tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57804242011-04-21T21:22:02.861-07:00Veterans for Dean The Blog<center><i>This is a discussion of the coming election in light of current issues that relate to defense, foreign policy and the military, and why the current administration is not addressing the needs of veterans, active military service members, and their dependents.</i></center>veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comBlogger1671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1077295108585476022004-02-20T08:38:00.000-08:002004-02-20T08:40:25.390-08:00A Shorter Kept Promise Than a Las Vegas Wedding Vow...
Nine days after assuring us that more than 2.6 million jobs would be created this year, the president had to eat crow for breakfast. Not to be outdone after Mr. Bush's confident promise of job creation, his chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, N. Gregory Mankiw (see Monday Feb 16th blog below) said the president was veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1077206611139070942004-02-19T08:03:00.000-08:002004-02-19T08:06:09.046-08:00Modern Day Cult of the Disappearing Dead - Only It Resides in the White House
How the news about casualties is being managed by the administration. Here is the summary, but read the whole thing - and don't have any sharp objects nearby when you do:
During the course of the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts the US Department of Defense (DoD) conducted "perception management" campaigns that obstructed veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1077124014546252402004-02-18T09:06:00.000-08:002004-02-18T09:10:54.606-08:00What's Going to Happen?
Having been asked this question regarding Gov. Dean, I think you would agree that it's up to him what happens from here. Let's let him discuss that later this morning. Regardless of what the post-campaign looks like, the impact and innovations of his campaign have changed American politics and the Democratic party for good - and for the better.
When this blog was lookingveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1077032873771787952004-02-17T07:47:00.000-08:002004-02-17T07:51:02.560-08:00Poor Judgment, Bad Decisions, and Just Plain Bumbling - This is Leadership?
In an all out search for anything and anybody to justify the war in Iraq, Mr. Bush, Mr Cheney and assorted advisors threw in with the wrong people. Ahmad Chalabi returned to Iraq as U.S. forces were moving into Baghdad and became a prominent member of the Iraqi Governing Council.
Vice President Dick Cheney and the veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076963204854886372004-02-16T12:26:00.000-08:002004-02-16T12:40:34.076-08:00Economics 101 - Why Many Veterans (and Others) are Out of a Job
Another Advisor to the President Learns Something About Politics, the Hard Way
Economics, as an academic field of study, is known as the "Dismal Science" and most of us probably believe we have better things to do with our time than care about it. It's time you cared about it if you can't find employment, veterans, because like soveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076808885150369632004-02-14T17:34:00.000-08:002004-02-14T17:36:36.496-08:00Best Line of the Weekend..
From Michael Feldman on NPR's "Whad'ya Know", who opened his show in a very somber tone and asked: "30 years from now, will George Bush be able to prove he was President of the United States - or will we only have the dental records?"veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076776331726519452004-02-14T08:32:00.000-08:002004-02-16T13:07:09.153-08:00"What's the Big Deal About Conflict of Interest on Your Blog...Find Something Else 'of Interest'"...
Sorry, I don't have time for important stuff like Super Bowl halftime shows.
See Jack Ohman today (Feb 14), entitled Justice is Duck Blind
veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076693841875467202004-02-13T09:37:00.000-08:002004-02-14T08:24:16.543-08:00Rumsfeld Sings: Off You Go into the Wild Blue Yonder…
The transformation of the Reserve components under Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld’s “bold initiative” has begun in earnest.
Mr. Rumsfeld, like his boss, once more, with vigor, is biting the hands of those that helped deliver Mr. Bush’s pre-emptive war in Iraq.
But even the administration’s harshest war critics are numb with veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076601215840572432004-02-12T20:53:00.000-08:002004-02-12T21:20:05.716-08:00Frustrated Conservatives Getting Fed Up With Their Leader - Just like the Rest of Us
(UPDATE: Criticism from Republicans and Democrats that President Bush gave a shaky performance on Sunday on "Meet the Press" did not stop his re-election campaign from incorporating digitally enhanced excerpts from it into a promotional video that it posted on its Web site on Tuesday.
The campaign said it wouldveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076475663251372372004-02-11T07:01:00.000-08:002004-02-11T08:05:58.420-08:00"I Want to Lead This World"
Nuggets from the Russert Interview (compressed in some places, but language not edited). The words speak for themselves. Why more and more veterans will not be voting for Mr. Bush in 2004....
Russert: Prime Minister Blair has set up a similar commission in Great Britain.
President Bush: Yeah. Russert: His is going to report back in July. President Bush: Right.veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076471127543531972004-02-10T19:45:00.000-08:002004-02-10T19:50:39.076-08:00"MilitarySpot.com"
Veterans and anyone else interested in military information: Please check out a new link over to the right, under Veterans Links, called MilitarySpot.com. It is perhaps the most comprehensive website for military links of all kinds - and very professionally put together. You will be on there for awhile, guaranteed, because of all the interesting stuff available.veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076428297453091342004-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:002004-02-10T19:41:25.356-08:00The New Math (Part II)
About once a week, this blog receives email from an irate Bush-supporting veteran who slams the blog with something like "How can you be a patriot and keep writing stuff critical of the administration and it's support of veterans?" Now the tune is "... didn't you know the VA budget has gone up 12% this year?" The questions to ask of course, are: "12% of what?" and "Whereveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076358147215858822004-02-09T12:22:00.000-08:002004-02-09T12:28:17.450-08:00The New Math
For those of you who forgot the concept of correlation from that statistics course you hated, you can relearn it quickly. Just go back and look at the headlines for the last six months: If W is being slammed in the press, the threat level goes up or new WMDs are imminently going to be found . The correlation is 1.0, or perfect.
