Riehl World View

Fort Hood: How Many Shots

Pilgrim at the always feisty SayAnything blog takes a look at some details regarding the Fort Hood murders. He wonders if everything we're being told really adds up.

Buried underneath the horrific senselessness of this entire, hideous episode is one little thing that isn’t clicking.

We have the report that the shooter, who we now know was Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, was armed with two handguns when he started his murderous rampage and managed to kill 12 and wound another 31 before he was engaged and neutralized by responding police. Initial reports said that he was killed but this morning I’m reading that he’s alive and on a ventilator. Too bad.

Sarah Palin Greets Stryker Brigade, Receives Thanks Herself

Sarah Palin helped welcome home her son's Stryker Brigade today.

"To Sarah Palin, who for the last year was the senior mom of the brigade and along with her husband Todd, is a distinguished member of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team," Col. Burt Thompson, the brigade's commander, said.

"Ma'am, thanks for being here today and allowing your son to serve in our brigade. Thank you both for what you have done for your extended Army family and thanks for your unwavering support."

Video with Palin below may be slow coming up at first and more video avaliable at link.

The Strykers deployed to the Diyala province of Iraq on Sept. 11, 2008.

"Today we celebrate a job well done and your safe return to Alaska and the Fairbanks community," Maj. Gen. William Troy, commander of U.S. Army Alaska, said. "The teamwork between military and community here in Alaska is like nowhere else.

"By every account the Arctic Wolves acquitted themselves brilliantly."

Said Thompson: "Gentlemen, I report to you mission accomplished."

A memorial unveiled Wednesday at Fort Wainwright bears the names of 12 soldiers who died during the deployment. Seven were stationed at Fort Wainwright and five were attached to the brigade.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the monument also bears the name of a dog, Sgt. Jok, killed by a bomb while searching a house.

 

Also see C4P for more.

Iraq Attacks Down 85%

I guess you can say that surge Obama opposed during the campaign worked. Too bad it looks like we aren't going to implement it in Afghanistan. Silly me, I always thought the goal of war was victory. But I've heard the current WH doesn't seem to think much of the concept.

WASHINGTON — The number of attacks in Iraq has dropped 85% over the past two years, the top U.S. commander testified Wednesday.

Gen. Ray Odierno said security has continued to improve in the three months since American forces withdrew from cities as part of a agreement to remove all american forces by the end of 2011.

Alleged New Bin Laden Audio: Obama's Broken Promises

Man, you know it's getting bad when even this evil jerk is accusing you of breaking campaign promises: over to Rusty.

Just two days after the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC by Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization has released a new message from its leader, Osama bin Laden.

CNN offers this: I wonder what Obama will come up with to apologize to him for.

(CNN) -- An audio message purportedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has accused President Barack Obama of being unable to fulfil his election pledge to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq.

Sheehan: All Used Up, No Place To Go

No longer the slender young trick she was when she began her on camera career, it would seem War is X-rated, War Porn actress Cindy Sheehan has had her contract canceled by one of the industry's biggest producers.

"You can only be ridden hard and put away wet by the Left so many times before your eyes lose that spark and you start looking like a Heroin chipper on a weekend binge. The camera angles just don't work," said Gibson in an off camera chat. He denied rumors that it had anything to do with Obama's personal preference for more muscular women in his films.

For her part, Sheehan at first seemed dismayed. "I hit my knees on cue every day for years for those heartless bastards," said Sheehan. "I performed for Congress for nothing, when that bitch from New York was raking in the bucks from screwing with a damned Governor, New York state, or not!" she went on. "And the facials I did one after another for a week in Crawford, Texas are still in the War is Porn Hall of Fame! Now they say I don't have anything left while Obama butches up and continues Bush's policies down to a Tee?

This is an outrage. I'm going to write my Congresswoman, Nancy Pelosi, even if she did have me tossed off of her property after I ran against her in 2006," Sheehan exclaimed. "I can still fill the seats with a little girl on girl action. You just watch," concluded Sheehan, now all worked up.

In an appearance August 18 on WLS radio in Chicago, ABC News anchor Charles Gibson was asked about anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan's plans to travel to Martha's Vineyard next week, where she will protest the Iraq and Afghanistan wars while President Obama is vacationing there. Gibson, whose newscast and network featured Sheehan when she led anti-war protests outside President Bush's Texas ranch in 2005, answered, "Enough already."

