War on Terror

9/11, Political wind, War on Terror

It’s a pre-9/11 Congress

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James Jay Carafano’s view of the ‘9/11 bill,’ this morning, in the National Review Online:

Those hoping the bill would provide a clear strategic direction for homeland-security policy will find this “signature” as inscrutable as that of a drunken doctor writing in haste. But the bill does clearly show, however, that the way Congress “does” homeland security has changed significantly under it new Democratic leadership.
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One measure of how far the bill has missed its strategic mark is how found in how very few of its more than 700 pages of provisions pertains in any way to recommendations actually made by the 9/11 Commission. Inspecting every container of frozen fish, for example, was never suggested in the commission report.

How curious that the so-called 9/11 bill can come up with so many frothy original ideas, yet scrupulously avoid so many hard-nosed recommendations from the commission. For instance, whatever happened to the idea of further consolidating the jurisdiction of congressional committees over the Homeland Security Department. The new law studiously ignores this basic housekeeping reform so strenuously sought by the commission.

Iraq, Keeping the faith, War on Terror

Marine’s Memorial in Michigan Vandalized

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Northern Michigan’s 9&10news.com (CBS TV affiliate) has the story:

“Its the idea that somebody vandalizing something that means so much to so many, I have trouble understanding,” an anguished Linda Fabian said while viewing a memorial to a fallen Marine from Mt. Pleasant, MI, that had been vandalized.

Lest they be forgotten memoria Mt Pleasant MI

When Lance Corporal Justin Ellsworth died in Iraq on November 13, 2004, Fabian got to work making sure Ellsworth and all the troops who put their lives on the line would not be forgotten. Fabian’s own son served two tours in Iraq.

Lance Corporal Justin M. Ellsworth

“It wasn’t about how big it was, it wasn’t about how extraordinary of a monument, its what it meant and what it represented,” Fabian said.

Lest they be forgotten memorial Mt Pleasant MI

Police say someone twisted what it represents. They bent a twenty-foot flagpole, draped that flag on the monument, burned a part of the flag, stole a bronze eagle, and destroyed a lot of the flowers and plants that surround it.

Lest they be forgotten memorial Mt Pleasant MI

“So many kids from around here have been to Iraq, are going to Iraq; they’re protecting the very people that are doing this to our monument,” Fabian said.

Lest they be forgotten memorial Mt Pleasant MI

The Mount Pleasent Police Department is investigating yet, “At this point it’s pretty wide open. We don’t have any suspects or major leads to go on,” a spokesman said. Police hope the community will bring them answers to who did this to their community’s monument.

Lest they be forgotten memorial Mt Pleasant MI

Fabian said the strange thing is, in all the damage that was done, the daisies here are the one thing that survived. They were Justin Ellsworth’s favorite flower. “Justin loved daisies and if you look, they only thing that really survived are Justin’s daisies,” Fabian pointed out.

Lest they be forgotten memorial Mt Pleasant MI

If you would like to donate money to help fix the memorial in Mount Pleasant, there is an account set up at Isabella Bank & Trust under the name Justin Ellsworth.

The memorial in Mount Pleasant was designed by Gregg Garvey, of Florida, as part of the Lest They Be Forgotten memorial effort. Mr. Garvey began his not for profit campaign to create, establish and help maintain hometown remembrances of our men and women who have lost their lives defending the United States of America in our war against terrorism after his own son, Army Sergeant Justin W. “Hobie” Garvey, was killed in an ambush in Iraq on July 20, 2003.

A video report by 9&10 News’ Mona Nair and photojournalist Bridgette Pacholka can be viewed here.