Book Review: The Fifth Assassin

Posted By Blackfive • [January 17, 2013]

The following book review is a special for BlackFive readers provided by Elise Cooper. You can read all of our book reviews by clicking on the Books category on the far right side bar.

Brad Meltzer’s latest novel, The Fifth Assassin, is the second installment in the Culper Ring Trilogy. Because of all the research he puts into his books, it takes Meltzer two years to write his novels. With The Fifth Assassin the wait was well worth it since it is a fascinating story that blends historical facts, secret codes, with an engrossing mystery.

Beecher White, the trilogy’s hero, discovers a killer in Washington DC who is copycatting Presidential assassinations. The fifth assassin, called the Knight, re-enacts the assassinations by killing church figures, with the final target the current President, Orson Wallace. The Culper Ring, created by President George Washington to protect the presidency rather than the president, takes action to find the assassin. Meltzer told BlackFive.net that he had the church figures assassinated to “have the Knight on the same journey as the first three Presidential assassins. They are divine interventionists on a divine mission. There is always the power struggle between Church and State.”

The characters are very well developed. Besides Beecher those returning are President Orson Wallace; fellow archivist Aristotle “Tot” Westman, Clementine, Beecher’s childhood love interest and daughter of Nico Hadrian, the institutionalized unsuccessful presidential assassin. Meltzer also introduces some new characters: Mac, the undercover computer nerd, and Marshall Lusk, Beecher’s childhood friend who now works for the Government Accountability Office to uncover, through stealth tactics, possible security breaches.

Meltzer commented that sometimes the writing process takes over since, “Marshall was supposed to be a real minor character, but as the story unfolded he took on a voice of his own and elbowed his way throughout the entire book. The same was true with the real-life assassins since I never thought of telling their stories. I was able to study them and learn what they all had in common.”

Through these character’s eyes the reader is able to grasp the theme of the book, learning to forgive. The author noted, “My point is that I wanted to show it is possible to make peace with yourself or someone else. What happens to us as children makes up who and what we are today as we try to grow up and change. There is a large segment of our population that turns to the belief in G-d, and wants a relationship with G-d to help heal wounds.”

Since Meltzer lost his dad, are the scenes in the book about Beecher’s feelings for his dad biographical? “This is the first book I have written since both my parents have died. That is what I have had to deal with the past two years of my life, my parent’s death. You show me a novel and I will show you what the author is dealing with at that time. Beecher is dealing with what I am dealing with. I know Beecher’s story real well because it is my own story.”

How did he come up with such an interesting plot involving the deck of playing cards, and the four Presidential assassins, John Wilkes Booth, Charles Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz, and Lee Harvey Oswald? “At The Museum of Health and Medicine visitors can find the bones of Booth, pieces of the skull of Abraham Lincoln, and I saw a swatch of leather with writing on it. When I asked about it I was told it was a tattoo. I realized at that moment I was not holding a piece of leather, but it was actually someone’s skin. The tattoo was a red diamond. Being a history major in college any book I write will have my love of history in it. I remembered learning that Booth handed the valet at Lincoln’s side a card. I imagined it could by a playing card. The novelist in me took over and the plot was born. I was able to study and learn what all the presidential assassins had in common. There was no question if I was going to write a book involving presidential assassinations Lincoln would have to be involved.” He actually came full circle since the beginning of the book has a copycat assassination of Lincoln while the ending takes place at the Lincoln Memorial.

Meltzer is a master at writing his mysteries as puzzles where the pieces are hints dropped throughout the book. The reader is challenged to connect the dots with the clues presented in the novel. These puzzle pieces include secret codes, invisible ink, commonality between the presidential assassins/assassinations, and playing cards. The symbols of the cards include the four facets of society: hearts being the sign of the Church, diamonds as the arrowheads, representing vassals and archers, clubs as the husbandmen of farmers, and spades as the points of lances, representing the knights. For example, Meltzer wants his readers to consider the King of hearts, and look very closely to see why it represents the “suicide king.”

