tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-258971712024-03-07T14:28:35.367-08:00Cop the TruthFostering the virtues of honor, loyalty and love of country.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154926756840154922006-08-06T21:42:00.000-07:002006-08-10T11:14:18.793-07:00New Home For Cop The TruthIntroducing the new <a href="http://copthetruth.typepad.com/">Cop The Truth</a>.<br /><br />It's bigger, it's badder, it's, well...pretty much the same, really.<br /><br />We've moved (to <a href="http://www.CopTheTruth.Typepad.com">www.CopTheTruth.Typepad.com</a>), so please come over and say hello. The first drink is on me. Actually, I just had a glass of wine, so the first drink has been taken. Sorry!<br /><br />Thanks to everyone who visited us here and took the time to comment, it's been greatly appreciated (yes, even you, "HC"). Your input has helped us make the decision to move on to a more advanced <em>Cop</em>. I hope to see you all at the new site (we even have new carpet there!). If you blogroll <em>Cop</em>, please update your blogrolls to link the new site.<br /><br />This one will stay up just in case some vagabond wonders in off of the street, looking for shelter. Or in case some phreak, say a family member (like a sister or a brother-in-law) decides they like the b/w version of <em>Cop</em> better, and I have to switch back. Insufferable know-it-alls! Not that there's anything wrong with that.<br /><br />This is like graduating high school. Except then, I had friends, and stuff. Oh, and a family that supported me. Oh, and there were a few hotties lingering around (you know who you are). Damnit, I promised myself I wouldn't cry!<br /><br />It is said that, when one door closes, another opens. Off to a new piece of sky!<br /><br />Once more into the breach, dear friends, with nary a whimper!<br /><br />Godspeed.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154807287886990142006-08-05T12:36:00.000-07:002006-08-05T12:48:07.943-07:00U.S. And France Agree<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/1600/cow.gif"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/320/cow.gif" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,207168,00.html">FOX News has this story</a> about an apparent agreement at the U.N. Security Council that will call for an end to the fighting in the Middle East. The agreement <em>"calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations,"</em> according to the AP.<br /><br />The U.S. agreed to the draft after it guaranteed Israel the right to self-defense and retaliation for any more Hezbollah attacks. It appears that the French may actually join in peacekeeping duties, so the terrorism alert above is published for their protection. Unless, of course, they send in the FFL, which is the only "French" entity I have any respect for.<br /><br />What we really need is a resolution from the U.N.S.C. ordering Hezbollah to disarm and disband.<br /><br />Oh. Wait, never mind.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154757918482478632006-08-04T22:36:00.000-07:002006-08-06T20:35:56.793-07:00U.S. Troops to Lebanon?October 1983 was a month I'll never forget.<br /><br />On October 23rd, I was commanding a small team of troopers who were conducting vehicle inspections at a missile site in West Germany. Car bombs were all the rage at the time, and there were two very active terrorist groups in Germany that liked making things go boom. As I helped inspect a civilian contractor's vehicle, one of my trooper's ambled up with a very serious expression on his face.<br /><br />"Sarge, phone call. It's battalion."<br /><br />Lovely. Like I need to talk to some Major who has nothing better to do than sit around and think up stuff for some young buck Sergeant to do. A few minutes later, I briefed my team <a href="http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/terror.htm">that the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, had been bombed.</a> Naturally, it was a car bomb. 241 Marines and other servicemen were killed that day. Our security ramped up immensely after that.<br /><br />Two days later, <a href="http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/golf/grenada1983.htm">the invasion of Grenada was launched,</a> co-spearheaded by a unit that I had just PCS'd from.<br /><br />For a long time, those two days haunted me. Grenada, because I knew that my unit had seen combat without me and that I had missed out on the fighting that I had been training for for so long. And Beirut, because I could still the faces of the Marines that they pulled out of those destroyed barracks. The ones who lived and the ones who died.<br /><br />I learned to live with missing Grenada. Beirut, not so much.<br /><br />Maybe it was the fact that we never seemed to do anything to retaliate for what happened to those brave men. As if we could ever do enough, or kill enough, to even the score.<br /><br />So naturally, a <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MIDEAST_MILITARY?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">story like this makes me nervous.</a> The possibility that we could send more "peacekeepers" to Lebanon, however unlikely, scares me. We don't need more brave men and women sitting over there, under the auspices of the U.N., with big targets on our their backs.<br /><br />Support Israel? Yes. And with combat troops, if necessary. But no more "peacekeepers." It's someone else's damned turn.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154669340424130782006-08-03T22:21:00.000-07:002007-02-02T05:55:21.416-08:0082nd Airborne Back To Afghanistan<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/1600/6020_b115.1.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/320/6020_b115.