Veterans understand that they must bring that knowledge and that perspective to bear in a much wider fight, one that will require a commitment, focus, and sustained effort unlike any seen previously. They must carry with on the same mission they accepted while in uniform — defending freedom.
Video courtesy of Concerned Veterans for America.
-By Warner Todd Huston
Obama revealed the extent of his narcissism, his outsized sense of self-regard, this week during his hasty explanation of his flip flop on the issue of gay marriage. In his ABC News interview Obama waxed poetic about those American troops that he thinks are fighting for him as opposed to fighting for their country.
During his interview, Obama told ABC News’ Robin Roberts that he feels “constrained” in war policy, but it’s what he said before that which startles for its arrogance (my bold for emphasis).
When I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.
Fighting on your behalf, Mr. President? What an amazing conceit. No, Mr. President, our soldiers are fighting for their country not for a particular president. Cesar’s troops fought for him, on “his behalf.” So did Napoleon’s. But our nation has no emperor, Mr. Obama. American troops fight for their country not its leaders or leader.
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Obama’s Narcissism: The Troops are Fighting for Me, Me, Me”
A thank you to our veterans for the sacrifices they’ve made in the name of freedom featuring comments from Rick Perry, Ted Cruz, Don Stenberg, Dan Liljenquist, and Adam Hasner.
Freedom Works debuted this great video for Veteran’s Day while we were in Denver this past weekend. It is now up at Youtube and, even though the holiday is past, I thought I’d feature the video today.
From Operation Homefront, Illinois…
Please consider helping a great cause (and having a great time!) on Saturday night September 24, 2011 for Operation Homefront-Illinois’ Second Annual Black & White Night (click here to view invite, style is business dress, not black tie).
Operation Homefront-Illinois’ mission is to provide emergency assistance to the families of our active duty, deployed military men and women and to our wounded warriors who are returning home and are readjusting to civilian life.
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Please Join Us at the Pritzker Military Family Library, Help Us Support Illinois Military Families”
-By Warner Todd Huston
It has been a tough few decades for high-end military procurement, for sure. Promising projects, hardware, weapons systems, trains, planes, and automobiles — not to mention numerous boats — have been started, millions spent on them, only to be unceremoniously cancelled due to those pernicious political whirlwinds. Our nation has an aging military infrastructure and we are losing ground to other nations.
But one project looks to have weathered those whirlwinds. That would be the F-35 Lightening II fighter jet. And this one is a must for national security, too.
I was happy to have been invited to a presentation of the F-35 in Rockford, Illinois put on by Lockheed Martin. There I heard about the F-35 from its development team, I heard from two Illinois congressmen, and was fortunate enough to have had a chance to fly the cockpit simulator (very fun, by the way).
As it happens, Illinois supplies quite a few parts and computer systems for the F-35, so a demonstration in Illinois was a very apt locale.
The new F-35 is already undergoing flight tests at various bases across the country and the military is training pilots to fly them as we speak. I keep saying “the military” and not the Air Force for a specific reason. This is not just a Navy plane, nor is it solely an Air Force or a Marine fighter. In fact, one of the reasons this project has survived the budget cutter’s axe is because it satisfies more than one role of a new fighter required by our military.
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Presenting The U.S. Military’s New Fighter, the F-35 Lightning II”
The two men that you’ll see during the video of the F-35 Lightning II demonstration I attended are Andreas Schell, President of electronic systems at Hamilton Sundstrand (Rockford, ILL) and Stephen O”Bryan, a Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Vice President.
BIOS
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F-35 Team Bios”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Obama made what many are calling a mere “mistake” when he visited the 10th Mountain Division. His “mistake” came in when he said that a soldier that received the Medal of Honor was still alive.
Of course, the soldier in question, Sergeant First Class Jared Monti, was killed in Iraq in 2006 and did receive his Medal of Honor posthumously.
Here is what the president said:
“First time I saw 10th Mountain Division, you guys were in southern Iraq. When I went back to visit Afghanistan, you guys were the first ones there. I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn’t receiving it posthumously.”
Now, why do I say that this shows Obama’s contempt for the military? Because no one should make such a “mistake” as this. Obama and his team miserably failed to get the facts on this most important of facts.
