Doc's Talk: A Veteran's Thanks to America

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A Veteran's Thanks to America

Col. David Sutherland

One year ago today, November 11, 2007, our Brigade Combat Team began its redeployment from Diyala province, Iraq, back to Fort Hood, Texas. As we remember our veterans, I think about those brave men and women who participated in the surge operations that led to improvements seen in Iraq today.

The Greywolf Brigade began its deployment to Iraq in October 2006. Our formation consisted of approximately 5,000 of our nation's finest men and women from all branches of our Armed Services, Department of Defense civilians, Department of State, and other interagency and Coalition partners. For 14 months, they poured their hearts and souls into the mission - a mission that required we bind-up the wounds of the innocent and reestablish rule of law, while at the same time combating a depraved enemy, devoid of human decency. No one, to include myself, was able to fathom the reality we were about to face as we deployed to Diyala province - a complex area of Sunni, Shia and Kurd, that quickly became the primary battleground of the fight faced in Iraq. Reality, however, struck quickly at my base's aid station during the first week of our deployment.

I held a little girl in my arms, recognizing the facts. She was five years old and had been shot in the face. She had been shot and her family killed simply because her father was a policeman. This was the reality of al Qaeda -- a reality my Troopers and I had just begun to face as the terrorist network worked to destroy the families of the security and government officials so the people lose their will to support progress.

My team in Diyala fought day in and day out to destroy the terrorists and bring peace to an area plagued for years by violence, destruction and neglect. Going places no man or woman should ever have to go and seeing sights no man or woman should ever have to see, my Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen remained dedicated to their mission and determined to accomplish that which they were sent to do.

Al Qaeda was carrying out attacks across the province. The terrorist network in Iraq imposed it's will in the province through fear, death, torture, and intimidation. The atrocities committed by al Qaeda in Iraq and Iranian-sponsored Special Groups cannot be adequately described, but were witnessed daily by our men- and women-in-arms. It is important to know that our enemy is ruthless, inhumane, and capable of the most depraved forms of torture, mutilation and killing of innocents that could be imagined. As we encountered these grizzly tactics, we felt as if we were looking into the depths of hell.

Yet in the toughest of environments, the courage, charity and goodness of our team shone through like bright lights in the midst of darkness. Their capabilities are indescribable - their sacrifices are great.

Heroes such as Private First Class Steven Cornford, Command Sergeant Major Rodney Harris and Staff Sergeant Donnie Dixon showed great courage and leadership under fire.

Staff Sgt. Donnie Dixon of Miami, Florida, was a member, more importantly a leader, of my Personal Security Detachment; and had been a member of my Bradley Fighting Vehicle crew since my assumption of command in July 2005. Highly respected by his peers and subordinates, Dixon was a quiet, yet strong leader and warrior. He embodies all that is the American Soldier.

September 24, 2007, Dixon and several other members of my PSD were providing security while I met with provincial and local leaders about reconciliation. Following the breaking of the fast feast for Ramadan, a suicide bomber detonated on the front steps of a mosque, about three meters from where I was standing. The blast killed 24 citizens and wounded 37 people, one of whom was Dixon.

Dixon's first concern was me. Although wounded, he ran to my location, uncovering me from the bodies and body parts of the dead and wounded. After helping me up, Dixon was the first to take the lead and gain control the situation. The entire time I could feel his watchful eye making sure I was safe. After evacuating Donnie to the aid station for treatment, he again displayed his tenacity. Rather than rest and recover, he was anxious to be returned to duty so he could get back into the fight with his team. That was the type of Soldier, leader and man Dixon was.

Five days later, Dixon was back by my side as he always was. We were conducting battlefield circulation in Muqdadiya, Iraq. As several members of my PSD and I were leaving a company command post, we came under fire from a sniper. The sniper fired towards our formation, killing Donnie immediately.. As I wept, I held him in my arms and hugged him, thanking him for his service and his sacrifices. Posthumously, he was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star Donnie left four children and a wonderful wife. He made the greatest sacrifice while making life better for people he didn't even know. He knew they needed him just as his family needs all of us now. There is no greater sacrifice.

