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Leadership: As the fire grows in Afghanistan and U.S. troops suffer their worst casualties since Fallujah, the commander in chief remains AWOL on his intentions, delaying the tough decisions. Is he opting for defeat? Afghanistan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal warned in August that time was short to win this war. Now October is ending as the deadliest month in the Afghan war. With 55 dead since August, McChrystal's warning now stings. Even so, each day brings a new excuse from the White House for delaying a decision on troop reinforcements McChrystal has sought. The goal posts move almost daily. This...

This is a REALLY LONG POST — this came directly from my husband, SGT Daddy (with some minor edits from me for OPSEC reasons) The morning began with the siren signaling incoming. I ignored it. I hate putting on my gear and besides the big boy voice had dutifully reminded me that I should remain in hard shelter. I didn’t argue by deed or word. In the meantime the 155’s began to blaze away in support of some action that did not affect me. Later I was called out of my room to help in the aid station. Two of...

The latest Fox News/Opinion Dymanic poll is chock-full of bad news for the president. But on foreign policy, the results are nothing short of stunning. On who they trust more to decide the next steps in Afghanistan. 66 percent say military commanders, while only 20 percent say the president. Even Democrats have more faith in the military commanders (by a 45 to 37 percent margin). On Iran, 69 percent say Obama has not been tough enough, including 55 percent of Democrats. Sixty-one percent favor a U.S. military action, if needed, to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons. Fifty-one percent think...

Obama said Wednesday there will be no quick decision on whether to send more U.S. troops into the widening war in Afghanistan, saying "my determination is to get this right."... The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, also has delivered a grim assessment of the war and is expected to follow up soon with a request for thousands of additional troops.

Our current US President was a Great British citizen at the time of his birth. He then became a Kenyan citizen followed by what appears to be citizenship in Indonesia. Perhaps he is currently a citizen or subject of a nation other than the US. (That question will be the focus of my next article.) Obama’s own web site carried an admission that his birth status was governed by Great Britain. That admission was published by Obama’s Fight The Smears web site as quoted from a discussion of Obama’s UK citizenship written by Factcheck.org. The Factcheck.org essay went even further...

This past weekend in Atlanta, RedState.com held its first Gathering of online conservative activists. Liz Cheney, Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter, gave the keynote address to the crowd. A partial transcript of her remarks is below. Joining Liz Cheney were Congressman Tom Price (R-GA), Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel, Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, Virginia State Senator Ken Cuccinelli, Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, and South Carolina State Representative Nikki Haley. Friday night at the RedState Gathering, the attendees heard from Congressman Roy Blunt, former Congressman Pat Toomey, Senator Jim DeMint, and Governor Rick...

Army Maj. Stefan Cook sought out a notorious lawyer in February, formally volunteered for an Afghan deployment in May and was granted orders to deploy in June. But the Army reservist’s intention appeared not so much to fight for America as to fight against President Barack Obama, in furtherance of a bizarre conspiracy theory. In July, Cook filed a lawsuit against the Army, the defense secretary and the president, claiming that Obama could not lawfully order him to go to war because he is not the legitimate president of the United States. Cook is one of the so-called “Birthers,” a...

U.S. Marines and Afghan security forces moved into Taliban-infested villages Wednesday evening in one of the Obama administration's first major military operations in the previously forgotten war in Afghanistan. The offensive was launched shortly after 1 a.m. local time in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. More than 4,000 Marines and an estimated 650 Afghan soldiers and police sought to clear insurgents from towns and villages along the Helmand River Valley before the nation's Aug. 20 presidential election. Dubbed Operation Khanjar, or "Strike of the Sword," the military push was described by officials as the largest and fastest-moving of the war's newest...

The Marines at Camp Lejeuene are maintaining a stony silence during Obama's speech on his plans to withdraw combat brigades from Iraq by August 31, 2010 and all troops by the end of 2011. The contrast of the enthusiasm the military had for President Bush and this occupant of the White House is stunning.

