Thoughts on individuals who fake their military service and the Military Valor Roll of Honor Act…

Today, prospective Senator, and current Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal became the latest example of shameful military misrepresentation. As the New York Times first reported, on more than one occasion, Blumenthal has claimed to have served in Vietnam while enlisted in the Marine Corps. While speaking to the families of veterans, he falsely referred to occasions and interactions while at war that he claimed helped to shape his identity. The problem is that he was actually in the Marine Corps Reserves, and never actually set foot in Vietnam. He used his false story for political gain, and in turn disrespected the veterans and families of the brave Marines who fought during the Vietnam War, and other wars throughout our nation’s history. The incredible sacrifice undertaken by the Marine Corps makes the story of another fake soldier one that brings great embarrassment on the guilty party and those associated with the lie. Despite his truthful enlistment in the Marine Corps Reserves, in taking his story to a level where he gained monetarily and politically from his misrepresentation, Blumenthal has added yet another vital piece of evidence to the case in favor of a federal law against public military misrepresentation. In fact, Blumenthal took five different deferments to avoid serving in the very war he states in his false stories of service. Therefore, especially in cases where congressionally administered awards are falsified, there needs to be a federal law on the books that makes illegal such a disregard for the honorable service and sacrifice of others.

H.R. 666, or the Military Valor Roll of Honor Act, which was introduced to the House Committee on Armed Services Representative by John Salazar back in January of 2009, seeks to set up a federal database of military award winners to act as a way of red flagging rogue individuals who seek to use fake military service for personal gain. By expanding the current system from a branch by branch approach to a national database approach, the argument can be made that it will be much easier to nail down individuals who are faking their service, regardless of the claim, and without regard for their location. Suspicious reporters and individuals could then look up the public database of real award winners on the internet, thus creating a deterrent for those who might consider lying about their military service. Families can then rest assured that their brave sons and daughters who have sacrificed it all for their country will not be taken advantage of by individuals such as Blumenthal and others. This long overdue bill can thank it’s origins to Doug Sterner, a decorated Vietnam veteran, and the man who has led the fight against the falsification of military service records and decorations. He has advocated for the families of veterans by helping them locate lost records and helping to bring down those who have stolen the valor of others. In 2005 he became notorious for his work on the Stolen Valor Act, which made a federal misdemeanor the unauthorized wearing, manufacture, sale or claim (either written or oral) of any military decorations and medals.

Now may be the perfect time for Congress to push this important legislation through, and in addition make the provisions of the Stolen Valor Act more specific in order to counter recent court challenges to its constitutionality on the grounds that the law is too broad. With elections coming up, and our soldiers returning home in the next few years, it is up to lawmakers to take the steps necessary to eliminating the practice of stolen valor and the prospering from false tales of glory. Politicians such as Blumenthal should be held to even a higher standard than ordinary citizens who use false stories for social gain. Given their public status, and their request for public and corporate funding for their campaigns, this kind of lying by politicians could easily qualify as a con artist. It is important to realize that these kinds of people, who are willing to pretend to be heroes despite the memories and families of the heroes themselves, must be held accountable by being banned from running for public office if found guilty of such an offense.

The Stolen Valor act, in addition to its current provisions, should address the sad yet preventable prospect of prospective and tenured politicians using false military service and heroism for their own selfish gain. As a member of the Marine Corps Reserve, the Attorney General of Connecticut, and a registered Democrat seeking a Senate seat this fall, Blumenthal should have known better than to think his lies about Vietnam would go unnoticed. His misrepresentations act as disturbing evidence that action must be taken to prevent this kind of trend from increasing in the coming years. Only by taking action preemptively to curb the faking of military service can we handle what should become an imminent problem upon return of hundreds of thousands of active duty and discharged troops to the US mainland. Though it seems unlikely, today’s story is sure to inspire those who feel passionately about protecting the memories, and honor of those who have served to take action and encourage Congress to proceed with the passing of the Military Valor Roll of Honor Act.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stolen_Valor_Act_of_2005
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h666/text
http://www.reportstolenvalor.org/

Thoughts on the short and long-term implications of the upcoming surge in Kandahar, Afghanistan…

As US/NATO forces prepare for the series of targeted offensives planned for June of this year in Kandahar, Afghanistan, it may be useful to examine what we might expect to transpire in the day’s, month’s, and year’s following this pivotal operation aimed at permanently removing the Taliban insurgency from the region. With the US troop surge underway, and efforts being undertaken to work with Afghan leaders to minimize civilian casualties and develop trust, a successful mission is going to be one that not only eradicates the Taliban threat from Kandahar and elsewhere, but also empowers the Afghan people and local tribal governments to eventually take true control of their own cities and their country going forward.

