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Charlie's Corner
JUNE - DECEMBER, 2003
27DEC03 As I look back over 2003, I have mixed thoughts from the elation of an awesome quick victory in the take- over in Iraq to the drugery of conducting a counter- insurgency operation while the Coalition is attempting to stabilize Iraq for free elections to determine their own government and watching how much the al'Qaeda terrorist organization does not want a free country in Iraq. It is easier to deal with a dictator than a large elected legislature. They would like another Taliban-like government in Iraq, so they could again have safe haven to conduct their training and send out their cells throughout the world. al'Qaeda is our immediate enemy and are responsible for much of the unrest among the Iraqi people in and around the capital of Baghdad and I believe that steps should be taken to destablize their command amd control operations in the Horn of Africa. It is just semantics but in propaganda, whether it is white or black, every word is important to sway public opinion. Whenever the media mentions "the War on Terrorism", I think al'Qaeda because of their involvement in the September 11, 2001 tragedy and acceptance of the responsibility for several other major terrorist attacks world-wide, not the IRA, Brigada Rosa, Red Army or any other on the long list of terrorist organizations from the State Dept. There are definite links between Saddam Hussein and al'Qaeda dating back to at least the 80's. al'Qaeda has links in most Arab countries and has cells in most of the large countries in the world. There is the question,"Where is bin Ladin?", the way al'Qaeda's orgainzation is set up, it really is not absolutely neccessary for bin Ladin to be involved, one of his assistants can take over the leadership and al'Qaeda will continue to function effectively.Now I am looking forward to the election year and a rebounding economy with a reduction in the unemployment rate.
20DEC03 The troops of the 4th Infantry Division and Task Force 121 deserve a salute for their outstanding accomplishment of their mission in the capture of Saddam Hussein this week. The reward sytem does work eventually, even from members of his own family. Here is an actual account of the capture by a participant in the operation: ALL, As you all know by now, we have captured Saddam Hussein. The 1st Brigade Combat Team "Raiders", 4th Infantry Division (M)with Special Ops forces caught HVT#1. I participated in this raid last night which started at about 1900 (7PM) as we quickly rehearsed the plan. This was a joint operation between 1st Brigade, 4ID and Special Ops Forces. After we rehearsed the plan at a grain storage facility in Tikrit (that smelled like an outhouse by the way!), we mounted up and drove about 20km south to Ad Dawr. We had Humvees and a some armored Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and the Special Ops guys brought their toys. I won't go into what they ride around in, but they have got some nice vehicles and equipment! One vehicle you'd never expect to see over here! Totally out of place but totally fits the Special Ops "look". We drove at about 40-50 MPH in total darkness on the highway across the Tigris River and headed south to the small town of Ad Dawr. We used our Night Vision Goggles as we sped down the road as some of the locals watched this convoy of about 30 vehicles speed by in the moonless night. Wonder what they were thinking? Last night was pitch black with no moon until about 2130hrs (9:30PM). After we hit the objectives (Wolverine 1 & 2) we set a cordon and began the search. Initially we didn't find him and the Special Ops soldiers in the house were being led away from his #1's "rat hole" by an Iraqi that was in the house. Well, the "rat hole" was discovered and the cover moved and sure enough, there he was down in the bottom! Our Special Ops guys whisked him away in a "Little Bird" (small Special Ops Helicopter) off to Tikrit for a quick stop and then off to Baghdad. We drove all the way back up to Tikrit in disbelief that we had finally found this guy! All the work and intelligence gathering we have done for the past 8 months have paid off! It has been quite amazing watching us narrow the ring around this guy. We have got an amazing "wiring diagram" with Saddam Hussein in the middle working outwards starting with his children, wives, cousins, uncles, nephews, body guards, drivers, etc. Amazing! We just followed up on all the clues we have gathered and here we are. The last two weeks we have really been "cleaning house" on Saddam Hussein's most trusted aides. We have had a great working relationship with our Special Ops brothers. We have shared information and worked together for so long on this that it's great to be able to say that "I was part of the unit that caught Saddam Hussein!" Major Steve Brigade Fire Support Officer 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) RAIDERS! Submitted by: Ed Dougherty President Chapter LXXV Special Forces Assoc.
11DEC03 Whenever you are engaged in a counter-insurgency effort, everything you do or don't do, is a possible weapon that the enemy can use to their favor. This week, one third of a battalion of the Iraqi army resigned because they could get better paying jobs ($10 a week) in the Iraqi security forces. I think they were convinced by the insurgents to quit as part of a larger effort to disrupt the Iraqi army. This slight oversight could be costly in the near future and those in charge of setting the pay rates for different Iraqi services must assure they are equitable or there will be constant moving from one better paying position to another after we spend a lot of money training them. I would have given them a immediate raise of $20 a week, if they would remain in service. We now have the worst influenza epidemic in many years and a shortage of flu vaccine. If this is not a bio- terrorism attack, then it is a good exercise in what can happen to this nation, if we are attacked with a bio-terrorist weapon. WE must be prepared for the worst case scenerio, we cannot wait until after the attack to get ready, It will be too late. I think not only the first responders but everyone in this country must be prepared. One out of four Americans have the basic knowledge required to survive a terrorist attack based on a survey released by USATODAY.
