Allison Hickey?
A number of e-mails continue to come in on Hickey.
Are we going to cover it?
It being what we said all along.
Allison Hickey is gone from the VA.
Thankfully.
She should have been forced out long ago.
Even now, the press doesn't want to connect her to the con game, the shell game, that made it appear the backlog for claims had been significantly reduced.
It hasn't been.
That was a shell game.
Every now and then the press gets a little brave and notes the numbers aren't quite correct.
That's about as much bravery as they can manage.
But what were we supposed to write here when she was forced out at the middle of last month?
"I was right."
Again, we covered her.
(And we ran several press releases last month on her downfall.)
"You're not answering the question."
Remember that remark in a 2012 hearing?
We covered it.
Corruption was her downfall.
Big surprise?
Not at all.
Not if anyone bothered to pay attention.
Check the archives and you'll also find that her biggest Congressional critic on the Democratic side predicted she'd leave the VA and that she'd leave in disgrace.
Again, Hickey's fall and disgrace is only a surprise if you weren't paying attention or you were a press whore who refused to report accurately what took place.
And that's the other thing.
We spent years here and at Third calling for Hickey's resignation.
And we told the truth about her.
Now that she's resigned, most press outlets served up the weakest versions of her downfall.
So again I was going to have to do the heavy lifting?
To tell the truth about a corrupt official whose connection to illegal bonuses for VA employees was the final nail in her professional coffin?
I've got more on my plate and don't have the time to rush and fix every press lie in the world.
Hickey's a crook.
We established that in one report after another on Congressional hearings.
We provided her lies and then we explained how they were lies. We repeatedly called her out.
And the press usually just treated her as the voice of wisdom and truth.
Having done the heavy lifting over and over, I'm really not in the mood to now yet again do the work for reporters who are paid to do a job but choose not to.
If you're waiting on the snapshot, I'll be dictating it starting in about twenty minutes so it should be up in about an hour but there are so many e-mails on Hickey still coming in that I'm offering this on the subject and then consider us done with it unless I bring her up with regards to Barack's awful record with regards to veterans.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Hillary's Got A Funny Bone"
Isaiah's latest The World Today Just Nuts "Hillary's Got A Funny Bone." Hillary Cranky Clinton explains her faux pas (see Wally's "THIS JUST IN! CRANKY CLINTON CACKLES!" and Cedric's "Violence against women strikes Clinton as funny") earlier in the week, "People say, 'Oh, Hillary, don't you regret laughing at a man's threat to strangle a woman? Not a big. Usually people find me dour and humorless. I'm glad to prove them wrong. Now, anybody got any good Special Olympics jokes?" Isaiah archives his comics at The World Today Just Nuts.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Isakson Statement on Exorbitant Bonus Spending at VA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
|
|
|
Thursday, November 12, 2015
|
Lauren Gaydos,
202-224-9126
|
Isakson Statement on Exorbitant Bonus Spending at VA
Urges colleagues to pass legislation that prevents VA from rewarding bad actors
WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs, today released the
following statement on reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) paid more than $142 million in bonuses to executives and employees
in 2014 while scandals and mismanagement plagued the agency:
“While
I understand rewarding employees for good performance, it is absolutely
unacceptable that the VA would pay bonuses to employees involved in its
many scandals. That money should have gone
towards taking care of our veterans. The VA cannot reform its culture
of corruption if it keeps rewarding the bad actors who perpetuate it. As
chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I’m proud that
our committee recently passed legislation to
combat the issue of wrongfully awarding bonuses to employees engaged in
misconduct at the VA. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass it
immediately.”
At a
markup earlier this year, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
passed S.627, introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., in conjunction
with Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., to prevent the VA from
awarding bonuses to bad actors and give the VA the authority to rescind
bonuses paid out to employees who are later found to have violated a
department policy or law. The bill also requires the VA to keep a
permanent record of employee reprimands.
###
The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 114th Congress.
Isakson
is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard
from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate VA Committee since
he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home
state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations
representing each branch of the military as well as more than 750,000
veterans.
veterans
The no-win win
Isabel Coles (Reuters) reports, "Kurdish
forces said they had secured strategic facilities in the northern Iraqi
town of Sinjar on Friday as part of an offensive against Islamic State
militants that could provide critical momentum in efforts to defeat the
jihadist group." BBC News adds, "Kurdish Peshmerga forces were filmed streaming into the town, walking
through its rubble-strewn streets and putting Kurdish flags on
buildings."
So when is a win not a win?
How about this one.
Even if this holds -- and Sinjar's been 'liberated' before or at the least the western press has declared a success and then walked away from the story -- even while Yazidis remained trapped on top of a mountain -- this doesn't qualify as a win.
The Peshmerga are Kurdish forces.
They have been trained by the Kurds, they are Kurds.
Meanwhile the Baghdad-backed forces still struggle to free Ramadi -- they're on a now six month effort.
So the KRG liberating Sinjar -- if that has happened -- in a matter of days?
No, it doesn't look good for Iraq as a whole.
This week, the US government made a claim many snickered at. 50,000 troops have been trained -- Iraqi troops -- by the US since August 2014.
The derision comes from those of us who sat through the recent hearing on training and heard about the Syrian fighters trained by the US -- how it was a handful after all the training.
The 50,000 assertion might have been an attempt to bolster Baghdad in case the Sinjar operation took days and not months.
If Sinjar is liberated, it's very humiliating for Iraqi forces who can't take Ramadi.
In addition, Sinjar is disputed territory.
It was claimed by both the KRG and the Baghdad-based Iraqi government.
Who really has claim to it now?
If the Peshmerga liberated it, in the eyes of the world, the KRG now has dibs.
If the Baghdad-based government couldn't or wouldn't take on an effort to liberate the city what right do they have to it?
There's another detail to the story. Ed Payne (CNN notes:
Watch the spinners try to ignore that reality.
On reality, a number of you are e-mailing the ridiculous column by a first class whore. We'll take it on in the snapshot. I'm hoping I'm in a calm state by then or else I'll really take on the 'sainted' dead wife of Mr. Grabby Hands. Both the dead wife and Grabby Hands pimped the same lie. It goes to character -- specifically, the lack of it.
The following community sites updated:
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The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
So when is a win not a win?
How about this one.
Even if this holds -- and Sinjar's been 'liberated' before or at the least the western press has declared a success and then walked away from the story -- even while Yazidis remained trapped on top of a mountain -- this doesn't qualify as a win.
The Peshmerga are Kurdish forces.
They have been trained by the Kurds, they are Kurds.
Meanwhile the Baghdad-backed forces still struggle to free Ramadi -- they're on a now six month effort.
So the KRG liberating Sinjar -- if that has happened -- in a matter of days?
No, it doesn't look good for Iraq as a whole.
This week, the US government made a claim many snickered at. 50,000 troops have been trained -- Iraqi troops -- by the US since August 2014.
The derision comes from those of us who sat through the recent hearing on training and heard about the Syrian fighters trained by the US -- how it was a handful after all the training.
