Showing posts with label Syria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Syria. Show all posts

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Veterans Day November 11 - the years will never wipe out the memory of their sacrifice and deaths for us - God Bless our Veterans and Families


41 million men and women
served in our military

They have done enough for us - it is time we take care of them!

With impeachment, investigations and petty politics still dominating our national debate, confusion over our war policy, and partisanship again dominating our headlines, how does that make those who returned from the war zones feel about what little we do as a nation to honor our veterans upon whose back we have built this temple to the Gods of greed and malicious behavior. Don't you think we could do a little better?



Since hot air and no substance have ruled in our nation's capital  for years, it seems the least we could do is take a few moments to pause and ask what have we done for those who risk their lives to defend us. If we were truly in to soul searching as opposed to partisan babble the answer would be clear. Our failure to address the cost of government, rising debt and deficit spending, greed mongering by the very banks we bailed out with taxpayers money, and the entire specter of empty promises and political lies is a sorry testament to leadership, concern, compassion and honesty toward veterans.


1,309,000+ Died in the war


Korea - Vietnam - Desert  Storm - Kuwait - Iraq
 Afghanistan -Libya - Syria


During that time not only did we lose several thousand brave men and women defending a bizarre foreign policy and a non-existent war strategy, but America brought back over 700,000 disabled veterans, meaning we now have over four million disabled veterans from wars since World War II.


1,498,240+ Were wounded



Our new president has finally begun to fulfill the empty promises to our heroes and their families which have been so long neglected.


Let us vow to not let our political failures of the past continue to harm our veterans, those proud souls who answered the call to arms and now cannot get help for risking and often giving their lives.  

Let us not let the malaise of failure continue to punish our veterans, and especially our wounded warriors and those suffering the many stressful results of war against terrorism.  

These brave men and women and their families who depended on them should be the first priority for our government, before big bankers, big pharmaceuticals, and those who profit from the fruits of war.



Over the past decade our government has demonstrated little to give people confidence, certainly nothing to indicate it is any different than business as usual, and even less to demonstrate they have a clear policy and the ability to implement the strategy. Our veterans and the people deserved much better.

President Trump vowed to fix the mess facing veterans, and never let it happen again. Godspeed.  So far he is making good progress but much remains to be done.



The time is now to act.



Honoring our Vets and taking care of them for their sacrifices is not a political problem, not Democrat or Republican, but an American problem.


If our government wants to honor the veterans, truly honor the veterans, then stop playing politics with war and foreign relations and give our new president the chance to make decisions, act bold, and demonstrate leadership.



Every day we should wake up and remember that it is our Constitution our politicians pledged to defend, the people's Constitution, and nothing can be more appropriate than protecting those who fought for our freedom.


So Washington, DC, stop the partisanship. Stop the bickering over ideological nonsense. Stop taking care of special interests and protecting people who should be prosecuted. Listen to the pulse of the country, listen to the heartbeat of America, and you will see how far you have strayed from our expectations.



When we reach that point we have honored our veterans by honoring their families and friends.

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Veterans Day November 11 - the years will never wipe out the memory of their sacrifice and deaths for us

41 million men and women

served in our military


They have done enough for us - it is time we take care of them!

With petty politics still dominating our national debate, confusion over our war policy, partisanship again dominating our headlines, and predator interest gouging from our banks and credit card companies, how does that make those returning from the war zone feel about what little we do as a nation to honor our veterans upon whose back we have built this temple to the Gods of greed and malicious behavior. Don't you think we could do a little better?



Since hot air and no substance have ruled in our nation's capital  for years, it seems the least we could do is take a few moments to pause and ask what have we done for those who risk their lives to defend us. If we were truly in to soul searching as opposed to partisan babble the answer would be clear. Our failure to address the cost of government, rising debt and deficit spending, greed mongering by the very banks we bailed out with taxpayers money, and the entire specter of empty promises and political lies is a sorry testament to leadership, concern, compassion and honesty toward veterans.


1,309,000+ Died in the war



During that time not only did we lose several thousand brave men and women defending a bizarre foreign policy and a non-existent war strategy, but America brought back over 700,000 disabled veterans, meaning we now have over four million disabled veterans from wars since World War II.


