Marines Sent to Insurgent Stronghold
More than 2,000 troops head into Iraq's insurgent-ridden Anbar Province,
after top commander announced move yesterday.

Pacific Ocean (Nov. 14, 2006) - An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the "Argonauts" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Four Seven (VFA-147) launches from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Serving as the flagship for Commander, Carrier Strike Group Three (CSG-3), Stennis is currently participating in Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX). JTFEX is the third at-sea phase of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group’s (JCSSG) pre-deployment training cycle. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ron Reeves

Dennis Kucinich, appearing a little while ago on Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto, advocated an immediate cut-off of funding for the “immoral” war in Iraq, saying that we “have enough money to bring the troops home.” When asked if this constituted a ‘cut and run’ philosophy, he said, “Well, we can either cut and run, or stay and pay.” Cute.

Apparently, he prefers cowardice to commitment.

And Nancy Pelosi today called the vote for Democratic Congressional Majority Leader a referendum on Iraq. She said that Iraq was the only issue that mattered in that vote. How scary is it that in her mind, the stewardship of half of the House is solely based on whether a person conforms to an anti-war agenda? Too bad Murtha lost that one, eh? Oh, and Pelosi further called the war “a grotesque mistake,” and stated she’d do everything within her power to end it.

Well, if they wanted similarities to Vietnam, they’ve now got at least two – the radicalizing of the Left, and the demonizing of current military action.

Follow that road map, and you have peace at any cost, and the reprehensible treatment of our returning Heroes. If you support our troops, you want to pay very, very close attention to what the Left is doing these days. And don’t stay silent – do all you can to support our Heroes.

Now would be a real good time to visit Soldiers’ Angels.

And to stock up on TUMS.

HUSAYBAH PATROL — U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment conduct a patrol in Husaybah, Iraq, Nov. 3, 2006. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brian M. Henner

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
GIs Kill 9 Suspected Al Qaeda in Iraq Insurgents
Dozens of Baghdad bus passengers abducted - Video
Sharp divides in Congress over Iraq
Iraqi official: 80 hostages still held

Operation Enduring Freedom
Afghan police turn Taliban strengths against them

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Man Arrested at Airport With $78K, Nuke Info
Friend of 9/11 hijackers guilty of abetting murder

Troops on Trial
Soldier describes genesis of rape plan

Other Military News
Toys for Tots agrees to take Jesus doll

Mid-East Ceasefire / Hamas Rising / Israel at War
France, Spain, Italy propose Middle East peace plan

Worldwide Wackos
Iran says about to take "final step" in atomic plan
Russia, U.S. disagree on Iran sanctions
S.Korea, in switch, backs U.N. vote on rights in North
North Korea upstages trade at APEC meeting
Bush warns N. Korea on nuclear transfers

Homegrown Moonbats
Philip Morris to Hollywood: Butt Out

Politics / Government
Hoyer Wins House Majority Leader; Setback for Pelosi - VIDEO
FACTBOX: Steny Hoyer (Reuters)
Pelosi Nominated to Be New House Speaker
Click here for full POLITICS coverage (Fox News)
McCain, Thompson Make Moves for 2008 Run
Former Bush Cabinet member eyes White House run

In the Courts
Judge won't toss Katrina insurance suit

Immigration / Border Control
US town bars foreign flags in swipe at immigrants

U.N. News
Annan leads Darfur meeting, rebels say 50 killed - Video

Science / Nature
Twister's Deadly Path
7 dead in North Carolina trailer park - VIDEO - PHOTOS
Click here for full NATIONAL coverage
Polio "could be eradicated" by end of decade
Scientists say pollution may be helpful

Oddities
Rogue Sea Lion Bites 14 in San Francisco
What could possibly go wrong here?
Remote chance to catch a thief
"Beauty salon for the dead" opens in Germany
Hospital faces Skid Row dumping charges

Other News of Note
Pakistan tests nuclear-capable missile

Fox News
Detroit Police Hunt for Gunman After 2 Killed
Trash Collector Guilty of Murdering Fashion Writer
Johan Santana Named AL Cy Young Winner
Nobel-Prize Winner Milton Friedman Dies
Publisher Dubs O.J. Simpson Chat a 'Confession'

Reuters: Top News
Congo tense as Bemba vows to contest Kabila win
U.S. urges Asia-Pacific help to revive Doha talks
Rich, poor nations wrangle on global warming
Game makers say Wii a bargain
Camera phones focus on police use of force in L.A.
Albanian offers heirloom mini-Koran for sale
Flu vaccine helps cut heart attacks, deaths
Polio "could be eradicated" by end of decade
Stars descend on Rome for Tom Cruise's wedding
Jolie says role of slain reporter's wife challenging
Stocks gain on rate hopes, oil drop
Oil falls 4 percent to 2006 low
Rambus shares up on optimism over royalties case
Halliburton spinoff KBR shares surge in debut
Dollar edges higher after tame data
Equities bull rampages -- everywhere
Limits pushed in hot debt markets
Erik Dellith finds airline opportunities south of the border.
Fed officials cautiously optimistic on CPI trend
Free market economist Milton Friedman dead at 94
Clear Channel agrees to be sold for $18.7 billion
Reader's Digest accepts $1.6 billion takeover bid
US Air-Delta merger would mean tough labor talks
Ghosn says "time not right" for American partner

AP World News
Consumer prices fall for 2nd month
Trash man convicted in Cape Cod slaying
Twins' Santana wins AL Cy Young Award
Retailers prepare for console launches
Coach pleads not guilty in steroids case
Europeans OK anti-obesity charter
Emmitt Smith wins ABC's 'Dancing' title
700-plus sick on Atlantic cruise
Nalbandian ousts Roddick at Masters Cup
Watch cable TV on your cell phone? Soon.
Vatican reaffirms celibacy for priests
Wal-Mart adds 11 states to $4 drug offer
Oral Roberts upsets No. 3 Kansas 78-71