The 50,000 assertion might have been an attempt to bolster Baghdad in case the Sinjar operation took days and not months.
If Sinjar is liberated, it's very humiliating for Iraqi forces who can't take Ramadi.
In addition, Sinjar is disputed territory.
It was claimed by both the KRG and the Baghdad-based Iraqi government.
Who really has claim to it now?
If the Peshmerga liberated it, in the eyes of the world, the KRG now has dibs.
If the Baghdad-based government couldn't or wouldn't take on an effort to liberate the city what right do they have to it?
There's another detail to the story. Ed Payne (CNN notes:
According to a Pentagon spokesman, U.S. troops are in the field calling in airstrikes from positions in Sinjar.
"The
Peshmerga forces are carrying this out with ... the support of
coalition advisers," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told reporters.
"There are U.S. personnel. My understanding is there are coalition
advisers from other countries as well."
Watch the spinners try to ignore that reality.
On reality, a number of you are e-mailing the ridiculous column by a first class whore. We'll take it on in the snapshot. I'm hoping I'm in a calm state by then or else I'll really take on the 'sainted' dead wife of Mr. Grabby Hands. Both the dead wife and Grabby Hands pimped the same lie. It goes to character -- specifically, the lack of it.
The following community sites updated:
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7 hours ago
Souljah so! Souljah so!
7 hours ago
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7 hours ago
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7 hours ago
THIS JUST IN! AT LEAST BILL LOVES HER!
15 hours ago
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Iraq snapshot
Thursday, November 12, 2015. Chaos and violence continue, the UN Security Council hears about Iraq, John Kerry spins in public, the Peshmerga continue to try to take Sinjar, Nouri al-Maliki talks to the press, and much more.
Wednesday, the US Defense Dept offered:
And the airstrikes were apparently so successful or so much fun that DoD announced today:
Strikes in Iraq
Bomber, fighter, attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 40 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:
-- Near Albu Hayat, one strike, struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL command-and-control node and two ISIL weapons caches.
-- Near Kisik, two strikes struck two separate ISIL staging areas.
-- Near Mosul, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and wounded an ISIL fighter.
-- Near Ramadi, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL buildings, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL excavator, two other ISIL vehicles, two ISIL bomb clusters, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
-- Near Sinjar, 24 strikes struck nine separate ISIL tactical units, nine ISIL staging areas, and destroyed 27 fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL bomb, six ISIL assembly areas, two ISIL vehicle-borne bombs, two ISIL command and control nodes, an ISIL bunker, two ISIL caches, four ISIL staging areas, and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun.
-- Near Tal Afar, six strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, three ISIL staging areas, an ISIL bridge, and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL observation post, and two ISIL bunkers.
And the airstrikes will continue tomorrow.
They've gone on daily since August . . .
of last year.
They've accomplished nothing of value and only a fool would think that they might.
At this late date, only a professional idiot would still hold out hope of something coming from these bombings.
Yesterday the United Nations Security Council heard about Iraq. The UN notes:
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces “immense challenges” to his efforts to bring reconciliation and broaden the political process in his strife-torn nation, confronting obstacles from all sides, the top United Nations official in the country warned the Security Council today.
“Since taking office (a year ago), the Prime Minister has been struggling to exercise his authority while his opponents grow bolder,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Ján Kubiš told the Council, presenting the latest UN report on the country. “Meanwhile, the scope and impact of the reforms have not met public expectations.”
“Despite hopes that he would be able to move national reconciliation forward and bring the broader Sunni community into the political process, the Prime Minister's efforts have been obstructed by elements within all Iraqi components, the main reasons being lack of trust and vested interests.”
We'll note this from Jan Kubis' testimony:
Special Representative Jan Kubis: In July, when the country was experiencing record high temperatures and repeated electricity cuts, popular demonstrations erupted to protest the poor delivery of services in Baghdad and the southern governorates. By early August, the demonstrations had grown in strength and numbers. The protests have recurred each Friday and are led by civil society groups and young people, who are demanding better services, better governance and an end to government corruption and mismanagement. The protesters' demands for reform gained momentum when, on 7 August, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to take decisive action against corruption, improve the Government’s performance, reduce public sector expenditure and publicly name officials who are impeding reforms. On 9 August, Prime Minister al-Abadi announced a reform plan to address the economic and social needs of Iraq, counter corruption and strengthen democratic institutions. The plan included downsizing the Government to reduce public expenditure and improve State performance, abolishing the posts of Vice-President and deputy prime ministers as well as a number of senior officials in various ministries, reducing their salaries, protecting services, and judicial reform. The reform plan was unanimously endorsed by the Council of Ministers just hours after the Prime Minister's announcement. On 11 August, the Council of Representatives unanimously approved Prime Minister al-Abadi's first package of reforms and its own reform package to complement the Prime Minister's measures. The Council of Representatives also stated that the reforms should be in conformity with the Constitution of Iraq and other laws. Following the endorsement by the Council of Representatives of the reform packages, Prime Minister al-Abadi began reducing the number of Government personnel. On 16 August, he ordered the immediate abolishment of his deputies' posts, the reduction of the Council of Ministers from 34 to 22 members and the dissolution of the Ministries of Human Rights, Women's Affairs, and Municipalities and Public Works. He also ordered the merging of Ministries with similar specialized functions: Science and Technology with Higher Education and Scientific Research; Environment with Health; Municipalities and Public Works with Housing; and Tourism and Antiquities with Culture. On 20 August, the Prime Minister announced a 90 percent reduction in the number of personnel dedicated to providing protection for Government officials. On 9 September, he announced the dismissal of 123 senior officials from their posts. They were to either retire or have their administrative status adjusted. The Prime Minister also took steps to formalize the abolition of the posts of the Vice- Presidents. On 20 August, he ceased the payment of their financial entitlements and on 15 September, the Council of Ministers submitted to the Council of Representatives a draft law to aboli sh their posts. All three Vice - Presidents publicly stated that they considered the abolition of their posts unconstitutional. 8 . The Government took steps t o initiate inquiries into allegations of political corruption. On 15 August, the Presidency of the Council of Representatives referred to outstanding cases of corruption against staff in the Ministries of Defence and Commerce concerning the award of arms contracts. The day before, the Chairman of the Integrity Commission, Hassan al-Yassiri, had announced that travel bans had been instituted against those under investigation for corruption.
So there's real movement on the political front? That's the story?
Nope.
Special Representative Jan Kubis: Most of the priority legislation that would aid national reconciliation, however, remained pending in Parliament. Votes on the national guard law were postponed on 30 August and again on 7 September owing to disagreements between parliamentary blocs over its provisions. Additionally, no progress was made towards the enactment of a general amnesty law since its first reading on 5 July. Meanwhile, the National Reconciliation Committee of the Council of Representatives separated the Justice and Accountability and Banning of the Baath Party Act into two bills on 25 July. While the Council of Representatives concluded, on 30 July, the first reading of the draft law on the banning of the Baath Party, dissolved entities and parties, and the activities of racism, terrorism and takfir (charge of unbelief), no voting took place on legislation that would revise de-baathification measures. On 15 September, the Council of Ministers decided to withdraw and review all draft laws submitted to the Council of Representatives by the previous Government. This amounted to some 80 draft bills, including the draft anti-terrorism law of 2005.
