Imagine its December 1944. The Allied advance in Western Europe has stalled due to supply and logistic problems. Back in the US, the House of Representatives debates the merits of World War II. Representative Murtha, who is old enough to have served back then, demands an immediate withdrawal of all US military from Europe proclaiming that, "We can't win this war!"
In Berlin, the Germans are hard at work planning one final massive Winter offensive in the West. But when Adolf Hitler gets news of the pull out, he sees an opportunity. Instead of an immediate attack, he pulls his forces back to stronger defensive positions and delays the attack until after the US "redeployment".
Murtha and the "cut and run" Democrats have their way and the US pulls all of its forces out of Europe. 15 days later Hitler unleashes the German army in a massive operation that overwhelms and destroys the remaining English and Canadian forces in the West. The Allies sue for peace leaving Germany in control of all of Western Europe. They are now free to focus all their military might on the Soviet Union who they fight to a stalemate at approximately the 1939 borders between the two countries.
Fortunately none of that is true. But it is interesting to consider what would happen if the US had adopted Murtha and the Democrat's strategy in previous conflicts. You would think that members of Congress, especially those that have served in the military, would understand that conflicts must be won in a decisive manner. Wars are never won by retreating. Victory is never gained by giving up. True and lasting peace can only be obtained by completely destroying the enemies' will and ability to wage war.
A "cut and run" strategy will only encourage our enemies. Osama Bin Laden is on record as saying this after observing Clinton's disgraceful exit in Somalia. Our enemies saw American forces quit after enduring a few casualties at the hands of a ragtag bunch of thugs. An embarrassment and probably the single biggest event that convinced Osama that a major attack like 9-11 would cause the US to pull all of its forces out of the Middle East and abandon Israel.
Thankfully, Osama did not realize that George Bush is not Bill Clinton. And mercifully, the Democrats are not in power. Hopefully, they will never be in power. Because they have proven time and again that they cannot be trusted with defending America, or protecting our interests in a dangerous world.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Your Tax Dollars At Work...
God Bless our government. They bent over backwards to try and help after Hurricane Katrina only to have a large percentage of people work the system. The GAO audit reports are out and its not surprising that the payment program was filled with corruption and theft.
Here are some examples of what was found:
- As of March 2006, over 90 percent of money funded to the debit card program has been used by recipients to obtain cash which did not allow the GAO to determine how the money was actually used.
- Examples of debit card purchased goods and services that did not appear to meet legitimate disaster needs - The understatement of the week!
Jewelz - Arlington, TX - Diamond jewelry including watches, earrings, and a ring $3,700
Vacation Express - Atlanta, GA - All inclusive 1 week Caribbean vacation resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $2,200
Lesea Broadcasting - South Bend, IN - Donations to a faith based charity $2,000
New Orleans Saints - New Orleans, LA - 5 New Orleans Saints football season tickets $2,000
Mark Lipkin Attorney - Houston, TX - Divorce lawyer services $1,000
Legends - Houston, TX - Gentleman's club $600
The Pleasure Zone - Houston, TX - Adult erotica products $400
Hooters - San Antonio, TX - Alcoholic beverages including $200 bottle of Dom Perignon champagne $300
GGW Video - Santa Monica, CA - Girls Gone Wild videos $300
Alamo Fireworks - San Antonio, TX - Fireworks $300
- As of May 26, 2006, FEMA can only account for 10,608 cards of the 10,989 cards JPMorgan Chase claimed that it has distributed. As a result, FEMA cannot properly account for 381 debit cards, worth about $760,000.
- Rental assistance payments were sent to individuals living in FEMA-paid-for hotels! Here are a couple of the more egregious examples:
Marriott Courtyard - (Lafayette, LA) - Registrant stayed at hotel from September 2005 to February 2006 at a cost of $109 to $122 per night. FEMA paid registrant two rental assistance payments in September 2005 and December 2005. Rental Assistance total: $5,208 - Hotel Payments total: $18,000
Ramada Plaza - (Corona, NY) - Registrant stayed at hotel from September 2005 to March 2006 at a cost of $149 per night. FEMA paid registrant rental assistance in September 2005. Rental Assistance total: $2,358 - Hotel Payments total: $31,000
- FEMA paid millions of dollars to over 1,000 registrants who used names and SSNs belonging to state and federal prisoners. Here are a few examples:
Case 1 involves a convicted felon, housed in a Louisiana prison from April 2001 to the present, who registered for assistance by telephone. FEMA paid over $20,000 to the registrant even though the damaged property address on the registration was a post office box address and the registrant was incarcerated throughout the disaster period.
