Pilots for 9/11 Truth

Posted By Pinch

Time to shine a light in the corner of the "9/11 Truth Movement" and watch the cockroaches scurry.

The aviation part of this wacky "9/11 Truth" soup sandwich is a coterie of idiotic moonbats who call themselves "Pilots for 9/11 Truth".  Led by the head moonbat, a supposed former airline pilot named Rob Balsamo (below), this group of beyond-the-fringe whack-jobs claim the US government was behind the 9/11 aircraft attacks on the WTC and that the attacks on the Pentagon and the crash of United 93 in Shanksville never happened as advertised. In other words, they claim that explosives and/or fake aircraft or remote controlled aircraft were used or, in the case of the Pentagon, a "flyover" occurred vice actual aircraft impacts - you get the idea. Come up with the wackiest, most outlandish, most incredible scenario and it has been put forth and embraced by many of these fools.  They also claim moon-bases-on-the-dark-side-of-the-moon believers among their ranks. Great start, guys, when looking for credibility.

I know many of you here and over on the Instapinch have counseled me before - don't give them the publicity they are looking for; you are only encouraging them. I understand all that, but to be honest, when they go to the lengths they go to (albeit in their extremely small world) to malign and indict the military and civilians who were involved that day as co-conspirators in this most horrid of events, it does get my teeth grinding. Those aviators who did get airborne and those controllers who tried to make sense of that most challenging day in their lives, both professionally as well as personally, need to be examined in their true light - these men and women did one helluva job and they very well should be praised, not pilloried or accused of being conspirators in mass murder.

I don't want anyone thinking this is just some huge digital pissing contest I have with some crazies on the net. I just have some real problems with these people when I am accused, by association, of being part of some grand conspiracy to kill thousands of Americans and others on 9/11.

So, derision and embarrassment in the school of public humiliation of the best I can do.  This won't be an ongoing thing here at Blackfive. I'll save the rest of my plinking of these barreled fish over at the Instapinch's Moonbat category..

Continue reading "Pilots for 9/11 Truth"

In the Crosshairs- Obama on Iraq

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

UPDATE: Right in the middle of a Gwen Ifill tongue bath the Obama shows his ignorance. He says that part of his residual force he will leave in Iraq would include a Counterinsurgency force that could act "swiftly" if when the insurgency flared up as we cut and ran. Swift Counterinsurgency might be the best oxymoron I've heard in years. I wonder what Bill Roggio at The Long War Journal would think?

The Obama has now spoken at length and laid out his cunning plan for winning one war by losing another. He does not understand what led to our nascent victory in Iraq and so would jeopardize it by pulling our forces prematurely. He also adopts a belligerent tone on the war the left still supports in Afghanistan and rattles a few sabers to vouch for his war cred. Not buying it. Oh I drop a perfectly harmless F-bomb while describing the weather.

AFP At It Again???

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

Okay, the photoshopped Iranian missile photos came via AFP and AFP is known for what might charitably be called "interesting" photos (Dogpile fauxtography and AFP -- please, Google is so yesterday). So, guess where another interesting photo can be found?. If you are going to use a stock/file photo, at least get one shot in the right area and with the right gear...

LW

Embedding With the Enemy

Posted By Blackfive

The Associated Press does it again (remember Bilal?)...this time their photog *cough* just coincidentally happens to be present the night of an execution of two women by the Taliban.

The Jawa Report has all the details.

Obama's plan to still lose in Iraq

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

Obama wrote an Op-Ed that points out just how unfit he is to serve as CinC.

The differences on Iraq in this campaign are deep. Unlike Senator John McCain, I opposed the war in Iraq before it began, and would end it as president. I believed it was a grave mistake to allow ourselves to be distracted from the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban by invading a country that posed no imminent threat and had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.

I don't understand why he seems to get a break for opposing the war while an Illinois legislator. Think about what his opposition to the war meant when he said it. Our Intel agencies said categorically that they believed Saddam had WMD and was working on getting more, all the other western Intel agencies agreed and the only real opposition to this idea came from the far left who oppose every thought of military action. So Barry O substitutes his judgment and the opinions of the anti-everything left for the advice of those paid to figure these things out. I'm sure that will work out great as he begins making major policy decisions on his own whims rather than the opinions of the experts. Now it appears the experts may have been wrong, but that should cause a call for fixing the system, not for Barry's special feelings.

.....Only by redeploying our troops can we press the Iraqis to reach comprehensive political accommodation and achieve a successful transition to Iraqis’ taking responsibility for the security and stability of their country.

Only by redeploying, that's the only way to make that happen? What a silly thing to say. It shows more of the Obama arrogance. He knows the answer and his way is the best way. Muppet.

Instead of seizing the moment and encouraging Iraqis to step up, the Bush administration and Senator McCain are refusing to embrace this transition — despite their previous commitments to respect the will of Iraq’s sovereign government. They call any timetable for the removal of American troops “surrender,”

That's a lie Barry.

But this is not a strategy for success — it is a strategy for staying that runs contrary to the will of the Iraqi people, the American people and the security interests of the United States. That is why, on my first day in office, I would give the military a new mission: ending this war.

And there you show why you are unfit to be Commander in Chief. You don't even understand the fundamental concept of war and you would give the military a mission that doesn't exist. You want them to "end" the war which to you means simply pack up our toys and come home so your kids don't have to see those awful stories on the news. Well let me make one thing perfectly clear to you Senator. You can't end wars, you either win them or lose them. Your shameful naivete would endanger the lives of every military member worldwide. Once oue enemies know we have a clueless muppet at the helm, they will be empowered to act without fear of retribution.

As I’ve said many times, we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. We can safely redeploy our combat brigades at a pace that would remove them in 16 months.

Still wedded to the need to cut and run, somehow that gets deep in the Democrat DNA

Ending the war is essential to meeting our broader strategic goals, starting in Afghanistan and Pakistan,

Why can't you bring yourself to say winning the war is essential to our broader strategic goals? What is wrong with winning in Iraq? Like too many on the left, your hatred of W and his war blinds you to the fact that you are an advocate for defeat. You cannot allow W's blunder to become a success and you are willing to turn a budding victory into a loss, that is sad Barry.

It’s not going to work this time. It’s time to end this war.

What's not going to work is your attempt to sweet talk and smile your way into power. You are not man enough for the biggest job in the world and your inability to mouth the word victory shows it all too clearly. Men don't sidestep the tough calls with weasel words like end the war.

Obama Reaps the Whirlwind

Posted By Blackfive

When you play political games with National Security in order to raise hundreds of millions and then realize that you must change your opinion because it is an untenable and illogical stance in the face of terror, well, you reap the whirlwind...