Before US President Barack Obama became enthralled with airstrikes, he was fond of pointing out that the only answer to Iraq's various crises was a "political solution." June 19, 2014, he was proud of declaring that publicly.
Yet when he began the current wave/latest wave of the Iraq War (August 2014, less than two months later), he was obsessed with bombings and completely forgot about the need for a political solution.
Bombing has passed for a 'plan.'
Who thinks Barack's 'plan' is working at this point?
Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki has waded into the discussion and called out the US. He says there's no way the Islamic State could survive these bombings and fears some nations (he means the US in that "some") want to see the Islamic State succeed.
Barack looks like an idiot because he's set himself up to be.
In June 2014, he was full of talk about how this would require a political solution -- Iraq's crises -- and how this or that (military actions) would not fix the problems.
And the bombings weren't intended to.
Until Barack lost any interest in a political solution.
That was somewhere around the time the US State Dept began acting as an auxiliary to the US Defense Dept and you had Brett McGurk acting like Military Wanna Be McJerk and focusing on everything but the political issues at stake in Iraq (which can mainly be boiled down to a lack of inclusion).
Barack's 'plan' is a failure and he's got no one to blame but himself.
He needs to realize that as Nouri continues to serve him up to the press.
Wednesday, the US Defense Dept offered:
Airstrikes in Iraq
Bomber, fighter, attack and
remotely piloted aircraft conducted 17 airstrikes in Iraq, coordinated
with and in support of the Iraqi government:
-- Near Kisik, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
-- Near Mosul, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
-- Near Ramadi, three strikes
struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL
vehicles, an ISIL excavator, two ISIL heavy machine guns, two ISIL
buildings, and an ISIL 23mm anti-aircraft artillery piece.
-- Near Sinjar, six strikes struck
three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed eight ISIL fighting
positions, two ISIL command and control nodes, three ISIL vehicles, and
18 ISIL staging areas.
-- Near Sultan Abdallah, a strike destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
-- Near Huwayjah, four strikes
struck an ISIL headquarters, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL logistical
facility, and an ISIL security headquarters.
-- Near Albu Hayat, a strike
struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings,
three ISIL weapons caches, and three ISIL fighting positions.
And the airstrikes were apparently so successful or so much fun that DoD announced today:
Strikes in Iraq
Bomber, fighter, attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 40 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq’s government:
-- Near Albu Hayat, one strike, struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL command-and-control node and two ISIL weapons caches.
-- Near Kisik, two strikes struck two separate ISIL staging areas.
-- Near Mosul, one strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and wounded an ISIL fighter.
-- Near Ramadi, six strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed five ISIL buildings, an ISIL tactical vehicle, an ISIL excavator, two other ISIL vehicles, two ISIL bomb clusters, and denied ISIL access to terrain.
-- Near Sinjar, 24 strikes struck nine separate ISIL tactical units, nine ISIL staging areas, and destroyed 27 fighting positions, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL bomb, six ISIL assembly areas, two ISIL vehicle-borne bombs, two ISIL command and control nodes, an ISIL bunker, two ISIL caches, four ISIL staging areas, and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun.
-- Near Tal Afar, six strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, three ISIL staging areas, an ISIL bridge, and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL observation post, and two ISIL bunkers.
And the airstrikes will continue tomorrow.
They've gone on daily since August . . .
of last year.
They've accomplished nothing of value and only a fool would think that they might.
At this late date, only a professional idiot would still hold out hope of something coming from these bombings.
Yesterday the United Nations Security Council heard about Iraq. The UN notes:
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces “immense challenges” to his efforts to bring reconciliation and broaden the political process in his strife-torn nation, confronting obstacles from all sides, the top United Nations official in the country warned the Security Council today.
“Since taking office (a year ago), the Prime Minister has been struggling to exercise his authority while his opponents grow bolder,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Ján Kubiš told the Council, presenting the latest UN report on the country. “Meanwhile, the scope and impact of the reforms have not met public expectations.”
“Despite hopes that he would be able to move national reconciliation forward and bring the broader Sunni community into the political process, the Prime Minister's efforts have been obstructed by elements within all Iraqi components, the main reasons being lack of trust and vested interests.”
We'll note this from Jan Kubis' testimony:
Special Representative Jan Kubis: In July, when the country was experiencing record high temperatures and repeated electricity cuts, popular demonstrations erupted to protest the poor delivery of services in Baghdad and the southern governorates. By early August, the demonstrations had grown in strength and numbers. The protests have recurred each Friday and are led by civil society groups and young people, who are demanding better services, better governance and an end to government corruption and mismanagement. The protesters' demands for reform gained momentum when, on 7 August, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to take decisive action against corruption, improve the Government’s performance, reduce public sector expenditure and publicly name officials who are impeding reforms. On 9 August, Prime Minister al-Abadi announced a reform plan to address the economic and social needs of Iraq, counter corruption and strengthen democratic institutions. The plan included downsizing the Government to reduce public expenditure and improve State performance, abolishing the posts of Vice-President and deputy prime ministers as well as a number of senior officials in various ministries, reducing their salaries, protecting services, and judicial reform. The reform plan was unanimously endorsed by the Council of Ministers just hours after the Prime Minister's announcement. On 11 August, the Council of Representatives unanimously approved Prime Minister al-Abadi's first package of reforms and its own reform package to complement the Prime Minister's measures. The Council of Representatives also stated that the reforms should be in conformity with the Constitution of Iraq and other laws. Following the endorsement by the Council of Representatives of the reform packages, Prime Minister al-Abadi began reducing the number of Government personnel. On 16 August, he ordered the immediate abolishment of his deputies' posts, the reduction of the Council of Ministers from 34 to 22 members and the dissolution of the Ministries of Human Rights, Women's Affairs, and Municipalities and Public Works. He also ordered the merging of Ministries with similar specialized functions: Science and Technology with Higher Education and Scientific Research; Environment with Health; Municipalities and Public Works with Housing; and Tourism and Antiquities with Culture. On 20 August, the Prime Minister announced a 90 percent reduction in the number of personnel dedicated to providing protection for Government officials. On 9 September, he announced the dismissal of 123 senior officials from their posts. They were to either retire or have their administrative status adjusted. The Prime Minister also took steps to formalize the abolition of the posts of the Vice- Presidents. On 20 August, he ceased the payment of their financial entitlements and on 15 September, the Council of Ministers submitted to the Council of Representatives a draft law to aboli sh their posts. All three Vice - Presidents publicly stated that they considered the abolition of their posts unconstitutional. 8 . The Government took steps t o initiate inquiries into allegations of political corruption. On 15 August, the Presidency of the Council of Representatives referred to outstanding cases of corruption against staff in the Ministries of Defence and Commerce concerning the award of arms contracts. The day before, the Chairman of the Integrity Commission, Hassan al-Yassiri, had announced that travel bans had been instituted against those under investigation for corruption.
