Threats Don't Take A Holiday: Many U.S. Troops Serving Overseas During The Holidays

Jim Garamone at the DoD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2017 — It’s the holidays, and millions of Americans are making their way to visit family and friends.

And many of those travelers are military personnel returning home from their duty stations.

But hundreds of thousands of military personnel will not be traveling. They will be continuing to protect the United States. And they are based around the globe.

Threats Don’t Take a Holiday

Many American service members must stay at their jobs because threats don’t take a holiday.

According to the most recent statistics available at the Defense Manpower Data Center, there about 1.3 million personnel on active duty, with about 476,000 in the Army; 323,000 Navy; 184,000 Marine Corps; 321,600 Air Force and 41,500 in the Coast Guard. There are 810,800 in the selected reserves.

Service members serve on all seven continents -- there is one service member in Antarctica -- and on all the seas. Military personnel in more than 170 countries.

There are about 13,000 troops from all service branches in Afghanistan. They are working to train and advise Afghan forces and supply the fires needed to help defeat the Taliban and terror groups.

There are 5,200 service members in Iraq and another 2,000 in Syria. They are working with Iraqi forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces to rid the region of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

There are roughly 28,000 service members in South Korea, deterring North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Overall, there are more than 60,000 U.S. service members in the U.S. Central Command area of operations and aboard ships.

There are 710 U.S. troops in Kosovo.

Djibouti -- on the Horn of Africa -- hosts 3,100 American service members, and there are 505 service members in Niger.

There are 34,300 service members in Germany, 8,300 in the United Kingdom and 44,500 in Japan. Those troops’ presence reassures allies and deters competitors.

These are just some of where active duty personnel deployed this holiday season. They are joined by National Guard and Reserve personnel.

There are almost 20,000 National Guardsmen serving alongside their active duty brothers and sisters. They are operating far from their homes in some of the most dangerous areas on Earth.

Guardsmen are also helping their fellow citizens more directly with almost 5,000 battling wildfires in California or delivering supplies in Puerto Rico. And if the call comes on Christmas morning to help their fellow citizens, they will put down the coffee and put on the uniform.

From its the Navy has been an expeditionary force. Sailors will man their ships from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Mexico. Navy officials maintain that roughly a third of the Navy is deployed at any one time. By that measurement, it means more than 100,000 sailors and Marines are afloat on Christmas.

Sailors are performing missions that cannot stop for the holidays. Christmas is just another day for sailors manning their posts aboard submarines with nuclear weapons. Sailors launching aircraft from the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Persian Gulf may have time for Christmas services.

The same holds true for Air Force missileers and airmen who will be in the silos, by the planes and in the command centers ensuring the nuclear system is ready if needed.

Monitoring Cyber, Space

U.S. Cyber Command personnel will monitor the cyber world for threats, and service members will scan space to ensure those assets are not threatened.

Even all these far-flung areas, service members will take time to remember the holidays. Dining facilities do their best to ensure every service member has a great holiday meal. Centers work overtime to help service members contact loved ones back home. At some places, there will be sporting matches and perhaps the troops may get a bit more rack time.

But this is the way it has always been. The military is always on duty and has been from Valley Forge in 1778 to Fredericksburg in 1862, from Bastogne in 1944 to Chosin in 1950, and from Linebacker 2 in 1972 to today.

The bottom line is the U.S. military stands guard so the world can know -- or hope for -- peace.

Note: In the above Air Force photo taken by Staff Sgt. Katherine Spessa, members of the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron participate in a white elephant gift exchange on Dec. 25, 2016 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. 

President Trump Announces New Whole-of-Government National Security Strategy

Jim Garamone at DoD News offers the below piece.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2017 — President Donald J. Trump today announced a new national security strategy rooted in a whole-of-government approach that stresses the economic might of the United States.

In a written statement, Defense Secretary James N. Mattis called the strategy "clear and comprehensive."

"As the world's most lethal armed force, the men and women of the United States military ensure our diplomats always speak from a position of strength," he said. "Supported by our allies and partners, we will continue to defend our common security interests as we protect America from those seeking to threaten the freedoms we enjoy."

