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Memorial Day Remembrance: One Hundred Years of American Wars

26 May

American Troops Land in Normandy During World War Two

Another Memorial Day is upon us. Today, in May of 2013, we are in the 12th year of the War in Afghanistan, we are ten years gone from the start of the War in Iraq, and now 22 years since the first War with Iraq, (better known as Operation Desert Storm), and the 100^th anniversary of start of World War One is only a year away.

What does this roll call of wars and years really mean? Americans like to think of themselves as a peace-loving people who only go to war when necessary. Generally, that is not an inaccurate statement. Americans generally speaking, do not want more war. We are not ancient Sparta with its ingrained militaristic culture. Nor are we an ancient Athens, with an almost obsessive desire to spread out and establish new colonies everywhere. But we may be more like ancient Rome. Suddenly thrust into superpower status, with economic and political ties to many regions far from home, we send our troops and our treasure far and wide. Often, it is to protect our allies. Frequently, there is an economic or financial relationship to an intervention. And, most of America’s conflicts are usually couched in terms of a moral imperative. Frequently, that moral impetus is also tied to more hard-nosed political, military, diplomatic, and/or economic realities. All of these reasons, or excuses, if you will, add up to an amazingly large number of wars, conflicts, military interventions, and American casualties over the years.

American Troops in the Afghanistan War

An American born in 1913 would be one hundred years old now. In the span of that person’s life, America has fought quite a few major wars, and has been engaged in numerous smaller wars. Let’s look at a list of American foreign wars and conflicts since 1913. The wars that are generally considered by historians as “Major Wars,” are in bold.