Kandahar lies at the heart and soul of this ages old conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Far before the attacks on 9/11/01, many powerful nations have fought and paid great prices for their efforts to secure this strategically located region of the world. Since we are not in Afghanistan to occupy it, the most important precursor to this planned offensive will be getting on the same page with local leaders and the Karzai government. Afghan forces must trust NATO forces, and vice versus, and without a clear understanding of our intended purpose, both short and long-term, there will be no way to effectively move forward post-offensive. Local leaders must know where to move civilians in order to prevent large scale casualties, and this will require that operational knowledge travel to Afghans who we have yet to establish real trust with. Once a meaningful degree of trust is established, and we carry out the proposed mission as planned/previewed to these leaders, then the momentum can slowly begin to build towards the empowerment of the Afghans themselves, without the United States or NATO forces constantly there to protect them.

Should the planned offensive go without a hitch, and an excess number of casualties are avoided, the door may creak open to proceed toward the long awaited end of the major US mission in Afghanistan. Of course, until there is true stability, nobody will be leaving in mass numbers, but at least if there can be a genuine degree of cooperation between NATO, Afghan leadership, and the United States leadership, the point can be made that progress is no longer an illusion, but a choice in the hands of the Afghan people, not the Taliban insurgency, or the US and our allies. Much like in Baghdad, Kandahar will be a tough fight for those who wish to remove an entrenched, armed, and organized insurgency. But, should the Afghan people decide that they no longer welcome the Taliban, and the Karzai government begins to act to eliminate the threat they pose to the general population, there is a chance that we could finally see an end to this decade long conflict.

Thoughts on the impact of today’s taking out of Al Qaeda in Iraq leaders by US/Iraqi security forces…

Seven years after the start of the Iraq War, the light at the end of the tunnel is becoming increasingly visible to American Troops, the Iraqi people, and the families on both sides of the conflict. As the Sons of Iraq (SOI) and the Iraqi Defense Ministry (IDM) gradually assume control of their nation’s security, the elimination of the foreign born terrorist threats from Al Qaeda and other fringe groups will be one of their biggest long term hurdles. Because of a vested interest in their failure by Iranian authorities, as well as other anti-west nation states, the SOI and IDM are likely to encounter constant challenges from groups looking to capitalize on a perceived power vacuum. Ultimately, the fate of the Iraqi people will lie in their desire to unite as a country and bridge their very own complicated divides.

The gunning down of Al-Masri and Al-Baghdadi is an important achievement in the path towards potential stability in Iraq. Both men were directly tied to Osama Bin Laden, and Al-Masri was an import from Egypt whose death exposed high level correspondence which may provide the vital leads we have been missing in the hunt for top Al Qaeda leadership. Al Qaeda in Iraq was created by outsiders after the beginning of the war, and the elimination of this primarily external threat could provide the SOI and IDM with the empowerment necessary to secure the Iraqi population. Their counter-terror training, along with their side by side teamwork with members of the US Military, will allow them to effectively decipher future threats to their country.

As we draw down our troop presence, we must be mindful of the difficult journey taken by so many to reach this point. When President Bush declared “Bring em’ on,” little did he know that his fiery rhetoric would lead disenfranchised Iraqi’s to take up arms against our mission as liberators, and little did he know that an Al Qaeda presence, which didn’t exist previously, would be created to capitalize on his words and an increasingly susceptible population of former Iraqi Republican Guardsmen and Baath Party Members. Coupled with an influx of radical Islamic and anti-western clerics, the recipe for what transpired over the past decade became apparent to everyone who was watching closely.

Under the Obama Administration, and during the post-Surge era of the Bush Presidency, there has been a concerted effort to unify the Iraqi population and to bring in all religions/sects into the emerging political structure. By empowering all Iraqi’s to have a stake in their own futures, we can help them plant the seeds of a prosperous economic future and successfully transition into an era of partnership with a freely elected, all inclusive Iraqi Government. Today’s eradication of these leaders was a big step amongst many taken and needed, but much work is left to be done between now and the planned exit of American forces later this year.

Thoughts on war and the domestic agenda of the United States…

Upon analysis of the proposed budget for fiscal year 2011, it has become obvious that the priorities of the United States are in great jeopardy due to massive debt incurred from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not only have over 4,000 servicemen (including my first cousin) and women died in the war on terror, but over 30,000 will return home with life altering battle wounds. In addition, billions in taxpayer dollars have disappeared due to mismanagement by hired contractors, overpayment to companies like Halliburton, and corruption by those who are responsible with using these funds appropriately as directed.