06DEC03 When I attended the 101st Abn Div Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Guerilla Course at Ft. Campbell, Ky, The main lesson that I learned there is to take the war to your enemy. The Coalition Forces did that this week with raids, seach and capture, combined infantry and light armored vehicles patrolling, but most importantly are the rapid response teams, that the most difference, these forces responded like firemen with massive ground and air power to overcome any attackers. These new tactics are working, the KIA count was drastically down for the week and it was real noticiable when I post the KIA names to my Fallen Warriors pages. There was a lot written this week about "collateral damage". During combat, there is always some collateral damage. War is a dirty business. Most Iraqis know it and accept it because the insurgents have become their enemy by targeting Iraqis. Most Iraqis know that the Coalition Forces are not the aggressors, the insurgents are and that Iraq will become a free self-governing country sooner without the die-hard Baath party Saddam supporters and foreign terrorists interference. In this country, there has been a lot of columnists that are trying to equate Iraq with Vietnam. I think they are trying to put a square block into a circular hole. The only similarity is that American forces are engaged in combat with a hostile enemy. The objectives are entirely different with a different set of political and military leadership. Americans are a lot wiser now from our past experiences and realize that the threat from terrorism has been real for many years and we must do something to prevent these barbarians from killing more Americans here and abroad. We cannot stop them with words. They will not negotiate. They will not sign and abide by any peace treaty. The only thing they believe in is that they will destroy us at any cost before we can destroy them.
29NOV03 Afghanistan is back in the news lately with more enemy ambushes and landmine deployments. Apparently, the remnants of the Taliban and the reinforcements from the Al'Qaida have established a staging base in Western Pakistan along the Afghanistan border, They cross over the border and attack Coalition and Afghanistani Border Patrol personnel and then evade back across the border to Pakistan. This is reminiscent of the North Vietnamese Army tactics; attack and then move into Laos or Cambodia for sanctuary. I remember President Bush making a comment right after Sept. 11, 2001, that any country that gives assistance to terrorist must face the consequences. I believe he meant even "friendly nations". Terrorists do not have a national boundary but will use our respecting of them to their own advantage. In order to be able to defeat terrorists, our forces must have the ability to continue the fight even if it means crossing into another country, to disallow the terrorist sanctury, no matter where they are hiding. Again, I believe that the ideal aircraft for border denial is the AC-130U "Spooky" gunship because of its high-tech electronic surveilance equiptment and it's immediate response capability
22NOV03 Now that the Coalition Forces have gone on the offensive the number of individual casualties have decreased dramatically. The insurgents are now hesitant to be seen setting an improvised explosive device or loitering in an area on ambush without being captured. The more the majority of the Iraqi people realize that we are trying to act in their best interest and cooperate, then the sooner they will have self-rule. Afghanistan has heated up lately with several attacks from the groups of Tailban and Al'Queda coming across the border from Pakistan. We must not forget that these people are Mujahadeen and are tenacious fighters and do not give up easily. A look back into time at the War in Afghanistan: Two SITREPs from U. S. Army Special Forces with the Northern Alliance The first is dated Oct. 25, 2001: "I am advising a man on how to best employ light infantry and horse cavalry in the attack against Taliban T-55s (tanks) ... mortars, artillery, personnel carriers and machine guns -- a tactic which I think became outdated with the introduction of the Gatling gun. (The Mujahadeen) have done this every day we have been on the ground. They have attacked with 10 rounds AK's per man, with PK gunners (snipers) having less than 100 rounds ... little water and less food. I have observed a PK gunner who walked 10-plus miles to get to the fight, who was proud to show me his artificial right leg from the knee down. ... "We have witnessed the horse cavalry bounding overwatch from spur to spur to attack Taliban strong points -- the last several kilometers under mortar, artillery ... and PK fire. There is little medical care if injured, only a donkey ride to the aid station, which is a dirt hut. I think (the Mujahadeen) are doing very well with what they have. They have killed over 125 Taliban ... while losing only eight. "We couldn't do what we are (doing) without the close air support. ... Everywhere I go the civilians and Mujahadeen soldiers are always telling me they are glad the USA has come. They all speak of their hopes for a better Afghanistan once the Taliban are gone. Better go. (The local commander) is finishing his phone call with (someone back in the States)." The soldier then went off and joined a cavalry attack on a Taliban position. The second dispatch is dated Nov. 10, 2001: "Departed position from which I spoke to you last night ... (We left) on horse and linked up with the remainder of (the element). I had meeting with (the commander). ... We then departed from our initial linkup location and rode into Mazar-e Sharif on begged, borrowed and confiscated transportation. "While it looked like a rag-tag procession, the morale into Mazar-e Sharif was a triumphal procession. All locals loudly greeted us and thanked all Americans. Much waving, cheering and clapping even from the women. ... USN/USAF did a great job. "I am very proud of these men who have performed exceptionally well under very extreme conditions. I have personally witnessed heroism under fire by (two U.S. NCOs - - one Army, one Air Force) when we came under fire last night, which was less than 50 meters from me. When I ordered them to call close air support, they did so immediately without flinching even though they were under ...fire. As you know, a (U.S. element) was nearly overrun four days ago and continued to call close air support and ensured (Mujahadeen) forces did not suffer a defeat. These two examples are typical of the performance of your soldiers and airmen. Truly uncommon valor has been a common virtue amongst these men." Paul Wolfowitz Deputy Defense Secretary Excerpt from his keynote address at the Nov. 14, 2001 Fletcher Conference Nov. 22, 2003 marks the 40th year since the assassination of President Kennedy. I discount most of the conspiracy theories but I do have questions about who gained from this act and why all the evidence was locked up in the National Archives for fifty years with some evidence becoming missing every year.
15NOV03 As long as there are terrorists that are planning attacks against America and Europe, we must be constantly vigilant about our personal hygiene, especially washing your hands before preparing meals and only eating cooked foods. If you experience weakness, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. you may have been infected with hepatitis A and should contact your physician immediately. Insurgents cannot operate in an urban area without the active support of the community, either willingly or with coercion by fear for their personal safety. There are many Iraqis that would provide the Coalition Forces needed information, if they knew that the CF would provide sanctuary and receive a monetary reward for taking the risk. I think that the U. S. should use their AC130 gunships to patrol the borders of Iraq in order to slow the flow across the borders of Iraq of foreign terrorists. Who have been planning the attacks in a very coordinated manner. It is obvious that these ambushes and truck bombings are consistent with the terrorist training curriculum and modus operandi of the major terrorist organizations.
