Monday, May 31, 2010

HEART-TUGGING VIDEO: MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE 2010


This video should be a MUST VIEW for every American.

It is a tribute to our military on Memorial Day 2010.

Song: "Dream" by Singindork888.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/058VyI89QoQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

NEWS ALERT: U.S. RIFLES NOT SUITED FOR FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN MOUNTAINS


U.S. Rifles Not Suited For Warfare In Afghan Hills

SLOBODAN LEKIC HUFFINGTON POST

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/21/us-rifles-not-suited-for-_n_584856.html


KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military's workhorse rifle – used in battle for the last 40 years – is proving less effective in Afghanistan against the Taliban's more primitive but longer range weapons.

As a result, the U.S. is reevaluating the performance of its standard M-4 rifle and considering a switch to weapons that fire a larger round largely discarded in the 1960s.

The M-4 is an updated version of the M-16, which was designed for close quarters combat in Vietnam. It worked well in Iraq, where much of the fighting was in cities such as Baghdad, Ramadi and Fallujah.

But a U.S. Army study found that the 5.56 mm bullets fired from M-4s don't retain enough velocity at distances greater than 1,000 feet (300 meters) to kill an adversary. In hilly regions of Afghanistan, NATO and insurgent forces are often 2,000 to 2,500 feet (600-800 meters) apart.

Afghans have a tradition of long-range ambushes against foreign forces. During the 1832-1842 British-Afghan war, the British found that their Brown Bess muskets could not reach insurgent sharpshooters firing higher-caliber Jezzail flintlocks.

Soviet soldiers in the 1980s found that their AK-47 rifles could not match the World War II-era bolt-action Lee-Enfield and Mauser rifles used by mujahedeen rebels.

"These are important considerations in Afghanistan, where NATO forces are frequently attacked by insurgents using ... sharpshooter's rifles, which are all chambered for a full-powered cartridge which dates back to the 1890s," said Paul Cornish, curator of firearms at the Imperial War Museum in London.

The heavier bullets enable Taliban militants to shoot at U.S. and NATO soldiers from positions well beyond the effective range of the coalition's rifles.

To counter these tactics, the U.S. military is designating nine soldiers in each infantry company to serve as sharpshooters, according to Maj. Thomas Ehrhart, who wrote the Army study. They are equipped with the new M-110 sniper rifle, which fires a larger 7.62 mm round and is accurate to at least 2,500 feet (800 meters).

At the heart of the debate is whether a soldier is better off with the more-rapid firepower of the 5.56mm bullets or with the longer range of the 7.62 mm bullets.

"The reason we employ the M-4 is because it's a close-in weapon, since we anticipate house-to-house fighting in many situations," said Lt. Col. Denis J. Riel, a NATO spokesman.

He added that each squad also has light machine guns and automatic grenade launchers for the long-range engagements common in Afghanistan.

In the early years of the Vietnam War, the Army's standard rifle was the M-14, which fired a 7.62 mm bullet. The gun had too much recoil to be controllable during automatic firing and was considered too unwieldily for close-quarter jungle warfare. The M-16 replaced it in the mid-1960s.

Lighter bullets also meant soldiers could carry more ammunition on lengthy jungle patrols.

The M-16 started a general trend toward smaller cartridges. Other weapons such as the French FAMAS and the British L85A1 adopted them, and the round became standardized as the "5.56mm NATO."

The Soviet Union, whose AK-47 already used a shorter 7.62 mm bullet that was less powerful but more controllable, created a smaller 5.45mm round for its replacement AK-74s.

"The 5.56 mm caliber is more lethal since it can put more rounds on target," said Col. Douglas Tamilio, program manager for U.S. Army firearms at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. "But at 500-600 meters (1,600-2,000 feet), the round doesn't have stopping power, since the weapon system was never designed for that."

The arsenal, which is the Army's center for small-arms development, is trying to find a solution.

A possible compromise would be an interim-caliber round combining the best characteristics of the 5.56mm and 7.62mm cartridges, Tamilio said.

The challenge is compounded by the fact that in flat areas of Afghanistan, most firefights take place at shorter ranges of up to 1,000 feet (300 meters), where the M-4 performs well.

U.S. soldiers in militant-infested Zhari district in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar province said they haven't experienced problems with the range of their M-4 rifles.

Lt. Scott Doyle, a platoon commander in Zhari, said his troops are usually facing Taliban AK-47s.

"When the Taliban get past 300 meters (1,000 feet) with an AK-47, they are just spraying and praying," he said.

