RON PAUL IS THE CHOICE OF THE TROOPS!!!

Ron Paul is the choice of the troops!

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Charities for the Troops!!!

Hello All!

The below link will take you to IAVA's (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) website listing of numerous charities and other ways to help veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Please take a minute to check it out, and feel free to pass it on to your friends and family.

IAVA
http://iava.org/content/troops-charities

Help Troops and Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury
http://remind.org/

Thanks,
Aaron

Cal Cunningham on Veterans and Military Families.

Veterans and Military Families



Honoring our men and women in uniform
The military says, “Leave No One Behind,” and it is Washington’s duty to heed that same call when it comes to caring for veterans and military families. Cal would be the first OIF/OEF veteran elected to serve in the United States Senate – and knows he bears a special responsibility to stand up for the needs of a new generation of veterans.

To fulfill our commitment, we must:

1. Honor the sacrifices of those who have served in uniform with a Veterans Administration of the 21st Century, which fulfills its purpose of caring “for those who have borne the battle.” It is simply not enough to attempt to catch those who fall through the cracks – we must fix the cracks, not only within the Veterans Administration but also for those in transition from the Uniformed Services to the V.A.

2. Meet the health needs of the thousands of veterans who suffer not only physical but psychological wounds. Many service members suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, Traumatic Brain Injury. Due to advances in battlefield medicine and body armor, more service members survive serious injuries. Our nation’s obligations to them continue in perpetuity.

3. Fully implement the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, which would provide every service member with a chance to advance his or her education, identify and extend support for housing to over 100,000 homeless veterans, and support military-to-work transition programs so that a new generation of veterans finds its place in the job market.

http://www.CalForNC.com

Cal Cunningham on National Security.

National Security


Protecting the homeland
As an Iraq War veteran and eleven-year member of the Reserves, Cal understands the importance of a robust national security program to the peace and security of our country. He recognizes that in order to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, we must adopt a new doctrine that brings to bear the full power of the United States– including the so-called “soft” powers of moral, legal, economic, diplomatic and cultural influence.

To ensure our national security, we must:

1. Clearly define and pursue our national security interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, by fully implementing counterinsurgency strategy, seizing momentum, protecting the population, allowing no geographic safe-haven for Al Qaeda, building Afghani capacity to secure itself, and turning over the security mission as soon as possible.

2. Develop a specialized civilian corps to complement the uniformed services and provide logistics, civil governance, public works, information technology, and linguist services. This corps must operate under the blanket of U.S. law under a unified chain of command, in place of private contractors.

3. Fund, train, and equip the best fighting force, including following through on increases in end-strength, ending “stop-loss”, and retooling and re-setting our Reserves and National Guard, which have been strained by two concurrent wars in the Middle East.

4. Conclude the Mission in Iraq. With Honor. Period.

http://www.CalForNC.com

BURR DISHONORS SERVICE MEMBERS – SHOULD RETURN CONTRIBUTIONS!!!

BURR DISHONORS SERVICE MEMBERS – SHOULD RETURN CONTRIBUTIONS

Crosses the line when he offers his financial supporters the opportunity to "enlist"
and buy a military rank in exchange for a campaign contribution.
A fundraising letter from Richard Burr sent to contributors and obtained by the Cal Cunningham for Senate Campaign shows a blatant disregard for the sacrifice of members of the military, veterans and their families by purporting to sell military rank in exchange for campaign contributions.

“Richard Burr’s offensive letter dishonors our men and women in uniform by offering anyone the military ranks of "Private," "Sergeant," or even "Colonel" in exchange for a campaign contribution,” said Major General (Ret.) Hubert Leonard, former Adjutant General of the North Carolina National Guard and co-chairman of Veterans for Cunningham.

“Unlike Cal Cunningham, Richard Burr hasn't served a day in the military. Maybe that's why he doesn't understand that you don't buy a military rank -- you earn it. Richard Burr should immediately return all contributions received from this dishonorable solicitation and apologize to the thousands of military men and women, veterans and their families whose sacrifice he has demeaned.”