This week Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, and the world will wait anxiously for him to make his mark on the vast array of crises left behind by his predecessor. Hopes are cranked very high that Obama will act quickly to reverse the galloping economic crisis, end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, mediate the violence in Gaza and calm the turmoil in relations with Russia. But people are probably setting themselves up for a big disappointment. Obama has surrounded himself with veterans of the former Bill Clinton administration, and these...

ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md., Jan. 20, 2009 – The U.S. military bid farewell today to the outgoing commander in chief during a stirring and emotional departure ceremony in which he called leading men and women in uniform the highlight of his presidency. Former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush give a final wave to the crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., prior to their final departure aboard Air Force One, Jan. 20, 2009. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Craig Clapper  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available....

The President was honored with a Military Appreciation Parade at Fort Myer, Arlington, Virginia TranscriptFirst Lady Laura received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service from Defense Secretary Robert Gates,The President discussed Conservation and the Environment in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building TranscriptVice President Dick Cheney administered the Senate Oath to reelected senators Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

(excerpt) Students, faculty, and staff, it's good to be with you. Over the past century, this important institution has become one of our nation's most revered places. It really has been. After all, the graduates of this college are legendary -- and perhaps I'm looking at legends -- Dwight Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, George Patton to Norm Schwarzkopf, Tommy Franks, and a man who I visited with recently, Ray Odierno. I want to thank you for continuing this college's noble tradition of military scholarship. I thank you for volunteering to serve our nation during a time of war. I appreciate the...

China increases US treasury holdings By Xin Zhiming (China Daily) Updated: 2008-12-17 07:14 Comments(8) PrintMail China increased its holdings of US treasury securities by $65.9 billion in October, consolidating its place as the No 1 holder of American debt, according to the Treasury's latest report on international capital flows. It was China's largest monthly increase this year, pushing the country's total holdings to $652.9 billion, compared with $587 billion at the end of September, when it replaced Japan to become the top holder of US debt. The continual increases in US debt holdings in recent months have triggered fierce domestic...

Just caught the tail end of a breaking report on Fox that President Bush has arrived in Afghanistan after his surprise trip to Iraq.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2008 – President Bush paid a surprise visit to Iraq yesterday, where he praised lawmakers in Baghdad for passing the status of forces agreement with the United States and offered a farewell message of thanks to U.S. troops serving there. “I am just so grateful that I had a chance to come back to Iraq before my presidency ended,” Bush told reporters in Baghdad during a news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talibani. Bush said one of the reasons for his trip was to herald the passage of the Strategic Framework Agreement and the Status of...

I had the pleasure of being asked to stand behind the President as he addressed service members in Baghdad Iraq. After his speech it was awesome to be able to shake his hand and watch him shake hands with, sign stuff for the service members who had stood for hours waiting to see him.

BAGHDAD -- President George W. Bush on Sunday made a farewell visit to Iraq, a place that defines his presidency, just 37 days before he hands the war off to a successor who has pledged to end it

President Bush traveled to Fort Campbell, Ky this morning and visited the troops who had just come back from Iraq Transcript Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

Here is video of President George W. Bush's first interview since the election of Barack Obama as President. Bush was interviewed on CNN today prior to speaking at a Veteran's Day observance in New York. He talked about his meeting yesterday with President-elect Barack Obama at the White House, and what he believes the election of Obama means for America. . . . . (Watch Video)

Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president. According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% -- down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right. This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2008 – President Bush visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center here today to pay respects to wounded soldiers and their families, and to the medical personnel who care for the injured. After his visit, Bush commented on the paradoxical human conditions produced by combat wounds. “On the one hand, you see the horrors of war; on the other hand, you see the courage of the people that have volunteered to serve,” he said. “I marvel when I come to Walter Reed. I marvel at the fact that people say to me, ‘Mr. President, I'd do it...

FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, D.C., Sept. 9, 2008 – The United States will continue to reduce its troop strength in Iraq, but will increase its footprint in Afghanistan, President Bush said here today. The president accepted the recommendations of military leaders to reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq by 8,000 through January. If security conditions continue to improve in the country, further reductions will be possible, Bush said at the National Defense University. Bush also announced plans to deploy a Marine battalion to train Afghan National Army troops in November and to send an Army brigade to Afghanistan in January....

