A Soldiers Blog

Coast to Coast Freedom Ride for Our Troops

Mother of a Soldier



On March 1, 2004, Dan Forant, father of Spc. Daniel Forant III, will begin a 3,000 mile trip by bicycle to benefit our troops serving in Iraq. His journey will begin in Albany, New York and finish in Pasadena, California taking approximately 45 days, weather permitting. Due to a generous offer, Mr. Forant will have a laptop with video and still picture capability whereby that information is sent to New York City via satellite-broadband-uplink. America will be able to watch his daily progress by visiting his site.



Mr. Forant?s website www.supportourtroops.com was established to honor his son and his brave comrades during their deployment in Iraq. The website has grown immeasurably in this short time and has been able to reach out to many service members. Recently he teamed up with the Soldier?s Angels http://soldiersangels.homestead.com in this endeavor to reach out to our troops.



Soldier?s Angels is a website founded by Patti Patton-Bader, mother of Spc. Brandon Varn also deployed to Iraq. Staff includes Susie Feaster, Ana-Marie Smith, Robin Boerner, and Peggy Baker. The Soldier?s Angels mission is to provide aide and comfort to any of the armed forces and their families. To date they have accomplished to send over 2000 care packages to deployed soldiers, helped the wounded at three major military hospitals and aided many military families.



These two groups are?.CALLING ALL AMERICANS?

Please raise up your communities?Help us help them!

We are asking for a donation of $20 from each American family, but any amount will be appreciated. All proceeds will go to benefit our troops. You can contact either website for information on how to make a donation.



Help us show our troops that from the East Coast to the West Coast ?

America Supports You!

Soldier's Angels

Coast to Coast Freedom Ride for Our Troops
Mother of a Soldier

On March 1, 2004, Dan Forant, father of Spc. Daniel Forant III, will begin a 3,000 mile trip by bicycle to benefit our troops serving in Iraq. His journey will begin in Albany, New York and finish in Pasadena, California taking approximately 45 days, weather permitting. Due to a generous offer, Mr. Forant will have a laptop with video and still picture capability whereby that information is sent to New York City via satellite-broadband-uplink. America will be able to watch his daily progress by visiting his site.

Mr. Forant’s website www.supportourtroops.com was established to honor his son and his brave comrades during their deployment in Iraq. The website has grown immeasurably in this short time and has been able to reach out to many service members. Recently he teamed up with the Soldier’s Angels http://soldiersangels.homestead.com in this endeavor to reach out to our troops.

Soldier’s Angels is a website founded by Patti Patton-Bader, mother of Spc. Brandon Varn also deployed to Iraq. Staff includes Susie Feaster, Ana-Marie Smith, Robin Boerner, and Peggy Baker. The Soldier’s Angels mission is to provide aide and comfort to any of the armed forces and their families. To date they have accomplished to send over 2000 care packages to deployed soldiers, helped the wounded at three major military hospitals and aided many military families.

These two groups are….CALLING ALL AMERICANS…
Please raise up your communities…Help us help them!
We are asking for a donation of $20 from each American family, but any amount will be appreciated. All proceeds will go to benefit our troops. You can contact either website for information on how to make a donation.

Help us show our troops that from the East Coast to the West Coast …
America Supports You!

What's in a name? - Why Iraqi males are rapidly ditching Saddam for Hassan

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the Majid family are now desperately regretting their decision, more than three decades ago, to call their son Saddam.
In post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, Saddam Majid's name has become a liability.
"It's a curse," says the former army deserter who has just moved back to Baghdad from seven years in exile in Iran.

"I've always hated the name, because Saddam Hussein caused so much destruction. And now when I look for work, I'm being rejected."

One potential employer turned him away because another employee had lost three brothers under Saddam Hussein's brutal regime.

His mother, Shafiqa, named her son Saddam after a neighbour's child, saying she never imagined the problems the then vice-president, Saddam Hussein, would cause to the country.

But countless other families called their sons Saddam to curry favour with the former regime.

Born again

One of the country's main maternity hospitals, the Alwiya hospital, staff say they used to register, on average, one Saddam born every week.

That all stopped abruptly after the war.

Over the past few months, not a single family has chosen the name of the ousted and now incarcerated dictator.

The parents of the first generation of Iraqis born after Saddam Hussein are sticking to good old-fashioned Muslim names like Muhammad, Ali and Hassan.

"Saddam was never really a popular name," according to Dr Muhammad el-Chabek, the director of the hospital.

"But people, especially in rural areas, did it to flatter Saddam Hussein because he was president. Sometimes Saddam would visit people at home and uneducated people thought that if he came he might give them a big gift for calling their son Saddam."

"Now that the regime is gone," says Chabek, "people would be frightened to call their son Saddam and families who already did are now trying to change the name," says Chabek.

At a run-down building of the ministry of interior in central Baghdad, officials say they have seen a steady flow of Saddams - many of them schoolboys - seeking to ditch a name that has become, for them, a badge of shame.

