Theodore's World

A few dozen combat-wounded leathernecks recovering in National Capital Region hospitals are bound for Detroit to attend the biggest sports event of the year.
The Cleveland Browns organization, in unity with the National Football League, has donated 50 Super Bowl tickets to Marine veterans who received combat injuries while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The block of tickets, which has a street value of nearly $250,000, was given to Manpower and Reserve Affairs to be disseminated to the Marines in the region who meet the medical criteria for attending to the game.
“Our biggest challenge was to remain faithful to the specifics of the Cleveland Browns organization criteria for choosing who can go,” said Maj. Francis Piccoli, Marine 4 Life public affairs officer. “We narrowed it down to 33 injured Marines who are on an in-patient status in the National Capital Region who met all the specific requirements. We have to give the tickets to those folks who can physically go and don’t require constant medical attention.”
The NFL will officially recognizing the Marines’ presence with an announcement during the nationally broadcast football championship.
“Anyone watching the Super Bowl during that first break will see the United States Marine Corps,” said Piccoli. “The community relations tie-in gives us the opportunity to inform a worldwide audience of Marines who have served their country and served it well.”
“It’s exciting to be able to go to the Super Bowl,” said Cpl. Alexander Sidles, an administration clerk with Marine Corps Combat Development Com-mand. Sidles is one of two Marine veterans recovering aboard Quantico who has been nominated for a seat at the game, which will feature the American Football Conference champion Pittsburg Steelers squaring off with the National Football Conference champions Seattle Seahawks.
“I know that we will all be well taken care of while we are traveling to the game and while we are there,” Sidles added. “I know there are 50 of us going to the game but there are many more people working behind the scenes to make this happen for us. We just don’t see that, and I appreciate it.”
Each Marine attending the trip will be provided with $50 spending money and will also receive a per diem payment for the Detroit area. The funds were provided through the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Agency via the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.
After the Marines in the National Capitol Region receive their tickets, remaining tickets will go to Marines stationed near the Detroit metro area assigned to support the logistics of the trip.
“The Marines deserve this trip,” said Piccoli. “It is their day to just sit back and enjoy their day of recognition and a day at the game.”

* Mudville Gazette

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MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Feb. 2, 2006)

A new vehicle is revving up to defend America’s troops against the threat of improvised explosive devices in Iraq.
The Cougar and Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicle (JERRV) are new tools at Marines’ disposal to combat transportation threats. The vehicles feature a South African-inspired V-shaped hull, which is designed to distribute the impact of an IED or mine blast outward away from the crew compartment.
The hull has already proven its worth in combat mission in Iraq. The RG-31, a similar but smaller vehicle than the Cougar, recently took an IED hit in Iraq. Marines with Security Detachment, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, encountered an IED Jan. 6. The IED exploded underneath the RG-31. The V-shaped hull sent the blast outward instead of directly up, saving the lives of the crew.
First Lt. Brandon S. Davis, the 8th ESB assistant Security Detachment commander, described the scene in an interview with a 2nd Marine Logistics Group combat correspondent in Iraq. The blast briefly threw the vehicle into the air. Everyone survived with few, minor injuries.
Five service members were aboard the vehicle; two received concussions and two others suffered only minor burns.
The Cougar and JERRV, both of which are larger than the RG-31, are armored vehicles that provide survivability for Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians and combat engineers. Both provide protection for them to do their mission and each have proven their worth in Iraq.
“What really separates these vehicles is their level of survivability and ability to provide protection to the occupants in the vehicle against IED and mine blasts,” said Lt. Col. Mike Micucci, project manager for the Cougar and JERRV. “They can survive a larger blast from an IED or mine than your typical humvee.”
“They [South Africa] understood that manpower was precious, and wanted to build a vehicle that provided protection against mines” Micucci said. “The armored V-shaped hull helps to deflect the blast away from the crew compartment.”
The Cougar and JERRV are not just troop transport vehicles. They are force multipliers that EOD and combat engineers units utilize to accomplish their mission.
“These vehicles provide them protection to patrol areas prone to IEDs and to safely check out situations where you need EOD and combat engineers to go,” Micucci said.
Micucci said three variants of each vehicle are being produced. There is a 4×4 EOD vehicle, a 6×6 EOD vehicle, and a 6×6 engineer vehicle. EOD vehicles usually carry four troops while the engineer vehicles carry 10. The EOD vehicles also can carry an assortment of EOD equipment, such as bomb disposal robots.
There are a few differences between the Cougar and the JERRV. The Cougar has firing ports while the JERRV does not. Instead, it has a ring mount for crew serve weapons.
Micucci said the Marine Corps purchased 27 Cougars for use in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The Pentagon’s Joint IED Defeat Task Force appointed the Marine Corps as the lead procurement agency to buy 122 JERRVs to be distributed among the Marine Corps, Army, Navy and Air Force. The Corps is receiving 38 vehicles.
The contract to produce the vehicles was awarded to Force Protection Industries of Charleston, S.C. Production of the vehicles is ongoing and will run through June.
At roughly 52,000 pounds and about $600,000 per vehicle, the Cougar and JERRV have neither the transportability nor the cost effectiveness to serve as a replacement for the humvee, Micucci said. However, he said, the vehicle’s armored, V-shaped undercarriage could find its way onto future warfighting vehicles.
“The Marines love the vehicle,” Micucci said. “They have survived IED hits in Iraq and the Marines have sustained only minor injuries. I think the future is towards the V-shaped hull. And if it’s not V-shaped, it’s definitely under-body protection that can help deflect or absorb blast from mines and IEDs.”

