we are here, some of us for our second, or third times; some even for their fourth and so on. Americans are so concerned now with politics, that it is interfering with our war.

Terrorists cut the heads off of American citizens on the internet...and there is no outrage, but an American soldier kills an Iraqi in the midst of battle, and there are investigations, and sometimes soldiers are even jailed...for doing their job. It is absolutely sickening to me to think our country has come to this.

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

America has lost its will to fight. It has lost its will to defend what is right and just in the world.

The crazy thing of it all is that the American people have not even been asked to sacrifice a single thing. It's not like World War Two, where people rationed food, and turned in cars to be made into metal for tanks.

The American people have not been asked to sacrifice anything. Unless you are in the military or the family member of a servicemember, its life as usual...the war doesn't affect you.

But it affects us.

And when it is over, and the troops come home, and they try to piece together what's left of them after their service...where will the detractors be then? Where will the Cindy Sheehans be to comfort and talk to soldiers and help them sort out the last couple years of their lives, most of which have been spent dodging death and wading through the deaths of their friends?

They will be where they always are, somewhere far away, where the horrors of the world can't touch them. Somewhere where they can complain about things they will never experience in their lifetime; things that the young men and women of America have willingly taken upon their shoulders.

We are the hope of the Iraqi people. They want what everyone else wants in life: safety, security, somewhere to call home. They want a country that is safe to raise their children in. Not a place where their children will be abducted, raped, and murdered if they do not comply with the terrorists demands. They want to live on, rebuild and prosper. And America has given them the opportunity, but only if we stay true to the cause, and see it to its end.

But the country must unite in this endeavor...we cannot place the burden on our military alone. We must all stand up and fight, whether in uniform or not. And supporting us is more than sticking yellow ribbon stickers on your cars. It's supporting our President, our troops and our cause.

Right now, the burden is all on the American soldiers.

Right now, hope rides alone.

But it can change, it must change. Because there is only failure and darkness ahead for us as a country, as a people, if it doesn't.

Let's stop all the political nonsense, let's stop all the bickering, let's stop all the bad news, and let's stand and fight!

Isn't that what America is about anyway?

H/T CFP
Previous: Hope Rides Alone

YO HO!! AAARR, Matey! Its talk like a PIrate Day!

YO HO! Its a Pirate's life for me!

Drink up me "earties, yo ho! Ahoy there, mateys! Run up the Jolly Roger! Remember, this day, in the year of our Lord, 2007, be known as Talk Like a Pirate Day. Henceforth, all swabbies will speake the King's English like the good Pirates they be. Avast and Secure all that lubblerly speaking that we hear the rest of the year. Leave it in your wake and get on board! Do I hear an "aye aye" from all you salty sea dogs? WELL?!
I be on the look for fellow pirates, or as I like to call them, seafaring entrepreneurs. Fly your flag high and let your inner pirate out. He or she probably needs a good airing.....
And you thought Cargo Squid was a blogging handle.....

Cargosquid and the Loli Girls at GOE3

In his Gathering of Eagles report CargoSquid mentioned standing guard at the Navy Memorial while most of us went up to the Capitol building.

And now for the rest of the story.....

photo by kalisafish

After admiring the koi pond in Teaism we headed out to the Navy Memorial. It really is a nice place. I think the United Conservatives of Virginia were on guard duty. They were very protective of the Lone Sailor statue. I guess they were on edge because of the Anti-War protesters. Some of the lolis were shooed away from the statue and lectured about it being a sacred symbol. Which was a little bit of a downer. One of their members took some pictures of us. There were a lot of curious people on our journey.

Army Mom Does Hippy Toss At GOE3

We spent a lot of time staring at these bikes
while waiting for the Hippy Toss issue to resolve.
Smith and Wesson even.

Gathering of Eagles III last Saturday, September 15th, was a day of adventure, inspiration and, thanks to the commie protesters, disgust.

The last, and one of the best events of the day, occurred as f22strike, USMCPOP, devildog6671 and I rounded a corner at the foot of our nation's Capitol building. We had just left the fringes of a rather bloody melee, and figured it was time to head south.