Although the books do not have to be read in order, to get a better grasp of the plot The Inner Circle should be read first. Intertwined throughout the books are history tidbits combined with secret codes that create fast-paced, riveting plots. The Fifth Assassin is a must read novel for anyone who wants a mystery involving many twists and turns. This book is well worth the wait, but unfortunately fans most wait another two years for the next installment.

Blackfive Shocking Confession Stories #2: I Cheated At Marksmanship

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 16, 2013]

Well, that is what the other party claimed -- I will let you be the judge.

Continue reading "Blackfive Shocking Confession Stories #2: I Cheated At Marksmanship"

Book Review: The Blood Gospel

Posted By Blackfive • [January 16, 2013]

The following book review is a special provided to BlackFive readers by Elise Cooper. You can read all of our reviews by clicking on the Books category on the far right sidebar.

James Rollins has collaborated with Rebecca Cantrell in their newly released book, The Blood Gospel. This book is the first in a trilogy about the Sanguines, an order of good vampires. Readers who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, or the Rollins’ Sigma series might be apprehensive about reading this thriller-fantasy. However, give it a chance because it has a captivating story that is fast-paced and interesting.

The plot of the book begins when an earthquake in Masada reveals a tomb buried deep into the mountain. The three main characters: Sergeant Jordan Stone, a military forensic expert; Father Rhun Korza, a Vatican priest; and Dr. Erin Granger, a brilliant but disillusioned archaeologist are asked to investigate a newfound discovery, a subterranean temple holding the crucified body of a mummified girl. The three protagonists escape a brutal attack at Masada and find themselves racing to find a book, The Blood Gospel, rumored to have been written in Christ’s own hand, before it falls into the hands of a horrific enemy.

Rollins told BlackFive.net he came up with the plot at the Los Angeles Museum of Art while viewing Rembrandt’s painting of “The Raising of Lazarus." It struck him “how scared everyone looked, and this started me down a road of reflection about early Catholicism, vampirism, and a story began to unfold. I knew this could be a huge, groundbreaking new mythology, a story so epic in scope that I knew I didn’t want to tackle this alone. Surprisingly writing with Rebecca was fun and refreshing. It was nice to have someone else to lean on. Oddly enough we did not get into arguments because we let the story dictate.”

Rebecca Cantrell who has written a historical series set in 1930s Berlin featuring the main character Hannah Vogel was elicited by Rollins. They told blackfive.net that they met in Hawaii at a Writer’s Retreat. Cantrell was intrigued about the premise and jumped on board. Rollins believes that since each had certain strengths and unique skills they were able to create an enriched story. He wrote the action scenes and brought a thematic approach to try to find the common ground between science/religion, faith/logic, and the believers versus those disillusioned with their faith. Cantrell wrote great characterizations and historical descriptions in the book.

This plot has the reader wondering about certain traditions of Catholicism: Why do Catholic priests wear pectoral crosses? Why are they sworn to celibacy? Why do the Monks hide their countenances under hoods? And why does Catholicism insist that the consecration of wine during Mass results in its transformation to Christ's own blood? Rollins decided to answer some of these questions by having a vampire sect within the Vatican, called the Sanguines, become the protectors of the Church after they pledged not to drink human blood.

Rollins wanted to explore the “what if” regarding how Christ would have dealt with these vampires, “What would he have done to save these people. I used the actual traditions, for example, Sanguines can be out in the day as long as they wear hoods and thought maybe that this is the origin of the Monks wearing hoods. I was able to pair these things up by playing with the trappings of the Catholic faith and the mythology.”

Not only did they draw on mythology they also used past influences. Cantrell shyly admitted that she watches Saturday cartoons, but now has an excuse because of her young child. She believes these viewings have probably had an influence on her subconscious. In the book there was the “silver bullet” used for protection and a scene where Erin was taken prisoner and had a spiked dog collar put on her. What comes to mind is Superman, the Lone Ranger, and a Star Wars scene between Jabba the Hut and Princess Lea.