The Cougar, a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, is also built to rollover and is equipped with multi-point, racing style harnesses, so if the vehicle rolled 360 degrees, the passengers inside would avoid injury.

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Our troops ROCK! Thank you for serving our coutry and for all you do!

Good for you Piglet!

Wild Thing’s comment……..
I have seen this new cartoon at several places on the internet and I just had to post it. giggle
I love it!!!

* Nickie Goomba Thank you!!

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Jan. 31, 2006) – Lance Cpl. Benjamin R. Sigloh stands with his motivational Super Bowl poster Jan. 31. In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. They may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few die hard fans hope for the victory of their gridiron favorite. Sigloh is a field radio operator with Combat Logistics Regiment 25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward). Photo by: Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

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CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Feb. 1, 2006) — Every day, service members in Iraq put on their gear and prepare for battle in the war on terror, but one day a year the two top teams in the National Football League suit up and battle to see who will be the next Super Bowl champion.
In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. They may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few die hard fans hope for the victory of their gridiron favorite.
Whether they are swinging their “Terrible Towel” or playing as the “12th man,” servicemembers in Iraq are cheering for their squad.
Gunnery Sgt. Stephen B. Johnson, administrative chief for Combat Logistics Regiment-25, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) will be watching the game in his normal ritualistic fashion-alone.
He is hopeful for his team and expects their tough defense, which has only allowed six touchdowns in the post season, to get them through the game, said the 30-year Steeler fan.
“Our defense is much stronger than theirs,” said the Washington, Pa., native . “Lately, Pittsburgh’s offense has been rolling, so I think they will win 24-10.”
Johnson especially cheers for his favorite player, Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, whom in his 13 years in the NFL has 13, 662 career rushing yards.
Another Steelers fan of 33 years, Lt. Col. Timothy B. Seamon, executive officer of Combat Logistics Regiment-25 had some words of advice for Coach Bill Cower before the big game.
“Keep doing what got them there: Aggressive, creative, smash-mouth football,” said the Baden, Pa., native . “Don’t go into the prevent defense when you get ahead, that makes me more nervous than indirect fire.”
Seamon will be watching the game with his fellow headquarters Marines and doesn’t want to break the luck that this custom has brought them.
“Bring the trophy back for us Pittsburghers in Iraq,” Seamon said.
Many Pittsburgh area natives can be seen around Taqaddum with their Steelers memorabilia spread around their desks with hopes of their fifth Super Bowl victory.
Sgt. Jeremy M. Frick, II Marine Expeditionary Force liaison noncommissioned officer-in-charge, will have his grandparents tape the game and mail it to him.
He recollects watching the Seahawks at the feet of his grandparents as a young child and the tradition continues even thousands of miles away.
“I have been a Seahawks fan forever,” said the Issaquah, Wash., native . “My whole family is Seahawks fans.”
His favorite player is Shaun Alexander, who has rushed for 1,880 yards and scored 27 touchdowns this season for the National Football Conference champions.
Frick is excited about Seattle’s first trip to the championship and thinks they will walk away with a big win.
“I think it will be a really good game,” Frick said. “But the Seahawks will go all the way.”
Frick said if he could be in Detroit standing in front of the team, he would have some words of motivation for the players.
“Prove everyone wrong and take it for all your boys in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Frick.
He also suggested a strategy for Coach Mike Holmgren on how to defeat the hardened Steelers defense.
“Pound it through the middle,” Frick said. “Catch them off guard, then throw it right through them.”
He feels the key will be the Seattle offense which has generated more than 720 yards in the post season.
Seahawks fan Cpl. Casey J. Burk, the patient’s effects noncommissioned officer for Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon, Combat Logistics Regiment-25, 2nd MLG (Fwd.) feels the tenacity of the defense will be a huge deciding factor.
“I honestly feel the Seahawks will come from behind and win by three,” said the Auburn, Wash., native.
He urges the members of the Seahawks to play from the heart for the service members overseas. When in the United States, Burk attended many Seahawks games with his father.
“They need to hand the ball to Shaun Alexander as much as possible,” Burk said.
Frick and Burk are one of many “12th men” here in Iraq, who will filling the stands from afar supporting the Seahawks on Sunday.
Whether a troop’s loyalties lie with the black and gold or the blue and silver, from thousands of miles away in the fight against the global war on terror they will be encouraging their home team to win one for them.

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CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Jan. 31, 2006) – Lieutenant Col. Timothy B. Seamon, Capt. Trent Morrow, Gunnery Sgt. Stephen B. Johnson, Chief Petty Officer Mark F. Bryan, Capt. Charles T. Atwood stand posed with their Steelers memorabilia here Jan. 31. In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. These 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) Marines may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few die hard fans hope for the victory of their gridiron favorite. Seamon (left) is the executive officer for Combat Logistics Regiment 25, and Baden, Pa. native, Morrow is Headquarters and Service company commander and his wife is a native of Mt. Lebanon, Pa., Johnson is the administration chief for CLR-25 and Washington, Pa. native, Atwood is a communications officer with CLR-25 and Monroeville, Pa. native, and Bryan is the regimental aid station for CLR-25, and Oil City, Pa. native.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Jan. 31, 2006) – Corporal Casey J. Burk and Sgt. Jeremy M. Frick, both Seattle area natives, will be watching the game and cheering for their Seahawks Sunday. In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. They may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few die hard fans hope for the victory of their gridiron favorite. Burk is the Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon patient’s effects noncommissioned officer and Frick is the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force liaison noncommissioned officer.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Wayne Edmiston

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CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Feb. 1, 2006) – A Johnstown, Pa. native stands with a “good luck cookie” that was sent from home here Feb. 1. In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. They may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few die hard fans hope for the victory of their gridiron favorite.

