Four Marines Shot Dead

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the four Marines and their families who were shot dead today in Chattanooga Tn.

U.S. District Attorney William C. Killian has quickly stated officials are treating these murders "as an act of domestic terrorism."  William Killian is the chief law enforcement officer in the eastern district of Tennessee which is made up of 41 counties. He was appointed by President Obama in 2010. We certainly appreciate his enthusiasm but he is supposed to be exemplifying professionalism not enthusiasm.


Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher declined to speculate on a motive. Too bad Killian did not display the same level of professionalism. This is the proper way for a police chief to respond since he has not real evidence at this point in time. Any remarks he does make can and will be used to confuse and distract from the case. Well done Police Chief Fletcher.

The FBI is in charge of the case since the assault occurred at US Military facilities. Ed Reinhold is the FBI special agent leading the investigation   Reinhold responded to Killian's quick declaration this was an act of domestic terrorism. The Special Agent made it clear there is no evidence to suggest this is a domestic act of terror.

 Our law enforcement officials should not be making any statements at this point other then to assure the public the area is safe and the scene is being investigated. We are already inundated with long winded politicians mobilizing their lynch mobs at the drop of a hat. We remember too well the recent destruction of Baltimore thanks to the last 'Law Enforcement Official' who wanted to play politics.

According to the FBI the definition of "Domestic terrorism" means activities with the following three characteristics:

• Involve acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;
• Appear intended  to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or  to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping; and
• Occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S 

FBI Definitions of Terrorism

Regardless of the definition we should demand these "Law Enforcement Professionals" behave appropriately in this manner. Perhaps allow Police Chief Fletcher in charge and allow him the time to make the proper analysis of the crime scene. We owe these fine Marines that much.  

News Articles

CBS News
NY Times
Aljazeera
FoxNews

Link to the text of the Iranian Nuclear Deal

We will be giving this a very thorough read.

Text of Iranian Deal

Up Next:

Members of the UN Security Council pass a resolution that endorses the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran, China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

60 Days:

Documents of the President's accord with Iran will be sent to the United States Congress. From receipt of the documents Congress has 60 days to write a resolution. The resolution can be written to approve or disapprove the accord. Congress also has the option to do nothing which will in effect mark their approval. Any resolution will be sent back to the President.

President Obama has made it clear he will veto a negative resolution. At that point the resolution will return to Congress. Congress can over ride the Presidents' approval with a two-thirds vote.

Once we finish our analysis we break down the accord and post our comments.

Iranian Nuclear Deal and Regard for Interests of Others

As our political leaders and media formulate their spin we have decided to wait until we can review the actual agreement. We like many have concerns over trusting Iran. We can only hope the President is correct in his assumption this treaty will prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Once the treaty is released we will post it here or provide a link to its location. Our concerns with the treaty but the process in which it was negotiated. We are concerned about the reaction of Iran's neighbors.

In September of 2009 the President spoke to the General Assembly of the United Nations regarding his perceived notion the United States was not considered trustworthy in the world and stated in his address;

 "Part of this was due to opposition to specific policies, and a belief that on certain critical issues, America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others.  And this has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism,..."

This treaty makes the President hypocritical. He is acting without the consent of the people for whom this treaty will affect. Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—United States, Russia, China, France, United Kingdom—plus Germany and the European Union were at the negotiating table. Iran's neighbors were excluded.  The President despite his criticism of our nation in regards to considering the interests of others has done just that by excluding all of Iran's neighbors. These nations will feel the wrath if this deal goes bad or if Iran's intentions are not as promised. 

Has the President considered the interests of Iran's neighbors?

Additionally  since Iran's neighbors were not part of the deal there is no way we can predict their reactions and plans going forward. These nations must be concerned of Iran's head start in nuclear technology and now a sudden influx of  found cash.

President Obama in his six years in office has strengthened Iran by first running out of Iraq than ignoring the Syrian Civil War and finally overlooking ISIL. Now he may have just started an intense weapons race in the Middle East while positioning Iran to be a Middle East Superpower.

UPDATE 7/15/2015:
An article from the Associated Press  Arab World Worries

Immigration Reform Time to Realize the Problem

The US is in the middle of a severe immigration crises. Our politicians are so polarized and self serving they are unable and unwilling to address the issues. We the Resolved People must stand up and begin demanding Congress act to protect our present and future citizens.