Martin Fackler, a ballistics expert, also defended the 5.56 mm round, blaming the M-4s inadequate performance on its short barrel, which makes it easier for soldiers to scramble out of modern armored vehicles.

"Unfortunately weapon engineers shortened the M-16's barrel to irrational lengths," Fackler said. "It was meant for a 20-inch barrel. What they've done by cutting the barrel to 14.5 inches is that they've lost a lot of velocity."


ECONOMIC STIMULUS FOR AFGHANISTAN. WHY?


Editorial comment: Don't we have enough problems in our own country without giving millions of taxpayer dollars into rebuilding Afghanistan?

We haven't been able to plug the hole in the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and yet we are pouring millions of dollars into Afghanistan.

It doesn't make sense.
Bill Corcoran, editor, CORKSPHERE.

In Afghan region, U.S. spreads the cash to fight the Taliban

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran Washington Post Staff WriterMonday, May 31, 2010; A01


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/30/AR2010053003722.html?hpid=topnews

NAWA, AFGHANISTAN -- In this patch of southern Afghanistan, the U.S. strategy to keep the Taliban at bay involves an economic stimulus.

Thousands of men, wielding hoes and standing in knee-deep muck, are getting paid to clean reed-infested irrigation canals.


Farmers are receiving seeds and fertilizer for a fraction of their retail cost, and many are riding around on shiny new red tractors. Over the summer, dozens of gravel roads and grain-storage facilities will be constructed -- all of it funded by the U.S. government.

Pumping reconstruction dollars into war zones has long been part of the U.S. counterinsurgency playbook, but the carpet bombing of Nawa with cash has resulted in far more money getting into local hands, far more quickly, than in any other part of Afghanistan.

The U.S. Agency for International Development's agriculture program aims to spend upward of $30 million within nine months in this rural district of mud-walled homes and small farms. Other U.S. initiatives aim to bring millions more dollars to the area over the next year.

Because aid is so plentiful in Nawa -- seemingly everyone who wants a job has one -- many young men have opted to stop serving as the Taliban's guns for hire. Unlike neighboring Marja, where insurgent attacks remain a daily occurrence, the central parts of Nawa have been largely violence-free the past six months.

But the cash surge has also unleashed unintended and potentially troubling consequences. It is sparking new tension and rivalries within the community, and it is prompting concern that the nearly free seeds and gushing canals will result in more crops than farmers will be able to sell. It is also raising public expectations for handouts that the Afghan government will not be able to sustain once U.S. contributions ebb.

Continue reading here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/30/AR2010053003722.html?hpid=topnews

AFGHANISTAN OFFENSIVE INTENSIFIES (RAW VIDEO)


U.S. troops are shown in this video attempting to gain the support of Afghanistan elders as the offensive to take control of Afghanistan continues.

The problem is many of the Taliban fighters have melted into the population of the Afghanistan villages and U.S. troops are having a hard time finding them.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/a8A5A89wx9Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Sunday, May 30, 2010

GRIM VIDEO OF U.S. MEDICS RUSHING TO SAVE AMERICAN WOUNDED


The medics call it "The Golden Hour" or the first hour when the medics arrive on the battlefield to extricate wounded American soldiers in Afghanistan.

This video shows some graphic footage of medic teams at work in "The Golden Hour" in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/ZatjUKbbgjA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

CANADIAN SNIPERS PICK OFF TALIBAN (LIVE VIDEO)


Video shows Canadian snipers prepare for their equipment for battle against the Taliban.

The video also shows the Canadian snipers picking off the Taliban during a firefight in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/tiFvo9UeTE4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

MEMORIAL DAY---SECTION 60 ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY (VIDEO)


This video is from the Department of Defense and shows Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery where more than 450 military personnel from the Iraq War and over 150 military personnel from the Afghanistan War have been layed to rest.

Please take a moment to watch this short video and to say a prayer for all of our military personnel serving our country here in the United States and in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other countries around the world.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=215475&page=1

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

Saturday, May 29, 2010

UNBELIEVEABLE VIDEO DESTRUCTIVE FORCE OF BRADLEY FIGHTING VEHICLES ON TALIBAN


This unbelieveable video is a compilation of M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and the destruction they bring to the Taliban in the Afghanistan War.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/rhQnvrCkSHM&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

UPDATED VIDEO: BRADLEY AND HELLFIRE MISSILES RIP INSURGENTS


New Video shows a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and Hellfire Missiles ripping into insurgents.