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=39104">Stars & Stripes</a> reports that the newly-formed 4th Brigade Combat Team will be re-re-deploying to Afghanistan. Details of the deployment have not yet been released. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team will be re-deploying to Iraq later this month, and, with two of the four Infantry Brigades gone, the 82nd Airborne will be hard pressed to fulfill its mandate of America's Rapid Deployment Force.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154651825410998332006-08-03T17:05:00.000-07:002006-08-04T14:07:01.510-07:00Civil War In Iraq?<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,206851,00.html">FOX News has this report</a> about the testimony today of SecDef Rumsfeld and others before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Gen. John Abizaid, Commander of the U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Pete Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also testified. The entire event was something less than positive.<br /><br />Senators Clinton and McCain in particular, both potential 2008 presidential candidates, put the witnesses through the ringer. All three men agreed that there have been setbacks in the war with Iraq, and that civil war is always a possibility, but they also suggested that victory can still be achieved.<br /><br />Quotes from the hearing:<br /><br />Rumsfeld: "<em>Americans didn't cross oceans and settle a wilderness and build history's greatest democracy only to run away from a bunch of murderers and extremists who try to kill everyone that they cannot convert and tear down what they could never build. We can persevere in Iraq or we can withdraw prematurely until they force us to make a stand nearer home. But make no mistake, [extremists] are not going to give up whether we acquiesce to their immediate demands or not. Ultimately the sectarian violence is going to be dealt with by Iraqis."</em><br /><br /><p>Abizaid: <em>"I believe that the sectarian violence is probably as bad as I have seen it." "I think there is a demand for military, political and diplomatic activities that move Iraq toward stability ... and I believe this current government, which is a four-year government, has that opportunity." "Iraq is only one part of a broader regional struggle underway. ... The vast majority of the people in the region do not want extremists to win,"</em></p><p>Pace:<em> "Shiite and Sunni are going to have to love their children more than they hate each other. The weight of that must be on the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government." "We are a nation at war, fortunately most of our fellow citizens are not affected by that war every day. Our enemy knows they can not defeat us in battle, they do believe however they can wear down our will as a nation. They are wrong."</em> Winning the global War on Terror <em>"will not be easy, this will not be quick and this will not be without sacrifice, but we will persist and we will prevail."</em></p><p>Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, in Baghdad:<em> </em>His government is<em> "highly optimistic that we will terminate terrorism this year. The Iraqi forces will take over security in all Iraqi provinces by the end of this year gradually, and if God's will, we will take the lead."</em> </p><p>I don't know what to think about this mess anymore. There is no doubt in my mind that our troops are fully capable of winning any conflict that they are involved in, but politics is taking a heavy toll here. Reality just isn't what it once was.</p><p>Part of me says <em>just get out</em>, and if they want to kill each other, as they have for thousands of years, then let them! Why should our brave men and women fight and die for something that many Iraqis don't seem to be willing to fight and die for? But I know that if we did pull out, we would be back there within ten more years, spilling more blood in the same old mud. And it would be much more difficult an endeavor the third time around.</p><p>Staying in Iraq to finish the job seems the only reasonable option. We cannot abandon all of our efforts there thus far, just because things are not improving vastly. We knew it would be a fight going in and it has been. But leaving now would only render worthless all of the sacrifice offered thus far. And I know that we can win, if the politicians and the negative news media will just shut up and let our troops prosecute their battle plans. But that's not about to happen, is it?</p>Also in Iraq, the completely worthless SecGen Kofi Annan wants the UN mission in Iraq <a href="http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1999335&C=mideast">extended for another year.</a> Huh. What, exactly, is the UN doing in Iraq? Here's a hint: it's doing the same thing in Iraq that it's doing in Lebanon, Darfur, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Balkans, etc. In a word, nothing.<br /><br />If the UN really wanted to do something, they could take over peace-keeping duties in Iraq, freeing US troops to return home. Wouldn't that be something?Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154571262008384092006-08-02T18:37:00.000-07:002006-08-03T06:57:40.516-07:00Haditha Update<a href="http://www.stripes.com/">Stars & Stripes</a> reports that the initial investigation into the alleged massacre of innocent civilians by U.S. Marines is coming to an end. The report apparently <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HADITHA_INVESTIGATION?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">supports the initial charges against the Marines.</a> However, the investigation is continuing and no charges have been filed. Another phase of the investigation will look into the possibility that Marine Officers tried to cover up the incident.