WASHINGTON — When President Bush speaks to the Republican convention on Monday, he is expected to tout the “surge” of forces in Iraq as one of his proudest achievements. But that decision, one of his most consequential as commander in chief, was made only after months of tumultuous debate within the administration, according to still-secret memorandums and interviews with a broad range of current and former officials. In January 2007, at a time when the situation in Iraq appeared the bleakest, Mr. Bush chose a bold option that was at odds with what many of his civilian and military advisers,...

8/15/2008 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- I learned a big lesson on service Aug. 4, 2008, when Eielson had the rare honor of hosting President Bush on a refueling stop as he traveled to Asia. It was an event Eielson will never forget -- a hangar full of Airmen and Soldiers getting to see the Commander in Chief up close, and perhaps even shaking his hand. An incredible amount of effort goes into presidential travel because of all of the logistics, security, protocol, etc ... so it was remarkable to see Air Force One land at Eielson on...

Although this whole Sinclair thing may or may not contain some truths, I really don't like the attribution that appears at the end of the video ( Invoking the "for McCain" line. Seems the Hillary supporters really want to play hardball against Obama now. From http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=25130 Vici57 Silver Member = >250 Posts Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 457 Poster Rank: #181 (8/24/08) Hillary Voters for McCain - Sinclair Ad This video is going viral on the internet, and I need everyone to help spread it in e-mail and any way they can. This is a taste of what the GOP...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2008 – The United States is beholden to servicemembers fighting the war against terrorism and to military veterans who served in past conflicts, President Bush said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Orlando, Fla., today. “America owes the men and women of the VFW a debt that could really never be repaid,” Bush said to a group that included some of today’s servicemembers as well as veterans of past conflicts. “You fought for our freedoms. And then when you came home, you volunteered to continue to serve this nation.” Bush also thanked and praised...

SEOUL, South Korea — Saying the United States is engaged in an "ideological struggle" to promote freedom, President Bush told troops and their families at U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan on Wednesday that removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision at the time and is still the right decision. "I know some people in the United States say we’re not at war, that it’s a simple law enforcement matter," Bush said during the first speech of his weeklong Asia tour. "Well, in law enforcement you respond after the crime. Hopefully, the Sept. 11, 2001, lesson will teach us all that...

ABC News' Yunji de Nies reports: President Bush announced this morning that beginning tomorrow, US troop tours in Iraq will be reduced from 15 months to 12 months. "The progress in Iraq has allowed us to continue our policy of return on success," the President said from the Colonnade outside the Oval Office, "We have now brought home all five of the combat brigades and the three Marine units that were sent to Iraq as part of the surge. The last of these surge brigades returned home this month." The President gave a brief status report on the Iraq war,...

As a Los Angeles county prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi batted a thousand in murder cases: 21 trials, 21 convictions, including the Charles Manson case in 1971. As an author, Mr. Bugliosi has written three No. 1 best sellers and won three Edgar Allan Poe awards, the top honor for crime writers. More than 30 years ago he co-wrote the best seller “Helter Skelter,” about the Manson case. So Mr. Bugliosi could be forgiven for perhaps thinking that a new book would generate considerable interest, among reviewers and on the broadcast talk-show circuit. But if he thought that, he would have been...

In what the media are hailing as “a breath of fresh air that adds a large dollop of class to the campaign,” presidential contender Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) disassociated himself from supporter General Wesley Clark’s contention that Republican rival Senator John McCain’s military record should count against him. “The truth behind General Clark’s remarks is beyond question,” Obama said. “While fighting in Vietnam, McCain did bomb innocent women and children, lose his plane and get captured by the enemy. Not a sterling record, to be sure. But these mistakes occurred long long ago, when McCain was a young man. They...