Richard Burr’s record has previously shown disregard for our men and women in uniform:

Burr Voted against Pay Raises and Body Armor for Our troops. Burr voted against funding for body armor, armored vehicles and equipment needed to keep our troops safe. Burr also voted against providing our military men and women a well-deserved pay increase. [Vote 384, 12/19/09]

Burr Voted against the GI Bill. Burr was part of a small group that worked to oppose the new GI Bill that would make college affordable to veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Burr argued that the new GI Bill was "too generous and would draw troops away from re-enlisting." This argument and Senator Burr's alternative bill was defeated in a bipartisan vote with veteran's organizations arguing that "patriotic troops would continue to serve their county, and that a new benefit would encourage thousands of college-bound young people to join the military." [Vote 161, 6/26/08; Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American, 2008 Congressional Report Card]

Burr Voted Against Supplying our Troops. After voting to send additional troops to Iraq, Burr voted against funding to support them. The bill provided necessary vehicles, equipment and training for our military men and women serving overseas. [Vote 181, 5/27/07]

Burr Voted Twice Against Protecting Soldiers’ Salaries When Forced to Take Leave From Work For Iraq Deployment. In 2005, Burr tried to kill a proposal to require that federal employees who take leave without pay to serve as a member of the military or National Guard be reimbursed for the difference between their salary and the pay and allowances they receive while on duty. [Vote 91, 4/13/05]

Burr Twice Voted Against Funding for Armored Vehicles. In October 2005, Burr voted against a bi-partisan amendment to the Defense Appropriations Bill for $360.8 million to provide armored vehicles to Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. In April of the same year, Burr voted against another bi-partisan amendment which would provide an addition $213 million to ensure that Humvee production remained at its maximum level through the fiscal year. The amendment passed 61-39 [Vote 248, 10/5/05; Vote 108, 4/21/05]

Burr Voted Against $50 Million to Repair Military Equipment. In February 2006, Burr voted to place tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of military equipment repair by voting against a conference instruction. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), who sponsored the motion and who served in the Army at Fort Bragg in the 1970s, urged that $50 million immediately be spent to repair military equipment, arguing, “Because they depend upon this equipment for their lives, we can’t tolerate equipment that won’t operate properly.” [Vote 18, 2/14/06; Congressional Record, 2/13/06]

Burr Voted Against Funding for Military Equipment Repairs. In February 2006, Burr voted to defeat a proposal to provide $44 billion to improve and repair military equipment. According to sponsor Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), “$47 billion worth of equipment which they have used in Iraq and Afghanistan needs to be repaired and reconditioned.” The funding would have been offset by repealing capital gains and dividends tax cuts, while extending protections for middle-class taxpayers. [Vote 8, 2/2/06; Congressional Record, 2/2/06]

For more information and to view the letter, please visit www.CalForNC.com/burrletter.

A GREAT CAUSE: The Wounded Heroes Foundation.

Hello All!

As a veteran, I wanted to pass this information on to you. I hope you will visit the below link and read the below information provided by the foundation. This is an excellent way to support our troops and their families.

-Aaron

P.S. Please pass this on to friends and family because, please remember, FREEDOM ISN'T FREE!!!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The Wounded Heroes Foundation:
http://www.woundedheroesfund.net/

* FYI Via The Wounded Heroes Foundation:

---Fisher House Opening In Chicago Very Soon!---
The Fisher House™ program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House™ Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

Wounded Heroes Foundation is helping!

Cal Cunningham's Speech At The NC07 Leadership Dinner.

Senator Burr's True Colors.

Dear Friends,

Cal's campaign just received a fundraising letter Richard Burr sent to his supporters. It's a letter he probably hoped North Carolinians, veterans, military families, and the press would never see.

In it, he dishonors the men and women who wear our country's uniform by offering anyone the military ranks of "Private," "Sergeant," or even "Colonel" in the "Burr Brigade" in exchange for a campaign contribution.

And Richard Burr charges that President Obama is "decimat[ing] our military forces" -- even though it's Burr who has a long record of voting against funding for our service-members, veterans, and their families.

Remember, unlike Cal, Richard Burr hasn't served a day in the military. Maybe that's why he doesn't understand that you don't buy a military rank -- you earn it.

Send a letter-to-the-editor of your local paper today, and make sure all North Carolinians learn about Richard Burr's outrageous fundraising letter.

Perhaps Richard Burr thinks this is a game or makes him seem patriotic. He can thump his chest about supporting the military and fill his campaign mail with the usual fear-mongering we've come to expect from desperate, extreme right-wing campaigns.

But he crosses the line when he offers his financial supporters the opportunity to "enlist" and buy a military rank in exchange for a campaign contribution.

Cal earned his military rank through his years of distinguished service, including a year-long tour in Iraq and a year-long tour at Fort Bragg. Tens of thousands of our fellow North Carolinians have also earned their ranks serving our country -- at home and abroad, now and in the past.