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Obama’s Contempt for Our Soldiers”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Memorial Day Parade, Wheaton, Ill– Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam (R, 6th District) walked in the Wheaton Memorial Day Parade to some applause and ended the exercise by speaking to those assembled at the Wheaton Cemetery to commemorate those that have served us in peace and war and those who gave their last full measure so that we could remain the last best hope of the world.
The weather could not have been better as the parade stepped off this morning. The skies were clear and Summer temperatures had finally arrived. As the route rolled on the heat did tend to rise, though. Still, compared to the dismal weather we’ve seen the last few months, this Memorial Day was a welcome respite.
Rep. Roskam had a group of about fifty supporters march with him and I joined them to document the event. As we walked the distance from downtown Wheaton to the Wheaton Cemetery it was obvious that the congressman had many fans along the route. There were surprised smiles and a healthy amount of applause as the congressman and his lovely wife led the contingent.
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U.S. Rep. Roskam Marches in Wheaton Memorial Day Parade”
-By Warner Todd Huston
For Memorial Day, I don’t usually post much, preferring to dedicate the day to memorializing our troops. To do that this year, I am going to share this story about the mettle of our troops. What follows are excerpts from remarks by Marine Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly to the Semper Fi Society of St. Louis on November 13, 2010. Kelly’s son, Marine 1st Lt. Robert Michael Kelly, 29, had been killed in action four days earlier in Sangin, in southern Afghanistan, while leading his platoon on a combat patrol:
Giving Thanks for Our Warriors
“Those with less of a sense of service to the nation never understand it when men and women of character step forward to look danger and adversity straight in the eye, refusing to blink, or give ground, even to their own deaths… No, they are not victims but are warriors, your warriors, and warriors are never victims regardless of how and where they fall. Death, or fear of death, has no power over them. Their paths are paved by sacrifice, sacrifices they gladly make… for you….
“Two years ago when I was the commander of all U.S. and Iraqi forces, in fact, the 22nd of April 2008, two Marine infantry battalions, 1/9 ‘The Walking Dead,’ and 2/8 were switching out in Ramadi… Two Marines, Corporal Jonathan Yale and Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter, 22 and 20 years old respectively, one from each battalion, were assuming the watch together at the entrance gate of an outpost that contained a makeshift barracks housing 50 Marines… Yale was a dirt poor mixed-race kid from Virginia with a wife and daughter, and a mother and sister who lived with him and he supported as well. He did this on a yearly salary of less than $23,000. Haerter, on the other hand, was a middle-class white kid from Long Island. They were from two completely different worlds… But they were Marines, combat Marines, forged in the same crucible of Marine training, and because of this bond they were brothers as close, or closer, than if they were born of the same woman.
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Memorial Day 2011: THIS Is What American Troops Are Made Of…”
-By Warner Todd Huston
This week President Obama revealed his latest attempt to control the media, the Internet, and the information revealed to the people of the United States by creating a new “press” office of sorts, an Obama ministry of truth, if you will. Obama’s grandiose name for this new office is the Progressive Media & Online Response department. Also named was its new director, Jesse Lee. Lee, it turns out, has an interesting connection to one of the most outrageous anti-American, anti-military media efforts in recent memory.
Jesse Lee, you see, is married to Nita Chaudhary, one of the people responsible for the 2007 MoveOn.org newspaper ad that maligned General David Petraeus as “General Betray Us.”
That’s right, the guy that President Obama has chosen to “correct” the Internet and media and to relay the president’s “truth” is connected to one of the most anti-American, anti-military, left-wing activist groups in America. Lee and his wife are typical, hardcore, leftist extremists yet now they are in the People’s House with Lee responsible to “correct” the people themselves when they dare to question The One.
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Obama’s New ‘Truth Minister’ Husband of ‘General Betray Us’ MoveOn.Orger”
Two of Illinois’ Congressmen have released statements on the Troop Funding issue that has arisen with this looming government shutdown. The White House has claimed that our soldiers — many of whom are currently at war — won’t get paid.
Congressman Peter Roskam, 6th District Representative and the Chief Deputy Whip of The House Republicans, and Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, he of the 11th District, have each released a statement on the paying of our troops.
Congressman Peter Roskam
“A full 47 days after the House first passed H.R. 1 – and a year after House Democrats failed to even introduce a budget – the House has once again acted to keep the government open, cut spending, and fund the troops for the rest of the year. It is astonishing that President Obama is threatening to veto a bill to fund our troops – without stating a single policy objection – particularly when our troops are now in three different foreign conflicts. I’m disheartened the White House and Senate Democrats are putting politics ahead of funding our troops and keeping the government open. We owe it to our troops to make sure they are getting paid when in harm’s way.”