This novel uses a lot of different settings and historical situations. The characters travel to Jerusalem, Europe, St. Petersburg, and the Vatican City getting clues from Nazi plans, Masada’s history, and the Rasputin character. Cantrell wants her readers to think about the fact that Rasputin, who was killed four times over, could be a vampire. “I wanted to think how vampires could exist in these scenarios.” In the next book she and Rollins will continue to bring into focus historical characters and eras. “A character will be introduced that is more modern because he was turned into a Sanguine during the sixties.”

The Blood Gospel has something for everyone: conspiracy, ancient mystery, action-adventure, and a touch of the Bible. Just as the Rollins’ Sigma series is a thriller with a tinge of science fiction, this novel is also a thriller, but one with a lot of fantasy. Once again Rollins, along with Cantrell, has shown that it is possible to write an intriguing story that can leap over different genres.

Spirit of America's "68,000 REMEMBER"

Posted By Blackfive • [January 16, 2013]

We still have 68,000 of our brave men and women in uniform still serving and risking their lives for our country. We find that many Americans are not aware that we have so many--husbands, fathers, sons, sisters, mothers, daughters--still actively deployed to Afghanistan.

Which brings me to a great idea from the wonderful people at Spirit of America (an organization that we have supported since its inception years ago). They have launched a campaign called "68,000 Remember." According to Spirit of America:

The campaign’s sole purpose is to raise awareness and support for the 68,000 American men and women still serving and sacrificing in Afghanistan. This campaign does not take any position on U.S. policy or on the war in Afghanistan. Our view is simple: as long as our country has asked our troops to serve, they should be acknowledged and supported.

A key component of the campaign is to build a photo “Wall of Support”. We are asking people to remember our troops by uploading a photo with the words “68,000 Remember” in it to the Wall of Support located on the Spirit of America Facebook page (https://apps.facebook.com/reasons-to-remember/contests/303333) or by emailing it directly to remember@spiritofamerica.net. The only requirement for the photo is that it needs to include the words “68,000 Remember”. Creativity is definitely encouraged!

The campaign runs through January 31st.

The goal is to get 68,000 photos - one for each American service member still serving in Afghanistan. You can also spread the word through social media with the tag #68kRemember .

Please spread the word!

With your support we can make sure that those still serving in Afghanistan know that they are supported, and that their sacrifices are appreciated.

A Complex and Interesting Man

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 15, 2013]

Bill Ardolino has an excellent post up about the assasination of Sheikh Aifan Sadoun Aifan al-Issawi.  He was one of the leaders who stood up and made the Awakening happen, and let it sweep into the Fallujah area.  That was a dangeous time, and an even more dangerous thing to do. 

I never got to meet the Sheik who brought it into the area of Baghdad -- he was killed before I arrived, and his son barely survived an assasination attemp after I got there.  I did get to meet one of the Sheiks who helped get things started out west, but he was a careful figure and sadly I did not get to interview him. 

The grudges from that time continue, as does the political maneuvering that will decide the future of that country.  Many there still view the ideal political machine as a medium tank, and assasination the best way to get what they want even as they settle old scores.  The politicians and other idiots who feel that peace is at hand and all is okay ignore reality, and the fact that things can still go very wrong.

Love him or hate him, he was a complex individual who did much good at a critical time for his country and ours. I bid peace to him.

LW

Preparing for an Embed: Follow-Up, Financial

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 15, 2013]

Following up on some questions and comments that reached me after I talked about why I wasn't in Afghanistan.  This is also a bit of an expansion on a previous post about preparing for an embed that dealt with costs and other financial matters (along with non-financial costs I think).

Any embed has costs, even when one is not actually embedded.  The process itself has costs (visas and such), and once you hit a certain point, you are going to have recurring monthly costs.  I recently outined some of the costs for an organization, and here's a rough idea of what you can expect to spend each month:

Continue reading "Preparing for an Embed: Follow-Up, Financial"

Book Review: Nelson DeMille's "The Panther"

Posted By Blackfive • [January 14, 2013]

The following review is a special for BlackFive readers by Elise Cooper. You can read all of our book reviews by clicking on the Books category on the far right sidebar.