So there's real movement on the political front? That's the story?
Nope.
Special Representative Jan Kubis: Most of the priority legislation that would aid national reconciliation, however, remained pending in Parliament. Votes on the national guard law were postponed on 30 August and again on 7 September owing to disagreements between parliamentary blocs over its provisions. Additionally, no progress was made towards the enactment of a general amnesty law since its first reading on 5 July. Meanwhile, the National Reconciliation Committee of the Council of Representatives separated the Justice and Accountability and Banning of the Baath Party Act into two bills on 25 July. While the Council of Representatives concluded, on 30 July, the first reading of the draft law on the banning of the Baath Party, dissolved entities and parties, and the activities of racism, terrorism and takfir (charge of unbelief), no voting took place on legislation that would revise de-baathification measures. On 15 September, the Council of Ministers decided to withdraw and review all draft laws submitted to the Council of Representatives by the previous Government. This amounted to some 80 draft bills, including the draft anti-terrorism law of 2005.
Before US President Barack Obama became enthralled with airstrikes, he was fond of pointing out that the only answer to Iraq's various crises was a "political solution." June 19, 2014, he was proud of declaring that publicly.
Yet when he began the current wave/latest wave of the Iraq War (August 2014, less than two months later), he was obsessed with bombings and completely forgot about the need for a political solution.
Bombing has passed for a 'plan.'
Who thinks Barack's 'plan' is working at this point?
Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki has waded into the discussion and called out the US. He says there's no way the Islamic State could survive these bombings and fears some nations (he means the US in that "some") want to see the Islamic State succeed.
Barack looks like an idiot because he's set himself up to be.
In June 2014, he was full of talk about how this would require a political solution -- Iraq's crises -- and how this or that (military actions) would not fix the problems.
And the bombings weren't intended to.
Until Barack lost any interest in a political solution.
That was somewhere around the time the US State Dept began acting as an auxiliary to the US Defense Dept and you had Brett McGurk acting like Military Wanna Be McJerk and focusing on everything but the political issues at stake in Iraq (which can mainly be boiled down to a lack of inclusion).
Barack's 'plan' is a failure and he's got no one to blame but himself.
He needs to realize that as Nouri continues to serve him up to the press.
RT notes:
Nouri al-Maliki, who stepped down as the head of the Iraqi government last year and remains a vice-president, believes that Iraq was targeted by a “regional conspiracy” and is at risk of breaking up. He also said inviting Russia to target Islamic State targets in Iraq could play a positive part in the debacle.
Describing the effort of the international coalition led by the US to cripple ISIS fighters in Iraq, Maliki said it was “inefficient”.
“It's unbelievable and unacceptable that more than 60 nations comprising this coalition that have the most modern aircraft and weapons at their disposal have been conducting their campaign in Iraq for 14 months and IS still remains in the country,” he told RT's Arabic-language sister-channel Rusiya Al-Yaum.
Today, US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke at the so-called US Institute of Peace.
There, he pretended to be concerned and fair. On Iraq, which he briefly noted, he zoomed in on the Islamic State and declared that their " fighters have been abducting, raping, and auctioning off women and girls, even teaching that the abuse of underage, non-Muslim girls is not only acceptable but a form of prayer, an expression of the will of God. That is how perverse this has become. And they have urged followers and affiliates from across the globe to murder their neighbors, to commit homicides and suicide at the same time."
At Wednesday's UN Security Council briefing on Iraq, Jan Kubis also noted the actions of the Islamic State.
Unlike John Kerry, Kubis didn't leave it at just the Islamic State.
Special Representative Jan Kubis: UNAMI also continued to receive reports alleging that pro-Government armed groups and militias had perpetrated human rights violations. Members of the Sunni Arab community were targeted in particular, primarily in Diyala. On 12 August, approximately 50 members of the Sunni Arab community were abducted in Baquba District, Diyala Governorate; at least 17 of the bodies were found in the Diyala River later the same day. Many of the abductions reportedly took place at or near checkpoints manned by Iraqi security forces and associated forces. On 1 September, militia members allegedly abducted at least 40 persons of Sunni Arab origin near Balad District, Salah al - Din. The fate and whereabouts of the abductees are unknown. Reports were also received of persons in Peshmerga uniform destroying homes and structures in Sunni Arab-inhabited areas in Jalawla, Diyala Governorate, on or around 16 August.
Poor John Kerry, such the hypocrite.
In other news, Charlie D'Agata (CBS Evening News -- link is text and video) reports:
Kurdish Peshmerga troops, backed by 36 American airstrikes, moved to take the town of Sinjar. They seized part of a highway used by ISIS to ferry supplies from Raqqa, its stronghold in Syria, to Mosul, an Iraqi city of more than 1 million people.
The battle to reclaim Sinjar began in the air. U.S. airstrikes pounded suspected ISIS targets throughout the day. Thick smoke hung over the city, and ISIS fighters lit banks of tires to try and block the bombers' visibility.
On this topic, David Sim (IBT) announces, "Kurdish fighters, backed by US-led air strikes, have captured several villages in an attempt to retake the Iraqi town of Sinjar from Islamic State (Isis) militants who overran it more than a year ago. Thousands of Yazidis living in Sinjar were killed and enslaved by IS, causing the flight of tens of thousands of people. This focused international attention on the Islamist group's violent campaign to impose its radical ideology, and prompted the US to launch air strikes against the militants."
Of course, the announcement's a little late in coming since they've been attempting to retake Sinjar since before August 2014 -- if anyone bothers to remember that.
Sri Lanka's The Nation newspaper explains, "The town sits on an important highway Islamic State uses to ferry supplies from Raqqa, Syria to Mosul in northern Iraq. Islamic State seized the city last summer in a major offensive, widening its self-described caliphate to about an hour’s drive from the Kurdish capital, Erbil." AFP adds, "Kurdish forces and the U.S. military said the number of Islamic State fighters in the town had increased to nearly 600 after reinforcements arrived in the run-up to the offensive, which has been expected for weeks but delayed by weather and friction between various Kurdish and Yazidi forces in Sinjar."
So 600. And they need to undertake (another) massive mission?
How many Peshmerga have been sent in to take on the 600?
Jim Michaels (USA Today) reports there are 7,500 Peshmerga that have been sent in.
So basically, they've sent in 15 times the number of Islamic State fighters.
BBC News is alone in reminding of just how long this 're-taking' has actually already taken: "The IS attack on Sinjar in August 2014 was one of the reasons the US began air strikes against IS positions in Iraq, amid a warning of genocide." Mike Giglio (BuzzFeed) reports:
For those who would like audio, Mike Giglio participated in a segment of PRI's The World today and you can click here (and scroll to mid-page) for Jim Muir's video report for BBC News.. Video, audio and transcript options are available with The NewsHour report Gwen Ifill anchored.
iraq
usa today
jim michaels
Nouri al-Maliki, who stepped down as the head of the Iraqi government last year and remains a vice-president, believes that Iraq was targeted by a “regional conspiracy” and is at risk of breaking up. He also said inviting Russia to target Islamic State targets in Iraq could play a positive part in the debacle.
