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« Jump on board Project Valour-IT | Main | Hate Crime? »

November 5, 2009

Grim news from Hood

By Greyhawk

Note: we've reached a point in this story where old news is being reported as new (including on evening news broadcasts); scroll through this post and you'll see info in order reported, with latest confirmed reports below older information.

Six November update: In stories like this one, erroneous news reports are the norm. In the military we call it the fog of war. First reports are always wrong - and reporters eager to get a scoop are generally willing to pass on anything as news, the more sensational the better. As an example, in the earliest reports of this event CNN presented a live phone call with someone claiming to be in the hospital on Ft Hood. The first thing this individual related to CNN was that they didn't know anything about what was happening except for what they had seen on TV - then the interview continued.

Here's what happened yesterday: the global war on terror continued, with a battle on American soil. That's twice this year. Here's what matters at this point:

Hotline for relatives of Fort Hood personnel: (254) 288-7570 or (866) 836-2751 for information about loved ones.

As of a 7:30 CST press conference, officials at Ft Hood were unable to confirm if all next-of-kin notifications had been completed.

Video from Ft Hood:

Latest -

8:15 CST: Single gunman, in custody, hospitalized, not dead. Death toll is 12 or 13 (for now).

*****

First report - 2:28 CST - Developing story:

At least seven people are dead and 12 wounded in a shooting at Fort Hood in Texas, the base's public affairs office told NBC News on Thursday.
<...>
One gunman was reportedly in custody and another was on the loose, NBC News said.
More:
There are unconfirmed reports that one of the shooters is surrounded by police in the 42006 building on Fort Hood. That source tells KCEN the shooter has a high-powered rifle and is aiming to kill.

Early reports are often wrong... but that would be the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic. However, other reports say the Commissary.

CNN reporter Barbara Starr at the Pentagon says "US military officials" have not confirmed multiple shooters. CNN is also running the "soldiers are psychos, and there are more of them on Ft Hood than anywhere" storyline.

Local news from the area:

Two and possibly three gunmen were involved and only one is confirmed to be in custody.

A military statement confirmed seven dead and 20 injured.

There are also confirmed reports that a police officer was shot in a post exchange, but other details weren't available.

CNN reported that the president was advised of the shootings at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday.

Live local news broadcast here. Reports Killeen City police say three shooters, one captured, one "holed up" in a building, one location unknown.

Local report:

So far there are 7 people reported dead, and 20 wounded.

There are also reports of two different crime scenes: the SPC and Howve Theater on Battalion Ave.

One person is in custody.

Police surrounded the 42006 building, said to be used for traumatic brain injuries, on Fort Hood and fired shots at a male suspect in an Army uniform with a Major rank. The suspect was injured, but has now run in to another building.

Reports say the shooter had a high-powered rifle and was aiming to kill.

Killeen ISD says all Fort Hood schools are on lockdown.

Two suspects now reported caught.

Temple (Texas) Daily News:

FORT HOOD -- Rescue crews have been dispatched to Fort Hood for what is being described as a mass casualty event. Fort Hood officials are meeting media representatives to escort them onto post.
The base is closed amid reports that several people have been shot and killed at the post, The Associated Press is reporting.
At 2 p.m. it was reported that Soldier's Dome was not safe as a staging area for emergency responders who were enroute.
" I was here for a 2 p.m. graduation,"Retired Army Col. Greg Schannep said. "A I drove up, I heard some shots. A soldier came running past me and said 'sir there is someone shooting.'
"As he ran past me I saw blood on his back. I don't think he even knew he had been shot. He has since been treated and should be OK," he said.
"I can tell you there are casualties," Schannep said.
"I heard three or four volleys of shots with eight to 12 shots in each volley. Initially, I thought it was a training exercise," he said.
John Fisher, Bell County commission for the precinct that includes Killeen, said the shooters were wearing military clothing, but was not sure if they were military.