Richard Burr's suggestion that his supporters can buy a military rank with a $25 contribution should offend every North Carolinian, and every American.

Send a letter-to-the-editor of your local paper today, and make sure all North Carolinians learn about Richard Burr's outrageous fundraising letter.

While Richard Burr tries to convince his donors he's a strong advocate for the military, his record shows that he is anything but. In his five years as Senator, Richard Burr has:

Twice voted against funding for armored vehicles for our service men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan,
Twice opposed funding to repair faulty military equipment, and
Voted against pay raises for our troops and their families, the same week that hundreds of Marines left Camp Lejeune for Afghanistan.
Maybe you can get away with saying one thing and doing another in Washington, D.C., but North Carolinians expect better from their U.S. Senator.

That's why I hope you'll join me in sending a letter-to-the-editor to make sure all North Carolinians know about Burr's outrageous fundraising letter -- and see his true colors.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Major General (Ret.) Hubert Leonard
Co-Chairman, Veterans for Cunningham
Cunningham for U.S. Senate

Phone Call From President Carter.

I received a call from and spoke to President Jimmy Carter this morning, but I can't ever seem to get through to anyone at the VA!...something's very wrong with that picture!


-Aaron

IAVA Director Discusses Impact of Afghan Plan on Vets.

IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff joined CNN to discuss President Obama’s recent decsion to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Rieckhoff continued the call for leaders in Washington, as well as the American people, to put more focus on the cost of the surge in Afghanistan as it relates to the long-term needs of veterans and their families">

The Forgotten Cost of War: Caring for Veterans

*The below article is from Mr. Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq War veteran, Co-founder and Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). You can also view this article by going to IAVA's website, http://iava.org/blog/forgotten-cost-war-caring-veterans

The Forgotten Cost of War: Caring for Veterans

By Paul Rieckhoff
Created December 2


President Obama has finally laid out his strategy for Afghanistan. Unfortunately he did so without using the word "veteran" and without articulating any back-end support for our returning troops. In typical fashion, we've heard the media's talking heads ask: Is Afghanistan Obama's Vietnam? Why only 30,000 troops? Will the exit strategy embolden the Taliban?

And now, the politics and policy of the new strategy have been broken down into predictable soundbite-sized morsels by the partisans and pundits. But few have focused on how the Administration plans to support those 30,000 troops when they return home. Nor have we heard much talk of their families who won't be on planes to Afghanistan, but are still making sacrifices every day on the homefront. These are the brave Americans responsible for executing this new plan or waiting for a knock on the door that they pray will never come.

President Obama's plan will significantly increase the demands on our servicemembers, almost 800,000 of whom have already served multiple tours. The propeller-heads in Washington have crunched the numbers determining how much it will cost to send these new forces to the front. But I'm not at all convinced that they've done the back-end planning that's necessary for a complete war plan; one that cares for these troops when they come home. As we saw with the implementation of the new GI Bill, failing to plan is planning to fail. If the President doesn't plan adequately now, Walter Reed will only be the beginning of a decades-long national embarrassment of failing to care for our nation's veterans and their families.

The only way to avoid another round of heartache, disappointment and frustration is to guarantee that our returning troops will receive the full support of the President, Congress, the Department of Defense, the VA and the American people (a critical spoke on this wheel that has been neglected for far too long).

We can start by ensuring that every servicemember receives the resources they need when they come home. This doesn't mean a welcome home parade, although that's always a nice gesture. It means leaders in Washington that don't live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue stepping up right now. Congress must send the VA health care budget to the President immediately. As of tonight's address, the VA budget is already 61 days late.

But Congress cannot stop there. The outdated and ineffective military and VA disability systems that leave hundreds of thousands of veterans waiting for claims to be processed must be reformed. And during these trying economic times, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that every veteran can find employment and a place to call home.

Finally, President Obama must find a way to fully engage all Americans in supporting and advocating for all those who've served--regardless of how they feel about the war. America's foreign policy cannot succeed without these heroes, and their return home won't succeed without us.

Paul Rieckhoff is the Executive Director and Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and the author of Chasing Ghosts.

Showing Thanks To Our Troops This Holiday Season!

Hello All!