Obama's online muscle flexes against him
by John McCormick

The same Internet-fueled power that led to historic gains in organizing and fundraising for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign is now providing a platform for fiery dissent in a most unlikely place: his own Web site.

Amid criticism from the left that he has eased toward the center on a number of issues in recent weeks, the presumptive Democratic nominee has angered some of his most ardent supporters while triggering something of an online mutiny.

Thousands are using MyBarackObama.com to angrily organize against him because of a changed position on terrorist wiretap legislation being debated by the Senate right now.

The dispute has forced Obama to respond in ways never before seen in a presidential campaign, demonstrating the Internet's growing role in the democratic process and the live-by-the-click, die-by-the-click potential it holds for politicians.

The controversy centers on modifications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the government's quest to monitor suspected terrorists that civil libertarians worry could infringe on the privacy rights of others.

Obama had pledged earlier this year to oppose--even filibuster--legislation that would immunize telecommunications companies against lawsuits that challenge cooperation with federal authorities in warrantless wiretapping.

But with that immunity now part of compromise legislation, Obama has softened his stance and suggested that he will back the bill...

Tribune story here....

Raise your hand if you didn't see this coming.

Look around.  If you see anyone with a hand raised, slap him in the back of the head.  If that person is from Chicago, smack 'em again.

Zoriah The Pariah And The Military

Posted By The Wolf

I inadvertently published this before completing the post- for those that saw it and wondered what happened, it was a mistake.  I finished the post and this is the result.

With a name more attuned to a magician working the Poconos, you'd think he'd have picked something a bit more 'zippy'.  Like Z-man. Troops could identify with that, eh?

Anyway, he's going to be performing his own disappearing act from Iraq soon; heck, I'll give him a ride out if it gets him out sooner.  Zippy, call my people...  See page 7 of the S&S today.

I've got some history with this type of activity- as the one who made assignments for the media in Iraq, and arranged embeds, approved/disapproved them, or relayed that information made by those senior to me, I've got some insight into what some of the thoughts are behind the decisions (or not) of those PAO-types in Iraq.

First off, let me say that those PAO officers of ANY ilk that are not backing their Marine brothers (telling Z that they understand his position, etc) are being completely disingenuous and should be removed from any position that relates to media involvement.  Grow a spine, you dolts. If YOU had removed someone for something similar, ya think the Marines would let them in?  Doubt it...

In Sept. of 2004, while trying to get back into the pigeon hole they were trying to keep me in, I received a call from my boss saying ''Geraldo screwed up again- head down to (LZ) Washington and pick his sorry ass up coming in from Camp Fallujah.''

''What happened?'' I asked.

''Dunno.  Just that he thoroughly pissed off the Marines after only 4 hours in Anbar and they uh, 'released' him.''

''So what am I supposed to do with him?  Take him to dinner?''

''Take him over to Victory and let him set up over there.  He has some live feeds to do.  See what you can do.''

''Roger. Ugh.''  I was NOT looking forward to meeting up with a crew that had been booted; I had seen them in the CPIC prepping to go out (the entire crew, including Geraldo and Craig, his brother/producer, slept on couches in the CPIC.  Showered in the restrooms.  Heh. Far from glamerous, that was.)  I immediately called the Marine PAO's over at Camp Fallujah; they offered no info on what caused or why the crew was sent back.  Only that 'they didn't follow protocol.'  Since the local commander has full authorization to allow/disallow any media embeds depending on missions and availability of support, they were well within their prerogative to have the crew removed.  Which they did.  So I got stuck with them for 4 days.  That's another story.

So what's this have to do with Z?  Precedent has been set in removing/barring media for various reasons.  The base document that was produced to cover embeds is here.  Look at pg. 10, para 4.h.1.

4.H.1.  MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE REMINDED OF THE SENSITIVITY OF USING NAMES OF INDIVIDUAL CASUALTIES OR PHOTOGRAPHS THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN WHICH CLEARLY IDENTIFY CASUALTIES UNTIL AFTER NOTIFICATION OF THE NOK AND RELEASE BY
OASD(PA).

Now, compare this paragraph to the SIGNED agreement, which every media person is required to review and sign, here.

8. The media organization and the media employee understand and agree that the Government may terminate the embedding process at any time and for any reason, as the Government determines appropriate in its sole discretion.

The italics are not mine; those are in the base document.  That said, the commander on the ground, as well as the senior PAO in theater, has full jurisdiction to remove any media as they see fit.  They well know that doing so may risk some 'bad press' and a possibly lengthy review, but they CAN and WILL do it.  My boss had also previously removed Geraldo for his drawing the map on the ground in March of '03 (and only after notifying LTG McKiernan's XO he was about to do so due to the anticipated fallout.  XO's reply: ''you're the expert... do what's best''.) 

The media agreement has been updated somewhat, but the provisions are the same; it is expected that there will be 'less than perfect' or 'less than desirable' outcomes at times, but that is the benefit of having free speech.  In Z's event, knowing what unit he was with from previous blogs, and who he was traveling with, allowed one to 'interpret' who the KIA may have been.  This is a key element- while he claims to have waited for NOK notification, there is every possibility that he didn't wait LONG enough, and someone reading may have seen that picture, known the unit, and believed the KIA was a relative or passed it to someone believing them to be a relative who was not notified.  This part has nothing to do with the way his posts were written, nor with how he presented material; he is free to publish it, but he must realize- they don't like it, you will be dis-invited.

What if he wrote such horrendously bad material that it was too embarrassing to allow him to continue?  Same thing.  ''Dude, you write like a 3d grader- leave now'' is definitely something I would do.  Not likely, but you never know.

The Marines are extremely media-savvy; at times, the Army could do well to learn from them.  And its not necessarily the training- nearly all DoD journo's are trained at Ft Meade's DINFOS school, so its the application of the knowledge and training that's the difference.  They apply it differently, and get a different result.  I'm good with that.

I once had to take a Rolling Stone reporter to an embed; this chick showed up wearing a light cotton blouse, linen capri-style slacks, and light white sandals.  I told her 'WTF- where do you think you're going???  Saks?''  She replied ''I've traveled all over Lebanon like this- whats the deal?''

''You're going to an Najaf; there is a battle going on there- think you have HALF a chance to keep up in that getup?''

I should have canceled her trip right then and there, but I was told to put her on the chopper; wish I had done differently, and next time, I WILL cancel the trip if the rep shows up so willfully unprepared.  You media types note that, hear?

Z could have written what he did, could have published whatever, but save the photo's for later- for his book, for his memoirs, whatever; but to claim what he does and then wonder why he's canned, well, get a clue.  You have an impact on morale- commanders have full discretion to do whatever it takes to maintain morale, and Z impacted it negatively.  Remove him, and all others who do the same.