(Thanks to Bohemian Mama for the link)
veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076344232021087892004-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:002004-02-09T12:11:26.356-08:00“The Wheels Come Off”
The Bush solution: spend until it's gone
The wheels are coming off Bush’s presidency, just like they did for his father a decade ago…George W. Bush now faces a horrific crash as intelligence failures, a record-deficit budget, a jobless economy and two wars abroad combine to pull him down.
Roiled in the waves of a stormy political sea, the much-feared Loose Cannon broke veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076174238191460032004-02-07T09:17:00.000-08:002004-02-07T10:42:51.716-08:00Conflict of Interest: “Scalia's Blind Eye” and One More Reason Why Dick Cheney Will not be on the 2004 Ticket
The Bush administration does not understand the concept of conflict of interest and neither apparently do some Supreme Court justices who clearly ought to know better:
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia didn't just casually meet up with Vice President Dick Cheney for a few days of veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1076095430287485802004-02-06T11:23:00.000-08:002004-02-06T11:25:33.360-08:00No Blog Today!veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075995246515895222004-02-05T07:34:00.000-08:002004-02-05T17:07:54.716-08:00Tenet to Claim Intelligence was Good
George Tenet is sick and tired of people saying the intelligence was not the failure that the media and the Congress are saying it was - even the President wants "to know the facts" as reported in Tuesday's post below. In a few minutes, Tenet will speak at Georgetown U. to make his case that our intelligence apparatus provided the best possible information (veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075745710065360442004-02-03T17:15:00.000-08:002004-02-03T17:48:58.340-08:00The Real Facts, Please
(Note: this post being left up on top for at least another day, because of the link from BlogforAmerica)
Late last week, the president tried to, unsuccessfully brush off U.N. WMD Inspector Kay's report that there was no basis for believing reports that Iraq had WMDs and was an imminent threat to the U.S. or the world:
Former chief U.S. weapons hunter David Kay said on veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075502989668928852004-01-30T14:49:00.000-08:002004-01-30T14:54:45.403-08:00CBS Refuses to Air the Best Super Bowl Commercial
Congrats CBS, now people will really want to know what this ad is about.
Moveon.org, the left-leaning organization whose political advertisement critical of President Bush was rejected by CBS for broadcast during the Super Bowl, is hoping to air the ad on CNN during halftime on Sunday.
Moveon.org said Thursday it has a "lock" on two airtimes veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075478121253455142004-01-30T07:55:00.000-08:002004-01-30T08:35:40.903-08:00Another Chink Removed from the Patriot Act
Little by little the excesses of the Patriot Act are being corrected and restoring your freedoms. But this, along with the actions (see Jan 22 blog entry below) being taken in many of our communities around the country, is just the beginning of what needs to be done to undo the biggest of the Big Brother Acts and its even nastier sister, Patriot Act II,veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075390347083546742004-01-29T07:32:00.000-08:002004-01-29T07:37:33.810-08:00A Disabled Veteran Speaks Out
"Disabled Retirees Win Partial Victory."
This is the headline used by the Disabled American Veterans in the January/February edition of the DAV Magazine, to declare victory in the battle for concurrent receipt for disabled retirees. A disabled vet speaks his mind.
"This is not a victory, partial or otherwise. When hundreds of thousands of veterans are still left veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075307278236223142004-01-28T08:27:00.000-08:002004-01-28T08:29:32.060-08:00Homeless Vets, Revisited
Dorothy Sanchez admitted she should have known better.
But the County Board member, D-Aurora, said recent developments have opened her eyes to a problem she did not realize was as critical as it is: homeless veterans.
She said the realization came as she watched Democratic Party presidential candidates donating to a homeless shelter for veterans in Iowa.
"I'll be theveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075218316622653912004-01-27T07:45:00.000-08:002004-01-27T07:46:49.356-08:00Surely, You Thought, This Was Fixed Months Ago - It Wasn't...
With the biggest troop rotation since World War II under way, Pentagon officials told a House panel Wednesday they would do whatever it takes to avoid the mistakes that last year left sick and injured troops at U.S. bases waiting weeks and months for doctors. Many had served in Iraq.
The Pentagon and the Army have still not fixed veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1075137932696726012004-01-26T09:25:00.000-08:002004-01-26T12:07:35.123-08:00"Blind Into Baghdad"
The U.S. occupation of Iraq is a debacle not because the government did no planning but because a vast amount of expert planning was willfully ignored by the people in charge.
Failure of leadership from Mr. Bush and his administration has been a key theme pursued on this blog for the last several months. Now, in an extensively researched account by James Fallows in The veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074969639511634142004-01-26T08:40:00.000-08:002004-01-26T10:50:30.606-08:00As Yogi Berra Used to Say: "It's Not Over 'til the Fat Lady Sings."
UPDATE now included on this post, first published Saturday.