The paper's web site is now just a text version of that story - the site for the Killeen Daily Herald appears to be inaccessible this afternoon.

Report: As many as nine people are dead and as many as 30 more are injured after two or more gunmen in military uniforms opened fire Thursday afternoon in a deployment processing center at Fort Hood. Schools on and around the post are locked down and hospitals report receiving mass casualties.

News conference, 3:50 CST, Lieutenant General Robert Cone, recently assigned Commanding General: "One shooter killed - he was a soldier. Two other soldiers apprehended, they are suspects. (Eyewitnesses indicate more than one shooter, all soldiers.) Twelve dead, 31 wounded. All casualties took place in initial incident at 13:30 CST. 'Primary shooter' had two hand guns."

4:12 CST: ABC News: Shooter: Major Malik Nadal Hasan. ABC does not name a source for this information.

04:31 CST: Independent sources confirm a soldier by that name is stationed at Hood.

He was a Psychiatrist.

04:53 CST:

A law enforcement official says a shooting suspect at Fort Hood has been identified as Army Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan.

The official said Hasan, believed to be in his late 30s, was killed after opening fire at the base. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

The official says investigators are trying to determine if Hasan was his birth name, or if he changed his name and converted to the Islamic faith at some point in his life.

8:15 CST: Hasan Single gunman, in custody, hospitalized, not dead. Death toll is 12 or 13 (for now). Other two suspects reportedly questioned and released.

Repeat: early reports are often wrong. What is certain is several good people are dead, a lot of families are grieving, and many more are wondering - and very uneasy right now, to say the least.

Hotline for relatives of Fort Hood personnel: (254) 288-7570 or (866) 836-2751 for information about loved ones.

Statements:

Secretary Gates: "I am deeply saddened by the tragic events today at Fort Hood. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen, the wounded, and all those touched by this incident. There is little we can say at this point to alleviate the pain or answer the many questions this event raises, but I can pledge that the Department of Defense will do everything in its power to help the Fort Hood community get through these difficult times."

Army Secretary John M. McHugh: "This is a terrible tragedy that we will know more about in the coming days. For now our focus is squarely on taking care of our soldiers and their families. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have been killed and wounded. The leadership at Fort Hood is marshaling the medical support and counselors necessary to take care of our soldiers and their families and to notify the next of kin."

President Obama:

THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody have a seat. Let me first of all just thank Ken and the entire Department of the Interior staff for organizing just an extraordinary conference. I want to thank my Cabinet members and senior administration officials who participated today. I hear that Dr. Joe Medicine Crow was around, and so I want to give a shout-out to that Congressional Medal of Honor* winner. It's good to see you. (Applause.)

My understanding is, is that you had an extremely productive conference. I want to thank all of you for coming and for your efforts, and I want to give you my solemn guarantee that this is not the end of a process but a beginning of a process, and that we are going to follow up. (Applause.) We are going to follow up. Every single member of my team understands that this is a top priority for us. I want you to know that, as I said this morning, this is not something that we just give lip service to. And we are going to keep on working with you to make sure that the first Americans get the best possible chances in life in a way that's consistent with your extraordinary traditions and culture and values.

Now, I have to say, though, that beyond that, I plan to make some broader remarks about the challenges that lay ahead for Native Americans, as well as collaboration with our administration, but as some of you might have heard, there has been a tragic shooting at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas. We don't yet know all the details at this moment; we will share them as we get them. What we do know is that a number of American soldiers have been killed, and even more have been wounded in a horrific outburst of violence.

My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and with the families of the fallen, and with those who live and serve at Fort Hood. These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis. It's difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas. It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an Army base on American soil.

I've spoken to Secretary Gates and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and I will continue to receive a constant stream of updates as new information comes in. We are working with the Pentagon, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, all to ensure that Fort Hood is secure, and we will continue to support the community with the full resources of the federal government.