<br /><br />Rep. John Murtha, D.-Pa., accused the Marines of cold-blooded murder in a statement on May 17th, and at least one of the Marines is firing back with a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed against Murtha, alleges that he made false and defamatory statements against SSgt. Frank Wuterich when he accused him of murder and war crimes. The lawsuit seeks damages of not less than $75,000.00. <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060803/ap_on_go_co/murtha_suit;_ylt=AtjTeoQB6eyUpA.xHcynXU5p24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--">Yahoo! News story.</a><br /><br />This one is far from over.<br /><br />Also blogging:<br /><a href="http://www.oldwardogs.us/the_american_warrior/index.html">Old War Dogs: The American Warrior</a><br /><a href="http://www.captainsjournal.com/">The Captain’s Journal</a><br /><a href="http://www.floppingaces.net/">Flopping Aces</a>Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154568993290033252006-08-02T18:32:00.000-07:002006-08-04T09:50:40.353-07:00The War On Terror<a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6162397493278181614&hl=en">Obsession: What The War on Terror Is Really About</a><br /><br />If you don't understand how Islamic radicals can do the things that they do, you need to watch this video.<br /><br />And if you don't believe that we are at war with them, you need to watch it twice, because they are certainly at war with us!<br /><br />Thanks to Angel at <a href="http://www.womanhonorthyself.com/">Woman Honor Thyself</a> for the heads up!Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154498960121650922006-08-01T23:00:00.000-07:002006-08-03T17:55:15.593-07:00News For Potterheads<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060801/people_nm/rowling_dc;_ylt=ApFZzcH5Rk7sN5oyqgqGqyus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-">Reuters reports that two of America's favorite authors,</a> Steven King and John Irving, are begging <em>Harry Potter</em> author J.K. Rowling not to kill off the boy hero in the upcoming seventh and final book in the popular series.<br /><br />The three writers appeared at a charity event at New York's Radio City Music Hall.<br /><br /><em>"I can resolve the story now and it's fun in a way it wasn't before because finally I've reached my resolution, and I think some people will loathe it and some people will love it, but that's how it should be,"</em> said Rowling.<br /><br />She is reportedly "well into" the final book, but is making no promises about the fate of the now-famous trio. <em>"We're working toward the end I always planned but a couple of characters I expected to survive have died and one character got a reprieve."</em> She would not provide more details.<br /><br />The <em>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</em> movie is scheduled for release next July, and fans are already counting down. The final book is expected late next year or early in 2007.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154410280757629592006-07-31T22:11:00.000-07:002006-08-01T19:40:34.733-07:00American Public Trusts Our Military and PoliceIn June, USDoD released <a href="http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2005/20050603_1544.html">this press release via the Armed Forces Information Service.</a> It seems that, according to a Gallup poll conducted in May of this year, 74% of those who took part in the survey said that they <em>"have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the military - more than in a full range of other government, religious, economic, medical, business and news organizations."</em> Police officers ranked second in the poll, gaining 63% confidence level. Both the military and police officers ranked above banks and even organized religion.<br /><br />Surprisingly (that's sarcasm, folks), big business and Congress tied for the second and third lowest rankings in the poll.<br /><br />Who was the lowest?<br /><br />Yup, you guessed it: mainstream media, such as television and newspapers.<br /><br />Now raise your hand if you've heard anything about this poll before now.<br /><br />I didn't think so.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154323938025046522006-07-30T22:31:00.000-07:002006-08-05T00:17:36.796-07:00The Truth of the Matter...<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/1600/hezbollah[1].png"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/320/hezbollah%5B1%5D.png" border="0" /></a>Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154322191193281692006-07-30T21:35:00.000-07:002006-08-02T12:26:03.410-07:00Meet The Real Mel GibsonI confess, I love the movie <em>Braveheart.</em> I chuckled through the <em>Lethal Weapon</em> series and thought <em>Mad Max</em> was a nice, wholesome family movie. Maybe that makes me a Mel Gibson fan, maybe not. But I found the emerging <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,206312,00.html">facts of his recent DUI arrest disturbing.</a><br /><br />Consider these <a href="http://cdn.digitalcity.com/tmz_documents/gibson_wm_docs_072806.pdf">partial pages of the police report, courtesy of TMZ.</a> The Los Angeles Sheriff's Office reports that, after Gibson was arrested, he went on an anti-semitic rant, exclaiming, among other things, that <em>"The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."</em> Now that's news to me. Maybe Gibson knows more about world history than I do.