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Fox News Suggests Mass Screening of American Muslims in Defense Jobs. Wow!

From the Salon web site on Friday of last week we learn that Fox News is playing to stereotype and openly calling for the screening of Muslims that have any position with America's defense, especially those in uniform. This of course follows the tragedy of last week at Fort Hood involving an American born officer who is a Muslim allegedly killing or wounding several dozens fellow soldiers on what appears to be a "religious conviction" motivation for his alleged behavior.

This is not helpful and although it is an appropriate question to explore, the news channel is being very "unhelpful" to say the least if this initially reasonable question soon turns into another Fox Channel crusade against "them". This stuff is not only getting old, it is dangerous. The story is here.

As I have previously pointed out, this kind of thing has happened before in the U.S. Armed Forces. I am getting tired of Fox News telling me who my enemies are. All the time. Non stop. I had no idea there were so many "thems" out there!

BELIEF OVER TRUTH: ROAD TO AMERICA'S DOWNFALL

Facts vs. Beliefs – Today’s Ancient Warfare

By Jeff Gates STAFF WRITER

In unconventional warfare, beliefs are deployed as weapons by those waging war by way of deception. Recall Iraqi weapons of mass destruction? Iraqi ties to Al Qaeda? Iraqi biological weapons laboratories? Iraqi meetings in Prague with Al Qaeda? Iraqi purchases of yellowcake uranium from Niger?

All these claims were alleged true but later proven false or, worse, fabricated. Yet all were widely believed. In combination, those beliefs induced a consensus to wage war in Iraq in response to a mass murder on U.S. soil. The same deception traceable to the same source is now working to expand this war to Iran.

Indo-Israeli Plot against Pak-Iranian Ties

By Sajjad Shaukat

Although the whole of Islamic world is target of Indo-Israeli plot, yet the same has intensified in case of Pakistan and Iran. It is because of the fact that Pakistan is a declared atomic country, while Iran is determined to continue its nuclear programme. In this regard, US-led some western countries have also been supporting the Indo-Israeli nexus against Islamabad and Tehran overtly or covertly.

However, we cannot blame especially India and Israel including US regarding the conspiracy against Pakistan and Iran without some concrete evidence. In this context, in his interview, published in the Indian weekly Outlook on February 18, 2008, Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer explained regarding India’s defence arrangements with Israel by disclosing, “We do have a defence relationship with India, which is no secret” and “with all due respect, the secret part will remain a secret.” On being asked whether he foresaw joint exercises, Sofer replied, “Certain issues need to remain under wraps for whatever reason.”

U.S. Department of Defense Announces Latest Contract Awards

No. 873-09
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CONTRACTS: AIR FORCE

BEM-Bay West, JV, Saint Paul, Minn. (FA8903-10-D-8593); CAPE, Inc., San Antonio, Texas (FA8903-10-D-8593); North Wind, Inc., Idaho Falls, Idaho (FA8903-10-D-8597); Sullivan-Weston Services, JV, San Diego, Calif. (FA8903-10-D-8599); Bhate Environmental Associates, Inc., Birmingham, Ala. (FA8903-10-D-8596); Hydrogeologic, Inc., Reston, Va. (FA8903-10-D-8596); Oneida Total Integrated Enterprises, Milwaukee, Wis., were awarded a $350,000,000 contract that will provide environmental restoration and remediation support. ITT Corporation, Systems Division, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., was awarded a $5,847,128 contract which will provide the Eastern and Western Range architecture and requirements option of an additional year. At this time, $3,000 for each contract has been obligated. The contracting activity is AFCEE/ACX, Brooks City-Base, Texas.

Religious Freedom Activist Weighs in on Fort Hood Massacre

The last thing we need now is to make this a Christian v. Islam thing. Jason Leopold has a piece noting Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, weighed in on the shooting rampage at Fort Hood.

Weinstein called upon President Obama to immediately issue a statement as Commander-in-Chief making it clear that there would be a zero tolerance policy against any member of the US military "inflicting harassments, retribution or reprisal against an Islamic member of the US military."

Regional Veterans' News

Tallahassee, Florida Hospice, VA clinic reach out to veterans
Las Cruces, New Mexico Veterans affairs panel to meet in Las Cruces
San Diego, California An Historic Week for Organization That Helps Veterans
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Drexel U to Host Weeklong Tribute to Military Vets
Helena, Mont Montanans address health care hearing for American Indian vets

Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 11-6-09

What's Inside Today's Local News for Veterans

1. Shinseki Praises Craigslist Founder For Serving On VA Benefits Panel.
2. American Legion Backing Shinseki's "Ambitious" Homeless Vet Program.
3. Palo Alto VAMC Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center Profiled.
4. Minnesota Blue Star Mothers Organize Candy Drive In.
5. USAA Opens Financial Services To All Honorably Discharged Veterans.
6. Veterans Day Events Planned.
7. Soldiers Project Helps Veterans Cope With Mental Health Challenges.
8. New York National Cemetery Set To Grow By 33,000 Plots.
9. More Diseases Associated With Agent Orange.
10. Florida Woman Accuses VA Of Withholding Husband's Death Certificate.

American Soldiers Take Up Arms Against American Soldiers - 1846 to 1848 - St. Patrick's Battalion

We need to understand. What happened yesterday at Fort Hood has happened before. Here is an article from Wikipedia about the Saint Patrick's Battalion in the Mexican Army during our War with Mexico.

Irishmen deserted the American Army to form a battalion to fight for Mexico against their former comrades in arms. The disagreement was over religion. The Irish soldiers in the U.S. Army did not like the fact that they were being mistreated by their Protestant Anglo-American officers because of their Catholic religion. They fought against their fellow American soldiers because of what they perceived to be religious intolerance on the part of fellow soldiers toward them and a desire to stay out of combat against fellow Catholics in Mexico.

What happened yesterday has happened before. The San Patricios are heroes today in Mexico. It is a hard and bitter fact, but it is true. This has happened before.

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)

May they rest in peace. May God help us all.

What can I say that has not already been said? Here is the news of the shootings at Fort Hood yesterday afternoon. I will not say anything about this horrible tragedy other than it is obvious now that we all need to step back and reevaluate the entire situation relative to the wars in Western Asia from top to bottom. It is clear that our basis for what so many of us believed about America, her armed forces and our commonly shared value system as a people and a nation was incorrect.

We are not the one-size-fits-all culture that we so fervently believed we were. We must recognize that now. Dozens of people are dead or seriously injured because of our insistence that all Americans agreed with these wars. Most do not.

FT. HOOD: BEFORE THE LIES BEGIN

NO LIES, NO SPIN, NO FINGERPOINTING

THIS WAS A TERRORIST ATTACK

By Gordon Duff STAFF WRITER/Senior Editor

I am going on the record before there is any official story at all on the murders at Ft. Hood. The more time passes, the more investigation goes on, the deeper it gets. 12 dead so far is a terrorist attack, not an Army psychiatrist with a stress problem. Nobody is at fault, not this president, not the last one and not the army. People kill people, not guns. It could always happen and it did. No coverup is wanted, no spin desired no CYA, nothing. Deal with it.