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Tuesday, September 13, 2005

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Staff Sgt. Jose Espola-Negron looks around his on-base house in disbelief. Most of his belongings were ruined from flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Before returning here from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., where his family evacuated to before the storm, the only information he had about his house was that it had taken in a lot of water. During the highest point of flooding, more than 6 feet of water was in his home. Sergeant Espola-Negron is an air traffic control instructor with the 334th Training Readiness Squadron here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Joe Piccorossi)

Hear, Hear!

...or should that be Read, Read! ?

Michelle Malkin posts a Marine's reply to the New York Times' editorial comparison between New Orleans and Fallujah...

every marine in this battalion is proud of what we have accomplished, and we are proud to be marines.


Well worth the read. Once again, the NYT proves that the left will use any excuse - including a natural disaster - to advance its agenda.

Hat Tip to the Mudville Gazette
Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division and Coast Guardsmen patrol the streets of New Orleans in a Zodiac craft, searching for people who wish to be evacuated. Photo by Master Sgt. Michael Best.

Moonbat Watch

One of these days, I really may snap....

Cruising the news this morning, I came across this photo on the
Seattle Times website:



Laska Lane said she became emotional remembering events of 9/11 Sunday while portraying a "Middle Eastern person saddled with the American flag" during a participatory performance at Green Lake. Others carry icons of sadness, becoming part of the event titled "Sleepwalking Apocalypse." (TOM REESE / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Of all days and ways to protest war, they pick this????? You're kidding me, right? OK, protest the actions in Iraq if that's what really floats your boat. I think you're a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic, but hey, that's your right.

But this?

You pick 9/11, the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in history, to do this? Not to mention the issue of the flag itself....

Now we're not dealing with just missing a couple of sandwiches. You've basically decided to come to the picnic clutching only the broken handle of the basket. Proof positive that the far left just does not get it. Well, only one thing left to do, really, and that's to counter that photo with one I like a whole lot better (click on the photo for a larger version):



Thanks to Bigjohn for the photo

Soldiers' Angels - Operation Katrina

On August 31, 2005, two days after Hurricane Katrina struck the New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, Patti Bader and her Soldiers’ Angels received their next assignment. The assignment arrived in the form of an email from Louisiana resident, Ricky John. Ricky told Patti,

“We are in the far northern part of the state and suffered no damage from the hurricane. However, we are experiencing a huge influx of ‘refugees’ from New Orleans and South Louisiana. One concern I have is for the families of our National Guard members who are in Iraq. I believe we have approximately 4,000 soldiers from the La. National Guard in Iraq at this time. Many of them are expected to return in the next couple of months. Of course many will be returning to displaced families, lost jobs, no homes, etc. I wanted to know if you had any suggestions on how these folks can be helped. I can only imagine the strain of readjusting to civilian life combined with the stresses of dealing with such devastation to your family. Any information or suggestions that you can provide will be appreciated.”

Patti realized that included in the ranks of the untold number of Americans whose lives had been decimated, were the family members of our soldier's serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in Afghanistan. She knew that many of these soldiers would be returning home in the next few weeks to find that their families had been displaced and their homes and businesses destroyed. Others, who continued the battles in the areas of conflict, were just trying to learn information concerning there families whereabouts and safety.

Patti decided that Soldiers’ Angels would answer the call. Patti returned Ricky’s email and Operation Katrina Soldiers’ Relief Fund was born. Within a few short hours Soldiers’ Angels had partnered with Operation AC and BlackFive, a military blog, to established a relief fund to help our soldiers and their families cope with and recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina. By nightfall Soldiers’ Angels received its first donations.