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/UZYeX_W3tl8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

AWESOME AND VIOLENT VIDEO OF WAR ON TALIBAN


This video provides non-stop combat action showing U.S. troops in awesome and violent footage as they battle the Taliban in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/bVWmGsPdHNQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

HEATED FIREFIGHT IN AFGHANISTAN (RAW VIDEO)


Compilation of footage showing U.S. and British troops in heated battles with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Song: "Zombie" by The Cranberries.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/W2QKlCMPJLs&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

MARINES LAUNCH MAJOR OFFENSIVE AGAINST TALIBAN


The U.S. Marines have launched a major offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Taliban are reporting they captured a U.S. Marine.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/6STxOhP44gE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Friday, May 28, 2010

SOLDIER LOSES $300,000 HOME WHILE FIGHTING IN IRAQ

Soldier in Iraq Loses Home Over $800 Debt

Capt. Michael Clauer's homeowners' association foreclosed on his family's $300,000 house and sold it for $3,500.

By Nick Baumann Fri May. 28, 2010 3:00 AM PDT
MOTHER JONES

Michael Clauer is a captain in the Army Reserve who commanded over 100 soldiers in Iraq. But while he was fighting for his country, a different kind of battle was brewing on the home front. Last September, Michael returned to Frisco, Texas, to find that his homeowners' association had foreclosed on his $300,000 house—and sold it for $3,500. This story illustrates the type of legal quagmire that can get out of hand while soldiers are serving abroad and their families are dealing with the stress of their deployment. And fixing the mess isn't easy.

Complete story here:

Source URL: http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/05/soldier-iraq-loses-home-homeowners-association-foreclose

AWESOME VIDEO: 173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM HUNTING FOR TALIBAN


This video shows members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team on a patrol hunting for Taliban in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Tzgv4ioMf1o&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

AIR WEAPONS TEAM WIPE OUT TALIBAN


Video shows footage from an air weapons team as they wipe out the Taliban on the ground.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/4wJglSZhBno&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Thursday, May 27, 2010

REMARKABLE VIDEO: 82ND AIRBORNE "SAPPERS" BLOW UP TALIBAN


This video shows members of the 82nd Airborne's Combat Engineers, or "Sappers," blowing things up in Afghanistan and at the same time having a little fun horsing around.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/egHwgwjfSno&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

HOT FIREFIGHT BETWEEN MARINES AND TALIBAN


This video shows the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in a red hot firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/_0p4DhjF2Mk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

KICK ASS VIDEO OF ROOFTOP BATTLE WITH TALIBAN


Video shows U.S. troops on a rooftop firing down at Taliban who are approaching their position.

WARNING: Strong language.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/cFdeSdRMjVc&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

SUICIDE CAR BOMB INJURES US TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN (RAW VIDEO)


This video shows what happened after a suicide bomber detonated the bomb he was wearing and how it blew up a number of vehicles in Kabul, Afghanistan injuring a number of U.S. troops.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/QVzSv2rRg_g&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

TALIBAN WINNING THE WAR OF TACTICS


The Taliban are in a battle of wits with U.S. and NATO forces to win the hearts and minds of the Afghanistan people.

As this video points out, the Taliban appear to be winning the war with the Afghan people despite all the effort of U.S. and NATO forces.

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/KhhfVkFnbJ8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

U.S. IS FIGHTING FRAGMENTED GROUPS IN AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)


The U.S. military is fighting fragmented groups all over Afghanistan and not just the Taliban as this video clearly points out.

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/fWT1kqoeszI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

MARINES LAUNCH LONG AWAITED ATTACK ON TALIBAN (RAW VIDEO)


Video shows U.S. Marines launching the long awaited attack on the Taliban in Southern Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/st89cBJefjw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

EXTREMELY GRAPHIC VIDEO: INSIDE AFGHAN REFUGEE CAMP (VIEW WITH CAUTION)


This video was taken inside an Afghan refugee camp and some of the images are extremely graphic. This video should be watched with extreme caution.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/9k00un1ty0E&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

NEW DUTCH DOCUMENTARY OF U.S. SPECIAL FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN


This new video is produced by a Dutch camera crew and shows what U.S. Special Forces go through as they go through a small village in Afghanistan.

AUDIO: Mixture of Dutch and English

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/jiOww3HprN0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

NEWLY RELEASED COMBAT FOOTAGE FROM THE AFGHANISTAN WAR (LIVE VIDEO)


This is an intense new video from the Afghanistan War showing U.S. troops in action against the Taliban after they were ambushed.