1912-1933—U.S. occupation of Nicaragua, including the Sandino War (1927-1934)
1913—In the Philippines, American territory since the Spanish-American War of 1898, the U.S. Army fights the last battles against the Moros (members of a Filipino Muslim group).
1914—The U.S. seized, by force, the Mexican port city of Veracruz.
1915-1934—America militarily occupies Haiti
1916-1924– America militarily occupies the Dominican Republic
1917-1922– America militarily occupies Cuba (for the fourth time)
1916-1917—In response to a raid by the Mexican rebel Pancho Villa, the U.S. Army invaded northern Mexico in an attempt to capture Villa.
1919-U.S. military intervention in Honduras
1917-1918-The U.S. declares war on Germany and other members of the Central Powers, entering into World War One.
1919-1921—The U.S., Britain, France, Japan, and others, send troops to Russia intervene in the Russian Civil War. U.S. troops finally leave Russia in 1921.
1924-1925–U.S. military intervention in Honduras
1927—During one of China’s civil wars, the American destroyers USS Noa and USS Preston, and the British cruiser HMS Emerald, fired shells into the Chinese city of Nanking to clear the streets, then dispersed the attackers with gunfire.
1937–USS Panay Incident. During the Sino-Japanese War, the U.S. Navy maintained several river gunboats to protect American interests on the Yangtze River in China. In late 1937, the Japanese advance on Nanking, which served as China’s wartime capital city, caused the American embassy there to evacuate. While conducting the U.S. diplomatic evacuation and while also escorting American Standard Oil barges, one gunboat, the USS Panay, came under attack from Japanese warplanes. After several runs by the Japanese planes, the Panay and two of the oil barges were sunk. The surviving crew and passengers escaped and found shelter with friendly Chinese until they could be picked up by other U.S. ships. Two U.S. sailors and one civilian passenger were killed, while eleven others were wounded.
1940—American forces were sent to protect British military bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Trinidad, and British Guiana as part of the Lend-Lease program with Britain during World War Two. The U.S. was still officially neutral in that war.
1941—In April, American troops occupy Greenland in order to protect it from Germany.
1941–USS Tutuila Incident –Japanese aircraft bomb USS Tutuila (PR-4) at Chungking, China on July 30, 1941.
1941—In July, the U.S. takes over the duty of protecting Iceland, replacing British troops.
1941–USS Kearny –The destroyer USS Kearny (DD-432) was torpedoed and damaged southwest of Iceland on Oct. 17, 1941 by a German submarine.
1941–USS Salinas — The oiler USS Salinas (AO-19) is torpedoed by a German submarine 700 miles east of Newfoundland on October 30, 1941. There are no casualties and the ship makes port.
1941–USS Reuben James – -The German submarine U-552 sinks the USS Reuben James (DD- 245) on Oct. 31, 1941. The Reuben James was escorting Convoy HX 156, with the loss of 115 lives. This is the first U.S. ship lost to enemy action in the European/Atlantic Theater in World War II.
1941– In November, American troops occupy Dutch Guiana, with the permission of the Dutch government, in order to protect this colony from Germany.
1941-1945—Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, the U.S. officially enters World War Two.
1945-1949—U.S. military occupation of part of western Germany.
1945-1955—U.S. military occupation of part of Austria
1945-1952—U.S. military occupation of Japan
1945-1949—U.S. military occupation of South Korea
1945-1991—The Cold War. U.S. forces are stationed in many parts of the world to contain the power of the Communist Bloc nations led by the Soviet Union and China.
1945-1949—Over 50,000 U.S. troops are sent to China, initially to aid in the disarmament of Japanese troops following the end of World War Two. The mission changed to providing aid to the Nationalist Chinese in their war against the Communist Chinese forces of Mao. (part of Cold War)
1947-1949—U.S. military advisors aid the Greek military in fighting Communist rebels in the Greek Civil War. The rebels were aided by the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria. (part of Cold War)
1948-1949—The Berlin Airlift brings supplies to West Berlin, occupied by U.S., British, and French forces. The airlift is in response to a Soviet Blockade of Berlin designed to force the Allies to abandon Berlin. The Soviet effort failed. (part of Cold War)
1950-1953—The Korean War pits U.S. and allied forces against Soviet-backed Chinese and North Korean forces. The fighting ends in 1953, with an armistice, but the war officially never ended. Cross-border violence would periodically erupt along the border. (part of Cold War)
1955- U.S. military advisors are sent to the new Republic of South Vietnam to aid against the Communist insurgency. (part of Cold War). This is the beginning of America’s role in the Vietnam War.
1958—U.S. troops land in Lebanon as an intervention in the first Lebanese Civil War.
1962— Cuban Missile Crisis. U.S. blockades Cuba in response to Soviet nuclear missiles based in Cuba. Nearly sparks World War Three.
1962—U.S. involvement in the Laotian Civil War begins. U.S. aids the Laotian government against Communist Pathet Lao rebels and North Vietnamese troops. This is a part of the larger Vietnam War for the U.S. (part of Cold War)
1964—U.S. military transport planes fly Belgian troops to the Congo to intervene in the Congolese Civil War.
1964—The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Two U.S. naval ships are attacked by North Vietnamese forces in the waters off of North Vietnam. The American ships were there as support for a South Vietnamese naval raid on North Vietnam. (part of Cold War)