Trump announced the new strategy during a speech at the Reagan Building near the White House. The national security strategy sets the stage for the national defense strategy and the national military strategy.

“With every decision and every action, we are now putting America first,” the president said. “We are rebuilding our nation, our confidence and our standing in the world.”

In addition to the military aspect of national security, the new strategy includes homeland defense, border security, trade policy and economic strength. Still, military power does play a part, and the president noted the $700 billion National Defense Authorization Act he signed last week.

“We are demanding extraordinary strength, which will hopefully lead to long and extraordinary peace,” he said. “We are giving our courageous military men and women the support they need and so dearly deserve.”

ISIS and Other Threats

Trump also spoke about specific threats such as Iran, North Korea, Russia and China, and he touted efforts against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

“Following my trip to the Middle East, the Gulf States and other Muslim-majority nations joined together to fight radical Islamist ideology and terrorist financing,” he said. “We have dealt ISIS one devastating defeat after another. The coalition to defeat ISIS has now recaptured almost 100 percent of the land once held by these terrorists in Iraq and in Syria. Great job.”

To keep this momentum moving, the United States must integrate every dimension of national strength, “and we must compete with every instrument of our national power,” the president said. “With the strategy I'm announcing today, we are declaring that America is in the game, and America is going win.”

Vital Interests

The strategy advances four vital national interests. The first is to protect the American people, the homeland and the American way of life. “We cannot secure a nation if we do not secure our borders,” Trump said. “So for the first time ever, an American strategy now includes a serious plan to defend our homeland.”

In addition, the strategy also calls on America to confront, discredit and defeat radical Islamic terrorism and ideology, and to prevent it from spreading into the United States. “We will develop new ways to counter those who use new domains, such as cyber and social media, to attack our nation or threaten our society,” he said.

The second pillar is economic. “For the first time, American strategy recognizes that economic security is national security,” the president said. “Economic vitality, growth and prosperity at home is absolutely necessary for American power and influence abroad. Any nation that trades away its prosperity for security will end up losing both.”

Preserving Peace Through Strength

Preserving peace through strength is the third pillar of the new strategy. “We recognize that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unrivaled power is the most certain means of defense,” Trump said. “For this reason, our strategy breaks from the damaging defense sequester. We're going to get rid of that.”

Trump said the strategy calls for a total military modernization, and reversing previous decisions to shrink the force. “It calls for streamlining acquisition, eliminating bloated bureaucracy, and massively building up our military, which has the fundamental side benefit of creating millions and millions of jobs,” he added.

New military domains of space and cyberspace have key roles in the strategy, the president said. “This strategy outlines important steps to address new forms of conflict, such as economic and political aggression, and our strategy emphasizes strengthening alliances to cope with these threats,” he said. “It recognizes that our strength is magnified by allies who share principles and our principles, and shoulder their fair share of responsibility for our common security.”

Advancing American Influence

Finally, the strategy seeks to advance American influence, which begins with building wealth and power at home. “America will lead again,” Trump said. “We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but we will champion the values without apology.”

The United States values strong alliances and partnerships, based on cooperation and reciprocity, the president said. “We will make new partnerships with those who share our goals and make common interests into a common cause,” he added.

“We will pursue the vision we have carried around the world over this past year, a vision of strong, sovereign and independent nations that respect their citizens and respect their neighbors, nations that thrive in commerce and cooperation, rooted in their histories and branching out toward their destinies.”

Yes, It's The 'Holiday' Season - And The Holiday Is Christmas

Rebecca Hagelin offers a piece on Christmas at the Washington Times.

 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

“and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

“and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller,

“The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

— Isaiah 9:6

The Jewish people must have thought that Isaiah had gone mad.

Written some 700 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah lived at a time when his people were desperate for a savior. Throughout history, Jews suffered tremendous persecution, frequently enslaved and treated brutally. They constantly watched and waited for the one who would come to conquer their enemies once and for all, as was promised to their forefather Abraham so many years earlier.

They imagined their savior would come as a mighty warrior-king who would trample their persecutors, establishing his kingdom above all others. Most were certain their salvation would be complete and final, won in battle through a fearless leader who the people would adore, allowing them to finally live in everlasting peace and prosperity.