WARNING: Strong language.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/0vJ5qyzXuHA&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

U.S. ARMY PLATOON ENGAGES TALIBAN (LIVE VIDEO)


This new video shows a U.S. Army platoon engaging the Taliban in Kunar Province Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/4gogAGLLl1U&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

FANTASTIC COMBAT VIDEO FROM AFGHANISTAN



This video is a fantastic collection of combat videos from Afghanistan showing all the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Song: "Didn't I" by Montgomery Gentry

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Q_QBOMT2yJ4&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

WAIT UNTIL YOU READ WHAT OUR MILITARY IS GOING TO DO NEXT IN THE MIDDLE EAST


U.S. Is Said to Expand Secret Military Acts in Mideast Region

By
MARK MAZZETTI
NEW YORK TIMES
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/25military.html?hp

WASHINGTON — The top American commander in the Middle East has ordered a broad expansion of clandestine military activity in an effort to disrupt militant groups or counter threats in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and other countries in the region, according to defense officials and military documents.

The secret directive, signed in September by Gen. David H. Petraeus, authorizes the sending of American Special Operations troops to both friendly and hostile nations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa to gather intelligence and build ties with local forces. Officials said the order also permits reconnaissance that could pave the way for possible military strikes in Iran if tensions over its nuclear ambitions escalate.

While the Bush administration had approved some clandestine military activities far from designated war zones, the new order is intended to make such efforts more systematic and long term, officials said. Its goals are to build networks that could “penetrate, disrupt, defeat or destroy”
Al Qaeda and other militant groups, as well as to “prepare the environment” for future attacks by American or local military forces, the document said. The order, however, does not appear to authorize offensive strikes in any specific countries.

In broadening its secret activities, the United States military has also sought in recent years to break its dependence on the
Central Intelligence Agency and other spy agencies for information in countries without a significant American troop presence.

General Petraeus’s order is meant for small teams of American troops to fill intelligence gaps about terror organizations and other threats in the Middle East and beyond, especially emerging groups plotting attacks against the United States.

But some Pentagon officials worry that the expanded role carries risks. The authorized activities could strain relationships with friendly governments like Saudi Arabia or Yemen — which might allow the operations but be loath to acknowledge their cooperation — or incite the anger of hostile nations like Iran and Syria. Many in the military are also concerned that as American troops assume roles far from traditional combat, they would be at risk of being treated as spies if captured and denied the
Geneva Convention protections afforded military detainees.

Continue reading here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/25/world/25military.html?hp

Monday, May 24, 2010

YOU WOULD HARDLY KNOW THERE IS A WAR GOING ON---FRED HIATT, WASHINGTON POST


In the absence of debate, Iraq and Afghanistan go unnoticed

By Fred HiattMonday, May 24, 2010; A19

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/23/AR2010052303855_pf.html

You would hardly know, from following this year's election campaign or the extensive coverage of last week's primaries, that America is at war.

Those elected to Congress in November will face fateful decisions on the continued deployment, or not, of U.S. forces in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet those wars, and the wisdom of committing to or withdrawing from them, have hardly been mentioned in the hard-fought campaigns of the spring.

Look at some candidate Web sites. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, forced into a runoff in Arkansas's Democratic primary, lists 10 categories of issues, none of which are defense or national security.
Under "Veterans and National Guard," she does mention the war in Iraq but not the war in Afghanistan. For her opponent, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, "National Security, Veterans and the Military" comes eighth on a list of nine issues and begins, "Arkansas is home to military bases that are critical to our nation's security." "Ensuring success in Iraq and Afghanistan" is the entirety of his platform on those conflicts.
In Pennsylvania, Joe Sestak, who rode a wave of opposition toward the Iraq war into Congress in 2006, includes defense (fifth out of five topics) on his site but writes mostly about
properly equipping and caring for the force and accountability in weapons purchasing. For his Republican opponent, Pat Toomey, "National Security" comes 10th out of 10 (just after "Second Amendment") with no mention, as far as I could see, of Iraq or Afghanistan.
In a time of joblessness and home foreclosures, it's not surprising that politics would focus on the economy more than on national security. And maybe, in a time of toxic partisanship, we should be grateful for this inattention to the wars, taking the absence of debate as a sign of rare bipartisan consensus. Certainly few would miss the vitriol of the Iraq debate of a few years back.

Yet there's something disquieting about the quiet. For one thing, it's yet another reminder of American society's separation from its professional military. As the November elections approach, candidates across the spectrum will ostentatiously wear their support for "our warriors" like body armor, which I suppose is better than the alternative. But as the troops become props, the real men and women who are sweating and taking fire and sleeping on hard ground 7,000 miles away are oddly missing from the conversation.