THE PRESIDENT: I want to thank you for the warm welcome to Fort Bragg. It is good to be at the home of the Airborne and Special Operation Forces. This is my fourth visit to Fort Bragg since I have been honored to be the President. Somehow I always find my way back to the "center of the universe." (Applause.) And every time I come, I look forward to saying: Hooah! AUDIENCE: Hooah! THE PRESIDENT: I'm pleased to be with the paratroopers of the All American 82nd Airborne Division. You know, you and my dad have something in common: You...

WASHINGTON - The White House said Wednesday that President Bush has paid a price for the "Mission Accomplished" banner that was flown in triumph five years ago but later became a symbol of U.S. misjudgments and mistakes in the long and costly war in Iraq.

The following press release (see below) just landed in my inbox: Apparently, the Canadian Islamic Congress is going to announce that it's seeking some kind of plea bargain with Maclean's magazine in regard to the human-rights complaint against Mark Steyn's famous 2006 article. One imagines it will be some variation on the CIC's previous demand that Maclean's publish a lengthy rebuttal by Muslim activists. Given that Maclean's editor Ken Whyte responded to that previous overture by stating that he would rather go bankrupt than publish an anti-Steyn manifesto, I would estimate the chances that the magazine accept this offer at...

THE story of a US soldier who sacrificed his life for his comrades has moved US President George W. Bush to tears. When a grenade bounced off his chest and fell to the floor near his fellow troops, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor acted out of instinct. His actions didn't stem from a lack of training. His instant reaction was to protect his comrades. PO Monsoor was one of the US military's most highly trained combatants, a navy SEAL. The navy said he committed a selfless act by jumping on the grenade and taking the full force of the...

President Bush has presented America's highest military award to the parents of a Navy special operations sailor killed in Iraq two years ago. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story. In September of that year, Monsoor and three SEAL snipers took up a rooftop position during a firefight with insurgents. The Defense Department says a grenade thrown from the street below hit Monsoor in the chest and dropped to the roof. The 25-year-old gunner covered the grenade with his body - saving the lives of his comrades, but suffering wounds that took his life 30 minutes later. President...

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, and welcome. The Medal of Honor is America's highest decoration for military valor. Over the years, many who have received the medal have given their lives in the action that earned it. The name of Petty Officer Michael Anthony Monsoor will now be among them. In September 2006, Michael laid down his life for his brothers in arms. Today, we remember the life of this faithful Navy SEAL. And on behalf of a grateful nation, we will present Michael Monsoor's family with the Medal of Honor that he earned. I welcome the Vice President. Secretary of...

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. (Applause.) General Metcalf, thanks, thanks for welcoming me back here. I am really pleased to be back to Wright-Patt, and it's great to be on the inside of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, which is a fabulous place. I hope our fellow citizens come and see it. It is a great tribute to the airmen who've flown the missions and secured the skies, and defended America's freedom. I want to thank the folks who maintain this shrine. I thank you for giving me a place to park Air Force...

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Deputy Secretary England, thanks for the introduction. One boss may not be here, but the other one is. (Laughter.) I appreciate your kind words. I'm pleased to be back here with the men and women of the Defense Department. On this day in 2003, the United States began Operation Iraqi Freedom. As the campaign unfolded, tens and thousands of our troops poured across the Iraqi border to liberate the Iraqi people and remove a regime that threatened free nations. Five years into this battle, there is an understandable debate over whether the war was worth...

During a briefing, Thursday, regarding the progress of the war in Afghanistan President Bush made an interesting confession, “I must say I’m a little envious think it would be a fantastic experience to be on the front lines of helping this young democracy succeed. It must be exciting for you…in some ways romantic, in some ways, you know..."

Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island The President continues his travels to Israel, the West Bank, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt from January 8-16, 2008. Please .. especially 'til he and his party are safely home .. Pray for President Bush ~~ Day 2676 PHOTO OF THE DAY Jan. 12, 2008 ~ President George W. Bush reaches out to greet members of the military in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. QUOTE(s) OF THE DAY President's Radio Address ~ January 12, 2008 Good morning. I'm speaking to you from the Middle East, where I have been meeting...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2008 – Continuing his week-long Mideast trip, President Bush today thanked U.S. troops posted in Kuwait for their service in the war against terrorism and predicted ultimate victory. Military personnel line the path to the stage as President Bush addressed them Jan. 12, 2008, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. White House photo by Eric Draper  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “I’m here to thank you for your service. I want you to know the American people are mighty proud of you, and so am I,” Bush told servicemembers gathered at Camp Arifjan. “We can’t thank you...