This blog was admonished by another vet to not chill out for the whole weekend, especially with New Hampshire coming on Tuesday. What, he asked, needed to be said to encourage the "troops" - the veterans and everyone else out there wanting to press on, or come on veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074965228773211232004-01-26T07:27:00.000-08:002004-01-27T07:31:12.796-08:00The New Acronym
Forget Weapons of Mass Destruction. A high school friend suggested a new acronym since we are all tired of WMD. What we need now is WMDRPAFPFA - Weapons of Mass Destruction Related Program Activities for Possible Future Application.
UPDATE: Colin Powell says it's an "open question" whether Iraq had WMD. Notice where this disclosure was made: in Georgia - no, not in Atlanta,veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074787511388637892004-01-22T08:05:00.000-08:002004-01-22T08:09:40.403-08:00First on Mr. Bush's Agenda - Renew the Patriot Act
The applause was approving and rowdy, only not at a place in his speech that he expected. Mr. Bush had just said, in the annual State of the Union (SOTU), that the Patriot Act was due to expire next year. Several times the Democrats let him know that that's what should happen.
The rest of the country isn't waiting. In an unprecedented show of veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074673392530880612004-01-21T00:23:00.000-08:002004-01-21T00:33:41.716-08:00The State of the Union Scorecard Results
There will be more to be discussed here about the speech in the coming days, but one thing was agreed upon by the news talking heads last night: the issues will be clear and so will the differences. Mr. Bush said that, take it or leave it, these are the elements of his foreign policy: Pre-emptive Wars, Regime Changes, the Patriot Act, threats to Iran and veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074613675124792942004-01-20T07:47:00.000-08:002004-01-20T07:49:20.686-08:00The State of the Union Scorecard
I know, many of you don't want to look at Mr. Bush's face or hear him tonight, but it's important to do so. One good way to help you know the opponent better for November is to understand how to beat him. Using this "scorecard" tonight is one good way to do so. But add one more topic: Support of veterans, active duty military, the Reserves and National Guard.veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074613181320894652004-01-20T07:39:00.000-08:002004-01-20T07:55:07.140-08:00New Hampshire
So, the question this morning is: how will the Dean campaign react to last night in Iowa? The self-fulfilling prophecy, mentioned yesterday, may or may not yet happen. Of all the blathering analysis, one comment stood out as important: the top 3 can go out of Iowa still confident. But Iowa has not been a very good predictor of the final results at the convention. However, New veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074537939355296622004-01-19T10:45:00.000-08:002004-01-19T13:33:45.903-08:00Iowa
It's time to start making your choice for the Democrat candidate who will beat George Bush, beginning in Iowa.
The media frenzy to knock Howard Dean out the race is reaching it's frenzy. Starting several months ago with Mr. Bush, the Democratic party leadership and insiders, and the media, Gov Dean has been labeled as "angry" , "mean", "ill-tempered", and any other related words they can veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074281089840868472004-01-16T11:24:00.000-08:002004-01-16T11:33:01.966-08:00Halliburton on Mars
The cartoons were rampant a couple of days ago, joking that the administration would probably give Mars exploitation contracts to Halliburton. It's no joke. More dollars for the friends of Mssrs. Bush & Cheney are on the way, but the two of them long ago stopped worrying about what you think of the money trail between them and their buddies:
If there is life on Mars, it veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074179163579293642004-01-15T07:06:00.000-08:002004-01-15T07:07:24.763-08:00The Scariest Book Out There – Part II
David Frum & Richard Perle are now on a tour to promote their new book, An End to Evil first reviewed here yesterday, which maybe should be renamed How to Continue Evil. Frum & Perle are running into an avalanche of responses - and you get the impression they can't figure out why rational people don't agree with them that America needs to take out several veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074101631099406952004-01-14T09:33:00.000-08:002004-01-14T10:23:54.093-08:00The Scariest Book Out There Is Not Your Almanac!
The novelist Stephen King might shake his head in admiration at a book which far outstrips any of his, for fans of horror stories - only this one is non-fiction: An End to Evil, How to Win the War on Terror by David Frum and Richard Perle. Perle, former Assistant Secretary of Defense and a Bush insider, you will remember, made the statement last veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1074009207027399322004-01-13T07:53:00.000-08:002004-01-13T07:54:45.623-08:00Wounded and Disabled American Veterans Fight Back
There are people out there who think that it is a huge exaggeration to say that George Bush is forgetting about veterans. However, this blog has documented a variety of flagrant examples that show there is no exaggeration. And there are some especially grievous injustices, whether or not you are a veteran that at least should arouse your concern veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073923191422811822004-01-12T07:59:00.000-08:002004-01-12T08:01:08.950-08:00Nation's Army War College Slams the War!
Rarely, if ever, have so many retired senior military officers come out in public to criticize current administration policies, but they are now. On top of that, the Army War College, one of our most respected military “think tanks,” is joining the chorus.
A scathing new report published by the Army War College broadly criticizes the Bush veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073669682988227232004-01-09T09:34:00.000-08:002004-01-09T09:37:26.043-08:00Keeping Track of Your Loss of Freedoms (Continued)
Because many of you are asking to understand more about the Patriot Act, and now the Bush administration's attempts to surreptitiously pass pieces of the widely denounced Patriot Act II, this blog will continue to keep a focus on your real (not perceived) loss of freedoms as Americans and veterans. Here's another update, this one interestingly veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073580201909411342004-01-08T08:43:00.000-08:002004-01-08T08:44:35.733-08:00"Systematic Misrepresentation" - Another Confirmation of the Ultimate Bait-and-Switch by George Bush
At 1215pmEST today, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will release a report confirming the real basis for the war in Iraq. You can hear it at this site.