1,498,240+ Were wounded



Our new president has finally begun to fulfill the empty promises to our heroes and their families which have been so long neglected.


Let us vow to not let our political failures of the past continue to harm our veterans, those proud souls who answered the call to arms and now cannot get help for risking and often giving their lives.  

Let us not let the malaise of failure continue to punish our veterans, and especially our wounded warriors and those suffering the many stressful results of war against terrorism.  

These brave men and women and their families who depended on them should be the first priority for our government, before big bankers, big pharmaceuticals, and those who profit from the fruits of war.



Over the past decade our government has demonstrated little to give people confidence, certainly nothing to indicate it is any different than business as usual, and even less to demonstrate they have a clear policy and the ability to implement the strategy. Our veterans and the people deserved much better.

President Trump has vowed to fix the mess facing veterans, and never let it happen again. Godspeed.  So far he is making good progress but much remains to be done.



The time is now to act.



Honoring our Vets and taking care of them for their sacrifices is not a political problem, not Democrat or Republican, but an American problem.


If our government wants to honor the veterans, truly honor the veterans, then stop playing politics with war and foreign relations and give our new president the chance to make decisions, act bold, and demonstrate leadership.



Every day we should wake up and remember that it is our Constitution our politicians pledged to defend, the people's Constitution, and nothing can be more appropriate than protecting those who fought for our freedom.


So Washington, DC, stop the partisanship. Stop the bickering over ideological nonsense. Stop taking care of special interests and protecting people who should be prosecuted. Listen to the pulse of the country, listen to the heartbeat of America, and you will see how far you have strayed from our expectations.



When we reach that point we have honored our veterans by honoring their families and friends.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Conversations with Melchizedek – “The Serpent’s head has been cut off” – ISIS Loses Caliphate

.



Stranger than life coalitions join forces to destroy terrorist dreams for a caliphate.


Here is the 8th century caliphate that served as the model for the 21st century takeover.

  
Not even celebrated script writers for fiction could come up with the scenario that saw an end to the terrorist caliphate after just a couple of years.  Here is the timetable for the terrorist efforts to create and keep a caliphate.


ISIS Timetable





October 17, 2017 - ISIS loses control of its self-declared capital, the Syrian city of Raqqa. US-backed forces fighting in Raqqa say "major military operations" have ended, though there are still pockets of resistance in the city.


Forming the Caliphate

ISIS became the most feared terror group in the world when they defied all odds and took control of a wide swath of land in Iraq and Syria as the world super powers were caught sleeping at the switch.  After the collapse of intelligence and inability to react from both the USA and Russia, not to mention all the Arab nations in the Middle East, ISIS became a household name.


Ever since that fateful day, June 29, 2014, we witnessed one of the most brutal, morally corrupt reigns in modern history.  In no time millions and millions of people were killed or driven from their homes in Syria as a civil war and a terrorist war merged in the midst of the carnage already underway.



Suddenly both Obama and Putin looked foolish and weak.  In the midst of the chaos, the two most unlikely partners in war, Russia and the United States, each formed their own bizarre coalition to recapture the land from ISIS, who was rapidly spreading their brand of terror throughout the world.



A look at the two coalitions defied belief.


The Russian Coalition


In the Russian coalition was the hated President of Syria, the target of a civil war well underway.  Unfortunately, the many factors in Syria opposed to President Bashar Hafez al-Assad ( [baʃˈʃaːr ˈħaːfezˤ elˈʔasad], also commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces, General Secretary of the ruling Ba'ath Party, and Regional Secretary of the party's branch in Syria, failed to unite so there were many different rebel groups fighting the Assad forces. 


The Russian coalition also included the nation of Iran, with the tempestuous Mullahs and anti-American attitude ever since they overthrew the American backed Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1979.


In other words, one side consisted of Russia, recklessly attempting to re-establish the Russian Empire or Soviet Union and former super-power and enemy of the USA.  They were joined by Syria, whose leader Assad President Obama demanded must be removed from office.  Finally, Iran, whose hatred of the USA by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and other religious leaders has extended nearly four decades.


Russia, Syria, and Iran.