Nelson DeMille’s latest book, The Panther, is a gripping tale about fanatical Muslims. He decided to place John Corey and Kate Mayfield in a hostile environment and chose Yemen. Although seeing what is going on today in that part of the world, he could have substituted many other countries.

DeMille explained to BlackFive.net that The Panther parallels what is happening in the headlines today. He used the Yemen setting because “right now it is the center of Al Qaeda activity. I did a lot of research on the American embassy there. I did think about it when I saw the mob storming the American embassy compound.” He joked that being a history major taught him to use what he researched, which is why he included certain aspects: the historical tidbits, such as Noah’s Ark resting place, Arsh Bilqis, and the throne of Sheba, as well as focusing on the backward society of Yemen. In addition he allows the reader to understand the Yemen culture made up of tribal warlords and Bedouin tribes. In the book he summarized that Yemen had “… mostly a history of civil wars, revolutions, and invasions.”

The plot has John Corey, an anti-terrorist Task Force agent, and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, being sent to Yemen to apprehend the Panther, the mastermind of the USS Cole bombing. There is also a sub-plot involving a conspiracy theory where Corey sees himself and Mayfield as bait: Corey killed the Lion, a Libyan terrorist which earned him a spot on Al Qaeda’s kill list, and Mayfield killed a rogue CIA official who had plotted to nuke the Middle East. To understand this sub-plot it is not necessary to read the previous books, The Lion, The Lion’s Game, and Wild Fire, although they do make for a very interesting read.

As in all his books DeMille presents interesting, likeable, funny, and powerful characters. He is able to use his dry wit to enhance the dialogue, especially when he teams up Corey with Paul Brenner, the embassy DSS chief and a two-tour Vietnam veteran. He commented, “These are two alpha males that butt heads. It is a tricky thing to do. I was able to pull it off in this book. Hopefully, I will do it again.” Corey throughout the book is the wise cracking NYPD cop, Kate is his straight person, and Brenner is the joking military veteran hero.

Fans of DeMille will recognize Brenner from previous books including the epic novel, Up Country, where the plot involved Brenner having to return to the country that haunts him, in order to investigate a murder that took place during the Vietnam War. One of the best quotes in The Panther, is when Brenner compares the Vietnam War to the War in Yemen, “It’s like Vietnam… Incompetent and weak-willed allies fighting an enemy who are motivated by something higher than saving their own worthless asses.”

The Panther, a terrorist, born in America is shown to be a religious fanatic. DeMille tries to explore how someone brought up in America can turn to terrorism. “After speaking to those in the terrorism task force and the FBI I cannot understand what is the thinking behind an American turned terrorist. How could they leave America and go to someplace like Yemen? It must be religious fanaticism. I don’t believe the political motive would be that strong.”

Since DeMille was a former US Army Lt. who served in Vietnam during the Tet offensive it is no surprise that he uses the USS Cole as a backdrop for this plot and brings back a former character who fought in the Vietnam war. Through his characters it becomes obvious that he is angry over the Cole incident, blaming “… the Navy’s Rules of Engagement (that) were rewritten by some committee of politically correct, ball-less wonders in the bowels of the Pentagon.” He told blackfive.net that he hopes this book shows his support of the military, and is grateful “to have a lot of military fans. I get a large amount of emails, first from Iraq, and now from Afghanistan. I love when these guys can relate to the book and hopefully find them accurate.”

He gave a heads up about his next projects. He will be writing the seventh book in the John Corey series. The plot has John Corey and Kate Mayfield, with a possibility of Paul Brenner, working with the FBI Hostage Rescue Team. Once again they will leave New York and be placed in a hostile environment somewhere in the Middle East, this time to rescue hostages. There is also the possibility of making a TV series based around the John Corey books.

The Panther is a very entertaining and informative book. Even though it is fiction, it is very insightful about Yemen. Readers will learn what America is up against in the Middle East and why the Islamic extremists are at war through DeMille’s in depth narrative on the culture, the psyche, and the motive behind those fighting in Yemen. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys political thrillers.

How many died to deliver Obama's Afghan campaign promises?