Suddenly, we saw Army Mom, who looked like she was getting ready to lunge at a hippy man standing in the middle of a tall bed of canna lilies. Hippy man was yelling at her and vice versa.

As we got closer, we saw a hippy woman laying flat on her back, hollering to beat the band. Her white-bearded, hippy husband was yelling at Army Mom, "Go ahead, hit her! Hit her! Hit her!" What a knight in shining armor, eh?

Well, the hippy lady in the dirt kept yelling, "It hurts! I can't get up!" until a bystander informed hippy man that he was standing on his wife's foot. Tooooo funny.

It turns out, that this couple had been walking up to gold star moms and other military families throughout the day, screaming obscenities in their faces and trying to get shoved around, attempting to get these good people arrested. Many of the intended victims were identifiable as having lost loved ones in the war because of their t-shirts.

The moonbat had walked up to the Army Mom from St. Louis, got in her face and started screaming. When she called Army Mom, a "m***** f****** terrorist", Army Mom gave her a shove so hard, she went flying backwards into the flower bed.

You see, Army Mom has a son who was wounded over a year ago and is still in hospital.

The police came, hippy couple wanted to press assault charge, Army Mom said, ok, she would press counter-charge of verbal assault and the hippy couple went away leaving a large dent in the flower bed and a ghostly glimmer of slime along the sidewalk.

I'm putting Army Mom and her gracious friend, Marine Mom from St. Louis on the heroes list.

Pelosi In Brussels?

There couldn't be two of them, could there?

European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes speaks during a media conference regarding Microsoft at EU headquarters in Brussels, Monday Sept. 17, 2007. A European Union court on Monday squashed Microsoft Corp.'s legal challenge to a landmark antitrust ruling and record fine, a resounding victory for the EU that confirms its role as a major global regulator. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Sen. John Kerry Flips Off Veteran

So much has happened in the last few days, it's been hard to keep track of things. Word was circulating that John Kerry had flipped off a Vet yesterday but I didn't have time to get details.

Now, if you live in Virginia, eventually you will eat at the Virginia Diner in Wakefield and if you hang out long enough you will run into someone you know.

I pulled into the parking lot there this evening and saw a 3 wheeler that looked familiar. The bike and the other two Harley's nearby had the Patriot Guard emblem on them and I thought, "If I don't know these guys, I soon will."

Inside the Diner, Trike, Amerbadas and AK were having dinner on their way back from a Welcome Home mission at Fort Lee. They were pumped up about the returning troops and how well things had gone. It turns out Trike and I had indeed met before at a funeral for a fallen Warrior. I have a soft spot for the Patriot Guard and the support they give to the families of our Military people. When they show up with all those flags and bikes it is such a beautiful tribute and the families love them.

Trike had spent the weekend up in DC for the Gathering of Eagles and various events, which included a protest outside of the NBC studio yesterday morning where John Effin' Kerry was being filmed.

As John Effin' Kerry, United States Senator, left the building he walked by Trike and flipped him off. Being a Veteran and a true Patriot, Trike returned the salute with gusto.

Trike goes on the heroes list for sure.

UDATE: The devil is in the details for sure. Trike left some corrections to my version of his Kerry experience in the comments. I've moved them to the main post so you can get them straight from the source. You will also see why I think he and the PGR are such great guys. Here 'tis:

Hi,
It was good seeing you again - sorry we couldn't spend more time discussing the fun at the GOE. :o)

Just a slight correction on your report of the bird incident - Kerry was being driven by us when he flipped us off. I'm pretty sure, despite his being a real, live war hero, that he would never have had the balls to walk by a bunch of bikers and flip us off... LOL at the thought.

Also, we were not demonstrating - we were just taking up space. We had heard the moon-bats were going to be there demonstrating in support of Kerry (he was there to debate Sen McCain). When Sen McCain came out he had his car stop, he got out and shook everyone's hand and talked to us. When Kerry came out he had a big smile on his face - no doubt thinking Sen McCain had just run into the moon-bat demonstration. When he saw us his smile disappeared and he had the driver keep moving. As his SUV (big, gas guzzling SUV) turned onto the street he flipped off several of us. I just happened to be in the middle and was more than ready to return the guesture.