<br /><br />Gibson also threatened the arresting officer and insulted a female officer. The day after his arrest, Gibson's image people went into spin control, and had him apologizing for his comments and behavior. Too late <strike>asshole</strike> buddy. Time to go the way of your pal, <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/5/13/162103.shtml">Danny Glover</a><br /><br />I, for one, will not attend your movies in the future, or support any project you are involved in. I hope every police agency and association follows suit. I hope every parent whose children watch Disney programming follows suit. I hope that intelligent, fair-minded, unprejudiced movie-goers everywhere express their contempt of your conduct and hate speech and threats by boycotting all of your projects.<br /><br />That, ladies and gentlemen, is America!Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154319667759148042006-07-30T20:54:00.000-07:002006-07-31T14:55:39.990-07:00New 9/11 Plot?I found <a href="http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/new-911-style-plot-in-the-works/20060728113509990040?cid=2249">this article from CBS News interesting.</a> It concerns a Saudi Arabian citizen named Rayed Abdullah. Abdullah is the former roommate of Hani Hanjour who, as we all know, piloted the plane that flew into the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. Abdullah was also taking flying lessons in the United States, and was one of the terrorists named in the now famous "Phoenix Memo," which warned, two months before 9/11, that al Qaeda might be planning attacks against aircraft in the U.S. Abdullah was never charged with anything related to 9/11, and later left the country.<br /><br />Since then, he has entered New Zealand, with a false passport and name, with the "intention" of studying English. After entering New Zealand, he applied to several flight schools, and tried to get a commercial pilot's license. He ultimately was arrested and deported from New Zealand as a "national security threat." He returned to Saudi Arabia, where he was detained and released. He has, since then, vanished.<br /><br />So my question is this: why is this scumbag still breathing? Why hasn't Delta, or the CIA, or a CAT unit killed this guy and spared us whatever sick and twisted evil he may be planning? We have seen more al Qaeda messages of late, are they trying to re-assert themselves in the midst of the turmoil in the Middle East, or are they signalling people like Abdullah?<br /><br />Maybe Abdullah has since re-entered the U.S. through our wonderful southern border. Or maybe his "vanishing" act is more than a coincidence. Maybe the Saudi's did us a favor and sent him along to his blessed virgins.<br /><br />Whatever Abdullah's ultimate fate, we need to be much more proactive in dealing with these people. When we find them and their intentions are clear, overt act or not, we need to apply the "ounce of prevention" principle. Kill them, not capture them. That way, we don't offend anyone by sending them to Gitmo.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154214020426553802006-07-29T15:03:00.000-07:002006-08-01T12:15:05.506-07:00How Not To Beat A Traffic TicketA friend of mine directed me to this article about <a href="http://foxnews.smartmoney.com/dealoftheday/index.cfm?story=20060728">how to talk your way out of a traffic ticket,</a> from <a href="http://foxnews.smartmoney.com/dealoftheday/index.cfm?story=20060728">SmartMoney.com.</a> These articles pop up periodically, and I always laugh when I see them. However, this article is worse than most, so I had to take a moment to comment.<br /><br />Obviously, the author of the article, Kelli B. Grant, never bothered to interview the people with the greatest knowledge of the subject: police officers. And the article assumes that every cop you talk to is dumber than a doorknob, a dangerous assumption that is rarely true. But the article does have a few good points, so let's give credit where it's due.<br /><br />Grant is correct when she says that tickets will adversely affect your auto insurance rates, especially moving violations like speeding, reckless driving, unsafe passing, etc. And if you're under the age of eighteen, your premiums will really skyrocket. And paying those hefty fines isn't fun, either.<br /><br />Grant also writes that "<em>there are many alternative ways to get out of a ticket. Mastering these skills is bound to prove financially rewarding."</em> She then suggests these pathetic strategies:<br /><ul><li><strong>Name dropping:</strong> Grant suggests that you hand the officer another police officer's card to gain favor. But in truth, this rarely works. The officer who stopped you doesn't care that you live next door to someone whose sister knew a girl that dated a cop. Most officers will politely look at the card, hand it back to you, then proceed to write your ticket. And the cop that cited you is going to track down the other officer and tell him/her you were dropping their name, which also can come back to bite you in the ass. Chances of success with this strategy, in my opinion: less than 10%.</li><li><strong>Play dumb and feign ignorance: </strong>Also not a good strategy. You know what you did wrong, and so does the officer. When you play dumb, the officer will usually see it as lying, which means you have absolutely ZERO chance of getting a warning. "<em>The cop might have you for speeding for example, but not notice that you've got a blown-out headlight." </em>Hmm. The cop has you for a $250 dollar speeding ticket, but you got away without a "fix-it" ticket for the headlight. Brilliant. Chances of success: Zero.</li><li><strong>Kiss up and don't argue:</strong> This is good advice to a certain extent. I don't recommend "kissing up" because it sounds insincere and obvious. Saying "yes sir/no sir" is fine, since some respect and humility are in order, but don't go overboard. And never argue, because you will not win. The place to argue is court, not on the side of the road. Every cop knows that the most dangerous place to be is next to your window, so they don't want to stay there long. Arguing is not on the menu. Chances of success: 20%.