Describing the effort of the international coalition led by the US to cripple ISIS fighters in Iraq, Maliki said it was “inefficient”.
“It's unbelievable and unacceptable that more than 60 nations comprising this coalition that have the most modern aircraft and weapons at their disposal have been conducting their campaign in Iraq for 14 months and IS still remains in the country,” he told RT's Arabic-language sister-channel Rusiya Al-Yaum.
Today, US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke at the so-called US Institute of Peace.
There, he pretended to be concerned and fair. On Iraq, which he briefly noted, he zoomed in on the Islamic State and declared that their " fighters have been abducting, raping, and auctioning off women and girls, even teaching that the abuse of underage, non-Muslim girls is not only acceptable but a form of prayer, an expression of the will of God. That is how perverse this has become. And they have urged followers and affiliates from across the globe to murder their neighbors, to commit homicides and suicide at the same time."
At Wednesday's UN Security Council briefing on Iraq, Jan Kubis also noted the actions of the Islamic State.
Unlike John Kerry, Kubis didn't leave it at just the Islamic State.
Special Representative Jan Kubis: UNAMI also continued to receive reports alleging that pro-Government armed groups and militias had perpetrated human rights violations. Members of the Sunni Arab community were targeted in particular, primarily in Diyala. On 12 August, approximately 50 members of the Sunni Arab community were abducted in Baquba District, Diyala Governorate; at least 17 of the bodies were found in the Diyala River later the same day. Many of the abductions reportedly took place at or near checkpoints manned by Iraqi security forces and associated forces. On 1 September, militia members allegedly abducted at least 40 persons of Sunni Arab origin near Balad District, Salah al - Din. The fate and whereabouts of the abductees are unknown. Reports were also received of persons in Peshmerga uniform destroying homes and structures in Sunni Arab-inhabited areas in Jalawla, Diyala Governorate, on or around 16 August.
Poor John Kerry, such the hypocrite.
In other news, Charlie D'Agata (CBS Evening News -- link is text and video) reports:
Kurdish Peshmerga troops, backed by 36 American airstrikes, moved to take the town of Sinjar. They seized part of a highway used by ISIS to ferry supplies from Raqqa, its stronghold in Syria, to Mosul, an Iraqi city of more than 1 million people.
The battle to reclaim Sinjar began in the air. U.S. airstrikes pounded suspected ISIS targets throughout the day. Thick smoke hung over the city, and ISIS fighters lit banks of tires to try and block the bombers' visibility.
On this topic, David Sim (IBT) announces, "Kurdish fighters, backed by US-led air strikes, have captured several villages in an attempt to retake the Iraqi town of Sinjar from Islamic State (Isis) militants who overran it more than a year ago. Thousands of Yazidis living in Sinjar were killed and enslaved by IS, causing the flight of tens of thousands of people. This focused international attention on the Islamist group's violent campaign to impose its radical ideology, and prompted the US to launch air strikes against the militants."
Of course, the announcement's a little late in coming since they've been attempting to retake Sinjar since before August 2014 -- if anyone bothers to remember that.
Sri Lanka's The Nation newspaper explains, "The town sits on an important highway Islamic State uses to ferry supplies from Raqqa, Syria to Mosul in northern Iraq. Islamic State seized the city last summer in a major offensive, widening its self-described caliphate to about an hour’s drive from the Kurdish capital, Erbil." AFP adds, "Kurdish forces and the U.S. military said the number of Islamic State fighters in the town had increased to nearly 600 after reinforcements arrived in the run-up to the offensive, which has been expected for weeks but delayed by weather and friction between various Kurdish and Yazidi forces in Sinjar."
So 600. And they need to undertake (another) massive mission?
How many Peshmerga have been sent in to take on the 600?
Jim Michaels (USA Today) reports there are 7,500 Peshmerga that have been sent in.
So basically, they've sent in 15 times the number of Islamic State fighters.
BBC News is alone in reminding of just how long this 're-taking' has actually already taken: "The IS attack on Sinjar in August 2014 was one of the reasons the US began air strikes against IS positions in Iraq, amid a warning of genocide." Mike Giglio (BuzzFeed) reports:
To promote the offensive, Kurdish officials have put their press
program on overdrive. They quietly arranged to have a flock of
international journalists on hand for the offensive’s start, bringing
them to Sinjar in convoys on Wednesday. Even a hashtag — #FreeSinjar —
was a preplanned part of the operation. A KRG official pushed
journalists to include it in their tweets; he requested to speak to at
least one organization’s social media editor directly.
The public relations push may also be aimed in part at internecine politics. The PKK, the Turkish insurgent group classified as a terrorist group by the U.S. government, did much to stem the losses in Sinjar in August 2014 and halt the ISIS advance. PKK fighters have remained in the area, doing some of the most grueling house-to-house fighting to help clear ISIS from the town. But their presence has also rankled KRG leaders who suspect the group of wanting to carve out its own influence. The Sinjar offensive was reportedly delayed in part due to bickering between the peshmerga and PKK over who would be credited for the win.
The public relations push may also be aimed in part at internecine politics. The PKK, the Turkish insurgent group classified as a terrorist group by the U.S. government, did much to stem the losses in Sinjar in August 2014 and halt the ISIS advance. PKK fighters have remained in the area, doing some of the most grueling house-to-house fighting to help clear ISIS from the town. But their presence has also rankled KRG leaders who suspect the group of wanting to carve out its own influence. The Sinjar offensive was reportedly delayed in part due to bickering between the peshmerga and PKK over who would be credited for the win.
iraq
usa today
jim michaels
Wisconsin Medical Society Supports Senator Baldwin’s Bipartisan VA Reform Legislation
Senator Tammy Baldwin (above) is a US Senator from Wisconsin. Her office issued the following today.
***MEDIA RELEASE***
For Immediate Release
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Contact:
press@baldwin.senate.gov
(202) 224-6225
Wisconsin Medical Society Supports Senator Baldwin’s Bipartisan VA Reform Legislation
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act would provide VA with the tools it needs to address the problem
of overprescribing practices
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today announced that the Wisconsin
Medical Society is supporting bipartisan VA reform legislation she has
introduced that
is aimed at providing safer and more effective pain management services
to our nation’s veterans.
"The
Wisconsin Medical Society appreciates Senator Baldwin's leadership in
introducing the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act and is proud
to support the bill.
There is an opioid public health crisis in Wisconsin and throughout the
country and this legislation makes important regulatory reforms in the
VA System to help ensure safer opioid prescribing for our veterans,”
said Donn Dexter, M.D. “Physicians stand ready to be part of the
solution, and as the Chief Medical Officer of the Wisconsin Medical
Society and a veteran, I am grateful Senator Baldwin is asking for
critical opioid reforms to happen in the VA System."