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CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Jan. 31, 2006) — First Sgt. Timothy C. Tackett, an Upper St. Clair, Pa., native and Steelers fan shows off a Terrible Towel outside of his work space aboard Camp Taqaddum, Iraq. Tackett is the 2nd Marine Logstics Group (Forward), Headquarters Company, company 1st Sgt and is currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tackett’s parents, Larry E. and Sharon A. Atkins still reside in Upper St. Clair. (Official United States Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Josh H. Hauser)(released)
Photo by: Sgt. Josh H. Hauser

* Argghhh!
* The Mudville Gazette
Wild Thing’s comment……..
If you want to do a really nice thing for your military person….tape the game, including the commercials, and send it to them. The guys would have a second game showing just for the commercials.

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Tom Toles editorial cartoon published in The Washington Post on Monday has drawn a very rare and very strong protest letter to the editors from all six members of The Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The letter, not yet published by the Post, charges that the six military leaders “believe you and Mr. Toles have done a disservice to your readers and your paper’s reputation by using such a callous depiction of those who have volunteered to defend this nation, and as a result, have suffered traumatic and life-altering wounds. … As the Joint Chiefs, it is rare that we all put our hand to one letter, but we cannot let this reprehensible cartoon go unanswered.”
The spokeswoman said a letter from all six joint chiefs to anyone, let alone a newspaper, is rare, but the cartoon so offended them, they wanted to let their feelings be known. “It was expressing their disappointment with the paper and outrage at using that image to make a political point,” said Lt. Col. Diane Battaglia. “That is a rare occurrence, but the level of inappropriateness prompted a response of unanimous support.”
Battaglia said Post editors told her office that the letter would be published in Thursday’s paper. Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt declined to comment on the letter. “My policy is I can’t talk about letters until we publish them,” , “If and when a letter runs, I’d be happy to talk about it.”
The letter, signed by Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Edmund P. Giambastini, Jr., the vice-chairman, and the four other military branch leaders — and addressed to the Post’s managing editor, Philip Bennett — reveals that they were “extremely disappointed” in the Toles cartoon. “Using the likeness of a service member who has lost his arms and legs in war as the central theme of a cartoon is beyond tasteless,” they wrote.
They observed that the paper is “obviously free to address any topic,” even use exaggeration. But they added: “While you or some of your readers may not agree with the war or its conduct, we believe you owe the men and women and their families who so selflessly serve our country the decency to not make light of their tremendous physical sacrifices.”
Here is the pdf file of the letter from the Joint Chiefs of Staff
In case you cannot open a pdf file here is the letter.
Mr. Philip Bennett
Managing Editor, The Washington Post
1150 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20071
To The Editor of the Washington Post:
We were extremely disappointed to see the editorial cartoon by Tom Toles on page B6 in the January 29 edition. Using the likeness of a service member who has lost his arms and legs in war as the central theme of a cartoon is beyond tasteless. Editorial cartoons are often designed to exaggerate issues – and your paper is obviously free to address any topic, including the state of readiness of today’s Armed Forces. However, we believe you and Mr.Toles have done a disservice to your readers and your paper’s reputation by using such a callous depiction of those who have volunteered to defend this nation, and as a result, have suffered traumatic and lifealtering wounds.
Those who visit with wounded veterans in local hospitals have found lives profoundly changed by pain and loss. They have also found brave men and women with a sense of purpose and selfless commitment that causes truly battle-hardened warriors to pause. Where do we get such men and women? From the cities, and farmlands of this great Nation – they serve to be a part of something bigger than themselves. While you or some of your readers may not agree with the war or its conduct, we believe you owe the men and women and their families who so selflessly serve our country the decency to not make light of their tremendous physical sacrifices.
As the Joint Chiefs, it is rare that we all put our hand to one letter, but we cannot let this reprehensible cartoon go unanswered.
Sincerely,
PETER PACE
General, US Marine Corps
Chairman
Of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
EDMUND P. GIAMBASTIANI, JR.
Admiral, U.S. Navy
Vice Chairman
Of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
MICHAEL W. HAGEE
General, US Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
PETER J. SCHOOMAKER
General, US Army
Chief of Staff
MICHAEL G. MULLEN
Admiral, US Navy
Chief of Naval Operations
T. MiCHAEL MOSELEY
General, US Air Force
Chief of Staff
Wild Thing’s comment…….Tom Toles is a gutter-rat heartless bastard! This needs wide dissemination. Congratulations to the Joint Chiefs! This is an insult to our military in the name of free speech!! The troops fought for and with them, and now they’re fighting for them. And theirs. There are no words to express this type of thanks to the Joint Cheifs!
If you want to you can e-mail the Washington Post Editorial Board at:
opinions@washingtonpost.com
I hope the General’s letter was distributed to every bed at Walter Reed and all other hospitals that are caring for our heros.
For a morale boost and to let them know their commanders have some major league cojones!!
God bless the USMC for promoting General Pace!!

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* Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler
* BIG DOG’s blog
* Blackfive
And to one of our family of posters here at Theodore’s World blog……….BobF
Thank you Bob for the heads up about the cartoon.