We need to be able to understand the problems and those people who are adding to the problem.

Politicians Influencing Elections

Politicians such as Congressman Luis Gutierrez who has teamed up with some powerful organizations to create a gateway to flood the country with foreigners for no purpose other then to create a majority voting block. Our immigration laws set limits so one nation or geographic arena from flooding our nation in an attempt to influence our political races. Gutierrez has said on numerous occasions his goal is to import as many Hispanic people as possible in order to change our political arena.

Sections of Border Controlled by Cartels and Gangs

Currently the powerful Mexican drug cartels and US gangs control a large portion of the border. they are smuggling in young women, drugs, money and weapons. The smugglers are controlled by the gangs or cartels and in a sense are slaves themselves. Many start off very young and are trained to carry contraband. In the 80's I was approached and offered a lucrative position to be in charge of a couple vans that would run back and forth into Mexico.  I would never know what is in the vans I would have just been responsible dropping them off at certain locations. Needless to say I declined the job.  The business model in the 80's has been replaced. Now instead of paying an average joe a lucrative amount of cash run the trucks the work is now done for minimum cost by young who are members or trying to become members of the gangs or organization controlling the contraband.  Young women and girls are brought in to work at various strip clubs here and in Canada or in private houses throughout the US including such small cities as Manassas and Sterling VA.

Birthers

Young women who are pregnant cross into the US from Mexico to arrive in the emergency rooms of hospitals to give birth. Their children are automatically citizens. Politicians from President Obama and down fall prey to this scam when they propose legislation to prevent the deportation of these young mother since it would break up the family. The US Medicaid program pays out $2 billion a year to reimburse hospital emergency room procedures for these births. There are over 383k children born to illegal and undocumented women each year. This represents about 10% of all US births. There is much legal discussion on how to amend the 14th Amendment. Many legal minds are convinced Congress or the State Department can define the phrase "...subject to the jurisdiction thereof..." to exclude people who are here visiting or are undocumented. The United States and Canada are the two remaining nations with (according to the IMF) advanced economies to provide birther rights. 

Undocumented

We need to implement a national ID. Each adult person within our borders should have such an ID citizen or long term visitor. The ID should be used for identification purposes, voting and benefits. Any non citizens would need to declare their purpose in the country. If they are here for temporary work, visiting or if they desire to apply for citizenship. Those wishing to become citizens would then be placed on a list. This will eliminate the frequent border crossings where immigrants believe United States amnesty procedures are to occur.

The Second United States Civil War

On July 4th 1776, those colonists presented their King and the world the Declaration of Independence, becoming the first nation to declare  "...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...."

It has been 239 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  These colonists united together and challenged not only the worlds greatest military might but the historic view that the rights of a nation state and its rulers were superior to the individual citizen

This notion provided individuals with the opportunity to not only dream but to work towards making their dreams reality.  It is the free individual and their desire to achieve is the backbone to the success of the United States.  For the past two centuries the United States has produced the greatest economy known to man. We must remember and understand it was NOT the federal government of the United States but the independent individual who makes this country great. Today there is a war against the independent individual and their pursuit to achieve their dream. This is the Second United States Civil War.

This war is being fought on several fronts within this nation's borders by enemies both foreign and domestic.The war rages on within our inner cities as well as inside our classrooms. Our main enemy is the Federales and their desire to destroy the independent individual with an ever invasive federal government.

The Enemies

The Federales

The Federales (fed-er-al-ees) are people and political leaders who believe life as we know it would cease to exist without the federal governments involvement in the individuals day to day lives. Federales believe the individual is lazy and incompetent and could not survive without government assistance. The movement is strong and is a direct threat to the strong independent individuals who made this country great. The success of the individual is formed in attitude and drive to succeed. An individual needs to believe they can achieve and needs leaders to reinforce that notion and provide an environment which nurtures it.  It is disgraceful when a leader tells the people they cannot succeed without their government.

Ourselves

We can be our worst enemy. It is challenging to live as a strong independent individual. It requires constant work and education. Knowledge is key to remain independent. An individual must be learning and looking for opportunities to learn constantly. We are fortunate to have the internet at our fingertips. Even with this incredible resource it is easy to become distracted and waste precious time with games and social media sites.