The American Coalition

Obama pledged the American war machine including massive airborne firepower and an endless fleet of deadly drones while attempting to minimize American troop involvement.  The USA joined Kurdish rebels who were fighting the Egyptians at the time, allies of the USA, the rebels agreed to declare ISIS their enemy and join the USA coalition.  There was also the Iraq military with the lukewarm support of the Iraq leadership in the coalition.  Finally, there were Syrian rebels, one of the many groups, committed to overthrowing the President of Syria.   

USA, Kurd rebels, Iraq, Syrian rebels.
  

Somehow these two coalitions, filled with enemies of enemies of enemies of friends, managed to coordinate their efforts to wipe out ISIS while continuing their rivalries to wipe out each other.  Looked at from a different perspective, you have Trump, Putin, Assad, the Ayatollahs and Mullahs, Kurdish and Syrians rebels, joining to wipe out ISIS.


Melchizedek declares the serpent is dead.

Surprisingly, this was achieved October 17 and on October 18 Melchizedek said “the head of the serpent has been cut off.”


In way of explanation, he meant that without their headquarters, their capital city, their stolen money, and their caliphate, the terror movement cannot function as before.  All major resources of the terror group including bank accounts and cash were captured by the Americans and Russians.



Drones, American and Russian warplanes had blasted most of the terror framework to oblivion and sophisticated terror plans and attacks could no longer be mounted against the west.  This does not end terror, but means attacks by single person affiliates in foreign countries will be the pattern for some time to come.


From a spiritual perspective the pendulum is swinging back toward the light after years of embracing the dark.  The defeat of the rebels is a huge win after nearly two decades of fighting in the Middle East.  The nature of the coalition with so many opposing forces joining together shows the enemies can work together.  The time has come.

Syria aftermath – the Refugees

The Mercy Corp is one of the refugee support groups attempting to help overcome the worst refugee crisis in modern history.  Following is their latest report on the aftermath of the fall of ISIS.


The Syrian conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Half the country’s prewar population — more than 11 million people — have been killed or forced to flee their homes.

Families are struggling to survive inside Syria, or make a new home in neighboring countries. Others are risking their lives on the way to Europe, hoping to find acceptance and opportunity. And harsh winters and hot summers make life as a refugee even more difficult. At times, the effects of the conflict can seem overwhelming.

But one fact is simple: millions of Syrians need our help. According to the U.N., $4.6 billion was required to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable Syrians in 2017 — but less than half (only $1.7 billion) has been received.

Nearly eight years since it began, the war has killed more than 480,000 people. Crowded cities have been destroyed and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like food and medical care are sparse.

The U.N. estimates that 6.3 million people are internally displaced. When you also consider refugees, well over half of the country’s prewar population of 22 million is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, whether they still remain in the country or have escaped across the borders.

QUICK FACTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SYRIA CRISIS

The Syrian conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Half the country’s prewar population — more than 11 million people — have been killed or forced to flee their homes.
Families are struggling to survive inside Syria, or make a new home in neighboring countries. Others are risking their lives on the way to Europe, hoping to find acceptance and opportunity. And harsh winters and hot summers make life as a refugee even more difficult. At times, the effects of the conflict can seem overwhelming.

But one fact is simple: millions of Syrians need our help. According to the U.N., $4.6 billion was required to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable Syrians in 2017 — but less than half (only $1.7 billion) has been received.

When did the crisis start?
Anti-government demonstrations began in March of 2011, as part of the Arab Spring. But the peaceful protests quickly escalated after the government's violent crackdown, and armed opposition groups began fighting back.


By July, army defectors had loosely organized the Free Syrian Army and many civilian Syrians took up arms to join the opposition. Divisions between secular and religious fighters, and between ethnic groups, continue to complicate the politics of the conflict.

What is happening to Syrians caught in the war?
Nearly eight years since it began, the war has killed more than 480,000 people. Crowded cities have been destroyed and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like food and medical care are sparse.


The U.N. estimates that 6.3 million people are internally displaced. When you also consider refugees, well over half of the country’s pre-war population of 22 million is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, whether they still remain in the country or have escaped across the borders.