In the meantime, I would ask all Americans to keep the men and women of Fort Hood in your thoughts and prayers. We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident. And I want all of you to know that as Commander-in-Chief, there's no greater honor but also no greater responsibility for me than to make sure that the extraordinary men and women in uniform are properly cared for and that their safety and security when they are at home is provided for.

So we are going to stay on this. But I hope in the meantime that all of you recognize the scope of this tragedy, and keep everybody in their thoughts and prayers.

Again, thank you for your participation here today. I am confident that this is going to be resulting in terrific work between this government and your governments in the weeks, the months, and years to come. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)



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Posted by Greyhawk / November 5, 2009 3:28 PM | Permalink

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TrackBack URL: http://www.mudvillegazette.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/16895

Confederate Yankee:Ironically, there is no known record of that weapon even being used to kill a police officer in the United States, and there is a distinct possibility that Sgt. Kimberly Munley, wounded while engaging Hasan, may have been the first A... Read More

Pvt Joseph Foster is yet another soldier reporting that Nidal Hasan shouted "Allah Akbar" when he began firing last week - but Foster made the mistake of saying it on CNN:Roberts: So the first moments of Thursday afternoon, can you tell our viewers, yo... Read More

21 Comments

CNN reporter Barbara Starr at the Pentagon says "US military officials" have not confirmed multiple shooters. CNN is also running the "soldiers are psychos, and there are more of them on Ft Hood than anywhere" storyline.

A Major doing the shooting? Sounds totally wierd to me.

Susbunk

I have no idea how these things work, but the 'suspects' bit reminded me there will be some kind of hearing or trial. I am curious how swift justice is on a military base, or if it's even done there. Here's hoping they got them all, they got the right ones, and the wounded survive.

Stress doesn't make any sense if there's a team...3 military guys don't usually freak out all together. Stress related stuff tends to be a solo act.

I am not 'gun knowledgeable" but a single shooter with 2 handguns could kill 11 and wound 31 people? Does that seem possible?

Saw something at Hot Air that indicated one of the shooters had an Arabic sounding name. I have seen no confirmation.

Crap. Crappity crap crap.

Aside from the terrible implications of this possibly being an attack by rogue members of our own military on their fellow soldiers, something else immediately comes to mind.

One of the things we pro-Right to Keep and Bear folks have been saying for a long time is, "You don't see many folks attacking armed installations like police stations and military bases."

That assertion just took a direct hit -- I seriously doubt it will be often noted that an armed presence was undoubtably why the attack was put down as quickly as it was. I'm thinking how much worse this would have been at a mall, say, or a college campus.

Also, it's not clear to me that the particular area that was hit was in fact full of armed military personnel.

I'm going to be watching this very closely. I hope I'm quickly proven totally wrong on all counts.

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/11/05/breaking-massacre-at-fort-hood/

Update: The suspect’s name, via ABC: Major Malik Nadal Hasan.

The suspected gunman was identified as Major Malik Nadal Hasan. He was killed and two other suspects have been apprehended, Lt. Robert W. Cone said.

The gunman used two handguns, Cone said. He wasn’t sure if the shooter reloaded the weapons during the attack.

=====

DJMoore:

I understand what your saying, I'm entertaining all sorts of dark thoughts myself.

But let's hold off at least for 24 hours. The truth will come out.

http://abcnews.go.com/m/screen?id=9007938

Twelve people have been killed and 31 wounded in a shooting spree at a Texas military base by what officials believe was possibly carried out by an Army officer.

The suspected gunman was identified by ABC News as Major Malik Nadal Hasan.

Cone said the motive for the attack, which took place just after 1:30 p.m. CT, is unclear.

===

Well I'll give my opinion. Sudden Jihad Syndrome

Ah. Per ABCNews: "According to a source on the base, it is rare for firearms to be on the base because they are locked up."

CBS says he was a 39 yo Psychiatrist.