08NOV02 The reaction caused by the special report that was sent out on Wednsesday was mixed. Most were upset that charges had been brought against LTC West but there were a couple of unsubscriptions to this newsletter. I am saddened by this situation because the troops now are receiving a mixed message, endure the stress of the guerilla war but at the same time be careful, don't shove a demostrating crowd outside a secured area because you might be courts-martialed for assault. This was one of the best of the messages that I received: "Charles, not only does LTC. West not deserve to be courts-martialed or retired, he needs to be lauded as the kind of combat leader needed at this time in Iraq. LTC. West definitely needs to be made an example of by promoting him and awarding him a medal for his integrity and courage in his actions. The Iraqi policeman was not protected as a combatant under the Geneva Convention or the Laws of Land Warfare and deserved to be summarily executed as a guerilla. Lets get behind LTC. West but not as a victim of Political Correctness which he is, but as a true hero which he is even more so!" Dale Simpson U. S. Army Special Forces (Used with Permission)
01NOV03 I think that we, as a country, have to decide whether we want a free Iraq or leave a country that will be in anarchy, like Lebanon was for fifteen years, during their civil war that drew the U. S. and French forces into the quagmire or in a repressive society, like Iran, run by Islamic extremists. If we leave Iraq before it is stable, either the United States or a United Nations peace-keeping force will have to go into Iraq and stop the factional fighting that will occur. History will tell that the United States performed a service to humanity when we liberated the Iraqi people and someday the weapons of mass destruction of Saddam Hussein will be found buried in the sands of the Iraqi desert. I would suggest installing tv cameras for 24/7 observations on top of buildings in Bagdad to compliment the Predator's overflights.
25OCT03 One of the most important lessons learned from our combat experiences from both Afghanistan and Iraq is the importance of special operations forces in defeating terrorist organizations by tracking suspects and working closely with the indigenous population, they have been extremely successful. The first action, I would take, if I were to redesign the Department of Defense, is to upgrade the U. S. Special Operations Command to a separate branch of service at the cabinent level with it's own Secretary. This would eliminate one level of command structure and reduce the misallocation of special operations resources that have occurred in the past. It would also eliminate duplication of resources and reduce the budget requirements. Since the end of WW II, there has been resentment toward special operations units because the conventional forces commanders strongly believe that special operations takes away the best officers and enlisted personnel. This would be eliminated by having Special Operations Branch recruiters enlisting civilians and officer candidates from the academies, rotc programs, and their own officer training program. A salute to the veterans of Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada on the 20th anniversity of the rescue.
18OCT03 There has been alot said about troop morale in Southwest Asia because of the Stars and Stripes survey and the remarks of returning U. S. Senators from a tour of Iraq. Troop morale is relatively easy to maintain because if the troops start from the bottom enduring the harsh conditions anything from there given to the troops raises their morale. Most troops are concerned about three things: the first and most important is that they don't want their families to have to make unnecessary sacrifices, second, they need to have a light at the end of the tunnel regarding the amount of time they will be exposed to hostile fire, so they and their families will at least have some opportunity to make plans for the service member's return. and lastly financial concerns, For some, especially the members of the reserve components, this factor is very important for maintaining their morale. John Branchizio,SEAL Class 164, was killed last wednesday in the Gaza Strip bombing. I would like to express my condolences to the Branchizio family.
11OCT03 There is a definite possibility of the calling up of more reserve components personnel for deployment to duty in Southwest Asia. I think that the amount of the hazardous duty pay allowance should be increased to reduce their financial sacrifices. The Veteran's Affairs Department announced this week that the Medal of Honor monthly stipend will be increased from $600 to $1000 per month. I think that all recipients of medals awarded for valor in combat should also receive a monthly stipend using the Medal of Honor amount as the base amount and a formula based on the order of precedence,i. e. the Distinguished Service Cross recipient would receive 90% of the amount of the Medal of Honor monthly stipend. Vietnamese Pilots, U.S. Soldiers Reforge Bonds Kingbees plucked Green Berets from enemy fire as they fought 'across the fence' in Laos and Cambodia. None can forget the secret war. By H.G. Reza, LA Times Staff Writer The two old soldiers survived some of the fiercest combat in the Vietnam War, fighting side by side as they ducked behind enemy lines to run secret missions in Laos and Cambodia. But when the war ended for J. Stryker Meyer in 1970, his Vietnamese helicopter pilot, Tuong Nguyen, continued fighting until Saigon's fall in 1975 and then was shipped off to a Communist reeducation camp for eight years. This year, Meyer, who lives in Oceanside, discovered that Nguyen, 59, now lives in Santa Ana. Another pilot, Thu X. Huynh, 60, lives in Vista and runs a dry cleaner's. The two were among an elite group of Vietnamese helicopter pilots, called Kingbees, who flew Meyer and other U.S. Army Special Forces troopers "across the fence" to wage the secret war in the neighboring countries. Forged in combat, the bond between the U.S. Green Berets and the Vietnamese pilots has survived time and distance. Last weekend in Las Vegas, about a dozen of the Kingbees reunited with their U.S. comrades. Most of the old warriors had not seen each other in more than 30 years. "We are all old now," Huynh said. "But none of us can forget. It's good that our American friends never forgot about us." The reunion stirred memories; Meyer recalled Christmas Day, 1968, when Nguyen flew his lumbering Sikorsky H-34 helicopter into a hail of automatic weapons fire and plucked Meyers' team of commandos from a burning hillside, pulling them away from attacking enemy soldiers who were already within hand grenade range. It was not the first time Nguyen had saved his life. "Kingbees" was code for the South Vietnamese air force 219th Special Operations Squadron, which flew Green Berets from the Studies and Observations Group on some of the most dangerous missions of the war, often extracting U.S. soldiers from the jungle amid heavy enemy fire."Kingbee go down, now", the alert from the pilot that he was going in under fire, were the sweetest words a SOG team could hear, Meyer recalled. "We worked very well together and protected each other," Huynh said. "The squadron lost many good pilots, and the Americans lost many brave men. But I have no regrets." Like the Kingbees, Meyer, who led Spike Team Idaho and the other Americans who served in the