Saddam Majid, smiling but apprehensive, helps the Baghdad bureaucrats search through dusty piles of giant files which survived the war for the dossier they need to register his new name, and set him on the path to a new future.

He hopes that by changing his name to Muhammad, he'll at least marginally improve his chances of finding a job in a country where unemployment runs at around 60%.

He'll also feel more comfortable with himself.

"I was always embarrassed by my name," he said.

"I hated myself because of it. But now, we have a new country and I can have a new name. Being called Muhammad, the name of the prophet, it is as if I have been born again."

Coast to Coast Freedom Ride for Our Troops

By Peggy Baker

Mother of a Soldier



On March 1, 2004, Dan Forant, father of Spc. Daniel Forant III, will begin a 3,000 mile trip by bicycle to benefit our troops serving in Iraq. His journey will begin in Albany, New York and finish in Pasadena, California taking approximately 45 days, weather permitting. Due to a generous offer, Mr. Forant will have a laptop with video and still picture capability whereby that information is sent to New York City via satellite-broadband-uplink. America will be able to watch his daily progress by visiting his site.



Mr. Forantâ??s website www.supportourtroops.com was established to honor his son and his brave comrades during their deployment in Iraq. The website has grown immeasurably in this short time and has been able to reach out to many service members. Recently he teamed up with the Soldierâ??s Angels http://soldiersangels.homestead.com in this endeavor to reach out to our troops.



Soldierâ??s Angels is a website founded by Patti Patton-Bader, mother of Spc. Brandon Varn also deployed to Iraq. Staff includes Susie Feaster, Ana-Marie Smith, Robin Boerner, and Peggy Baker. The Soldierâ??s Angels mission is to provide aide and comfort to any of the armed forces and their families. To date they have accomplished to send over 2000 care packages to deployed soldiers, helped the wounded at three major military hospitals and aided many military families.



These two groups areâ?¦.CALLING ALL AMERICANSâ?¦

Please raise up your communitiesâ?¦Help us help them!

We are asking for a donation of $20 from each American family, but any amount will be appreciated. All proceeds will go to benefit our troops. You can contact either website for information on how to make a donation.



Help us show our troops that from the East Coast to the West Coast â?¦

America Supports You!









Terror alert level will drop to yellow: "The nation's terror alert level will be lowered one step, to yellow, on Friday, a Homeland Security official said. However, airports and airlines will keep their high alert status."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Iraq mosque blast leaves at least 2 dead: "An explosion ripped through a busy street Friday as worshippers streamed out of a Shiite Muslim mosque after midday prayers in the central town of Baqouba, killing at least two people and wounding dozens of others, doctors and officials said."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Bush plans missions to the moon, Mars: "President Bush is said to be on the verge of announcing plans to build a permanent science base for men on the moon that could serve as a steppingstone for sending astronauts ultimately on to Mars."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Libya signs $170M jet bombing settlement: "Libya signed a $170 million compensation accord Friday with families of people who died in the 1989 bombing of a French jetliner, its latest overture to the West after decades as an international pariah."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Chicago Jury to See Iraqi Intelligence Papers: "Intelligence documents portray a newspaper publisher in the Chicago area as starved for cash and eager to spy on opponents of Saddam Hussein."

In New York Times: World Special



US frees Iraqis after British protest (8 Jan 04) in Radio Free USA



I.M.F. Report Says U.S. Deficits Threaten World Economy (7 Jan 04) in Radio Free USA



U.S. `targets minorities' (7 Jan 04) in Radio Free USA



Iraqis Shell Living Quarters at U.S. Base, Wounding 35: "The military announcement gave no details on the severity of the injuries, or whether any of the soldiers' lives were endangered."

In New York Times: World Special



U.S. Presses Iraqi Kurds to Compromise on Issue of Autonomy: "The Bush administration is urging Kurdish leaders to compromise in their demand for a fully autonomous state in the north."

In New York Times: World Special



In an Oil-Rich Land, Power Shortages Defy Solution: "Frequent breakdowns in supplies of fuel and electricity, especially in Baghdad, are defying attempts to stitch together something resembling normalcy."

In New York Times: World Special



Iraq Leaders Push for U.N. Transition Role: "U.S.-backed Iraqi leaders have stepped up pressure on Secretary-General Kofi Annan to have the United Nations play a central role in the country's transition to self-rule, diplomats said Wednesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



For Iraq's emotionally fragile, the future is bleak: ""In the turmoil of post-Hussein Iraq, Dr. Hashim Zainy, chief of the country's only mental hospital, has come to what he considers a troubling conclusion. 'There is a trauma here, but the response is not like you might expect,' said the director of Ibn Rushd Hospital, a grim, bare-bones facility where staff members talk openly about their despair. Three decades of Saddam Hussein's rule, three major wars, the long international economic sanctions and all else have drained some Iraqis of the ability to feel, the psychiatrist said." Stephen Franklin reports for the Chicago Tribune on the dire state of Iraqis' mental health, and the lack of facilities or personnel to respond to it."