Now, should OCPA or DoD or the WH change course and decide they'll let pics of caskets or KIA or otherwise proliferate the media in the future, things may be different.  But given that up til now we have NOT permitted that, its not likely to change anytime soon.  I'm sick of these guys claiming they are 'middle of the road' when they plainly are NOT, and have an agenda.  If he's so blatently blinded to his own perceptions, he needs a trip down to DEOMI- they'll bring those out quite readily- whether or not you want it out.

-Wolf

NY Times Repsonds to giving Al Qaeda the Identity of CIA Interrogator

Posted By Blackfive

RE:  New York Times Announces CIA Interrogator's Name to Al Qaeda (June 22, 2008)

Last Sunday, the Public Editor for the New York Times, Clark Hoyt, posted the response to the reader inquiries about the Times reporter, Scott Shane, using the name of a CIA interpreter who has interrogated some of the worst and most evil human beings in the history of our planet.  (Side Note:  check out Shane's body of work - very unbalanced and speculative and obviously supported by the editors)

The Public Editor's statement is a response justifying the risk of a American's family for their story...

...Scott Shane, the reporter, and his editors said that using the name was necessary for credibility. Martinez was, after all, the central character in the story. They said that nobody provided evidence that Martinez would be in any greater danger than the scores of others who have been identified in the news media for their roles in the war against Al Qaeda...

Like the NYTimes needed to publish his name because it *cough* NEVER uses anonymous sources...puh-lease, that's total BS.

Then, here's the kicker.  After getting the CIA response asking the NYTimes to NOT publish the name, the NYT reporter weighed the danger to Martinez and went ahead after considering the threat. 

...Shane said he had sought the C.I.A.’s cooperation in reporting the story but was rebuffed by the agency and by Martinez, who now works for a private contractor. After Shane contacted friends and associates of Martinez and sought an interview with him, Mark Mansfield, the C.I.A.’s director of public affairs, sent a strongly worded letter to Dean Baquet, The Times’s Washington bureau chief. Naming the interrogator “would be reckless and irresponsible,” Mansfield said, and “could endanger the lives of this American and his family” by making them Qaeda targets. And in the “poisoned atmosphere” of the debate over the C.I.A.’s interrogation techniques, Mansfield wrote, Martinez could be “vulnerable to any misguided person who believes they need to confront ‘torture’ directly.”

Baquet asked for a meeting to discuss the C.I.A.’s request. Mansfield refused. He told me the letter said it all and nothing could be accomplished by a meeting. But to Baquet, Shane and Rebecca Corbett, the editor of the story, the refusal suggested that the C.I.A. was not actually that concerned. The Times has been asked before by the C.I.A. to withhold information — it has sometimes agreed, sometimes refused — and serious requests have usually come from the top of the agency, with an opportunity to discuss them.

But the reporter and editors said they were still worried about Martinez’s fears and tried to assess how realistic they were. Shane said he repeatedly pressed the C.I.A. for more information. He called John Kiriakou, a former covert operative who was the first to question another top Qaeda terrorist, Abu Zubaydah. Kiriakou voluntarily went public last December, and Shane wanted to know what happened. Kiriakou mentioned a death threat published in Pakistan and didn’t go into much more detail. Kiriakou said he advised Shane not to use the name...

So, unless the Director of the CIA gets involved, the Times won't consider requests for anonymity.  Check that.  Even if the Director asks, you might not be covered. 

Then the Public Editor goes on to describe the amount of hatemail Scott Shane received and that Martinez has received no threats at all.  The Times thinks Shane is a hero.

...Bennett said The Times did “a terrible thing.” He said Martinez had been threatened repeatedly by Mohammed and others he interrogated but they did not know his identity. Now their friends do, at least to some degree. Martinez has received no threats since the article was published. Shane, on the other hand, has received abusive e-mail bordering on the threatening...

To anyone who's worked in the Intelligence business, Scott Shane is a pariah and should be shunned for the biased hitman that he is - his search for a Pulitzer takes precedence over a "desk-bound analyst"'s safety.

Venal Fat Liar At It Again

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

Mr. ABSCAM Unindicted Co-Conspirator is out trashing the troops again. Not only that, but the Porkmeister even misses by a wide margin the number of benchmarks met by the Iraqi government. Not really a surprise, since the Blue Falcon is senile, but I do have to wonder why the citizens of Pennsylvania keep returning this laughingstock to Congress. Well, maybe they won't this time as there is a veteran running against him so go donate.

Meantime, Murtha is the military and security expert for the Democratic Party, and they wonder why no one takes them seriously in those areas???

LW

The Progressive's editor's non-patriotism

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

The left wing buttheads who run The Progressive magazine have their HQ in Madison, shocking I know. Their Whiner-in-Chief managed to puke this bit of dog vomit out before running back to his medicine cabinet for a double dose of turbo anti-depressants. Fisking blade attached.

Why I’m Not Patriotic

By Matthew Rothschild, July 2, 2008

(In memory of George Carlin.)

It’s July 4th again, a day of near-compulsory flag-waving and nation-worshipping. Count me out.

Spare me the puerile parades.

Because the freeing of an entire nation from Royal tyranny is hardly worth commemorating

Don’t play that martial music, white boy.

Because except for ending slavery, Nazism, Fascism, Japanese Imperialism and Soviet Communism, War has never solved anything. Kudos to the Protest Warriors.

And don’t befoul nature’s sky with your F-16s.

How contemptuous you are of those who protect your right to snivel.

You see, I don’t believe in patriotism.

What about the tooth fairy?

It’s not that I’m anti-American, but I am anti-patriotic.

Love of country isn’t natural. It’s not something you’re born with. It’s an inculcated kind of love, something that

is foisted upon you in the home, in the school, on TV, at church, during the football game.

Yet most people accept it without inspection.

No Douche most people accept it because America and it's citizens who have gone before us have earned that respect. You can whine all you  want about the horrors of American hegemony, any sentient being whose brain is not befouled with Progressive ideology can see what a force for good we have been and continue to be.

Continue reading "The Progressive's editor's non-patriotism"

And They Wonder in meetings Why Their Newspaper is Circling the Bowl....

Posted By Deebow

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf"

George Orwell

On their way to irrelevance....

So, it came as no real shock to me that this ass-clown would write an editorial about the 4th of July and, in the process, impugn the character of our Founders (who were great men, but still human); as well as the character of most every American who believes the the 4th of July is not just another day for drinking beer and barbecuing.

Mr. Salluto, the Editorial Page Editor, opines on the pages of the Philadelphia Inquirer that this year on the Fourth of July, we should not be proud or celebratory.  We should be quiet and humble, because, according to him, we deserve to reflect on how we have "tortured" some poor jihadis and made them sleepy and had dogs bark at them.

Oh...  The... Humanity.....

I will not break out into a rant on what "rights" terrorists get or "unlawful combatants" rights after becoming a detainee, because that is for another day.