The strong independent individual must develop productive habits and eliminate and avoid destructive habits. Ben Franklin said it best "Early to bed early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise" Daily reading proper dieting and exercising regularly are necessary to provide yourself with the best chance of success.

Saving money and living within your means is critical. There will be times where you are unable to work, or you must pay for some type of unforeseen event. We as individuals must prepare ourselves for these types of events. We cannot sit back and expect the government to bail us out. Each time we do turn to government for help we weaken ourselves and strengthen the federales resolve. There are some people who need legitimately need help. When a healthy person chooses to apply for assistance instead of a job they are stealing from those that truly need it. We must also understand and accept there are times each of us needs help and that is why we have such programs in place. But in today's world we are being conditioned to not only search for a handout but believe we are entitled to such a handout. A piece of knowledge that seems to be forgotten is the old saying "Save for a rainy day" such wisdom should never be considered ancient wisdom.

Battlefields

The Independent Individual

The American Dream is about working hard. Not only physical work but mental work as well. In order to achieve success you must improve your skills, educate yourself, gain experience by working in positions that will improve your skills and knowledge in the field of your choice.  The individual must be strong with a positive attitude regardless of their situation or past failures. Failures must be embraced so the individual can learn and strengthen one's resolve.

Minimum wage

Minimum wage is an entry level wage. A place where you can begin. As you start your new job you need to be inspired to work and learn everything about your job and the business of your job. This will make you a more valuable employee. Your employer should in turn pay you a higher wage. You not only make yourself a more valuable employee but you also have made yourself more marketable. So if your employer does not increase your wage you can go to a competitor who will recognize your skills and reward you for them. The living wage people believe you should do the minimum amount of work they do not believe you should work on your own time to improve your skills either through formal education or studying on your own. They believe that just showing up you should receive enough money to take care of you and yours. This is not how the American Dream works.

Mom and Pop:

Walmart and other large corporations will not have a problem raising their payrolls 30-50%. The backbone of our economy is the desire for an individual to start running their own business. The small Mom and Pop businesses across the nation are the ones who will be forced to make difficult decisions. Mom and Pop are  the dreamers we must listen to and help. They have the traits, the desire and the motivation which makes our nation great. They are the secret to our success.

White Privilege:

This is truly poison. An individual works their ass off saving their money, living within their means, staying out of debt, sacrificing today so tomorrow their children can have a better opportunity and a stronger start in live then they did. Hard work and smart living has nothing to do with racism or privilege. It is about sacrifice. Your skin color doesn't matter. In turn the grown child works their ass off so their children can also get a step up when they begin their pursuit. This is not any type of privileged this is your parents sacrificing so you can succeed and more further up the line. Teach your children this and although you might not live in wealth and luxury your future generation may have a better opportunity. 

Billionaires:

The United States adores the underdog. This nation started off as one of the biggest underdogs in the history of mankind.  We can understand and appreciate rooting for the underdog. When an underdog continues to win they are no longer underdogs and its time to turn against them. We see this in sports all the time. But this latest trend to attack and demonize the successful is ludicrous. We should study their tactics and habits to figure out how they became so financially successful and repeat it ourselves. Use them as role models. In our country anyone and everyone can achieve success. But its up to you. If you want to stand on line trying to get yourself the latest handout well your wasting your time. While you can receive many handouts each one diminishes that individual inside of you that needs to be strengthened. 

Education

The Federales have taken over our classrooms. They have lowered our standards so everyone can pass. And based the whole program on a test so we can compare our nation of 250 million with a nation of 6 million. The Standard of learning test does not inspire, motivate or challenge our children. In fact for many children it is just a mental beat down a type of federal bullying. we need an education system that motivates inspires and challenges our children. This is something the Federales are not capable of developing. The sooner we remove our Education system out of the federales cabinet the sooner we will be able to teach our children to learn.  Today after a child spends 12 years in the Federales educational system they have learned hundreds of songs to help them memorize songs to get them to pass the SOL tests. Our children enter college with limited skills on how to learn or teach themselves with research skills. They meet professors who have hateful views on our nation and who distort history in order to promote their own social agenda. Our children need to enter college so they can learn to learn and discover the truth.

