Archive for January 31st, 2008
The Latest From Michael Yon
January 31st, 2008
News from Michael Yon via email:
Greetings:
I am back in Iraq, currently in South Baghdad on FOB Falcon with 1-4Cav. This battalion is doing so well with counterinsurgency that it has not been attacked a single time since 9 September 2007. Their area was one of the worst in all Iraq before they got here.
Men of Valor Part VII (from my time with British troops in late 2007) is published.
My book “Moment of Truth in Iraq” is a work in progress; information about ordering advance (signed) copies is available here: Moment of Truth in Iraq.
There is not enough time to write long dispatches while the book is still in progress; I plan to run a lot of missions during February. But I will try to publish short dispatches nearly daily through February. I will not send an email with each new dispatch, so please check the site frequently.
There likely will continue to be an increase in US casualties as a result of the fact that Iraqi and American forces have their teeth sunk deeply into al Qaeda in northern Iraq. Iraqi and American forces are crushing the wind out of al Qaeda, but the enemy still has strength and is fighting hard.
V/r,
Michael
Baghdad
Read Men of Valor: Part VII of VIII:
The Welsh Warriors, under Major Steve Webb, set off to recon hiding places for tonight’s VCPs, or vehicle control points. The idea was merely to surprise passersby and politely search their vehicles coming from the direction of Iran—the border was maybe three miles away—for things like surface-to-air missiles and EFPs. No weapons coming across the Iranian border have ever been captured by Coalition forces. Practically nobody lives near the crossing, and the border crossing closes at 1600, so any traffic after that would be suspicious.
Moment of Truth may be ordered here.
Posted in 
A Very Special Delivery
January 31st, 2008
It has taken me until today to find that feel good story which I look for every week. This one has to rank up there among my favorites.
ENCINO, CA. – Operation Gratitude founder, Carolyn Blashek, and Director of Operations, Charlie Othold, traveled 9,000 miles to surprise an unknowing Soldier with the keys to a 2008 Jeep(R) Liberty at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Iraq on January 22. The gift of the Liberty was in celebration of Operation Gratitude’s shipment of 300,000 care packages to troops deployed overseas.
Spc. Michael Gallagher, of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Washington, was the recipient of Operation Gratitude’s special care package.
The Jeep(R) was donated by the Jeep brand. In a letter addressed to an “American Hero”, John Plecha, Director -Jeep Marketing and Global Communications, said it was an honor to do something special for both a great organization and for the troops in Iraq.
“As the recipient of the 300,000th Operation Gratitude care package, the Jeep brand is delighted to award you a Jeep vehicle of your own as a symbol of our appreciation, as you represent all those who bravely go in harm’s way in service to our country,” Plecha’s letter continued.
While we often thank those who protect this nation, it is individuals like Ms. Blashek and so many of the generous businesses here in the US who often go without notice. In most cases, I am certain that is the way they would prefer it to be.
So thanks to every volunteer and proprietor who has helped make the life of a member of our fighting forces just a bit easier. It is gratitude well deserved.
HT:Lucianne
Money, money, and lots more money
January 31st, 2008
If Senator Obama does not secure the Democratic nomination, perhaps he should become a campaign advisor whose forte is fundraising:
WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama raised $32 million in the single month of January, [Emphasis, mine] a whopping figure that has permitted the campaign to boost staff and extend advertising to states beyond the sweeping Feb. 5 contests, aides said Thursday.
Obama is now advertising in 20 of the 22 states in play for next week’s Super Tuesday and plans to begin advertising in seven more states that hold primaries or caucuses later in February. Rival Hillary Rodham Clinton is advertising in 12 Super Tuesday states, including her own home state of New York.
With John Edwards out of the race, Clinton and Obama are in a fierce race for delegates to secure the nomination. Feb. 5 offers the biggest single opportunity for delegates, but is impossible for either one to seal the nomination on that day.
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said the campaign attracted 170,000 new donors for a total of 650,000 donors overall. The $32 million raised in one month matches the campaign’s best three-month fundraising period in 2007, when the campaign raised $30 million in primary money and $2 million for the general. The money raised in January was all for the primaries.
These are amazing numbers and ones which any Republican candidate would love to replicate.
The Senator and I are polar opposites on important issues but I must commend him on this achievement.