@DJMoore
The reason "You don't see many folks attacking armed installations like police stations and military bases" is that it would be a suicide mission.

But, what if a suicide mission is the whole point?

CBS News investigative producer Len Tepper reports that Hasan, 39, is a licensed psychiatrist from Silver Spring, Md.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/05/national/main5539067.shtml

Weapons are kept in armory on base. Even personal firearms.

DJMoore -- Please note that domestic American military bases are strictly "weapons-free zones." Soldiers, contractors and visitors are strictly forbidden to possess personal weapons on base. Simple possession, whether at home, at work or in a car is the equivalent of a felony.

Further, some bases in recent years have taken to forbidding their military personnel from possession even while off base and off duty.

This is another case whether a mass-shooter has chosen a weapons free environment for a rampage and then suicide by cop, when they eventually show up.

There is a ton of literature pointing to the increased likelihood of mass-shootings compared to less restricted areas.

Sadly for the dead, wounded and their families, even a few minutes response time is too long. Sadly, too, that bad guys, in this case defined as someone who wanted to shoot people, are never, ever dissuaded by signs.

You know and I know that weapons are kept in armories, but you'd be surprised how many people are unaware of that.

Ft Hood has very tight control on guns. Most people are unarmed.

Is there any charity that people can give money or help for the victims?

Thanks. I'll link to this story on my Blog and any charity you reccommend. I will put it on my sidebar.

We've been running the annual Valour-IT fundraiser for all wounded troops here all week.

All American military installations are strictly enforced "gun free zones", except for MPs and civilian police personnel, of which out of a pool of 40,000 soldiers, there are relatively few. Yes, we all have fully stocked armories, but storing ammunition there is prohibited. And it would take hours to get it if needed, not to mention hours more waiting on the authority to do so.

It's a national embarrassment. Entire companies of infantry soldiers reduced to sitting on our hands while a home-grown jihadist runs rampant.

Army posts are the softest targets imaginable. A properly motivated terrorist cell could take out thousands with relative ease and all we'd have to fight them with would be pocket knives and Leatherman tools.

I hate to say it, but even the US military has finally succumbed to liberal weakness. And it was the last bastion. Time to start looking for that cabin in Montana.

Buck Sargent
Ft. Hood, TX

Leave a comment

Mrs G copy.png

November 18, 2009


Dawn Patrol 11/18/2009
[Mrs Greyhawk]
Bookmark and Share - via email, facebook, twitter, etc.

Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and various sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.Refresh for updates.


Support Our Troops, Read Their Stories

----------------------------

AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN

Boondoggle -- [3rd Time, New Country - in Afghanistan]
I know I am a little late on posting to my blog, but I returned from a boondoggle out to Mazar-e-Sharif in the Northern provinces. I even have some pictures to post with this entry. First, let me recap last week. We did make a normal trip to NDS. It was actually a clear, cool morning which is a rarity here in Kabul. The pollution is so thick that it is very rare to see the distant mountains. So, here is a picture of the snow-capped mountains, west of Kabul. This picture was taken last Monday. I haven't seen the mountains since. Other than that, it was a normal week of mentoring. There are always little things to work on and improve in the OT. Friday was another violent day here in Kabul. The Taliban used a SVBIED outside Camp Phoenix a little before 0800. There were no American casualties, but there were injuries.

Clinton in Kabul for Karzai's inauguration -- [Foreign Policy - AfPak]
U.S. President Barack Obama reportedly told CNN today that he is "very close" to making a decision about whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan and plans to make an announcement "in the next several weeks," after more than two months of deliberations (Reuters, Reuters). Obama is reportedly angry about the stream of leaks that has come out about his Afghanistan decision, telling CBS, "For people to be releasing info in the course of deliberations is not appropriate" and said yes when asked if that is a "firing offense" (CBS, Politico). Meanwhile