</li></ul><p>Now that you know how NOT to act, you might try this: be polite and do exactly what you are told to do. Don't argue, don't name drop, don't cry, don't flash your boobs (we'll look, but you'll still get a ticket). I think that the best way to get out of a ticket is to simply <em>tell the truth.</em> "I know I was speeding and I'm sorry" is much better that the "Who, me?" routine. You may still get a ticket, but at least you will have gained a measure of respect from the officer. And you can always ask for a warning, as Grant suggests. Maybe it's your lucky day.</p><p>Remember that traffic cops may make fifty or more traffic stops per shift. Any cop who has been on the job more than a year will have heard every excuse, every sob story, every con job. Traffic cops will rarely give a warning for a moving violation, but you might get lucky if a patrol officer stops you. They usually have a lot going on and your honesty and courtesy may just buy you a warning.</p><p>When you get to court to fight your ticket, plead not guilty, as Grant suggests. But remember that most traffic citations are a simple matter of your word against the officer's. And your word is now highly biased. The officer will present his/her training and experience, in addition to radar documents, speedometer calibration documents, photographs, etc. as evidence. Many police agencies also are A/V equipped now, so you expect video and audio tapes of your stop. And most importantly, the officer has academy training on how to testify, in addition to many hours in front of traffic court judges, most of whom the officer already knows. And you can bet that judges will take the officer's prior court appearances into consideration. All of this works against you.</p><p>You should go to court prepared. Take whatever documents you have (photographs, speedometer verification, etc.) and present your case calmly and politely. A police officer's notes are their own. You may ask to see them, but I wouldn't count on it. Tell the truth from your point of view and hope for the best. If found guilty, you can then ask for traffic school or a fine reduction, either of which you'll likely get if you behave properly.</p><p>My best advice is to obey traffic laws and make every attempt to drive safely. Then, you'll not only avoid a ticket, but you'll eventually get wherever you happen to be going. If you are stopped, be polite and co-operative, tell the truth, but be prepared for the ticket you are probably going to get. Don't complain or argue or try to talk yourself into a jail cell. Accept responsibility for your actions and understand that we are trying to keep you, and everyone else on the road, as safe as possible.</p><p>See you on the road.</p>Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154155338246656212006-07-28T23:35:00.000-07:002006-07-30T11:45:38.166-07:00Now This Is Scary<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/1600/capt.a1a685048f7442a7a20f1663687988e5.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/320/capt.a1a685048f7442a7a20f1663687988e5.jpg" border="0" /></a> Anyone who will <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060729/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_mccain;_ylt=AqVAfLMSQvU8uPeo8PZdDB1p24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--">get drunk with Hillary Clinton</a> is a braver man than I am. Yikes! Hasn't McCain already suffered enough?Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154063536034732192006-07-27T21:06:00.000-07:002006-07-30T11:46:21.426-07:00POW/MIA UpdatesI found <a href="http://www.onemarinesview.com/one_marines_view/2006/07/marines_give_he.html">this recent post</a> at <a href="http://www.onemarinesview.com/">One Marine's View</a>, detailing the continuing search for <a href="http://www.pownetwork.org/gulfII/maupin.htm">Army Sgt. Matt Maupin</a>, the only U.S. servicemember still missing from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Insurgents claimed <a href="http://www.usvetdsp.com/maupin_exe.htm">to have murdered Maupin in June, 2004,</a> but those reports have not been confirmed. Maupin is still listed as POW/MIA.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nationalalliance.org/gulf/spike01.htm">LtCmdr. Michael Scott Speicher</a> crashed his F-18 Fighter in Iraq during the first Gulf War in 1999. He apparently survived the ordeal and was taken captive by Iraqi forces. He is the only casualty of that war still missing, and is listed as POW/MIA.<br /><br />We haven't forgotten.<br /><br />Leave no man behind.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1154059458815046442006-07-27T21:01:00.000-07:002006-07-30T11:48:01.090-07:00Ben Stein, You Old Softy!Ben Stein wrote an article called <em>America!</em> and it's at <a href="http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=10130">The American Spectator</a>. Go check it out. And if you disagree, you're visiting the wrong blog. And living in the wrong country.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153976858747484492006-07-26T20:34:00.000-07:002006-07-26T22:23:26.276-07:00Middle East News<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/australian-peacekeepers-recalled/2006/07/27/1153816301235.html">The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Australian peacekeepers are being recalled</a> from the U.N. "peacekeeping" mission in southern Lebanon. Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said that <em>"it is very important that Australians appreciate, no matter how affronted we are by what Israel is doing, that they are dealing with Hizbollah and Hamas who are committed to the abolition of Israel as a state. But at the moment let us hope an appropriate longstanding resolution comes to this conflict. We can't afford to have a situation where bandaids are being applied to it again." </em>Good on ya, mate! Love those Aussies!<br /><br />UN SecGen Kofi Annan backed down from <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14029827/">yesterday's moronic assertion</a> that Israel deliberately attacked and killed UN "peacekeepers" in Lebanon. <em>"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defense Forces of a U.N. Observer post in southern Lebanon</em>,” Annan said in a written statement yesterday. <em>“I call on the government of Israel to conduct a full investigation into this very disturbing incident and demand that any further attack on U.N. positions and personnel must stop,”</em> he said in the statement.<br /><br />Today, however, there are new facts regarding the incident. <a href="http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005611.htm">Michelle Malkin has a post</a> up that demonstrates how UN "peacekeepers" are used as a shield by Hezbollah terrorists. She also reports that several missiles had been launched from the area before the position was hit by the Israeli's. Annan's position in all of this is troubling to me. He is condemning Israel, demanding a cease-fire, yet he seems oblivious to the fact that the Israeli's are fighting for their very existence against an enemy that attacked them without provocation. The UN is growing more impotent by the day.<br /><br />Here's a great post on the subject: <a href="http://www.floppingaces.net/2006/07/26/whos-fault-is-it-again-kofi/">Flopping Aces: Who’s Fault Is It Again Kofi?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205844,00.html">FOX news reports that the U.S. has blocked</a> a UN Security Council statement that would have condemned Israel for the bombing of the UN security post.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/743027.html">Haaretz/Israel News reports that</a> Israeli troops are incurring more losses in the fighting among mounting rumors of "friendly-fire" incidents, including the accidental downing of an IDF helicopter yesterday. Meanwhile, over 150 rockets were fired into Israel yesterday by Hezbollah terrorists, the largest number yet.<br /><br />This isn't going to be over any time soon, folks.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153958640473287492006-07-26T16:32:00.000-07:002006-07-27T20:58:55.283-07:00The Cost Of Freedom<a href="http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/texas-family-loses-two-sons-in-wars/20060726142609990003">The Associated Press has this story</a> today about the Velez family, of Lubbock, Texas. Their story will not bring you to tears, but will fill you with pride, as well.<br /><br />On November 13, 2004, <a href="http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/velezjosea.html">Army Spc. Jose A. Velez</a> was killed in action during the battle for Fallujah, Iraq. He had been a member of the 1st Cav. out of Fort Hood, Texas. He was 23 years old. After his death, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.<br /><br />His younger brother, Andrew, was also in the Army. After the death of his older brother, Andrew was offered the chance to avoid combat duty, but he declined. Andrew Velez wanted to return overseas to fight for his country. <em>"You always do it for your buddy next to you,"</em> Andrew Velez told his father.<br /><br />In June, the family's home in Texas was burglarized and Jose Velez' combat medals were stolen. They were replaced by the DoD just this past Monday. On Tuesday, the Velez family learned that Andrew had been killed in Afghanistan. He was 22, and had three young children.<br /><br />When I read this story, I was reminded of a letter Abraham Lincoln once wrote (which was showcased in the movie <em>Saving Private Ryan</em>). A mother in Massachusetts had reportedly lost five sons in combat during the Civil War, and President Lincoln was asked to write her a letter of condolence on behalf of the Unites States Army. Here are the contents of that letter:<br /><br /><p></p><blockquote>Executive Mansion,Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.<br /><br />Dear Madam,--<br />I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant<br />General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died<br />gloriously on the field of battle.<br /><br />I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt<br />to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain<br />from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the<br />Republic they died to save.<br /><br />I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your<br />bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost,<br />and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice<br />upon the altar of freedom.<br /><br />Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,<br />A. Lincoln</blockquote>After the letter was printed in the newspaper and made famous, it was learned that only two of the sons had been killed in combat. One had deserted the Army, one died a prisoner of war, and one was later honorably discharged. The mother, Mrs. Lydia Bixby, promptly destroyed the letter, since she was a Confederate sympathizer and hated Lincoln vehemently. Copies of the letter have been widely circulated, and many collectors paid handsomely for a forged copy, believing it to be authentic.<br /><br />The above paragraph notwithstanding, the pure emotion and heartfelt respect in President Lincoln's letter cannot be argued. And it certainly applies to the Velez family some 140 years later.<br /><br />May they find peace.