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Author: TriSec    Date: 05/18/2010 10:21:45

Good Morning.

Today is our 2,617th day in Iraq and our 3,14554 day in Afghanistan.

We'll start this morning as we always do, with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing wars, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4397
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4258
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3935
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3538
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09): 169

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 318
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,070
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 693
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq: 1,457
Journalists - Iraq: 338
Academics Killed - Iraq: 437

We find this morning's cost of war passing through:

$ 995, 440, 500, 000 . 00



Speaking of the Cost of War, a curious thing happened over the past week. Spending in Afghanistan is now outpacing spending in Iraq.




WASHINGTON - The monthly cost of the war in Afghanistan, driven by troop increases and fighting on difficult terrain, has topped Iraq costs for the first time since 2003 and shows no sign of letting up.

Pentagon spending in February, the most recent month available, was $6.7 billion in Afghanistan compared with $5.5 billion in Iraq. As recently as fiscal year 2008, Iraq was three times as expensive; in 2009, it was twice as costly.

The shift is occurring because the Pentagon is adding troops in Afghanistan and withdrawing them from Iraq. And it's happening as the cumulative cost of the two wars surpasses $1 trillion, including spending for veterans and foreign aid. Those costs could put increased pressure on President Obama and Congress, given the nation's $12.9 trillion debt.

"The overall costs are a function, in part, of the number of troops," says Linda Bilmes, an expert on wartime spending at Harvard University. "The costs are also a result of the intensity of operations, and the number of different places that we have our troops deployed."

Obama made clear Wednesday that the U.S. role in Afghanistan would remain long after troops are withdrawn, a process planned to begin in July 2011. "This is a long-term partnership," he said during a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.



But instead of staying overseas today, we'll take a look at our own shores. I'm sure most of you are following the oil with increasing alarm. While I think the US Navy should chase off BP and take over the leak and cap the damn thing already, there's far more military involved in the cleanup onshore. If you listened to Momma on Friday, you heard Fridays with Fugelsang and a very brief snippet about our troops still ashore in Haiti. Much of the military's humanitarian work goes unnoticed; but it's perhaps the most important mission of all. In Louisiana, the National Guard is working hard to protect their own backyards.


WASHINGTON (Army News Service, May 7, 2010) -- Louisiana National Guard Soldiers built a 300-foot floating pier to help block an oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico from reaching the Louisiana coastline.

Soldiers of the Multi-Role Bridge Company, 205th Engineer Battalion, launched bridge erection boats and float ribbon bridge sets Thursday at Campo's Marina in St. Bernard, La. The new facilities will allow commercial vessels to quickly load protective booms to place along the coastline.

Lt. Col. Danny Bordelon, engineering task force commander, explained that the floating dock is necessary because the area of operations is very tight and shallow. Due to the shallow water, commercial vessels are not able to access the commercial pier. The 300 feet of floating dock will allow four commercial vessels to load booms at the same time.

"The Soldiers are doing an excellent job and are very motivated to help out," said Bordelon.

Local St. Barnard Parish officials requested assistance from the National Guard to construct the 300-foot floating pier to aid in the distribution of booms and supplies.

The Soldiers are also assisting in the loading of booms onto ships, providing logistical and command and control support, providing security, transporting booms from Mobile, Ala., and providing aerial reconnaissance for government officials, Bordelon said.

"We are here as long as we need to be," he said.



But there's more...the Admiral in charge, one Thad Allen, has quickly and quietly established a confident leadership and solid plan of action. Perhaps you might remember the name, as he's had some experience in this area. (literally.) Adm. Allen was once tapped by "President" Bush to restore confidence after Katrina.


WASHINGTON — When President Obama looked for a person to head up the federal response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, he turned to a man who already had a major crisis on his résumé.

The Coast Guard commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, hasn't generated a lot of headlines over the years, but his supporters say his quiet leadership quickly restored confidence in the government's response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"He performed magnificently in a crisis," said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Nobody could have done it better."

Mullen and other colleagues of Allen said he was an obvious choice to oversee the federal response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Before Katrina, Allen was not a household name.

