Emotions above have been expressed by American leaders due to the recent loss of 3 US Troops in Jordan.
GWOT in the news:
Jan 28, 2024 Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III:
“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the deaths of three of our U.S. service members and the wounding of other American troops in an attack last night against U.S. and Coalition forces, who were deployed to a site in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border to work for the lasting defeat of ISIS.”
Jan 28, 2024 Stars and Stripes
Biden says US ‘shall respond’ after drone strike by Iran-backed group kills 3 US troops in Jordan
The people of Arizona need services in Jordan
Jan 29, 2024 The Arizona Republic
Arizona National Guard troops injured in drone strike that killed 3 in Jordan
“Hannigan added that the service members were deployed in September 2023 as part of Operation Spartan Shield to provide “law and order and personal security capabilities” for roughly one year.”
Gov. Katie Hobbs posted a comment on X, formerly known as Twitter, lamenting those injured in the attack.
“I am heartbroken to hear reports of the Arizona National Guardsmen wounded in action during the attack in Jordan,” Hobbs stated.
Will there ever come a time when newspeople ask if there is any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war, linked to the movement of National Guard troops to an overseas location?
Mar 13, 2023 KTAR News
Gov. Katie Hobbs travels to Middle East for Arizona National Guard partnership with Oman
“The partnership was formed in October of last year through the State Partnership Program of the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Guard Bureau.”
“The state of Arizona is grateful for the Omani hospitality and the privilege to work with the sultan’s armed forces,” Hobbs said in a press release.
Sounds creepy. Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials, top pentagon generals and the press earned it. The DOD brand has been wrecked.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, shared his condolences to the injured Guardsmen as well.
“I am devastated to hear that Arizona National Guardsmen are among those injured in the drone strike in Jordan,” Gallego posted on X. “My thoughts are with the Guardsmen and their families as they recover. My office is reaching out to the Guard for info. We stand ready to assist however we can.”
“The brazen attack, which the Biden administration blames on Iranian-based proxies, adds another layer of complexity to an already tense Mideast situation as the Biden administration tries to keep the Israel-Hamas war from expanding into a broader regional conflict.”
Operation Spartan Shield
Looks like this operation began in 2012. It seems tricky to find more info on the history of this operation.
Nov 16, 2023 The Intercept
PENTAGON WON’T SAY WHERE IT’S SENDING U.S. TROOPS — TO AVOID EMBARRASSING HOST NATIONS
“As the U.S. spirals toward a potential regional war with Iran that could dwarf the casualties in Israel’s war on Gaza, the American government has withheld from the public knowledge of where U.S. troops are in harm’s way.”
“At the time of this writing, there have been 55 attacks on U.S. service members in Iraq and Syria since October 17, according to the Pentagon, resulting in 59 injuries, including traumatic brain injuries.”
Respect for The National Guard
These are the people who need to maintain a place to live and a regular job in their hometown area when they are not doing time in foreign lands helping DOD with undeclared/unwon wars and missions completely unrelated to their home state.
A few decades back, people might think of the National Guard as one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer plus a way to support your home state by being ready to get called out for floods, fires, natural disasters, civil unrest, etc. Maybe a way to help the next state over if they needed it.
Thousands of men and women who signed up for the National Guard in the past 25 years did tours in places like Syria, Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.
Would any newsperson ever ask:
Why do the people of Home State, USA need services in distant lands, absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war?
Recruiting crisis for Uncle Sam? Elected officials, top Pentagon Generals and the press earned it.
The people of Alaska need services in the Middle East
The People of New Jersey Need Services In Iraq and Syria
The people of Iowa need services in Kosovo
In the news:
Jan 29, 2024 Military.com
“In addition to the three killed, Singh said that, as of Monday, more than 40 service members were injured in the deadly attack that came after months of similar strikes on bases that house U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq. The Jordan drone strike marked the first American service members killed in the wave of violence that has swept the region since Israel went to war with Hamas, and President Joe Biden vowed Sunday that the U.S. would respond.”
“Singh said the Jordan attack was conducted by an Iranian-backed militia, and it was the first deadly incident for U.S. forces since groups linked to Iran ratcheted up drone, mortar and missile strikes in the region on Oct. 17. Since that time, officials said there have been at least 165 attacks on U.S. positions in Iraq and Syria that have left at least 80 injured, not counting the service member deaths and injuries Sunday.”
“In a separate briefing Friday, a senior defense official told reporters that most of those injuries “are from concussive events from rocket mortar, indirect fire, or one-way [drone] attacks with anything from 8 to 50 kilograms of explosives.”
History of US War On Terror
Americans might say the US War on Terror began on one of several occasions.
The US Dept of Defense has been working to stabilize the Middle East region for decades.
US troops deployed for the 1990 Operation Desert Shield.
This resulted in the Desert Storm Victory Parade in 1991.
Some might say the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing was the start of the US War on Terror.
Some might say it began on Sept, 11th, 2001.
2024
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, and decades after the start of the Global War on Terror, American elected officials (not voters?) send US Troops back into harms way. The bad guys/enemy/natives/terrorists do not want to see US Troops in the region. Bad guys/natives take hostile action. US leaders say they are outraged and deeply saddened, heartbroken, and devastated Re: a brazen attack.
US flags may be flown at half mast.
58,000 were lost in the Vietnam War. On or after each of the days US Troops were lost in Vietnam, did US flags fly at half mast back home?
The country struggles with:
Possibly of interest:
Podcast 9 Defending The Constitution?
Below, are some random thoughts and questions newspeople will not ask. Our questions appear in bold type.
How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.