Patti tapped Ricky and Linda Dominik, of Arkansas, with the job of administering the fund and of locating soldiers and their families who needed help. This second task was accomplished with the help of the Louisiana National Guard’s Office of Family Programs. The National Guard was already swamped with request for help from their soldiers’ families who had escaped Katrina and at the same time was trying to help to those who were still trapped in New Orleans. In conjunction with the Office of Family Programs, Soldiers Angels was able to provide needed help. To date Soldiers’ Angels has been able to provide $20,000.00 in Walmart gift cards to enable the displaced families purchase the essential items needed for daily living. One Soldiers’ Angel donated a car to a soldier’s family and Soldiers’ Angels obtained an airline ticket for the soldiers’ wife to fly to Virginia to get the car. Additionally, hundreds of care packages were sent to the National Guard to distribute to the families as well as the soldiers who were activated to go to New Orleans, clothes and food products were taken to the Armories across the state to help the displaced families get back on their feet.

One email from a National Guard worker, stated “Thanks for the gift cards. I would love to have more gift cards.” It also noted that the 960 rolls of toilet paper delivered from Soldiers’ Angels would be enough “for now.” More gift cards and care packages were sent immediately.

The Operation kicked into overdrive on Saturday, September 10, 2005, when the National Guard Soldiers began returning from Iraq. Patti received a call from the National Guard at 3:00 a.m. saying that the first of the soldiers had arrived. The soldiers were given a four day leave. Without missing a beat she was on the internet making plane reservations for soldier after soldier. “HOOHRAHS!” were heard after every reservation. This continued all day long. By evening the last flights from Alexandria had left and seven soldiers remained at the airport. Patti was not willing to leave these guys to fend for themselves so the only thing to do was to charter a private plane. The airplane picked the soldiers up in Alexandria and made a swing through Houston, Austin, Memphis and Miami. The soldiers were with their families by that night.

With flights still coming in and no more flights leaving, Soldiers Angels contacted an Alexandria hotel and put soldiers up for the night. Eddies Bar-B-Q, across the street from the hotel, made sure that the Soldiers had dinner of some of the best barbeque in the South. The flights continued through Sunday morning with more soldiers being reunited with their displaced families.

More soldiers are due to arrive through the coming weeks and Soldiers Angels intends to get them home. Soldiers' Angels are dedicated to ensuring that our military know they are loved and supported during and after their deployment into harms way. It is their mission to get these Soldiers to their families and to get them back to base after their four day leave. The mission is far from complete. These soldiers and their families have lost their homes, their jobs and their businesses. Their needs continue.

Donations to Soldiers Angels can be made through their website www.SoldiersAngels.org or by sending a check or money order to Soldiers' Angels Foundation,Operation Katrina Relief, 1792 East Washington Blvd., Pasadena, California 91104. Soldiers Angels can also be contacted at (626)398-3131.

Soldiers Angels believes that “Now is the time to help protect those who have given up so much to protect us.”



To donate to Operation Katrina, you can click on the scrolling marqee at the top of the page.

Patti and all - it never ceases to amaze.
Gulfport, Miss. (Sept. 12, 2005) - President George W. Bush conveys his gratitude to U.S. Navy Chief Builder Dan Walker, right, and Lt.j.g. Sam Werschky, for the excellent work the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One (NMCB-1) are accomplishing during the clean up of 28 Street Elementary School in Gulfport, Miss. President Bush is currently visiting the Gulf Coast region to assess the damage and disaster recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina. The Navy's involvement in the humanitarian assistance operations is being led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with the Department of Defense. U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Photographer's Mate 2nd Thomas Coffelt

In Today's News - Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Quote of the Day
"All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should."
-- Samuel Adams

News of Note
Hurricane Katrina
New FEMA Director
Veteran firefighter selected
New Orleans Slowly Recovers

Operation Iraqi Freedom
Iraq Rebels Shell Green Zone
US could withdraw 50,000 troops by year end: Talabani
SECURITY FORCES AIRMEN PREVENT ATTACK ON IRAQI BASE

Operation Enduring Freedom
US urges NATO allies to drop Afghan mission limits
Orgun-E Opens First Paved Road in Province

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Colombia Jet Hijacking Ends
Terror Tape Doesn't Faze L.A.
Video: Terror Threat
Briton Gets 47 Years in Jail for Missile Smuggling Plot