The war of leaks -- [Foreign Policy - AfPak]
The Obama Administration's social media prowess has been a novelty among latter day political media machines. It helped to crowd-source the campaign funding needed to put Barack Obama in the White House, and generated a populist gloss that was, at the time, convincingly fresh and transparent. What was equally admirable was its apparent internal discipline over when information made the transition from government secret to press release. Controlling the flow of data and keeping secrets secret is a challenge under any circumstance. Combine that with a predilection for Facebook and Twitter, and a hyperactive security officer might expect policy waters to muddy more quickly than they would under normal circumstances.
So when U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry's expressed his "discomfort" last week over a possible troop surge, via diplomatic cable to Washington, it's no wonder that the message ended up dominating headlines.

Ridding Afghanistan of Corruption Will Be No Easy Task -- [Los Angeles Times]
Afghans have a name for the huge, gaudy mansions that have sprung up in Kabul's wealthy Sherpur neighborhood since 2001. They call them "poppy palaces." The cost of building one of these homes, which are adorned with sweeping terraces and ornate columns, can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many are owned by government officials whose formal salaries are a few hundred dollars a month. To the capital's jaded residents, there are few more potent symbols of the corruption that permeates every level of Afghan society, from the traffic policemen who shake down motorists to top government officials and their relatives who are implicated in the opium trade.

Afghan Minister Accused of Taking Bribe -- [Washington Post]
The Afghan minister of mines accepted a roughly $30 million bribe to award the country's largest development project to a Chinese mining firm, according to a US official who is familiar with military intelligence reports. The allegation, if proved true, would mark one of the most brazen examples of corruption yet disclosed in a country where the problem has become so pervasive that it is now at the heart of Obama administration doubts over Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reliability as a partner.

Vision for Victory, Part I -- [Washington Times]
The news from Afghanistan all year has been dispiriting, and the last few weeks have been especially tough in terms of the violence. Yet most foreign and Afghan officials and officers who I encountered on a recent weeklong visit sponsored by the U. military are guardedly optimistic about our prospects. How can this be so?

U.S. Turns to Local Guns-for-Hire to Guard Afghan Outpost -- [Danger Room - Noah Shachtman]
The U.S. military is turning to guns-for-hire to guard one of its outposts in Afghanistan. But Blackwaters of the world, take note: simply hiring former G.I.s or American cops or even Nepalese Gurkhas won't do the trick this time. At least half of the 50-man force has to come "from within a 50 kilometer radius" of the base, according to a contract solicitation issued by the U.S. Air Force. Over the summer, the American military signaled its interest in hiring an army of contractors to help handle security at as many as 50 outposts in Afghanistan. It's one of several efforts efforts designed to free up uniformed troops for combat and counterinsurgency work. Now, U.S. forces appear to be taking the first step towards building that country-wide private security force, by soliciting bids for a team that watch over Forward Operating Base Lightening, in Paktya province.

NATO Chief Confident Afghanistan Will Have More Troops -- [Voice of America]
The NATO secretary-general says he is confident the United States and other NATO allies will send more troops to Afghanistan, where insurgent attacks have surged in recent months. He spoke at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Meeting in Edinburgh, where Britain's foreign secretary outlined the strategy his nation would support.

Germany to extend Afghanistan mission another year -- [AP]
Germany will extend its mission in Afghanistan for another year, the government said Wednesday, despite the growing unpopularity of the war at home



Pakistani Successes May Sway US Troop Decision -- [New York Times]
A month after the Pakistani military began its push into the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan, militants appear to have been dispersed, not eliminated, with most simply fleeing. That recurring pattern illustrated the problems facing the Obama administration as it enters its final days of a decision on its strategy for Afghanistan. Success in this region, in the remote mountains near the Afghan border, could have a direct bearing on how many more American troops are ultimately sent to Afghanistan, and how long they must stay. Pakistan has shown increased willingness to tackle the problem, launching sweeping operations in the north and west of the country this year, but

Where are Taliban and al Qaeda commanders, US media asks Pak -- [Daily News & Analysis]
Washington: A day after senior Pakistani army commanders claimed that their forces have captured all major towns and population centres of the extremist-ridden South Waziristan, Taliban and foreign militants appear to have disappeared and not been eliminated.