Military.com
Marine Corps Reverses Course on JSF Cut
Kit Up! Wants Your Cool Stuff
Op-ed: "Phased Redeployment"?
Def Tech: Mole Men Attack!
Blog: NASCAR Freebie for Troops
Sgt. Shaft: Research Your Coverage
Understand Your Education Benefits
Gear in the News: RQ-1 Predator

CENTCOM: News Releases
ONE TERRORIST KILLED, FOUR CAPTURED BY AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES

IRAQI BRIGADE CONDUCTING OPERATION NEAR KIRKUK

NINE TERRORISTS KILLED, NINE DETAINED SOUTH OF YUSUFIYAH

IRAQI ARMY DETAINS KIDNAPPING, MURDER-CELL SUSPECTS

COALITION FORCES CAPTURE MEMBERS OF INSURGENT CELL

1ST CAV. DIV. TAKES THE REINS IN BAGHDAD

18 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED; IED MATERIALS DESTROYED

TERRORISTS KILL THEMSELVES WITH IED

AIR STRIKE KILLS 3 TERRORISTS IN YUSIFIYYAH

COALITION FORCES KILL 11 INSURGENTS IN RAMADI

CCCI CONVICTS 13 INSURGENTS

USJFCOM
Milestone reached in development of Cross Domain Collaborative Information Environment - podcast
Liveblogging: Unified Endeavor 07-1
Omni Fusion ties Army into UR 2015 - podcast
USJFCOM signs cooperative research and development agreement with Raytheon - podcast

Department of Defense
NATO Defense Leaders Focus on Progress, Challenges in Afghanistan - Story
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
International Zone Soldiers Run Marathon for Vets - Story
Iraqi Soldiers Begin Sweep in Northern Iraq - Story
1st Cavalry Division Takes Reins in Baghdad - Story
Maintenance Marines Provide Needed Protection - Story

IN IRAQ
Turkey-based Airmen Saving Troops' Lives in Iraq
Iraqi Mayor Writes New Chapter of Success
Operating Base Units Receive Combat Patch
Samarra Leaders Meet to Foster Closer Relations
Army Soldiers Become U.S. Citizens at Anaconda
Marines Work to Dissolve Cultural Barriers
Iraqis Interdict Insurgents on The Euphrates River

IN AFGHANISTAN
Engineers Dodge Explosives to Provide Services
Afghan Officer Saves Governor, Coalition Soldiers
Coalition Sponsors Chamkani Sports Tournament
Afghan Reconstruction Projects Continue
Turkey to Open Provincial Reconstruction Team

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Marine Casualties - Story

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

National Hurricane Center

Today in History
1532 - Pizarro seizes Incan emperor Atahualpa after securing victory at Cajamarca.
1676 - In Nantucket, MA, the first colonial prison is organized.
1776 - Hessians capture Fort Washington, on Manhattan.
1798 - Kentucky becomes the first state to nullify an act of Congress.
1841 - N.E. Guerin of NY patents the cork-filled life preserver.
1864 - Union General William T. Sherman begins his march to the sea.
1894 - 6,000 Armenians are massacred by Turks in Kurdistan.
1907 - Oklahoma becomes the 46th state.
1914 - The Federal Reserve System formally opens.
1918 - The Hungarian People's Republic is declared.
1920 - For the first time in the U.S., the postage meter is used in lieu of postage stamps.
1925 - The American Association for the Advancement of Atheism is formed in NY.
1933 - Roosevelt establishes diplomatic relations with U.S.S.R.
1950 - The U.N. receives U.S. government approval to issue postage stamps.
1965 - Venera-3 is launched (the first to land on another planet - crashes into Venus).
1966 - Dr. Sam Sheppard is freed by a jury after 9 years in jail.
1973 - President Nixon authorizes construction of the Alaskan pipeline; Skylab-4 is launched into Earth orbit.
1974 - The Arecibo telescope sends the first intentional interstellar radio message - towards M 41, a cluster of stars some 25,000 light years away.
1982 - The fifth Space Shuttle Mission (Columbia-5) lands at Edwards AFB.
1984 - The 14th Shuttle Mission (51A - Discovery-2) lands at Kennedy Center.
1988 - Benazir Bhutto wins the first free Pakistani elections in 11 years; Estonia declares sovereignty in internal affairs.
1989 - In El Salvador, six Jesuit priests are killed by troops.
1990 - Manuel Noriega claims the U.S. denied him a fair trial.

Birthdays
42 BC - Tiberius Cesar, second Roman emperor (14-37 AD)
1941 - Ann Dore McLaughlin, U.S. Secretary of Labor (1987-1989)
1950 - Carl J. Meade, Major USAF / astronaut (STS 38, sk:STS-50)

Passings
1885 - Louis Riel, French rebel who fought against Canada, executed
1960 - Clark Gable, actor
1961 - Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House for 17 years

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Green, Donald George, USAF (CA); F105D shot down, KIA, body not recovered

1966
Pittman, Allan D., USAF (IA); A1G shot down, possibly killed on ground by VC
Note: multiple spellings of his name in government records.

1967
Schulz, Paul H., USN (PA); F4B shot down (pilot), released March, 1973 - retired as a Captain - alive and well as of 1998

1968
Copley, William M., US Army SF (CA); known severely wounded when patrol was ambushed

Karst, Carl F., USAF (KS); O1F shot down, remains returned April, 1994

Wiechert, Robert Charles, USAF (UT); F100 shot down, KIA, body not recovered

I'm taking a certification exam today - will blog once I get home.



Wish me luck!