Then along comes Isaiah, a great prophet, respected and even revered. But the prophet had a vision and told the people that not only would their savior come as a tiny, helpless baby born in poverty but that they also would view him as despicable. As Isaiah wrote, recorded in Chapter 53, Verse 3:

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows,

“and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him;

“he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

“Despised? Isaiah, you are a fool,” they must have cried. “Our savior will be worshipped and adored!”

Isaiah always warned of the consequences that came with disobeying God, and he was known as a bearer of bad news. Just as the people refused to listen to his warnings, they missed the hope and promise of the Christ child of whom he wrote.

After Isaiah died, the Jewish people grew in number. Generations came and went, and Scripture was ignored or twisted into teachings that were much more palatable. By the time Jesus was born, very few were familiar with the ancient writings. Others became more enamored with religious ritual than simple truth.

Such is the story of mankind, including much of the Christian church. The need and quest for truth are quickly eclipsed by our egos and desire to be in control: to be our own arbitrators of truth and justice. So we ignore Scripture and replace it with religiosity and man-made rules. We, in fact, imagine that we are not in need of a savior at all.

Just as the Jewish people and so many gentiles missed the true Jesus at the time of his life on earth, America as a “Christian nation” misses Jesus today.

Although the Bible is the best-selling book of all time, in most homes it sits covered in dust, long forgotten on a crowded bookshelf or in a box placed in the attic long ago. And even though our entire nation and much of the rest of the world still celebrate “something” on Dec. 25, the vast majority of us cannot explain what that something is.

Just like the Bible, we can’t quite bring ourselves to throw out the holiday altogether. We sense somewhere deep in our soul that there must be more to it. But preferring our own ideas of justice and truth, we bury the meaning of Christmas in a mound of presents and tinsel and vast commercialism, and now even simply refer to it as a “holiday.” We are so good at allowing ourselves to be deceived that we’ve forgotten the meaning and the origin of the word “holiday.”

A holiday is a “holy day,” and the holy day we celebrate this week is called Christmas.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/17/christmas-is-the-holiday/  

'Yes, Virginia. There Is A Santa Claus': Is The Most Famous Editorial In American Journalism. But What Happened To The Eight-Year-Old Virginia?

W. Joseph Campbell at Media Myth Alert offers a piece on what happened to the eight-year-old girl who wrote to her newspaper and asked the editor if there were a Santa Claus. The newspaper's response, written by Francis Pharcellus Church, is iconic. 

Virginia O’Hanlon was 8-years-old when she gained a measure of fame that would last her lifetime.

Shortly after her birthday in July 1897, young Virginia wrote to the New York Sun, posing the timeless question: “Is there a Santa Claus?”

It took several weeks, but her innocent letter gave rise to the most famous editorial in American journalism. The Sun answered Virginia’s query on September 21, 1897, in an essay destined to become a classic.

The essay was assigned an inconspicuous place in the Sun, appearing in the third of three columns of editorials beneath the headline, “Is There A Santa Claus?”

Its most memorable passage sought to reassure Virginia–and, as it turned out, generations of youngsters since then.

“Yes, Virginia,” it declared, “there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.”

You can read the rest of the piece and watch Virginia O’Hanlon on TV with Perry Como via the below link:

https://mediamythalert.wordpress.com/2010/12/25/what-became-of-virginia-ohanlon/

You can also read about the letter and the editorial at the Newsmuseum via the below link:

 http://www.newseum.org/exhibits/online/yes-virginia/

U.S. Ambassador Haley Says Iran Must Stop Destabilizing Behavior

Jim Garamone at the DOD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2017 — Standing in front of an Iranian rocket fired at an international airport in Saudi Arabia, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Iran must stop all its destabilizing behavior.

“We are not just focused on [Iran’s] nuclear program,” the ambassador said during a press conference at a Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling hangar where the illegal Iranian equipment is on display.

The display is hard evidence that Iran is seeking to destabilize the Middle East. Haley stressed that Iran is engaging in many other illegal behaviors that are causing suffering from the Arabian Peninsula, to Central Asia, to the Levant.