“I'm proud to have earned the support of the Wisconsin Medical Society for
this bipartisan reform. Families like the Simcakoski family have a story
to tell that needs to
be heard,” said Senator Baldwin. “After two, decade-long wars,
our veterans and their families are facing the difficult challenges of
physical injuries, addiction, PTSD and other mental illnesses. We must
find safer and more effective ways to confront
these problems to help them meet that challenge. My legislation
proposes a number of solutions to strengthen opioid prescribing
guidelines; improve coordination and communication throughout the VA;
and put in place stronger oversight and accountability for
the quality of care we are providing our veterans. My goal is to put
these reforms in place to prevent Jason’s tragedy from occurring to
other veterans and their families.”
Senator Baldwin’s
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act,
introduced in June with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), was
produced in close consultation with medical professionals, veterans’
service organizations, and the Simcakoski family. The legislation
focuses on strengthening the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) opioid prescribing guidelines and improving pain
management services by putting the following reforms in place:
·
Requiring stronger
opioid prescribing guidelines and education for VA providers including
stricter standards against prescribing dangerous combinations of opioids
with other drugs and for prescribing opioids to patients struggling
with mental health issues;
·
Increased
coordination and communication throughout the VA with medical
facilities, providers, patients and their families surrounding pain
management, alternative
treatments for chronic pain, and appropriate opioid therapy; and
·
Holding the VA
system accountable for appropriate care and quality standards through
consistent internal audits as well as GAO reviews and reports to
Congress.
In addition to improving opioid therapy and pain management, the
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act helps strengthen
patient advocacy, expand access to complementary and integrative health
and wellness, and enhance VA hiring and internal audits.
Senator Baldwin’s bipartisan legislation has also
gained support from: Disabled American Veterans Wisconsin,
Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), The
American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Veterans for
Common Sense, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Association
of the United States Navy (AUSN), Military Health Project, National
Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), Military Officers
Association of America (MOAA), American Veterans (AMVETS), American
Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), National Alliance
on Mental Illness (NAMI), American Federation of Government Employees
(AFGE), and Trust for America's Health (TFAH).
In
the U.S. Senate, the Baldwin- Capito legislation is cosponsored by
Democrats and Republicans: U.S. Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Dick
Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member
of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Richard
Blumenthal (D-CT), and U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Al Franken
(D-MN), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy
Klobuchar (D-MN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA),
Jerry Moran (R-KS), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jon
Tester (D-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
"This
is an opportunity to take all of this and learn from it. We have a
chance to create a new path; or we can continue how we currently are and
keep making the same
mistakes we are today,” said Heather Simcakoski, Jason’s widow.
“When I look back at the past, I want to know we made a difference. I
want to believe we have leaders in our country who care. I want to
inspire others to never give up because change is
possible."
"This
legislation from Senator Baldwin is one of the most important actions
we can take to save the lives of our greatest assets, our veterans,” said Marv Simcakoski,
Jason’s father.
PHOTOS from press conference introducing legislation are
available here.
An online version of this release is available
here.
###
veterans
Still trying to retake Sinjar
David Sim (IBT) announces, "Kurdish fighters, backed by US-led air strikes, have captured several
villages in an attempt to retake the Iraqi town of Sinjar from Islamic
State (Isis) militants who overran it more than a year ago. Thousands of
Yazidis living in Sinjar were killed and enslaved by IS, causing the
flight of tens of thousands of people. This focused international
attention on the Islamist group's violent campaign to impose its radical
ideology, and prompted the US to launch air strikes against the
militants."
Of course, the announcement's a little late in coming since they've been attempting to retake Sinjar since before August 2014 -- if anyone bothers to remember that.
Sri Lanka's The Nation newspaper explains, "The town sits on an important highway Islamic State uses to ferry supplies from Raqqa, Syria to Mosul in northern Iraq. Islamic State seized the city last summer in a major offensive, widening its self-described caliphate to about an hour’s drive from the Kurdish capital, Erbil." AFP adds, "Kurdish forces and the U.S. military said the number of Islamic State fighters in the town had increased to nearly 600 after reinforcements arrived in the run-up to the offensive, which has been expected for weeks but delayed by weather and friction between various Kurdish and Yazidi forces in Sinjar."
So 600. And they need to undertake (another) massive mission?
BBC News is alone in reminding of just how long this 're-taking' has actually already taken: "The IS attack on Sinjar in August 2014 was one of the reasons the US began air strikes against IS positions in Iraq, amid a warning of genocide."
That failed August 2014 operation left Yazidis still trapped on the mountain though the US government spin could have misled you.
Over a year later and Sinjar's still held by the Islamic State.
Who thinks Barack's 'plan' is working at this point?
Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki has waded into the discussion and called out the US. He says there's no way the Islamic State could survive these bombings and fears some nations (he means the US in that "some") want to see the Islamic State succeed.
Barack looks like an idiot because he's set himself up to be.
In June 2014, he was full of talk about how this would require a political solution -- Iraq's crises -- and how this or that (military actions) would not fix the problems.
And the bombings weren't intended to.
Until Barack lost any interest in a political solution.
That was somewhere around the time the US State Dept began acting as an auxiliary to the US Defense Dept and you had Brett McGurk acting like Military Wanna Be McJerk and focusing on everything but the political issues at stake in Iraq (which can mainly be boiled down to a lack of inclusion).
Barack's 'plan' is a failure and he's got no one to blame but himself.
He needs to realize that as Nouri continues to serve him up to the press.
The following community sites -- plus Susan's On the Edge -- updated:
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The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
Of course, the announcement's a little late in coming since they've been attempting to retake Sinjar since before August 2014 -- if anyone bothers to remember that.
Sri Lanka's The Nation newspaper explains, "The town sits on an important highway Islamic State uses to ferry supplies from Raqqa, Syria to Mosul in northern Iraq. Islamic State seized the city last summer in a major offensive, widening its self-described caliphate to about an hour’s drive from the Kurdish capital, Erbil." AFP adds, "Kurdish forces and the U.S. military said the number of Islamic State fighters in the town had increased to nearly 600 after reinforcements arrived in the run-up to the offensive, which has been expected for weeks but delayed by weather and friction between various Kurdish and Yazidi forces in Sinjar."
So 600. And they need to undertake (another) massive mission?
BBC News is alone in reminding of just how long this 're-taking' has actually already taken: "The IS attack on Sinjar in August 2014 was one of the reasons the US began air strikes against IS positions in Iraq, amid a warning of genocide."
That failed August 2014 operation left Yazidis still trapped on the mountain though the US government spin could have misled you.
Over a year later and Sinjar's still held by the Islamic State.
Who thinks Barack's 'plan' is working at this point?
Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki has waded into the discussion and called out the US. He says there's no way the Islamic State could survive these bombings and fears some nations (he means the US in that "some") want to see the Islamic State succeed.
Barack looks like an idiot because he's set himself up to be.
In June 2014, he was full of talk about how this would require a political solution -- Iraq's crises -- and how this or that (military actions) would not fix the problems.