He was thrust into the media glare when he was named to replace Michael Brown, the Federal Emergency Management Agency director who was widely criticized for the government's sluggish response in the hurricane's aftermath.

Working amid chaotic conditions, his colleagues say, Allen's understated style was key to his success. "He holds his temper well," said Gil Jamieson, a former Homeland Security official who was Allen's deputy during Katrina.

His public personality stood in stark contrast to that of Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré, the colorful, cigar-chomping Army officer who worked alongside Allen, heading up the military response.

Allen "was tough and firm," Jamieson said.

The son of a senior career enlisted Coast Guardsman, Allen, 61, has spent almost four decades in the service and was appointed commandant in 2006.

He will still step down as commandant this month, as planned, and then will retire from the service this summer, said Cmdr. Martha LaGuardia-Kotite, a Coast Guard spokeswoman.

Mullen said Allen has the leadership skills and technical knowledge to effectively manage the spill.

"The sea services have been around oil spills our whole lives," Mullen said.

Mullen said he first encountered Allen during a meeting when the two served as budget officials in their respective services almost 10 years ago.

"He left the office, and I said, 'That's got to be the next commandant of the Coast Guard,' " Mullen said.



So....even though it's the wars the get the headlines, there's far more that our troops are doing. This is the true measure of the United States....not how easily we can destroy something, but how easily we can marshall the resources to save something.

If only the differently-winged got that.

 

41 comments (Latest Comment: 05/18/2010 19:54:47 by Scoopster)
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Comment by Will in Chicago on 05/18/2010 10:33:09
Good morning, bloggers!!! TriSec, thanks for an interesting blog.



The war in Afghanistan is going to be the focus of our overseas military efforts, but I wonder if we can have much success unless there is a diplomatic push to end the war. Karzai has little power outside of a small area around Kabul. Indeed, many in his country question his legitimacy after the elections.



Closer to home, I am glad that we have our troops helping out in the Gulf of Mexico. At least the Louisiana National Guard is on the scene. During Hurricane Katrina, many of them were in Iraq.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 05/18/2010 11:10:28
Here is another sign that the oil spill could be getting worse:



Tar Balls Found Off Key West

Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 13:04:03
Morning

Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 13:08:49
good morning.





Tar balls on Key west. Frackin lovely.



Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 13:17:27
I find myself wondering just how long before this starts killing off summer business for all the beach towns that the GUlf Stream touchs

Comment by velveeta jones on 05/18/2010 13:29:13
Comment by Scoopster on 05/18/2010 13:33:13
Good morning everyone!



Oooooooh boy...

Comment by Scoopster on 05/18/2010 13:34:07
wheee vel & I are on a common vibe today heh

Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 13:39:33
Blumenthal should have just gone AWOL -- then he could have been president...

Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 13:51:06
Quote by Will in Chicago:

Here is another sign that the oil spill could be getting worse:



Tar Balls Found Off Key West
Scoop posted a bit about this yesterday... and Think Progress has a ghastlier image of what is happening.







Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 13:57:27
This guy is running for Ag commissioner in Alabama-- Really....





Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 14:01:01
Morning, comrades!



Just heard the 10am NPR newscast....lead story:



BP says they expect to be able to stop the flow of oil completely "in a few days" and have the well capped soon. They also don't expect any long-term environmental impact.





I see they have moved in to "Cloud Cuckoo Land" right next to W.



Asshats.





Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 14:01:12
I am really nervous about that Kentucky race. Rand Paul is fairly insane.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.


Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 14:06:42
Quote by TriSec:

Morning, comrades!



Just heard the 10am NPR newscast....lead story:



BP says they expect to be able to stop the flow of oil completely "in a few days" and have the well capped soon. They also don't expect any long-term environmental impact.





I see they have moved in to "Cloud Cuckoo Land" right next to W.



Asshats.



They're not even trying anymore.







Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 14:17:39
And now listening to the Keithcast from last night about the dispersants.



(first segment - check it out if you missed it.)