This experience was repeated 109 times during our deployment; sometimes daily. The friends and comrades-in-arms left behind often only had time to fight, eat, grieve, and cry. Some are unable to get the smell of blood and burning flesh or hair out of their systems and yet, they went on. Having a Soldier die in your arms while looking into your eyes as other Soldiers feverishly try to get him unpinned from the wreckage created after an IED strike is reality and leaves lasting nightmares -- yet we continue and we fight to accomplish our mission.

During our tour in Iraq, our formation received 146 awards for valor in combat and 277 Purple Hearts. Many made the ultimate sacrifice and epitomize the kind of character we find cited in John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." These are my heroes.

Our Soldiers are willing to make these sacrifices because they believe in the cause of liberty. They knew our mission to secure, stabilize and begin the healing process in Diyala was necessary and just. They have committed themselves to a lifestyle and set of values bigger than themselves. They are willing to pay any price, even to the laying down of their own lives if necessary, in building and defending institutions of freedom.

This day we remember not only our Soldiers' sacrifices, but also that of their families'. Military families are vital to our success as they provide never-ending support and encouragement, all the while facing their own fight. Maintaining the home front, they remain as brave and as strong as their service member, for their service member.

On Veterans Day, we all need to understand that the families cope with fear, they cope with loss; the entire time their service member is deployed, they are waiting to exhale. Our military families are the cornerstone of our strength - their sacrifices are also great.

It is the spirit and perseverance of our service members and our families that drives us and motivates us to do what we do - serve, lead, care and commit to making the most of wonderful relationships, wonderful opportunities and a wonderful life. At this time, given our National Interests in the Middle East Region military service, and a willingness to participate in something greater than us as individuals is still critical. It continues to be a dangerous world.

Extensive security tasks remain before us as we achieve our objectives in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, defeat the al Qaeda network, and build greater partnership capacity. We need a great cadre of Veterans to support a region of secure, stable, independent, peaceful and responsibly governed states, where the freedom and dignity of the peoples of the region are protected.

Whether at Gettysburg, Omaha Beach or any other famous battle in the history of our nation, American men and women are doing the same thing our ancestors have done - fighting courageously and bravely, refusing to quit or leave a fallen comrade.

On this Veterans Day, allow this Veteran to say, ‘Thank You' to the American people for your support, your love, and your commitment to our living, our fallen, and their families who have sacrificed the greatest. God bless each and every one of you, God bless our families, God bless the members of the United States Military, and God bless America.

COL David Sutherland was the commander of the 3d Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, deployed to Diyala province, Iraq from October 2006 to December 2007.

Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/11/a_veterans_thanks_to_america.html at November 11, 2008 - 01:09:46 PM EST

Comment: I salute all of our fine military men and women present and past-without you we would not have all of the blessings we have today. Stand tall and proud-you are the best Americans yet!

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The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

Bedouins:

Bedouins are nomadic Muslims who were in Israel when modern borders were set in place and are now considered Israeli citizens. They are not required to draft but a growing number choose to enlist. In 2012, there were over 1,400 Bedouin Muslim soldiers doing regular IDF service and almost 1,500 in the reserves.

Read more:http://www.idfblog.com/2014/02/27/truth-idf-numbers-pictures/#more-34027

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.
More...

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’
-- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.
Clare M. Lopez

Who is being discriminated-facts tell the truth

Religious bias

Hate crimes motivated by religious bias accounted for 1,409 offenses reported by law enforcement. A breakdown of the bias motivation of religious-bias offenses showed:

65.4 percent were anti-Jewish.
13.2 percent were anti-Islamic.
9.5 percent were anti-other religion, i.e., those not specified.
4.3 percent were anti-Catholic.
3.8 percent were anti-multiple religions, group.
3.3 percent were anti-Protestant.
0.5 percent were anti-Atheism/Agnosticism/etc.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/hate-crime/2010/narratives/hate-crime-2010-incidents-and-offenses.

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror Yemini
In 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").
Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state.
Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."
Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.

Doc's Talk