The Elephant In the Port-a-Potty

Bush's Fault, Blah Blah Blah

Uncle Jimbo does not like to repeat himself especially when its so efffing simple to figure out on your own, IF, you take five minutes and think about it BUT he has graciously provided us with the facts on what happened in Tora Bora. You don't believe it? Thats your problem, not mine.

Afghanistan? Tora Bora?
Bush's fault forever
I grow bored of rehashing something we have been rehashing so long that the links to where I did an exhaustive analysis of it at Madison.com are no longer even active.

So Tora Bora, let me make this simple.

1. We invade A-Stan with small number of Spec Ops guys and partner w. Northern Alliance and in amazingly successful operation kick Taliban and al Qaeda asses.

2. Many of them die, some run to Paktia province, some (incl. bin Laden) run toward Pakistan and stop in highly-fortified Tora Bora.

3. We do the math and since Tora Bora is way the hell up high in the mountains figger out we would have a wicked time resupplying any troops we managed to get up there w/ our limited helicopter support and also they would be ambush bait for bad guys
who are real good at that.

4. So we decide to try the same thing that worked to kick their asses already. We partnered with local tribes to provide the manpower while we sent Spec Ops support and massive air power.

5. We push up there and even the Spec Ops guys have a helluva time because of the terrain. The local tribes more or less screw us and take the money but don't fight
much.

6. We still kills hundreds of Taliban and AQ but bin Laden slips off to become a ghost.

7. A talking point for the ignorant left, their enablers and military geniuses like F John Kerry (who served in Viet Nam) is born.

8. Rinse and repeat whenever the left needs a club to try and lose a war.

Next freakin' slide.

If you want to get back in the weeds on this again, Greyhawk is doing his usual
excellent job of journalizing.

Open Letter To The President From A Soldier

H/T Blackfive
Mr. President

In the scheme of things I am but one voice among many, to include the former Vice President who are speaking out against what I feel is a travesty in the making; our potential defeat in Afghanistan.

I do not speak as someone who has no idea what I am talking about. I have walked the ground and carried a rifle up dangerous mountain roads and lain awake in ambush positions at night in the high mountains of Eastern Afghanistan

I have fought with our Afghan partners; our NATO Partners (Some of them not so willing) and I have buried comrades, both Afghan and American, and saluted comrades who come home for the very last time.

Your continued dithering on the essential issues surrounding Afghanistan that you promised in your campaign has led me, and many Americans, to disregard the veracity of your claims and your will to protect the American People. Your unease with the word “Victory” speaks a great deal to your beliefs about what you think of America and shows how much you do not respect American Soldiers.

In a word sir, you are not credible. And leaders without credibility really aren't leaders at all.

Soldiers see things in very definable terms. Words like "good" and "evil," "victory" and "defeat" have concrete and definable meanings to us. Things in our world are fairly cut and dried. This is because the nature of our business has a great deal of finality to it and because we, the men and women in the fight write the check for the indicated price of victory. We are glad to do it without asking for a bargain on the cost. We are the first to see the cost of defeat in comrades wounded or killed. The price of freedom is etched in the faces and hearts of my brothers and sisters as they salute the flag draped casket of the friend who might have only moments before imparted some nugget of wisdom, told a funny joke, shared their fears and when the going was tough, stood with them shoulder to shoulder on the field of battle.

You dishonor the memories of the fallen and disrespect the families of those who continue to fight on by your continued excuse-making and endless consultation that serves no other purpose than to appear as if you are doing something, while searching in vain for what you perceive to be a better answer.

Mr. President, deciding to do nothing is still a decision.

I demand, decency demands, Americans who believe in victory demand, and most importantly, the American families with family members in the fight, who certainly have the most invested and unquestionably the most to lose demand that the politics, excuse making and dithering end and that you give the necessary support to the men and women who are bearing the battle and taking the fight to our enemies. I am not asking, I am telling you to listen to those with the knowledge and skills that can turn the tide of this rapidly resurgent enemy we face and to give them the resources they ask for.

As an American, I demand that if the leaders that I freely elect are going to commit blood and treasure to the defeat of our enemies, then we do not go about it in vacillating half measures following incoherent policies that lead to indefinable outcomes spread over generations.

We fight to win, or we don’t fight at all.

If you are unwilling or you are unable to fulfill your role as Commander in Chief, then you should tender your resignation.

Many veterans will not forget what was said by many in your party about our efforts to defeat this enemy nor your failure to fully support our soldiers on the field of battle.

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way….

Deebow

Running With the Big Dogs

I'm back from celebrating Arthur Guiness's 200th birthday with several very shady individuals. The guest list read like a who's who of right wing extremists and potential terrorists:
Matty O'Blackfive
Jimbo O'Hanson
Jonn O'Lilyea
Toby O'Nunn
Mary K O'Ham
Concrete O'Bob
Army O'Girl
and a really suspicious (but smokin' hot) Lady with suspected ties to a secret security force down in NC.

Its a wonder we weren't all renditioned just for being in the same county together.
Fortunately, the satellite look down malfunctioned and we disabled our GPS phones.