And the bombings weren't intended to.
Until Barack lost any interest in a political solution.
That was somewhere around the time the US State Dept began acting as an auxiliary to the US Defense Dept and you had Brett McGurk acting like Military Wanna Be McJerk and focusing on everything but the political issues at stake in Iraq (which can mainly be boiled down to a lack of inclusion).
Barack's 'plan' is a failure and he's got no one to blame but himself.
He needs to realize that as Nouri continues to serve him up to the press.
The following community sites -- plus Susan's On the Edge -- updated:
Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (Andrew)
4 hours ago
The View
4 hours ago
How do you judge a movie star?
4 hours ago
Cranky Clinton's 'mistakes'
4 hours ago
Barack's Trail of Broken Promises
4 hours ago
How This Economy Got Effed Up
7 hours ago
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
IAVA Leads Nation's Largest Celebration of Post-9/11 Veterans
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America issued the following today:
NEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2015) – During Veterans Week (Nov. 9 – 13), post-9/11 veterans, families and civilian supporters of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) will participate in more than 140 Veterans Day community events across the nation. In New York City, more than 800 IAVA members and supporters will march in the New York City Veterans Day parade with high-profile veteran members from across the country joining IAVA’s Heroes Gala on Nov. 12 with special guest Stephen Colbert and host Willie Geist. Veterans Week 2015 comes on the heels of a historic vote in New York City to establish a Department of Veteran Affairs for the city’s 230,000 veterans.
“We have an important message for everyone this Veterans Day: Vets are rising,” said Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Founder and CEO. “Post-9/11 veterans are entrepreneurs, business executives, community leaders and philanthropists. This holiday is a chance for the country to honor the contributions of more than 2.8 million veterans who have shouldered the burden of two wars and returned home to bring their special brand of civic pride to communities across the country. Every day should be Veterans Day, and IAVA hopes to continue that spirit and support all through the year by promoting the #VetsRising message.”
Veterans Day is an official holiday for the federal government and for all 50 states. However, for too many veterans in the private sector, Veterans Day is just another workday. For many veterans, and civilians who wish to thank the vet community, Veterans Day cannot be properly recognized and celebrated as the special day it is. IAVA encourages all citizens to sign its petition calling on all employers to help honor our nation’s veterans by giving their employees a day off on Veterans Day.
Before marching in the New York City Veterans Day Parade, more than 800 IAVA members will gather at 23rd Street in front of the historic Flatiron Building for breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. IAVA is proud to be joined by longtime partners Victory Motorcycles, Military.com, NASCAR driver Cale Conley and Creative Artists Agency. IAVA members will be riding Victory Motorcycles in the parade and Conley’s car, the #14 IAVA Toyota Camry will be rolling along Fifth Avenue surrounded by IAVA members.
They will depart at noon and move north on Fifth Avenue. The marchers will finish at 59th Street and move to a reception at St. Bart’s Church, 325 Park Ave, from 2 to 5 p.m. The reception will also include useful information for vets on accessing the New GI Bill and IAVA’s Rapid Response Referral Program (RRRP) – which connects vets with housing, education, mental health, legal and other services. IAVA is proud to join parade organizers, the United War Veterans Council and parade Grand Marshal Robert Morgenthau, Manhattan District Attorney from 1975 through 2009 and World War II Navy veteran. Film and Television Executive Producer and IAVA Board Member Norman Lear will serve as Honorary Marshal for the parade.
On Nov. 12, in New York, IAVA will host its Ninth Annual Heroes Gala. Veterans of all generations from across America will gather as IAVA presents the 2015 IAVA Veterans Leadership Award to Army Veteran, Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient, college and pro football player Daniel Rodriguez. The 2015 IAVA Civilian Leadership Award will be presented to Scott Wine, Chairman and CEO of Polaris Industries and a Navy veteran. Willie Geist, co-anchor of NBC’s “TODAY” show and MSNBC’s
“Morning Joe,” will host the event. Longtime IAVA supporter Stephen Colbert will provide remarks as a special guest.
The IAVA 9th Annual Heroes Gala is made possible by Hero Sponsor, Craig Newmark and Craigconnects, and sponsors Victory Motorcycles, Discovery Networks, American Heroes Channel, Legg Mason Global Asset Management, WME, NBA Cares, USAA, DAV, HBO, Morgan Stanley, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Bill Tovell, Fried Frank, PBC USA Investments Inc., Barbaricum, Vencore, Halfaker and Associates, Retail Ready Career Center, Inc., Michael Leven, Western Asset Management Company, Hero-Clean, The District Communications Group, Salesforce, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Cushman & Wakefield, Jones Lang LaSalle, Patients Like Me, JP Morgan Chase, Military.com and MSNBC.
More information on the Heroes Gala can be found here. Those who cannot attend the Gala in person can watch highlights of the event on the American Heroes Channel.
veterans
NEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2015) – During Veterans Week (Nov. 9 – 13), post-9/11 veterans, families and civilian supporters of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) will participate in more than 140 Veterans Day community events across the nation. In New York City, more than 800 IAVA members and supporters will march in the New York City Veterans Day parade with high-profile veteran members from across the country joining IAVA’s Heroes Gala on Nov. 12 with special guest Stephen Colbert and host Willie Geist. Veterans Week 2015 comes on the heels of a historic vote in New York City to establish a Department of Veteran Affairs for the city’s 230,000 veterans.
“We have an important message for everyone this Veterans Day: Vets are rising,” said Paul Rieckhoff, IAVA Founder and CEO. “Post-9/11 veterans are entrepreneurs, business executives, community leaders and philanthropists. This holiday is a chance for the country to honor the contributions of more than 2.8 million veterans who have shouldered the burden of two wars and returned home to bring their special brand of civic pride to communities across the country. Every day should be Veterans Day, and IAVA hopes to continue that spirit and support all through the year by promoting the #VetsRising message.”
Veterans Day is an official holiday for the federal government and for all 50 states. However, for too many veterans in the private sector, Veterans Day is just another workday. For many veterans, and civilians who wish to thank the vet community, Veterans Day cannot be properly recognized and celebrated as the special day it is. IAVA encourages all citizens to sign its petition calling on all employers to help honor our nation’s veterans by giving their employees a day off on Veterans Day.
Before marching in the New York City Veterans Day Parade, more than 800 IAVA members will gather at 23rd Street in front of the historic Flatiron Building for breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. IAVA is proud to be joined by longtime partners Victory Motorcycles, Military.com, NASCAR driver Cale Conley and Creative Artists Agency. IAVA members will be riding Victory Motorcycles in the parade and Conley’s car, the #14 IAVA Toyota Camry will be rolling along Fifth Avenue surrounded by IAVA members.
They will depart at noon and move north on Fifth Avenue. The marchers will finish at 59th Street and move to a reception at St. Bart’s Church, 325 Park Ave, from 2 to 5 p.m. The reception will also include useful information for vets on accessing the New GI Bill and IAVA’s Rapid Response Referral Program (RRRP) – which connects vets with housing, education, mental health, legal and other services. IAVA is proud to join parade organizers, the United War Veterans Council and parade Grand Marshal Robert Morgenthau, Manhattan District Attorney from 1975 through 2009 and World War II Navy veteran. Film and Television Executive Producer and IAVA Board Member Norman Lear will serve as Honorary Marshal for the parade.