Studies and Observations Group teams, were volunteers. The men, Vietnamese and American were cocky and, some would say, carried a death wish. Special Forces-led teams of fewer than 10 men were often vastly outnumbered when they brushed against Communist troops during their reconnaissance missions deep into enemy territory. The Vietnamese pilots faced even longer odds when they went in to pick up the teams. Most U.S. combat troops spent a year "in country," then rotated home. Huynh and Nguyen were in combat for a decade. When Saigon fell, Huynh flew a UH-1 Huey helicopter loaded with 39 people, including his wife and three children, to the U.S. aircraft carrier Midway. Huynh's family was taken to a U.S. military base in the Philippines, then flown to Camp Pendleton, where they were housed with other Vietnamese until they could be sponsored by a U.S. family in Vista. Nguyen's tale is sadder. He escaped to Guam, where he had an opportunity to be resettled in the United States. Instead, he boarded a ship and returned to Vietnam, where he was arrested and held captive in the reeducation camp for eight years. "After the war, I had nothing but my family. I didn't even have a country. I had freedom waiting for me in America, but not my family," he said. "I had no choice but to go back." Meyer, now an editor at the North County Times in Oceanside and the author of a soon-to-be-released book about his war experiences titled "Across the Fence," said finding Huynh, Nguyen and other Kingbees has been a powerful experience. "For 30 years or more, they were always in my mind. I wondered if they were alive," he said. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be alive." (note:J. "Tilt" Meyer is a Director for the Special Operations Assoc. and an active member of the Special Forces Assoc. Chapter LXXV, San Diego)
04OCT03 We are fighting a war of attrition in Iraq. One or two soldiers KIA a day is their plan. There a few ways to fight this kind of war witout taking retribution measures against the civilian population. Deny access to the terrorist that are ibfiltrating over the Syrian border and have zero tolerence for street demostrations that are instigated by these non-Iraqi sources and are used as bait to incite a violent response from the American soldiers and the Iraqi police. I am not retired nor rated at 100% disabled but I have several friends who are. Earlier this week I asked the State Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars about the "Concurrent Receipt" issue and he gave me a history lesson about the Southern Senators after the Civil War wanting to punish the Union soldiers and he said besides it doesn't impact that many veterans. I walked away thinking that most Veteran Service Organizations are like post turtles. Somebody put them up there and they cannot do anything until someome takes them down. The Service Organizations have done many good works for Veterans for many years but they have been polically correct. We need to get organized into one voting block. There is currently a grass-roots effort spreading throughout the country and many Veterans are attempting to form their own polictical party called the Veterans Party of America and have already completed the necessary paperwork in several states for recognition by the State Election Commissions as legitimate political parties. Having our own party would be much more effective than petition drives. If we had enough elected members of Congress, we could force the "Concurrent Receipt" resolution out of the sub- committee.
28SEP03 The good news is the 15 day R and R for all 12 month deployed service personnel. This will raise the morale even more than Bruce Willis and his band. The opportunity to walk down the street without wondering about the people around you is a good stress reducer and having some of the comforts that we take for granted. The "Rules of Ehgagement" were published this week in the wake of the killing of the nine Iraqi policemen. Warning shots will be fired and only necessary force including close air support, based on the level of threat. I believe that the Iraqi police must wear distinctive uniforms at all times in marked vehicles or they put themselves at risk from American firepower. Letters of condolences to the families of the slain police officers were insufficient because most of their families depended on the wages of those police officers to support their families. I think a monetary restitution should be made to their families.
21SEP03 We sometimes take things for granted here and we also forget just what our service men are going through over there. We forget also the impact it plays on their families back home. This is a copy of a personal letter that was sent to a friend of mine. It hit home! Mark Subject: News from the desert. Hello Everyone, You've probably heard by now of the nastiness befalling our company, the so-called "365 boots on ground" policy. It operates to extend our redeployment date until May 2004 instead of December 2003 as we had always been told. It also throws out the four months we spent in Fort Knox, and pushes back our start-date from January to May 16, 2003, which is when the army saw fit to put our boots in the desert. It was a real blow to everyone; the soldiers and their families are taking it pretty hard, as can be expected. We learned about it a week ago and morale has not recovered. Don't know when it will. But we're dealing with it. It's one of those situations where you're forced to resign yourself to the inevitable with the understanding that there is absolutely nothing in the world you can do about it as a soldier. Other than that, everything else is moving forward as usual. We're still at Camp Navistar, still running missions, still doing well in terms of physical health and safety and standard of living. Several soldiers have gone home due to some near-catastrophic family medical problems back there, and due to pre-existing injuries. They have been the exception. One fear that everyone had when the news hit was that we might get moved to another base. Navistar is among the best around here. The sandstorms are tolerable here, the tents have air- conditioning, the food is decent, and we're only about an hour away from Camp Doha, which has every- thing you could possibly need shopping-wise. Our understanding (which could change) is that we won't be moving. The seasons are noticeably changing here. We've gone from August's 140-degree highs to about 110 during the day, which is surprisingly very nice, and the evenings are cool. I've been wearing long- sleeved shirts at night here for the first time since arriving in-country. The biggest down-side of the weather change is that it's brought in an enormous wave of flies. They're everywhere now. I had always thought they'd be the worst in the summer months. Not so. You can't escape them. I hear mosquitos are next, and we're not looking forward to that. I don't know if it's the news of our extension or just the length of time we've been here already, probably both, but you can really notice hidden personalities coming to the surface again, as well as everyone's true means of stress-management. I remember it being the same when we languished in Fort Knox for much longer than we had anticipated. Everyone is basically right on top of each other here, which doesn't help. There is not much space in the tents, no privacy at all, 16 soldiers packed in per tent with all of their stuff, and we live and work and interact