Blackfive for President?!?

Well, maybe we should start slow and work our way up.
So, here is the link to a good man's website.
Matt Burden

Go donate.

A New Blog

http://thenewpundit.com/2009/09/13/visit-to-walter-reed-hospital-during-9-12-weekend/

A More Realistic Estimate

We all know the VLWM is suffering from a serious numerical dyslexic-disorder. They just can't seem to get their numbers straight, for some reason.

Lets get this out of the way now.

Most media outlets are using the term "10's of thousands" to describe the 9/12 March attendance in Washington DC.

I was there from 0700 until 1500 and I can assure you, (and I have Park Police estimates to back it up), there were 1.3 million Americans at the 9/12 March in Washington DC.

ONE POINT THREE MILLION voting Americans who quite possibly represent another 100 voting Americans who could not attend.

Are you listening now?

Can you hear THEM NOW?!?!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW??!!!

InstaPundit has a photo taken by MKH, (what a class act and a smokin' hot baby-doll) who actually paid $18 to access the vantage point from the top of the Newseum. This is the end of Pennsylvania Ave from about 3rd Street to the West Lawn. The Newseum is at 555 Pennsylvania Ave, between 5th and 6th. The March extends west to 14th Street. Do the math. It took 3.5 hours to move the crowd from 14th to 3rd Streets, and the marchers filled Pennsylvania Ave from curb to curb for almost 3 hours.

Tankerbabe and I met up with Uncle Jimbo and Lilyea.
Uncle Jimbo was speechless; a condition he rarely, if ever, suffers from, although I did hear several "WOW!!!'s" and at least three "I can't effing believe this!!'s"

He did manage to recover sufficiently to film some folks.

Matt's A Friend, Help Him Out, Please

Subject: Help Us Free Sergeant Jermaine Nelson

Sgt Jermaine Nelson is the last of three decorated combat Marines charged with killing jihadists during the 2004 battle for Fallujah, Iraq.

Sgt Nelson was a member of the 3/1 Marines from Camp Pendleton, a storied and highly decorated ground-fighting unit. A brand new Corporal at that time, Cpl Nelson's job was to search house to house, on foot, in a 'seek and destroy' mission against jihadists who had flooded the city specifically to kill and conduct a holy war against the Marines. During the battle on 9 November 2004, four military-aged jihadist males were found barricaded in a house, shooting at Cpl Nelson and his team...

More information at BlackFive:

Please read and sign the petition to drop the charges against Sergeant Nelson:

Click here to sign the petition


Thank you!

Matt

Matthew "BlackFive" Burden
Chairman, Board of Directors
Warrior Legacy Foundation

Warrior Legacy Foundation

You've probably noticed the new avatar on the right side of this webpage. Thats the link to the Warrior Legacy Foundation, a new organization started by two very outstanding individuals, one of whom is a friend of mine. I signed up and I think you should too, if you feel the same about our Warriors, past, present and future.

Remember General George Washington's words:
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars to be treated and appreciated by their nation.”

Washington, DC 26 May 2009:

This Memorial Day we launch a new group, The Warrior Legacy Foundation- a non partisan organization committed to the protection, promotion and dignity of America’s Warriors. The membership of the group is open to anyone who believes in this cause.

Across every generation, at war and at peace, America has asked her citizens to protect liberty anddefend freedom at all costs. And no matter the terrain or political climate, America’s Warriors have met every challenge and made every sacrifice that was asked of them in order to defeat our enemies andprotect our way of life. The Warrior Legacy Foundation is a passionate advocate for the preservation and elevation of the hallowed legacy of the American Warrior Class. Join us and stand firm in defense of the heritage of those brave souls who have protected our sovereignty throughout our great nation’s history.

They have asked for nothing and have given us everything.

Below is a message from our Executive Director, David Bellavia:

“Welcome to The Warrior Legacy Foundation. By joining our ranks today you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the only organization in our great nation that is steadfastly dedicated to the protecting the legacy and honor of ALL those who have served this great nation. A Warrior is not defined by valor awards, era, deployments or branch of service. Rather a Warrior is someone dedicated to a noble code entrenched in honor and understands the importance of protecting our American way of life no matter what is asked of them. At WLF, there is no distinction in service to our nation. No generational bigotry. No valor elitism. One unapologetic message with millions of messengers. Veterans make the community in which they live a better place.”

WLF will work to educate all Americans about those who bought them the freedoms they enjoy each and every day. We will ensure that children grow up with the knowledge that brave men and women volunteer to face our enemies abroad so they can be safe here at home. We will capture the stories of all those who came before us and preserve them for posterity. We will never forget that the sacrifices of those who went to war bought the freedom and liberty we enjoy daily.

SOGMedia

Blackfive and a group of extraordinary individuals, most of whom call me friend, have began an effort which will document, and establish a legacy for future generations, the heroism and sacrifices of this generations Warrior Class.

They will tell the stories we need to hear about the Warriors and the battles they fought and won and make sure they all, especially the ones who paid the ulitmate price, will never be forgotten.

