Send A Message Of Thanks To The Troops

I just found out about this one today. If you get a chance (like right now, because my blog is really not that important), please take the time to text a message of thanks to our Troops.

This holiday season, America Supports You is giving you a new way to send your thanks to the troops - by text message! When you send your message of thanks to 89279 (TXASY) between November 17th and 22nd, you'll receive a special thanks in return. Also, we'll be displaying those messages on our ASY Giving Thanks widget far and wide across the internet. Just another way that you can support our brave military men and women serving in 177 countries across the world.

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Support Our Troops & Their Mission

Do you want to support our Troops in a very simple manner? If so, sign the petition that NZ Bear has up at the Foundation For Defense Of Democracies website. The text of the petition follows.

Stand by the American Mission in Iraq

Iraq is now the central front in the War on Terrorism - not because Americans want it to be but because America's enemies have said so and made it so. Al-Qaeda and Iranian-backed militias are determined to drive the United States out of Iraq. Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups would then use that country as a safe haven from which they can mount attacks on the U.S., its interests and allies.

We recognize that the U.S. involvement in Iraq has divided Americans and that our leaders have made mistakes. We also recognize the cost of this war, not only in financial terms but, more importantly, in the loss of more than 3,000 of our bravest men and women. The issue, however, is not how or why U.S. forces became engaged in Iraq but, rather, what is happening there now and what would happen if we were to leave too soon.

Today, U.S. forces are making real and significant progress. We are driving al-Qaeda out of key strongholds, recruiting Iraqis to join the fight, and training them to defend themselves.

General Petraeus and the new U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, will report to Congress in mid-September on the American effort. We urge our nation's leaders to:

1. Recognize the importance of fighting and defeating al-Qaeda, wherever they can be found, not least in Iraq;

2. Consider the testimony of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker with an open mind and without regard for partisan politics;

3. Recognize the significant threat to U.S. national security that a hasty retreat or a made-in-Washington timetable for withdrawal from Iraq would generate; and

4. Listen to the U.S. service members who willingly sacrifice to protect our country and who do not want defeat legislated in Washington so long as American troops are on the battlefield.

America has a chance to strike a serious blow against terrorism and the ideologies that drive terrorism. By contrast, the defeat of the United States would embolden terrorists, making the world a more dangerous place for Americans and consigning the people of Iraq and the Middle East to a perilous future.

We urge you to support our troops by giving them the resources and time they need to successfully complete their mission.

We don't need to cut, and we don't need to run. All of the members of our Armed Forces whom I know want to finish the job; they don't want to quit now before an enemy (who is on the ropes) is pacified.

Please support our Troops by signing the petition.

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Pathetic Media Coverage

Four of my last five posts were in regards to successes that are taking place in Iraq, but which are not being covered in the mainstream media. Blackfive has a post regarding a CWO who wrote to the Des Moines Register to express his displeasure about the same lack of coverage.

"We go out daily and bust and kill the enemy, uncover and destroy huge weapons caches and continue to establish infrastructure. So daily we put a whoopin on the enemy, but all the enemy has to do is turn on the TV and get re-inspired. He gets to see his daily roadside bomb, truck bomb, suicide bomber or mortar attack. He doesn't see any accomplishments of the U.S. military (FOX, you're not exempt, you suck also).

"Let's give you an example. A couple of days ago we conducted an air assault. We lifted troops into an area for an operation. The operation went well and our ground troops killed (insurgents) and took several prisoners, freed a few hostages and uncovered a weapons cache containing munitions and chemicals that were going to be used in improvised bombs.

"The next morning I woke up and turned on AFN (Armed Forces Network) and watched the nightly news (NBC). Nothing, none of that reported. But the daily car bomb report was reported, and the file footage was not even from the event. There was a car bomb in the Sadr City area and your news report showed old car bomb footage from another part of town from some other time.

"So we really set the enemy back that night but all the enemy had to do was turn on the news and be reassured that the enemy's agenda (objective) was still going to be fed to the American public."

Chief Warrant Officer Jim Funk is upset, and he has every right to be. I agree with him, and I've been angry about the same pathetic coverage for quite some time. Well, let's step up now and give him a hand.

Take the time today to shoot off an email, especially if it's to FOX News, and ask why they aren't covering any of the good news or successes from Iraq and Afghanistan. Provide some examples of the good things that are taking place there (you can find some at the MNF-Iraq Website), and press them to provide honest coverage of the war. Send at least one a week to keep the pressure on, and so they don't think this is just a passing fad.

And then make sure that you also pass those stories of good news on to the people you encounter every day, especially if they are nay-sayers about the war. We can tell others about the successes and victories that our troops are having, and those will be passed on if we are diligent in continuing to recount the good news from the war.

Stand up and sound off. Good men like CWO Funk are counting on you.

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An Update On Marine Cpl. David Emery, Jr.

Blackfive has another update on Cpl. Emery. Here is some background on DJ from Blackfive's original post.

On February 7th, 2007, DJ was at a checkpoint near a crowded place when a terrorist walked up to the Marines. DJ's Battalion Sergeant Major, Joseph Ellis (a recon Marine of 23 years), suspected that a bomber was approaching and put himself between the bomber and his Marines.

The bomber quickly detonated himself, instantly killing Sergeant Major Ellis. The Sergeant Major's sacrifice absorbed enough of the blast to barely keep DJ from being killed. DJ was hit hard in his abdomen - an artery was cut causing kidney failure - both legs and one arm were shattered, and, in fact, his wounds were so severe that doctors didn't think that he'd make it. They had him on a respirator, fighting infection, fever, kidney failure and other problems for a time before he stabilized enough (just barely) to make the flight to Germany where his parents and wife met him. While still unconscious, his family kept telling him to fight. Then, on the 18th, DJ was strong enough to make the trip from Germany to the US (Bethesda).

Keep saying those prayers; every little bit helps.

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Benefit For A Disabled MN Soldier

Sgt. Neil Duncan, a member of the 173rd Airborne, was seriously injured in an IED attack in Afghanistan. Due to the extent of his injuries, he lost both of his legs. More details, and the opportunity to help out with an upcoming benefit for Sgt. Duncan on 21 April 2007 in Minnesota, are at duncanbenefit.blogspot.com.

Read more, and please help out if you can.

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A Wounded Marine Needs Your Prayers

Please say an extra prayer for Cpl. David Emery, Jr., and feel free to send any other support that you can. Blackfive has all the details.

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Support Our Troops

The good people over at A Soldier's Perspective are sending Girl Scout cookies to two Marine Corps units this year. They've got a PayPal button on the blog under a Girl Scouts to Cav Scouts header. It's only $5.00 a box, and they do all the work for you.

There is about one week left, so check out the post, buy a box or two, and put a smile on a Marine's face.

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