The United States is going beyond Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which the theocracy agreed to halt only after overwhelming international pressure. “We are not just focused on the nuclear program,” Haley said. “We’re also taking a hard look at Iran’s ballistic missile program, its arms exports, its support for terrorists, proxy fighters and dictators.”

And Iran’s behavior is growing worse, she said. “The nuclear deal has done nothing to moderate the regime’s conduct in other areas,” the ambassador said.

The instance of missile and weapons systems being sent from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to militias and terror groups is increasing. “It’s hard to find a terrorist group in the Middle East that does not have Iran’s fingerprints all over it,” she said.

Iran is “fanning the flames” of conflict, Haley said.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 deals specifically with Iranian arms transfers and its ballistic missile program. Iran has repeatedly violated the resolution.

The report shows Iran arming Houthi rebels in Yemen with missiles and advanced weaponry, and that is what brought Haley to a hangar near the Defense Intelligence Agency here. The displays in the hangar are irrefutable, concrete proof of Iran’s violations. Missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, antitank weapons and a Shark-33 boat used to attack a Saudi frigate are among the displays. Examination of the weapons trace them back to Iran and industries owned and operated by the Iranian government or Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

“This evidence demonstrates a pattern of behavior in which Iran sows conflict and extremism in direct violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions,” she said.

The United States has invited all members of the U.N. Security Council and all members of Congress to view the display. “This evidence is part of what led the U.S. Intelligence Community to conclude -- unequivocally -- that these weapons were supplied by the Iranian regime. The evidence is undeniable -- they might as well have had ‘Made in Iran’ stickers all over them.”

Haley called on all nations of the world to join the United States in resisting Iran as the nation has become “a global threat.”

Note: In the above DoD photo by EJ Hersom U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley discusses evidence of Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Middle East. 

U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis: Iran Working To Destabilize Middle East

Jim Garamone at the DOD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2017 — “Everywhere you find turmoil [in the Middle East], you find Iran’s hand in it,” Defense Secretary James N. Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon yesterday.

During an impromptu news conference, Mattis addressed questions about Iran and U.S. efforts to expose Iran’s malicious behavior.

He praised U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley’s Dec. 14 presentation at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling here that highlighted Iran’s illegal arms program. Haley stood in front of an Iranian missile that Iran’s proxy – the Houthis – fired at Riyadh International Airport, a civilian target in Saudi Arabia. The missile didn’t hit the airport, but if it had, it potentially could have killed hundreds of innocent civilians.

Haley’s briefing included physical evidence that Iran is providing ballistic missiles to the Houthis, Mattis said. “What we are doing in that region,” he added, “is standing by allies and partners, and we're on one hand exposing, on the other hand helping them build their own capability to reject Iranian influence.”

Other Iranian Activities

In addition to its support on the Arabian Peninsula to the Houthis – a Shia group seeking to take control of Yemen -- the secretary cited some of Iran’s activities elsewhere in the region.

“We find Iran actively engaged in keeping [Syrian President Bashar] Assad in power, despite the murder of his own people on the industrial scale, including the use of chemical weapons,” Mattis said. “We see what [Iran has] done with Lebanese Hezbollah in Lebanon and the threat to peace and the support they've given to Assad and the threat to Israel, for example.”

There is no military role for the United States in exposing Iran’s activities, Mattis said. “The reason Ambassador Haley was there, and not one of our generals, is this is a diplomatically led effort to expose to the world what Iran is up to,” he said.

Note: The above DoD photo of Secretary Mattis was taken by Jim Garamone. 

Mob Talk 11: A Look Back At A South Philly Mob Hit And Talk Of The Upcoming Racketeering Trial Of Reputed Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino

Veteran organized crime reporters George Anastasia and Dave Schratwieser look back at a South Philly mob hit on the 5th Anniversary of the the Gino DiPietro murder that sent Mob Soldier Anthony Nicodemo to prison 

They also discuss indicted Philadelphia Mob Boss Joey Merlino as the Feds line up their witnesses for his upcoming trial in January.

You can watch the video via the below link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-A3LgiJ6Cg