Bush administration officials "systematically misrepresented" the threat from Iraq's weapons of mass destruction in the run-up to veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073498848075545632004-01-07T10:07:00.000-08:002004-01-07T10:13:53.043-08:00Patriot Act II Provisions Signed by Mr. Bush While You Watched Saddam’s Teeth & Hair Being Examined
While the nation was distracted last month by images of Saddam Hussein's spider hole and dental exam, President George W. Bush quietly signed into law a new bill that gives the FBI increased surveillance powers and dramatically expands the reach of the USA Patriot Act.
Wait a minute – you veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073416120372468302004-01-06T11:08:00.000-08:002004-01-06T11:09:52.793-08:00Another Big Endorsement
This will be a short post today. We have white-out snow, sleet and freezing rain in the NorthWest today, so before we might lose power...
Bill Bradley's endorsement of Gov. Dean, after that of Al Gore, is another important one.
Veterans, if you still are trying to make up your mind about whether to vote for someone other than always for the Republican candidate, it veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073325522093169472004-01-05T09:58:00.000-08:002004-01-05T10:31:53.543-08:00The Real Casualty Count
Over the holidays US News & World Report, after an in-depth investigation, concluded that, without question: The Bush administration has been promoting secrecy in the executive branch and withholding information from the public, claiming national security concerns.
An Example? Try getting total casualty counts for the war in Iraq. The media adds confusion because they veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1073069333942953552004-01-02T10:48:00.000-08:002004-01-02T12:00:37.436-08:00Another Important Benefit at Risk to You, Veterans (and Veterans-to-be), from Your "Friends" in the Bush Administration
Thanks to A.J. from Corvallis for the following article:
The Bush administration is considering dramatic increases in the fees military retirees pay for prescription drugs, a step that would roll back a benefit extended just 30 months ago and risks alienating an important veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072891299132269732003-12-31T09:21:00.000-08:002003-12-31T09:22:45.420-08:00George Bush’s 2004 New Year’s Resolutions (and Get Them Done Before November!)
1. If Iraq is over too soon, I need to start at least one new war with the “axis of evil”, sometime in late summer. Include 10 new countries in the axis of evil.
2. Raise the Terror Code to Red for all of 2004.
3. Have a public book burning of all almanacs seized by the Justice Dept.
4. Invite Ken Lay to speak to Wallveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072819225227720292003-12-30T13:20:00.000-08:002003-12-30T13:26:28.920-08:00A Tribute to the Fallen
At year's end, it's worth making a New Year's resolution that we will not forget the more than 500 that have fallen in Iraq and the many more hundreds of wounded, nor the administration's bait-and-switch tactics for getting us into a pre-emptive war, that in fact has not made us safer from terrorism. In case you missed it this week, as Gov Dean confirmed this fact, and veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072762817612607712003-12-30T00:02:00.000-08:002003-12-30T08:39:35.950-08:00Finally the Real WMDs are Discovered - Do We Now Go to Code Red???
The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying === almanacs===, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning...It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072717413235417062003-12-29T09:03:00.000-08:002003-12-29T09:16:22.763-08:00"Stop-Loss" Aggravates Lack of Strategic Planning
As noted several times on this blog (most recently Tues Dec 16 below), it looks like Mr. Rumsfeld is unwilling or unable to recognize the need for additional military manpower (other than the draft), the need to rework the composition of manpower specialties, and the equally imperative need to revamp our active duty, reserves, and national guard veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072287525146981422003-12-24T09:38:00.000-08:002003-12-24T09:41:13.373-08:00Holiday Season Open Thread
For the next few days, here is another opportunity to give thanks and appreciation to our Veterans and our military folks here and around the world. For those of you who have been there, being away from family this time of year is especially tough, no matter how many communications or "care packages" are getting through. You are welcome to leave your thoughts about veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072125379298658522003-12-23T00:02:00.000-08:002003-12-23T00:05:46.110-08:00New Color Code Scheme?
The government is sick and tired of your complaints about their color code warning system, and your constant questions about why they can't be more specific.
What is the matter with you that you don't understand the conflicting statements coming from the Dept of Homeland Security that we are in serious danger, but to go ahead and enjoy yourself anyway while you travel?
veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1072080250438342272003-12-22T00:04:00.000-08:002003-12-22T08:33:43.890-08:00Time Magazine Pays Tribute to Our Military - Their "Persons of the Year"
Gov Dean has his national security priorities right. And Time magazine has just named The American Soldier as its Person of the Year.