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [January 14, 2013]

1300 US servicemembers for starters, that is how many died since Obama initiated his faux surge. One thousand, three hundred US troops have been sacrificed in a cause this President didn't believe in and that is a disgrace. The link goes to a Huffington Post story and if he has lost them, a true accounting may be forthcoming.

We may actually get a look at the cold political calculations that led to thirty thousand additional US troops being sent to Afghanistan to prove that Barack Obama was not the king of cut and run. His every pronouncement on the Iraq war as a Senator was wrongheaded and would have certainly cost us a victory there had they been followed. So as a candidate he couldn't afford to be calling for an end to both Iraq and Afghanistan. So he decided to make Afghanistan the good war and pledged to shift our focus from the nascent victory in Iraq, which called unnecessary, to the necessary war in Afghanistan, where he would fight the good fight.

After he took office in 2009, Obama had to back up all his big talk and that was not an easy task. There were grave political dangers and sadly those took precedence over the actual national security concerns and the lives of our troops. As I wrote in 2010 in the Washington Times:

President Obama lost the war in Afghanistan during the “Great Dithering” of 2009. This was the period when he had all his advisers, including noted national security strategists David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs, huddled together loosely for about nine months. They were trying to find the most politically viable way to deliver on Mr. Obama’s campaign promises to personally track down Osama bin Laden and put his head on a pike while simultaneously running the corrupt Karzai regime out of town. Well, they failed in those efforts and now are simply trying to find a way to start leaving in time for Mr. Obama’s re-election campaign.

Now he, well the SEALs, did manage to shoot OBL in the eye, but Karzai remains and even worse the Taliban are not just resurgent, but running large swathes of the country and that increases greatly as we pack for the cut and run. Let's look at what Obama actually said when he announced the faux surge.

“We must deny al Qaeda a safe haven. We must reverse the Taliban’s momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow the government. And we must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s security forces and government so that they can take lead responsibility for Afghanistan’s future.”

The jury is still out on al Qaeda but the Taliban's momentum is greater than it has been since they ran the Soviets out, daja vu anyone. And their ability to overthrow the government is not likely to be deterred by the tiny number of token troops Obama seems poised to leave behind. From Foreign Policy:

President Barack Obama listened to his generals the first time around; now he knows better. The Obama of 2009, new to the job, unsure of his relationship to the military and perhaps slightly overawed by his superstar commanders, David Petraeus and Stanley MacChrystal, agreed to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in the name of a counterinsurgency campaign he didn't quite believe in. The Obama of 2013 is prepared to overrule the recommendation of his current commander, Gen. John Allen, and leave few -- if any -- troops behind after U.S. combat units pull out at the end of 2014. That's what's known as a learning curve.

The assertion that Petraeus and McChrystal won the argument about troops and strategy is ridiculous, they both noted that many times more troops and a valid commitment to winning were needed. But the recognition that nothing but a palace guard will be left behind seems unfortunately true. They can help load the helicopters on the roof of the embassy.

I made a video four years ago that was all too sadly prescient. I reminded Obama that campaign promises are not a good enough reason to send America's finest to die in a foreign land. I had absolutely no desire to be proved wrong and hoped if he was going to continue the fight, he would do so with the resolve and resources to win. Instead he sent too few troops and stamped their orders with an expiration date that ensured Taliban knew we were leaving and the Afghans would never trust us and join the fight. One thousand three hundred men and women sacrificed, for what?

Blackfive Shocking Confession Stories #1! I Was An Air Force PAO

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 13, 2013]

Welcome to the first in a thrilling series of confession stories!  Bodices ripped, dramatic poses, skin shown!  Of course, that is all in the Jimbo collection, so only the brave will go to see him in the Klinger outfit with pink fuzzy slippers.  Or the insane, but…

Some of the events around my not being in Afghanistan have brought back some memories of lives past, and of the secret shame of my life and career (at least as it applies here, you want the secret shames of the rest of my life, that costs cash):  I was an Air Force PAO.