It also seems likely that apparent bipartisan consensus masks a shallowness of support, an unease that permeates wings of both parties but that, for different reasons, neither party feels ready to politically exploit.

President Obama gets both credited and blamed for the absence of debate. A European diplomat I respect welcomes the political cease-fire and attributes it to Obama having masterfully mollified both Afghanistan hawks (with a surge) and doves (with a guaranteed date to begin withdrawing), defusing disagreement.

Some conservatives look at the flip side of that record and criticize the president for having had too little to say about the war since crafting his plan last fall -- for not reminding Americans more frequently of the sacrifice the troops are making and the reasons they are fighting. Although
Obama returned to West Point on Saturday to deliver a commencement address, he does not style himself as a "war president," and many Americans seem content with that; unlike his predecessor, Obama is not chided for playing golf in his off hours.

As long as events cooperate, maybe none of this will matter much. If the Iraqis form a government and U.S. troops can safely begin coming home, if the surge in Afghanistan yields progress, if American casualties do not spike, then war can be 10th out of 10 on the political priority list and the job will still get done.

But wars rarely go according to plan. And if the absence of debate reflects not full-bodied consensus but a wishful averting of eyes, then a spectacular attack on U.S. forces, or even a U.S. surge that yields fruit more slowly than hoped, could tip public opinion abruptly. In that case even political leaders who believe in the mission, having been AWOL from the debate, will have difficulty tipping it back.

HELMET CAM: RAW COMBAT FOOTAGE FROM AFGHANISTAN


This video is non-stop combat action from start to finish showing U.S. troops battling the Taliban in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/AGkGScHJbLE&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

"HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY" ON THE ATTACK IN SCIMTARS IN AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)


Video shows members of the "Household Cavalry" on the attack in Scimtars in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/anA7Wu4iePU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

GRISLY VIDEO: VEHICLE EXPLOSION OUTSIDE CAMP EGGERS IN KABUL AFGHANISTAN (RAW VIDEO)


What you see in this video is the remains of a number of vehicles that were destroyed by Taliban IEDs outside of Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/YehueWwxhbo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

PTSD: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE WAR (LIVE VIDEO)


This video was made to provide viewers with an idea of what takes place with the men and women who have served in combat.

The most common name today is PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There is also TBI or Traumatic Brain Injury.

Both are debilitating mental problems that affect one out of every three veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

To get a better understanding of what happens after war with these "wounded" veterans you really should watch this video

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/Px6U3is8pwk&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY THIS VIDEO

U.S. PAYS OFF AFGHAN POPPY FARMERS


This ABC News video shows how U.S. troops not only help the Afghan poppy farmers but in some instances provide them with money to grow more poppy in a controversial decision that has a number of people bewildered.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/19981500;_ylt=AuyGYJqCBLrkxcVnyRCng9QBS5Z4


CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

TALIBAN FOOTAGE SHOWS THEM ATTACKING U.S. BASE


This footage is from the Taliban and shows them attacking a U.S. base in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/eq590eFHpa0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

EXCELLENT FOOTAGE OF MARINE COBRAS AND HUEYS TAKING OUT TALIBAN AT NIGHT


This video was made with a night vision camera and shows Marine Cobras and Hueys taking out the Taliban.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/9KWk4I0l8po&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

RAW COMBAT FOOTAGE: MARINES AND ARMY BATTLE TALIBAN


This is a video which shows what our Marines and Army are facing on a daily basis in Afghanistan as they battle the Taliban.

SONG: EVERY MAN by Casting Crews

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/COj45UdOaR8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Sunday, May 23, 2010

BRITISH ROYAL MARINE, CPL STEPHEN WALKER, KILLED FRIDAY IN AFGHANISTAN


The Minister of Defense in Great Britain has released the name of a British Royal Marine killed by the Taliban on Friday during an attack on Bagram AFG.

His name is Cpl. Stephen Walker.

TURN UP YOUR SOUD

WATCH VIDEO HERE OF CPL. WALKER

http://www.youtube.com/v/wSEfwpOBcLo&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAYVIDEO

FIRST VIDEO: TALIBAN ATTACK LARGEST NATO BASE IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN


The Taliban on Sunday claimed responsibility for the attack Saturday on the largest NATO base in Southern Afghanistan.

The Taliban say the attack is part of the mammoth offensive they have launched against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/7HaMp1UgeDo&hl=en_US&fs=1A

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

Saturday, May 22, 2010

"CORPSMAN UP"---TRIBUTE TO CORPSMAN (VIDEO)


The words every GI hates to hear on the battlefield are "Corpsman up." It means one of their buddies has been shot or hit by an explosive.