BRAC News
Mass. Base Spared Closure

Supreme Court
Senate Dems to Grill Roberts

Football
Falcons defeat Eagles 14-10

Fox News
Ophelia Storms Closer
Workers Caused L.A. Outage
Pakistan Wants Afghan Fence
N. Korea Talks to Resume
Cops Free 11 Caged Ohio Kids
FBI Analyst Charged With Passing Secrets to Filipinos
Israel Completes Gaza Pullout
40 Bodies Found at Hospital
New Orleans Slowly Recovers
FEMA Chief Brown Resigns
Video: New Orleans Mayor in Dallas?
Video: Families Reunited, Torn Apart
Video: Brown Steps Down as FEMA Chief
Video: Bracing for Ophelia
Photo Essay: Hurricane Katrina: Day 13
Video: Roberts: 'Justices Are Like Umpires'
Transcript: Roberts' Statement
Videos: Kennedy Biden Hatch Specter

Reuters: Top News
Sharon taking UN world stage after image makeover
Tropical Storm Ophelia keeps US coast guessing
N.Korea adamant on nuclear power as talks resume
UN scales down ambitious overhaul plans for summit
The filmmaking show must go on, Louisiana says
Canada doesn't see breakthrough at post-Kyoto meet
Astronomers detect most distant cosmic explosion
S. China: perfect incubator for bird flu pandemic?

JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press
Bush balancing agenda with storm response
Roberts vows to judge cases by rule of law
Talks on N. Korea nuclear program resume
Investigators to monitor Katrina contracts

The Seattle Times
FEMA will get bulk of aid
Muck bogs down recovery process
Ethnic media report, help their own

Chicago Sun-Times
Bush: No racism in response
Churches urged to 'adopt' families
Roberts: 'I have no agenda'
N. Ireland Protestants riot for 3rd night

Washington Post: World News
Capricious U.S. Justice in Iraq
(gotta love the Washington Post. Objective, unbiased reporting - HA!)
Palestinians Pour Into Settlements
Tall Afar Offensive Continues
Musharraf: No Challenge From Bush On Reversal: Pakistani President Still Leading Army
21 Afghan Candidates Disqualified for Ties to Militias
(militias? Ohhhhh, you mean terrorists....)
Jakarta court sentences embassy bomber to death
Polish Solidarity parties head for landslide win
Somali Militia Takes Over UNICEF Office

Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
US, Iraqi troops in house-to-house hunt for Tal Afar rebels
Iraqi killed, seven wounded in minibus bombing
Bush Balancing Agenda With Storm Response
Under Pressure, Rebels Abandon an Iraqi Stronghold

CENTCOM: News Releases
COALITION FORCES DETAIN, RELEASE SUSPECTED TERRORISTS
TASK FORCE LIBERTY JOINT OPERATIONS CAPTURE TERRORISTS AND WEAPONS
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCES CAPTURE AL-QAIDA TERRORIST BRIGADE LEADER
OPERATION CYCLONE BEGINS
TIP LEADS SOLDIERS TO CACHE IN DIYALA PROVINCE
OPERATION RESTORING RIGHTS CONTINUES IN TAL AFAR
TASK FORCE FREEDOM DETAINS 13 TERROR SUSPECTS IN NORTHERN IRAQ
AIR STRIKE DESTROYS TERROR CONSULTANT'S SAFE HOUSE

Department of Defense
U.S. Ambassador: Stakes in Iraq 'Huge' — Story
Memo Seals Support for Anti-Terrorism Center 5 — Story
Munitions Clearance Program Makes Iraq Safer — Story

ON THE GROUND
Joint Effort Rebuilds Iraq’s Police Stations — Story
Corps of Engineers Works to Pave 'Silk Road' — Story
Deployed Soldiers Still Hit Schoolbooks — Story

IN IRAQ
Corps Team Builds Iraqi Ammo Supply Point
Army Veterinary Program Aids Iraqi Livestock
Headset Saves Soldier’s Hearing in IED Blast
Army Mechanics Keep Copters Battle Ready
U.S.-Iraqi Teamwork Key to Reconstruction

IN AFGHANISTAN
Geek Squad Faces Future of Modern Battle
Paratroopers Beat Back Taliban Ambush