I know Bush has visited Iraq at least twice. When was it that he surprised the troops at a dinner and walked on stage. Whom ever introduced him asked for a senior member of the administration to deliver the message and President Bush walked on stage. I thought it was a great moment and have been looking for it on You Tube. Thanks

A peculiarly Canadian institution, the Human Rights Commission attracted attention beyond Canada’s borders last week when the Canadian Islamic Congress filed several complaints against author and commentator Mark Steyn, and Maclean’s, the newsweekly that excerpted his bestselling America Alone last year. There is no substance to these complaints, but that is no impediment in the eyes of British Columbia’s commission, which has agreed to investigate the case. The degeneration of Human Rights Commissions into forums for nuisance suits, and their current abuse by the CIC, among others, is indicative of the growing political and cultural gulf between the U.S. and...

Writer Mark Steyn, and the Canadian journal Maclean’s are poised to go up against a tag team made in multicultural heaven: Canada’s federal, Ontario and British Columbia human rights commissions, and the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC). The CIC was outraged when Maclean’s published a piece titled “The Future Belongs To Islam,” an excerpt from Steyn’s America Alone, The End of the World as We Know It. They labeled Steyn’s work “flagrantly Islamophobic” and requested equal rebuttal space in the pages of Maclean’s. When the journal refused the CIC launched human rights complaints. The British Columbia hearing is scheduled for next...

The Canadian Islamic Congress has launched human rights complaints against Macleans Magazine and its editor-in-chief, Kenneth Whyte, for publishing a flagrantly Islamophobic article, "The Future Belongs to Islam", in its Oct 23, 2006 issue. This article continues to be published on the Macleans website The future belongs to Islam | Macleans.ca - Canada - Features http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20061023_134898_134898&source= The complaints have been submitted to the British Columbia, Ontario, and Federal Human Rights Commissions on the grounds that the article subjects Canadian Muslims to hatred and contempt. The complaints have been accepted by the British Columbia and the Federal Commissions; hearings have been...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2007 – While parts of Iraq remain violent and difficult, the Iraqi people are taking back their country with the help of U.S. troops, President Bush said during a speech on Fort Jackson, S.C., today. Bush spoke to soldiers graduating from basic training at the post. He told them that many of them will be serving in Iraq or Afghanistan as they continue their Army careers. There has been tremendous progress in Iraq, the president said, but more must be done. “The enemy remains determined, but what they have learned about the United States of America is,...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2007 – After speaking with commanders of U.S. provincial reconstruction teams and brigade combat teams via videoconference from Iraq today, President Bush expressed confidence about the chances for success in that country. In remarks after the videoconference, Bush said that Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told him that for the week of Sept. 8-15, attack levels across Iraq were the lowest they have been since January 2006. “And when you couple that with grassroots efforts that our … provincial reconstruction teams are making, you begin to get a sense of...

Following last night’s address to the nation, President Bush and Vice President Cheney each met with troops and Marines today, thanking them for their service and for their continued efforts in the War on Terror. President Bush had lunch with Marines at Quantico, Virginia, and made a brief statement afterwards, in which he reminded Congress to “support our men and women in uniform, and their families, and those who have worn the uniform. “ (Transcript) Vice President Cheney traveled to the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he spoke about the war in Iraq (Transcript). He then...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2007 – President Bush spoke to Marines at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., today, thanking them for their service and explaining the way forward in Iraq. (Video) After meeting with young Marine officers and the enlisted troops who train them, Bush said he told the troops about his address to the nation last night, in which he endorsed Army Gen. David H. Petraeus’ recommendations for the future of the U.S. mission in Iraq. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker this week provided their assessment of the situation...