with the same people all day long, making people sick of each other and sometimes impatient. Petty things have become intolerable lately, and tempers have flared over things that once seemed unimportant. Everyone is officially sick of the desert and of the lifestyle. But I have to hand it to them. The soldiers are consummate professionals when it comes to the missions; they are well-trained and focused. They are dealing with intense situations both here and at home. And they are definitely trying to make the most of it. I've encouraged soldiers to accept our situation as one that we cannot control, and to remember at all times that every single person here is ultimately in the same boat. And they're handling it better than they could be. They're finding things to do between missions to make the time go by faster, and to keep their minds on pleasant things. I continue to read as much as I can. I recently started Shogun by James Clavell. Incredible so far. Really, really good read. Inna sent over the Chessmaster 9000 for my computer not to long ago, and I've been playing a few games each day and, I think, improving. One of my soldiers just received the first 3 seasons of the Sopranos on DVD, something like 40 episodes. I could never get into the show back home because I missed the first few episodes. Now I'm hooked. One episode a night and that should take me into November. After that, I'll need another miniseries. Send suggestions. By the way, Inna's birthday is this Saturday, September 20 . She's been really wonderful through all this. She is now working two jobs, driving, and weathering the storm with strength and grace, notwithstanding the reality that our first year of marriage proceeds without any of our "firsts" being spent together (birthdays, holidays, anniversary, etc.). We'll manage, though. As always, many thanks to all those who have written and sent packages. My buddies back home have sent all my favorite music, Inna has sent books and everything else you can imagine, and Rader's grandmother in New York has even sent two loads of toasted almonds that have made me the most popular guy in the platoon. All have been wonderful, extremely supportive. Thank you so much for your continued thoughts and prayers. Be well, everyone. Peace and love. Alex Submitted by: Bob Wiegand President & CEO War Works, Inc. / the SEAL store . com 251 Jeanell Drive Carson City, NV 89703 U.S.A. (949) 759-0773 Phone (270) 626-2773 Fax CyberSpace's plan I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan: 1. The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Noriega, Milosovich and the rest of those 'good ole boys.' We will never "interfere" again. 2. We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one sneaking through holes in the fence. 3. All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of who or where they are. France would welcome them. 4. All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit. No one from a terrorist nation would be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers. 5. No "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a "D" and it's back home baby. 6. The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing non-polluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while. 7. Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go some place else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.) 8. If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere." They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen orgiven to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything. 9. Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island some place. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens. 10. All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer. Now, ain't that a winner of a plan. "The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses. She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, "You want a piece of me?" Today, on National POW-MIA Recognition Day, The Department of Veterans Affairs is asking all former POWs not receiving benefits who did not receive a VA letter recently to call the Departmentof Veterans Affairs at 1-800-827-1000.
14SEP03 Every time I see or hear another tape of Osama bin Ladin or Saddam Hussein, I wonder when those tapes were made. It would be nice if they would present the front page of the current Washington Post, so we would all believe that it was made recently. Personally, I think that both of them are dead and their organizations are using pre-recorded tapes for propaganda purposes and I don't think they are that important. OBL has $50 million on his head and SH has $25 million on his and they could make some bounty hunter very wealthy. Congradulations to the 3rd Infantry Division for receiving the Presidential Unit Commendation Medal for their outstanding service in Iraq. Pvt. Jordan Mayville, who just graduated from Army Basic, asks that everyone say a prayer for all the troops in harm's way in Southwest Asia. If you would like to send a get well card to our recovering wounded personnel. Here are the addresses: A wounded Soldier, Airman, Marine or Sailor Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900 Georgia Ave NW Washington, DC 20307-5001 A wounded Soldier, Airman, Marine or Sailor Bethesda Naval Hospital 8901 Wisconsin Ave Bethesda, MD 20814
07SEP03 I didn't write anything about France and Germany stopping a U. N. resolution the first time around but this time I will. France and Germany both lost billions of dollars in contracts that they had with Saddam Hussein,even though there was a U. N. trade embargo against Iraq. France and Germany would sell their weapons systems to the People's Republic of China and the Chinese would sell them to Syria and Syria would ship them across the border to Iraq. France was making billions with the Food for Oil Program. Both countries want some of the pie and are holding out for the best deal that they can get. Apparently. these countries could care less about fighting a war against terrorism, their only interest is economic and I say that it is time to take a serious review of our military facilities in Europe and move the U. S. Forces to Iraq as needed and/or return the remaining forces to the Continental United States. There is absolutely no reason to continue with our military presence in Europe, now that the threat from the old Soviet Union, no longer exists. This would reduce our trade deficit and budget deficit. We have been fueling the European economy since the end of World war Two and the Euro dollar is stronger now than the American dollar. PFC Jessica Lynch was part of an exciting episode during the attack phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is not everyday, you have all the ingredients of a powerful story. A young female soldier taken as a prisoner of war and then RESCUED by the Elite of the Elite. Americans like symbols whether it is the six Marines raising the U. S. flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima or the New York fire-fighters raising the U. S. flag at ground-zero or something good, coming out of something that could have been very horrible. Everyone who fights in combat is a hero, some happen to be at the right place, at the right time and are willing to give more than most. The real heros of the rescue are the special operators that only consider it part of their regular daily duties. I believe that all the sour grapes serve no meaningful purpose.
