From 2001-2012 we have lost thousands of America’s sons and daughters there, 1891 to be exact. They fell giving their lives for the security of our country and for the good of the Afghan people and the world. The cause of this war was just and appropriate. Regardless of what people feel about why we went to war with Iraq, the war in Afghanistan was warranted.

Photo Courtesy of Bigstockphoto.com

There has been a lot of discussion in the news, around the watercooler and in the homes of our military about what strategy we should take in Afghanistan. Should we draw a line in the sand at 2014 and pull out or should we plan to stay there until the country is ready to stand up for itself? In reality nobody has the perfect answer because none of us have the ability to see into the future.

However with SecDef Panetta’s slip of the tongue the other day stating that we are going to end the “combat’ role a year early in 2013, it really smells like our war strategy is now completely political. This screw up by the SecDef shocked many around the world, from the Afghans to Panetta’s own staff.

With an election year coming it is as clear as crystal that this new plan (that had yet to be announced to anyone) is geared towards propping up the President. He wants to be the guy who not only ended the Iraq War (except for the fact that President Bush signed the original agreement to have us out by the end of 2011), but also the Afghan war. As I said before when our last “combat troops” left Iraq, you can spin those lies all you want, but as long as they are still there kitted up, armed to the teeth and dying, they are in combat.  So  the administration is now planning a strategy to say that the last “combat” troops will be out of Afghanistan in 2013. Who knows how many and for how long American troops will stay there, but the political re-election machine wants the American people to believe the lies that by saying they are “non-combat” that we aren’t there getting wounded or dying anymore.

Now I personally agree that we need to hold Afghanistan accountable (like yesterday) for their own security. However I would like to think that our troops (many of which are friends of mine) whom are there, are there for the noble cause as for which this whole thing started, and not to just be fodder for political sound bites.

Spc. Robert Irwin, an infantryman of 2nd Platoon Dog Company, Task Force Gold Geronimo conducts a security patrol in the Paktya province, Jan. 30. TF Gold Geronimo is part of the Spartan Brigade.

Iraq will take legal action to ensure justice for the families of 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians killed in a U.S. raid in Haditha seven years ago, a government spokesman said Thursday, after the lone U.S. Marine convicted in the killings reached a deal to escape jail time.

Really, REALLY? What exactly are they going to do? Not a damn thing. This is all some eye-wash and hot-air by Iraqi politicians to make it look like they can do something. Sorry it didn’t turn out the way they wanted, but the facts of the case are the facts of the case. It was war, things happen in war, bad things, that is why war is hell and why it is something we don’t like to do. 

Read the whole story at:

www.military.com/news/article/iraq-may-take-legal-action-over-haditha-raid.html

Watch this great video from the NRA on Gunsite Academy in Arizona and how once a year they invite military members out to take part in their advanced shooting courses free of charge. In my opinion, it is Gunsite’s way of making sure more of our guys come home and more of the Tangos don’t.

The 9/11 Decal below is a bouhammer.com exclusive that I designed myself. It takes into account all three locations of 9/11/01. The shape is that of the Pentagon, of course the skyline is that of the World Trade Center towers and UA 93 is the flight number of the plane that went down in Pennsylvania.

Notice it is Red, White and Blue. However there is black in the top of the sky to signify the sorrow, mourning and loss we all experienced that day and that the families and friends of those 3000 still experience today.

The 9/11 Tribute decal

The picture does not do this justice because of the glare from the protective covering, but you get the idea. It will look great on the car window, at the office or at home showing how you have never forgotten about those who lost their lives on that terrible day or the thousands who have died since fighting to avenge for those attacks.

Of course I also have to have the signature bouhammer.com logo represented. The classic design created by myself and the designers at Vision-strike-wear.com. The Bouhammer eagle and flag looking down over the country of Afghanistan.

Another one that does not look great in the picture but looks great in person. If you notice there is white around the actual decal. That is the edge of the decal itself. The off-white is just the backing, which is the same case as the 9/11 decal.

Click on either image to go directly to the Bouhammer Gear Store and place your order today. While you are there check out www.vision-strike-wear.com/bouhammer.html to see all the other designs available for T-shirts, decals, hoodies, Coffee Mugs and many other items.

In this first introductory video listen to Nick explain why he is doing this and how he compares looking for a job to a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. I must say his comparison is pretty ingenious and really breaks it down to be simply understood.

Blogger “Crush” at blackfive.net also wrote about this recently but focused more on how the US military leadership has tried to somewhat hide the details of when our military sons and daughters are cut down by the “allies” we work to train befriend.

Head over to www.blackfive.net/main/2012/01/afghan-soldiers-killing-record-number-of-advisors.html and give it a read. One point he raises which I think needs emphasizing is that our military should be honest and straight with America and not have the New York Times or all outlets dig in and reveal the truth.

While non-partisan, the group is the largest progressive organization of veterans in America

That is one of the biggest lies told on the site and goes along with many others.  Jon Stoltz should be ashamed as a former NCO to put such lies on the web and portray him and his scrappy gang of left-pushing followers as anything close to non-partisan.

They are now generating their own news because they sent a letter to GEN Odierno asking him to block LTG (ret) Boykin from speaking at West Point. LTG Boykin has more than earned his opportunity to speak at West Point. Just pick any one timeframe of his career. You can start when he graduated form the very first Delta Force Selection course, his work on Operation Desert One, Just Cause, Gothic Serpent, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or any number of other “conflicts” he was involved with.

VoteVets (or as I call them, VoteforLiberalVets.org) is swallowing to the hilt, the lies spread by the MSM and the liberal left about LTG Boykin.

Had they read his book or did their research and not listen to the MSM and liberal, atheist-loving, religion-hating groups then they would know he was NOT comparing Christianity against Islam. He was comparing his God (The Lord Almighty) against the “God” of the guy he was interrogating (which was money and greed) when he said “My God is more powerful than your God”. Just because the not so skinny “skinny” was a skinny (i.e. somali) does not make him muslim or a practicing one at that.

Oh and in case you are wondering when this happened, watch Black Hawk Down. They portrayed BG Garrison as doing the interview of Osman Atto they got at the start of the movie, but that was actually Boykin.

Atto was stealing UN food and support from his people to make money for himself. He was not taking care of Somalis and instead was worshiping the false idol of greed.

GEN Odierno, I ask that you support LTG (ret) Boykin speaking at the US Military Academy and if possible even attend yourself. If Votevets.org was truly non-partisan then they would focus on getting vets elected and not attacking every Bush-era appointed leader that doesn’t see things their way.

Spc. Devon Boxa, a member of Company B, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, looks out the back door of a CH-47D Chinook helicopter as another Chinook follows. The helicopters were flying from Kabul to Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Dec. 17.

Photo courtesy of US Army’s 2011 Year in Photos