Take care, God Bless, and I will keep your son in my prayers. Contact us when he comes home - R&R or for good if you want the PGR there.

Trike

A reminder from the bad old days of 2005

If we were getting comments like these in 2005, just think how high the morale must be now.
Read this and compare it to the information of what is happening during the surge, especially the info about the Iraqis and bad guy tactics. Its obvious to me that, even then, you could see that the press was not telling us the truth. Yes, it was rough. But victory, even then was thought possible. Just think, all of this info from your enlisted Marine. Why didn't we see this in the news or from the administration to back up THEIR argument. If the Marine on the ground knows all this, exposure of Iranian influence then, would have been a bombshell. Go read the rest. (I left out the info on "bad guys" as they are now either dead or different. In some cases, they are now allies.)

From the Tactical Shooting Forums:

Weapons & Intel Up Dates from the Sandbox: Wed, 9 Nov 2005

(Administrator's Note: We got this letter from a reliable source, a young Marines Dad! :cool.

"Hello to all my fellow gunners, military buffs, veterans and interested guys. A couple of weekends ago I got to spend time with my son Jordan, who was on his first leave since returning from Iraq. He is well (a littlethin), and already bored. He will be returning to Iraq for a second tour in early '06 and has already re-enlisted early for 4 more years. He loves the Marine Corps and is actually looking forward to returning to Iraq.

Jordan spent 7 months at "Camp Blue Diamond" in Ramadi. Aka: Fort Apache. He saw and did a lot and the following is what he told me about weapons, equipment, tactics and other miscellaneous info which may be of interest to you. Nothing is by any means classified. No politics here, just a Marine with a bird's eye view's opinions:

1) The M-16 rifle : Thumbs down. Chronic jamming problems with the talcumpowder like sand over there. They all hate the 5.56mm (.223) round. Poorpenetration on the cinderblock structure common over there and even torso hits cant be reliably counted on to put the enemy down. Fun fact: Randomautopsies on dead insurgents shows a high level of opiate use.
2) The M243 SAW (squad assault weapon): .223 cal. Drum fed light machinegun. Big thumbs down.
3) The M9 Beretta 9mm: Mixed bag. Good gun, performs well in desert environment; but they all hate the 9mm cartridge. The use of handguns for self-defense is actually fairly common. Same old story on the 9mm: Bad guys
hit multiple times and still in the fight.
4) Mossberg 12ga. Military shotgun: Works well, used frequently for clearing houses to good effect.
5) The M240 Machine Gun: 7.62 Nato (.308) cal. belt fed machine gun, developed to replace the old M-60 (what a beautiful weapon that was!!). Thumbs up.
6) The M2 .50 cal heavy machine gun: Thumbs way, way up. "Ma deuce" is still worth her considerable weight in gold. The ultimate fight stopper,
7) The .45 pistol: Thumbs up. Still the best pistol round out there. Everybody authorized to carry a sidearm is trying to get their hands on one. With few exceptions, can reliably be expected to put 'em down with a torso hit.
8) The M-14: Thumbs up.Very reliable in the sandy environment, and they love the 7.62 round.
9) The Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle: Thumbs way up. Spectacular range and accuracy and hits like a freight train. Used frequently to take out vehicle suicide bombers ( we actually stop a lot of them) and barricaded enemy.
10) The M24 sniper rifle: Thumbs up.
11) The new body armor: Thumbs up. Relatively light at approx. 6 lbs. and can reliably be expected to soak up small shrapnel and even will stop an AK-47 round. The bad news: Hot as shit to wear, almost unbearable in the summer heat (which averages over 120 degrees). Also, the enemy now goes for head shots whenever possible. All the bullshit about the "old" body armor making our guys vulnerable to the IED's was a non-starter. The IED
explosions are enormous and body armor doesn't make any difference at all in most cases.
12) Night Vision and Infrared Equipment: Thumbs way up. Spectacular performance. Our guys see in the dark and own the night, period. Very little enemy action after evening prayers. More and more enemy being whacked at night during movement by our hunter-killer teams. We've all seen the videos.
13) Lights: Thumbs up. Most of the weapon mounted and personal lights are Surefire's, and the troops love 'em. Invaluable for night urban operations.