On Nov. 12, in New York, IAVA will host its Ninth Annual Heroes Gala. Veterans of all generations from across America will gather as IAVA presents the 2015 IAVA Veterans Leadership Award to Army Veteran, Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient, college and pro football player Daniel Rodriguez. The 2015 IAVA Civilian Leadership Award will be presented to Scott Wine, Chairman and CEO of Polaris Industries and a Navy veteran. Willie Geist, co-anchor of NBC’s “TODAY” show and MSNBC’s
“Morning Joe,” will host the event. Longtime IAVA supporter Stephen Colbert will provide remarks as a special guest.
The IAVA 9th Annual Heroes Gala is made possible by Hero Sponsor, Craig Newmark and Craigconnects, and sponsors Victory Motorcycles, Discovery Networks, American Heroes Channel, Legg Mason Global Asset Management, WME, NBA Cares, USAA, DAV, HBO, Morgan Stanley, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Bill Tovell, Fried Frank, PBC USA Investments Inc., Barbaricum, Vencore, Halfaker and Associates, Retail Ready Career Center, Inc., Michael Leven, Western Asset Management Company, Hero-Clean, The District Communications Group, Salesforce, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Cushman & Wakefield, Jones Lang LaSalle, Patients Like Me, JP Morgan Chase, Military.com and MSNBC.
More information on the Heroes Gala can be found here. Those who cannot attend the Gala in person can watch highlights of the event on the American Heroes Channel.
veterans
Cassidy Honors Louisiana Veterans
Senator Bill Cassidy's office issued the following yesterday. (If image doesn't show, I'll fix tonight.)
Cassidy Honors Louisiana Veterans
veterans
For Immediate Release
|
Contact:
John Cummins,
Jillian Rogers
|
November 10, 2015
|
202-224-5824
|
WASHINGTON—
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. thanked veterans for their service
in honor of Veterans Day. He recounted the stories of two World War II heroes from
Louisiana and thanked staff members who served.
in honor of Veterans Day. He recounted the stories of two World War II heroes from
Louisiana and thanked staff members who served.
Watch his speech here and read his remarks below:
“In commemoration, celebration and honor of Veterans Day, I’d like to share the stories of two Louisiana heroes who served in World War II: Lucius Forsyth and Robert “Emmett” Stanley – two Louisianans who answered the call to serve and did so, so honorably. “Lucius Forsyth left his home of Paulina, Louisiana to serve in World War II in his late teens as a US Navy Seaman aboard the USS Saratoga. On February the 21st, 1945, Lucius and the crew of the Saratoga experienced the most concentrated assault of World War II against a warship. “The Saratoga and her 3,500 sailors fought bravely as the Japanese forces attacked the ship for three hours. Bombs were dropped and five Japanese kamikazes crashed their aircrafts into the Saratoga. “Seven levels below the main deck, Lucius knew that the impact of a bomb or kamikaze near his location would mean certain death. Ignoring the danger, Lucius continued to work in the compartments adjacent to the ammunition stockpiles. 125 members of the Saratoga lost their lives that day. “Lucius remained aboard the Saratoga for the rest of the war. After the Japanese surrender, he returned home and married Rita Bourgeois of Gonzales, Louisiana and raised five children, and today is blessed with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “The other veteran I would like to recognize is Robert “Emmett” Stanley. Born in New Orleans in 1923, Emmett left home shortly after graduating from high school to serve the United States. He enlisted in the Navy Reserve in 1943 and served as a Seaman 1st Class on the USS Luce. “On the morning of May 4th, 1945, one day after Emmett’s 22nd birthday, Japanese kamikaze pilots attacked the USS Luce. Emmett was knocked to the deck as shrapnel pierced his scalp through his steel helmet and fragmented pieces went into his legs. He still feels pain from those injuries today. “Emmett and other crew members were soon given orders to abandon the USS Luce after more kamikazes struck. Emmett swam 40 yards away from the sinking ship to avoid being sucked under by the waves, but a second explosion forced more shrapnel into his stomach. Out of the 312 men on USS Luce, 126 were killed in the attack. Although eligible then, Emmett did not receive his Purple Heart until October 17th of this year when he was the honoree at the US Navy Birthday Ball. He was thrilled to be surrounded by his entire family. “Now these are two stories about heroism and valor, but there are many more. Let me brag a little bit for a couple of the young men who work on my staff. One young man, Chris Anderson, enlisted in the Army after completing his college education. He could have pursued business or graduate school, but Chris wanted to serve our country in the War on Terror. He did so bravely and honorably in Afghanistan clearing ordinance. Can you imagine what his mother thought every night, knowing the job he had? Now, he’s a tireless advocate for VA reform so that those he served with can get the care they need and deserve. Another member of my staff back in Baton Rouge, Michael Eby, served in the Louisiana National Guard for 9 years a nd was awarded the National Defense Medal and the Louisiana War Cross. “To Lucius, Emmett, Chris, and Michael and all those who served and serve now, thank you for your service. This Veterans Day, and every day, we remember your sacrifices, courage and dedication—ensuring that our children, their children, we all can live in freedom in the greatest nation in the world. May God bless you, your families, and the United States of America.” |
veterans
Isakson Thanks Georgia’s Veterans ‘America is better because of …our Armed Forces.’
Senator Johnny Isakson is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. His office issued the following today.
veterans
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
|
Marie Gordon,
770-661-0999
|
Isakson Thanks Georgia’s Veterans
‘America is better because of …our Armed Forces.’
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today thanked Georgia’s
veterans for their service in honor of Veterans Day.
“To
all the veterans in Georgia, those serving today and those who have
served in the past: God bless you and thank you for your service. Happy
Veterans Day,”
said Isakson.
Noting that “America is better because of the one percent that serves a little bit of time in our Armed Forces,”
Isakson also added a special message to recently retired veterans,
thanking them for the sacrifices they made in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We’re here to help you,”
said Isakson.
“We love you and appreciate what you’ve done for all of us. God bless America and God bless each of you.”
Isakson celebrated the Veterans Day holiday by participating last week in a
home refurbishment project
in his home state of Georgia for United States Army veteran Yvette Thomas Ray.
Isakson
is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard
from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate VA Committee since
he joined the Senate in 2005. He became chairman
of the committee in January 2015.
###
The Senate Committee on Veterans’
Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 114th
Congress. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen
military installations
representing each branch of the military as well as more than 750,000
veterans.
|
|
AMANDA MADDOX
|
|
Press Secretary
|
|
|
|
|
|
OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR JOHNNY ISAKSON
|
|
|
131 Russell Senate Office Building | Washington, DC 20510
|
|
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phone: 202.224.3643
| fax: 202.228.0724
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Visit Johnny’s
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veterans
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