Patriot Paradox

AFP – US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday said Washington was open to keeping troops in Iraq beyond a 2011 deadline, but it was up to Baghdad to make a request. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – The US military has so far been unable to explain an apparent missile vapour trail off the coast of California and is still trying to determine its cause, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday. Read the rest of this entry »

Reuters – The death of a North Korean military official and the naming of leader-in-waiting Kim Jong-un to the funeral preparation committee was jumped on by South Korean media on Monday as showing he had risen to second-in-command. Read the rest of this entry »

AP – The soldiers who reported to Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs paint a monstrous picture: He killed Afghan civilians for sport, they say, and encouraged others to do the same. He collected fingers of the dead, plotted against his own men and found it amusing to slaughter animals with his assault rifle. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – The Yemeni foreign minister has denied any US military role in his country’s fight against Al-Qaeda in comments published on Monday after a report Washington had deployed drones to hunt down jihadists. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – The US military’s top officer on Monday said he was “surprised” at public remarks by the head of the Marine Corps who questioned the repeal of a ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces. Read the rest of this entry »

AFP – The new commandant of the US Marine Corps spoke out in an interview published Sunday against lifting a ban on gays serving openly in the military at a time when US troops are in combat. Read the rest of this entry »

Reuters – The death of a North Korean military official and the naming of leader-in-waiting Kim Jong-un to the funeral preparation committee was jumped on by South Korean media on Monday as showing he had risen to second-in-command. Read the rest of this entry »

My husband and I just returned home after enjoying a fabulous free meal at our local McCormick & Schmick’s Veterans Appreciation event with friends. Of our party of 5, four were Navy veterans, and we had a great time visiting with old friends over a delicious meal. Thank you to McCormick & Schmick’s for hosting this event for the 12th year!

For an updated list of other merchants offering Veterans Day Specials, including free meals and more, please Read the rest of this entry »

AP – Defense Secretary Robert Gates is encouraging Congress to act before year’s end to repeal the ban on gays serving openly in the military. It’s a position shared by his boss, the president. Read the rest of this entry »