Pakistani Army Shows Off Captured Taliban Posts -- [Washington Post]
A toy car booby-trapped with explosives, chemistry textbooks and handwritten case files from a Taliban court were among the debris left behind by fleeing Islamist militants in this remote village in the conflicted tribal region of South Waziristan. The now-deserted village, which was retaken by Pakistani army forces two weeks ago and visited by Western journalists on Tuesday for the first time since, had been a stronghold of Taliban forces for nearly five years.


IRAQ

Iraqi Kurds Warn of Election Boycott in Dispute Over Seats - [Washington Post]
Kurdish officials threatened Tuesday to boycott the upcoming national election in the three provinces they control in northern Iraq unless more parliament seats are allocated to the region. The threat came two days after Iraq's Sunni vice president said he would veto the election law passed last week unless more seats are set aside for representatives of Iraqi refugees. The majority of Iraqis abroad are Sunni. Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has until Wednesday to veto the law, which legislators approved after weeks of wrangling, primarily over how the vote would be held in the disputed northern city of Kirkuk. The two ultimatums underscored the deep divisions among Iraqi politicians and raised fresh concerns about Iraq's ability to hold a credible election by Jan. 18.

Iraq's national elections in jeopardy as Sunni VP issues veto
-- [McClatchy News]
BAGHDAD -- Iraq's pivotal national elections were thrown back into turmoil and potential delay Wednesday after Vice President Tariq al Hashemi vetoed part of an election law and sent it back to parliament.

US has time to reconsider Iraq drawdown plan-Odierno -- [Reuters]
The US military does not have to decide until April or May whether to push back the end of its combat operations in Iraq due to...

A few words from medics for the 41st Brigade -- [The Oregonian]
I spent an hour or two last month with Oregon National Guard medics who are based at Al Asad Airbase, discussing a little of what they've observed since coming to Iraq this summer. The discussion, as you might think, covered issues in two categories: The physical and the mental. The Physical - CPT Scott Johnson of Newport, who is the highest-ranking soldier in the medical support unit at Al Asad, said that medics are seeing a significant share of orthopedic issues that stem from the heavy loads that soldiers carry. Even though the war has wound down considerably over the last few years, soldiers on convoys and at checkpoints still wear a lot of body armor and carry a lot of ammunition and weaponry, as much as 65 pounds or even more. Over time, even young soldiers experience increased stress on their joints from walking, running and jumping with that much gear.

Goodbye to Iraq, and thanks -- [The Oregonian]
The soldiers of Oregon's 41st Brigade are about halfway through their Iraq deployment, but I'm finally home after a gruelling passage through Kuwait and a misadventure or two. I said goodbye to my last acquaintance in the Oregon National Guard on Monday afternoon in Salt Lake City. SSG Tom McNeil of Central Point was peeling off to fly to Medford, close to his home in Central Point, while I continued on to Portland. Have a terrific Thanksgiving at home, Tom. Thanks to all the folks along the way, especially the soldiers of Oregon's 41st Brigade Combat Team, for the many kindnesses extended to me during my sojourn among them. This toast to you, and I'm starting with you two, since you challenged me to do this, Scott and Mike


U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

US, China in Strained Diplomatic Embrace -- [Wall Street Journal]
President Barack Obama was set to leave China on Wednesday after an awkward summit with some achievements but a long list of unfinished business - a result that suggests challenges ahead for the US as it struggles to come to terms with Asia's increasingly assertive superpower. The president secured a far-ranging framework for cooperation Tuesday with Beijing. But that deal was announced as frictions between the two nations appeared to increase over human rights and economic policy. President Obama and Chinese leader Hu Jintao issued their ambitious statement on cooperation in a clumsy fashion - at a media "availability" where they took no questions, didn't address each other and exhibited body language that seemed to say they had been frustrated by the entire exercise.