Our troops are the best in the world, and we need to make sure that doesn't change. And it's important to keep the distinction between the troops and their current commander in chief who veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071811175264533492003-12-19T07:13:00.000-08:002003-12-19T09:15:37.420-08:00We Have to be Different
Earlier this week, Ed, a retired Lt. Colonel from California wrote to this blog, prophetically saying in part,"I have been very concerned on the way the Bush Administration appears to be undermining the US Military and the protections of the Geneva Conventions. I fear the loose statements by the administration about abiding by the Geneva Convention, then backing down, veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071790521097712452003-12-18T15:35:00.000-08:002003-12-18T15:38:11.390-08:00Supporting Our Troops Over the Holidays
Gov Dean's statement on BlogforAmerica.com today:
Our troops are in harm's way this holiday season. Hundreds of thousands of American soldiers won't be home for the holidays -- but we can still let them know how proud we are of the finest military in the world. There are two ways you can show American troops how grateful their fellow citizens are for veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071773678243340172003-12-18T10:54:00.000-08:002003-12-18T11:03:12.873-08:00...And Also Today - Another Example of Media Agendas
Remember the story that broke right after Saddam was captured that a document had been found clearly tying him to the 9/11 terrorism and Al Qaeda? Turns out the source was never checked. Bottom line: it's baloney.
A widely publicized Iraqi document that purports to show that September 11 hijacker Mohammed Atta visited Baghdad in the summer veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071725036340891522003-12-18T01:01:00.000-08:002003-12-18T12:15:04.060-08:009/11 Chairman Kean: Attack Was Preventable
Wow - If Gov Kean's statements turn out to be on target, people high up in the administration are going to have a lot of explaining to do to the American people - and to the relatives of the 9/11 victims.
For the first time, the chairman of the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks is saying publicly that 9/11 could have and veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-107168450472203262003-12-17T10:08:00.000-08:002003-12-17T11:54:05.310-08:00Time for Some Clarifications
The national media have pointed out correctly that a major difference between Vietnam and Iraq is that much of the general public learned its lesson from Vietnam that it is crucial to support the troops even (and especially) when you don't agree with leadership. In large part this has come about because a good chunk of the generation that fought in Vietnam - or had veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071593773395714272003-12-16T08:56:00.000-08:002003-12-16T09:09:12.733-08:00Mr. Rumsfeld Opposes Increasing the Size of the Military
How is it that Mr. Rumsfeld can justify his position that more active duty troops aren't needed for the future? He didn't understand his former Army Chief of Staff, General Shinseki, who was fired for arguing that more troops were needed in Iraq to prosecute the war, once the President committed us, and especially for its aftermath.
And veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071516476310386312003-12-15T11:27:00.000-08:002003-12-15T13:13:49.436-08:00Saddam's Capture
We are all glad that Saddam has been captured. But, just so you do not forget, in the short space of less than a year, Mr. Bush has changed our national security strategy to embrace unilateral pre-emptive invasions and the regime change of leaders of other countries.
Many of his supporters justify these actions by saying that if we had done so with Hitler, World War II might veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071514938751623812003-12-15T11:02:00.000-08:002003-12-15T11:03:33.733-08:00Dean Announces Foreign Policy & National Security Advisors - Speech Text
Here is the text of Gov. Dean's speech on Foreign Policy and National Defense this morning in Los Angeles.veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071508805149143212003-12-15T09:20:00.000-08:002003-12-15T11:05:37.903-08:00Dean Announces Foreign Policy & National Security Advisors
Press release from the Dean campaign this morning on Blogformerica.com:
Governor Dean today announced the team of distinguished experts who will advise his campaign on national security and foreign policy. Dean will deliver a major address on national security today in Los Angeles at 1:30 pm ET (10:30 am PT). We will post a transcript veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071251161024774432003-12-12T09:46:00.000-08:002003-12-12T12:34:08.733-08:00Time to Move Out
If you are a veteran or interested in military, veterans, and related foreign policy issues - and you no longer can support Mr. Bush for 2004 - you've come to the right place. Please take a look at the issues discussed below and in the archives for the kinds of issues that have been addressed. And you can check links to other Vets for Dean websites and many sites of possible veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071171694174122412003-12-11T11:41:00.000-08:002003-12-11T11:43:03.733-08:00Veterans Health Issues
Several vets have emailed pointing out a variety of health issues that urgently need addressing, from the health care received at VA hospitals to continuing health problems resulting from combat/noncombat related sickness and injury, to basically being used as guinea pigs for the latest serums against sickness or possible biological or chemical warfare.
Since the 1950s veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1071077299002558762003-12-10T09:28:00.000-08:002003-12-10T10:05:24.810-08:00James Baker, Part II
After James Baker helped make sure that Florida went in the win column for George Bush (and thus the whole 2000 election), the better part of valor resulted in Mr. Baker getting out of the public eye in a hurry, while the nation soon became divided over the election. In 1997, Mr. Baker had been appointed the Personal Envoy of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070992649717832632003-12-09T09:57:00.000-08:002003-12-09T10:05:33.653-08:00CONFLICT OF INTEREST 101 - Or, How to Pay Off Your Friends and Not Get Impeached
Mr. Bush, how blatant can you get? You've gotten away with conflicts of interest with the Halliburton contracts so far. Now it's your good friends at the Carlyle Group again - this time it's James Baker.