In Electronic Iraq



Second black box found after Egypt crash: "Searchers on Wednesday detected the second black box flight data recorder of a charter jet that crashed into the Red Sea last weekend."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Kinder, Gentler Marines taking over in Western Iraq in IraqWar.info



Dem Senators Question Iraq Rifles Purchase: "Two Democratic senators asked the U.S. occupation authority in Iraq on Wednesday to explain its intended purchase of up to 50,000 AK-47 assault rifles for Iraq security forces, when they said the country is filled with such weapons. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Judge Rules Jury May See Iraq Documents: "Intelligence documents shown to a federal jury Wednesday portray a Chicago-area community newspaper publisher as starved for cash and eager to spy on opponents of Saddam Hussein's regime. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iraq Mortar Attack Wounds 35 U.S. Soldiers: "Anti-American insurgents fired mortar rounds at a U.S. military camp Wednesday night, wounding 35 U.S. soldiers, the U.S. command said. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



GIs in Iraq Scoff at Re-Enlistment Bonus: "At a checkpoint on the barren plain east of Baqouba, word of a new U.S. Army plan to pay soldiers up to $10,000 to re-enlist evoked laughter from a few bored-looking troopers. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Vets say visits restricted to U.S. wounded in CNN - War in Iraq



Bush's bullies at the border: Make sure you're rich and white and respectful (7 Jan 04) in Radio Free USA



FOX News: 35 injured in mortar attack: "At 5:32 p.m. EST, FOX news is reporting six mortars fired at a coalition location with 35 injured, one soldier possibly dead."

In Command Post: Irak

Bush seeks new rights for foreign workers: "A plan being proposed by President Bush would give legal status to foreign workers, including millions already toiling in America's underground economy, removing the fear of deportation but not putting them on a fast track toward permanent U.S. residency."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



U.S. to release 506 prisoners in Iraq: "U.S. authorities in Iraq will release 506 low-level Iraqi prisoners while increasing the bounties for fugitives suspected of major roles in attacks against coalition forces, the top American civilian official in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, said Wednesday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



France seeks passenger who missed flight: "French authorities are searching for a passenger who failed to show up for an Air France flight that was canceled because of security concerns on Christmas Eve, France's justice minister said Wednesday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Expert warns of al-Qaida-linked groups: "Al-Qaida-linked groups are training and recruiting militants to carry out suicide attacks that have become Osama bin Laden's "greatest achievement" as his brand of extremist Islam spreads around the world, a terrorism expert said Wednesday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Willie Nelson pens protest song...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



5 Killed in New Year's Eve Blast at Baghdad Restaurant...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Israel on High Alert Amid Hamas Threats...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Mexican Diplomat Charged With Helping Smuggle Arabs Into U.S....: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Unprecedented Security...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



New Jobless Claims Lowest of Bush Tenure...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Ticking art sparks bomb scare in AZ...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



STRANGE 2003 NEWS ON VIDEO...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Military gunships to patrol Las Vegas Strip...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



VIETNAM JAILS ONLINE JOURNALIST FOR SEVEN YEARS...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Intoxicated Woman Allegedly Tries to Choke Federal Air Marshal...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives



Israeli army upgrades units with women to battalion status...: "Link appeared here ."

In The Drudge Report Archives

Council close to law on transition: "Members of Iraq's Governing Council are close to completing a transitional constitution that would make Islam a basis, but not the only one, for Iraqi laws, an Iraqi legal expert says. (USATODAY.com)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Israel identifies 28 outposts for removal: "The Israeli military has drawn up a list of 28 unauthorized West Bank outposts that need to be torn down as part of the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan, security sources said Tuesday. The number represents less than half the outposts critics say Israel must dismantle under the plan."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Kuwaiti stocks soar past 5,000-point mark on post-Saddam optimism: "The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) index, which has risen since the April ouster of Saddam Hussein's regime in neighbouring Iraq, soared above the 5,000-point psychological barrier for the first time ever, on the back of highly optimistic economic factors, traders said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



US troops round up 42 in Iraq sweeps, death in Kirkuk: "US troops have rounded up 42 people in the latest raids targeting loyalists of jailed strongman Saddam Hussein and foreign fighters north and west of Baghdad, while three soldiers were lightly wounded in a bomb blast outside Fallujah. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iran renames street named after assassin: "The Iranian capital has renamed a street that bore the name of the assassin of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, paving the way for a restoration of diplomatic ties between the nations, the official Iranian news agency reported Tuesday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



US makes conciliatory gestures while vowing to keep Iraq whole: "The US Army pledged to pull down a symbolic barbed wire fence around Saddam Hussein's birthplace in a move aimed at easing tensions with Iraqis as the White House reaffirmed its commitment to Iraq's territorial integrity after a transfer of power scheduled for June. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



US army battles to keep soldiers: "The military prepares to introduce measures to prevent soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan from leaving."

In BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)