While most of us are spending Christmas and New Year with family, friends, and other loved ones, I hope you will take a moment to think of those who are not...our deployed U.S. Service Members. They'll be standing post all over the world tonight - in jungles, deserts, and mountains. They're there putting their lives on the line defending your freedoms. At the very least, we could keep them all in our thoughts and prayers. If you would like to do more, I suggest the mailing a care package or making a small donations to the following organizations:

1. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
http://www.iava.org

2. The United Service Organization (USO)
http://www.uso.org

3. Operation Gratitude
http://www.opgratitude.com/

4. AnySoldier.com (or other service member)
http://www.anysoldier.com/
http://anymarine.com/
http://anysailor.com/
http://anycoastguard.com/
http://anyairman.com



The Night Before Christmas (Military)

'Twas The Night Before Christmas,
He Lived All Alone,
In A One Bedroom House
Made Of Plaster And Stone.

I Had Come Down The Chimney
With Presents To Give,
And To See Just Who
In This Home Did Live.

I Looked All About,
A Strange Sight I Did See,
No Tinsel, No Presents,
Not Even A Tree.

No Stocking By Mantle,
Just Boots Filled With Sand,
On The Wall Hung Pictures
Of Far Distant Lands.

With Medals And Badges,
Awards Of All Kinds,
A Sober Thought
Came Through My Mind.

For This House Was Different,
It Was Dark And Dreary,
I Found The Home Of A Marine,
Once I Could See Clearly.

The Marine Lay Sleeping,
Silent, Alone,
Curled Up On The Floor
In This One Bedroom Home.

The Face Was So Gentle,
The Room In Such Disorder,
Not How I Pictured
A United States Marine.

Was This The Hero
Of Whom I'd Just Read?
Curled Up On A Poncho,
The Floor For A Bed?

I Realized The Families
That I Saw This Night,
Owed Their Lives To These Marines
Who Were Willing To Fight.

Soon Round The World,
The Children Would Play,
And Grownups Would Celebrate
A Bright Christmas Day.

They All Enjoyed Freedom
Each Month Of The Year,
Because Of The Marines,
Like The One Lying Here.

I Couldn't Help Wonder
How Many Lay Alone,
On A Cold Christmas Eve
In A Land Far From Home.

The Very Thought
Brought A Tear To My Eye,
I Dropped To My Knees
And Started To Cry.

The Marine Awakened
And I Heard A Rough Voice,
"Santa Don't Cry,
This Life Is My Choice;

I Fight For Freedom,
I Don't Ask For More,
My Life Is My God,
My Country, My Corps."

The Marine Rolled Over
And Drifted To Sleep,
I Couldn't Control It,
I Continued To Weep.

I Kept Watch For Hours,
So Silent And Still
And We Both Shivered
From The Cold Night's Chill.

I Didn't Want To Leave
On That Cold, Dark, Night,
This Guardian Of Honor
So Willing To Fight.

Then The Marine Rolled Over,
With A Voice Soft And Pure,
Whispered, "Carry On Santa,
It's Christmas Day, All Is Secure."

One Look At My Watch,
And I Knew He Was Right.
"Merry Christmas My Friend,
And To All A Good Night."

*Written by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt, USMC in 1986. Printed in Leatherneck (The Magazines for the Marines) in December 1991.

Supporting Our Troops This Holiday Season!

Dear Friends,

If you have ever been separated from your loved ones during the holidays -- as my family and I were by the conflict in Iraq in December 2007 -- you understand that many things can come between us and the people and places we love. Thousands of miles. Oceans. Armies.

This year, thousands of North Carolina military families are separated because of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq -- not only families in our military communities, but also families of our Reserve and National Guard; husbands and wives and children all across North Carolina cities and towns, large and small. These families serve us at a time of increased anxiety here at home -- during this season of peace -- for conflicts we pray will end in security for our nation and stability for the people of the countries where they serve.

Few organizations do more to protect the interests of our North Carolina military families than Blue Star Families.

Through a worldwide network of service spouses, parents and children, Blue Star Families seeks to support, connect and empower those whose sacrifices are often overlooked when our soldiers deploy.

I also frequently get asked: How can I send care packages to our troops? What do they need? Where do I send them? Started by a soldier in Iraq, www.anysoldier.com has the answers -- directly from those who are serving.

Elizabeth and I encourage you to visit www.bluestarfam.org to learn about the issues most important to our service families and www.anysoldier.com to directly support those who are separated today by our nation's commitments.

North Carolinians fight for progress and, through that struggle, an eventual homecoming. Join my family as we pray for the safety of our military men and women and the reunion of their families -- our neighbors. Then, join us as we push onward for progress in this coming New Year.

Happy Holidays and God Bless,


Cal Cunningham
Candidate for U.S. Senate

Senator Burr's Vote This Morning Was Wrong!!!

