CashWinner$'s Blog

Executive Branch / August 17, 2011

Guns From ‘Fast & Furious’ Sting Linked To 11 More Violent Crimes

WASHINGTON – Weapons from the failed federal operation "Fast and Furious" have reportedly been linked to 11 more violent crimes in the U.S., including in places like Arizona and Texas where a total of 42 weapons were seized. As early as January 2010, guns tied to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosions were found at crime scenes in cities like Phoenix, Glendale and El Paso, the Los Angeles Times first reported.The ATF program was designed to identify cartel leaders in Mexico by allowing for the illegal purchase of weapons and then tracking the firearms. The operation backfired when ATF lost track of the guns. Under the program, 1,418 firearms were circulated though the number of disappeared guns is still unknown.

In a letter obtained by Fox News, Justice Department officials said last month they are cooperating with congressional investigations and the Justice Department inspector general's office. It also acknowledged that ATF Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson "likely became aware" of the operation as early as December 2009. But Republicans leading the congressional probe into Fast and Furious replied to Attorney General Eric Holder in a letter Tuesday, saying that many of his answers to their inquiries were "non-responsive."

"We are disappointed that the Department has chosen to play word games rather than simply responding with as much detail as possible about these additional 11 cases," wrote Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Sen. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, three supervisors in charge of the program are being transferred to Washington for new management positions at the agency's headquarters. The decision to promote William Newell and David Voth, both field supervisors who managed the program out of the agency's Phoenix office, and William McMahon, who was the ATF's deputy director of operations in the West, earned criticism from U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

"Until Attorney General (Eric) Holder and Justice Department officials come clean on all alleged gun-walking operations, including a detailed response to allegations of a Texas-based scheme, it is inconceivable to reward those who spearheaded this disastrous operation with cushy desks in Washington," Cornyn, R-Texas, wrote to Holder.

A husband and wife were sitting watching a TV program about psychology and mixed emotions when he turned to his wife and said, "Honey, that's a bunch of crap; I bet you can't tell me anything that will make me Happy and Sad at the same time."

"Ok.. Um, you’re better in bed than ALL your friends."

              !!!  You Are The Master  !!!

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."     

  ~ Anatole France ~

Anatole France was the pen name of Nobel Prize–winning French author Jacques Anatole François Thibault. He was born in 1844 in Paris. His father was a book dealer, and France spent his life among books, including 14 years as assistant librarian to the French Senate. His novels, including the Contemporary History series and The Gods Are Athirst, often use allegory and religious symbolism as vehicles for moral questions. He died in 1924.

 

Keeping Faith with the Fallen SEALs

 

By:  Jim DeFelice

 

08/16/2011 ………. (From my inbox) ……….

 

 

The last few months have seen extreme highs and extreme lows for America’s vaunted Naval Development Group (DevGru), better known to the world as SEAL Team 6.

First came the tremendous news that Osama bin Laden had finally been brought to justice. Most recently, we learned of the terrible deaths of a large number of DevGru operators while engaged in a mission.

Many have used the latter tragedy as raw material for whatever particular cause or political point they want to make. Those arguments are not worthy of even passing notice. But many Americans I’ve spoken to over the past few days seem to have legitimate concerns about what the results of the latest incident will be.

They worry that the SEAL’s deaths will somehow force the unit – and America – to lose courage, to hesitate or even fail in other missions.

I can’t, don’t and won’t pretend to speak for any SEAL, let alone those in DevGru. But I can say from my acquaintances and past experiences, that SEALs are the most dedicated individuals on the planet. They are, in every sense, true warriors. This incident won’t make them shirk combat; on the contrary, they’ll be even more committed to carrying out their mission.

I admit that I can’t speak with such confidence about the leadership above them, either military or civilian. I believe that the generals and admirals who have the SEALs under their command understand their capabilities and are willing to use them. The raid on bin Laden is some evidence that the civilians above them agree as well. The fact that an attack was carried out just the other day on the Taliban leadership in the area where the helicopter was downed is a good sign.

The deaths of the Americans – of any Americans, not just SEALs – is terrible and tragic. It’s a burden on their families and other loved ones. It diminishes us all. But it should not be seen as a reason to retreat from principles or goals.

I’ve recently completed work on a biography of Omar Bradley, one of America’s great generals of World War II?. Among the many things Bradley believed in, one impressed me more than any other. To win a war, he thought, soldiers must press close to the enemy and fight. They must risk their lives. They must die.

Bradley’s nickname as the “GI General” was well deserved. There was no general in the war who thought more of the common soldier. But that never stopped him from pressing his men to fight in battle. Their deaths affected him greatly, but never kept him from prosecuting the war to its fullest, nor did he hesitate to criticize them for not closing with the enemy. He himself risked his life countless times, and even went so far as to shoot at strafing German aircraft with his hunting rifle. Had he been killed, he would have accepted it as part of the price of getting his job as a commander and leader done.

There is room for honest debate over whether our goals can be met in Afghanistan. I believe if our forces are allowed to prosecute the war to the fullest, they can be. Others may certainly have another perspective. But citing the downing of a single helicopter directly or indirectly as a reason to withdraw is foolish and shallow.

The deaths in Afghanistan were tragic and terrible. But we owe it to the dead to show the same courage they showed. They had great faith in their collective character and abilities; we should have no less.