PUBLIC MARKS from jasontromm with tag military

While the military "quagmire" in Iraq was said to tip the scales of power in the U.S. midterm elections, most Americans have no idea more of their fellow citizens – men, women and children – were murdered this year by illegal aliens than the combined death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan since those military campaigns began.

A former military aide to President Clinton who claims he witnessed several missed opportunities to capture or kill Osama bin Laden says the producer of the ABC mini-series "The Path to 9/11" came to him in frustration after network executives under a heavy barrage of criticism from former administration officials began pressing for changes to the script.

French soldiers landed in Lebanon on Saturday, the first reinforcements for an expanded U.N. peacekeeping force tasked with keeping the truce in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. About 50 French troops -- military engineers -- were to prepare for the arrival of 200 more soldiers expected next week, said Cmdr. Bertrand Bonneau, a spokesman for the French contingent. ()() How the hell are "engineers" going to enforce the peace? I guess the French don't have any real fighting men because they're used to running the white flag up the flagpole.

While U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been in the Middle East meeting regional alongside Israel's military campaign in Lebanon, media outlets controlled by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party the past few days have been using racist rhetoric in their reports, referring to the American representative as the "black woman," "raven," "colored dark skinned black lady" and "black spinster."

Both of Washington's daily newspapers, the Times and Page 1 of the Post, as well as the top of Page 1 of the Baltimore Sun, reported that midshipmen Lamar Owens, co-captain of Navy's football team, has been found not guilty of raping a female midshipman. But, this quarterback and most valuable player of the Mids' bowl-winning and Commander in Chief's Trophy team could face up to two years in a military prison, as well as dismissal from the Navy for conduct unbecoming an officer. If there is any such punishment of this male midshipman, such decision simply begs the question -- which went unmentioned in all three of these daily newspapers: What about the female fornicator who charged that she was raped -- which the court martial concluded was a false accusation, a lie, an accusation that for months has led this young male midshipman through hell -- with the possibility of life in prison?

Back in December the ACLU filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the Supreme Court to rule that it is unconstitutional for Congress to force law schools that object to discrimination against gay people to give the military access to their recruitment programs.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that colleges that accept federal money must allow military recruiters on campus, despite university objections to the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays.

Will ask Bush to reverse policy limiting chaplains' prayers A group of clergy is planning to gather outside the White House today to ask President Bush to nullify military policies that forbid chaplains from praying in Jesus' name.

President Bush informed the nation, during a press conference, that he might seek to use the U.S. military to quarantine parts of the nation should there be a serious outbreak of the deadly avian flu that has killed millions of chickens and 60-some people in Southeast Asia. That's the second time Bush has expressed a desire to use the military for local policing. The first was in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Army officials this week issued new warnings to soldiers about posting personal stories from combat zones on the Internet and taking photos at overseas bases, saying those actions could jeopardize troops’ security.