State of the Democratic Party: Meltdown

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 1, 2006 — Despite President Bush’s weak poll numbers heading into yesterday’s State of the Union address and the recent indictment of a high-profile Republican lobbyist, new information suggests that it’s the Democratic party and not the GOP that is in political disarray. This according to Katharine DeBrecht, the outspoken author of the 2005 hit children’s book “Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed” (Kids Ahead; hardcover: $15.95; ISBN 0976726904).
Going into the mid-term elections with a two-term president of the opposite party should be a golden opportunity for Democrats, notes DeBrecht, but instead there are signs of strife as attempts by liberal senators to stop the Alito nomination fell flat while the party’s congressional leadership seems destined to clash with its national chairman.
“To make matters even worse, the Democratic National Committee is nearly broke,” says DeBrecht, “while the Republicans have millions in the bank. When Howard Dean won the chairmanship everyone thought he’d be able to raise truck loads of money from his online supporters and the MoveOn.org crowd, but instead he’s facing a rebellion from Democrats in Congress who are worried about his mismanagement.”
Dean seems unlikely to take the rebellion lying down, though. Reports have surfaced that the former Vermont governor has prepared a Nixonian response by digging up dirt on Harry Reid, the Democrat’s leader in the Senate. One DNC source is quoted in media reports as ominously saying that Dean’s secret evidence on dealings by the Senator from Nevada makes “Jack Abramoff’s lobbying work look like that of a rank amateur.”
Since lobbyist Abramoff recently pleaded guilty in a high profile influence-peddling case, says DeBrecht, this posturing from one of Dean’s DNC staffers suggests that Dean thinks he is in possession of extremely damaging information on the Senate minority leader. Whether Dean will disclose that information to the press or hang onto it in order to avoid an attack by the party’s Congressional leadership remains unclear.
Last fall liberals including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Fox host Alan Colmes, and MSNBC pundit Ron Reagan all vocally criticized DeBrecht’s book for teaching politics to children and portraying Clinton and Ted Kennedy as cartoon villains. Clinton’s spokesman twice criticized the book in published reports, while liberal blogger Andrew Sullivan called it Maoist and the Democratic Underground named DeBrecht to their “Top 10 Conservative Idiots” list. Liberal condemnations notwithstanding, the book soared to #1 on Barnes & Noble’s online bestseller list following praise from Rush Limbaugh.
DeBrecht chuckles over the lack of similar cohesion among Democrats today: “Fortunately for the liberals, I have a new book — ‘Help! Mom! Hollywood’s in My Hamper’ — coming out this March. It depicts Hollywood stars telling children that liberals like Hillary need to run their lives for them. Maybe that will help the Democrats find a common issue they can finally rally around.”
About Kids Ahead: Kids Ahead is an imprint of Los Angeles-based World Ahead Publishing, the West Coast’s premier publisher of conservative and libertarian books. Visit http://www.worldahead.com to learn more.

And then there is this article………
Howie and Harry

It appears that the Democrat Party is closer to imploding than the Republican. How else to explain the ongoing attempts by Democrat Party Chairman Howard Dean to destroy Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid?
According to knowledgeable DNC sources, Dean about ten days ago was shown opposition research documents generated by the Republican National Committee more than three years ago, which laid out facts regarding Reid and his family’s lobbying and ethical conflicts.
Dean, according to the sources, was fascinated by the details, and asked that his staff research and independently confirm everything on the documents. “Basically he oppo’d a member of his own party,” says a DNC source loyal to Dean.
“Basically, we were looking at three- or four-page documents that made Jack Abramoff’s lobbying work look like that of a rank amateur,” says the DNC source. “Between the minority leader’s past in Nevada and here in Washington, and the activities of his sons and son-in-law, there probably isn’t anyone in this town with more conflicts. The Reid family is the symbol of what’s wrong with Washington; it’s their behavior that enabled the culture that spawned people like Abramoff.”
Dean then went public over the weekend, saying that Democrats with an Abramoff problem would be in trouble, not only with voters, but with the Democrat Party. But why attack a senior member of his own party?
According to Democrat Party watchers and DNC staff, Dean has grown increasingly frustrated at how he is treated by the likes of Reid, Sen. Dick Durbin, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who leads the House Democrat candidate recruitment effort. “They treat him like a lackey, not as an equal,” says another DNC employee. “Just last week, they were all badmouthing his fundraising activities, when clearly he’s done a good job. What this comes down to a fight for the soul of our party, and if the chairman has to draw a long knife on a few of his colleagues, he’s more than willing to do so.”

From Drudge
DEAN UNDER FIRE FROM PARTY DEMS; NEARLY ALL CASH SPENT
Mon Jan 30 2006 10:52:31 ET

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are privately bristling over Howard Dean’s management of the Democratic National Committee and have made those sentiments clear after new fundraising numbers showed he has spent nearly all the committee’s cash and has little left to support their efforts to gain seats this cycle, ROLL CALL reports.
Congressional leaders were furious last week when they learned the DNC has just $5.5 million in the bank, compared to the Republican National Committee’s $34 million.
Senate and House Minority Leaders Harry Reid (Nev.) and Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), along with the Senate and House campaign committee chairmen Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), have made their concerns — directly or indirectly — known to Dean, claims the paper.
Emanuel was particularly upset last week upon seeing the latest DNC numbers.
“A lot of people are scratching their heads as to what’s going on,” said one senior Democratic aide.
Another Democratic source familiar with the party fundraising apparatus said there is “obvious displeasure” among the leaders.

Wild Thing’s comment………
Weeeeeeeeee this is hilarious! What can I say………..better them then us. BUAAAAAAAAAAAHAHHAHA

Before I begin I want to give credit to Cao’s Blog, Cao is a wonderful woman
with a big heart and very smart. She has much more information than I do that
you can go and read at her Blog.

Also SuperPatriots.US is the place to be as well if you want to get information and
updates.

“The SuperPatriots and Jack images on this site are used by
the Blogs and website listed below with written copyright
permission and any use by any third party is subject to legal
action by SuperPatriots.US”. So don’t mess with them or me
and think you that hate this war can just take the images and
use them against those serving our country.