The situation in Syria went from bad to worse when outside parties became involved in the conflict in the fall of 2015. As conflict intensifies, our teams on the ground have seen an increase in the number of civilian casualties and families forced to leave their homes in search of safety.

In December 2016, fighting in Aleppo City intensified and the warring parties came to an agreement to evacuate East Aleppo. People, including some of our own team members, were forced to flee their homes and the city they had lived in all their lives, leaving their belongings behind. We met those who made it out with critical supplies in areas of northern Syria. Now, even more Syrians have been displaced.

What is happening in Raqqa?
Raqqa is located in northern Syria, along the northeast bank of the Euphrates River. Prior to the war, it had a population of around 220,000, making it Syria’s sixth-largest city.
ISIS captured the city in 2013 and one year later declared it as its capital in Syria. Approximately 200,000 people fled in the battle for Raqqa and displacement camps are overflowing.
In October 2017, the city was retaken from ISIS, but the human crisis is far from over. The UN estimates that 80% of the city is now uninhabitable, water sources have been damaged by the conflict and there are no health services available in the city. Families are eager to get home or to find more permanent shelter. No one wants to spend this winter under a tent.

Where are they fleeing to?
More than 6.3 million people have fled their homes and remain displaced within Syria. They live in informal settlements, crowded in with extended family or sheltering in damaged or abandoned buildings. Some people survived the horrors of multiple displacements, besiegement, hunger and disease and fled to areas where they thought they would be safe, only to find themselves caught up in the crossfire once again. Across northern Syria, we are seeing that 20-60% of the population is made up of people who have had to flee their homes — many of them more than once.



Millions of Syrian refugees are living in Jordan and Lebanon, where Mercy Corps has been addressing their needs since 2012. In the region’s two smallest countries, weak infrastructure and limited resources are nearing a breaking point under the strain.
In August 2013, more Syrians escaped into northern Iraq at a newly-opened border crossing. Now they are trapped by that country's own internal conflict, and Iraq is struggling to meet the needs of Syrian refugees on top of more than 3 million internally displaced Iraqis — efforts that we are working to support.
More than 3 million Syrian refugees have fled across the border into Turkey, overwhelming urban host communities and creating new cultural tensions.


Many Syrians are also deciding they are better off starting over in Europe, attempting the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to Greece. Not all of them make it across alive. Those who do make it still face steep challenges — resources are strained, services are minimal and much of the route into western Europe has been closed.

How are people escaping?
Thousands of Syrians flee their country every day. They often decide to finally escape after seeing their neighborhoods attacked or family members killed.

The risks on the journey to the border can be as high as staying: Families walk for miles through the night to avoid being shot at by snipers or being caught by warring parties who will kidnap young men to fight for their cause.




How many refugees are there?
According to the U.N., more than 11 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes — enough people to fill roughly 200 Yankee Stadiums. This includes about 5.2 million refugees who have been forced to seek safety in neighboring countries.

Every year of the conflict has seen an exponential growth in refugees. In July 2012, there were 100,000 refugees. One year later, there were 1.5 million. That tripled by the end of 2015.
There are now 5.2 million Syrians scattered throughout the region, making them the world's largest refugee population under the United Nations' mandate. It's the worst exodus since the Rwandan genocide 23 years ago.


Do all refugees live in camps?
The short answer: no. Only 1 in 11 Syrian refugees live in camps. The rest are struggling to settle in unfamiliar urban communities or have been forced into informal rural environments.

Jordan’s Zaatari, the first official refugee camp that opened in July 2012, gets the most news coverage because it is the destination for newly-arrived refugees. It is also the most concentrated settlement of refugees: Approximately 80,000 Syrians live in Zaatari, making it one of the country’s largest cities.

The formerly barren desert is crowded with acres of white tents, makeshift shops line a “main street” and sports fields and schools are available for children.

Azraq, a camp opened in April 2014, is carefully designed to provide a sense of community and security, with steel caravans instead of tents, a camp supermarket, and organized "streets" and "villages."
Because Jordan’s camps are run by the government and the U.N. — with many partner organizations like Mercy Corps coordinating services — they offer more structure and support. But many families feel trapped, crowded, and even farther from any sense of home, so they seek shelter in nearby towns.



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