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Yesterday as I walked the halls of the US Capitol looking at the architecture, the paintings, the sculptures I was in awe. It was amazing to walk through the original Supreme Court chambers which are actually in the Capitol building. 70% of the furniture there, to include the big clock on the wall is the original furniture that survived the burning of the Capitol building by the British. To sit in the House of Representatives Gallery where our Congress debate and vote on laws is just humbling.
To walk and experience the same building and rooms that our founding fathers did as they formulated the documents and laws that set this country up to be the greatest country in the world is simply awesome. It resets in one’s mind (at least mine) why we Soldiers, Airman, Sailors and Marines do what we do and why we do it. To Preserve a Country as great as ours. I wish most Americans could appreciate what a great country they live in and not take it for granted.
Nobody said that fighting a war against insurgents would be easy. In fact President Bush said this war would be long and tough and not like any other we have ever fought before. I know Gen McChrystal wants to have zero tolerance on civilian casualties, but it is war and the Zero Tolerance mentality of the Army school houses and UCMJ do not always easily apply to the battlefield. Sh!t happens and sometime that stuff is bad. This is a shame and very sad, but it is a fact of life.
War is hell, because if it were easy people would want to do it all the time.
The NATO-led force in Afghanistan acknowledged on Wednesday it had killed four Afghan civilians when it opened fire on a car in the southeast of the country this week after initially saying two of the dead were insurgents.
The youngest boy was just 13, said Rahmatullah Mansour, whose two sons and two nephews were killed in the shooting.
The father of two of the victims in Monday’s shooting, Mansoor, a judge in Khost’s provincial court, said three of those killed were teenagers and the fourth was an off-duty policeman in his 20s.
The four were gunned down in their car as they were returning from a volleyball match, he told Reuters on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, NATO said it had opened fire on a vehicle in southeastern Khost province on the evening of April 19, killing two “known insurgents” and two “associates”.
On Wednesday, NATO said it initially described two of the victims as insurgents because their fingerprints matched those in a military biometric database. But their presence in the database does not necessarily mean they were insurgents.
Mansour said that the victims in Monday’s shooting were his sons Faizullah, 13, and Nasratullah, 17; and nephews Maiwand and Amirullah, both 18. He said all were students except Amirullah, who was a police officer.
“My two brothers and I lost sons. It was difficult even to recognize their bodies because there were bullet holes in their face, chest, hands and feet.”
Asked whether that meant all of those killed were civilians, NATO spokesman Master Sergeant Jeffrey Loftin said: “Yes, sir.”
None of the four were armed and no weapons were found, Vician said.
My very good friends and partners of Bouhammer.com, the guys at Vision Strike Wear, are doing an awesome thing on their site at www.vision-strike-wear.com. They have created a Heroes of Freedom page on their website to honor some of those that have served our country to protect and ensure our freedoms and way of life.
They are starting this now in preparation of Memorial Day this year to help highlight a few of the many that have served. I suggest you head over to vision-strike-wear.com/heroes-of-freedom.html and check out some of the wonderful Americans they have on the site.
Of course they are always looking for more individuals to add to the page and would very much like to hear from you if you have a loved one, friend, family member that has served or is serving this great country of ours. If you have someone you would like them to highlight, send Todd an email at Todd@vision-strike-wear.com and let him know the details.
It is not something a lot of people like to talk about or acknowledge, but it is a factual way of life in many cultures, especially Afghanistan. I have talked about it before on this blog, why Thursday nights are so popular over there, why they are called Man-Love Thursdays and I even have talked about “Chai boys” or the young soldiers in the Afghan Army and police who become R&R tools for older, senior members.
Well this Tuesday, PBS is airing a “in your face” video titled “The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan”. It is about the Bacha Bazi or “boy play” that is so popular in Afghanistan. I have told many people in the US that they will never even get close to understanding the culture of Afghanistan and this is one of many reasons why I say that.