This video is dedicated to the brave Corpsman of the U.S. Military who risk their own lives to save the lives of their fallen buddies.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/xAARqVVw3DI&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

BREAKING: U.S. AND NATO TO INCREASE TROOPS TO 150,000 IN AFGHANISTAN


U.S and NATO to increase troops to 150,000 in Afghanistan

Three soldiers, one civilian killed in Afghanistan

(AFP)22 May 2010,
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/international/2010/May/international_May1262.xml&section=international

KABUL - Three foreign soldiers and one civilian working with NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in two separate incidents in southern Afghanistan Saturday, the alliance said.


Meanwhile, The United States and its NATO allies are increasing to 150,000 their military deployment in Afghanistan, about two-thirds of which is American.


The United States believes the “surge” of troops can wrest the initiative from the Taliban in key population centres and allow foreign forces to start withdrawing from the unpopular and costly conflict next year.

“Two ISAF service members and a civilian working with ISAF died following an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan today,” ISAF said, without disclosing the soldiers’ nationality, in keeping with NATO policy.

“In a separate incident, also in southern Afghanistan, another ISAF service member died following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack,” the statement, said referring to the Taliban insurgents’ weapon of choice.


The latest casualty brings the number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year to 215, according to an AFP tally based on the icasualties.org website.

In 2009, the deadliest year since the United States led an invasion that overthrew the Taliban regime in late 2001, 520 foreign soldiers were killed.

TOP RATED REAL COMBAT CLIPS. (LIVE VIDEO)


This is a compilation of real combat clips considered to be some of the best combat footage ever made.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/NYF3dFoqgII&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

BRUTAL ROOFTOP FIREFIGHT. (LIVE VIDEO)


U.S. Marines are shown in this brutal rooftop firefight battling insurgents. Non-stop combat action.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/BKgdDkQtYbs&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

BADDEST FIREFIGHT EVER: WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE (RAW VIDEO)


Video shows an Army LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) on patrol when they are attacked by insurgents and what follows is a violent firefight with very strong language.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/RTP1mZ5f8FY&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

INSIDE THE AFGHANISTAN WAR: WHAT U.S. MEDIA DOESN'T SHOW (RAW VIDEO)


Ben Anderson is a seasoned war correspondent and in this video he takes you inside Afghanistan to show you what the real Afghanistan war is like and not what is shown by the mainstream media in the United States.

For those of you who are interested in the real truth about the Afghanistan war, this video is a must view.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/9ous2dxJa30&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

LARA LOGAN, CBS WAR CORRESPONDENT, EMBEDDED WITH 101ST AIRBORNE IN AFGHANISTAN


CBS News war correspondent Lara Logan is embedded with the 101st Airborne in a dangerous mission in the mountains of Afghanistan.

This is a gripping video of what our troops are going through in Afghanistan and should be seen by EVERYONE.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/rZDonqtAf-8&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

HUGE NIGHT AMBUSH/ATTACK ON U.S. FOB IN AFGHANISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)


Video shows a huge attack on a U.S. FOB in Afghanistan. The firing is non-stop from both the Taliban and U.S. troops.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/eLANM2W6LsA&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

FIRST VIDEO OF TALIBAN ATTACK ON U.S. BASE SATURDAY IN AFGHANISTAN


This is the first video of the attack on Saturday by the Taliban on the U.S. air base near Kandahar, Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/00fBH_K2aNI&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

MORE INFO ON TALIBAN ATTACK OF U.S. BASE. U.S. TROOPS WOUNDED


Troops wounded as Taliban attack southern Afghan base

1 hr 56 mins ago
REUTERS

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100522/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_attack_5

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Taliban militants launched a rocket and ground attack on Kandahar airfield in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, the alliance said, days after an assault on another major base in the country.

Five rockets were fired at the massive base in the Taliban's spiritual capital where NATO forces are preparing a series of offensives to wrest control of the province.


"Kandahar airfield came under indirect fire at approximately 8 p.m. local time tonight. An undetermined number of rockets have been fired at the base," a statement from NATO forces based in Kandahar said.

A number of NATO personnel and civilian workers were wounded and no insurgents managed to enter the base, the statement said.

An intelligence source on the base said it had been hit by three rockets. One struck a helicopter terminal used by foreign troops, wounding four foreigners, one hit a shopping area and another failed to hit any significant target.