BP apparently has a stake in the manufacturer of the dispersants....and there's more effective and less toxic stuff on the market that they *could* have used.





Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 14:23:12
Quote by Raine:

This guy is running for Ag commissioner in Alabama-- Really....









he seemed a tad pissed off while hitting all those talking points



I'd vote for the horse, it looked more resonable

Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 14:34:22
Say, can you make an artificial "tar ball"?



Time to stand by the local BP station and lob some at everyone's windshield that dares to pull in.



(I know from firsthand experience that maple syrup is damn near impossible to get off a windshield....maybe I can do something with that.)





Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 14:35:06
Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 14:37:14
Jesus people, what ever happened to civility

Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 14:46:02
Quote by wickedpam:

Jesus people, what ever happened to civility






My bad.



"May I please blow an oil well in your bay and destroy all the wildlife, economies, and peoples lives?"



I won't be as nice with the maple syrup.



Comment by Mondobubba on 05/18/2010 14:47:02




Someone seems to have some anger management as well some authority defiance issues.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 14:48:04
Quote by TriSec:

Quote by wickedpam:

Jesus people, what ever happened to civility






My bad.



"May I please blow an oil well in your bay and destroy all the wildlife, economies, and peoples lives?"



I won't be as nice with the maple syrup.







lol - I was actually refering to the lady shooting a census worker

Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 14:48:32
Hey MOndo how are you doing today?

Comment by livingonli on 05/18/2010 14:52:24
Good morning everyone.



And as expected, I am off today and the weather sucks. I will probably go and see Iron Man 2 today.

Comment by livingonli on 05/18/2010 14:54:11
Quote by wickedpam:

Jesus people, what ever happened to civility




It seems to have gone out the window starting with when Newtie's GOP gained control of congress.

Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 15:00:48
If oil wraps around Florida and up the Gulf Stream, don't forget what else is off the coast this time of year.



Whales.



Lots of them. Including the endangered Northern Right Whale. They aren't going to be very happy in a couple of weeks, hmm?





Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 15:05:57
Quote by velveeta jones:

Oh Richard, poor Richard.....




Something just isn't passing the smell test with this story. His opponent, Linda McMahon openly claims to have fed the story to the NYT.
epublican Senate candidate Linda McMahon is wasting no time trying to capitalize on the devastating New York Times piece that broke Monday night detailing Democrat Richard Blumenthal’s misleading statements about his service in the military.



The McMahon campaign is saying they gave the story to the New York Times, according to a blog post written by a former Republican state lawmaker that the campaign has posted on their website.



The post, written by Kevin Rennie, who writes for the Hartford Courant and RealClearPolitics in addition to on his blog, says the Times story was “fed to the paper by the Linda McMahon Senate campaign.”



“The Blumenthal Bombshell comes at the end of more than 2 months of deep, persistent research by Republican Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign. It gave the explosive Norwalk video recording to The Times. This is what comes of $16 million, a crack opposition research operation and an opponent who … gave them the sword,” Rennie wrote late Monday.



Rennie confirmed in an e-mail to the Daily Caller Tuesday that he had written the post and that the McMahon campaign had told him they gave the story to the Times.



The practice of campaigns feeding information to reporters is common. It is less common for a campaign to take credit for the story after the story has been published.



McMahon, who co-founded the World Wrestling Federation (which later became World Wrestling Entertainment), has already loaned her campaign $14 million and has said she plans to ultimately spend as much as $30 to $50 million of her own money on the race.


Comment by livingonli on 05/18/2010 15:09:27
If McMahon wins, we have the best proof that you can buy an election although the WWE does have name recognition with enough people.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 15:17:54
Quote by livingonli:

Good morning everyone.



And as expected, I am off today and the weather sucks. I will probably go and see Iron Man 2 today.






heard its good - its on my summer see list

Comment by Mondobubba on 05/18/2010 15:30:00
Quote by wickedpam:

Hey MOndo how are you doing today?






I'm fine. I sent you a DM on Twitter.

Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 15:33:29
Quote by Mondobubba:

Quote by wickedpam:

Hey MOndo how are you doing today?