30AUG03 I still believe the bounty system will work to defeat the foreign terrrorists, pro-Saddam-Baath Party supporters, jihadists, and the generic anti-social misfits that are causing all the bombings, sniping, sabotage and the organizing of the sometimes violent street protests against the American presence. We need the best intelligence that money can buy. The only other alternative is to maintain a strict curfew anddiscourage free travel within the cities until those persons that are responsible for the U. N. bombing are brought to justice.
23AUG03 The UN bombing this week had all the markings of a professional terrorist organization. Yeman and Lebanon are the main terrorist bombing incidents that come to mind. I have repeatly written in several of my weekly columns that we are engaged with the jihadists that are highly trained and financed and are dedicated enough to sacrifice their life for their cause. I do not believe that increasing the number of conventional troops is the answer to stabilizing Iraq. The U. S. must commit large numbers of Foreign Internal Defense trainers into Iraq, including Special Forces and SEAL teams. The faster we can train their police and security forces the quicker we can begin to withdraw our conventional troops. These SOCOM forces could also have a dual role in the counter- guerilla war against the large number of foreign terrorists.
16AUG03 One lesson we learned in Somalia was that the local bands of armed personnel ran from heavily armored personnel carriers. I hope that we go into Liberia with that kind of eqiptment to avoid another possible "Blawkhawk Down". When Rangers lost their right to wear their hard-earned Black Beret, I asked "What have the Rangers done to deserve this punishment". I would really like to see the new Army Chief-of-Staff reverse the mind game of his predecessor and give the Rangers back their hard-earned Black Beret and give the tan beret to those Army members currently wearing the black one. Most active duty and reserve component personnel are not concerned about the color of their beret but most like wearing one. This change would go a long way in righting a wrong done to the Rangers and help in the Army's willingness to acccept change. This one act would quickly establish trust in the new U. S. army Chief-of-Staff.
09AUG03 I wrote back in 2001 that I believed that Usama bin Landin had left Afghanistan on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2001 and traveled to Indonesia because it is the largest Muslim country in the world and is composed of thousands of islands. Why would he remain in a known location? He has an estimated personal wealth of 300 million dollars and access to millions more through the terrorist network, so money is not an issue for relocating. There have been two major bombings in Indonesia since 2001, the most recent was this week in the capital, Jaharta. A terrorist organization with close ties with Al'Queda has claimed responsibility for both bombings. I believe that Indonesia is a hotbed for terrorists and we will be hearing of more of their activities. General Peter Shoomaker was sworn in as the new Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army this week. The first Special Operations Commander to hold that position. He places the soldier first and we can expect some definite positive changes in the U. S. Army. I have been watching for news reports about my former unit, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and the 3rd Brigade commander Col. Michael Linnington has said that his brigade's troops are performing their duties "willingly, without complaint, and to a high standard, despite extremes in conditions that would paralyze the average human being." They are operating in the western area of Iraq, along the Syrian border and enen though they have taken a few casualities, they have stabilized the district enough to hold elections and allow trained Iraqi police and security forces to take over many of their former duties. They have been so successful in gaining the trust of the Iraqis because they have displayed respect for their customs, religios beliefs, and to the people by always displaying a courteous manner, while performing their duties.
02AUG03 One Iraqi became a multi-millionaire just by letting U. S. troops know who had taken over his house. Some of his fellow Iraqis criticize his actions. They say this is unbecoming of an Arab, even after watching torture and mass graves of all the murdered Arabs (ordered by the Hussein regime) that were broadcast on Arab television. Fortunely, there are more Iraqis that are happy with the demise of the Hussein brothers and want Saddam Huseein captured or killed. It looks like more effort has been taken to restore the ultilities in Baghdad. Bringing in a large number of emergency generators to combat sabotage would not be a bad idea. The U. S. Special Operations Command needs to order a bunch of Birdman's wings for HALO insertion from ramp at 30,000 feet to 26 mile landing behind enemy lines. If and when we go into Liberia in large numbers, we need to go in with over-whelming force with lots of firepower and Armored Personnel Carriers, Tanks, and the new Stryker System.
26JUL03 It has been a very busy week. The best news is the laying to rest the monsterous Hussein brothers. What a pair to draw to. Their biographies will read worst than Jack the Ripper. I have been reading some editorials concerning the operation that took them out. The writers of these complaints have no idea about Military Operations in Urban Terrain. much less Special Operations. These people have been watching too many cops and robbers shows on television. The objective of war at any intensity is to kill your enemy and that is what TF 20 did well. After taking intense small arms fire for six hours, they called in close air support and had the Cav finish the mission. I give them a tip of my beret. PFC Jessica Lynch went home to a parade and the welcoming arms of her family and the rest of her hometown. I would advise her to make the best deal she can as soon as she can. The DoD has provided a 12 month rotation schedule for all troops in Iraq. Now morale should get better real fast. Liberia is a powder keg that we must aproach with a definite plan with a clear objective and rules of engagement based on what we learned in Somalia.
19JUL03 What a difference a few miles make in Iraq. The difference between Mosul and Baghdad are like night and day. The people of Mosul are working together with the 101st Airborne Division and the terrorists are not very successful in generating protests or getting away with assassinations of Iraqis who are trying to get some stability for their country, in Mosul. The ecomomy is healthy and all the utilities are working. They have opened the border crossing with Syria and are considering opening the area to tourism. The key to success in Baghdad is to defeat the outside destablizing influences by doing every- thing humanly possible to get the utlities on and keep them on. This will go a long way in getting the trust of the Baghdad residents. The Department of Defense and Department of Labor signed an agreement this week to provide for more cooperation in providing assistance to military spouses in obtaining employment that allowed for frequent relocations with their military service member. I would suggest that both departments provide all expenses paid education for registered nurses for military spouses. There is a national shortage of RN's and it would be easy for a military spouse to obtain employment near where the service member is transfered to in that medical field.