It is not for us to judge, but to become educated. Personally I think this is a sick practice, but it is their culture….right, wrong or indifferent. If you want to learn a little more about Afghanistan and its culture, then I advise you to check this show out on Tuesday the 20th of April on your local PBS station at 9:00 PM. You can learn more about it at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/
U.S. Army Pvt. Michael S. Walters monitors an Afghan National Army visit to Nishigam village in the eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan on April 6, 2010. The Afghan National Army-led mission involved meeting with villagers and inspecting important community gathering places, such as the school and local bazaar. The overwatch position near Combat Outpost Bar Alai is used to prevent anti-Afghan forces from attacking Afghan National Security Forces as they work with residents. Walters is a forward observer with 2nd Platoon, Charlie Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Gary A. Witte, U.S. Army.
Since today is TAX Day, I figure I would post these here on Bouhammer.com. I posted them on YouServed.com the other day but I wanted to spread the word since so many current and retired military could use some savings with all the money they are giving the Government to pay for bail-outs, healthcare, and shovel-ready projects.
Military and Federal Employee Discounts:All these businesses offer military discounts; all you have to do is ask.
Restaurants
Arby’s A&W Back Yard Burgers Burger King Captain D’s Chick-Fil-A Cotton Patch Denny’s Dunkin’ Donuts IHOP (20 percent discount with military identification) Java Cafe
KFC Long John Silver Pancho’s Mexican Buffet Pizza Hut Quizno’s Sizzler Sonic Taco Bell Whataburger
Services
AT&T California Cryobank Geico Jiffy Lube Meineke Sears Portrait Studio
Travel and Leisure
Blockbuster Movie theaters Ripley’s attractions and
museums Professional Sports teams
Products
Apple Computers AutoZone Barnhill’s Bass Pro Shop Bath and Body Works Big 10 Tires The Buckle Champs Sports Copeland’s Sports Dell The Discovery Channel Store Dress Barn The Finish Line Foot Action Footlocker Gadzooks GNC Goody’s Great Party Happy Harry’s Hot Topic Jockey Lerner Michael’s NAPA Auto Parts New York & Company Pac Sun Payless Shoes Play It Again Sports Pure Beauty Quizno’s Sally Beauty Supply Spencer’s Gifts Suncoast Timberland Outlets Wilson’s Leather
Cell Phone Service Discount
All Federal employees are able to get a 15% discount on their personal cell phones by calling their carrier and mentioning the “Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 – Discount to Federal Employees Past and Present.”
Let me start by saying I mean no disrespect to the dead. Regardless of how they die, I really try to never speak ill or disrespect anyone who has died out of concern for their family.
All sorts of people die on the job, whether it is police officers, bus drivers, crab fisherman or miners. I feel for the families of the West Virginia mining disaster, I really do. But I feel more for the families of the US troops who have died in combat and continue to every week.
In fact there have been 118 US troops killed since Jan 1st, 2010 and how many times have you seen the President order the flags of the nation flown at half-staff? How many, 118? Nope, maybe 80? NOPE. What about ten times? No WAY. How about ZERO times. In fact the last time he has done this was on November 6th, 2009 for the victims of the Ft. Hood massacre. Victims that were military or civilians supporting the military.
So 118 troops have died since Jan 1st, and not once has he ordered a flag lowered. Now granted in the announcement below he only ordered the flags in the state of West Virginia lowered. So he could issue a proclamation or order that whenever a service member dies the flags in their state should be lowered for some set amount of time. I mean ideally all the flags would be lowered in the country as I think this would remind everyone every time they saw a flag that another warrior gave their life for the freedoms we all enjoy in this country.
So I have issue with the President issuing this order. It was a terrible thing that happened to those miners, but they were well aware of the risks. They knew what they were getting into. Troops are aware of the risks also, as they fight for all of us and our freedoms, and all Troops know what could happen to them in combat. What is good for one, is good for all. As the Commander in Chief I would expect him to show a little more respect to our military which he is charged in leading.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Presidential Proclamation — Honoring the Victims of the West Virginia Mine Disaster
A PROCLAMATION
As a mark of respect for the memory of those who perished in the mine explosion in Montcoal, West Virginia, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at all public buildings and grounds and at all military facilities and naval stations of the Federal Government in the State of West Virginia until sunset on April 18, 2010.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