Let's spell this out very clearly, so you will know, Mr. Bush, that all voters are not so dumb or cynical veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070909622497933602003-12-08T10:53:00.000-08:002003-12-08T11:14:55.983-08:00Failures in Leadership and Strategic Planning Coming Home to Roost
If you look over the themes addressed on this blog during the three months of its existence, one constant shines through: Lack of leadership and strategic planning by Mr. Bush and his administration with regard to our military and our veterans. Significant drops in military readiness were predictable, and now they are happening. veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070860194511205192003-12-07T21:09:00.000-08:002003-12-07T21:33:56.373-08:00On December 7th - A Salute to our World War II Veterans
A personal thank you to WWII vets on this day of remembrance. Thank you for your service to our country and the many sacrifices you made for us. Most of your personal stories are known only to you, your families, or friends. Only decades later have some of these stories been more fully researched and told. Many never will be. For any of youveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070773080594234392003-12-06T20:58:00.000-08:002003-12-06T20:58:42.060-08:00Dinner Accomplished
See Tom Toles cartoon of the same title.veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070652420101804682003-12-05T11:27:00.000-08:002003-12-06T07:41:56.606-08:00Voting Machine Maker Good Buddy (Part II)
(Note: See blog entry below on Tues Dec 2)
Seems the state of Ohio couldn't stand the heat. Mr. Odell who makes the Diebold touch screen voting machines (and who has vowed to help Bush win Ohio) is having some "problems" with his machines.
Sounds good so far - but wait, the machines don't have to be fixed until 2006. Diebold hardware and software are veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070594255275425942003-12-04T19:17:00.000-08:002003-12-04T19:23:06.843-08:00And Finally, In other Bird Related News…
For those of you who frequent McDonald’s, have you seen their new commercial that announces excitedly that their chicken strips are now made with real “white meat”? At least three things should bother you this evening if you are about to buy some for dinner: (1) What were they made with before? (2) Why are they made with “meat” if they are fowl? And, (3) veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070585232154696392003-12-04T16:47:00.000-08:002003-12-04T18:13:42.140-08:00News Management 101 (cont.) - A "Juicy" Twist of Image
CNBC reports this evening that the huge turkey carried by President Bush to feed the troops in Baghdad on Thanksgiving, and shown repeatedly over the long weekend, was in fact not a cooked turkey. The bird had been blow torched to look good on the outside, but was stone cold on the inside. Howard Fineman of Newsweek magazine said that the veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070555933931267332003-12-04T08:38:00.000-08:002003-12-04T10:53:15.466-08:00Checking the Facts
Thanks to Mary who sent in an editorial from the Wheeling News-Register. The editor took a misguided shot at Gov Dean, entitled "Dean Should Check Facts Before Speaking." There are now so many off-the-wall barbs being thrown at the front runner, Gov Dean, that it would be impossible to respond to them all. But when ignorance on military/veterans issues gets thrown in - veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070472373033375692003-12-03T09:26:00.000-08:002003-12-03T09:26:51.623-08:00While Rip Van Winkle Bush is Busy Spreading Pre-emptive War Democracy and Capitalism Opportunities to His Friends, China is Taking Advantage
As Mr. Bush continues to push his form of wartime capitalism, the following challenge to our world economic leadership has been issued by China - but we are not paying much attention to it because we are consumed with Iraq.
When Citibank was casting aroundveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070384001318066322003-12-02T08:53:00.000-08:002003-12-02T08:55:53.153-08:00Maker of Voting Machines Vows to Give His Support to Bush in Ohio: What's Wrong with this (Touch Screen) Picture?
Once again, Mr. Bush, his administration, and his influential supporters have not heard of the idea of conflict of interest. This blatant example may deliver Ohio and other states in a scenario reminiscent of Florida in 2000.
Hack the Vote
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Inviting Bush supporters veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070382966462223872003-12-02T08:36:00.000-08:002003-12-02T08:37:41.233-08:00News Management 101: Still Looking for the British Airways Pilot Who Supposedly Saw Air Force One on its Way to Baghdad
Large pins featuring the president's plane and the BA pilot's words -- "Did I just see Air Force One?" -- were sold out by mid-day Saturday.
In response to press inquiries, British Airways checked with its crews. But so far, no one has come forward.
"It is normal practice veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070304927106104292003-12-01T10:55:00.000-08:002003-12-01T13:11:27.606-08:00GOP Ad Does Democrats a Favor, But Its Reality Check Time
Tom Teepen's analysis is worth your review. Mr. Bush has provided more than enough material to keep websites and blogs like this one busy, easily through next November. Nearly two dozen liberal best sellers are out, some better than others, that document why we need new leadership in the White House. And in Hollywood tomorrow, a large veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1070294395747710202003-12-01T07:59:00.000-08:002003-12-01T12:59:53.250-08:00Name That War
Some humor and reality to start off the week:
NY TimesOp-Ed Columnist, NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF: Name That War
A drum roll, please: It's time to announce the winners:
In a column 10 days ago about Iraq, I expressed frustration
at the absence of a good name for our war there. So I
offered prizes (Iraqi 250-dinar notes with Saddam's
picture) and invited readers to send in entries.
veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069866521719518212003-11-26T09:15:00.000-08:002003-11-26T10:08:04.356-08:00...And Finally Today, A Note of Thanksgiving - and an Open Thread for You
This is an open thread for you, over the long weekend, to express your thanks to a relative who is serving in the military, our veterans, our "citizen soldiers": the Reserves and National Guard troops and anyone else connected to the military.