12JUL03 The Department of the Army released a 15 page report earlier this week regarding the debacle of the 507th Maintenance Company ambush in Iraq. It appears like a definite black comedy of errors. A series of situations were involved, the personnel were tired, the GPS malfunctioned, then it's batteries were exhausted, there were several reports of rifle and machine guns malfuctioning. and the personnel had only received a little combat training in basic recruit training. Taking all these factors into consideration, the only reason there were any survivors at all was because of the courage that the survivors displayed by refusing to quit fighting until there was no other means to resist the overwhelming numerically superior enemy force and some fought their way out to reach friendly Marine units. I am aware that the survivors have already received a medal for their bravery but the reports of Iraqi officials who were present said that there was one especially brave soldier that displayed to the Iraqi soldiers a high level of courage under fire. I believe this individual should be identified and given at least a Silver Star Medal.
04JUL03 This last week I saw a video tape of a young soldier standing on the sidewalk at a Bagdad market, nervously keeping an eye on the crowd, his two fingers were tapping on his leg. This kind of fighting is the hardest kind of all wars. The stress is what wears you down. That is the purpose for the resistance. If a few die-hards can weaken our resolve to rebuild Iraq and leave before the job is done, they will retake the country. If someone does not come forward soon with information regarding the whereaboubts of Saddam Hussein or his sons, it would be a good bet, they cannot be found. I also was reading that the 3rd Infantry Division has been deployed continuously for the last six months in Bosnia, Kosova, and Iraq. They did a fantastic job taking Bagdad in a few weeks. They should be rotated home. I would like to share with a story from Christy Ferer, whose husband died at the World Trade Towers: A Widow's Note of Thanks to All Those Who Serve in the Gulf by Christy Ferer When I told friends about my pilgrimage to Iraq to thank the U.S. troops, reaction was underwhelming at best. Some were blunt. "Why are you going there?" They could not understand why it was important for me, a 9/11 widow, to express my support for the men and women stationed today in the Gulf. But the reason seemed clear to me: 200,000 troops have been sent halfway around the world to stabilize the kind of culture that breeds terrorists like those who I believe began World War III on Sept. 11, 2001. Reaction was so politely negative that I began to doubt my role on the first USO/Tribeca Institute tour into newly occupied Iraq where, on average, a soldier a day is killed. Besides, with Robert De Niro, Kid Rock, Rebecca and John Stamos, Wayne Newton, Gary Sinise, and Lee Ann Womack, who needed me? Did they really want to hear about my husband, Neil Levin, who went to work as director of the New York Port Authority on Sept.11 and never came home? How would they relate to the two others traveling with me: Ginny Bauer, a New Jersey homemaker and the mother of three who lost her husband, David; and former Marine Jon Vigiano, who lost his only sons, Jon, a firefighter and Joe, a policeman. As we were choppered over deserts that looked like bleached bread crumbs, I wondered if I'd feel like a street hawker, passing out Port Authority pins and baseball caps as I said "thank you" to the troops. Would a hug from me mean anything at all in the presence of the Dallas Cowboy cheer- leaders and a Victoria's Secret model? The first "meet and greet" made me weep. Why? Soldiers, armed with M16s and saddlebags of water in 120-degree heat, swarmed over the stars for photos and autographs. When it was announced that a trio of Sept. 11 family members was also in the tent it was as if a psychic cork on an emotional dam was popped. Soldiers from all over our great country rushed toward us to express their condolences. Some wanted to touch us, as if they needed a physical connection to our sorrow and for some living proof for why they were there. One mother of two from Montana told me she enlisted because of Sept. 11. Dozens of others told us the same thing. One young soldier showed me his metal bracelet engraved with the name of a victim he never knew and that awful date none of us will ever forget. In fact at every encounter with the troops there would be a surge of Reservists -- firefighters and cops, including many who had worked the rubble of Ground Zero -- wanting to exchange a hometown hug. Their glassy eyes still do not allow anyone to penetrate too far inside to the place where their trauma is lodged; the trauma of a devastation far greater than anyone who hadn't been there could even imagine. It's there in me, too. I had forced my way downtown on that awful morning, convinced that I could find Neil beneath the rubble. What I was not prepared for was to have soldiers show us the World Trade Center memorabilia they'd carried with them into the streets of Baghdad. Others had clearly been holding in stories of personal 9/11 tragedies which had made them enlist. USO handlers moved us from one corner to the next so everyone could meet us. One fire brigade plucked the three of us from the crowd, transporting us to their firehouse to call on those who had to stand guard during the Baghdad concert. It was all about touching us and feeling the reason they were in this hell. Back at Baghdad International Airport, Kid Rock turned a "meet and greet" into an impromptu concert in a steamy airport hangar before 5000 troops. One particular soldier, Capt. Vargas from the Bronx, told me he enlisted in the Army after some of his wife's best friends were lost at the World Trade mCenter. When he glimpsed the piece of recovered metal from the Towers that I had been showing to a group of soldiers he grasped for it as if it were the Holy Grail. Then he handed it to Kid Rock who passed the precious metal through the 5000 troops in the audience. They lunged at the opportunity to touch the steel that symbolized what so many of them felt was the purpose of their mission which puts them at risk every day in the 116 degree heat, not knowing all the while if a sniper was going to strike at anytime. Looking into that sea of khaki gave me chills even in that blistering heat. To me, those troops were there to avenge the murder of my husband and 3,000 others. When I got to the microphone I told them we had not made this journey for condolences but to thank them and to tell them that the families of 9/11 think of them every day. They lift our hearts. The crowd interrupted me with chants of "USA, USA, USA." Many wept. What happened next left no doubt that the troops drew inspiration from our tragedies. When I was first asked to speak to thousands of troops in Qatar, after Iraq, I wondered if it would feel like a "grief for sale" spectacle. But this time I was shaking because I was to present the recovered WTC steel to Gen. Tommy Franks (U.S. Central Command commander). I quivered as I handed him the icy gray block of steel. His great craggy eyes welled up with tears. The sea of khaki fell silent. Then the proud four-star general was unable to hold back the tears which streamed down his face on center stage before 4,000 troops. As this mighty man turned from the spotlight to regain his composure I comforted him with a hug. Now, when do I return? (Editor's note: This commentary is printed with permission from Christy Ferer, a New York native whose husband, Neil Levin, was killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Ferer was part of a recent United Services Organizations tour to Iraq.)