Congressman Adam Kinzinger
Today, on the 47th day since the House passed H.R. 1, Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) spoke out in support of the Troop Funding Bill which would fund the Department of Defense through the remainder of FY2011, while cutting $12 billion in federal spending and keeping the government running for one week so a long-term solution will be reached, avoiding a government shutdown.
“As a military pilot, I have friends serving our country who are wondering if they’re going to get paid if the government does shutdown. I say, ‘Ask Harry Reid; we’ve tried to make sure you continue to get paid.’
“I’m disappointed by the news that our Commander-in-Chief has threatened to veto this legislation that would ensure members of the military receive their paychecks and avoids a government shutdown. I urge the Senate to stand up for the men and women who put their lives on the line and make certain they receive funding while making real spending cuts.
“I was sent here to cut spending and make government efficient and effective, not just in the short term, but in the long run for our children and grandchildren. I don’t think it’s any secret that we cannot continue down this reckless trajectory. We’ve kicked the can down the road for too long and now, there’s no more road left.
“It’s time to tackle the spending to ensure the fiscal soundness of this country for future generations.”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Despite initially intending to skip a public address, President Obama finally came before the nation last night to speak about his plans and ideas for America’s engagement in Libya. Unfortunately there are more questions than answers still and members of the Illinois congressional delegation are less than satisfied with Obama’s Libya policies.
For one, Peter Roskam (R, 6th), Chief Deputy Whip of the GOP led House, is less than happy with Obama’s televised appearance.
Even though it comes nine days after our military became engaged in Libya, I am pleased President Obama took the opportunity to address the country tonight. Unfortunately many questions still remain. Even with a nationally-televised, widely-promoted speech, Americans still don’t have the answer to a basic and essential question: what is the benchmark for success in Libya?
Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R, 11th) went a step farther yesterday and said that, even though he is not advocating sending troops at this time, we should not automatically rule out sending in American ground troops. “What you end up seeing is when you say we’re never going to send in American troops–you take away that ability to use that as a trump card or leverage.”
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Peter Roskam, Ill. Delegation Mostly Disappointed With Obama’s Libya Policies”
-By Warner Todd Huston
In all the reporting on the involvement of US Forces in Libya a report by WCTI Channel 12 News in New Bern, North Carolina seems to have gone by almost unnoticed. The News channel reports that 2,200 U.S. Marines have been shipped off the Libya. But doesn’t this deployment clash with Obama’s supposedly steadfast claim that there will be “no boots on the ground” in Libya?
On March 20 WCTI reported that the Marines were shipping out.
About 2,200 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, or 26th MEU will take part. Their mission is to help end the violence directed at the Libyan people.
“In Libya right now they are doing exactly what we need them to do. They are doing what they are told and right now that’s protecting Libyan people against Qadhafi forces,” said Captain Timothy Patrick, a Marine with the 26th MEU.
So, what is it? Are there Marines in Libya or will there be “no boots on the ground”? If there are Marines there, what are they there for?
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2,200 Marines Go To Libya, ‘What Happened to No Boots on the Ground’?”
-By Warner Todd Huston
The military action in Libya undertaken by a “coalition of the willing” at the end of last week is, from an American perspective, as vexing as it is elating. On one hand it is good that the US came to the aid of a people yearning to over thrown a murderous dictator, but on the other it is troubling that America is going into this with no plan, no policy, and no idea who the players on the rebel side even are.
On top of all that President Obama is going ahead with this intervention in precisely the same ways that he pointedly criticized President Bush for doing in Iraq. In fact, some on the American left are leveling just that accusation him.
Then there is the split opinion of those on the right. On one hand you have those that were bemoaning the lack of American leadership in the world, those that were startled that France was taking the lead in Libya, those who are celebrating over Obama’s late-in-coming decision. However, other conservatives are saying we should stay out of Libya because we don’t have the slightest clue if we are about to usher in another Islamist “revolution” if Gaddhafi should fall.
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Military Action in Libya: Conundrums and Calculations”
-By Warner Todd Huston
So, not only has Obama turned a deaf ear to the dozens getting killed in Libya by their own mad dictator, but when the White House Twitter feed finally did decide to discuss the country it spelled the name of the place incorrectly.