So for those of you who will be on your computers on this long Thanksgiving veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069867716388870932003-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:002003-11-26T10:07:11.090-08:00...And You Should Know This Before You Start Your Christmas Shopping
Only one big retailer that I know of is looking out for its employees who have been called to active duty - over and above the legal requirements of holding a position open for them - Sears. They don't endorse candidates and we haven't been paid off to support them, but you should think about supporting them with your shoppingveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069865854827855442003-11-26T08:57:00.000-08:002003-11-26T08:58:24.873-08:00...And In Case You Also Didn't Notice This Today
As noted on this blog, the date counter over to the right shows that we have an anniversary of sorts, but not one to celebrate:
It's been 800 days since Mr. Bush
said he'd catch Osama bin Laden
'Dead or Alive!'
veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069865247368016322003-11-26T08:47:00.000-08:002003-11-26T08:52:21.593-08:00Garner Says US Made a Series of Errors in Iraq
For those of you committed Bush administration supporters who are so vehement that Gov Dean (and for that matter, all 9 Democrats) do nothing but criticize the events in Iraq, you should know that key administration people involved in the Iraq decisions, from the beginning to the aftermath, are now coming out in agreement.
This morning on BBC, veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069813141249884702003-11-25T18:19:00.000-08:002003-11-25T22:12:07.436-08:00You Just Can't Let Him Out in Public
Thanks to Prometheusspeaks for this.
THE Queen is furious with President George W. Bush after his state visit caused thousands of pounds of damage to her gardens at Buckingham Palace.
Royal officials are now in touch with the Queen's insurers and Prime Minister Tony Blair to find out who will pick up the massive repair bill. Palace staff said they had veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069799458782167272003-11-25T14:30:00.000-08:002003-11-25T22:11:46.060-08:00New Health Information Program Provided by VA
Vets for your info:
The Department of Veterans Affairs has created a new health portal. My HealtheVet is an informational service that offers "one-stop shopping" for VA benefits, health programs and many other services.
A commercial health education program offers information on medications and medical conditions.
As the site develops, veterans veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069702436334385632003-11-24T11:33:00.000-08:002003-11-24T15:32:28.043-08:00The Patriot Act - Your First Amendment Rights Being Abused by the Dept of Justice and Local Police Forces
The new administration ad, inferring that anyone not supporting Mr. Bush shares responsibility for any terrorism that takes place in this country, is slanderous to half the population of the United States. The FBI has been gathering information on everyone they can who participates in any veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069432757641982652003-11-21T08:39:00.000-08:002003-11-21T08:45:58.873-08:00Major Split Hits Bush Advisory Team - Perle Says War was Illegal!
Richard Perle, a key insider advisor to Mr. Bush, broke with his boss and the administration, and admitted the war in Iraq was illegal. You are going to have trouble finding this in the U.S. media, however. Read on:
International lawyers and anti-war campaigners reacted with astonishment yesterday after the influential Pentagon veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069392475968652662003-11-20T21:27:00.000-08:002003-11-20T21:31:13.140-08:00What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate
President Bush contradicts himself within 7 days and confounds the Pentagon. Less than a week after declaring he would lower troop strength in Iraq from 130,000 down to around 80-90,000 early next year, Mr Bush changed his mind, but forgot to tell anyone.
President George Bush blindsided the Pentagon in London Thursday, saying if more troops were veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069349096492896952003-11-20T09:24:00.000-08:002003-11-20T09:30:26.373-08:00How The Administration Made the "Worst Mistake" In Post-War Iraq
Once again, look at the same names of who made the decisions - this time after "hostilities ceased": Bush, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Rice, now with Bremer added to the mix. We're going to keep hammering this theme on this blog until next November - Failure of Leadership - and why we need Gov Dean in the White House in 2004. veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069273689489723302003-11-19T12:28:00.000-08:002003-11-19T15:59:14.640-08:00How to Lose Friends and Encourage Enemies by George Bush.
Statements by the President sent so many mixed messages this morning in London that one has to wonder whether the speech writers are using random idea generators. If Mr. Bush hoped to gain agreement for his ideas in Europe, he showed strange ways of doing so.
How to Insult the International Community 101:
President Bush chided his veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069210603540092442003-11-18T18:56:00.000-08:002003-11-18T18:57:07.950-08:00Gov. Dean's Brother's Remains Found in Laos
For those of you who have not yet read Gov. Dean's statement about the locating of his brother Charlie's remains in Laos, please go to today's Blogforamerica and look for "Statement on Charlie Dean."veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069176463346335962003-11-18T09:27:00.000-08:002003-11-18T09:32:42.013-08:00Former Air Force Chief Backs Dean Candidacy
Thanks to Jack in NC for highlighting this important news. Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak of Lake Oswego, OR helps bolster Gov Dean's military credentials. More of this kind of support will be on the way.
Retired Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak former Air Force chief of staff who endorsed George W. Bush in 2000, has left the Republican fold and is veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069120890708453062003-11-17T18:01:00.000-08:002003-11-17T18:01:54.043-08:00Great Britain's Security Said to be More Than Enough. Don't Worry...
Security is exceptionally tight in London with the President's visit. Secret Service sharpshooters have been ordered to shoot suspected terrorists on sight.
And then there's the 61-year old grandmother who somehow managed to escape the clutches of the largest show of protection for a foreign leader in memory. We hope she veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069114017555146912003-11-17T16:06:00.000-08:002003-11-17T16:21:24.856-08:00How Dick Cheney Helped Lead the Way to War
There is a surprising lack of response to the revelations that Vice President Dick Cheney had a large influence on President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq.