His ability to raise cash so quickly is something which potentially could play a huge role in the general election.
What I Learned From Wednesday’s Debate
January 31st, 2008
Because the Republican race is down to McCain and Romney (in spite of Huckabee and Ron Paul still being in) I was particularly interested in watching Wednesday night’s debate from the Reagan Library.
My thoughts:
McCain seemed very self-confident to the point of my wanting to wipe the smirk off his face.
Romney challenged McCain directly about a quote he says McCain has taken out of context regarding setting a timetable for pulling out of Iraq.
When the exact quote was read by one of the questioners I came down on Romney’s side.
McCain says he can lead because he led the largest squadron during the Viet Nam War and he can always appoint people to manage, but you can’t appoint a leader.
Romney then talked about his business life, which from the sound of it from Ron Paul or someone, left some people jobless. He also spoke of turning around the Olympics and addressed the tariffs charged in Massachusetts.
They were things such as charging companies more for putting their signs on the interstates. Instead of charging $200 charge $2000.
He mentioned his state’s health care bill, in which he said if someone was capable of paying for health insurance they should get it or pay their own medical expenses and the state made health insurance available to everyone. He says what the current governor and legislature are doing to health care in his state would be vetoed if he were still governor.
But, more than anything else, I was struck by his tenacity. I have stated many times I could not vote for Romney. Well, the candidate I supported dropped out a little over a week ago.
The bottom line is since we have the choice between these two good Americans I could easily vote for either of them and pray they get a certified conservative as a running mate and conservatives in the cabinet.
A Very Tedious One and One Half Hours
January 31st, 2008
In viewing Wednesday evening’s debate I was struck by something which surprised me a bit. I found myself bored with much of the questioning, worse yet, many of the answers.
Mitt Romney, in a forum where there are no time limits, drones on to a point where his original thoughts many times disappear.
In my opinion, the same thing that drove Rudy from this race is part of his downfall. Stress your strengths, but leave the word Massachusetts out of the discussion. You will not be President of a state but of a nation.
At one point during the debate my husband who pays close attention to these contests said, “I am tired of hearing his voice.” Me too.
John McCain would have acquitted himself well to admit he made a “mistake” in his interpretation of Romney’s remarks on timetables and that would have put that issue to bed. As it was, we wasted a good twenty minutes as these two argued semantics.
The Senator is very weak in his answers on the economy, almost to the point where one wonders if he has any real command of the issue. Leadership in the US Military speaks volumes, but it does not translate to a handle on the nuts and bolts of dollars and cents.
Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul, whether we believe they are viable contenders or not, were in attendance at this debate and in my opinion were treated rather shabbily. (Funny, I thought Mike Huckabee had the best answer of the night on the final question as to whether Reagan would have endorsed him.)
I understand you want to draw information from the proposed front-runners, but to blatantly ignore others at the table, for at one point almost thirty minutes, is absurd. As a matter of fact, I believe it has the opposite effect of what is intended.
When they finally spoke, I was so pleased to hear another opinion that I actually found myself paying attention to their answers more intently than those of McCain and Romney.
Yes, the Reagan Library was a beautiful setting for this debate, however, Ronald Reagan is not running for re-election. Neither is George Bush or JFK.
I admire all of those men, but we live in a new era and the platform of the current candidates must be unique to our circumstances today.
Someone actually counted, and Governor Romney invoked the name of Reagan fifteen times last evening, the other candidates four to five times each.
As I do not appreciate Senator Clinton running on her husbands record, I also do not approve of the Republicans constantly invoking the name of Reagan in regard to their candidacy.
I know who Ronald Reagan was, I don’t need today’s players explaining his Presidency to me. He was the right man at the time he was elected, but please, enough already.
I want to know who these candidates are and what they stand for..and not through Reagan’s legacy but their own ideas which will one day, should they be elected, form their own.
So to wrap it up, I think CNN and Anderson Coooper did a dreadful job of handling this debate.
Far too much time was spent on single issues. The candidates with no time limits imposed did what politicians do best..enjoyed hearing themselves speak.
Am I pleased at the moment with our choices as Republicans, no. Will I stay home and not cast a ballot, no. Would I ever presume to encourage others, as some have done, to pass on their civic duty, no.
At this point, I see this election as a choice of the lesser of two evils with the knowledge that there is ample time for that to change.