Case 2 involves a registrant who has been incarcerated in a Mississippi correctional facility since 2004. The registrant used his name and SSN over the telephone to apply for and receive $2,000 in expedited assistance and $2,358 in rental assistance. The individual listed his correct current address, at the prison, to receive these payments.
These are just a handful of cases that permeate the "disaster" relief effort. There is potentially $1 billion in waste and fraud that is under review!
Guess what? Its hurricane season again...
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/06/14/fema.audit/index.html
Here are some examples of what was found:
- As of March 2006, over 90 percent of money funded to the debit card program has been used by recipients to obtain cash which did not allow the GAO to determine how the money was actually used.
- Examples of debit card purchased goods and services that did not appear to meet legitimate disaster needs - The understatement of the week!
Jewelz - Arlington, TX - Diamond jewelry including watches, earrings, and a ring $3,700
Vacation Express - Atlanta, GA - All inclusive 1 week Caribbean vacation resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $2,200
Lesea Broadcasting - South Bend, IN - Donations to a faith based charity $2,000
New Orleans Saints - New Orleans, LA - 5 New Orleans Saints football season tickets $2,000
Mark Lipkin Attorney - Houston, TX - Divorce lawyer services $1,000
Legends - Houston, TX - Gentleman's club $600
The Pleasure Zone - Houston, TX - Adult erotica products $400
Hooters - San Antonio, TX - Alcoholic beverages including $200 bottle of Dom Perignon champagne $300
GGW Video - Santa Monica, CA - Girls Gone Wild videos $300
Alamo Fireworks - San Antonio, TX - Fireworks $300
- As of May 26, 2006, FEMA can only account for 10,608 cards of the 10,989 cards JPMorgan Chase claimed that it has distributed. As a result, FEMA cannot properly account for 381 debit cards, worth about $760,000.
- Rental assistance payments were sent to individuals living in FEMA-paid-for hotels! Here are a couple of the more egregious examples:
Marriott Courtyard - (Lafayette, LA) - Registrant stayed at hotel from September 2005 to February 2006 at a cost of $109 to $122 per night. FEMA paid registrant two rental assistance payments in September 2005 and December 2005. Rental Assistance total: $5,208 - Hotel Payments total: $18,000
Ramada Plaza - (Corona, NY) - Registrant stayed at hotel from September 2005 to March 2006 at a cost of $149 per night. FEMA paid registrant rental assistance in September 2005. Rental Assistance total: $2,358 - Hotel Payments total: $31,000
- FEMA paid millions of dollars to over 1,000 registrants who used names and SSNs belonging to state and federal prisoners. Here are a few examples:
Case 1 involves a convicted felon, housed in a Louisiana prison from April 2001 to the present, who registered for assistance by telephone. FEMA paid over $20,000 to the registrant even though the damaged property address on the registration was a post office box address and the registrant was incarcerated throughout the disaster period.
Case 2 involves a registrant who has been incarcerated in a Mississippi correctional facility since 2004. The registrant used his name and SSN over the telephone to apply for and receive $2,000 in expedited assistance and $2,358 in rental assistance. The individual listed his correct current address, at the prison, to receive these payments.
These are just a handful of cases that permeate the "disaster" relief effort. There is potentially $1 billion in waste and fraud that is under review!
Guess what? Its hurricane season again...
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/06/14/fema.audit/index.html
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
A little perspective on June 6th...
As we continue to hear the shrill rantings from "peace mom/dance on my son's grave" Cindy Sheehan, the media, and the rest of the loons on the left, it behooves us to consider the historical significance of casualties in previous battles.
June 6, 1918 Battle of Belleau Wood - WWI - The first major engagement of US troops in Europe. The 20 day battle resulted in 10,000 American casualties. The Germans lost 300,000 men during the battle.
June 6, 1944 D-Day Invasion - WWII - The Allies' long expected invasion of France started on this day. Total Allied casualities on D-Day were estimated at 10,000 dead, wounded or missing. It is estimated that over 1400 American soldiers lost their lives during that first day. German casualties have been estimated as high as 9,000.