Continue reading "Blackfive Shocking Confession Stories #1! I Was An Air Force PAO"

Target Strikes Again

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 12, 2013]

This Ain't Hell has the story, and I think it is time to light them up again.  Target has had what I will charitably call an uneven relationship with the military.  The realized it a few years ago, and worked with the Legion and others to do right by some troops who lost everything.  Based on that, I started doing business with them again and let them know I had done so and why.  Well, not too long after that, their military liaison person changed and the new person was frankly pretty shitty to some VSOs (IMO), and seemed to not to want to hear from them or vets.  So, I cut back.  After this, well, they do have competition and if I can throw some business to some local stores, I'm glad to do it.   Let them know what you think, via the link at TAH or by contacting their corporate office and your local store.  Do both, cite dollar figures, and I bet this will all be a "big misunderstanding" and a manager not "knowing procedure" real soon. 

LW

Oh, and you can let them know on Twitter @target, or pull up some contact info for their corporate HQ in Minneapolis, MN.

BREAKING: MOH to be awarded to Clinton Romesha

Posted By LongTabSigO • [January 11, 2013]
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2013

President Obama to Award Medal of Honor

On February 11, 2013, President Barack Obama will award Clinton Romesha, a former active duty Army Staff Sergeant, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. 

Staff Sergeant Romesha will receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions while serving as a Section Leader with Bravo Troop, 3d Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Outpost Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on October 3, 2009.

He will be the fourth living recipient to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He and his family will join the President at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service.

Why Am I Not In Afghanistan?

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 11, 2013]
Okay, there have been some questions raised and comments made, so wanted to get out this short version of why I'm not in Afghanistan.

As some of you may remember, I posted here a while back about finding an embed, and that post was answered by a very nice and competent PAO.  We talked, agreed on things, and began to work the effort.

This is where the first problem came up, and I take responsibility for it.  In working with an officer at the ISAF, I agreed to send him my application directly.  I know some of you are already shaking your head, and you are right to do so.  After many weeks of no response, I discovered that he had left theatre and had apparently done no handover.  This, sadly, is not unusual and I should know better having experienced this before.  As I say, this one was on me, and it cost me six plus weeks of time. I will also state for the record that I owe a particular SGT a beer, or two even, for his help in identifying the problem and working my application onto a fast track.  

This delayed thing so that a replacement unit became involved, and a higher.  Among other things, it turns out that someone didn't pass along some critical information, including the fact that I didn't count against deployment numbers.  This led to a series of exchanges and even in-person meetings.  I want to be on record that one such meeting resulted in a very good idea for a series of stories, that I wish could be done (and that I wanted to do).  However, given delays, issues, and more delays to come, the initial embed is dead.  

For now, I'm talking with some units, and hope to be having more good and productive conversations here soon.  Interestingly enough, while some of these embeds are overseas, not all are in Afghanistan and there is an interesting possibility I may be doing some stories here in the U.S. as well.  Nothing is finalized yet, so if you are a unit that would like to have me come spend time with you, U.S. or Allied, drop me a line and lets see what we can work out.

Anyone who cares to help is most welcome to hit the donation button, as such help is very much appreciated (and needed, to be honest) right now.  If a company would care to join Military Luggage and B.N. Shape Clothing as sponsors, then drop me a line (e-mail is listed over on the right) and let's talk as there may be some very unique and interesting opportunities to come. 

LW

Bush's Gitmo evil, Obama's Gitmo just peachy

Posted By Uncle Jimbo • [January 11, 2013]

It has been more than a little comical to watch the lefties who spent all their waking hours howling at the moon about the evils of the Bush team, suddeny be struck mute, or worse simply change their tune and support the continuance or even expansion of the same policies by the gutsy caller.

The Presidential Kill List- complete with American citizens getting zero due process and actually vaporized.

Just an example of how Obama takes his job so seriously that he wants to personally draw a red x on the picture of today's chosen about-to-be-dead tango.

Drones and Hellfires for all my friends- The greatest expansion of extra-judicial killing on our country's history, a global hunting license, essentially turning the CIA into his unaccountable robot Army, all with no Congressional oversight.

