I hope that everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July. Enjoyed the cookouts and did not get too much
sun.
I hope that all veterans wore their medals. I hope that everyone said thank you to any member of
the military that you saw. Watched the parades and saluted the Stars and Stripes as the flag passed
in front of you.
The fireworks were awesome as they lit up the sky across the country.
I must admit I was a little disappointed as I watched the Boston Pops celebration, which I watch
every year it is really thrilling and rousing. What disappointed me was that so many people
had to read the words to many of patriotic songs. Songs like God Bless America, My Country
Tis of Thee, I'm A Yankee Doodle Dandy...etc.
Do the schools no longer teach music? Is the American public so uneducated that such simple songs are unknown?
Of course not everyone can remember all the words to some of these songs, but it seemed that a lot of people did not know any of the words.
And we wonder why the general public is so misinformed about the Cold War. Bomb shelters and
air raid drills, the threat of nuclear annihilation are forgotten. The world no longer remembers or
cares.
We were just a part of history that is being re-written. Now it seems that the government is even
trying to erase any mention of Cold War Veterans. It has been decided that after Vietnam, all
veterans are now considered "Pre-Gulf War Veterans".
No more Cold War it has vanished, how long will it take before all of the history books(those that
even mention the Cold War) are added to the trash bin along with all of our country's Cold War
Veterans.
We have been ignored, dishonored, disregarded and frowned upon for so long that now some of
us begin to believe it when told we are "not veterans"
All we want as "Cold Warriors" is a little respect, a little honor and a little medal.
The thought of a Cold War Medal seems to cause DOD a great deal of discomfort. Congress has tried many times in one or both houses to do justice to our veterans. It has yet to happen.
Again this year we have some members of Congress standing tall and attempting to "get 'er done"
Please ask your Senators to become cosponsors of S. 402 The Cold War Service Medal Act 2011.
Ask your Representative to become a cosponsor of H.R. 1968 The Cold War Service Medal Act
2011. Ask them to vote for passage when the bills reach the Senate and House floors.
And ask all members of both the Senate and the House Armed Services Committees to
ensure that SEC. 581 of the Senate NDAA 2012 remain intact, and not be removed during the
Senate/House conference meetings.
Remember that this year 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the Cold War. We have waited
in vain for too long, let this be the year to remember these brave men and women.
Will the new Secretary of Defense finally agree to authorize this medal?
---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Nato Sees Russia As Missile Defense Patner
Is this not a little like inviting the fox into the hen house?
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2011 - Expressing confidence that the Russian parliament will ratify the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he's looking forward to moving ahead during the first half of 2011 on missile defense cooperation with Russia.
Rasmussen, speaking on his video blog posted yesterday, hailed the landmark decision between NATO and Russia at the alliance's November summit in Lisbon, Portugal, and emphasized NATO's "strong commitment to enhance and deepen our cooperation and to keep the spirit of Lisbon alive."
NATO and Russia agreed at the summit to begin working together toward developing a continentwide missile defense system.
"For the first time, NATO nations and Russia will be cooperating to defend themselves," Rasmussen said of the new missile defense cooperation. "Our citizens in Europe will share enhanced security, and that is unprecedented."
Cooperation on missile defense is an important stepping stone toward development of the overall security relationship with Russia, he said. "It could be a vehicle for even further practical cooperation and confidence-building in the years to come," he said.
"This is simple logic," he added. "Increasingly, we share many threats to our common security." As examples, he cited terrorism, the growing narcotics trade, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and piracy.
The missile defense system will protect people in NATO-member nations and Russia against the growing missile threat, Rasmussen said. He recognized that more than 30 nations have or are seeking a missile capability. "This is a development we cannot ignore," he said.
As NATO and Russia evaluate the best ways to cooperate in missile defense, Rasmussen said, NATO envisions "two independent but coordinated systems, working back to back."
This will offer several benefits, he explained. It will promote information exchange, provide a wider picture of the skies over Europe and with it, improved protection of Russian as well as allied territories.
Rasmussen said NATO will offer Russia transparency about its system that provides assurance that it isn't –- and can't be -– directed at Russia.
Also, by maintaining two independent systems, he said, both NATO and Russia can avoid "outsourcing our security to one another."
"NATO security is based on collective defense," he said. "And I assume that Russia, as a strong and independent nation, also wants to be fully in control of its defense systems."
Rasmussen said he looks forward to "constructive discussions with Russia in the months ahead" that will build on commitments made at Lisbon.
Meanwhile, the Russia parliament is considering ratification of the New START Treaty. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the treaty in Prague in April, and the U.S. Senate ratified it last month.
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2011 - Expressing confidence that the Russian parliament will ratify the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he's looking forward to moving ahead during the first half of 2011 on missile defense cooperation with Russia.
Rasmussen, speaking on his video blog posted yesterday, hailed the landmark decision between NATO and Russia at the alliance's November summit in Lisbon, Portugal, and emphasized NATO's "strong commitment to enhance and deepen our cooperation and to keep the spirit of Lisbon alive."
NATO and Russia agreed at the summit to begin working together toward developing a continentwide missile defense system.
"For the first time, NATO nations and Russia will be cooperating to defend themselves," Rasmussen said of the new missile defense cooperation. "Our citizens in Europe will share enhanced security, and that is unprecedented."
Cooperation on missile defense is an important stepping stone toward development of the overall security relationship with Russia, he said. "It could be a vehicle for even further practical cooperation and confidence-building in the years to come," he said.
"This is simple logic," he added. "Increasingly, we share many threats to our common security." As examples, he cited terrorism, the growing narcotics trade, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and piracy.
The missile defense system will protect people in NATO-member nations and Russia against the growing missile threat, Rasmussen said. He recognized that more than 30 nations have or are seeking a missile capability. "This is a development we cannot ignore," he said.
As NATO and Russia evaluate the best ways to cooperate in missile defense, Rasmussen said, NATO envisions "two independent but coordinated systems, working back to back."
This will offer several benefits, he explained. It will promote information exchange, provide a wider picture of the skies over Europe and with it, improved protection of Russian as well as allied territories.
Rasmussen said NATO will offer Russia transparency about its system that provides assurance that it isn't –- and can't be -– directed at Russia.
Also, by maintaining two independent systems, he said, both NATO and Russia can avoid "outsourcing our security to one another."
"NATO security is based on collective defense," he said. "And I assume that Russia, as a strong and independent nation, also wants to be fully in control of its defense systems."
Rasmussen said he looks forward to "constructive discussions with Russia in the months ahead" that will build on commitments made at Lisbon.
Meanwhile, the Russia parliament is considering ratification of the New START Treaty. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the treaty in Prague in April, and the U.S. Senate ratified it last month.
Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"
---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)