By the end of the Battle of Normandy, approximately 90 days, the Allies had lost over 53,000 men. Between 15,000 and 20,000 French civilians lost their lives during the battle. The Germans reported over 70,000 deaths.
In over 3 years of fighting in Iraq, there have been only 2,475 US deaths and 292 in 5 years of fighting in Afghanistan. To put this in perspective with previous US conflicts:
US Casualties By Conflict
Revolutionary War (1775-83) - 4,435
War of 1812 (1812-15) - 2,260
Mexican War (1846-48) - 13,283
Civil War (1861-65) - 498,000 est
Spanish American War (1898) - 2,446
World War I (1917-18) - 116,516
World War II (1941-45) - 405,399
Korean War (1950-53) - 36,574
Vietnam War (1964-75) - 58,200
Persian Gulf War (1990-91) - 382
Afghanistan War (2001 thru 6/6/06) - 292
Iraq War (2003 thru 6/6/06) - 2,475
By comparison with civilian deaths in the US, in 2003 there were 109,277 deaths reported attributed to accidents or unintentional injuries. Suicide resulted in 31,484 deaths. Homicide accounted for 17,732 deaths.
What does this all mean? Well for one, the US military is doing a pretty darn good job avoiding casualties while being stuck in a "Vietnam-like quagmire".
The real point is we are in a fight we must win. And it is far better to engage your enemy in his backyard than fighting a bunch of suicidal fanatics in our own.
While we mourn every death, soldiers and civilians alike, we will not surrender or retreat. To do so would set us up for eventual destruction. Our enemy will stop at nothing to destroy Western civilization and anyone who will not accept their fanatical views. Any erosion of support for this effort will only be seen as a sign of weakness by them.
The left, who have at times been celebrated as defenders of freedom, now find themselves in an interesting spot. They are attacking the very country, government and military that allows them to express their opinions without fear. If the maniacs that run Iran and Syria were in charge here, they would never enjoy this freedom.
June 6, 1918 Battle of Belleau Wood - WWI - The first major engagement of US troops in Europe. The 20 day battle resulted in 10,000 American casualties. The Germans lost 300,000 men during the battle.
June 6, 1944 D-Day Invasion - WWII - The Allies' long expected invasion of France started on this day. Total Allied casualities on D-Day were estimated at 10,000 dead, wounded or missing. It is estimated that over 1400 American soldiers lost their lives during that first day. German casualties have been estimated as high as 9,000.
By the end of the Battle of Normandy, approximately 90 days, the Allies had lost over 53,000 men. Between 15,000 and 20,000 French civilians lost their lives during the battle. The Germans reported over 70,000 deaths.
In over 3 years of fighting in Iraq, there have been only 2,475 US deaths and 292 in 5 years of fighting in Afghanistan. To put this in perspective with previous US conflicts:
US Casualties By Conflict
Revolutionary War (1775-83) - 4,435
War of 1812 (1812-15) - 2,260
Mexican War (1846-48) - 13,283
Civil War (1861-65) - 498,000 est
Spanish American War (1898) - 2,446
World War I (1917-18) - 116,516
World War II (1941-45) - 405,399
Korean War (1950-53) - 36,574
Vietnam War (1964-75) - 58,200
Persian Gulf War (1990-91) - 382
Afghanistan War (2001 thru 6/6/06) - 292
Iraq War (2003 thru 6/6/06) - 2,475
By comparison with civilian deaths in the US, in 2003 there were 109,277 deaths reported attributed to accidents or unintentional injuries. Suicide resulted in 31,484 deaths. Homicide accounted for 17,732 deaths.
What does this all mean? Well for one, the US military is doing a pretty darn good job avoiding casualties while being stuck in a "Vietnam-like quagmire".
The real point is we are in a fight we must win. And it is far better to engage your enemy in his backyard than fighting a bunch of suicidal fanatics in our own.
While we mourn every death, soldiers and civilians alike, we will not surrender or retreat. To do so would set us up for eventual destruction. Our enemy will stop at nothing to destroy Western civilization and anyone who will not accept their fanatical views. Any erosion of support for this effort will only be seen as a sign of weakness by them.
The left, who have at times been celebrated as defenders of freedom, now find themselves in an interesting spot. They are attacking the very country, government and military that allows them to express their opinions without fear. If the maniacs that run Iran and Syria were in charge here, they would never enjoy this freedom.
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