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If you have any feeling inside of you then you will be
angered like I was, you will shed tears as I have done and you will know in your
heart that an injustice has been done and needs to be corrected ASAP!

They men that ask “why not” instead of why.

Jack Idema is the soldier, who more than a decade ago first warned the Pentagon about the Russian Mafia selling suitcase nuclear bombs to terrorist supporting nations. Suitcase nuke proliferation is reportedly much worse since Idema first told the Pentagon what he learned from the Lithuanian KGB about the illicit traffic. That story by the way, won major awards when reported by CBS “60 Minutes”, though CBS chose not to credit their major source – Jonathan K. Idema (Jack).

Jack Idema is a former member of the US Army Special Forces and is a Green Beret. He has operated for the US Government, and trained foreign counter-terrorist forces in Nicaragua against the Sandinistas, in El Salvador with the Ramon Bellosa Immediate Reaction Battalion against the FMLN terrorists, in East Germany and Europe against the Bader Meinhoff Gang, in Thailand with the Thai Special Warfare Command, in Haiti protecting the US Mission against dissidents, in the Middle East against Hezbollah, Hamas and Abu Nidal terrorists, in Lithuania against the OMON terrorists, and numerous other operational areas.

His Special Ops and SF background includes more than two dozen SF, Special Ops, police, counter-terrorist and classified courses and schools. He is an expert in counter-terrorism, intelligence asset development, and hostage-rescue, with more than 25 years’ experience in all of these. He’s currently employed by the Counter-Terrorist Group U.S. (CounTerr Group) as a CT Operator in a direct action capacity against international terrorism, specifically, Al Qaeda and related terrorist groups.

CounTerr, aka CounTerr Group, is an organization based in the US that leads counter-terrorism activites in support of US government initiatives. Counter Group conducts training, organization, direct action, HUMINT, and advisory services to foreign and domestic agencies. Counter Group has been in operation , in various forms, in various countries, for approximately 27 years. Counter Group began deploying personnel to Afghanistan and other countries just weeks after 9/11 as part of the effort to combat Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and other terrorist forces such as the Taliban. Counter Group’s foreign operating group and CONUS personnel worked in conjunction with Commander Massoud’s Northern Alliance, which were primarily responsible for the liberation of Afghanistan with US Army Special Forces and Special Ops units.

During the 2002 war in Afghanistan, his mother died. Jack was chasing Iraqi, Pakistani, Iranian, and Japanese al-Qaida terrorists in Afghanistan. He had been very close to bin Laden, and this was well documented by UPI, books, and other news sources. He did not return to bury his mother until three weeks later. Wounded twice, with nine straight months in combat and/or intelligence operations, Jack Idema served continuously longer than ANY other ground operator in Afghanistan in 2001/2002. When al-Qaida again threatened regional security and the lives of his Afghan friends, Jack returned on what was to be a 30-45 day operation against a single terrorist bomber.

In 2001 Jack Idema was a hero in the war in Afghanistan. Associated Press wrote a story that he saved 300 women and children at an Earthquake in Afghanistan, and he was thanked by the Afghan President. Within a short time later he and his men spend ten years in an Afghan prison from a Taliban judge.

October 2001……Jack Idema and TASK FORCE SABER personnel participated in numerous operations starting in October 2001. These operations included combat advisor and combat medic operations in OPERATION ANACONDA in March 2002, and humanitarian assistance and rescue operations during the 2002 Nahrin earthquake disaster and other similar crises. All of these activities were officially as part of, or attached to, the Northern Alliance Anti-Taliban Forces and the United Front.

During these operations Task Force Saber/7 personnel were repeatedly commended for their actions by U.S. forces such as Task Force 180, high-ranking members of both the Northern Alliance and the Afghan government, including numerous cabinet level Ministers, National Security Council members, Vice-President Kareem Khalili, and even President Karzai himself.

Only a few years later, Idema stands accused of running an illegal jail in what has been termed a freelance search for terrorists. The U.S. government says it did not sponsor or employ him.
They are accused of kidnapping and torturing Afghan citizens in their makeshift jail. They could face 15 to 20 years in an Afghan prison. And being there without permission from the U.S. Government….aka Loose cannons……..which is a bunch of BS!

See this above, it is from the FBI TO Idema. Yep, the FBI Counter-Terrorist Unit and Counter-Terrorist Watch Command was sending Federal Express packages to and from Jack! Between December 2003 and April 2004 there were far more than a dozen of “urgent priority” packages sent between these two groups.
This receipt above, sent by the FBI, billed to a US government account, and sent via a special Federal Express route, called “Sensitive – Courier Alert” marked – “Highest Boarding Priority” – “No Redirect” and a bunch of other spook stuff, was sent by Debbie Brooks of the FBI directly from the FBI’s CT Task Force (CT Watch Command at Headquarters). Notice several things:
1) 4.45 pounds of al-Qaida documents;
2) FBI Sensitive CT account #;
3) “From Room 5712 Category A” – that room handles all sensitive/classified communications for the Counter-Terrorist guys;
4) “Origin” – which gives a phone number at the CT Task Force Command office;
5) “15 Jan 04″ – right during the height of the exchanges, and right during the time when Ashcroft was announcing “special” and “covert” intelligence was finding evidence of new al-Qaida attacks planned on Americans.
But wait……hold on those of you reading this….the FBI wants us to believe they had no idea who these guys are!