Obama: 'We've restored America's standing' -- [CNN]
A little more than a year after his election, President Obama said his administration has laid the groundwork for success on global and domestic matters. -- "I think that we've restored America's standing in the world

Somali Pirates : Maersk Alabama Attacked, Fights Back -- [Eagle Speak]
On the early morning of 18 November 2009, 350 nautical miles east from the Somali coast, pirates attacked MV Maersk Alabama, a US flagged, Danish owned, 155 meter long, Container ship.

Iranian COS Warns Russia: Your Security Is Tied To Ours -- [Memri Blog]
Iranian Army chief of staff Hassan Firouzabadi has warned Russia that delay in the supply of S-300 missile systems could harm Russia because its security is tied to that of Iran.




WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Suspected Fort Hood Shooter Believed to Be Self-Radicalized -- [Wall Street Journal]
Some lawmakers briefed Tuesday on the Fort Hood shooting said the suspect, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, was most likely a self-radicalized extremist. The briefing for select members of Congress came as Republicans with oversight of national-security issues called on Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to open a full congressional inquiry into alleged government miscues in the case of Maj. Hasan. He is charged with murdering 13 people Nov. 5 on the sprawling US Army base where he served as a psychiatrist.

Guantánamo Won't Close by January, Obama Says -- [NY Times]
President Obama acknowledged for the first time on Wednesday that his administration would miss a self-imposed deadline to close the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, by mid-January, admitting the difficulties of following through on one of his first pledges as president.


SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

No Man Left Behind -- [Knottie's Niche]
We've all heard the military quote "No Man left behind" But it wasn't until last weekend as I sat listening to a veteran Marine talking to an Army Sgt about how the Army helicopter pilot who saved him and many others in Vietnam by flying in a hot zone repeatedly to save men that it hit home. The words took on a whole new meaning to me. When Micheal was killed the Army did not leave us behind. It started with a visit to tell us the news and they did not leave until there was no more they could do for us in that moment. Then there was the email to let us know no one else had been hurt from one of the medics. The Army did not leave us behind when they assigned us a causality assistance officer who walked us through each step, even offering to go to the store for us at any hour of the day if we needed anything at all. Then the emails, calls and instant message conversations from the men who served with Micheal began.

LTC Tim Karcher Update -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Wonderful update on LTC Tim Karcher, Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division's 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, wounded June 28 in Sadr City.
4 weeks later, after fighting for his life in Iraq, here in Germany, and at Walter Reed, the loss of both legs was the least of his problems:

Support SA while Christmas shopping this year! -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Through Soldiers' Angels, patriotic Americans can do their Holiday shopping or planning and support the troops at the same time!
The easiest way to do this is shop online at all your favorite stores. If you stop by GoodShop and Shop to Earn before you start, you can visit all your favorite online stores, purchase anything you want at the usual great prices, and a portion of what you spend will be donated to Soldiers' Angels--at no extra cost to you! On GoodShop, be sure you select Soldiers' Angels as the charity you are "GoodShopping for."

Trees for Troops: Helping Military Families -- [AdAge.com]
Military families. Transportation. Tree growers. Logistics. These seemingly incongruous words provide a case study in cause marketing.

FOX 5 Special: I-Team VA Loans -- [FOX News]


A FOX 5 I-Team investigation uncovered allegations of a nationwide scheme by banks and mortgage companies to defraud U.S. military veterans. The scheme, spelled out in court documents, claims banks are overcharging veterans on home refinancing loans.
The question raised in a racketeering and class action law suit is how many of those loans involved banks defrauding U.S. military veterans.