FACE OF DEFENSE
Mother’s Courage Changes Daughter’s Plans — Story

HOMECOMING
Navy Customs Inspectors Return from Kuwait, Iraq
Photos: 908th Airlift Wing Returns Home

TOP NEWS
SPECIAL REPORTS
Hurricane Katrina

IN IRAQ
Soldiers Kill Terrorist Sniper
Troops Seize Anti-Terror Initiative
Joint Effort Nabs Terrorists
Iraqi Army Conducts Operation
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps
Iraq Daily Update
Multinational Force Iraq

IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Governors Confer
Meeting Focus: Food Crop Growth
Afghanistan Daily Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
President Praises American Spirit
Iraq, Afghan Education Progresses
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Team Aids Storm-Affected Troops
National Guard, Reserve Update

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

Today in History
0122 - Building of Hadrian's Wall commences.
1625 - Rabbi Isiah Horowith 15 others are arrested in Jerusalem.
1788 - New York City becomes the capital of the United States.
1789 - NYC banks make the first loan to the U.S. Government.
1867 - General E. R. S. Canby orders SC courts to impanel blacks as jurors.
1882 - Britain invades Egypt.
1906 - Europe sees its first airplane flight.
1922 - A temperature of 136.4° F (58° C) is recorded in El Aziziyah, Libya, in the shade - a world record.
1942 - German forces attack Stalingrad.
1943 - Chiang Kai-shek became president of China.
1948 - Margaret Chase Smith (ME) is elected Senator, becoming the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress.
1959 - The U.S.S.R's Luna-2 becomes the first probe to contact another celestial body.
1961 - "Car 54 Where are You?" premiers on TV; the unmanned Mercury-Atlas 4 is launched into orbit.
1963 - "The Outer Limits" premiers on TV.
1965 - For the first time, the "Today Show" is broadcast entirely in color.
1970 - IBM announces its System 370 computer.
1971 - A takeover at Attica results in the deaths of 9 hostage and 28 prisoners.
1973 - Congress passes a bill to football's blackout.
1974 - The Phillies set a NL record, using 27 players in one game (St Louis uses 24, tying the total record of 51); the Phillies win the game.
1977 - TV's first viewer discretion warning is given, for "Soap."
1979 - South Africa grants independence to Venda; it is not recognized outside of South Africa.
1983 - The U.S. mint strikes its first gold coin in 50 years (the Olympic Eagle).
1990 - In Kuwait, Iraqi troops storm the French ambassador's residence; David Souter's confirmation hearing opens.

Birthdays
1739 - Grigory Potemkin, Russian army officer, statesman, Czarina Catherine II's lover
1755 - Oliver Evans pioneered high-pressure steam engine
1851 - Walter Reed, US Army Surgeon, proved mosquitoes transmit yellow fever
1860 - General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing, U.S. commander in WW I.
1863 - Arthur Henderson, British socialist/disarmament worker, Nobel Prize winner (1934)
1866 - Adolf Meyer, psychiatrist/neurologist (pioneered mental hygiene)
1937 - Fred Silverman, broadcasting executive (ABC/NBC)
1938 - Judith Martin (Miss Manners)
1941 - Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of Costa Rica (1986- ), Nobel Prize winner (1987)

Passings
1321 - Dante Alighieri, author of "The Divine Comedy"
1598 - King Philip II of Spain (1556-98)
1759 - James Wolfe, British general (Plains of Abraham)
1803 - John Barry, first American Commodore
1991 - Joseph Pasternak, movie producer

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Mossman, Joe R., USNR (PA); A4E shot down, KIA, body not recovered

1966
Coakley, William F., USN (MA); A4C shot down, KIA, remains retrned May, 1989

1967
Reid, Harold Erich, USMC (UT); disappeared from guard post; KIA in firefight - remains ID'd March, 1999

1968
Brigham, James W., US Army (FL); released January, 1969 - died after his return, of wounds sustained in capivity

1970
Miller, Wyatt, Jr., US Army (PA); Killed while surfing in South China Sea - body not recovered

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