Close Guantanamo?

With the approaching inauguration of President-Elect Obama there is increasing talk of closing Guantanamo Bay. As a military mom, nothing riles me more than that topic. So Guantanamo is closed, what then? Do we simply let the detainees go or do we bring them back to the U.S. for “trial?”

Men who were captured on the battlefield probably didn’t get their Miranda rights read to them, which means in a U.S. criminal trial, they win. They probably didn’t have access to high powered attorneys during their stay at Guantanamo, so I guess that means, they win again. The media would be falling all over themselves playing the angle of the poor detainees who were denied "their rights” and suffered greatly under the Bush Administration. There would be an outpouring of sympathy for the enemy. Day in and day out, the media would bring the plight of the detainees before us and make us feel guilty for their "mistreatment."

To most of us that sounds ridiculous but I bet that’s exactly how it would play out. How could anyone in their right mind possibly consider bringing some of America’s worst enemy combatants, those who have murdered our servicemen, to the U.S. for a criminal trial? If we bring them here and are unsuccessful at prosecuting them, would that mean we held them illegally for the past 5 years? Do we then become liable to compensate them for the "injustice" they suffered at our hands? Sounds absurd? No not really.

Maybe we should just send them home. But what happens then? They are free to pick up arms and resume their calling, to kill the infidel and in case we have forgotten, that's us, that's our soldiers, that's our families. We must be insane if we think the bad guys will go home and suddenly feel remorse and grow a conscience. Or perhaps we’ll think they learned their lesson and will be nice to us now.

I take granting any kind of lenience to these men as a direct a assault against all America's service men and women and their families. Do we have so little understanding of all they have done and all they have endured, that we would side with the enemy and disregard and soldier?

Only those who are the very worst enemies of the U.S. still remain at Guantanamo. We sure don’t need to be extending them American rights, and we most certainly don’t need our own government replenishing the battlefield with ruthless killers. Maybe some decisions just shouldn’t be made by politicians. But this is just one mom's opinion.

Marine Corps Birthday Ball

November 10th marked the 233rd birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Five years ago on November 10th as I made my evening commute listening to the radio, I hung on every word as the history of the Corps was described in great detail by the radio host. I was moved by what I heard and somewhat ashamed that much of what I learned was new to me. I felt a connection in some strange way. The host went on to talk about the time honored tradition of Marines celebrating the birthday of the Corps, the gathering (now the Marine Corps Ball) and the ceremonial cake cutting recognizing the oldest and youngest Marines in attendance. When the radio show ended, I remember feeling sad because I wanted to hear more.

The following year my son Adam joined the Marines. He seemed to find his niche in life and became part of a very special family. As he prepared for his first Birthday Ball, the excitement was contagious. Who would think a “Ball” would be so important to a 20 year old, or at least my 20 year old? After months of planning and anticipation, my heart broke as his date stood him up. We later heard he had a great time anyway but it was heart breaking none the less, especially since it would be Adam's only Ball.

Last Saturday, my husband and I attended our fourth Marine Corps Birthday Ball. When our son was killed in Iraq, we inherited his “family,” the Marine Corps. Marines take care of their own. Adam was one of theirs. When he died, they made us theirs as well.

Parents of Marines rarely become part of the Marine Corps family in the way we have. The Marines have watched over us, cared for us and loved us, and by doing so, they have honored our son.

Today November 10, 2008 the 233rd birthday of the Marine Corps, I visited Adam's grave, and there I found a piece of birthday cake from the Ball and a pair of white gloves placed lovingly on his headstone. His family had not forgotten him.

A Little Humor Makes A Great Point

Anticipating a sweeping Democratic Party victory in the November elections, animals that were formerly self-sufficient are already modifying their behavior to take advantage of what they expect to be a new set of societal norms in the next four to eight years. This black bear from Montana has ceased hunting for a living and is sitting outside the US Fish & Wildlife Service office in Kalispell, apparently waiting to be fed and to have his winter den dug by government employees. The residents of Kalispell are calling him "Bearack Obama".

Did We Really Ask For Change?

American’s spoke and said they wanted change. Yesterday Senator Barack Obama became President Elect Obama. Change is what America asked for and change is what we’ll get.

We’ve had the lowest unemployment rates in decades and the highest economic growth, But we want change. Somehow with the sub prime mortgage crisis, we have been able to overlook the last seven years of unprecedented prosperity.

We have not had an attack on our home land since September 11, 2001. Why? Because we fought back. We took the fight to the enemy and have kept it off our home land. We can now more easily track those who seek to destroy us. But we want change. I am sick and tired of hearing how we are violating the rights of the terrorist. I’m sure we’ll see an expanded “terrorist bill of rights” coming soon.

With a laundry list of change to come; higher taxes and punishing the successful, increased restrictions on energy production, more government requirements on employers, decreased public access to fire arms, increased government subsidies - encouraging more of the population to become less productive, a plan to sit down and talk to our enemies despite the fact they have already stated their intentions, limiting voices with views opposing the government under the guise of fairness, and it goes on and on, I'd say change is in store.

Does anyone find it interesting that parties and celebrations were held all over Europe at the announcement of Obama’s win? Does he want to be the world’s President or ours? .

America has a value system and foundation that has set it apart from the rest of the world. Our laundry list of change seems to be patterned after socialist European nations. Is this really the change we want?

Our freedom and all that makes America great must be protected. My concern is once we start down this road we probably will never find our way back. The America our forefathers established and the way of life most American’s cherish, once abandoned will never again be known. That most certainly will be change.

Worthy and Willing to Preserve All You Have Fought To Defend

As a conservative Christian and the mom of a young man who gave his life defending America, I take the election of a new President very seriously. Maybe it’s just more personal to me since my son gave his all for this nation.

We are very blessed to live in the United States of America. I firmly believe that God inspired our forefathers who then set forth the blueprint of what would become the freest, most generous, good and prosperous nation on earth.

As the years have passed many of the foundations on which America was built, have eroded away. It happens little by little. If you look back to where we started and where we are now, the changes are enormous. We were founded on principles where life was valued, hard work was rewarded, and our freedom would not be compromised. Today it is as if the very government that was established to work for the people, is becoming the people’s biggest oppressor.

We all have different views, but my hope and prayer is that the President we send to Washington in January will be one who is determined to hold on to the ideals which birthed this nation and made it great.

What an honor it must be to be named Commander-in-Chief. I hope the person we elect will be equally humbled at the huge responsibility and duty we are entrusting him with. Many of you reading this have worn the uniform and fought for our country and I am deeply grateful to you all. May the next President of the United States be a man who is worthy and willing to preserve all you, and those who have gone before you, have fought to defend.

Cpl.Garrett S. Jones A True American Hero

Article and photos by Sgt. Ray Lewis
Task Force 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force

CAMP BARBER, Helmand Province, Afghanistan – There was blood in the water. It was a grim addition to the Iraqi sewage canal usually littered with dead sheep and festering fish.That’s where the Marines of Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division found their comrade after the attack.Just seconds before, Cpl. Garrett S. Jones was patrolling the streets of Iraq with his team when he was suddenly hurled 15 feet into the air by an enemy booby trap.“It was just a big dust cloud,” said Cpl. Robert C. Pofahl, who stood 10 feet in front of Jones when the bomb detonated. “I ran toward him, and I fell in the canal. The mud was almost up to my knees. It was probably the worst smell you could smell. That’s when I saw the blood in the water.”When Pofahl saw Jones lying there, he feared his friend’s life was cut short. Barely alive, Jones’ life was about to be changed forever. Read more.