The source said the Taliban came close to the airfield and fired rockets. Helicopters hit back at them with gunfire.

People on the sprawling base were ordered to take shelter in bunkers, and a loudspeaker announcement warned of a ground attack, a journalist there said.

Lucian Read said there were reports that one of the rockets may have hit a volleyball court in the center of the main shopping area of the base known as the boardwalk and that one of the insurgents was a suicide bomber.

The attack came days after an assault on one of the coalition's biggest bases in Bagram, north of the Afghan capital, in which an American contractor was killed and nine U.S. troops wounded.

BREAKING NEWS: NEW TALIBAN ATTACK ON U.S. BASE


Insurgents attack Afghanistan base

By Sean D. Naylor - Staff writerPosted : Saturday May 22, 2010 15:23:33 EDT
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/05/army_afghan_attack_052210/

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Coalition forces repelled an insurgent attack on this airfield on Saturday evening that wounded a small number of personnel, a Coalition spokeswoman said.

The attack began at about 8 p.m. local time when insurgents launched a barrage of five rockets at the air field, said Navy Cmdr. Amanda Peterseim, spokeswoman for Regional Command-South, which is headquartered at the air field.

One of those rockets hit near the boardwalk, the collection of stores and coffee shops which forms the social hub at the air field, and is often crowded in the evenings. That rocket wounded "a few" personnel, but did not kill any, Peterseim said.

"Shortly after [the rockets landed] we started hearing the announcement that we were under ground attack," Peterseim said. That ground attack involved "just a few insurgents" attacking a guard tower on the airfield’s north side and was "repelled" with no casualties on the Coalition side, she said. "There's been no breach of the perimeter," she said.
Peterseim said she did not know the status of the insurgents who attacked the base.

UNPILOTED DRONES DROP LASER-GUIDED BOMBS ON PAKISTAN (LIVE VIDEO)


There has been an increase in unpiloted Drone attacks on terrorists in both Pakistan and Afghanistan and this video shows the Drones dropping laser-guided bombs on the terrorists.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/pxoFJnKI8j8&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

AMAZING TALIBAN ROCKET ATTACK DURING CANADIAN TOUR SHOW IN AFGHANISTAN


This video comes from CTV News and shows a Canadian Show Tour and Canadian troops under a rocket attack from the Taliban near Kandahar Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/xiuLBl-QkvM&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

PRESIDENT OBAMA SENDS MORE TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN


The Taliban have launched a spring offensive against U.S. and NATO forces who are attempting to take the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan, which is the Taliban headquarters.

President Obama has ordered more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in a counter-insurgency move to take out the Taliban in Kandahar.

This Reuters video shows what is happening as the offensive heats up on both sides.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/19956093;_ylt=AqyvLCQWlF.cN6GVGVHkS0gBS5Z4

Click on link to watch video

Friday, May 21, 2010

FEMALE MEDIC GOES ON PATROL WITH ARMY IN AFGHANISTAN


Spc. Amber Reinhold is a medic with the U.S. Army and in this video you get to see her doing her job as she goes on combat patrol with her platoon in Afghanistan.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/xu67NWk9gWc&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND-SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

HEART-STOPPING VIDEO OF COMBAT MEDICS


Video shows combat medics working to save the lives of wounded American soldiers from the war in Afghanistan.

Very graphic.

SONG: Enya's "Now we are Free"

TURN UP YOUR SOUND.

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/zoB64P6KXR4&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

AMAZING VIDEO OF COMBAT MEDICS


This video shows Rogue Company of the Combat Medics during a daring rescue of wounded U.S. troops in Iraq.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/sYRkbP4oAZk&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

NEW VIDEO: MARINES LAUNCH NEW BATTLE FOR KANDAHAR. ONE MARINE KILLED


CBS News is reporting in this new video how the U.S. Marines have launched a counter-insurgency against the Taliban to gain control of the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

One Marine has been killed in the offensive and an IED narrowly misses the Marines as they move forward.

TURN UP YOUR SOUND

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://www.youtube.com/v/INt6pTswoUU&hl=en_US&fs=1

CLICK ON LINK AND DIAMOND SHAPED ARROW TO PLAY VIDEO

WHAT THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS NOT TELLING YOU ABOUT IRAQ


If you are receiving your news on what is taking place in Iraq from the mainstream media and cable news, you are not getting the full story.

The situation in Iraq is deteriorating and the media in the U.S. is totally ignoring it.

Here is what has happened in a number of the provinces in Iraq on Wednesday and Thursday.

