The Washington Post reports big victories for the GOP gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and New Jersey and a win for the National Democratic Party's congressional candidate in New York State. The GOP is back in the race for the votes of Independents with a smooth and careful message to the American political middle and New York State had many races that were much closer than they would have been if a clear favorite had been running.

Once again, it is hard to tell what this means but clearly American conservatives are back in the saddle in two important states and they did this by aiming their message at Independent voters in the middle of American political viewpoints. This may or may not be a harbinger of things to come in elections in 2010 depending on one's view point. The story is here.

The Post reports on a budding Indian Space Program here.

In this article we learn that Abdullah Abdullah withdrew from the Afghan Presidential runoff hours after he was spurned from having his party recieve several high level positions in the Karzai government. That story is here.

In this article we learn that the Obama Administration has apparently given up hope for high level Palestinian and Israeli peace talks any time soon. That will of course color U.S. policy moves and perceptions throughout the entire Middle East. The story is here.

In an article important to the health of older men, it is reported in the Post today that maintaining a cholesterol level below 200 is not only good for the health of the vascular system but can also cut the potential for prostate cancer in half. That story is significant to the health of many older veterans and it is here.

In the New York Times today there is an editorial on the hopes of Americans relative to what President Karzai of Afghanistan must do to bring back real American support for his regime. That editorial is here.

In this article, personal reflections of an American journalist in Iraq for years on assignment is a lesson to us all. He tells us that we must deal with the Iraq that is really there, not the Iraq that we want to be there. The story is here and is worth a slow read.

AOL News is reporting today that an older man who must bring his oxygen bottle with him and wears an oxygen mask is committing armed bank robberies in and around Rancho Santa Fe California. The video is attached.

The guy is no spring chicken and he has already robbed at least four banks there. I am not exactly sure what to say about this story but something tells me that many veterans can relate to this. This gem of a story with video is here.

The BBC News is reporting today that Member of Parliament Kim Howell who is a former Labour Minister and is now the chairman of the Intelligence and security committee in Parliament has called for the withdrawal of the majority of British troops from Afghanistan and then to have that money diverted to securing Britain from terrorist attacks. That story is here.

In this article from BBC News, Secretary of State Clinton is taken to task for some comments she made concerning Israel's viewpoints toward settlements in Palestinian areas. She is presently in Egypt trying to enlist help for the stalled peace talks. The story is here.

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You have an obligation as an American veteran to help govern this nation. An informed opinion based on weighing all the facts and options available is the best way to do this.  We hope that this website helps you to do just that.

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)