Dear Friends,

I can't believe it. This morning Senator Richard Burr voted against funding for our troops, both at home and abroad.

This, in the same week that hundreds of Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina held tearful, hurried holidays with their families as they prepared to ship out to Afghanistan.

Crystal Cavalier's husband is in Baghdad, Iraq right now. She also works for the military -- helping families stay connected with their loved ones overseas. This is how she described her reaction to Burr's vote:

This isn't right. My husband is over there protecting us. With three kids here at home and him gone, we look forward to that little bit of pay each year. Richard Burr needs to go.

Email Richard Burr today. Tell him that voting against our military families for partisan politics is unacceptable.

North Carolina is home to tens of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines and their families. In a show of bipartisanship, the Senate voted 88-10 to fund body armor, supply armored vehicles to keep our troops safe, and provide our military men and women a well-deserved pay increase.

In the past Richard Burr has voted FOR several of his own pay raises for his work in Washington. But this morning he wouldn't put political games aside and voted AGAINST a pay raise for Crystal's husband for his work on the battlefield.

While Richard Burr is in Washington playing politics with our troops and national security, Amy Castleberry is caring for four children at home at Fort Bragg while her husband is in Ramadi, Iraq.

Amy sent me this note after Burr's vote against her family this morning:

This pay increase means a lot, with all the bills we have to pay. This just upsets me, with my husband over there, fighting for Richard Burr's freedoms to run for office and take these votes. This is a slap in the face.

Send Richard Burr a message today. Tell him his "no" vote is wrong for North Carolina's military families.

After the sacrifices we've asked of our military families in recent years, Richard Burr's vote this morning is wrong. Join me in putting this Senate seat back to work for the people of North Carolina.

Sincerely,

Cal Cunningham
Candidate for U.S. Senate

Happy Bill of Rights Day!...and more!

Happy Bill of Rights Day Everyone! I hope we all will remember those Rights as well as the people that gave their lives so that we can enjoy them!

And...on that note...

Since 2003, more than 4300 men and women have given their lives supposedly liberating the Iraqi people from oppression and tyranny. How do they repay us? They give huge, lucrative oil contracts to Russia and China!

This really comes as no surprise to me though...without "REAL" Change in Washington, the United States with be nothing more than a Chinese province by proxy in the next 10 years anyway!

http://4oil.blogspot.com/2009/12/russia-china-big-winners-in-iraq-oil.html

Cal Cunningham: I'm Running!

Senator Webb's (D-Va) comments concerning President Obama's plan for Afghanistan.

Hello All! For those who may not know, Senator James Webb is a decorated Marine Corps/Vietnam War veteran, lawyer, former Secretary of the Navy, and award winning author and journalist. Below is his op-ed piece from the Washington Times.

Senator Webb serves on both the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the Senate Committee on Armed Services, where he is chairman of the Personnel Subcommittee. In committee hearings last week, Senator Webb questioned Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen on details of the new policy. This week, he will similarly have the opportunity to question General David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command; Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan; and General Stanley McChrystal, Commander of United States Forces in Afghanistan.


A plan in need of clarity

By Senator Jim Webb
December 4, 2009

I have great regard for the careful process the Obama administration employed in its efforts to define a new approach for the long-standing military commitment inAfghanistan and to put an operational framework in place for our responsible withdrawal. I intend, nevertheless, to continue to call on the administration to clarify to the American public and Congress how it defines success and how we reach an end point.

Since early 2009, I have said repeatedly that the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan must proceed based on four considerations: (1) the fragility of the Afghan government; (2) whether building a national army of considerable scale is achievable; (3) whether an increased U.S. military presence will ultimately have a positive effect in the country, or whether we will be seen as an occupying force; and (4) the linkage of events in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the coming weeks I intend to examine the administration's plan to see how it addresses these criteria and how it will affect our troops.

Since the president's address Tuesday, there has been much discussion of the date that the United States will begin to draw down military forces and transfer security responsibility. Just as important is a focus on creating the conditions to enable this transfer of responsibility. The administration has not defined them with sufficient clarity. Our strategy is sound only if framed with clearly defined and attainable goals, an understandable end point and a regional perspective. We must also avoid the inherent risks of allowing our success in Afghanistan to be defined by events that are largely beyond our control.