29JUN03 It has been an week of casualities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nothing can be taken for granted whenever you are fighting terrorists. These people do not give up easily. The golden rule in counter-terrorism is "Deny Access". The strategy of a show of force is unworkable with terrorists. It is better to sneak and peek and then take the fight to them. "(Charlie) Y'Diam Hmok was laid to rest on June 21, 2003. Charlie's first military service was when he was 12 years old, and a member of his father's partisan guerrilla group that lured occupying Japanese soldiers into ambushes. Later, Charlie was a member of a reinforcing Montagnard unit that parachuted into Dien Bien Phu the night before the French surrendered. Charlie was wounded there and did not like to tell that story except to discuss the French army. When American Special Forces arrived in South Vietnam, Charlie served with Special Forces A-503, Project Omega, and B-55 Mike Force. Charlie was a Montagnard company Commander in B-55 as we left. He then became a Battalion Commander. After the fall, Charlie was imprisioned for 8 years by the Vietnamese for his support of America's efforts to free his people. Charlie was finally liberated and arrived in America with his wife about 7 years ago. Before the service, I visited Charlie's open coffin at the church. Charlie's son escorted me to the alter. I prayed for Charlie, his family and the Montagnard people. I prayed for all Special Forces warriors and their families. Before leaving Charlie's side, I reached down, into the casket, and rubbed the Special Forces crest that gleamed against a 5th Special Forces Group, Airborne background, on the Green Beret Charlie was holding in both hands. I had often seen Charlie wearing that Green Beret comfortably and proudly at military and civilian functions in Ft Bragg, and Greensboro, North Carolina. As my hand brushed against his, I wanted to pull him up. I yearned for the sound of a medivac bird for him. Knowing it was not to be, I saluted a warrior for the last time." Mike Linnane SFA, CH 57
22JUN03 There are striking simularities between the situation in Iraq and Israel. Both have outside disruptive influences that do not want peace. It is ironic that they are mostly Iranian Shiite Muslims. These people do not like Jews or Americans and are willing to give their lives to stop the peace process. The United States cannot make people want to be free and have peace in their country. They have to want it and help to obtain and keep it against these forces. I have known for awhile of the bounties placed on the heads of Americans in Iraq, now is the time to put out very large bounties to be paid for information regarding the whereabouts of Saddam, his sons, any members of the Fedaheen, and the hidden weapons of mass destruction. The Coalition troops have discovered huge stores of money and this could be used for the payment of the bounties. The calling back to service of General Peter Shoomaker from retirement to serve as the U. S. Army Chief of Staff is the first time that a commander of Special Forces has ever served as the Chief of Staff. We can expect some rapid moves to Transformation within the U. S. Army
15JUN03 The war in Iraq just moved from conventional warfare to low-intensity warfare. We need good intelligence regarding the leadership of the hard-core Hussein loyalists and more unconventional warfare special operators to arrest or eliminate the infrastructure of their organinzation. The best way to defeat guerrilas is to separate them from the support of the civilian population. We can only accomplish this goal by establishing and enforcing a strict curfew until these guerrillas are no longer a threat to the Coalition Forces. Hamas has a reputation of being one of the most ruthless religious zealot terrorist organization. In my opinion, they made a serious mistake threatening the life of the Israeli Prime Minister Sharon. Their leadership will be targeted and destroyed. The Hamas have the most to lose from a peaceful resolution between Israel and the Palestinians, that would be accomplished with the establishment of a Palestinian State. Without the Palestinian problem, recruiting will be harder for Hamas and there will be less money to finance their terrorist attacks.
08JUN03 Saving Private First Class Lynch Americans root for and they get very excited when an underdog survives a very risky situation. We are not used to females being captured and then rescued, it is not expected and when it happens, the first reaction is "HERO". She didn't volunteer for her experience. She was in a convoy under direction from senior NCOs. Now she is in the middle of a large scale debate on whether or not she is a hero. Once the majority of the American people accepted her as a hero that should of been the end of the discussion. The Special Operations POW rescue team is not even considered to be in the running for "Hero Status", they are being criticized for using "Excessive Force". If you can explain to me what that means, then I might say that there is never too much, just too little and that gets you killed. The U. S. and South Korean governments have agreed to an $11 billion realignment of U. S. troops away from the DMZ. I would suggest that we save most of the $11 billion and move all U. S. troops back to the Continental U. S. and plan regular small exercises, like we hold in Germany and Egypt. It makes little sense to continue with a large U. S. troop presence especially when the people of the host country don't want us there. We have had troops in South Korea for over fifty years and I believe it is time to bring them home. I would like to share this excerpt from an article written by Mr. James Lacey, a Time magazine correspondent, who was embedded with the 101st Airborne Division. "One of the young soldiers had received a care package and was sharing the home-baked cookies with his friends. A photographer with a heavy French accent asked if he could have one. The soldier looked him over and said there would be no cookies for Frenchmen. The photographer then protested that he was half Italian. Without missing a beat, the soldier broke a cookie in half and gave it to him. It was a perfect moment and a perfect reflection of the American soldier."
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