Trump vs the World

Donald Trump didn't just stir the pot he threw the whole thing out the window with these comments:

"When Mexico sends its people," Trump said during his presidential announcement, "they're not sending the best. They're not sending you, they're sending people that have lots of problems and they're bringing those problems. They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they're telling us what we're getting."


Trump's statement went viral and the PC Mob is ruling the streets looking to lynch the Donald and anyone near him. In this case Trump speaks the truth. Listen to his statement. He never says Mexican people are criminals and rapist.

The mob mentality seems to have blinded America. The Mexican government and several other countries are providing aide to segments of their population to cross the US border.We are naive and ignorant if we believe otherwise.

The governments are not alone. There are organizations, corporations and politicians providing legal and financial support to bring as many immigrants as possible. Their motivations are unclear but one can speculate for the countries of origin a decrease in welfare expenditures and a reduction in jail populations. On this side of the border political gain can be achieved by increasing a political base.

This tactic was originally engineered by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Castro sent prisoners, drug addicts and mentally ill people to the US. This over emotional backlash against Trump shows a fault in Americans ability to face reality. The governments of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and others have followed Castro's model. Each of these countries provide some level of support for their citizens to cross illegally into the United States.


In 2014 more than 7000 unaccompanied children under 12 were apprehended crossing the border. (How many were not apprehended?) The media and our politicians think we are so stupid we believe 7000 kids 1500 miles away woke up one cheery day and decided to leave their homes and walk to the United States. Although Trumps statement is crude his message is not far from the truth?

The southern neighboring governments are not going to allow their brightest, most educated and wealthy citizens to illegally cross our border. They are going to send the uneducated, the poor, the criminals and the sick.

There is another side Trump did not mention. A darker side the we must courageously address. Parts of Mexico, the Mexican government and the US border are controlled by drug cartels. On both sides of the border, elected officials, law enforcement and military are powerless to do anything. Drugs, weapons and people are smuggled across the border daily. A fence alone will not stop this illegal and very profitable trafficking. 


The United States is the greatest country in the history of mankind because she provides opportunity to all people. Throughout our history, the people who have been repressed and abused by their own governments come to the United States and achieve incredible success. And their success further improves our nation as a whole. It is imperative that our immigration laws are firm, fair and executed.

America must get over this feigned shock and outrage over Trump's statement. Its time to look at the realities of our immigration situation. Perhaps then we can identify the people desperately trying to hide the truth and shame anyone who has the audacity to mention it. For it is these people who threaten our security and future as a nation. Our immigration laws have been twisted and manipulated to the point they now resemble our IRS code. We need just and modern immigration reform. Before we begin we must take off the rosy colored glasses so we can see the real immigration crises. Only then can we begin a rational endeavor to reform these laws to provide opportunity and protection of all United States citizens present and future.
 

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

The United States is great because it is a country that allows its individuals to become great.  Castro sent us his people during the Mariel Boat-lift crisis. Many of those Cubans became successful prosperous citizens of the United States.. It is estimated that 10-20% were deliberately chosen by Castro because of their criminal background or mental illnesses.  It was a difficult transition not only for the refugees but their new neighborhoods as well. Violent crime spiked, the drug trade prospered and a strain was placed on the communities as they tried to provide needed social services.

We need to But the immigration laws were were designed to protect and provide for the people not the politicians.  

Immigration Laws: Too Confusing

Zero Deportations

In 1996 US Immigration law was amended. The word deportation was removed. Legally we no longer deport people. The term deportation has been replaced with the legal method a person is sent back to their country of origin. A person is either returned or removed. This type of administrative change may seem trivial but it adds to the confusion of of an already complex series of laws that govern the US Immigration policies. It also has provided an opportunity for the politicians to deceive the American public by comparing statistics that in truth are not compatible. In this case we are speaking about the claim that under the Obama administration more people have been 'deported' than in past administrations. A claim according to the numbers the Department of Homeland Security is completely false. 

