Thursday, October 1, 2009

43 U.S. Troops Have Died Since Obama Refused McChrystal More Troops

While Michelle Obama “sacrifices” her time in Copenhagen to secure the Olympics “for the children” in Chicago, America’s Best die on teh battlefields of Afghanistan while the President’s priorities are elsewhere.

On August 30th, General Stanley McChrystal sent Defense Secretary Robert Gates an assessment on the war in Afghanistan calling for more U.S. troops to stem the tide of the Taliban insurgence and to reduce combat losses (read that: CASUALTIES.)

Since that date, 43 U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have died in Obama’s War.

The War in Afghanistan was the “politically correct” war during the 2008 Presidential Campaign, this was the war that Obama said needed to be won as losing in Afghanistan would carry grave consequences for the United States.

As president – in March 2009 – Obama announced a “comprehensive new strategy” for Afghanistan: “I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to prevent their return to either country in the future,” he said.

 

We are now losing the war in Afghanistan.

In his confidential report which was leaked to the Washington Post just last week, General McChrystal told both Gates and Obama that turning back and defeating the Taliban insurgency “will not be possible if the United States fails to gain the initiative and reverse the insurgent momentum” in the next year.

Obama followed the leak to the Washington Post with his own rebuttal that troops “beyond what we already have” will not be deployed to Afghanistan until the “strategy is right.”

This past Sunday, General McChrystal said on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that he had met with Obama only once in the last 70 days to discuss the War in Iraq.  McChrystal was hand selected by Obama earlier this year as the “right leader to win the War in Afghanistan.”

As our troops die at a record pace in Afghanistan (rivaling troop losses at the height of the Iraqi war) what is Obama doing?

Well, he’s off to Copenhagen to try and get the Olympics for Chicago.  Then he greets Arnold Palmer in the Oval office to bestow the Congressional Medal of Honor on him. 

Obama’s own Generals and military advisors are telling him that time is not on our side, and McChrystal needs 45,000 – 60,000 troops he’s requested immediately.

On the other side is Senator John Kerry (D. Mass) telling Obama to take weeks to months to review the mission in Afghanistan, the Boston Globe reported just today.  Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee has said he’s not sure more troops are needed in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, 43 of America’s best have died and their blood is on Obama’s hands due to his inept inaction.  Here are their names:

Lance Cpl. Jordan L. Chrobot, 24, of Frederick, Md., died Sept. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.)


Spc. Kevin J. Graham, 27, of Benton, Ky., died Sept. 26 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.


Sgt. Titus R. Reynolds, 23, of Columbus, Ohio; Sgt. Edward B. Smith, 30, of Homestead, Fla.; and Spc. Joseph V. White, 21, of Bellevue, Wash., died Sept. 24 in Omar Zai, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.


Lance Cpl. John J. Malone, 24, of Yonkers, N.Y., died Sept. 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Fore, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay.


Pfc. William L. Meredith, 26, of Virginia Beach, Va., died Sept. 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 569th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, Fort Carson, Colo.


Tech Sgt. James R Hornbarger, 33, of Castle Rock, Wash., died Sept. 12 as a result of a non-hostile incident in the Mediterranean. He was assigned to the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.


Sgt. David A. Davis, 28, of Dalhart, Texas, died Sept. 19 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked Bagram Airfield using indirect fire. He was assigned to the 32nd Transportation Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.


Spc. Corey J. Kowall, 20, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Spc. Damon G. Winkleman, 23, of Lakeville, Ohio, died Sept. 20 in Zabul province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained during a vehicle rollover. The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.


Iraq: Spc. Michael S. Cote Jr., 20, of Denham Springs, La., died Sept. 19 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when the Blackhawk helicopter he was in crashed. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.


Senior Airman Matthew R. Courtois, 22, of Lucas, Texas, died Sep 20 as a result of a non-hostile incident on Abdullah Al Mubarak Airbase, Kuwait. He was assigned to the 366th Security Forces Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.


Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, N.Y., died Sept. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.


Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle, 29, of Glen Burnie, Md.; Sgt. 1st Class Shawn P. McCloskey, 33, of Peachtree City, Ga.; and Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Mills, 24, of El Paso, Texas, died Sept. 16 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle Sept. 15 with an improvised explosive device.  They were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. 