This President takes national security very seriously and look how he has figured out how to avoid those pesky interrogations. Now we simply stick a Hellfire missile up the ass of a suspected terrorist (and his family). So, so much better than getting wet and asking them questions about all their friends.

Now let me be clear, I wholeheartedly support these policies, well not the lack of capture and interrogation. But it is the hypocrisy of the morally superior left that is so nauseating. The greatest evil ever faced by mankind was the creation of the torture factory and most-unconstitutional thing evah- GITMO. The orange jumpsuit became synonymous with Amerikkka under the tyrant Bush. Fast forward to the enlightenment and benevolence under the reign of the One. Suddenly everything bad is good again.

A perfect example is the physics and logic-defying gymnastics performed by one of the most hysterical of the Gitmo-despising, al-Qaeda coddling harpies Ms. Jennifer Daskal, former head Bush-hater at Human Rights Watch. She has an Op-ed in the NYT explaining why we should now keep Gitmo open because, well basically because Barry O says there are bad men there and his word is good enough for her.

Now, almost four years later, I have changed my mind. Despite recognizing the many policy imperatives in favor of closure, despite the bipartisan support for this position, and despite the fact that 166 men still languish there, I now believe that Guantánamo should stay open — at least for the short term.

While I have been slow to come to this realization, the signs have been evident for some time. Three years ago, Barack Obama’s administration conducted a comprehensive review of the Guantánamo detainees and concluded that about four dozen prisoners couldn’t be prosecuted, but were too dangerous to be transferred or released. They are still being held under rules of war that allow detention without charge for the duration of hostilities.

So Barry's guys took a look at these folks (which she worked on), the same guys W's jack-booted thugs refused to turn loose (denying their avowed intention and Allah-given right to rejoin the jihad) and now all of a sudden they can be legally held without trial indefinitely. WOW!

While the specific numbers have most likely shifted over time, the basic categories persist. These are men whom the current administration will not transfer, release or prosecute, so long as the legal authority to detain, pursuant to the law of war, endures.

So there is a legal authority to detain them and it is pursuant to the laws of war. Set the wayback machine for the reign of the tyrant Bush and let's get Ms. Daskal's thoughts on that.

"Guantanamo has undermined America's moral authority around the world," said Jennifer Daskal, senior counterterrorism counsel at Human Rights Watch. "President Obama should make closing the detention center one of his first orders of business."

"The problem with Guantanamo is not the place, but the system of indefinite detention without charge," said Daskal.

So let me try to grasp this, because I am sure there must have been some fundamental change to the law, or the prisoners, or the treaties....right? Nope, simply a change to the jailer in chief and Ms. Daskal is so intellectually, morally and ethically rigorous in her beliefs that the mere presence of her guy in office changes everything. Bravo Ma'am, you just made F John Kerry seem principled.

I favored drone strikes, enhanced interrogations and indefinite detention for jihadis under W, and in a display of integrity Ms. Daskal obviously lacks, I still support them under O. Principles, you should try them Jennifer.

Good Hunting, Captain Michael Haley

Posted By Grim • [January 11, 2013]

Stars And Stripes has an article about a deployment ceremony, something with which most of us are all too familiar.  This National Guard ceremony is different from most only in a small regard:  the tearful goodbyes are being said by a state governor, Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina.  The fact that this is newsworthy underscores the division between the military and the political class that governs it.  A few political families, however, remain connected.

Here at BLACKFIVE we support all our servicemembers who deploy to war in any capacity.  In taking notice of this I don't want to appear to be playing favorites.  I just want to take a moment to recognize how healthy it is for this kind of connection between service and politics to flourish.  We wish Captain Haley, and all his comrades, good fortune and a safe return at the completion of their mission.

The Worrisome Veteran -- Updated

Posted By Laughing_Wolf • [January 11, 2013]
I have removed my original post, as it turns out this was a video done several years ago, and is something for which the school has already apologized. Like others before me, I was offended by it and failed to realize that the listing was older and not on the official school site. Shame on me for not digging deeper. LW