Seriously, White House? “Lybia”? Sounds like something that the Bush Administration would be destroyed over by the left-sold media. So, any chances that the media will make fun of Barack “the world traveller” Obama over this?
Yeah, don’t hold your breath waiting for the smarter-than-thou left-media pundit class to start lambasting Obama any time soon.
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Obama Misspells Libya on Twitter Feed”
Please find some veterans today and thank them for their service.
-By Warner Todd Huston
President Barack Obama’s now concluding trip to India seems to have turned out to be a failed or at the very least unhelpful effort. His false starts, unhelpful comments and bad policy moves mark this visit as a bit of a mess.
Obama made multiple gaffes not only for India but for his own party back home not to mention his nation. As his political party was delivered a severe blow and his agenda was cut off at the knees on election day he was seen dancing happily all across the continent with a lavish visit paid for at the taxpayer’s expense even as those same taxpayers were enraged at wild government spending sprees. As the Indians worried over Obama’s foreign policy he refused to call the those that attacked them in Mumbai terrorists and finally on his exit from the country he delivered yet another one of his digs at his own country saying that America is a nation in decline.
Things began going wrong for The One even as he first arrived in one of the most vibrant nations on earth. For one thing he arrived a lesser president than when he originally set up the trip. His party was delivered a stunning and historic blow as the GOP picked up over 60 seats in the federal seat of power and hundreds more in the state legislatures in the Nov. 2 election, a feat that hasn’t been repeated since WWII. So Obama arrived with his mandate splintered and his power diminished. He is a president with less power to help his Indian hosts do anything.
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Obama’s Disastrous Visit to India”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Major Mike Banzet of the U.S. Air Force retired this year after more than 20 years in service to his country. He didn’t do so happily, either. To explain himself he published a long letter in the Daily Inter Lake that is a spot on attack on America’s misguided support of the Democratic Party.
As I said Major Banzet really didn’t want to retire. He had to. He had to because he couldn’t live with a political party like the Democrats having any power at all in this country. With the anti-American attitude that the Democrat’s elected officials demonstrate, I can’t blame him.
Banzet was hardnosed and leveled serious charges. But they all ring true.
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Saddest Letter Ever From One of Our Military Vets!”
John Schwarzman is a conservative from Reston, Virginia and has written and produced a music video that everyone should see.
Is there any other country where folks feel this way of their home? I don’t think there is. There’s a reason for that!
-By Warner Todd Huston
Hey I got “fact checked” by the website TruthOrFiction.comand was found… to be 100% correct! I was not aware that this happened, but someone stumbled across it and emailed it to me.
Apparently one of my articles was turned into one of those widely distributed email chain letters and it was so widely emailed to and fro that the fact checker websites took up the issue.
The article that was being emailed was mine titled, “Obama Orders Army NOT To Fly U.S. Flag in Haiti.” In this one I reported that the Obama administration ordered the U.S. military not to fly the U.S. flag during its relief work in earthquake-ravaged Haiti in early 2010.
So why did the Obama administration forbid flying our own flag in Haiti?
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Truth Or Fiction Gives Huston the Thumbs Up”
OK, if you like some harder-styled rock, then rock out with America…
(By the way, I am not working with these folks, an emailer just set me the link and I thought it was a nice project.)
A new film is coming out to inform America of just how bad, just how greedy our government has become. It’s called I Want Your Money.
-By Warner Todd Huston
ACORN whistleblower Anita MonCrief, the brave young woman whose conscience wouldn’t allow her to cover for ACORN’s criminal activity while she was in its employ, has started a new venture. A website dedicated to rooting out government corruption called www.EmergingCorruption.com was launched last weekend headed by Anita and a cadre of writers and researchers (myself being one of them).
Emerging Corruption is a political news website that provides to the public information and investigations into ACORN and other center-left enterprises. The news website will investigate and expose historically corrupt special interest organizations and will feature information and investigations into organizational tactics, programs, campaigns, staff & initiatives including fund raising and finances.
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ACORN Whistleblower Anita MonCreif’s New Venture: EmergingCorruption.com”
-By Warner Todd Huston
We see this sort of thing off and on as political eras wax and wane. The question of whether or not we are only just behind a new revolution starting up in the United States has been repeatedly asked almost since the instant the first one (or even the second one — the Civil War) came to a close.