Unfortunately for taxpayers, the war debt created by the Bush Administration has now come due, and with heavy interest. This year alone, it is estimated that US taxpayers will foot a bill of nearly 200 billion dollars for debt incurred over the past decade. Our military budget is 1.2 Trillion dollars this year, and the fact that war spending was billed as a separate budget entity under President Bush, only recently to be included in the full budget, demonstrates the degree to which fiscal irresponsibility was ignored in the name of fighting the “axis of evil” abroad.

The Obama Administration, despite escalating troop levels to finish the fight in Afghanistan, has already begun to reign in wasteful defense spending. Not because they intend to back down to outside threats, but because the cost of waging war for nine years has taken a critical toll on the domestic agenda here at home. Programs such as Social Security and Medicare are at risk because we are spending nearly $10 billion a month fighting overseas. To date, the Iraq War has cost over $740 billion. In comparison, Afghanistan, the true stomping grounds of the 9/11 planners, has cost a mere $260 billion or one-third of Iraq. In all, over one trillion dollars have been spent on anti-terror based operations, and only now are we truly focused on finishing the job of dusting off the Taliban and capturing Al Qaeda leadership.

In stark contrast, W. Bush’s father was able to wage the first Gulf War at a total cost of $62 billion, including returning our troops home to safety upon completion of the mission. W, as opposed to his father, declared victory, but then chose to extend the conflict into an ambitious nation building operation. This decision was made with budgeting practices which ignored the long term viability of such an action. As the price of the War in Iraq skyrocketed, it became apparent that defense spending was spiraling out of control. Thus, the Bush Administration told the Pentagon to scrap unnecessary projects, such as a new fleet of Presidential helicopters, in a shallow attempt to appear frugal.

With defense spending dominating budgetary matters, the mainland American public was suffering dire economic consequences. From unregulated banks, Wall Street greed, and an exploding housing bubble, there is no denying that fighting two wars, while largely ignoring the home front, ultimately led us to near chaos in late 2008. While it cost taxpayers over $390,000 to deploy a solider abroad, middle class and lower income families saw their wages remain stagnant amidst inflation in healthcare costs and gas prices that peaked near $6 dollars a gallon at the height of the Iraq War.

In a sense, our country has not only lent its heart, soul, and children to fight these wars, we’ve sacrificed a decade worth of monetary progress to avenge a savage act on our soil. To debate the necessity of the Iraq War is futile; as it is coming to an end as you read this, but there is no doubt that the American people are less well off because of the irresponsible manner in which it was conducted. Our reputation abroad was damaged because of holes in the game plan, and the proximity of the conflict to Iran and Israel has allowed tensions to reach a boil. This brewing conflict took center stage, while our education, healthcare, and immigration systems required attention that was not being given to them.

Now is the time for us to focus on the problems that are right under our noses. President Obama has begun to draw down the troop levels in Iraq, diverting additional resources to the fight in Afghanistan, and setting his sights on 9/11 and Al Qaeda. The eventual return of a majority of our armed forces to the mainland will have a dramatic effect on the morale of the country, and aid in our ability to handle tough domestic issues. Going forward, it will be vital to refocus on building an America that is ready to lead both militarily and intellectually in the 21st century.

We need to become a healthier nation from a mental standpoint, and we need to reevaluate what kind of country we want to be going forward. Are we to be defined by our wars or by our ideas? Are we going to be a nation that fears the future, or relishes it? These questions are important to think about as we witness new foreign and domestic policies begin to take form. It will be in the vested interest of all Americans to take note of the impact of a less confrontational world view on our perception abroad, as well as the effects of having an extra $10 billion per month to use for domestic purposes.

Though in the end these wars we have waged are but a blip in the violent history of the world, we must realize that this is our time to regroup as a nation. The decisions that are made by our leaders going forward will ultimately define all of our futures. For this reason, we must all agree that no matter what our petty differences may be, our common needs do not change because we are at war. It is because of this fact that future wars must be fought within the realm of financial reason. Ultimately, we cannot afford to fight preemptively if it means bankrupting our nation again. The time has come to take note of what has happened to us, and to avoid repeating history in the future.

Addendum I: Effects of ending the War in Iraq: The successful return home of the brave soldiers stationed in Iraq should have short term positive boost on the morale of the entire nation. It will be our responsibility to help our biggest patriots mesh into the non-war world. We have to remember that this has been the longest War we have fought in several lifetimes, so it will be difficult even for the strongest minded of our troops to adapt to the calmness of daily life in America. In addition, a decline in tension between the US and Iran may be possible some time down the road given that much of the current day paranoia expressed by the President of Iran is due to our proximity to their border and their fear of American imperialism. Finally, world markets should welcome the renewed flow of billions more in domestic spending to renew the American economy, leaving the potential for a late 90's type boom.