I'm fine. I sent you a DM on Twitter.






Got it - thanks for the heads up

Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 15:35:10
ATTENTION, PEOPLE OF THE WORLD:




When in the Course of environmental events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the economic bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.



The history of the present British Petroleum is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the Gulf of Mexico. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.



They have ignored all safety rules and regulations.



They have murdered 11 citizens of these United States



Their oil continues to spew unfettered into our waters, and continues to threaten our shores, our citizens, and our economy.



They have failed to appreciate the gravity of the situation, and have developed an increasingly bizarre series of contraptions that do nothing to address the actual problem.



They are concerned only with protecting their own profits over and above their fellow-creatures of the sea and shore.



They have misled, lied, underestimated, and used deception and delay to deflect all criticism of their actions.



They have hidden behind their friends in the GOP, who bear equal culpability for this outrage.



In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free market.



We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these United States, solemnly publish and declare that a state of war has existed between the United States and British Petroleum since April 20, 2010. We shall pursue every means available to us until we reach the ultimate victory; the well is shut down forever, the coasts are clean, our economy is repaired, and the perpetrators of this monstrous crime are brought before the judgment of the world for the crimes against nature and humanity.





Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 15:38:41
Wow -- Tri, did you just write that?

Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 15:51:53
Well, Thomas Jefferson helped a little.

Comment by velveeta jones on 05/18/2010 16:04:03
Quote by TriSec:

ATTENTION, PEOPLE OF THE WORLD:




When in the Course of environmental events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the economic bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.



The history of the present British Petroleum is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the Gulf of Mexico. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.



They have ignored all safety rules and regulations.



They have murdered 11 citizens of these United States



Their oil continues to spew unfettered into our waters, and continues to threaten our shores, our citizens, and our economy.



They have failed to appreciate the gravity of the situation, and have developed an increasingly bizarre series of contraptions that do nothing to address the actual problem.



They are concerned only with protecting their own profits over and above their fellow-creatures of the sea and shore.



They have misled, lied, underestimated, and used deception and delay to deflect all criticism of their actions.



They have hidden behind their friends in the GOP, who bear equal culpability for this outrage.



In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free market.



We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these United States, solemnly publish and declare that a state of war has existed between the United States and British Petroleum since April 20, 2010. We shall pursue every means available to us until we reach the ultimate victory; the well is shut down forever, the coasts are clean, our economy is repaired, and the perpetrators of this monstrous crime are brought before the judgment of the world for the crimes against nature and humanity.







Comment by BobR on 05/18/2010 16:08:16
TriSec - you should set that up on one of those petition sites. We can send links out to the intertubes, and it will go viral very quickly.

Comment by velveeta jones on 05/18/2010 16:13:04
Quote by Raine:

This guy is running for Ag commissioner in Alabama-- Really....







OMG!!



There is just TOO much to comment on!!

The China-made jeans that tightly hug his very non-cowboy fat ass-

The gun display as if it were his teddy bear or his penis-

The Constitution and dog-tags? Really?

Trying to convince us that Ag commissioner is life or death-

And,

Don't try to be a cowboy, sittin' on a horse, and talk about Facebook, it's just too weird!





Comment by wickedpam on 05/18/2010 16:43:29
Quote by BobR:

TriSec - you should set that up on one of those petition sites. We can send links out to the intertubes, and it will go viral very quickly.






I was thinking the same thing - that needs get out there for everyone to read

Comment by TriSec on 05/18/2010 16:49:18
Gah!



I have limited access here at my desk....I'll have to do some work on it this evening. Unless someone can react quicker than I; consider this full permission to run with it if you think getting it out faster would be better.





Comment by Raine on 05/18/2010 17:37:11
Well I would like to put this up as a note on Face book.



AND -- Tri I think this should be set up as a separate Blog post.





Comment by Scoopster on 05/18/2010 19:54:47
Hmm.. looks like that Blumenthal thing was not only blown quite out of proportion (veterans groups are standing by him & setting the record straight), but it was also deliberately fed to the NY Times by Linda McMahon's campaign.



Hooooooo boy!