I cant help but notice that most of the good fighting weapons and ordnance are 50 or more years old!!!!!!!!! With all our technology, it's the WWII and Vietnam era weapons that everybody wants!!!! The infantry fighting is frequent, up close and brutal. No quarter is given or shown.

Bad guy weapons:

1) Mostly AK47's The entire country is an arsenal. Works better in the desert than the M16 and the .308 Russian round kills reliably. PKM belt fed light machine guns are also common and effective. Luckily, the enemy mostly
shoots like shit. Undisciplined "spray and pray" type fire. However, they are seeing more and more precision weapons, especially sniper rifles. (Iran, again)
Fun fact: Captured enemy have apparently marveled at the marksmanship of our guys and how hard they fight. They are apparently told in Jihad school that the Americans rely solely on technology, and can be easily beaten in close
quarters combat for their lack of toughness. Let's just say they know better now.
2) The RPG: Probably the infantry weapon most feared by our guys.
3) The IED: The biggest killer of all. Can be anything from old Soviet anti-armor mines to jury rigged artillery shells. Fact: Most of the ready made IED's are supplied by Iran, who is also providing terrorists (Hezbollah types) to train the insurgents in their use and tactics.
4) Mortars and rockets: Very prevalent. The soviet era 122mm rockets (with an 18km range) are becoming more prevalent.
5) Bad guy technology: Simple yet effective. Most communication is by cell and satellite phones, and also by email on laptops. They use handheld GPS units for navigation and "Google earth" for overhead views of our positions.
Their weapons are good, if not fancy, and prevalent. Their explosives and bomb technology is TOP OF THE LINE. Night vision is rare. They are very careless with their equipment and the captured GPS units and laptops are
treasure troves of Intel when captured.

Bad Guy Tactics:

When they are engaged on an infantry level they get their asses kicked every time. Brave, but stupid. Suicidal Banzai-type charges were very common earlier in the war and still occur. They will literally sacrifice 8-10 man teams in suicide squads by sending them screaming and firing Ak's and RPG's directly at our bases just to probe the defenses.
Fun fact: The enemy death toll is supposedly between 45-50 thousand. That is why we're seeing less and less infantry attacks and more IED, suicide bomber shit. The new strategy is simple: attrition.
The insurgent tactic most frustrating is their use of civilian non-combatants as cover. They know we do all we can to avoid civilian casualties and therefore schools, hospitals and (especially) Mosques arelocations where they meet, stage for attacks, cache weapons and ammo and flee to when engaged. They have absolutely no regard whatsoever for civilian casualties. They will terrorize locals and murder without hesitation anyone believed to be sympathetic to the Americans or the new Iraqi govt.

Kidnapping of family members (especially children) is common to influence people they are trying to influence but cant reach, such as local govt.officials, clerics, tribal leaders, etc.).

According to Jordan, morale among our guys is very high. They not only believe they are winning, but that they are winning decisively. They are stunned and dismayed by what they see in the American press, whom they almost universally view as against them. The embedded reporters are despised and distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1 and then see shit like "Are we losing in Iraq" on TV and the print media. For the most part, they are satisfied with their equipment, food and leadership. Bottom line though, and they all say this, there are not enough guys there to drive the final stake through the heart of the insurgency, primarily because there aren't enough troops in-theater to shut down the borders with Iran and Syria. The Iranians and the Syrians just cant stand the thought of Iraq being an American ally (with, of course, permanent US bases there)..."

The Iraqi's are a mixed bag. Some fight well, others aren't worth a shit. Most do okay with American support. Finding leaders is hard, but they are getting better. It is widely viewed that Zarqawi's use of suicide bombers, en masse, against the civilian population was a serious tactical mistake. Many Iraqi's were galvanized and the caliber of recruits in the Army and the police forces went up, along with their motivation. It also led to an exponential increase in good intel because the Iraqi's are sick of the insurgent attacks against civilians. The Kurds are solidly pro-American and
fearless fighters.