That's a remarkably different stance from the one Gibson took four years ago. On August 9, 2005, the ABC anchor conducted an extensive on-air interview with Sheehan. "Cindy Sheehan is her name," Gibson began. "She says she's not moving until the president meets with her, and I had a chance to speak with her a few minutes ago. Cindy Sheehan, bottom line, what do you hope to accomplish with all this?" During the next week, Gibson and ABC continued to cover Sheehan. On August 17, 2005, when Sheehan left Crawford, Gibson reported, "We're going to turn next to the standoff that is playing out near President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. Cindy Sheehan, you know, the mother who lost a son in Iraq, is now on the move, but she's still standing her ground.

Obama Changes Tune On Iraq

Time was when Obama and most every Democrat invoked even the slightest hint of violence in Iraq as proof that "Bush's War" was lost. That's not true anymore for Obama and the bulk of the Left in the face of a rash of deadly car bombings. Now, Obama is only looking to "add perspective" indicating how the situation in Iraq has "continued to dramatically improve". Who would have guessed that all we needed was a Democrat in the WH to turn things around in Iraq? As for any "political progress" in Iraq? He "has not seen as much political progress as he would like," but that's no big deal. Under Bush, that was Obama's entire rationale for abandoning Iraq, thereby losing the war.

On Iraq, Obama sought to offer perspective as sporadic but deadly bombings continue to unnerve the nation. U.S. combat troops face a June 30 deadline to leave cities there, part of a broader and gradual withdrawal that is to end American involvement under Obama's watch.

The president said bombings will continue, but overall "Iraq's security situation has continued to dramatically improve."

He said the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki must strengthen the nation's security forces and make progress on the political "give-and-take" leading up to parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 30. He said he has not seen as much political progress as he would like.

BBC: Basra Progress "Staggering"

Gee, how did this happen. I thought this war had been lost? Looks as though Bush's surge the current POTUS didn't support was the right idea.

Maj Head, 40, was commanding B Company from 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry.

"It's quite staggering," he says, removing his hard helmet and replacing it with his Army beret and looking around warily.

"We used to patrol through here in a Warrior [infantry armoured fighting vehicle] and you wouldn't have worn a beret then.

"Most of us wouldn't have come here then except in 6 Warriors with 55 heavily-armoured blokes in the back, and even then we'd be twitchy."

As we walk through the market, attracting a crowd of rowdy children, Maj Head laughs incredulously.

"This is a quantum leap forward. The biggest problem I have here now is small children trying to nick my pen and sunglasses.

We'll Take It, I Guess

One freelancer is going at another over Iraq. It's good to see. I just wish we saw more understanding from some on the Left earlier on. Interesting how some things turn around with a Democrat in the WH. But we'll take it, I guess.

New Sign Of Progress In Iraq

And no I'm not kidding, though it obviously won't be greeted that way. Yes, the shoe or foot is a sign of great disrespect in Islamic culture. So much so that Saddam had a stone doormat installed as a state insult to Bush, Sr. The US Army chiseled it out.

Let the libs scoff. The fact remains that today an American President can address the government of Iraq and one unhinged journalist can show his disagreement and disrespect. Not long ago an idiot who did such a thing to a visiting leader of whom Saddam approved would have been taken out and shot.

While it stinks for it to have happened, anyway you measure it, that's a sign of progress and a tribute to the sacrifice of our fine men and women in uniform. Iraqis have freedoms they could have never dreamed of under Saddam. And President Bush is the man most to thank for that.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - There was a bit of unfinished business left over in Baghdad from the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). The U.S. Army has taken care of it.

At the Al-Rashid Hotel, President Bush (news - web sites) the elder — father of the current American chief executive who ordered this year's invasion of Iraq (news - web sites) — is a doormat no more.

U.S. soldiers visited the battered Al-Rashid on Thursday night wielding hammers and chisels, and dug out the intricate tile mosaic of the former president that was used for years as a state-sponsored insult.

In its place, they laid a portrait of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).

"Everybody walked over it and wiped their feet on it," Lt. Col. Rick Schwartz, the battalion commander said. He left the Saddam portrait behind, on the ground for future use.

Get Your Outrage Ready

What else is there to say?

Link: A national tour featuring decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan won't be stopping at Forest Lake Area High School today as planned, after school leaders abruptly canceled the visit.

Steve Massey, the school principal, said the decision to cancel was prompted by concerns that the event was becoming political rather than educational and therefore was not suitable for a public school.

He said the school had received several phone calls from parents and others, some of whom indicated that they may stage a protest if the event took place.