Center for the Intrepid Opens! Hooray!!

I have a soft part in my heart for Fisher House.. having been a guest at the Landstuhl Fisher House for a few days. However, the Fisher Family began and supports a number of Foundations that support our military and our veterans and their families... And not just in name, but in intent and their ability to get things done. There, of course, is the Fisher House Foundation. And then there is the Intrepid Foundation which supports a number of noteworthy causes: the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which provides financial support for the families of United States military personnel who have been lost in the line of duty, and Fleet Week, a celebration honoring the men and women of our nation's military.

Recognizing the need for a state-of-the-art facility for the rehabilitation of disabled veterans -- not just resulting from the Iraq and Afganistan campaigns but for all veterans with a need -- the Intrepid Foundation set out to get that facility designed, funded and built. THEY DID IT!!!

The best part?? This facility was built with money donated by the American people. 600,000 people built this facility for American Heroes.

Read more at Some Soldier's Mom

and HERE and HERE

Don't forget to DONATE... there is still lots to be done!

Comic relief....

After watching Sen. Clinton and the Speaker of the House: I think we could all use some comic relief.

I got this idea from Bubblehead. Miss having Midwatch? Want to remember what it was like at sea? Never been to sea? About halfway through Episode 4 of "Hey Shipwreck" - you have the Sailor to English translator that will make this Monday go a lot easier.

RE: Re: Oh Boy...

Nancy is sad.

Three days in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have made House Speaker Nancy Pelosi even more certain of her view that moving troops out of Iraq is the best way to bring stability to the region, she told The Chronicle on Sunday.

Speaking from Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, Pelosi said the nation owes its troops a better policy than the one now being pursued by President Bush, and emphasized the importance of reconstructing the war-torn region.

****

"Sadly, there was nothing that we saw there that would say that the plan we have been proposing should be changed,'' Pelosi said of her visit.

But Nancy supports our troops. She traveled all the way to Iraq to make that known.

Pelosi said the prime mission of the trip was to offer support for the troops, whom she said were quite interested in meeting with the delegation.

"Our purpose was to salute our troops and commend them for their patriotism, their sacrifice, and the sacrifice of their families.''

Yeah, yeah, yeah....

On Things Non Binding (A Hypothetical)

There is a fundamental contradiction in all this non-binding resolution talk. It kind of looks like this:

First, the "this is a vitally important vote!" position:

"This is a tough business. But is it any tougher, us having to take a tough vote, express ourselves and have the courage to step up on what we're asking our young men and women to do?" (link)

Versus the "Hey, we're just talkin'" position:

"It is not the American people or the U.S. Congress that is emboldening the enemy. It is the failed policy of this president" (source)

And now, a hypothetical:

Suppose the Senate passed a resolution, non-binding of course, stating that it was the collective opinion of the Senate that the War was fought under false pretenses, that our military is there illegally, and incidents like Hamdania , Abu Ghraib, and Haditha were not isolated crimes but rather indicative of the military operation in Iraq writ large as a whole (naturally the fault of Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney). As a result, all members of the military currently in Iraq are probably guilty of some type of war crime (reminiscent of "Jenjis Khan").

Now, this resolution wouldn't have any binding effect. There'd be no change in current policy; no decrease in funding; and no promise or threat of pending legal action against these "war criminals." But might such a resolution (remember, non-binding, gotta keep throwing that in there), have SOME effect on (1) how those deployed perceive the level support they receive at home; and (2) how those opposing us might feel about their prospects?

Just maybe?

MilBlog Conference

The blog site is up and running.

Hope to see you in May.

Re: Major Combat?

The number is now 300.

Something has happened, a battle did take place. But my first take on this is that the numbers are as believable as Jamil Hussein (6 Iraqis burned to death in the street) or the Association of Muslim Scholars (184 mosques destroyed.) But I admit I could be wrong. Unnamed ministry spokesman have been proven wrong before, but thus far the media is covering this without question.

CENTCOM or MNF-I should be able to make a statement today. It will be interesting to see what follows. If it plays out like the Hussein/Association stories did, "roaring silence" is the answer. Somehow I don't expect that.

Sadrists, Islamic Party ink deal to maintain security

Story here.

A photo essay...

...on the protests and counter-protests in D.C. this past weekend.

Among the counter-protesters, Pfc Joshua Sparling.

Since We've Seem To Have Caught the Hollywood Bug...

This flick has promise.

Of course I'll admit I'm biased. I'm a sucker for Vietnam films that manage to avoid the "military ruined my life" narrative.

Setting up listening posts

This submarine helped revived a type of ship that U.S. Navy really hadn't used in 100 years. And lead to "grams" and bases in places like Adak, Newfoundland, Bermuda, Guam and more. And boring, but very important duty.

And a spy helped devalue it for military purposes.

Details here.

With Eyes So Blind

I'd shout this from the rooftops but where are them what have ears to hear?

I Can't hear you...

Just posted a new version of that vacation video - didn't realize how low the volume was the first time as I used headphones when setting it up.

Live and learn. (At least, some of us do.)

Major Combat?

Is this accurate?

U.S.-backed Iraqi troops on Sunday attacked insurgents allegedly plotting to kill pilgrims at a major Shiite Muslim religious festival, and Iraqi officials estimated some 250 militants died in the daylong battle near Najaf.

(For the record, in case I'm not clear here, this isn't very likely.)

Update: Hmmmm...

A plot to kill Grand Ayatollah Sistani triggered the intense fighting when Iraqi security forces intervened to stop the plot. Iraqi officials estimated that 600 gunmen were involved in the battle that it now says is 90 percent complete.