In the interest of actually presenting a response to this little ditty that Chris put down in his little daily that circulates in the city where this great experiment we call America got started; just exactly what the Fourth of Means to many Americans, including me.

It does not mean that I care about things like:

The waterboarding, the snarling dogs, the theft of sleep - all the diabolical tricks haven't made us safer. They may have averted this plot or that. But they've spawned new enemies by the thousands, made the jihadist rants ring true to so many ears.

"...averted this plot or that."  Oh, you mean like a terrorist plot to blow up the Philadelphia Inquirer building?  Boy!  Bet you're glad they waterboarded that one out of KSM!

Well, maybe not...

Continue reading "And They Wonder in meetings Why Their Newspaper is Circling the Bowl.... "

Who Said The Surge Will Fail?

Posted By Blackfive

“But right now what we have is, I think by all accounts, a disaster unfolding in Iraq. We all have a responsibility, Democrats and Republicans, Congress and the White House, to make sure that we can come up with the best strategy. I don't think the president's strategy is going to work.” - Senator Barrak Obama on the Surge.

Blackfive pal, Ranger, and all around Champion of Smart-Assery, Fred S. suggested that we take a look at what people said about the Surge, giving them the *cough* benefit of hindsight.  And, we've said it here before, there would be no Surge without John McCain and Joe Lieberman...:

"I think it is very difficult for the President to sustain a war of this magnitude without the support of the American people, and without the support of the Congress of the United States. That's why Congress will vote to oppose the President's escalation." - Nancy Pelosi

---

"In Iraq, his new plan is a plan for more door-to-door fighting, more civil war, more civilian casualties, more troop deaths, more wasted money, more destabilization in the region and more separation from the world community. The President wants to send more troops to Baghdad, where they will work to quell a civil war. Only a small portion - less than 20 percent - of the new effort will be spent in al Anbar, to fight al-Qaeda. Does anyone in this Administration have any sense left at all? They are sending more US troops into the middle of a civil war!

"Congress needs to take a stand against the President and take the necessary steps to bring our troops home. We need to begin talks with Iran and Syria -- and not blame them for our misguided war in Iraq. Diplomacy is the only way to avoid a widening war. If we follow the President's path of war, we will get . . . more war." - Dennis Kucinich

---

"This country needs a dramatic change of course in Iraq and it is the responsibility of this Congress to consummate that change" - Congressman John Murtha

---

"This escalation is the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Viet Nam." - Senator Chuck Hagel

---

"I believe ... that this war is lost, and this surge is not accomplishing anything..." - Harry Reid

---

"it is too early to provide a definitive assessment of the US 'surge' but it does not look likely to succeed." - The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, urging Prime Minister Brown to withdraw British troops

---

“I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse.” - Senator Barrak Obama in response to the PSOTUS

---

"It's working. We're just years too late in our tactics.  We can't be fighting the last war. We have to keep preparing to fight the new war. We have to win.  I think the best way of honoring their service is bringing them home." - Senator Hillary Clinton to the VFW

---

"The Bush Surge will backfire" - General (RET) Wesley Clark

---

"This whole notion that the surge is working is fantasy." - Senator Joe Biden

I'm sure that there's a ton more, but I ran out of time searching for quitters.  If you find one, put it in the comments.

The Freefly- Wesley, Seymour & a Wanker

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

We discuss Wesley Clark borrowing a pair to diss the Maverick, Seymour Hersh propagandizing for himself about Iran &....

Really Big Deal that the MSM Won't Report

Posted By COB6

The Iraqis are taking over Anbar Province within 10 days!

BAGHDAD (AFP) - The US military is to hand over security control of the former Sunni insurgent bastion of Anbar province to Iraqi forces in the next 10 days, a US military spokesman announced on Monday.

"The handover of Anbar is expected to take place in the next 10 days," Lieutenant David Russell told AFP, declining to provide an exact date.

This could be the biggest news from Iraq since the terror attack on the al-Askari Mosque but I doubt you will see it on the news tonight.

Now contrast that with this story from one year ago this week:

by Martin Sieff, UPI Senior News Analyst, June 20, 2007

These grim developments unfortunately confirm a series of predictions we made when in these columns after the "surge" strategy was unveiled with much optimism and fanfare five months ago.  On Jan. 19, we predicted of the "surge" strategy, "Its success seems unlikely."

Even then, as we noted, there were solid reasons to fear that the "surge" strategy was too little, too late and that it ignored core realities of the strategic dilemmas in Iraq.  We noted that the "surge" had been muched hyped, but that it remained exceptionally underpowered.

In Mr. Sieff's defense, his opinion at the time was being parroted by every network and major newspaper.  Sieff's bold predictions and Harry Reid's dream of a "lost war" seemed possible and undermining the morale of the troops and the will of the US populice could only help.  But while Reid, Pelosi, Murtha and their chorus of surrender monkeys were gleefully commenting on another "grim milestone", something was happening on the ground; something profound.

I am 100% sure that Mr. Sieff will pen an article as fast as humanly possible hailing the success and thanking God that his fears "fears" were unfounded.

Chirp, chirp (crickets).

He is not alone.  The media coverage trendline correlates directly with the number of dead US servicemen and women.  This is sad but even the New York Times admits it:

According to data compiled by Andrew Tyndall, a television consultant who monitors the three network evening newscasts, coverage of Iraq has been "massively scaled back this year."  Almost halfway into 2008, the three newscasts have shown 181 weekday minutes of Iraq coverage, compared with 1,157 minutes for all of 2007.  The "CBS Evening News" has devoted the fewest minutes to Iraq, 51 versus 55 minutes on ABC's "World News" and 74 minutes on "NBC Nightly News."  (The average evening newscast is 22 minutes long.)

CBS News no longer stations a single full-time correspondent in Iraq, where some 150,000 United States troops are deployed.

This is not because nothing is happening in Iraq; believe me, plenty is happening.  This is because their prediction (if not their hope) is not materializing.  It's almost as if they have a collective "If we ignore it, it will go away" mentality.

To use a sports anaolgy, here's a headline from today:

Teixeira's 3 HRs power Braves past Mariners

Notice that it didn't but could have easily read:

Seattle Pitching Sucks, Again

Now if the second headline were used in a Seattle paper by a local reporter lamenting the ineffectiveness of the hometown team's pitching, it would be perfectly understandable.

The mainstream media has chosen to ignore any progress in Iraq but how far are we away from this headline?