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153883261431211022006-07-25T19:54:00.000-07:002006-07-27T05:12:50.490-07:00Whew! That Was Close!Richard Allen Davis, the murderer of 12-year old Polly Klaas more than ten years ago, <a href="http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/polly-klaas-killer-survives-overdose/n20060725031309990001">nearly died of an overdose today</a> at San Quentin Prison, where he is serving his sentence. Thankfully, he was revived by the prison medical staff, and is expected to recover. I would hate for him to die before he served <em>every single second</em> of his sentence. After that, the <strike>asshole</strike> guy can die anytime he wants. Cheers, Richard!Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153882430948359742006-07-25T19:43:00.000-07:002006-07-25T20:13:06.546-07:00A True Man Of Honor Dies<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/25/brashear.obit.ap/index.html">CNN is reporting that Carl Brashear, 75, has died</a> of respiratory and heart failure. Brashear was the first black Navy diver and served thirty years in the Navy, even after losing a leg while recovering a hydrogen bomb off of the coast of Spain in 1966. He was the sole inspiration for the movie "Men Of Honor." Cuba Gooding Jr., who played Brashear in the movie, said today that <em>"The African-American community lost a great leader today in Carl Brashear." </em><br /><em></em><br />Funeral arrangements are pending.<br /><br />Rest in peace, brother. H/T to Matt and Tracy.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153784066087257682006-07-24T16:31:00.000-07:002006-07-26T19:51:15.926-07:00Bruce Lee To Get Factual Biography<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/1600/Lee.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/320/Lee.0.jpg" border="0" /></a> I was watching a special on Bruce Lee the other day with my son, and started thinking about what an influence he's had upon me. When I was a kid, I remember training in Kenpo Karate with a friend of mine. His instructors were both world champions, and he would go to class, then teach me every thing that he had learned. Not the best way to learn Kenpo, but it was a start. I had heard of Bruce Lee by that time, but really knew nothing about him. All that changed one day at the movies. When Game of Death came out in 1978, I went to see it with my Kenpo friend and was hooked.<br /><br />It wasn't so much about the fight scenes, although the combat with Danny Inosanto is some of the most incredible ever filmed. It was more about his presence, about the way he moved and made you believe he could do anything. It was also my first exposure to the philosophical side of the martial arts, but hardly the last. I think I saw GoD five times in the next month, and I rushed right out and bought a copy of Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Soon, the walls of my room were covered with Bruce Lee posters (they were right next to the Farrah Fawcett ones), and I had read Tao cover to cover several times. There weren't a lot of JKD schools then, so it was Kenpo until I joined the Army. In the Army, I went to one of those badass schools where they teach you the ugly stuff, and was first exposed to JuJutsu. The rest, as they say, is history.<br /><br />Since then, I've trained in JuJutsu and Judo, Aikido, Gracie Jiu Jitsu and even Krav Maga. One of these days, someone will open up a local JKD school and I'll be in heaven. Until then, I have his movies to interpret, his books to read and study, and his philosophy to analyze.<br /><br />And then I found <a href="http://news.aol.com/entertainment/movies/articles/_a/kin-plan-to-produce-bruce-lee-bio-pic/20060724071709990001">this story about a new Bruce Lee biography film,</a> but this one made with the consent and input of Lee's family. Lee, of course, died 33 years ago, and his son, Brandon, 20 years later. Their combined influence on the world of martial arts can never be gauged, and I, for one, can't wait to see the the new biography.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153723502964366732006-07-23T23:42:00.000-07:002006-07-23T23:45:02.973-07:00George Is Getting Angry!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/1600/cp.png"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7066/2711/320/cp.png" border="0" /></a>Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153722510664844482006-07-23T23:26:00.000-07:002006-07-25T01:00:04.706-07:00How Many Cops Does It Take To Shoot A Pit Bull?Well, here's your answer: <a href="http://news.aol.com/science/story/_a/three-cops-shot-while-blasting-pit-bull/n20060723083109990001?cid=936">at least four!</a><br /><br />One to shoot the dog, and three more to shoot each other!Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153551220457394722006-07-21T23:37:00.000-07:002006-07-23T20:17:21.370-07:00National Guard On Mexifornia Border<a href="http://www.armytimes.com/index.php">The Army Times reports that</a> the National Guard mission to help secure the southern border with Mexico <a href="http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1967235.php">is nearing full strength.</a> Now if we could only give them a legitimate mission, like, say, actually closing the border or building a fence that will actually keep people out.<br /><br />Maybe then there wouldn't be stories like <a href="http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005575.htm">this,</a> courtesy of <a href="http://www.michellemalkin.com/">Michelle Malkin.</a><br /><br />Or this story, from <a href="http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/15871.html">The Conservative Voice,</a> about the Border Patrol <a href="http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/15871.html">seizing over a million pounds of narcotics in the last nine months,</a> alone. That's almost enough for a Hollywood party!