Letter to Sen. James Webb RE: Non-Combat Related Deaths

Dear Senator Webb,

I received an e-mail from you dated December 16, 2008 in which you said you had referred my questions about non-related combat deaths of our soldiers in Iraq to the Defense Department.

I know it's a huge agency with much on its plate, but, alas, more than a month later and no reply!

The Washington Post listed yesterday the names of five more of our soldiers killed in Iraq (p. A-13), and of these, SIXTY PERCENT died as a result of "non-combat related" causes. I researched their names and found on the Web that one died as the result of a forklift accident and one died from a gunshot wound. (His father was quoted in the local press, and he was quoting the military.)

Above the names of these dead soldiers was a story about the crashes of two U.S. helicopters which killed four U.S. servicemen. It was listed as "non-combat related."

I would like to know about all the "non-combat related" deaths of our troops, their causes, and what changes Defense is making to stop these tragedies. Are our troops not trained adequately? Is Defense rushing troops to Iraq with insufficient training and therefore, equipment and gun accidents happen more frequently than in prior combat? Than on Army bases? A comparison would be revealing. We read constantly about the Army's lowering its standards to accept those without a high school diploma and to accept some with criminal charges which may factor in "non-combat related" deaths.

With the decline in our activity in Iraq, media, and therefore public, attention dwindles, and we tend to forget about 150,000 troops stationed there which plays to Defense's hands to ignore questions about anything Iraq.

With your military knowledge, experience, and interest, I would think Defense would pay more attention to you and to your requests for explanations. An entire summary of these deaths and their causes may shatter the public's mindset about our troops' training, or it may not. Whatever, since it is our money, time, equipment, and most importantly, human resources, we deserve to know.

Sincerely,
Patriciadc

60% of Our Soldiers' Deaths in Iraq: Noncombat-Related Causes

Sixty percent of the deaths of our soldiers in Iraq listed in the Washington Post today were due to “non-combat” related causes.

What are the causes?

When last I wrote about this November 14 2008, I also emailed Sen. James Webb who responded on December 16:

Thank you for contacting my office regarding non-combat related deaths.

In order that I might provide you with a detailed response to your inquiry, I forwarded your message to Department of Defense. You should receive a response directly from that office.

I appreciate your letter and thoughts on this matter. Your correspondence helps me serve you better in the U.S. Senate. Please let me know if the response you receive does not resolve your concern or you need further assistance

.

No reply from DOD!

I shall write to Sen. Webb again and hope he is able to push the Pentagon to supply answers. Why isn’t anyone else asking?

The names of soldiers who died in Iraq are listed today on p. A13 below a story on the crashes of two U.S. helicopters which killed four American soldiers. “Nonhostile” causes are believed the reason for the crashes.

The names of our dead soldiers listed today are:

Sgt. Marquis Porter, 28, Brighton, MA (noncombat-related death)
Ricky Turner, 20, Athens, AL
Omar McKnight, 22, Marrero, LA (noncombat-related but shot according to his father quoting the military)
Roberto Andrade, Jr., 26, Chicago
Kyle Harrington, 24, Swansea, MA (noncombat-related but a forklift accident)

Please remember the supreme sacrifices our troops and their families made and make for us: 4,236 fatalities; 30,984 wounded.

Tickets Here! Tickets There! A Ticket Thicket Everywhere from Cong. James Moran

He gave them away “from the trunk of his car” Saturday night after the Fairfax County Inaugural Ball, one recipient told me at the Netroots Ball in Arlington.

”I guess it just takes personal contact,” he gleamed. He is not a constituent of Cong. Jim Moran. I am.

I did not get one of Moran’s tickets.

I requested Inaugural tickets from Moran and from Sen. James Webb following the procedure outlined by the Joint Congressional Inaugural Committee. My requests were denied in almost replica e-mail letters I received from each. (See earlier post.)

Please understand: I campaigned for Jim Moran; I knocked on doors on fall weekends for Jim Moran; I telephoned for Jim Moran. For the Democratic ticket I cooked for the campaign, I used my car for the campaign. I gave up my time in-between jobs to work on the campaign. I went to weekly meetings for the campaign.

For Barack Obama I canvassed in three states. I traveled. I donated. I spent my own money on expenses.

I got a Inaugural ticket all right, but not from the campaign for which I worked so strenuously, so tirelessly, so energetically.

I got a ticket from a lobbyist.

Congressman Moran forgot about me. I won’t forget about him.