Sunni Collaborators Undermine Gallant Insurgent Struggle

New York Times Announces CIA Interrogator's Name to Al Qaeda

Posted By Blackfive

The New York Times either thought this through and didn't care about the life of an interrogator OR they are lacking in the mental capacity department...maybe both.  In this post that I caught over at NRO from Greg Pollowitz, we find that the New York Times decided to announce the identity of one of the best non-torture-using interrogators we have...so now, Al Qaeda knows who he is.  Read on...and then we have some Chops Bustin' to do:

Inside a 9/11 Mastermind's Interrogation
Story by Scott Shane

WASHINGTON — In a makeshift prison in the north of Poland, Al Qaeda’s engineer of mass murder faced off against his Central Intelligence Agency interrogator. It was 18 months after the 9/11 attacks, and the invasion of Iraq was giving Muslim extremists new motives for havoc. If anyone knew about the next plot, it was Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.

The interrogator, Deuce Martinez, a soft-spoken analyst who spoke no Arabic, had turned down a C.I.A. offer to be trained in waterboarding. He chose to leave the infliction of pain and panic to others, the gung-ho paramilitary types whom the more cerebral interrogators called “knuckledraggers.”

<...>

Mr. Martinez declined to be interviewed; his role was described by colleagues. Gen. Michael V. Hayden, director of the C.I.A., and a lawyer representing Mr. Martinez asked that he not be named in this article, saying that the former interrogator believed that the use of his name would invade his privacy and might jeopardize his safety. The New York Times, noting that Mr. Martinez had never worked undercover and that others involved in the campaign against Al Qaeda have been named in news articles and books, declined the request. (An editors’ note on this issue has been posted on The Times’s Web site.)...

EXCUSE ME?!  What the hell are they thinking?

This reads like a vendetta against the personnel doing time for blowing Valerie Plame's cover.  But Valerie Plame gets more protection while serving canapes to political hatchetmen and has a lot less to lose than this interrogator who questioned the most vile and evil men in the history of the world...[for our opinions on the Plame issue, Google Blackfive and Plame - suffice it to say we were for severe punishment for revealing a covert CIA person].

So, at NRO, Pollowitz contacts the NYT and does a follow up on where the interrogator is now.  Read the whole piece, then come back here and send the NYTimes Public Editor and Scott Shane some polite and professional emails describing their distinct lack of honor and integrity.

Contact:

The author of the article (and several others about the CIA) has a page with a contact form and a listing of all of his articles - Scott Shane.

The NYTimes Public Editor email - Clark Hoyt

---

Update: Allahpundit has more at Hot Air.  Allah looks at another potential aspect of this story:

...Here’s a better question. The Times mentions in the story that the interrogator refused to be interviewed for it; everything in it is based on interviews with his colleagues — some of whom, do note, aren’t named. If he had cooperated and talked to them, would they have agreed not to identify him in return? There’s no way to tell but I suspect so, which makes the decision to name him essentially … punitive. Especially the gratuitous detail about who his current employer is and what he’s up to these days...

Update 2:  Steve Shippert at The Tank on NRO has a more heated response to the NYTimes and Scott Shane in particular (deservedly so):

...Furthermore, the false caveat of "never working undercover" as justification for publication is a non sequitur. Recall back in 2005 how Scott Shane did his New York Times journalistic duty in drawing attention to the CIA's undercover air operations. Operational secrecy wasn't a concern then, now was it?

As far as Scott Shane is concerned, he's been busy for years trying to blow the cover off vital CIA operations — operations that simply require a level of secrecy to function. And please keep in mind he does not do this through sheer personal brilliance...

...He is a tool, not a brilliant journalist...

The Great Seal of the Messiah of the United States

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

Every day the cult of Obama manages to surpass my vivid imagination with their stunning arrogance clashing brilliantly with their tin ear. A complete rip off of all the Seals of the US including the President's own.? Holy crap that's bold. Did I miss an election?  Then he goes all the way and just calls those who oppose his coronation racists.

“They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black."

You know I'm sorry Senator but I'm just gonna have to ask you to bite me. Where I come from it's fighting words to call someone a racist, so I'm gonna need an apology. I oppose you because you are a complete muppet about the most important issues facing our country and your vaunted (by you) judgment has been shown wrong at every turn and spare me your speech preaching to the choir back in 2002. You couldn't have found Iraq on a map then, heck you don't seem to be able to find any airplanes heading that direction either. What's the matter don't want any of that success or victory screwing up your Bush McCain war theme. Well tough shit Barack, they won the war while you, the thin-lipped, milquetoast, cream-in-the-coffee cadaver, The House Harridan Pelosi and of course the Lummox Murtha were wrong at every attempted losing turn.

The Iranians have admitted openly that their negotiating strategy, which the Obama will take full advantage of, is simply a cover for full speed ahead on the Mullah Bomb. Hurray for the New Way, just like the Old Way.

I believe this man can be elected President. I have that little faith in the common sense and wisdom of Americans as a whole. I also believe that every time he opens his mouth we have Hope that he can Change some minds with his utter cluelessness.

Obama team on Heffalumps & Woozels

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

I am almost unable to parody Obama and his well-judged team of advisers. Now one of his foreign policy muppets re-directs us to the Hundred Acre Woods, I mistakenly say 1,000 in the vid and I'm too lazy to re-shoot.

Richard Danzig, who served as Navy Secretary under President Clinton and is   tipped to become National Security Adviser in an Obama White House, told a   major foreign policy conference in Washington that the future of US strategy   in the war on terrorism should follow a lesson from the pages of Winnie the   Pooh, which can be shortened to: if it is causing you too much pain, try   something else.

Umm, Wow! He goes on to discuss Luke Skywalker and soccer hooligans, seriously. I have to keep saying seriously because it sounds to stupid to be true. I almost savor the idea of an Obama Presidency for it's rich potential in comic gold.

OK, whoever thought this was a good idea needs to be relieved....

Posted By Deebow

I am certain that someone got their booty taken down a couple ounces over this.  The problem is, we are the ones doing this to ourselves.

Taliban militants in Pakistan's restive tribal belt captured three US military choppers while they were being shipped in a dismantled state from Peshawar to Jalalabad in Afghanistan and sold one of the helicopters for several hundred thousand dollars

I wondered about the logic of this idea one day when I was on patrol and saw one of our brand new Up-armored Humvee (sans guns and radios) on a "Jingle" Truck flatbed being shipped to somewhere in the theater.

No American or NATO escort, and no Americans in sight.  Just 4 Afghans, 1 truck, and the open road ahead of them.

The poor Afghans almost got to talk to me at the point of a gun about their load, but we got on the radio and found out that, yes indeed, they were authorized to be carrying that truck.

Perhaps I am letting my imagination get away with me here, because I am not certain of their exact intentions with this equipment, but I know I wouldn't want to have it packed full of Semtex and ball bearings and then flown haphazardly into a FOB and blown up.

But then again, we never imagined something like this happening in New York in the late summer 7 years ago either....