<br /><br />Here's a <a href="http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/factsheets/counterfeit_pharms.htm">report from ICE </a>about the increase in smuggling of counterfeit pharmaceuticals into the U.S..<br /><br />We do, however, need more stories <a href="http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/060718fortbragg.htm">like this one,</a> about Customs officials arresting illegal aliens attempting to access Fort Bragg, North Carolina, one of our most critical bases in the GWOT.<br /><br />And it seems that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's appeal among Hispanic voters <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/7/15/210823.shtml?s=ic">has taken a dive, lately.</a> Apparently, they don't like his support of <a href="http://www.minutemanproject.com/">the Minuteman Project.</a> We'll have to wait and see if Arnie caves in to gets the Hispanic vote, or if he sticks to his guns and does the right thing for all of America.<br /><br />Maybe we need more cities like Hazelton, Pa., which I discussed in this post: <a href="http://copthetruth.blogspot.com/2006/07/cities-take-on-illegal-immigration.html">Cities Take On Illegal Immigration.</a> And here's another post about the subject: <a href="http://copthetruth.blogspot.com/2006/06/close-border-already.html">Close The Border Already!</a><br /><br />Maybe President Bush is waiting for another Pearl Harbor moment to galvanize the country and finally do the right thing, Hispanic votes be damned. And maybe it won't be too late.Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25897171.post-1153537026781052392006-07-21T19:32:00.000-07:002006-07-23T09:10:26.120-07:00Day Twelve In Israel<p><a href="http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=TopNews&storyID=2006-07-21T220314Z_01_L21892680_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-SOLDIER.xml&WTmodLoc=Home-C2-TopNews-TopNews-5">Reuters reports that a missing Israeli soldier</a> has been found dead in southern Lebanon, but the Israeli's aren't releasing any more details at this time, according to Al Arabiya television.<br /><br />The report comes at a time when <a href="http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=TopNews&storyID=2006-07-22T002933Z_01_L21379785_RTRUKOC_0_US-MIDEAST-EVACUATION.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsArt-L3-Top+NewsNews-3">mass evacuations are continuing</a> and the IDF seems to be preparing for a ground assault. Incredibly, some Americans who were recently evacuated from Lebanon are complaining about the U.S. response to their plight. Of course, they were warned not to go there in the first place, and now the American taxpayer has <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060722/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_evacuations;_ylt=Ai_cQmMEZT1NLu7w19hN_Sqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--">spent at least $200,000 getting them out.</a><br /><br />U.S. SecState Rice plans on going to the region soon, but won't be asking the Israeli's for a cease-fire. <em>"We do seek an end to the current violence, we seek it urgently. We also seek to address the root causes of that violence,"</em> Rice said. <em>"A cease-fire would be a false promise if it simply returns us to the status quo."</em> She also said that Syria <em>"knows what it needs to do, and Hezbollah is the source of the problem."</em><br /><br />Not much support for Hezbollah there.<br /><br /><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060722/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_mideast;_ylt=AhJwlsqRTXY6STLCEgb7dX4UewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA3NmxuamZjBHNlYwNyaGw-">U.N. SecGeneral Kofi Annan</a> demanded an immediate cease-fire, but apparently offered no comment on why the UN did nothing to prevent the war in the first place. Perhaps he's forgotten about UN Resolution 1559? Ah well, details.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1153291961904&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull">The Jerusalem Post offers an</a> interesting take on the Israeli military and its leaders.<br /><br />Also blogging: </p><ul><li><a href="http://www.northamericanpatriot.com/a_north_american_patriot/">A North American Patriot</a> with <a href="http://www.northamericanpatriot.com/a_north_american_patriot/2006/07/what_cost_citiz.html">What cost, citizenship?</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.mudvillegazette.com/">Mudville Gazette</a> with <a href="http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/006043.html">Status of Forces.</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.blackfive.net/main/">BLACKFIVE</a> with <a href="http://www.blackfive.net/main/2006/07/even_in_beirut_.html">Even in Beirut, Karma is a Bitch.</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.captainsjournal.com/">The CaptainÂs Journal</a> with <a href="http://www.captainsjournal.com/2006/07/21/israeli-air-force-shocked-at-failure-of-air-campaign/">Israeli Air Force Shocked at Failure of Air Campaign.</a> </li><li><a href="http://counterterrorismblog.org/">Counterterrorism Blog</a> with <a href="http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/07/new_bin_laden_message_to_addre.php">New Bin Laden Message to Address Gaza and Lebanon...MAYBE (updated).</a> </li><li><a href="http://www.floppingaces.net/">Flopping Aces</a> with <a href="http://www.floppingaces.net/2006/07/21/the-latest-from-israel/">The Latest From Israel.</a><br /><br /></li></ul><p></p>Cop the Truthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10358708584062913826noreply@blogger.com3