MILITARY

Muslim discrimination in the U.S. military. Not. -- [Castra Praetoria]
I'm done listening to any more bellyaching about how Muslims have it bad in the American military. It's a lie.
At this very moment there are American Muslims serving in our armed forces with valor. Muslim interpreters work along side us daily who aren't even American citizens and they have proven themselves as well. All these pansies wailing and moaning about discrimination against them because they are Muslims are not doing anyone any favors. Take it from a guy who has served along side Muslim Marines and Sailors in combat; worked with Jordanian and Iraqi interpreters in country; trained with Iraqi-Americans who have contributed to the effort by working as role players and training our troops in culture and language classes.

Time to revisit firearms policies on military posts -- [Atlanta Journal Constitution]
Just as legitimate questions were raised following the mass killings on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007, both military personnel and civilian citizens

Army's Record Suicide Rate 'Horrible,' General Says -- [Washington Post]
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli on Tuesday called the Army's record suicide rate this year "horrible" and said the problem of soldiers taking their own lives is the toughest he has faced in his 37 years in service. As of Nov. 16, 140 soldiers on active duty and 71 soldiers not on active duty were suspected to have committed suicide. "We are almost certainly going to end the year higher than last year,"




WELCOME HOME

Veterans' descendants welcome troops home to Fort Campbell -- [Clarksville Leaf Chronicle]
Their day concluded with the Welcome Home ceremony for 80 soldiers who returned from a year in Afghanistan. "We are descendants of our country's first

'Greywolf' Among First CAV Troops to Return Home -- [DVIDS]
Once the buses arrived at Cooper Field, chants of "move that bus" were heard from Families waiting to welcome home their Soldiers. Tommy Tatum, from Kempner


THE MEDIA

Where are Taliban and al Qaeda commanders, US media asks Pak -- [Daily News & Analysis]
Washington: A day after senior Pakistani army commanders claimed that their forces have captured all major towns and population centres of the extremist-ridden South Waziristan, Taliban and foreign militants appear to have disappeared and not been eliminated.

Army officials said that they have killed as many as 550 Taliban militants a month after the military began its campaign into the lawless territory, yet they acknowledge that hundreds, perhaps thousands more have melted away.
As the offensive into the area, considered to be a sanctuary of al Qaeda and Taliban militants gained momentum, Boston Globe said, "Vast numbers of Taliban and foreign terrorists had disappeared into the vast desert scrub and craggy hills surrounding their strongholds of Sararogha and Ladha".
"Where are they? That's what bothers me," New York Times quoted a senior American intelligence officer as saying.




POLITICS

Republicans Criticize Obama's Call to Delay Hill Inquiries on Fort Hood -- [Washington Post]
The Obama administration's request that congressional committees slow their investigations of the Fort Hood shootings sparked denunciations Tuesday from Republicans on Capitol Hill, who pushed for an immediate inquiry of any warning signs before the massacre. House and Senate Republicans, emerging from the most detailed briefings given to Congress since the Nov. 5 attack killed 13 at the central Texas Army post, said delaying investigations would put off legislative efforts to give military officials the tools to prevent similar tragedies in the future. They said such an effort would not interfere with the criminal investigation of shooting suspect Nidal M. Hasan, an Army major who was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan.


Obama Approval Dips Below 50% For First Time
-- [Quinnipiac University]
Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Support For U.S. Troops In Afghanistan Drops Below 50% -- President Barack Obama's job approval rating is 48 - 42 percent, the first time he has slipped below the 50 percent threshold nationally ...


HUMOR / SATIRE

Day By Day



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  • Buck Sargent: All American military installations are strictly enforced "gun free zones", read more
  • Greyhawk: We've been running the annual Valour-IT fundraiser for all wounded read more
  • JSF: Is there any charity that people can give money or read more
  • Emily Nelson: Ft Hood has very tight control on guns. Most people read more
  • mariner: You know and I know that weapons are kept in read more
  • Bob Leibowitz: DJMoore -- Please note that domestic American military bases are read more
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