In the Croshairs- Obama's Foreign Policy Judgment

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

A quick look at the Obama's brilliant plan to negotiate with the Mullahs, sadly they have even admitted they lie up front while building bombs out back. Their policy of negotiating with muppets is a perfect fit with Barack's charisma-based diplomacy. And both he and his wannabe VP Jim Webb are lying about McCain's plans for our presence in Iraq. They know what he said about a 100 year presence was sensible and follows our long habit of hanging out where we have gained allies through war. Obama and Webb would rather demagogue than discuss the actual facts on the ground.

And then there was one.....

Posted By Deebow

It seems kind of cliche' to say that it is about damn time.....

Uncle Jimbo jumped ahead of me on this, but I am going to chime in too.  Once again though, nothing but 'crickets' coming from the Old Media about this case.

It is about damn time that someone noticed that it appears that the Time Magazine traitor's actions of reporting not only incorrect facts, but facts that didn't exist at all, having had the effect that he was looking for.  If I had my way, he would be tried, and after his guilty verdict, he would swing from a rope for helping our enemies.

The government's case against these men is all but finished, as it should be....

The record for the prosecution so far to this point was 8 Marines charged, 5 had all charges dropped, 1 acquittal and 2 still pending.

Colonel Chessani now has the charges dropped against him.

Only SSGT Frank Wuterich remains.  I agree with Jimbo that he will be acquitted.

World Net Daily reported last week that a military jury of seven officers had acquitted Marine 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson of all charges stemming from the same incident.

Of course, Lieutenant Grayson immediately came to the defense of Colonel Chessani.

"one of the most steadfast men. … He led by example and he knew the difference between right and wrong."

I am curious how it is that I haven't heard one peep from the Old Media about this, since it was pumped, promoted, headlined and analyzed as the worst war crime since My Lai.  The talking heads from all the networks and the mainstream print media didn't miss the chance to smear these warriors as murderers in front of the cameras at Five and on the front pages every morning; only to rush off to their cocktail dinners and stagger home to their Park Avenue condo and sleep warm and safe, courtesy of sacrifices of these brave men.

Seems that this is fast becoming, as if it wasn't already, the massacre that wasn't.  And it will become one of the death nells for the Old Media.

The greatest tragedy of this whole dark chapter in the war against radical Islamism is that the chain of command that has it's pictures hanging on the walls of these units failed to do in this case the most basic job that leaders must do; defend their soldiers.  If you can't do that, then you are not a leader.

There is more at Defend Our Marines and at the Thomas More Law Center, who handled the Colonel's defense.

I am waiting patiently for your apology Mr. Murtha....

Sen. Webb's historical failings

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

H/T Ledeen NRO Jim Webb was preening for the Veep role last night on Jon Stewart's show. Webb has always seemed to me to be the moderately likable loudmouth who gets a few beers in him at the neighborhood picnic and starts telling everyone what he really thinks of them. Educated, mildly cultured but a boor at heart. Both he and Stewart bandied about the lie that John McCain wants to fight in Iraq for 100 years and that is getting a little stale. Steve Schwartz pummels Webb for his lack of historical perspective.

Last Thursday, Webb assailed Republican Sen. John McCain for comments on the Today Show, namely, McCain's declaration that “What’s important is the casualties in Iraq. . . . Americans are in South Korea, Americans are in Japan, American troops are in Germany. That’s all fine.”

Webb told the Washington Post, “It’s pretty clear their intentions are that we put in a basing system in Iraq that parallels the Korea-Japan history. . . . The difference is, Iraq is not Korea or Japan. . . . The history of every single outside occupation of Iraq over the last thousand years argues against that logic.”

To suggest that a foreign presence in Iraq is more difficult to establish than such a presence in Japan shows breathtaking historical illiteracy. Baghdad was ruled by Persians and by the Seljuq Turks beginning in the 10th century, then fell to the Mongols in 1258—the latter is considered the most traumatic event in Arab history and was believed by Muslims of the time to be the end of the world

Webb would be a good gap-filler for Obama, being an angry white gun owner type, but I think he would end up a liability with his pro-Confederacy bent, and a tendency to flap his gums.

Not tolerated

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

Hey folks this is kev.  We unveiled the new logo via my back tattoo and once again I apologize to Blackfive for stealing his thunder.  But that is not my bitch.  Former commenter blackspeak (previously known as  spade) seemed to think he could write that I'm a child molester without recourse.  He also thought it was funny that it bothered me.  Weird being called the most vile thing on the planet would strike a nerve. That  kind of chicksh*t chickenhawking comment can kept between him and whatever god he worships. We are all semi intelligent people here at Blackfive there is no need for these kind of comments.  Blackspeak if you want to find out the truth about kev take  a flight from NY city  to Madison, WI.....

                                                                                                sincerely 
                                                                                                         kev

Marine Puppy Video Update

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

The video that created the uproar a few months ago is in the news again, with an AP story that says one of the Marines involved is being separated from the service and the other received non-judicial punishment. Given that I trust the AP to cover the military in much the same way I trust AFP to cover the mideast (not at all for the mentally impaired), I am looking for a better story. Unanswered are some important questions about the video itself and what happened, and I hope we do get those answers. That said, I am also glad that Corps has moved to deal with this, as this is not representative of the Corps or its members -- and the efforts of Marines to get puppies home from Iraq and/or to secure better lives and treatments for dogs there testify.

LW

Gitmo Blues

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

One of the greatest failures of the Bush administration has been it's inability to make any kind of significant progress with the enemy combatants held in Guantanamo. We just now are charging KSM and allowing him to sing dance and tell stories.. This has been a systemic failure and it leaves important principles of legal reasoning untested and now likely to be decided during the next President's tenure. That could very easily be President Obama and the mobs of outraged lefties who support him and would empty Gitmo in a heartbeat. (full transcript after the jump)

Continue reading "Gitmo Blues"

Obama-mania lost on paratroopers

Posted By Blackfive Sgt. Paul Williams, a Baltimore, Md., native, takes aim at a suspiciously moving vehicle that was approaching his team during a foot patrol through a section of Baghdad’s Ur neighborhood Feb. 24. Williams serves as a team leader with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.  Photographer: Sgt. Michael Pryor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs.

Got this email from a paratrooper (not the one pictured above) via Blake H.:

I saw a speech being made a couple of nights ago and it was a bit "Scary".

(By the way... I watched this on CNN being aired on AFN as I sat down to eat chow the other night at 0200 hours... In Iraq)

The speech was being made by Senator Obama... People, you better be paying attention, or you better be prepared to just pay.

During this speech he mentioned how he was going to get all the troops out of Iraq...

He also stated how there were no Al Qaida in Iraq...

Some things on those two things (from my perspective - of course)

Note: My friends and I would like nothing more than to come home!