So, in case you didn't lock on to the impacts of Cheney's influence, read these statements from Newsweek one at a time:
Of all the president's advisers, Cheney has consistently taken the veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069110375557548492003-11-17T15:06:00.000-08:002003-11-17T15:10:51.293-08:00We're Going After the Real Terrorists...
And this policy is brought to you by the only man in history to lose a Senate race to a deceased opponent - and be rewarded with the Attorney General position. Or as OJ has often said, just give me a chance to find the real killers...
WASHINGTON - The FBI has launched a new background-check system that notifies counterterrorism agents when suspects on veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1069094486087225062003-11-17T10:41:00.000-08:002003-11-17T15:21:50.763-08:00Welcome Halliburton Investors (Cont. - see Thursday Nov 6 blog below)
As Paul Bremer heads back to Iraq to implement the revised Bush guidance on "Iraqification", it would do well to remember that even if we are able to begin to transfer military & political control "by next June", this administration has done nothing to curb the illegal actions of corporations such as Halliburton and Bechtel veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068940815841433832003-11-15T16:00:00.000-08:002003-11-15T16:01:38.293-08:00Anti-Iraq War Veterans Yanked from Parade
It's getting a little scary out there folks. The John Ashcroft syndrome infects the Tallahassee police...
J. Taylor Rushing
Florida Times Union
Anti-Iraq War Veterans Pulled from Parade
Tallahassee, Florida - A group of 30 military veterans critical of the war in Iraq hoped to use Tuesday's Veterans Day parade to call attention to the increasingly veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068796829926658812003-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:002003-11-14T00:00:49.653-08:00Iowa Veterans - A Wake-up Call
Darrell in Iowa pointed out the following article in the Des Moines Register from Veteran's Day:
More Veterans Seek County Aid
Living costs, job losses, slow U.S. benefits and age issues prompt the need for assistance.
By JULI PROBASCO-SOWERS
Register Staff Writer
11/11/2003
A growing number of Iowa's veterans are asking counties for emergency assistance with veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068737580626979082003-11-13T07:33:00.000-08:002003-11-13T07:51:58.153-08:00Mr. Bush’s Really Bad Idea
The following Newsweek article damns with faint praise. Excerpts from the article are in italics with comments in between:
Bush’s Really Good Idea
by Fareed Zakaria
Newsweek Nov. 17 issue
The president finds it easy to embrace democracy, but not the various means to make it happen.
Yes, Mr. Zakaria, and the president finds it easy to embrace pre-emptive war, but veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068661079006175432003-11-12T10:17:00.000-08:002003-11-12T10:43:03.090-08:00Governor Dean Condemns Administration for Failing To Honor Former Prisoners of War
DES MOINES--Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., today reacted to the Administration's effort to block American troops who were tortured in Iraqi prisons during the Persian Gulf war from collecting any of the hundreds of millions of dollars in frozen Iraqi assets they won last summer in aveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068657828174205602003-11-12T09:23:00.000-08:002003-11-12T09:41:18.590-08:00More About This Blog: Q & A
Among the more than 500 hits to this blogsite and over 200 comments & emails here and on Blogforamerica yesterday, were a number of questions and comments about this blog. So here are a few questions & answers to help clarify things:
Q: Is this the official Dean blog/website for Veterans issues?
A: No, it's one of several unofficial Veterans for Dean blogs/websites veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068655531446509142003-11-12T08:45:00.000-08:002003-11-12T15:27:00.056-08:00A Big "Thank You"
To all of you who have commented on the Veterans Day blog post here and on Blogforamerica yesterday - THANK YOU! The responses by email and comments have been amazing and overwhelming. And thanks for the many ideas, concerns, and issues you want talked about on the Veterans for Dean Blog!
Best wishes as each of you decide what you can do to support our veterans, our fabulous veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068568352628046342003-11-11T08:32:00.000-08:002003-11-11T09:20:06.540-08:00A Choice on Veterans Day
Veterans Day remembers the sacrifices of so many who have served our country and who continue to do so today. Many, of course, have paid with their lives or disabling injuries over the years. So, I would first ask you to consider taking a moment sometime today to “salute” them in whatever way you choose to do so.
You have seen the bumper stickers, “Support our Troops”veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068488584664281022003-11-10T10:23:00.000-08:002003-11-10T10:23:02.220-08:00Veterans Hospital System Being Revamped
Vets, for your info: Changes to the VA hospital system appear on the way.
Despite stiff criticism from some veterans and lawmakers who would see local VA hospitals close, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi says he is "optimistic’’ that a major restructuring of the $26 billion VA healthcare system can begin next year.
The goal, said Principi,veteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780424.post-1068235147285957262003-11-07T11:59:00.000-08:002003-11-07T11:59:44.950-08:00Another Kind of Sacrifice...
Reservist Goes to War, Then Returns Home to Financial Ruin
Byron Pitts
CBS News
November 6, 2003, Summary: US Reserve and National Guard soldiers ordered to active duty by President George Bush to fight in his war in Iraq face enormous pay cuts. Soldiers are supposed to be protected by labors laws and credit laws. However, businesses are ignoring the laws. Bushveteranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02693771590313086453noreply@blogger.com