First lets review the definitions. According to the Homeland Security Yearbook of Immigration Statistics of 2012 Removals and Returns are defined as follows:

Removals: The compulsory and confirmed movement of an inadmissible or deportable alien out of the United States based on an order of removal. An alien who is removed has administrative or criminal consequences placed on subsequent reentry owing to the fact of the removal. [DHS]

Returns: The confirmed movement of an inadmissible or deportable alien out of the United States not based on an order of removal.[DHS]

The following charts illustrate the drop in returning non citizens to their country of origin despite claims of President Obama and the media. These numbers come directly from the Department of Homeland Security.  

 

Yearbook of Immigration Statisitics  

People around the world want to become citizens of the United States. One reason is because our laws keep us safe and provide incredible opportunity for everyone. Since Obama has taken office the number of persons removed from our country has plummeted.

The President has turned our already confusing immigration laws into an entangled myriad of laws and executive orders that are now as complex as our IRS laws. The President has declared many Immigration laws to be voluntary. It is time the American people demand reform that will not only help the politically charged and heavily funded special interest groups but reforms that guarantee the laws can be understood, followed and work to protect and provide opportunity for all United States Citizens present and future.

Oppurtunity for Peace Lost

Peace Abandoned

President Obama August 20, 2012

“We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.  That would change my calculus.  That would change my equation.”

President Obama's Red Line

White House spokesman Josh Earnest August 21, 2012

“As the President said yesterday in terms of Syria, we’re watching very closely the stockpile of Syrian chemical weapons; that any use or proliferation of efforts related to those chemical weapons is something that would be very serious and it would be a grave mistake."

November 2012

President Obama Re-elected President of the United States. 

August 21, 2013

A year after Obama's Red Line statement Ghouta Syria was struck with rockets containing Sarin gas. Sarin gas is a nerve agent that causes the victims to lose control of the muscles used to breath. The death toll from this assault was estimated between 280 to 1700 people. The world was horrified. It was 25 years since Iraqi President Saddam Hussein unleashed his own weapons of mass destruction against the Iranians during the Iran-Iraq war.

The attacks in Ghouta marked a unique time in history, the leaders of the Middle East stood together with world leaders in shock waiting for a leader to rise.

All eyes turned to Washington. President Obama returned to the White House on Aaug 19 after vacationing at  Martha's Vineyard decided it was best to go golfing Aug 25 and Aug 31. This marked the first time since World War II America did not attempt to lead after an international crises. The world became a darker place.

The Wisdom of our Founding Fathers

The American Flag at Headquarters Marine Corp beside Arlington National Cemetery

As we celebrate our Nations birthday I wanted to bring to attention the wisdom of our Founding Fathers.

There is no definitive guide that identifies our Founding Fathers. Some consider any patriot at the time who served or sponsored the effort to gain our Independence can be considered a Founding Father. Others say it is the signers of our Declaration of Independence or framed our Constitution. In 1973 historian Richard B. Morris wrote "Seven Who Shaped Our Destiny: The Founding Fathers as Revolutionaries". Morris identified John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington as the men who were key in the birth of our Nation and identified these men as our founding fathers.

Below you will find quotes from several of our Founding Fathers. Quotes that every American should read and consider.

 

 

John Adams

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."

Benjamin Franklin

"Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is."

Alexander Hamilton

"A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired."

Thomas Jefferson

"Cherish, therefore, the spirit of our people, and keep alive their attention. Do not be too severe upon their errors, but reclaim them by enlightening them. If once they become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress, and Assemblies, Judges, and Governors, shall all become wolves."

James Madison

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

Thomas Paine

"A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support."

George Washington

"Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence, (I conjure you to believe me fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake; since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican Government."

John Jay

"It is much to be wished that slavery may be abolished. The honour of the States, as well as justice and humanity, in my opinion, loudly call upon them to emancipate these unhappy people. To contend for our own liberty, and to deny that blessing to others, involves an inconsistency not to be excused."

How To Be Safe And Have Fun

There are so many things to do with the entire family during the 4th of July. While our nation is under a heightened alert we can safely celebrate our nation's birthday. Here are a few steps to help you remain vigilant without allowing fear or panic to overwhelm.

Plan Ahead

Make sure your children carry an ID. A simple piece of paper with their name and your contact information folded and placed in their pocket works well.

Write your phone number on their arms.