In 2004……… they participated in, or independently conducted military operations known as OPERATION RUBICON, OPERATION MONK, OPERATION ROADRUNNER, OPERATION ACME, and assisted U.S. and NATO Forces in OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Idema, Bennett and Caraballo were part of TASK FORCE SABER and TASK FORCE 7 implemented by Counterr Group between September 12, 2001 and July 2004. These two activities, hereafter referred to collectively as “Task Force Saber/7,” conducted military and humanitarian operations in support of the U.S. and Coalition War on Terror and ongoing efforts to continue the liberation of Afghanistan and permanently defeat the Taliban and al-Qaida terrorist forces waging a guerilla war and resurgence in Afghanistan.

February and March of 2004……………
In February and March 2004, the FBI, through their Washington, D.C. Headquarters and CT Watch Command (Counter-Terrorism Watch- a supposed clearing house for terrorist information), made concerted efforts to co-opt Counterr Group intelligence assets inside al-Qaida. Co-opting an asset refers to one agency attempting to seize total control and operational direction over another organization’s human intelligence source. Counterr Group resisted FBI efforts to co-opt their assets and refused to release their identities. However, Counterr Group continued to pass actionable intelligence to the DOD, DIA, and NSA. The FBI then sought to discredit Counterr Group’s assets and intelligence, and coerce Counterr Group officers and their families with a wide-range of threats.

April and July of 2004……..
Between April 2004 and July 2004, Task Force Saber/7 interdicted and captured numerous terrorists in Afghanistan. While some were turned over to U.S. military forces and Afghan Ministry of Defense forces, others were in custody and awaiting transfer to the U.S. military’s TASK FORCE 180 (JTF-180), the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, and other classified activities in Afghanistan. Task Force Saber/7 were working with and briefing the U.S. Department of Defense and the Afghan Ministry of Defense on a daily basis, sometimes an hourly basis. Furthermore, Afghan government employees, such as Lieutenant Rasuli, were always operating with Task Force Saber/7 twenty-four hours a day, as were 12 Afghans.

In July 2004……..
On July 5th, 2004, the Jack Idema, Brent Bennett, Ed Caraballo and Afghans including Zorro and Ezmerai, were arrested by forces under the control the FBI, and with the assistance of Karzai forces in opposition to the former Northern Alliance and the interim government’s Ministry of Defense. This was orchestrated by Taliban and Hezb-i-Islami forces loyal to Mullah Omar and Gulbideen Hekmatyar, with the knowledge and approval of then Interim President Hamid Karzai. The purpose of this was to prevent a high level Hezb-i-Islami terrorist (Sidiq) from being transferred to permanent U.S. military custody and exposing the depth and breadth of the high level plot. In return, Karzai would receive full support and votes from Hekmatyar controlled areas such as the Konar Province (he later did).

“Mr. Jack” was charged with entering the country illegally, torturing innocent Afghan civilians, and running a private jail.

Middle of August 2004….
Attorney John Edwards Tiffany had arrived from NY with the legal team he assembled. It would not do much good. The Taliban Judge (are you ever “ex-Taliban”?) would ignore the Rule of Law completely. The men were convicted of all charges, in spite of extensive evidence of innocence. The FBI confiscated much of the evidence and eventually all of the evidence in the case, leaving them with no way to defend themselves. They were charged with illegally entering the country, kidnapping, and torture.

The entire trial violated the Afghan Criminal Code, and not one shred of actual evidence was ever presented against the men. No prosecution witnesses testified under oath, no cross examination ever allowed, and even the defense statements were not allowed to be read, nor did the Court provide competent interpreters and most of the time the men had no idea of what was being said in court.

So, you had known terrorists, caught with explosives, detonators, bomb plans to kill diplomats and American soldiers, weapons, ammunition, and all sorts of terrorist related items, including a letter from an al-Qaida relative in GITMO Cuba, and a letter from Mullah Omar, claiming that they were “abused” and “tortured” by Americans (oh, and that they didn’t get to go to the bathroom for twelve hours) and the press actually believed them, although they were ALL in perfect health and could not show a single mark or injury. The Red Cross later confirmed that not one single terrorist had any injury or showed any evidence of torture.

On September 16, 2004….
According to Court documents, the Defendants were illegally convicted of all charges in the Primary Court on September 16, 2004 and sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment.

In November 2004……………
Defendants were granted a Trial de novo (a completely new trial) and the convictions were declared null and void.

On December 1, 2004….
The Court of Appeals of the Islamic Transitional Government of Afghanistan conducted another closed hearing in the case (again to keep it away from media scrutiny). By the end of the hearing, the Afghan Court of Appeals had declared all four Afghans innocent of all charges and three of Idema’s men were ordered released immediately by the Appeals Court after hearing evidence from Afghan government police officers and learning that the FBI was present during torture sessions and illegally seized Petitioners’ evidence in the case for the second time. The American FBI successfully delayed this case for another 30 days and still refused to return the evidence. The US government continues to withhold evidence.

December 17,2004…..
eight al-Qaida terrorists implemented an assassination plot and attack on the Idema, Caraballo & Bennett at Pulacharke. One of their motives was to collect a $250,000 reward Osama bin Laden had placed on Idema.
Approximately 40 days later, the Appeals Court met again, and repeated that all members of Task Force Saber/7 were “completely innocent,” but that they could not be released because of pressure and coercion by the U.S. Embassy and FBI. Further, the Appeals Court cleared them of all torture charges after hearing covertly recorded statements of the alleged “victims” and seeing evidence linking the “victims” to terrorist leaders and terror plots.

In February 2005….
Idema and his team were found innocent of entering the county illegally when the Appeals Court saw video of their passports being handed to Customs Officials and Border Police.

