TresSugar

Front Page: Thousands of Troops Quietly Sent to Afghanistan

TresSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:25 -0700

Peace activists are not happy to know that President Obama has quietly sent 34,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. That's 13,000 more than he said would go in March. - Washington Post
Governor Schwarzenegger has signed tough antipaparazzi legislation into law in California. - AP
Bernie Madoff got in a prison brawl with another senior-citizen inmate. They were fighting about the stock market. - New York Post
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote on a crucial healthcare reform bill today. - AP
Joe Lieberman might help the White House repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell with bipartisan support. Lieberman has opposed the policy since it was introduced in 1993. - The Advocate

Jon Stewart Calls Out Obama on Don't Ask, Don't Tell

TresSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

On last night's show, Jon Stewart pondered whether gay people frighten Americans more than terrorists. Why else would Obama stall the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), turning away openly gay Americans ready to fight for the country?

The official word from the Obama administration is that they have too much on their plates right now to figure out how to let gay Americans serve in the military. Jon thinks this a bogus excuse, and points out that Obama continually made promises as a candidate to make repealing DATD a priority.

Perhaps surprisingly, DADT has been shown to have a greater impact on women. A 2007 report revealed that although women make up only 14 percent of Army personnel, 46 percent of those discharged under DADT were women.

Do you agree with Jon Stewart that it's time for Obama to find time to repeal DADT?

The Case For Letting Women Into Military Combat Roles

TresSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Since 1994, American women have been able to serve in direct combat in air and sea missions, but when it comes to ground operations, they are forbidden to fully participate.

Kelly Martin, an Air Force veteran, penned an op-ed out today on the topic. She maintains that women have the physical strength and mental aptitude to serve on the ground and Kelly also believes that female soldiers offer a strategic advantage. She wrote:

Women military personnel also offer a capability that their male counterparts lack: the ability to interact with Iraqi and Afghan women and girls. The potential for human-intelligence gathering as well as relationship building in more closed cultures cannot be underestimated.

Other countries, like New Zealand, Canada, France, Norway, Israel, and Switzerland, let women serve in combat roles. Do you think it's time that the US lets its women fight along the men, too?

Oh Snap! South Korea Is Ready to Kick North Korea's Butt

TresSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:00:15 -0700

With North Korea getting all the attention these days, let's turn our eyes to South Korea. The country's "special warfare" command soldiers took part in a sea-infiltration drill today. The military is preparing against possible threats from communist North Korea - the neighbors have technically been at war since the 1950s.

View 5 Photos ›

Oh Snap! A Hero's Welcome

TresSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Sailor Nick Mannor embraces his wife Jenny after the USS Eisenhower arrived in Norfolk, VA, yesterday. The aircraft carrier and its 6,000 sailors have been conducting maritime security for the US military operation in Afghanistan and just returned home after a five-month deployment.

View 5 Photos ›

Front Page: Iraqis Celebrate as US Troops Leave Cities

TresSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:54 -0700

Today Iraqis celebrated in the streets as American troops pulled out of Iraq's towns and cities. June 30, the long-anticipated deadline, has been declared a national holiday. - New York Times
Teams are searching the Indian Ocean for survivors of the crash of a Yemenia Airways jet. So far, one child survivor has been found. - CNN
Federal investigators are investigating 10 of Bernie Madoff's closest associates and expect to charge more people. - AP
At least 14 people were killed in Italy today, as a train carrying petroleum gas derailed and exploded near their homes. - Reuters
A 2002 version of Michael Jackson's will leaves everything to his children, mother, and charity. - Wall Street Journal

View 5 Photos ›

Front Page: Economy, Marketing Spark Military Interest

TresSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:59 -0700

Major US military academies, such as West Point, have seen a significant rise in applications thanks to aggressive marketing, declining casualties in Iraq, and the recession. - New York Times
Former President George W. Bush has broken his silence, criticizing Obama's policy on Guantanamo Bay and the economy. - Huffington Post
Iranian supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi participated in massive demonstrations again today, as they held a national day of mourning for those killed so far in the upheaval. - Al Jazeera
Rhode Island has become the third state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. - NPR
The makers of Zicam have pulled their products off the shelf, after the FDA warned that the cold medicine could harm users' sense of smell. The drug company still maintains that Zicam is safe. - Phoenix Business Journal

Front Page: Stephen Colbert Takes Orders From Obama in Iraq

TresSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:00:48 -0700

Broadcasting from Iraq last night, Stephen Colbert became the first non-news TV show to be taped and transmitted to the US from a combat zone. In addition to John McCain, Barack Obama made an appearance via satellite to order a military haircut for Stephen. - Colbert Nation
The US Treasury has decided to let 10 banks return a total of $68 billion in bailout funds. - CNN
The first Guantanamo Bay inmate has been transferred to the US for trial. - LA Times
American Idol runner up Adam Lambert has signed a record deal. - People
The New York state senate has fallen into Republican control, after two Democrats opposed to gay marriage switched sides. - Bloomberg

Oh Snap! Operation Iraqi Stephen

TresSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:00:24 -0700

This week, The Colbert Report will broadcast straight from Camp Victory in Iraq - a camp whose name sounds like something Stephen came up with himself. At yesterday's taping of "Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando," 300 servicemembers looked on as Stephen got an army haircut from Gen. Ray Odierno. According to audience members, the faux pundit did not tone down any of the truthiness or biting satire for the troops. I'm not surprised. Will you tune in tonight?

View 5 Photos ›

Source

Female Marine Recruits More Lax About Sex Than Civilians

TresSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Hoping to learn how to prevent unintended pregnancies from impacting combat readiness, the Marine Corps took a look at the sex lives of female Marines. The study revealed that female recruits had higher rates of the most common STDs (chlamydia and gonorrhea) and were less fond of using condoms than the general civilian population. The survey also revealed more lax attitudes toward mixing sex with alcohol among the new female Marines.

When you're in the armed forces, your sex life can impact the country's national security. Hoping to avoid losing Marines to unplanned pregnancy or illness, the Marine Corps includes sex ed in basic training. Each female recruit also has to have a 30-minute informal discussion about reproductive health with a senior drill instructor. That's got to be a little awkward - drop and give me birth control!

Source