Talk to your children about behaving like an adult. Don't scare them make it fun. Remind them if they get lost to stay where they are until you get there.

Tell them if a police officer comes by to have them call the number on their arm or they see another family have them ask that Mom for help.

Don't make yourself a target. Keep jewelry and watches at home. Keep your phone from plain sight.

Dress appropriately for the event. Wear sneakers or comfortable walking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather.

Bring water and some type of snacks for you and your children.

Dress your children in bright clothing to help them stand out so you can easily spot them

Let someone know where you are and when you are expected home.

Upon Arrival

The first thing you should do in entering an event is to observe the exits. This applies indoors as well as outdoors. If you are attending a parade know the main roads to get in and out of the area. Observe secondary routes in the event the main roads are blocked. 

Know the location of local hospitals and police departments. Many events will have a designated area for first aid and police to headquarter the event.


Decide on a designated area to meet in the event your family or friends get split up

If you are not on the ground floor know where the location of the stairs.

During the Event

Be aware of the people around you. Look for any unusual or aggressive behavior. If you feel uncomfortable near somebody move away instead of trying to confront them.

Be aware of any items such as backpacks bag or packages that are left alone. Move away from these objects and report them to security.   

Point out to your children the police officers, emergency personnel and security stations at the event. Walk up to them and introduce yourselves and thank them for helping keep everyone safe.

Stay sober

Conclusion

A little thought and preparation can keep you and your loved ones safe and allow you and your family to have fun and enjoy the event.

The Real Benghazi Tradegy

Dereliction of Duty

Every month from May through Sept of 2012 messages were sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Obama, every US military base as well as embassy and official US facility across the globe. These are normal warnings sent out around certain holidays or anniversaries to remind US personnel to be vigilant as celebrations may increase the chances of an attack.  The message specified possible attacks on July 4 and Sept 11 Anniversary and asked all personnel and commands to be vigilant for possible assaults against US facilities and interests. Additional remarks were made to insure personnel refrain from excessive July 4th celebrations that may flaunt or antagonize local residents.

In addition to these warning Ambassador Stevens sent emails and official messages explaining his concerns about security at the Benghazi complex and increased chatter that an assault on the facility may occur on the anniversary of 9/11. Ambassador Stevens followed up these messages with phone calls and personal requests for additional security at the Benghazi facility. Ambassador Stevens also suggested the temporary withdrawal of Benghazi personnel if security measures could not be increased.

Why would President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton refuse to listen to Ambassador Stevens.  Stevens was an experienced diplomat who understood the dangers of his position. He understood the situation on the ground and his pleas for help were certainly not unfounded they were only ignored. A leader that refuses to listen to their people is not a leader at all.

Brief Overview of U.S. Diplomatic Security:

United States diplomats, their missions and visiting foreign diplomats are protected by the United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), a branch of the Department of State.  A Regional Security Officer (RSO) is the main security adviser and attache to a US Ambassador serving in each Embassy or Consulate.The Ambassador and Regional Security Officer work together with the State Department to insure security is maintained at our embassies and consulates.

John Christopher Stevens was the US Ambassador to Libya from May 2012 until his death on September of 2012. Ambassador Stevens was very familiar with Libya having served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Libya from 2007-2009. He also served in Libya as a special representative to the National Transitional Council in 2011 during Libya's revolution.

 Eric Nordstrom began his career as a Regional Security Officer in 2000. His first assignment was as an Assistant RSO in Honduras. He began his tour of duty in Benghazi in September of 2011 and was transferred in July 2012. 

Violence Erupts

December 2011: a terror plot in Benghazi was prevented. Warnings were sent describing many Islamic terrorists were operating in and around Benghazi.


April: An explosive device being thrown at a UN convoy traveling in Benghazi

May: An RPG was launched at the offices of the International Red Cross in Benghazi

June: An IED is detonated outside the US Benghazi consulate compound

June: An RPG strikes a convoy carrying the Ambassador from Britain. The UK realizing the deteriorating environment closed their consulate.

How Could They Be Ignored

March 2012: RSO Eric Nordstrom sent a request for additional security. This request was ignored or lost. 

July: US Ambassador Stevens and RSO Eric Nordstrom sent multiple cables to Washington requesting additional security.