On February 16, 2005………….
al-Qaida terrorists attempted a seventh assassination attempt against them. Seventeen Pakistani, Red Chinese, and Arab terrorists implemented another plan to kill Idema and the two other American POWs. The assassination attempt was interdicted by Northern Alliance officers again, and foiled just twelve hours before their attack on these men.

In March 2005…..
The three Americans remaining in prison were found innocent of all charges after an undercover tape was played in which their accusers admitted there was no torture and that it was “all a show for the press.” A second tape was played with the terrorists discussing their plans to bomb Bagram Air base, the US airfield north of Kabul, and plotting to kill several national leaders. Idema and his men were still not released.

But here is the kicker…………
The American government will not approve their release!

November 7th week, 2005……
The independent newspaper published by the Massoud Hero Foundation, and the Mujahadeen and Martyrs Group called for the immediate release of American Jack Idema and his Northern Alliance anti-terrorist team.

As Jack and the Task Force Saber 7 say in their sign off
Freedom Endures
TASK FORCE SABER/7

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* Big Dog’s Weblog
* Cao’s Blog
* Rottweiler Puppy

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If you want to know more about the story,Cao’s Blog has a large section devoted to Jack Idema. There’s also a timeline here, and of course a huge amount of information if available at SuperPatriots.US, without whose work done none of us would have learned about Jack’s story.
Anyone reading this with their own blog can sign up for the weekly Free Jack Idema Blogburst by emailing Cao or Rottweiler Puppy for details. I’d urge everyone to do this.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2006 – Speed and flexibility make a new military high-speed vessel especially valuable for shallow-water operations, a Defense Department official said.
The “Stiletto,” a shallow-water craft made of a tough, lightweight carbon composite material, offers a safer, more comfortable ride and is easily reconfigured to accommodate technological advances and the military’s needs, said Navy Cmdr. Greg E. Glaros, a transformation strategist in the Office of Force Transformation.
“We can’t predict the future,” Glaros said. “Therefore, . . . we better design systems that are . . . flexible. ”
Stiletto was initiated in the DoD transformation office in association with U. S. Special Operations Command, he said. When fielded, the boat will be available for use my all services. It’s meant to get special operations forces to their missions quickly with a top speed of more than 50 knots, Glaros said. Those forces, a total of 15 per boat, also could benefit from its unusual hull design.
Described as an “M-hull” because of its resemblance to the letter “M,” the water Stiletto displaces is pulled through tunnels under the boat. The water mixes with incoming air from the forward movement of the craft and creates an air cushion that the boat rides on, he said.
Glaros said this cushion could be a back-saving benefit for those using Stiletto for transport. The vertical impact to the neck and the spine from riding on a traditional small transport craft have been likened to a “10-G shock,” or the body suddenly weighing 10 times its own weight, at least twice an hour, he said. If a seat fails, that shock can spike to 20 Gs.
“At any given time, . . . 30 percent of (small boat-operating teams) are ‘medically down’ because of injuries sustained while driving their boats,” Glaros said. After about 10 years, most small-boat drivers are eligible for 100 percent disability by Department of Veterans Affairs standards, Glaros said.
Stiletto’s other purposes include what Glaros describes as “techno exploration. ” Basically, he said, the boat is a floating experiment. The office wanted to understand the uses and the limits of composite materials in this type of application.
The boat’s design also anticipates advances in technology, he said. “In our world today, the most powerful element is information,” Glaros said. “For us, it would be folly to build anything that didn’t have the means with which to connect to the outer world. ”
Stiletto’s “electronic keel” provides that connection, he said. The system offers open access to its network for various uses by all services, Glaros said. Its plug-and-play nature makes it adaptable to advancing technologies.
“It’ll (reduce) dramatically the cost of upgrades and, more importantly, it gives us options in the future so that we can change the mission and the configurations in the boat,” he said.
While any force can customize the hull for a specific purpose, Glaros said, it was designed with servicemembers in mind. “They’re at the heart of this,” he said. “Give them something that they can change and manipulate on their own and doesn’t damage them more than the enemy. ”
Fifteen months after the contract to build Stiletto was signed, the boat is considered “operational experimental,” Glaros said, though he is uncertain when it will be fielded. The boat will be put through its paces with Naval Special Clearance Team 1 in early May.
To date, the ship has cost about $12. 5 million, Glaros said. About one-fourth of that went to building computer-aided models and more operational testing.

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There is an UPDATE at the bottom of this post

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Monday, January 30th,2006
COPENHAGEN (Reuters)