But are we? Are we about to be plunged into a second revolution of some sort or another? And who will be on what side of this revolution? Angelo Codevilla, professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University, asks this question in the recent issue of the American Spectator and I must say he presents compelling reasons why we might be headed for another revolution.
It’s all about “America’s Ruling Class,” says Codevilla. These elites have lost touch with America and are now solely interested in whats good for the ruling class and not whats good for America and it people.
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Are We Headed Toward Another Revolution?”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Last week the Washington Times had a story that should enrage every true American. The Democrat Congress is allowing Big Labor’s needs to come before the needs of our troops. The supplemental budget that Congress is considering is supposed to be about funding the troops and their efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but Democrats are more interested in how many payoffs for Big Labor they can stuff into the thing then in funding the troops.
Like most supplementals, this bill began with a singular purpose: paying war expenses. It since has been larded with billions in wasteful projects and programs designed to attract the vote of the left-of-center members with no fondness for the military. Among the House-approved giveaways are a $10 billion bailout for big-spending local governments, loan guarantees worth $9 billion for purported renewable energy, $3 billion for black farmers and American Indians who sued the government and $1 billion for summertime “youth activities.”
Even worse is the language to nationalize our first responders, policemen, and firemen. (As we talked about HERE)
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Unions Holding Up Cash for the Troops”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Calumet Park, Illinois is straight south of Chicago nearing the Indiana border. Illinoisans of the area call it Cal Park for short. Unfortunately, it seems to have earned a new nickname thanks to the lies over his military record told by its mayor, Joseph DuPar. Its new name should be Bull Park.
Easily fitting in with other serial military service liars such as Massachusetts District Attorney candidate Richard Blumenthal, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, Mr. John “did you know I served in Vietnam” Kerry, and even fellow Illinoisans Phil Hare and Mark Kirk, Mayor DuPar made a pretty outrageous claim on his bio during his recently successful election campaign.
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Ill. Mayor’s Lies About His Military Awards”
Don’t forget what they have done and continue to do for us.
-By Warner Todd Huston
There is no other aspect of Washington D.C. that upsets voters more than government spending surreptitiously added on to spending bills and this week Congress indulged its inner drunken sailor once again by adding a $10 billion bailout for teachers unions in the bill that is supposed to fund the war effort.
The teacher union bailout ups the $60 billion expenditure to a $70 billion tab and is causing even some Democrats to balk.
Republicans have demanded that the war funding bill be clean of any tacked on spending and have threatened to withhold support of the bill if the teachers union bailouts and other unrelated spending additions are kept.
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Dems Include Union Bailout in War Funding Bill”
-By Warner Todd Huston
A policy of no tolerance for weapons got an 8-year-old boy in trouble at his Rhode Island grade school this week. The boy brought in nearly a dozen M-14 Army rifles to his Tiogue School in Coventry, R.I. grade school and was chastised by the principal for the outrage.
How did he get all those assault rifles into the school you might ask? Why he did it by gluing seven or so of his 2-inch-tall green army soldier toys to his camo colored ball cap for “make a crazy hat” day at school. That’s right, a few green army man toys were enough to trip the poor child up in this foolish school’s “no weapons” policy. (Photo credit, WPRI.com)
Seriously. No weapons includes 2-inch-tall army soldier toys holding teeny, tiny representations of army rifles. 2-inch-tall army soldier toys are enough to get a kid sent in shame to the principal’s office and threatened with sterner action.
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2-Inch-Tall Army Soldiers Gets School Kid Reprimanded”
-By Warner Todd Huston
Last week two Massachusetts High School teachers took it upon themselves to protest against the U.S. Military as students that had announced plans to join our armed forces were receiving recognition from their school. Incensed students and parents called for the teachers to be fired.
History teacher Marybeth Verani and English teacher Adeline Koscher raised signs protesting the military during the June 11 ceremony at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School interrupting the proceedings and angering the parents and their students that were being recognized.
Students were upset that these teachers decided to impose their anti-American, anti-Military view on the room full of attendees during a time meant to celebrate the student’s efforts to serve their country.
Andrew Bowles Jr., a junior at the school, told reporters afterward, “They not only imposed their political will, they imposed it at the wrong time.”
A parent, Joanne Schuman of Yarmouth, thought that the teachers would have been removed from the event.
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Anti-War Teachers Disrupt Recognition Ceremony of Military-Minded Students”