When U.S. troops entered Afghanistan in 2001, no true central government had existed in that country since 1979. The agreements reached in Bonn, Germany, in December 2001 led to a new constitution, an interim government and the national election of 2004. The agreements also gave considerable power to a central government in a country that is very disparate and historically far removed from the concept of central governance. The result today is a weak, fragile government inKabul whose power on paper is far greater than in reality. It is plagued by a lack of capacity and rampant corruption. Many observers say that power needs to be devolved to a more decentralized form of governance consistent with tribal realities to achieve the Afghan government's long-term viability.

We are ramping up deployment to about 100,000 troops, along with tens of thousands of American contractors and civilians, to implement a counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. This greatly enlarged presence runs the risk, well rooted in Afghanistan's history of resisting foreign influence, that the United States will be perceived as an occupying force instead of a presence seeking to assist Afghans in improving their stability and development.

Another key question that remains to be answered is: How do we define our enemy in Afghanistan? When we talk about the Taliban, we interchange terms that aren't particularly interchangeable. Three different types of actors are associated with the Taliban. First came those in a vicious government that the United States assisted in removing. Second, there is an ideologically charged group that operates principally in Pakistan, associated with the forces of international terrorism. Third, we have a separate group, presumably growing with the greatest speed, that is viewed by many Afghans as something of a regional militia defending local interests and that doesn't particularly want to threaten U.S. interests outside Afghanistan.

I have said consistently that countering international terrorism requires highly maneuverable forces able to strike an intrinsically mobile enemy. The departure of al-Qaeda from Iraq and, in large measure, from Afghanistan demonstrates why more maneuverable U.S. forces are to be favored against mobile international terrorist movements. In each instance, al-Qaeda relocated to other areas, including Pakistan and the Horn of Africa. Our military must retain the same maneuverability.

On the personnel front, our active-duty military has been deployed repeatedly for combat operations since 2001. Guard and reserve components also have deployed at levels not envisioned when the all-volunteer force was introduced. We are in uncharted territory in terms of the long-term effects these deployments are having on the well-being of our men and women in uniform, especially the Army and Marine Corps. I introduced dwell-time legislation nearly three years ago to ensure that we achieved a better balance in deployment cycles with a minimum interval before follow-on deployments. The new commitment of some 30,000 U.S. troops will put additional strains on our forces and their families. I plan to press the administration on this point to ensure that we are more vigilant in safeguarding the welfare of our men and women in uniform.

The writer, a Democrat from Virginia who was secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration, serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he is chairman of the subcommittee on personnel.

Conservative Support for the President's Afghan/Iraq Policy.

President Obama has now announced that the United States will send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. The President finally spoke forcefully on the way forward in Afghanistan. His supporters on the left, who have been calling for an immediate pullout of all troops, must have felt like they'd gotten a hard spanking by their big brother.

The President, to his credit, made it unmistakably clear that he considers Afghanistan to be the epicenter of terrorist planning. He also made it clear that as that epicenter of terrorist planning, Afghanistan represents a clear and present danger to the United States of America and all freedom loving nations.

I was impressed with the President's assertion that comparisons of Afghanistan to Vietnam represents a "false reading of history." However he did attempt to placate the anti-war left with a promise to work with the Afghan government so that they could eventually take over its own security. He also made a general promise to start bringing troops home within 18 months.

But, the President correctly pointed out al-Qaeda is a cancer in Afghanistan that threatens us all. You don't deal with cancer by pretending it doesn't exist. It may have taken longer than it should have, but the President deserves credit and our support and respect for coming to the right conclusion.

Republicans concerned about the war on terror have frequently been critical of the President's handling of this national security threat. Now, we owe him our non-partisan support as he takes a clear stand and seeks to give our military the resources they need to push al-Qaeda back to hell.

Mike Huckabee

Veteran Outreach Project....Please send Feedback!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon. Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my site and blog. While we're still working on getting things up and running on the site, http://www.aregularguyontheissues.com, I wanted to go ahead and put this out there for everyone. I'm currently working on a political/veterans outreach project in North Carolina. For all my fellow North Carolinians, I would like to know what you thought about the President's speech Wednesday night concerning the withdrawal timeline for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan...Did you agree?...disagree? If you agreed with part of his speech but not all....what's parts did you agree with/disagree with and why? Your feedback will help me get a feel for how North Carolinians feel about our current military and foreign policy. Please feel free to send your feedback to Comments.RGI@gmail.com No worries...your names will remain totally anonymous.

Thanks,

Aaron

Cal Cunningham....NC needs you!!!

P.S. If you didn't see the President's speech, you can view it here, http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/president-obama-s-afghanistan-plan-4-minutes