Outstanding letter. And we see how the AQI tactics backfired. And Congress wants to just let all this hard work go to waste.

Michael Yon - Who's got the holy hand grenade?

Michael Yon, in case you did not know, is an embedded free-lance reporter, doing the job the way it is supposed to be done. He's been in the combat theater more often than some troops. Here is another taste of what is actually going on in Iraq, Baqubah, especially.....
Make sure you read the rest of his stuff. BTW, he is not paid for this. Please support his next dispatch.

Al Qaeda still lurks in the area, so the farmers were happy to see us. One woman said that seeing the Army out there was a blessing from God, which made the Soldiers happy. There’s not a lot of happiness to be had here, but the Soldiers respond when people show gratitude. It charges their batteries. And they really love those cards from home where kindergartners and first graders ask all kinds of funny questions like, “Is it hot in the desert?” Yes, a little bit. But along the waterways in Iraq, such as here next to the Diyala River, it’s hot and humid. Practically steaming. Even the mosquitoes must sweat here.

I watched during the Senate hearings on 11 September 07 as some Senators attempted to corner General Petraeus, insinuating that the war in Iraq was a distraction from the fight against al Qaeda. It was clearly that during the initial invasion, but not today. These photos were taken at the center of what al Qaeda claimed to be their worldwide headquarters. Listening to some of the Senators’ questions, the true magnitude of the gulf between what is happening in Iraq and what people in America think is happening in Iraq became apparent.

We were now on Route Burga, which haAmerican Soldiers closed in. This was fantastically dangerous. I remember wondering what their families might think about them moving in to take the guys alive, when this could cost American lives. How would I write about such Soldiers should they get blown up by a suicide vest planted to specifically take advantage of our Soldiers’ sense of decency?d not been cleared. Our guys could all be blown to pieces, but they kept moving forward.

HELL YEAH!

via military motivator

Recruiting News

Since the media and the antiwar protestors (isn't that redundant) have concentrated on recruiting during the Iraq Campaign, here's some good news via StrategyPage.

Strange Days for U.S. Army Recruiters

September 16, 2007:
All four branches of the U.S. military met their recruiting goals in August. The army, which has the hardest time recruiting, because of the war, exceeded its goals for two months in a row, after coming up a bit short in May and June. The army appears ready to meet its recruiting goal, of 80,000 new troops for the year. Reenlistment goals have also been met. The biggest problem recruiters have is not with anti-war activists (who get the most attention) but a booming economy. Since most (over 80 percent) of the jobs in the army have nothing to do with combat, recruiters are basically competing with the civilian job market. For the educated, energetic young people the army is seeking, there are often lots good jobs out there that don't require extended visits to places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Recruiters have a much easier time with recent high school grads looking for some adventure, or feeling patriotic. These two factors bring in most of the recruits for combat units. Actually, it's been easier getting recruits for combat jobs, than for some technical ones. (emphasis mine)

Thompson and Federalism

Yet another reason to like Thompson as a candidate.

From Kim du Toit, who has the best quote while tipping us off about this article:
"Every time some authoritarian twerp like Giuliani or McCain compares himself to Ronald Reagan (and they have), I want to knee him in the nads."

From Chris Edwards at TCS:

“[T]he problem with the $2.8 trillion federal budget is not $30 billion in pork, it is $2 trillion of spending that violates the 10th Amendment to the Constitution as properly the responsibility of the states and the people.”

He continues:

"Thompson rightly argues that the abandonment of federalism has caused a range of pathologies including a lack of government accountability, the squelching of policy diversity between the states, and the overburdening of federal policymakers with local matters when they should be focusing on national security issues."

"Federalism "is a tool to promote freedom" as Thompson puts it. So for the supposed heirs to Ronald Reagan who are running for president, let's hear more about expanding our freedom by cutting the federal government down to constitutional size."

Go Fred!

The real meaning of the ANSWER march

From Roger L. Simon, comes a article that raises a good point.

