Tag Archives: Congress

America Joins Conflict in Libya: Operation Odyssey Dawn

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1973 authorizing “all necessary means” except an invasion to enforce a no-fly zone and “protect civilians” in Libya.  China, Russia, Germany, Brazil and India abstained from the vote.  The UN Security Council:

Authorizes Member States…to take all necessary measures…to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya…while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory.

Establish[es] a ban on all flights in the airspace of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in order to help protect civilians;

Authorizes Member States…to take all necessary measures to enforce compliance with the ban on flights…

Fighter pilots and other American military members around the world are undoubtedly preparing for their eventual role in this conflict, which, like virtually every other conflict since Korea, remains politically controversial.  (For example, The Washington Times quotes then-candidate and Senator Barack Obama apparently contradicting his current actions as President.)

Ironically, Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi tried to paint this latest conflict as a Christian crusade against Muslims:  Read more

Fighter Pilot Calls for End to Religious Garb in Uniform

Retired Air Force Colonel Martha McSally became famous several years ago for suing the Department of Defense over the Islamic abaya.  While stationed as an A-10 pilot in Saudi Arabia, she was required to wear the abaya when she went off base to avoid offending the local Islamic population.

Congress intervened before the suit was adjudicated and, in its role of creating the rules and regulations for the US military, prohibited the required wear of the abaya in Saudi Arabia.

Writing in the Washington Post, McSally now says members of the US military’s “female engagement teams” in Afghanistan are being “encouraged” (read: required) to wear an Islamic scarf again.  She has a somewhat contradictory take on their wear of the Islamic garb:  on one hand, she “applauds” the women for doing “whatever it takes to win this war.”  On the other, she feels wearing the Islamic garb is a surrender to all that is wrong with the culture in which they are fighting:  Read more

General Washington Appoints Chaplains

An interesting website over at GeneralWashington.net sponsors a sort of ‘living history’ of George Washington’s life.  The “blog” on the site follows the dates of Washington’s actual correspondence on those dates more than 200 years ago.

A couple of weeks ago, it noted his order from 7 February 1776:

The Continental Congress having been pleased to order, and direct, that there shall be one Chaplain to two Regiments, and that the pay of each Chaplain shall be Thirty-three dollars and one third, pr Kalendar Month–The Revd. Abiel Leonard is appointed Chaplain to the Regiment of Artillery, under the command of Col Knox, and to the 20th. Regiment, at present commanded by Lt. Col Durkee.

Via the Army Chaplaincy blog.

DADT: Gay dating at USAFA, Amos on Marine Moral Compass, More

Below is an update on ongoing issues with respect to the planned repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Included below:

  • Polis says USAFA should hire gay Chaplain, welcome same-sex dating
  • Virginia’s proposal to institute its own DADT for its National Guard
  • Transgender appeals for equal treatment following repeal
  • Hunter’s Restore Military Readiness Act of 2011
  • King’s combat unit DADT repeal exemption
  • Repeal training to begin shortly
  • Video message from General Amos on repeal

Read more

Military Chaplains: Have Bible, Will Travel

Or, as the case may be, Have Koran, or Vedas…

An Army news article notes the necessary travels of military Chaplains as they travel throughout the combat area in Afghanistan serving the religious and morale needs of those in their care.  There have been a variety of other articles on “fob-hopping,” but this one included an interesting summary of the US military Chaplaincy:

The Chaplain’s Corps has been around since 1775. Following the creation of the infantry as a branch of the Army, the Read more

Obama Administration Sued for Not Transferring Land, Cross

In an interesting twist to a long-running legal case, the VFW has sued the Executive Branch of the US government for failing to comply with an act of Congress supported by the Supreme Court.

The Mojave Cross has been in dispute for some years.  The privately-erected cross on government land was the subject of a lawsuit, Buono v Salazar.  In 2003 the US Congress transferred the land surrounding the Mojave Cross to the VFW in an attempt to eliminate the issues in conflict.  The 9th Circuit court of appeals said the Mojave Cross was unConstitutional and the land transfer was an invalid attempt to circumvent their ruling.

In April of last year, the US Supreme Court overturned that decision, saying the appeals court “erred.”  SCOTUS remanded the case to the 9th Circuit.

The cross was torn down by vandals shortly after the ruling, and the site remains empty because  Read more

Bill Would Permit Religious Symbols in Military Memorials

With frequent, long-lasting, and repeated lawsuits against military memorials with religious symbology, US Congressmen have proposed legislation that would explicitly permit just such memorials.

Rep. Duncan Hunter…introduced the War Memorial Protection Act in response to the federal Ninth Circuit Court’s Jan. 4 ruling, declaring the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial unconstitutional. Joining Hunter as co-sponsors are Congressmen Brian Bilbray of Solana Beach and Darrell Issa of Vista.

All three Congressmen are from the San Diego area.  Several members of Bilbray’s family are reportedly memorialized at the Mount Soledad cross that inspired both the lawsuit and the legislation.

Also noted at the Religion Clause.

General Says Repeal May Cost Lives, Congress Repeals DADT

Commandant of the Marine Corps and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General James Amos has been widely reported to have said the repeal of DADT would cause “distractions” that could “cost Marine lives.”

Amos was widely criticized, with some even calling for his resignation for being “out of step with his own bosses.”  Apparently critics failed to realize its the responsibility of the Chiefs of Staff to provide such advice to the President.  It is not their job to be “yes men.”  Interestingly, there was speculation Amos had been chosen by Obama for both his pensive reservation and for his views on DADT (both of which seem to have been proven contrary to perception).

Still, Amos specifically said civilian leadership of the military in the US would be respected.

This weekend, Congress voted to repeal the law banning homosexuals from serving in the military.

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