Sgt. Robert D. Gordon II, 22, of River Falls, Ala., died Sept. 16 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, from a non-combat related illness, after becoming ill Sept. 11 in southern Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.


1st Lt. David T. Wright II, 26, of Moore, Okla.; and Sgt. Andrew H. McConnell, 24, of Carlisle, Pa., died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device Sept. 14 in southern Afghanistan. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.


Spc. Demetrius L. Void, 20, of Orangeburg, S.C., died Sept. 15 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when a military vehicle struck him while conducting physical training. He was assigned to the 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.


Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Berky, 25, of Melrose, Fla., died Sept. 12 near Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from enemy fire while supporting combat operations. He was assigned to the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.


Staff Sgt. Nekl B. Allen, 29, of Rochester N.Y., and Spc. Daniel L. Cox, 23, of Parsons, Kan., died Sept. 12 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised-explosive device and small arms fire.  The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.


Pfc. Matthew M. Martinek, 20, of DeKalb, Ill., died Sept. 11 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Sept. 4 when enemy attacked his vehicle with an improvised-explosive device followed by a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.


Iraq: Sgt. 1st Class Duane A. Thornsbury, 30, of Bridgeport, W. Va., died Sept.12 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort Carson, Colo.


Sgt. Tyler A. Juden, 23, of Winfield, Kan., died Sept. 12 in Turan, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fires.  He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.


1st Lt. Tyler E. Parten, 24, of Arkansas, died Sept. 10 in Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.


Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Fowlkes, 20, of Gaffney, S.C., died Sept. 10 from wounds sustained Sept. 3 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.


Iraq: Staff Sgt. Shannon M. Smith, 31, of Marion, Ohio; Pfc. Thomas F. Lyons, 20, of Fernley, Nev.; and Pfc. Zachary T. Myers, 21, of Delaware, Ohio, died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an explosive device Sept. 8 in Baji, Iraq.  They were assigned to the 545th Military Police Company, Arctic Military Police Battalion, U.S. Army, Alaska, Fort Richardson, Alaska.


Sgt. Youvert Loney, 28, of Pohnpei, Micronesia, died Sept. 5 in Abad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle using small arms and recoilless rifle fires. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.


Gunnery Sgt. Edwin W. Johnson Jr., 31, of Columbus, Ga.; 1st Lt. Michael E. Johnson, 25, of Virginia Beach, Va.; and Staff Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick, 30, of Roswell, Ga., died Sept. 8 while supporting combat operations in Kunar province, Afghanistan. Gunnery Sgt. Johnson and Staff Sgt. Kenefick were assigned to 3rd Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan. 1st Lt. Johnson was assigned to 7th Communications Battalion, 3rd Marine Headquarters Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.


Petty Officer 3rd Class James R. Layton, 22, of Riverbank, Calif., died Sept. 8 in Kunar province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.  He was assigned to an embedded training team with Combined Security Tranisiton Command in Afghanistan.


Capt. Joshua S. Meadows, 30, of Bastrop, Texas, died Sept. 5 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif.


Iraq: 1st Lt. Joseph D. Helton, 24, of Monroe Ga., died Sept. 8 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive devise. He was assigned to the 6th Security Forces Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.


Staff Sgt. Michael C. Murphrey, 25, of Snyder, Texas, died Sept. 6 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.


Sgt. Randy M. Haney, 27, of Orlando, Fla., died Sept. 6 in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires.  He was assigned to the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.


2nd Lt. Darryn D. Andrews, 34, of Dallas, Texas, died Sept. 4 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device and a rocket-propelled grenade. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.


Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Baltazar Jr., 19, of San Antonio, Texas, died Sept. 3 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.


Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Mich., died Sept. 3 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Battalion. 


Iraq: Staff Sgt. Todd W. Selge, 25, of Burnsville, Minn.; and Spc. Jordan M. Shay, 22, of Salisbury, Mass., died Sept. 3 in Baqubah, Iraq, of injuries sustained during a vehicle roll-over.  The soldiers were assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.


Spc. Tyler R. Walshe, 21, of Shasta Calif., died Aug. 31 in southern Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Spc. Jonathan D. Welch, 19, of Yorba Linda, Calif., and Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, Maine, died Aug. 31 in Shuyene Sufia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device.  The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.


Lance Cpl. David R. Hall, 31, of Elyria, Ohio, died Aug. 31 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

May our loving Almighty Father bless and keep them in his tender care.

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