Rinky Dink Antiwar Demonstrations

The propagandists at Xinhua say there were "tens of thousands" at the DC antiwar demonstration yesterday. The VOA says more like five thousand. However many people you agree showed up - the AP says "several" thousand - the number is pretty pathetic. In a country of three hundred million, if you can't muster up even fifty thousand people against a war, the event is basically meaningless, barely even news. You could probably drum up more than that for fly-fisherman's rights.
What's interesting is why this low turnout when, according to many polls, the public is supposedly massively against the war. If they are so antiwar, they certainly are pretty apathetic about it.

Another point is the question, "Does counter-protesting give the antiwar crowd publicity on what would otherwise be a non-event?"

Read the whole thing.

Why Tom Davis should NEVER be the Senator from Virginia

D.C. Voting Rights

It's time for the Senate to debate the bill on the floor.

Monday, September 17, 2007; Page A18

SUPPORTERS OF D.C. voting rights have to get 60 votes to advance the bill to the Senate floor for debate and a vote. This cloture motion is technical, but how the senators vote is entirely about principle. It is simply not right that U.S. citizens who live in the nation's capital are denied basic representation in their government. That a procedural gambit would be used to prevent a redressing of this wrong is inexcusable.

That the bill was fathered by a Republican member of Congress from Virginia -- Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, who is horrified by the 200-year injustice of D.C. disenfranchisement -- further burnishes its credentials.

Nuff said?

ITS NOT A STATE! If they are concerned about "taxation without representation," give them a perk. No federal income tax. If they would rather vote, add the citizens of DC to the rolls in Maryland. Gilmore or Cantor!

h/t From On High

GOE Fight Song! - The Gauntlet

I've found the fight song for the GOE!

Dropkick Murphys

"The Gauntlet"

Well I just got back from a break in the fight
I was weighing in heavy but still feeling alright
all I hear in the distance - mines and shells
here come the sirens wailing another attack to be repelled

Do you think we're gonna make it?
I don't know unless we try
you could sit here scared to move
or we could take them by surprise
it's submission that they want
it's surrender that they need
when we're doing it their way
their aims will be achieved

They're gonna come when you're not ready
when you're not too well-prepared
they're gonna prey upon your weakness
no man's soul is ever spared
you've got to stand up, yeah, and fight them
show them what it's all about
this man is not for sale
there will be no backing down.

[Chorus:]
Stand up and fight and I'll stand up with you
We shall succeed,
Stand up and fight and I'll stand up with you

They won't get me, they won't get me
though they never cease to try
they won't get me, they won't get me
I would rather fight and die
they won't get me, they won't get me
well my friend will they get you?
when they get you, when they get you
tell me what you're gonna do?

Do you think we're gonna make it?
I don't know unless we try
you could sit here scared to move
or we could take them by surprise
it's submission that they want
it's surrender that they need
when we're doing it their way
their aims will be achieved.

They're gonna come when you're not ready
when you're not too well-prepared
they're gonna prey upon your weakness
no man's soul is ever spared
you've got to stand up, yeah, and fight them
show them what it's all about
this man is not for sale
there will be no backing down.

[Chorus: x2]
Stand up and fight and I'll stand up with you
We shall succeed
Stand up and fight and I'll stand up with you

GOE III quick note. More later

Noon,
I just got back from an incredible trip! The Eagles were definitely UP! Flags! Music! All inspired by love. The love of our wonderful country and the troops that give so much. I met many wonderful people. ( Unfortunately, I am terrible with remembering names.....I hereby apologize if I can't remember. Its a curse.)

Apparently, ConcreteBob knows everyone and was doing everything. I saw him running everywhere. There are rumors about that he even got a kiss from Michelle Malkin Friday night. He introduced me to Ms. Malkin (who was liveblogging) and toThe Donovan of Castle Argghhh!. And two great pleasures was meeting Cat of Cathouse Chat and NZ Bear of The Truth Laid Bear. Apparently the Donovan and NZ have friends in high places. NZ was looking out of place in his "church" clothes, so I gifted him a Baghdad Fire/Rescue t-shirt for all of his good work supporting the troops.
The rally was inspiring and heartening. The musical tribute to the parents and spouses of the fallen brought tears to my eyes.
FMcdonald and USMCPOP was in attendence and Alpheus showed up later. I think he was on a secret mission.....
Our numbers were lower than that of the ANSWER, but, it was obviously a case of quality over quantity. There will be pics and video, including Diana Nagy singing the National Anthem and the speech by Duncan Hunter, forthcoming, if I can figure out this 21st century stuff.