July 9th: Ambassador Stevens files to extend a 16 man Mobile Security Deployment Team service which was set to transfer in August.

August 2: Ambassador Stevens requested protective detail bodyguard positions. Ambassador Stevens stated "the security condition in Libya ... unpredictable, volatile and violent."

August: the State Department removed the 16 man security force. 

August 8: Stevens sends another cable to State Department stating "a series of violent incidents has dominated the political landscape". Stevens made it clear these attacks were not random and called them "targeted and discriminate attacks."


President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton not only ignored the events and requests coming from Ambassador Stevens and RSO Nordstrom that clearly justified the need for additional security forces. Instead these "leaders" ignored the recommendations and recklessly reduced security. The removal of the multiple security teams and the Regional Security Officer was negligent and a dereliction of duty.

The real tragedy of Benghazi:

The real tragedy is the rabbit hole journey Congress, the media and the public have taken since the murders. We are too distracted to focus on the negligent actions and dereliction of duty by our leaders. We allowed ourselves to fall prey to the political maneuvers of leaders more interested in their political and financial gains then the welfare of our nation and its people.

Thoughts and Prayers

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith. CIA contractors, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty and their families.

Paying for College

College Options

 Tuition costs have skyrocketed in the past 10 years. A college degree maybe a safe bet to help a person succeed but it's not a sure thing. Students and parents should be thoughtful in selecting a degree. Find a program that is marketable and interesting. Keep all options on the table. There are other options available to pursuit a higher education. Don't succumb to the social pressure of standing on line at the bank to start your line of school credit and ship off to a four year college or university. You don't have to do what everyone else appears to be doing. There are smarter ways to achieve your higher education goals.

The average price for college across the nation in 2014-2015 was $23,400. Private colleges are $46.000. It is easy for students to leave college owing over $100,000.00  

There are other options if money is tight or if you just want to save some of your hard earned money and do not want to graduate with 100k worth of student loan debt.

Community College:

A great place to start and students will pay less than $5000 a year. Coordinate with community college guidance office to study courses that will transfer to the state's 4 year colleges.

A person with an Associate Degree increases their marketability in the work force. An Associates degree will also increase the odds of getting a job and demands a higher wage than a person directly out of high school. 

Some states such as Virginia have coordinated programs that transfer all credits but upon completion of your Associates Degree guarantee acceptance. This is a fantastic deal for students saving money or did not take high school quite so serious.

 Tuition Assistance: 

The Associates Degree is not necessary to begin employment.  Dedicating the time to complete the two year degree directly out of high school places the individual on a fast track to completing their Bachelors degree.  Employers want motivated independent employees  Many employers will reimburse their employees tuition costs if they are attending college part time while they are employed. Companies know employees willing to invest and dedicate their free time to work towards a higher education are serious about their career and development. 

CLEP Test: 

The College Level Examinations program (CLEP) provide students with the chance to earn college credits in a few ways. College programs vary but many will take up to 12 credits on a variety of courses. The traditional CLEP tests cost $80 per course. A substantial savings in money and time. Coordinate with your school guidance office to insure you receive credit towards your degree.

Clep Test Subjects

Military:

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay your in state tuition and you may also qualify for housing, books and other expenses. The military can also train an individual get them the experience needed to launch their career. College courses are offered on base while active duty and the tuition is reimbursed. this provides the vet with the opportunity to get their college work started.

Military GI Bill

 Grants:

College grants like scholarships are not paid back. The Federal Government is the largest issuer of college tuition grants. To get started a student must register with Department of Education by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

FAFSA

Scholarships: 

Work hard in high school. Play sports join clubs, volunteer your time be involved throughout your high school career and you will drastically increase your odds of earnig scholarship money. In addition to merit scholarships for the top performing students there are millions of dollars worth of scholarships available from many non profit and for profit organizations. There are many web sites that offer guidance on the many scholarships available and inexpensive phone apps to aid in your search.

Scholarship Search 

Scholarship Phone App

Teamwork:

It is possible and sometimes necessary for an individual to work alone in educating oneself. It is easier with a family working together. Parents should start talking to their child while they are in grammar school about attending college. The talks should be age appropriate and geared towards inspiring the child to realize their education does not end in high school.