Category Archives: Government and Religion

PFC Cole Bridges Pleads Not Guilty to Terrorism Charges

 

US Army Private First Class Cole Bridges pled not guilty to planning to blow up landmarks in New York city as part of an Islamic State terror attack:

Cole Bridges faces a maximum of 40 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to Islamic State and attempted murder of U.S. military service members…The radicalized soldier eventually began advising the fake Islamic State sympathizer on how to thwart U.S. military attacks in the Middle East and “provided advice” on potential targets in New York City, including the 9/11 Memorial, according to a complaint.

Nearly two dozen attacks have been Read more

A Muslim Became a Christian US Soldier. Mikey Weinstein Isn’t Happy.

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, self-described defender of religious freedom in the US military, returned to rare form yesterday and excoriated the US military because it published a story about a US Soldier — and she’s a Christian.

In what is likely an intentional Public Affairs and recruiting effort, the military has long had a practice of publishing personal interest stories on its troops. While there are many “average Americans” profiled, there are also many stories about US troops with relatively unique and significant experiences. There are many stories about growing up in impoverished or oppressive countries, living in fear or struggle before coming to America, and wanting to “give back” to the country they feel has given them so much.

About a week ago, the US Army published such a story about US Army SPC Zahraa ‘Katya’ Frelund, who, as an Iraqi teenager in 2009, ran away from what she knew and into the arms of US troops on a US Army base in Baghdad. The Army Captain she met there told her Read more

US Military Attacks the Press, and No One Notices

In which Mikey Weinstein learns he doesn’t rise to the level of Tucker Carlson.

If Donald Trump were the current President of the United States – a man who at one point declared the media to be the “enemy of the people” – perhaps the US military’s verbal attacks of FoxNews would have garnered more pushback.

Last week, FoxNews commentator Tucker Carlson lambasted the ‘woke’ military after President Biden chose to highlight – of all the things he could have mentioned – “maternity flight suits”:

Perhaps maternity flight suits have been around for a while. We’ve never heard of them. But here was the President of the United States promoting them at a press conference. That phrase stuck out not because we have some hateful bias against pregnant women flying military jets. We’re pro-pregnancy, as we often say. We’re also open-minded. Maybe pregnant women make the best pilots. The Department of Defense measures everything, so there has to be extensive research on this question. If the Pentagon can show that pregnant pilots are the best, we will be the first to demand an entire Air Force of pregnant pilots.

The problem is, we’re pretty confident that Joe Biden hasn’t asked to see those numbers. We’d bet money he never even thought to ask.

The rest of us depend on the U.S. military to protect our families and to protect the country itself. Joe Biden doesn’t see it that way. Finding the most effective military pilots — or infantry officers, or SEAL teams — is not his priority. It’s not even close to his priority. Identity politics is Joe Biden’s priority. It’s all that matters.

It’s obvious to Read more

Former Navy Admiral, House Chaplain Criticizes Politicians’ Unity

Former Chief of Navy Chaplains (RAdm) Margaret Kibben was appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the House Chaplain in January. Last week, her opening “prayer” criticized the House members for failing to “unite” around the $1.9T COVID “relief” bill.

“Almighty God, as these lawmakers take their sides on this factional bill before them, we pray your mercy,” she said. “Forgive them, all of them. For when called upon to respond to a once-in-a-century pandemic that has rocked our country, upended its economy and widened the chasm of partisan opinion, they have missed the opportunity to step above the fray and unite to attend to this national crisis…

In failing to address the acrimony and divisions which have prevailed in this room, the servants you have called to lead this country have contributed to the spread of an even more insidious contagion of bitterness and spite.”

The liberally-minded Kibben, who declined to support her own chaplain’s support for religious liberty in the Navy, seemed to prefer movement over principle. Clearly, she didn’t intend Read more

Air Force Bans White, Hispanic, Asian Airmen from 33-Person Mission

At Robins AFB, Georgia, the US Air Force recently celebrated the progress of a merit-based military by selecting a 33-person flight crew based solely on the color of their skin [emphasis added]:

“We have finally been able to come together and fulfill an entire African American aircrew,” [Capt. Dewey McRae] said. “Taking that a step forward, we not only had enough people for the actual mission crew but were able to fill additional seats with instructors and evaluators, taking a full jet of African Americans to represent the combat Air Force.”

In their own words, they worked for “years” to create a mission that prohibited Airmen who weren’t African-American from being onboard — even to Read more

Saleha Jabeen Becomes First Female Muslim Chaplain in the US Military

Noted last year when she began training, 1Lt Saleha Jabeen has now graduated the chaplain’s course and has become the first female Muslim chaplain in the entire US military:

The graduation ceremony for BCC Class 21A was a historic event as the Air Force aims to foster a more diverse and inclusive service…

“I did not have to compromise on any of my religious beliefs or convictions,” Jabeen said. “I am surrounded with people who respect me and are willing to receive what I bring to the table as a woman, a faith leader, and an immigrant.”

Jabeen’s entrance into the military as a chaplain is Read more

The US Military: Where Men are Men, or Women, or Vice Versa

The US military continues to struggle with the changing social mores and perceptions on gender – so much so that it frequently contradicts its own message.

That struggle hasn’t been helped by President Biden’s Executive Order that reversed the Executive Order by President Trump banning people who identified as transgender from serving in the military. While the decision has now been made, how to actually make that happen remains up in the air. The military already has a problem trying to say both genders are equal yet not; adding a third gender option only adds fuel to the seeming dumpster fire that passes as attempted policymaking.

Some recent points of interest: Read more

Senate Confirms Denis McDonough as VA Secretary

The US Senate confirmed Biden appointee — and former Obama Chief of Staff — Denis McDonough as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on Monday.

A relatively unnoticed office for most of the US public, the VA Secretary has, like so many positions, become increasingly political and controversial. Robert Wilkie, the previous VA Secretary under President Trump, made waves when the VA decided to put the VA motto on plaques at 142 VA cemeteries last summer. This wouldn’t seem like a big deal, except the VA motto is a quote from a speech made by President Abraham Lincoln: Read more

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