Call to Arms, Call to Arms, Sister!

Please contact both of your U.S. senators immediately, urging them to vote to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act, all designed to help working women achieve pay parity with their brothers in the workforce.

The U.S. Senate will take up these bills almost immediately, so it is urgent that you take action at once and urge your sisters to do the same! (Maybe, even some of the brothers will help out.) The House of Representatives passed the bill January 9, 2009 247 - 171.

With enforcement powers these bills will nail those work places which reward equal work with unequal pay. Victims will be able to more easily find redress.

We earn only 78 cents to every dollar the boys bring home! Up from 77 cents in 2006. What a giant leap for womankind!

Lower wages also mean a lower social security benefit when retirement comes.

The Senate narrowly defeated this bill last year so with more progressives in Congress, maybe, just maybe we can help proclaim victory for American female employees! If you contacted your legislators last year, it is important to contact them again.

Please contact me right away if you need your names, e-mail addresses, and/or phone numbers and pass this on! The American Association of University Women is a key proponent of the Act.

Who was Lilly Ledbetter? She worked for 19 years in Gadsden, Alabama for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (why do you buy Goodyear?) as the only female supervisor who successfully sued ($3 million) after she found out Goodyear was paying $thousands more to male co-workers for the same work. However, in the company’s appeal (why do you buy Goodyear?) the Bushes’ Supreme Court in a 5–4 decision last May rejected her argument saying she waited too long to file suit. (Ahem, how ya gonna file if he done you wrong if you don’t know he done you wrong?)

After the court ruling, legislation was quickly drafted to correct this injustice and, falling right in line with the business community (big surprise), Bush said he would veto the bill. All but six of his Republican Senate allies went along with him to defeat it.

Are you sitting down? That’s good for you will be shocked to learn that during the presidential campaign, John McCain did not support the legislation; Barack Obama did.

Sisters, unite and fight! For us! Pass it on.

Overheard at the U.S. Department of Education

“Whatcha think about the new secretary of education?”

“You know a new secretary has never made a bit of difference around here. As a matter of fact, no one, not any superintendent anywhere, has ever made a difference in improving urban schools anywhere.”

“No!”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“I’d say there was a story in that somewhere.”

“Oh, really? Then why don’t you write one?”

An Embarrassed Democrat

Patricia enters:
Are you not cringing at the way Roland Burris was thrown out in the rain on Monday? I mean, come on! It is disgusting. He was treated like a worthless dog. He is such a gracious man, never complaining. What an admirable fellow! With no hint of improprieties like most members of the Senate! He is unlike the Red Bull Demon Dog Democrats! 1000X better than they!

Are any of the blogs talking about the rude, contemptible manner in which he was treated? It was racist! Would a white person have been subjected so shamefully? Like a criminal! I am surprised they didn't put handcuffs on him and throw him in the Tidal Basin, yelling "Sink or swim, you common vagrant!"

Dee enters:
I second you.. think blogs were for him.. the left-wing at least.


Jason speaketh:
I for one was not for him. I think his appointment endangers the seat to be lost two years from now, especially if he decides to run for reelection. I do agree that throwing him out in the rain looked pretty nasty, and the Dems should have realized from the beginning that Blago was going to call their bluff and appoint someone. He just so happened to find a viable African-American to fill the seat. But, the fact that Burris even accepted the appointment from a crook like Blago says a lot about his character. Other IL politics, like veteran Congressman Danny Davis, who is black, reportedly were offered the position and turned it down. Burris should fit in well with the others in the “cesspool” that is Washington DC!!!

Patricia speaks:
Was it Davis I saw interviewed on Rachel last nt as I passed thru the room hither and yon doing chores? Whoever it was said Biansonofovitch had offered him the job before he offered it to Burris. Biansofivitch has a great atty. I think he's going to get off. He outsmarted the entire Senate! But that's looking easier and easier to do.

Jason speaks:
Patricia, you or I could be Senate Majority Leader and do 100x better than p---y hairy reid.

CNN = Cable National Nquirer

At the top of CNN’s menu January 7, 2009 at 10:13 a.m. under “Other News”:

Which gadget do you want to hunker down with?

Officials fear Caylee bone pics will be sold

Boy,6, drives car 10 miles toward school

Knife left in woman’s head

School orders teen to fix haircut

New ‘Idol’ judge looking forward to challenge

Rather than a cable news network, CNN has become the Hollywood and voyeur’s network, the “National Enquirer” of television "news" suggesting the new name.