In a political move that received little if any attention by the American news media, the United States and Canada entered into a military agreement on February 14, 2008, allowing the armed forces from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a domestic civil emergency, even one that does not involve a cross-border crisis, according to a police commander involved in homeland security planning and implementation.
A warning from Nutley Police Dept's (and 21 year Navy vet) Lt. Steven Rodgers:
"This is a military plan that's designed to bypass the Posse Comitatus Act that traditionally prohibited the US military from operating within the borders of the United States. Not only will American soldiers be deployed at the discretion of whomever is sitting in the Oval Office, but foreign soldiers will also be deployed in American cities."
This new agreement is designed to be in place for emergencies, but our government has a history of manufacturing "emergencies" as an excuse to use military force. This looks like a very bad idea. Any experts want to chime in?
Thats what Jim Saxton wants to call the $102 million in the budget set aside for military construction at McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix. President Bush's Budget may not pass, but the Asbury Park article says that the base closing expenditures have a chance of surviving the budget process.
Some $85 million in the President's budget would go for new construction, buildings to accommodate 750 full-time and 1,600 part-time military personnel from Willow Grove and their aircraft. The reserve center is home to C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, heavy Marine helicopters and other aircraft.
A separate section of the budget for annual military construction budget requests includes $17 million for a combined maintenance facility for Army vehicles at Fort Dix is part of the 2008 military construction budget submitted to Congress this week, Saxton said.
Senator Bob Menendez, reacting to the Bush/McCain extension of the NJ Army National Guard's Iraq tour.
In his address to the American people last evening, President Bush said 'where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with' him. However, the immeasurable hardships caused by this war don't rest with him - they rest with the thousands of American troops currently deployed to Iraq and those preparing for their next rotation to the region.
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11) on Bush's new plan:
I commend the President for working to change the dynamic in Iraq and for putting a new team of military leaders in place to lead that effort.
It's really hard to find the right words to say about this.
New Jersey Army National Guard troops currently stationed in Iraq will see their tours extended by 120 days as a result of President Bush's policy to add to the war effort, according to an official with knowledge of the plans.
The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the extension of the tours will formally be announced later in the afternoon, said a total of 159 soldiers from a reconnaissance unit and a battalion support unit would be affected.
Both units are stationed at Camp Anaconda, one of the largest American bases in Iraq, which is located about 50 miles north of Baghdad. Both units deployed to Iraq last year.
The units had been expected to return to the United States around the end of March or the beginning of April of this year. They now are expected to return around July.
The troops are part of the 250th Brigade Support Battalion, which is responsible for helping maintain vehicles, and the 117th Reconnaissance Surveillance Target Acquisition, whose responsibilities include protecting supply convoys.
Today is supposed to be a day for celebrating, but I don't feel much like it. Today the 3000th American soldier died in Iraq in a war that is unnecessary, based on lies and prosecuted in an almost criminally negligent fashion.
George Bush has recently been comparing himself to Harry Truman. He's right that the buck stops with him, that the blame for each and every one of these soldiers. But he doesn't deserve to compare himself to such a serious, considered and great man.
Here's an editorial that's coming out in military papers on Monday, reported by msnbc:
Papers sold to military: "Rumsfeld must go"
Editorial comes days after Bush affirms defense secretary's job security
Just days after President Bush publicly affirmed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's job security through the end of his term, a family of publications catering to the military will publish an editorial calling for the defense secretary's removal.
The editorial ... stated, "It is one thing for the majority of Americans to think Rumsfeld has failed. But when the nation's current military leaders start to break publicly with their defense secretary, then it is clear that he is losing control of the institution he ostensibly leads."
The editorial will appear just one day before the midterm election, in which GOP candidates have been losing ground, according to recent polls
"This is not about the midterm elections," continued the editorial, which will appear in the Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times, and Marine Corps Times on Monday. "Regardless of which party wins Nov. 7, the time has come, Mr. President, to face the hard bruising truth: Donald Rumsfeld must go."
The newspapers are part of the Military Times Media Group, a subsidiary of the Gannett Co., Inc. The publications are sold to service members and their families...
My friend who's a military wife assures me this is a big deal for military families.
(Dan Preston is a friend of mine and the chair of the Princeton Township Democrats, but I would recommend this powerful video regardless. In just a few days, it's been viewed over 25,000 times on youtube. - promoted by jmelli)
"Before You Enlist!" is a 15-minute film that provides "the real deal on joining the military" as told by veterans from Iraq to Vietnam, their family members and other young people who've dealt with recruiters. Produced by Telequest of Princeton NJ with support from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Veterans For Peace, the Coalition for Peace Action, the Puffin Foundation and others, it is ready for viewing (and download) via YouTube, Google Video and at BeforeYouEnlist.org
Army 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada, as expected failed to deploy with his unit to Iraq. Although he is not the first soldier to invoke consciencious objector status and refuse orders to deploy, he is believed to be the first officer to do so. Watada remains on the base at Fort Lewis under orders not to speak publicly and awaiting a decision from his commanding officer on whether or not he should be charged and for what. In January Watada attempted to resign his commisson stating
"I am wholeheartedly opposed to the continued war in Iraq, the deception used to wage this war, and the lawlessness that has pervaded every aspect of our civilian leadership."
On June 7th during a press conference Watada expressed the belief that deploying to Iraq would make him a "party to war crimes".
It is my conclusion as an officer of the armed forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law. Although I have tried to resign out of protest, I am forced to participate in a war that is manifestly illegal. As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order."
If would like information counseling the troops and on conscientious objector status you can contact the Catholic Peace Fellowship. They even have a local chapter in NJ. You can contact
Stephen J Spiro, New Jersey Organizer
Box 4451 - Brainy Boro Station
Metuchen, NJ 08840-4451
Spiro_CatholicPeaceFellowship_NJ@Hotmail.Com
The New Jersey Chapter of the Catholic Peace Fellowship will also be at the following events this weekend if you want to drop by
June 24, Saturday.
St Joseph’s Parish Fair.
School grounds, Manning Ave & Westervelt Ave,
North Plainfield, NJ.
10am to 8pm
June 25, Sunday.
Fanwood Street Fair.
Downtown Fanwood, NJ
11am to 5pm
A kerfluffle resulted from these accusations of Republicans using military personal for partisan gain, and as a result the Secretary of Defense, Don Rumsfeld, issued renewed orders on March 14th barring active duty soldiers from participating in partisan political events in uniform. Here's part of the rule from TPM:
For instance, one directive states that active duty personnel may "Attend partisan and nonpartisan political meetings, rallies, or conventions as a spectator when not in uniform." They may not "Participate in partisan political management, campaigns, or conventions (unless attending a convention as a spectator when not in uniform)."
The directive is pretty clear, and is intended to ensure that the military in the United States in non-partisan and as free of political pressure as possible.
Well, looking for Junior's phone number earlier today I noticed this picture below from Tom Kean Jr.'s campaign web site:
You can clearly see what appears to be a person in a military uniform speaking at a podium at what is captioned as the Union County Republican Convention where Junior was endorsed by the county GOP, and Junior and Assemblyman Eric Munoz, M.D. looking on. In this angle, you can also see Rep. Mike Feguson.
The date is four days after Rumsfeld re-issued the orders regarding military personnel and partisan political events.
Now, I don't know who that guy in the uniform is. It's possible that he is a hunter or some other non-military person. If so, however, that seems like strange garb to wear to a county political nominating convention.
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