Hell, myself and most everyone else I know, we were OK when we had never even been here - or to Asscrackistan for that matter. But since the people who governed these places decided that they couldn't act responsibly and live in a peaceful world and couldn't manage to police up the trash in their own country - Or live up to countless UN (there is a completely worthless organization) resolutions that ended the 1st gulf war... Oh by the way AQ did attack us (lots of people must have missed that one on CNN - Hard to see real sh*t through a liberal spin moving like a hurricane. - Note: hurricane probably caused by George Bush / per CNN coverage of Katrina)  Well anyway here we are "Team America - World Police"...

Now if you think we are going to be able to just pick up at the stroke of a pen and get all the troops out of these wars... you are sadly mistaken.

- And if we were to do it -  Better go buy your guns now (Before the democrats get them too)

'Cause we will be fighting these AQ guys in our own backyards.

There is a reason why - if you watched the news over the past few days that the overall majority of places in the mostly muslim populated countries think Obama being nominated is a good thing... figure it out.  Appeasement - The theory of "if we suck up to these guys and give them countless millions in funds, they will like us... Hate to tell you - it doesn't work. The people in AQ are committed and patient and what they are committed and patient to doing is killing your infidel asses.

As for the no AQ in Iraq...

The well trained paratroopers are working hard on that!

Trust me - there are a lot less...

Just don't believe we have gotten them all yet...

But, when we do, I'll let you know.

Something to ponder...

Joe

This is why some reporters get shot at.....

Posted By Deebow

Is this the part of the war that the Old Media are whining about not being able to cover?

This picture came with this caption (h/t LGF)...

A face covered Taliban militant adjusts the ammunition on a motor bike for transferring them to another location in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, May 31, 2008.

Yet another sickeningly glaring example of their naked bias.

And for those of you who don't know what those tubes are, those are 82mm mortar rounds that Mr. "Soon to Be Spending The Rest of His Short-Ass Life in Pain" has packed up there.  They won't range as far as our 81's, but they will get the job done.

I sure hope the guy that took this picture doesn't plan on riding around with them to cover their "operation."  I do hope he gives them to the mortar team that replaced the one that used to shoot at us (the one we sent to find their virgins shortly before being relieved).  I left a 120mm mortar to an American mortar team that relieved me at my firebase; and that team was good...

Probably wishful thinking.  His more likely end will be that he ends up on one of Uncle J's videos being turned into flying brain tissue and red mist by an Apache to the soulful sounds of "Cowboys From Hell" by Pantera.

Marine Jailed Over Memorial Day Weekend for Exercising 5th Amendment

Posted By Blackfive

"Out of every 100 men, ten shouldn't even be there, Eighty are just targets, Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." - Hericletus, circa 500 BC

Update 3 (05-29-08):  Just heard about the hearing.  Sergeant Jermaine Nelson has been released from jail on the promise that he will "listen to the prosecutors' questions in the future and respond under direction from counsel."

 

I believe that doesn't mean much other than, of course, that this is not over.  Far from over.

The good news is that Sergeant Nelson will not have to spend another night with drug dealers and gangsters in jail.  Sergeant Nelson's attorney, Joseph Low, asked us to pass this on to you: "Please tell Blackfive that I think your efforts and supporters really made the difference here."

With less than 24 hours notice, dozens of emails were sent (including some from family members) and over 30 people showed up to support Sergeant Nelson.  Hopefully, we can post pictures soon.

Once again, this proves that you all are the best community on the planet.

Update 2 (05-29-08): The hearing will be at about 11am Pacific time today.  Stay tuned.  Will be posting some of your letters of support (minus identifying info) after the Jump.

---

Update 1 (05-28-08): It appears that the judge wants to move the hearing tomorrow to avoid the many military supporters who plan on attending.  WARNING ORDER:  Be ready to move to new hearing location.  I will post more information (when I receive any updates) right here.  Nothing changed.  Hearing will be as stated below.

---

"Detached reflection cannot be demanded in the face of an uplifted knife." - Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Oliver Wendell Holmes

First of all, Sergeant Jermaine Nelson needs our support.  Second, he needs some help.  If anyone knows of a habeus corpus specialist in DC, email me.  More details on support are at the bottom of the post.

I have a few things brewing right now and this is one case where I need all of you to help out.  If you google about this case, you'll find a lot of information that contradicts the facts.  In fact, a few media stories have the incident in the wrong battle of Fallujah and have claimed that the house where the incident occurred was demolished, when in fact, it was not.  It's actually been reoccupied by it's original owners and visited by NCIS investigators.

Now, the story behind this mess...

Sergeant Jermaine Nelson enlisted in the Marines in 2001 at the age of 19.  Nelson was a member of 3rd Squard, 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.  We have posted about them here several times as the Third Herd and their heroics have chronicled in many places.

Nelson's squad leader was Sgt. Jose Luis Nazario.  The others in the squad were Nelson, Ryan Weemer, Juan Segura, James Prentice, and Corey Carlisle.

On November 9th, D+2, 3/1 entered Fallujah as part of Operation Phantom Fury.  Weeks before, leaflets had been dropped into the city telling everyone to leave who didn't want a fight or who didn't want to die.  250,000 civilians fled Fallujah.  Intelligence estimates stated that a few thousand well armed, highly motivated Al Qaeda fighters occupied the city - the estimates also stated that the AQI fighters were most likely drugged to amp up their courage and energy and also that the terrorists knew our ROE and planned to use that knowledge to their advantage.

The mission of 3/1 was to protect the tanks entering the city by moving and fighting house to house.  One house, one block, one street at a time. Their fight, at times, was hand to hand. 

Sergeant Nazario's squad moved along Phase Line Henry.  They had been taking fire from a nearby house, when a sniper bullet struck home, between the SAPI plates in Lance Corporal Juan E. Segura's protective vest.  He died, bleeding out, holding the hand of Ryan Weemer, his room mate and best friend.

The Marines fought back and entered the house. 

Here, the accounts vary greatly.  What is not in contention is that four to eight insurgents occupied a house with weapons and ammo and spent casings.  Those insurgents had been shooting at the Marines and had killed Segura.   The Al Qaeda attempted surrender.

They died.

Later, the squad members had the opportunity to save each other - some more than once.  In fact, Ryan Weemer was in the Hell House where he was shot three times.  He survived that fight along side of Sergeant Major Brad Kasal whom you all should (damn well better) know.

The Thundering Third would have over 30 Marines killed in action and over 600 wounded.  The Marines suffered over 100 killed in Phantom Fury.  There are estimates that the Marines killed over 2.000 insurgents and captured 1,000.

