Manns Medium

It was reported in First Read that “a group of Iraq war veterans have pledged to toss their medals over the security fence surrounding the summit site in a symbolic protest. Matt Howard, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, said 50 veterans planned to throw away their medals.   Vietnam War veteran Ron McSheffery, 61, said, "I'm in total support of stopping NATO and stopping the slaughter of innocent civilians. But one report stated that the reason some of them was throwing the medals was because their were no honor in the Iraq and Afghanistan War. As a former US Marine, I am supportive of my fellow servicemembers exercising their right   to protest and the only restriction I would have would be the burning of the flag.   I take offense about the fact that there is no honor there.   I take this offense because it is not where or whom you fight that provides the honor but the way you fight and those standing by your side.   The honor is not in killing but...

I can’t help but think that soon, Libya will be free from Gadhafi and his crew and those rebels who stood up to take back their country will be forever engrained in the history of that country for years and years to come.   They started off as a group of common folks but may end as the movement that truly changed a nation. I think this because of the article written by Karin Laub and Maggie Michael of the Associated Press titled Libyan rebels report gains in Misrata fighting in which they detailed a strategy of “t he rebels taking over several buildings along parts of the street, enabling them to cut off supplies — ammunition, food and water — for days to a Gadhafi unit and dozens of rooftop snipers.”   This seemed way beyond their capabilities when this conflict first started.   It appears that these rebels have come a very long way in a short period of time.   If they can secure Misrata, bring back those civilians that were chased from their homes and return this...

CNN Wire Staff reports in their article titled S. African president: Gadhafi accepts terms of agreement that “e mbattled Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, in negotiations with the African Union, has agreed in principal to a deal that would end the conflict in the nation he's ruled for 42 years, South African President Jacob Zuma told reporters Sunday.   Details of the agreement were not available, though it is believed to include an immediate ceasefire in the nearly two-month long war between Gadhafi's forces and those fighting to unseat him. In his comments, Zuma also discussed an end to NATO airstrikes aimed at enforcing a no-fly zone and targeting Gadhafi's troops.   Earlier Sunday, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz told journalists that the meetings "will discuss the ways to resolve the crisis in Libya, and our main goal is to stop the military operations and find adequate solutions for the problem between our Libyan brothers," according to a Maurita...

It was reported several weeks ago that Gadhafi’s days would be numbered if the following things happened.   The first was the defection of fully trained military personnel to provide rebels with some kind of guidance when it comes to military strategies.   The second was when morale began to wan on the pro-Gadhafi side of the equation.   Pam Benson a CNN Senior National Security Producer proves the evidence of this in her article titled   U.S. intelligence sees doubts among Gadhafi's advisers, official says which reports that “ U.S. intelligence sees signs that some of those who are "relatively close to the Libyan leader are questioning whether he has staying power," a U.S. official says.   Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said it best "One should not underestimate the possibility of the regime itself cracking." Another obvious truth to this assertion can be found in Ryan Lucas of the Associated Press article titled Libyan rebels bear down on Gadhafi's ho...

How often have you asked a friend to help you with a major problem and welcomed them standing by your side through major issues that you faced?   I would say that the number of times is more than anyone may be able to count.   What do you do then when that friend asks you for your help in a situation that they are facing?   Do you say no and ignore their plea for help even after you are reminded of how they stood with you.   If you say that you would step in to help them then you have your answer on what kind of America you want to be. Ben Feller White House Correspondent  for the Associated Press wrote an article titled Obama strongly defends US military action in Libya in which only one quote is necessary.   That quote is ‘ "To brush aside America's responsibility as a leader and — more profoundly — our responsibilities to our fellow human beings under such circumstances would have been a betrayal of who we are," Obama said. "Some nations may be able to...

Since the beginning of this Libyan conflict, I have heard nothing but negativity coming from those in front of the cameras.   Channel to channel finds many of them saying either this president moved too slow or moved too fast, this president is doing too much or is not doing enough.   I was able to convince myself that it was mainly just politics but after reading this article from the CNN Wire Staff titled NATO gets key support as it readies to lead Libya mission , it seems possible that it may be much more than that. Obama promised that the US would take a back seat in the running of this conflict and even though it is clear that he was legit in the way this started, it is rarely, if ever, reported that way.   After 6 days the above referenced article acknowledges what Obama promised “NATO prepared to assume command over the Libya mission Friday as coalition airstrikes pounded targets for a sixth consecutive night.”   I can remember another president promising thi...