Denmark warned its citizens on Monday to avoid Saudi Arabia, and gunmen in Gaza said any Scandinavians there risked attack, as Muslim fury mounted over newspaper cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.
Denmark has defended the newspaper Jyllands-Posten’s right to publish the satirical drawings that seemed to portray the Prophet as a terrorist and which a Norwegian paper has run too.
Some Muslims, who deem images of prophets disrespectful and caricatures blasphemous, have threatened Danes and demanded an apology.
Saudi Arabia has recalled its envoy from Denmark and its religious leaders called for a boycott of Danish products.
Many Saudis have started boycotting Danish goods and across the Gulf, several supermarkets pulled Scandinavian foods off the shelves after consumers complained.
Jyllands-Posten said on Monday that it regretted offending Muslims but defended its right to publish the drawings.
“We cannot apologize for having printed the cartoons as part of a debate about the right to free speech,” Editor-in-Chief Carsten Juste told Reuters.
Libya has closed its Copenhagen embassy, and thousands of Palestinians marched in protest on Monday.
An Iraqi militant group called on Monday for attacks on Danish and Norwegian targets, saying a boycott was not enough, according to a statement attributed to the Mujahideen Army.
The Internet statement called on fighters to “hit whatever targets possible belonging to these two countries and others that follow their steps.” It could not be authenticated.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday advised colleagues in the European Union of the situation and the bloc’s executive said it might complain to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about the boycott if the Saudi government had encouraged it.
“The EU strongly rejects any threats by militant factions against EU citizens,” EU foreign ministers said in a statement.
The Danish Foreign Ministry advised against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia and urged Danes to be cautious in other Muslim countries.
“Danes who choose to stay in Saudi Arabia should show extraordinarily high watchfulness,” it added on its Web site.
The Danish Red Cross said it had pulled two employees out of Gaza and one from Yemen, and Norway’s Foreign Ministry said two Norwegian aid workers in Gaza were planning to leave on Monday.
Sweden warned its citizens against traveling to Gaza and the West Bank and the Swedish consulate in Jerusalem received a fax claiming to be from Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigades demanding that all Danes and Swedes leave the area.
“All Swedes and Danes that exist on our soil have 48 hours to leave our country or else,” according to the fax read to Reuters by a consulate official.
Swedish officials said they were taking the threat seriously even if it might be the result of being confused with Denmark.
Dozens of Palestinians with rifles and grenade launchers rallied outside the EU headquarters in Gaza City, demanding an apology and warning Danes and Norwegians they would be at risk in Gaza.
Some of the gunmen fired in the air, while others burned Danish and Norwegian flags.
Hamas, the militant Islamic group which won Palestinian elections last week, urged Islamic countries to take “deterrent steps against idiotic Danish behavior.”
Hardest hit by the boycott was Danish-Swedish dairy product maker Arla Foods, with annual sales of 3 billion Danish crowns ($487 million) in the Middle East. The world’s biggest maker of insulin, Novo Nordisk, also said it was affected.
Rasmussen said on Monday that “the Danish government cannot apologize on behalf of a Danish newspaper. It doesn’t work like … and we have explained that to the Arab countries. Independent media are not edited by the government.”
Denmark has around 530 troops serving in Iraq.

So here they for you to decide

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‘This is not just about cartoons, but standing up for our values’Times Online

THE Danish editor who brought the fury of the Muslim world on his country by printing pictures of the Prophet Muhammad defiantly declared yesterday: “We do not apologise for printing the cartoons. It was our right to do so.”
As protests continued for a second day in Gaza with shouts of “Death to Denmark”, Flemming Rose, the culture editor of the centre-right daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten, sat in his book-lined office declaring his surprise at the reaction.
He said that he had to stand his ground because, as in the Salman Rushdie affair, freedom of speech was being threatened. “There is a lot at stake. It would be very naive to think this is only about Jyllands-Posten and 12 cartoons and apologising or not apologising.
“This is about standing for fundamental values that have been the (foundation) for the development of Western democracies over several hundred years, and we are now in a situation where those values are being challenged,” he said.

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Danes try to calm Muslim rage
International Herald Tribune

The Danish government stepped up efforts Tuesday to curb the damage caused by the publication of cartoons in a Danish newspaper linking the Prophet Muhammad to terrorism.
But the moves failed to allay Muslim anger as retailers boycotted Danish goods in the Middle East and protesters in Gaza set fire to photos of Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The economic fallout continued, with the French supermarket chain Carrefour announcing it was pulling Danish goods from its shelves in Arab countries.
A day after the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, apologized for offending Muslims, the Danish foreign minister, Per Stig Moller, handed out a contrite statement about the cartoons on the sidelines of an Afghanistan fund-raising conference in London.

Wild Thing’s comment…….
So apparently beheadings and suicide bombers are OK though…..”stop offending us or we’ll cut off your heads”…….they do it anyway, even if the person that was beheaded did not offend them.
History proves that before Islam came into existence the Sabeans in Arabia worshiped the Moon god who married the sun goddess and who gave birth to three goddesess. They were called Al-lat, Al-uzza and Manat. They later became idols and they were worshipped throughout that part of the world as the ” Daughters of Allah”. The moon god was Allah! He was just one of 360 idols in Kabah in Mecca.
The cresent moon is everywhere in Islam. Evem Ramadan begins and ends with the crescent moon.
Muhammed wanted to create his own religion. He needed the backing of his powerful tribe. So he picked Allah, the Moon-god which they worshipped, to be the one god. And he declared himself tio be Allah’s prophet.
In the 1950’s a major temple to the Moon-god was excavated at Hazor in Palistine. Two idols of the Moon-god were found, proving Alah wa sa pre-Islamic pagan deity.
The truth is that Alah is NOT God, Muhammad was NO prophet and the Koran is NOT the word of God.
Look at this, it is just an example of what the terrorists think is funny. But of course this kind of thing is fine with them. GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

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Other cartoons from the Arab world

UPDATE on those getting involved around the world on this topic!!

* Michelle Malkin …..FIRST, THEY CAME FOR THE CARTOONISTS
* Jihad Watch …..Do you value freedom of speech and freedom of the press? ( good news from Europe: publications in France, Germany, Spain and Italy reprinting some of the cartoons that have provoked international cartoon rage)
* Judith Apter Klinghoffer ……PAPERS WORLDWIDE PUBLISH OFFENDING DANISH CARTOONS. AMERICAN MSM?
* My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy……Boycott the Stupid Boycott
* Vince Aut Morire ……..’To All The ‘slamotards I’ve Loved Before’
Feel free to grab one of these images from Sandmonkey’s blog . He is making sure this is not all talk and turns into action about what has happened. Thank you Sandmonkey!
Images below to help spread the word…………..