The war in Iraq saw dozens of cases of unscrupulous, corrupt defense contractors not only fleecing the American taxpayer of billions and billions of dollars, damaging our nation’s reputation but, worse, directly or indirectly harming the troops they were supposed to support and protect.
What has happened to these contractors? Has justice been served?
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The invasion and occupation of Iraq displaced 4 million Iraqis including 2 million Iraqis living beyond its borders—mostly in Syria and Jordan—in 2008 in tough conditions.
I criticized the Bush administration for being singularly blasé and slow in responding to the refugee crisis.
When our last combat troops pulled out of Iraq six months ago, more than a year after Obama assumed the presidency, we left behind one and a half million Iraqis displaced in their own country — “internally displaced persons” — uprooted from their homes, many living in total destitution as squatters in slums and shanty towns in Iraq. An additional 500,000 Iraqi refugees still find themselves languishing and forgotten abroad.
Has the Obama administration made any more progress since then?
As a nation that bears a special responsibility for the Iraq war and for the resulting humanitarian crisis, do we still have an obligation to these refugees?
(We have recently learned that, in that other war, the number of refugees—displaced persons—in Afghanistan stood at 295,000 as of January 2010.)
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Saddam Hussein’s proud Air Force was decimated during the First Gulf War and was a no-show during the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Presently, the US is helping to rebuild the very same Air Force it destroyed.
Last March, the Iraqi government made a request to the U.S. government to purchase 18 new F-16s and has expressed the desire to have a “minimum” of 96 F-16s by 2020.
How much progress is being made in rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force and how is the F-16s request faring?
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Natural and Man-made Disasters
The world was horrified after the catastrophic earthquake that struck the poor nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010.
The world, and America, reacted swiftly, compassionately and generously to the tragedy.
I wrote several articles on the disaster, on the efforts by the US—especially our military—and other countries, organizations and individuals to rescue those trapped in the rubble and to save lives, to treat the injured and to reduce the immense suffering; on the huge amount of financial aid that poured into Haiti and the reconstruction efforts; on the human tragedy, especially the orphans, and on human failings and good intentions gone bad; on the incredible miracles of survival after having been buried under tons of concrete for eight, ten, even 11 days, 12 days, 15 days.
However, I do not believe that I revisited the Haiti story after my post of February 17.
My bad! As the people of Haiti continue to suffer—more recently under tropical rainstorms, hurricanes, riots and now with an outbreak of a cholera epidemic that has killed more than 1,000 people—the questions need to be asked as to what has happened to the billions and billions of dollars pledged and delivered in cash, materials, equipment, medicines, food, etc. which the world so generously donated?
(The people of Haiti, under such horrific circumstances, are now preparing for elections next Sunday)
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During the worst days of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill catastrophe, and in view of the ecological disasters that have occurred and continue to take place elsewhere around the world, I referred to a New York Times story where Bob Herbert quoted a lawyer involved in an Amazon rainforest legal fight: “As horrible as the gulf spill has been, what happened in the Amazon was worse.”
I also described some of my own experiences as a young boy in the then still pristine “Oriente” in my native Ecuador—Ecuador’s beautiful jungle region marking the beginning of the Amazon rain forest and one of the most biologically diverse regions on earth—and implicitly expressed my hopes that we would learn something from the BP oil spill catastrophe.
Have we? Will we?
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Our Military, Our Heroes, Our Veterans
After our nine-year war in Iraq and Afghanistan, we finally have a living Medal of Honor recipient, Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta. Sgt. Giunta is only the eighth hero to receive our nation’s highest decoration for valor in combat in those wars.
In contrast, there were 245 Medal of Honor recipients during the Vietnam War, and 27 Medals of Honor were awarded for the single World War II battle of Iwo Jima.
It is not that there is a shortage of heroes deserving this honor.
One such hero, Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta’s was nominated for the Medal of Honor six years ago by the Commandant of the Marine Corps for his “his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty” which cost him his life protecting his fellow Marines in Fallujah, Iraq, on November 14, 2004.
Instead, Peralta would be receiving the Navy Cross.
There has been a huge outcry at this injustice—by fellow Marines, the media, elected officials, the American people and by Sgt. Peralta’s family, who refused to accept the Navy Cross.
Legislators, numerous organizations, groups and individuals have petitioned former president Bush and continue to petition the current president to review and reverse the Pentagon’s decision.
Will it have any effect?
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How is the U.S. Navy proceeding in its preparations for implementing the decision to allow women to serve aboard nuclear submarines? And what about the “warning flags” that the air inside a submarine can be hazardous to fetal development and that the radiation emitted by nuclear reactors in nuclear submarines could have especially harmful effects on women?
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With an increasing number of troops being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many have urged the military to consider awarding the Purple Heart to veterans with such psychological wounds. Initially, the Pentagon said that it was ruling out such an award.
However, Secretary Gates has commented that “It’s an interesting idea…I think it is clearly something that needs to be looked at.”
Where does the Pentagon stand on this issue today?
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Already back in the winter of 2008, even before Barack Obama had taken the oath of office, cyberspace was rife with rumors and innuendoes about how the new president would cut off funds for TRICARE For Life and make other cuts in military health care and other benefits.
As the Health Care Reform legislation was debated, and after it became law, we again saw similar tactics used to frighten retired military and veterans into believing that their hard earned health benefits were at risk because of the new legislation.
I do not believe that such cuts have occurred. However, there are reports that, unless Congress acts quickly in the lame duck session, current law will force a 25% cut in Medicare and military TRICARE payments to doctors by January 1.
Were the critics right? Were their attacks aimed at the appropriate people?
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I have consistently applauded Obama’s selection of General Eric Shinseki to head the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In his acceptance speech, he said in part: “A word to my fellow veterans: If confirmed, I will work each and every day to ensure that we are serving you as well as you have served us. We will pursue a 21st-century V.A. that serves your needs.”
I do believe that Shinseki has done an awful lot for our veterans.
But, two years after his nomination, has he done enough to redress the wrongs, especially when it comes to disability ratings;has he done enough to address the horrendous problems with veterans’ homelessness ( Shinseki has promised to end veteran homelessness in the next five years), drug and alcohol abuse, PTSD and so many other health and injuries related issues plaguing our veterans—has he stepped up to the plate?
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.