Source: http://warnewstoday.blogspot.com/

Reported security incidents Baghdad:#1: A roadside bomb wounded six civilians in Baghdad's southwestern district of Jihad, police said.
#2: A roadside bomb wounded two civilians in Baghdad's western district of al-Ghazaliya, police said.
#3: A roadside bomb wounded three civilians in southwestern Baghdad, police said.
#4: A bomb attached to a car wounded the driver in northeastern Baghdad, police said.
#5: A roadside bomb wounded five civilians near the Shaab soccer stadium in eastern Baghdad, police said.
Diyala Prv:#1: Five al-Qaeda elements were killed and two more were arrested on Wednesday in clashes flared up with SWAT forces in southeast of Baaquba, according to a security source. “Armed clashes erupted on Wednesday evening (May 19) between SWAT forces and al-Qaeda gunmen inside al-Dayniya village in Baladruz district, southeast of Baaquba ,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The three-hour clashes left five gunmen killed and two more arrested, including al-Qaeda leader in the village, Karim Hussein Muftah,” he added. “Seven SWAT forces were wounded in the clashes,” he said.
#2: One civilian was killed and three others were wounded in a blast in the north of Baaquba on Thursday, according to a police source. “An improvised explosive device went off on Thursday (May 20) near a civilian car in al-Nada region, southern al-Saadiya district, north of Baaquba, killing a civilian and injuring three, one of them in critical condition,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
Musayyib:#1: A car bomb exploded in front of a restaurant killing six people south of Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraqi officials said, highlighting the fragile nature of Iraq's security. The bomb in the mixed Sunni-Shiite town comes as the country enters its third month without a new government, raising concerns that violence will rise as political disputes spill out into the streets. A spokesman for the Babil police, Maj. Muthana Khalid, said the parked car detonated in the town of Musayyib, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) south of Baghdad. The car was left in front of a restaurant where people had gathered to eat grilled meat. Ten people were injured in the incident.At least six people were killed and ten others were wounded in two simultaneous explosions in north of Babel on Wednesday, a police source said. “The first blast took blast near a restaurant in central al-Askandariya district, north of Babel, while the second explosion occurred five minutes later near the first scene,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. He gave no more details.
Mahmoudiya:#1: A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol wounded two policemen and two civilians in the town of Mahmudiya, 30 km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.
Yusufiya:#1: A bomb exploded inside a house, wounded three people in central Yusufiya, 20 km (12 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.
Basra:#1: Gunmen in a speeding car exchanged fire with security guards at the headquarters of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (ISCI), a major Shi'ite political faction, in central Basra, 420 km (260 miles) south of Baghdad, but no one was hurt, police said.
Salah al-Din Prv:#1: Five mortar shells have fallen on a U.S. base in Salah al-Din, but no casualties have been reported, a local police source said on Wednesday.“Five mortar shells landed on the U.S. Camp Anaconda in Yathrib district, southern Tikrit, on Wednesday (May 19),” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
Balad Ruz:#1: Iraqi police killed five militants in clashes that lasted for three hours in an area near Balad Ruz, 90 km (55 miles) northeast of Baghdad, a security source said. The militants wounded five policemen, the source added.
Baiji:#1: A roadside bomb targeting a government-backed militia leader wounded six members of the militia in Baiji, 180 km (112 miles) north of Baghdad on Wednesday, police said.
Kirkuk:#1: One Sahwa fighter was killed on Thursday by an improvised explosive device blast in the southwest of Kirkuk, a local police chief said. “The bomb exploded early Thursday (May 20) targeting a vehicle in Abi al-Khanazeer village in al-Rashad district, southwest of Kirkuk, killing the driver, a Sahwa fighter,” Brig. Sarhad Qader told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
Mosul:#1: Police forces waged on Wednesday security raids in central Mosul, according to a security source. “The operations covered Babl al-Toub region, Ghazi, al-Najafi and Ninewa steets and Bab Saray region in central Mosul,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The operations aimed to track down suspects and wanted men but ended without arresting anyone,” he said. Mosul, the capital of Ninewa, lies 405 km north of Baghdad.
#2: One policeman was killed and 10 were wounded in a suicide attack in western Mosul on Thursday, a police source said. “A suicide bomber blew up an explosive belt strapped to his body on Thursday morning (May 20) targeting a police checkpoint in Dourat Qassem al-Khayat region, western Mosul, killing a policeman and injuring ten, including four policemen,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
#3: Gunmen attacked security checkpoints, killing two Iraqi soldiers, in different parts of the city of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police.#4: A roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi army patrol in northern Mosul, wounding one soldier, police said.