I did not take any pictures of the moonbats during the march. Primarily, because.....they were boring. We've all seen this before. Other than the typical "F" word signs and the Che shirts that capitalist pigs sell to them (oh the irony.) the marchers were just sad. They could have phoned that march in. Not one puppet or drum circle. The only music was by a trumpet player returning to the Depression days, playing "Happy days are here again."
Of course I missed the fun at the Capitol. Here's another description by a commenter, IrishEI, on Michelle Malkin's site:

Just got back from the Gathering of Eagles. What an incredible day, being surrounded by a tremendous group of incredible people! It was absolutely inspiring. I urge everyone who can to attend the next gathering–you won’t regret it.

Now for the moonbats. What can I say? It was a total freak show. Lots of “F” words on their signs, Che Guevarra shirts, Arafat scarves as well as anarchists and marxists. Pink hair, purple hair, multiple piercings, grandmas in string bikini tops, a handful of people in burkas, the typical Abu Ghraib prisoners in orange jumpsuits, giant papier mache masks, mercedes benz “peace symbols” (idiots), Malcom X fans and even a contingent from the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). What a nightmarish crowd! Some moonbat looked at my sign which read “God Bless Our Troops” and threw an egg on it. Another moron hissed at me and told me I was the devil. But we just kept shouting “USA, USA” and laughing at them. (Did a fair amount of taunting ourselves–lots of good fun.)

The age disparity in the marchers was telling. The more vocal marchers were either old hippies or very young college age marchers. Their largest contingent appeared to be college age and they appeared to be there because they had nothing else to do and wanted to be part of the "fun." Our side DEFINITELY was the more passionate.
I can't report on the activity that happened at the capitol as I was standing watch with fellow GOE members at the Navy Memorial to prevent a repeat of the January vandalism.

The one thing I really learned yesterday is that I need to buy myself a REALLY BIG MEGAPHONE. I need one really, really bad. They're fun.

Check out:
Michelle Malkin (Make sure you read the comments!)
Victory Caucus
Powerline
Cathouse Chat (I envy her ability to send pics directly to her blog by phone.)

Patriot Pillz

The UCV Team will be blogging lite while we attend the Gathering of Eagles in D.C. this weekend.

Meanwhile, USMCPOP would like to share with you the amazing transformation that occurred when he swallowed an unidentified drug at a Peace Rally back in the day.

Abdul Sattar Abu Risha: Hero and Martyr

Iraqis vow to fight al Qaeda after sheikh's death
Reuters
09-14-07

Abdul Sattar Abu Risha was killed in a bomb attack on Thursday near his home in Ramadi, provincial capital of what was once one of Iraq's most dangerous areas.

"All the tribes agreed to fight al Qaeda until the last child in Anbar," his brother, Ahmed Abu Risha, told Reuters.

Abu Risha, who met U.S. President George W. Bush less than two weeks ago, led the Anbar Salvation Council, an alliance of Sunni Arab tribes that worked with U.S. troops to push Sunni Islamist al Qaeda out of much of the vast desert area.

Ahmed Abu Risha was named as the council's new head hours after the death of his charismatic, chain-smoking brother, who wore flowing white and gold robes as he shook hands with Bush.

"The killing of Sheikh Abu Risha will give us more energy ... to continue confronting al Qaeda members and to dispose of them," said Sheikh Rashid Majid, a leader of the al-Bufahad tribe in Ramadi.

"But his murder will make us more cautious, because the reason for the killing of Abu Risha was careless security. We are 90 percent sure that al Qaeda is behind the assassination."

Many ordinary Iraqis agreed. "All of Anbar owes this man, he offered security and stability," said 45-year-old Mohammed Hussain Ali from Ramadi.

~snip~

"We have decided not to be merciful toward anyone who sympathizes with al Qaeda because it is either us or them."