State’s Right State

Just a little experiment – it’ll prolly work out fine.  If not, no biggie – I’ve got no SKIN IN THE GAME

Forward Observer: Last Best Chance

By George C. Wilson CongressDaily July 30, 2007

Retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, who learned the complexities of Iraq first hand by fighting as a soldier in Kurdish territory during the first Gulf War and by serving as President Bush’s peacemaker during the second one, believes partitioning the country into Shia, Sunni and Kurdish states is the only way to avoid an all-out civil war.

“Iraq is a states’ right state, whether we want to admit it or not,” Garner told me.

The idea of former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, embraced by Bush and the rest of his administration, to turn Iraq into a democratic Camelot standing on a hill above the seething sea that is the Arab world has indeed proven to be an unrealistic dream. Garner and Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden, D-Del., are among those who believe there is no way that Nuri al-Maliki or any other nationally elected leader can pacify all of Iraq.

Run for the Troops

Here we go again:

 TEXAS 

DVBIC – A Great Asset

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) is to serve active duty military, their dependents and veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through state-of-the-art medical care, innovative clinical research initiatives and educational programs.

WHO WE ARE

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) is:
A multi-site medical care, clinical research and education center
A unique collaboration of the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system and a civilian partner
Funded through the Department of Defense

Can’t Hit with What Ya Don’t Got

Disproportionate response sounds good, but it assumes that we have the ability to identify the problem and respond. I’m sceptical.  Until we tie our info ops into a grander strategy than what we have, our responses will be inadequate, slow, and sucky. 

Defense Net Attacks Should Be Countered With ‘Disproportionate Response’

That’s the advice contained in a little-noticed report, “The Defense Science Board (DSB) 2006 Summer Study on Information Management for Net-Centric Operations,” which was released in April.

“Adversaries need to be assured that their attacks against U.S. information systems will be detected, that U.S. functionality will be restored,” according to the report. “… and an adversary needs to know that the U.S. possesses powerful hard and soft-kill (cyberwarfare) means for attacking adversary information and command and support systems at all levels.”

Chickenhawks Again

an old but still viable list – sent around again and worth a look.  If they’d just quit referring to all who disagree with them as traitors, we might get over this one day.  . .. … prolly not.

Back to AWOLBush.com home page

Who served in the military?

Prominent Democrats

• Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) — rifle platoon and company commander with the Fifth Marine Regiment in the An Hoa Basin west of Danang; was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals, and two Purple Hearts. (1)
• Representative Tim Walz, D-MN – Twenty-four years of service in the Army National Guard, retiring in 2005.
• Representative Joe Sestak, D-PA – 31 years of service in the Navy, rising to the rank of Vice Admiral.
• Representative Chris Carney, D-PA – Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval Reserve, Carney served multiple tours overseas and was activated for Operation Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle, and Southern Watch.
• Representative Patrick Murphy, D-PA – extensive career in the U.S. Army from 1993-2004; earned Bronze Star and Presidential Unit Citation.
• Representative Phil Hare, D-IL – Served in the United States Army Reserve for six years.
• Representative Jack Murtha (D-PA) – distinguished 37-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, retired from the Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel in 1990. (1)

Read more >>

Hypocritic Oath

This Vanity Fair story should be required reading for all.  Note that for all its objective sterility, one thing shows through – that torture not only goes against the grain of America – it doesn’t work.  And if that leaves the only explanation for it the sadistic fascination of  some real dumasses – then you are correct.

Al-Qaeda lieutenant Abu Zubaydah. The New York Times/Redux.

Abu Zubaydah was a mess. It was early April 2002, and the al-Qaeda lieutenant had been shot in the groin during a firefight in Pakistan, then captured by the Special Forces and flown to a safe house in Thailand. Now he was experiencing life as America’s first high-value detainee in the wake of 9/11. A medical team and a cluster of F.B.I. and C.I.A. agents stood vigil, all fearing that the next attack on America could happen at any moment. It didn’t matter that Zubaydah was unable to eat, drink, sit up, or control his bowels. They wanted him to talk.

Contractor Oversight

A little late and likely to miss the point but better something than nothing:

Story’s Title:

Senate freshmen seek stronger oversight of wartime contractors http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0707/071907cdam1.htm

Brain Injury . Com

 Interesting site about Brain Injury and function:  Brain Injury.com

The extent and the severity of cognitive neurologic dysfunction can be measured with the aid of neuropsychological testing. Neuropsychologists use their tests to localize dysfunction to specific areas of the brain. For example, the frontal lobes play an essential role in drive, mood, personality, judgment, interpersonal behavior, attention, foresight, and inhibition of inappropriate behavior. The ability to plan properly and execute those plans is known as “executive function.” Frontal lobe injury is often associated with damage to the olfactory bulbs beneath the frontal lobes. Patients may note reduced or altered sense of smell. One recent study (Varney 1993) showed that 92% of brain injured patient suffering anosmia (loss of smell) had ongoing problems with employment, even though their neuropsychological testing was relatively normal.

Inside the Hermit Kingdom(& empty) Kingdom

Inside North Korea
July 30th, 2007, filed by Corinne Perkins

When I was first handed the task of co-ordinating user-generated images for Reuters, I was inundated with pictures of people and their pets and newborn babies. They weren?t exactly the pictures we were striving for when we launched You Witness News.

Now, I am pleased to say, I am seeing some high-quality images from major news events and global sports stories.

My first shock: everybody in green, gray and black uniforms, nobody spoke, heads down, silence, few bicycles, dark atmosphere, everywhere guards and police, barking dogs, fear. But there was revolutionary music playing, trying to make people happy.

We traveled with three official escorts, who were there to observe, control, listen to and ask us a lot of questions. One of them even spoke Czech to be sure they could understand what we said to each other.

Pyongyang, the capital, is made for the world to see how rich North Korea is. There are some buildings, airports and a few hotels. There are no shops or supermarkets. People are given vouchers for food, and are given few clothes a year. All uniforms. There are no other clothes.