"At War", "Baghdad Happens", "Outside the Wire 07" are just the beginning.

More Here

Great Americans

Great Americans is perhaps one of the most promising tradtional values video websites to come along in a good while. This type of site has been desperately needed since 11 September 2001.

My brothers over at EaglesUp actually have a similar site, called protrooptube.com, but there seems to be a problem and Grey Wolf has other, more pressing tasks to attend to. Seriously.
I need him for the protroopevents website. He is the wizard. He is legend.

While LiveLeak and the now merged Ogrish were good sources for battle videos and videos of a rather gruesome nature, we needed an outlet for the good stuff.

(although I watched a video from a gunship at night of an incident in Iraq, that was hilarious. I will not describe it in detail, but I want you to think carport, convertible, two very atheletic consenting adults, (NOT military), who, to phrase it delicately, "danced like no one was watching".)
No less than 4 helicopters were involved in the surviellance, and the chatter between the pilots had me in hysterics.

Back to GA. Lets get rolling on getting videos uploaded of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for the extraordinary people who protect us and come to our aid when needed.

But give us some funny stuff too.

CJ has some good stuff up at A Soldiers Perspective.

Blackfive and Tankerbabe, and JP and Troy and CJ, and JD Johannes are doing some great stuff with video.

Show the world what you're doing. Tell the world about your heros. Get involved.

Its Time Someone Said It

PLEASE NOTE

WE HAVE A DATE CHANGE FOR THIS EVENT.

SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2009

NATIONAL MALL

3RD STREET

BETWEEN MADISON & JEFFERSON.

www.protroopevents.com

From Our Friends at Vets for Freedom

H/T Blackfive
Ben Hayden
Iowa State Captain, VFF
As America moves closer to November, we need to be informed on the issues. One issue that is very misunderstood is the war in Iraq. A number of Americans are basing their decision in the 08’ elections on this topic, which makes it extremely important to be well educated on the issue. It is also important because America has invested so much into Iraq, both financially and physically. Typically, when we have to make an educated decision we don’t do so based on feelings alone. We do so with the aid of research and knowledge on the topic. When making an important medical decision we don’t turn to our mechanic, we turn to our doctor, and vice versa.
So why, when making an important decision about whether or not to stay the course in Iraq, would we listen to someone other than the experts? Why would we make such an important decision, a decision that carries with it so many lives and so much money, without listening to the men and women that have been there? The Hero’s that have given so much, yet asked for so little in return.
Some say that we have failed in Iraq. This is detrimental to the moral of our troops. Say what you want about the President and his Administration, but don’t tell our troops that they have failed, because they haven’t. They have achieved success and are continuing to achieve more and more.
In November, Iraq will hold its first provincial elections. This proves success. Iraq now has an Air Force and an Army, with their security forces numbering over 540,000 people. Over the past year they have seen enormous economic gains and will continue to grow economically in the months to come. They are now outspending the U.S. ten to one on major reconstructive projects.
As a Marine Veteran that served two tours of duty in Iraq, I know how important success there is. I know how important it is that America knows the truths about Iraq. I can assure you that the experts, the men and women that have been there fighting, know the importance of success and want our help in winning the war on terror. Help them, help us.

Soldiers Angels & America's Favorite Mom

Now, understand that my Mom is the coolest person I know. However, Patti gave me my SA pin personally, so I have some affection for her as well. Besides all the other stuff she's managed to accomplish.
Matt at Blackfive beat me to this, only because I have a real job. :)

About a month ago, Patti's son, Brandon, nominated her to be "America's Favorite Mom," a national contest sponsored by Teleflora and NBC. We have just received word that Patti is among the top fifteen finalists and all of them will be appearing on the NBC Today Show between May 5-9. Patti will be on Monday May 5th.

On Mother's Day (May 11), NBC will have a prime-time special hosted by Donny & Marie Osmond and feature the winner who will be crowned, America's Favorite Mom. The results will be determined by how many votes are received.

I am sending you this message to share the news that Patti is one of the finalists – and what a wonderful recognition this is for her as the proud mother of three loving children (including two young soldiers - one who has served in Iraq and one who is currently deployed). As you know, it was Brandon's deployment that inspired Patti to start Soldiers' Angels. As well as honoring Patti, this is also a tribute to Soldiers' Angels and it would be fantastic if Patti and all of the good work of our organization could be highlighted on the Mother's Day Special.

I encourage you to view the TV show and join me in feeling good about Patti and all that Soldiers' Angels has accomplished in just five years. For so many of you who are mothers yourselves, I don't need to tell you that the inspiration and driving force of Soldiers' Angels has always been thousands of mothers caring for their own and others' children. All of the fifteen finalists are exemplary women who deserve the recognition and it is kind of crazy to be choosing one – each is special and more than deserving of the recognition.

So, please take a look at the website http://www.americasfavoritemom.com/ – you will certainly enjoy seeing the bios of all of the finalists, and watch NBC's Today Show on Monday May 5th.