Last July, Ryan Weemer, out of the active Marine Corps, was undergoing polygraph testing to serve as White House Secret Service security guard.  He was asked if he ever witnessed an unlawful death while in Fallujah.  He answered "yes".  According to affadavits, Nazario, Weemer and Nelson shot the insurgents.  The Navy Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS) had investigator Mark Fox look into the claims.   He spent fourteen months on the case.  I believe he is the same investigator on the Haditha case.  He seems to be focused on the Thundering Third. In fact, the first time he brought these charges, they were dropped by the Marines.  Now, after a change in command, he has brought them again and LTG Hellmand has ordered a court martial.

And it gets more murky as the civilian courts get involved...

Gidget Fuentes of the Marine Corps Times reports:

...In 2005, after fighting in Iraq and spending eight years in the Corps, Nazario joined the police department in Riverside, Calif., a growing city east of Los Angeles, where he and his wife settled with their new baby.

But today, from his parents’ house in upstate New York, his future, his finances and his freedom are in doubt.

Nazario, 28, was ending his police shift Aug. 7, 2007, when he was called into his supervisor’s office for bad news: He was facing federal felony charges of voluntary manslaughter for his part in shooting several men to death. Nazario and his infantry squad allegedly encountered the men inside a house during combat operations in Iraq...

Because Jose Nazario is a civilian, now, and no longer subject to recall by the Marines, NCIS agent Mark Fox asked the US District Attorney to charge Nazario with murder.  Nazario was working as a Riverside, California, Police Officer, when he was arrested.  Because he had less than 3 weeks before his probationary period was over, he was fired from the Riverside Police Department.

How can a former Marine be charged in a US court for an alleged crime in Iraq that occurred four years ago?

Jose Nazario has been charged under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) passed by Congress in 2000. MEJA allows a service member serving overseas to be prosecuted in civilian court for offenses that call for more than one year of imprisonment. 

And now a liberal court in California is trying to set a precedent by trying Sergeant Nazario.

During the week of March 21st, Ryan Weemer was recalled to active duty by the Marines with the intent to try him at a court martial for murder.

Sergeant Jermaine Nelson is pending court martial at Camp Pendleton for murder.  He could receive life imprisonment.

Over at Defend the Marines, Nat Helms writes:

...Moments later, after a conversation with Nazario, Carlisle told Fox that he forcibly ushered away LCpl James L Prentice, a squad member eager to kill another prisoner at Nazario’s behest. Nazario says the conversation never happened.

Carlisle said Prentice was angered that LCpl Juan Segura had just died after being shot outside the house moments before they assaulted it. After convincing Prentice not to get involved Weemer, Prentice, and Carlisle left the building, he claimed.

During the two minutes it took to exit the building, Carlisle said he heard three more shots that he presumed to be Nazario finishing off the three combatants in his custody.

Weemer initially revealed the alleged incident during a job interview for a uniformed Secret Service position in Washington, D.C. in 2006, he said. The allegations came to light when Weemer told federal investigators he had witnessed the unlawful killings while serving under Nazario in Iraq.

After his revelations were passed on to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in late 2006, NCIS began a 14-month investigation into the alleged killings.

In Fox’s subsequent affidavit in support of his complaint against Nazario filed last August Fox claimed that Nazario—in the heat of combat—killed two prisoners in retaliation for the death of his friend Lance Cpl. Juan Segura. He believes Nelson and Weemer killed two other prisoners.

Nazario denies the event happened and Weemer initially claimed that he was merely a witness to the incident. When revealing the alleged killings for the first time to a reporter in the spring of 2006, Weemer claimed that his squad had chased eight Iraqis into the building where they later died...

Helms also posted a copy of the charges here.

Although there is no forensic evidence (no bodies, graves, grieving family members, Iraqi witnesses, damage, etc.), the US attorney filed charges against Nazario and ordered Nelson to testify before a secret grand jury.  Sergeant Nelson refused.  The US attorney offered immunity from charges in Federal and military courts.  Nelson refused three times - the last, on his knees in prayer, tears streaming down his face, but resolute, knowing he was going to jail for not complying with the judge's orders. The judge, US District Court Judge Percy Anderson, charged Nelson with contempt.

Sergeant Jermaine Nelson spent Memorial Day weekend in jail in LA.  He is still imprisoned and will appear before Judge Percy Anderson tomorrow. 

Sergeant Nelson's attorney said that one of the reasons that he did not testify against Sergeant Nazario was because Nazario had saved his life several times.

You can Google this case and see the differing stories behind that day on November 9th.  I've struggled with this myself, talked to the attorneys, and come to the conclusion that the ROE, the command climate and other aspects of hand to hand combat in Fallujah will show that these Marines did what they had to do.  I doubt that a civilian kangaroo court will understand that.  But at the end of the day, these men will be free.  These Marines deserve to be free.

I believe that those who disagree will be proven wrong.

Jermaine Nelson said the the Marines were the only ones who ever cared about him.  Let's show the good sergeant that he's wrong about that.  There are a few ways that you can help this Marine:

Sgt Jermaine Nelson's next court date is Thursday 29 May 2008 in Los Angeles.

MUSTER: 1000 HRS 29 MAY 2008
LOCATION: UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
312 N. SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012-4793
JUDGE PERCY ANDERSON  DEPT  15
SPECIAL  ORDERS:  PHOTO ID REQUIRED  TO GET INTO FEDERAL COURT  COMPLEX

Get the word out to the military, reserve, retired, and veteran  communities so that as many as possible can show up in support.

Using the LA Metro to get to the Federal Court house in LA:

From the San Fernando Valley:
Parking at either Lankershim or  Universal stations is a problem. You may need to find street parking nearby.  If  possible take the Orange Bus line to the Lankershim station.

Take the Red Line and get off at The Civic center station. Walk east on Tom Bradley two blocks to Spring st. Turn right (north) on Spring, walk one block to Courthouse. 5-10 minute walk

From Hollywood:
one can catch the Redline as well.

From Long Beach or south LA:
take the Blue line to 7th st. Metro Center, transfer to the red line for two stops, get off at the Civic center station, follow walking directions above.

From Pasadena:
Via the Gold Line, as you exit Union Station to Alameda (there is another exit in back), you will be facing the end of Los Angeles Street, go straight onto it, and it turns left to head south.  Proceed directly across the 101 freeway bridge, to Aliso and Turn right.  One block to Main, turn Left, court entrance is mid-block.

The Courthouse occupies a full block, bordered by N Main, Aliso, N Spring, and W Temple.  There are entries at both Spring (wheelchair access), and Main (not wheelchair accessible) streets.

If you cannot attend than write or call to signal your support of this decorated combat veteran who is being coerced to turn on a fellow Marine.  Keep it professional and to the point:

Hon. Percy Anderson
Courtroom No.: 15
312 N Spring St
  Los Angeles, CA 90012-4701
213-894-1795 ( if there is no answer  leave a message)

And you can write the prosecutor:

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
CENT