1964-1975—U.S. troops officially engage in combat as part of the Vietnam War (part of Cold War).
1965—U.S. troops intervene in the Dominican Republic to put down a rebellion.
1966-1969—DMZ War. An unofficial and little-known extension of the ongoing Korean Conflict. While the U.S. was distracted by the War in Vietnam, North Korean forces engaged U.S. and South Korean forces in a low-intensity border conflict along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), separating North and South Korea.
1968—USS Pueblo Crisis—On January 23, 1968, North Korean forces attacked and captured the U.S. Navy reconnaissance ship, the USS Pueblo. The crew was held captive by North Korea for eleven months.
1967–The USS Liberty Incident—during the Six-Day War between Israel and the Arab nations, the USS Liberty was attacked June 8, 1967 by Israeli armed forces, killing 34 and wounding more than 170 U.S. crew members.
1967– U.S. military transport planes again were dispatched to Congo to aid the government suppress a rebellion.
1973—U.S. engages in a massive airlift of weapons and ammunition to Israel during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The Soviet Union also engages in a massive airlift in support of Syria and Egypt. U.S. and Soviet naval forces face off in the Mediterranean Sea. (part of Cold War)
1975—The Mayaguez Incident. Considered the last combat action of the Vietnam conflict by American troops. U.S. Marines attack a Cambodian island in an attempt to rescue the crew of the American ship Mayaguez, which had been seized by Cambodian Communist forces. (part of Cold War)
1978—From May to June, American transport aircraft fly Belgian and French troops to Zaire (formerly the Congo), to defeat a rebel invasion of Zaire’s Shaba Province.
1979-1981—U.S.-Iran Hostage Crisis. The American embassy was occupied by radical Iranian forces and 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days. In 1980, the U.S. attempted a military rescue operation which failed miserably.
1979-1989—The U.S. provided extensive aid to Afghan rebels fighting the Soviet Invasion and Occupation of Afghanistan. (part of Cold War)
1980-1988—The U.S. gave intelligence aid and diplomatic support to Iraq in its war against Iran.
1981—Salvadoran Civil War. U.S. military advisors are sent to El Salvador to assist the government forces against Marxist rebels aided by Nicaragua and Cuba. (part of Cold War)
1981—The First Gulf of Sidra Incident occurs in April, when American warplanes clash with Libyan planes over waters near Libya.
1982—U.S. Marines are sent to Lebanon in August and September as part of a multi-national force assisting with the evacuation of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) forces from the besieged city of Beirut. This was a part of the Israeli Invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
1982-1984–Only nine days after the Marine withdrawal, they were again sent to Lebanon in greater numbers following the massacre of Palestinian civilians in the Shabra and Shatilla refugee camps. This deployment will last until 1984 and will climax with the Bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut in October, 1983. While in Lebanon, the Marines battled the Amal Shiite militia, Syrian forces, and the new Hezbollah militia.
1983—In October, the U.S. invaded the island of Grenada to effect a rescue of American medical students there and to overthrow a pro-Soviet and pro- Cuban Marxist government.
1986—Second Gulf of Sidra Incident. American forces again clashed with the Libyan military.
1986—Operation El Dorado Canyon. In April, American warplanes and naval forces attacked targets in Libya in retaliation for a terrorist bombing against an American target in Berlin.
1987—During the ongoing Iran-Iraq War (also called the First Persian Gulf War), the USS Stark was struck on May 17 by two Exocet anti-ship missiles fired from an Iraqi F-1 Mirage during the Iran-Iraq War, killing 37 U.S. Navy sailors. The U.S. did not retaliate.
1987-1988—U.S. military intervention in the Iran-Iraq War as U.S. naval forces combatted Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf in Operation Nimble Archer, and Operation Earnest Will. During this conflict, the USS Vincennes shot down civilian Iran Air Flight 655.
1989—In January, American planes again engaged in combat with Libyan planes over the Gulf of Sidra.
1989—U.S. Intervention in a coup attempt in the Philippines. Known as Operation Classic Resolve, on December 1, U.S. Air Force fighters from Clark Air Base in Luzon assisted the Aquino government to repel a coup attempt. In addition, 100 marines were sent from U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay to protect the United States Embassy in Manila.
1989- In December, in the U.S. Invasion of Panama, American forces overthrew dictator Manuel Noriega.
1991—U.S. and other allied forces deployed to Saudi Arabia in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. This is known as Operation Desert Shield.
1991—In January, U.S. and allied forces liberated Kuwait in what became known as the Gulf War or the First Iraq War. At the time, it was best known as Operation Desert Storm.
1991-1996—Operation Provide Comfort, an attempt to protect the Kurdish population of northern Iraq from Saddam Hussein. This operation in effect resulted in an allied occupation of northern Iraq that enabled the Kurds to establish a semi-autonomous state.
1991—Allied intervention in Zaire. On September 25–27, 1991, after widespread looting and rioting broke out in Kinshasa, Zaire, Air Force C-141s transported 100 Belgian troops and equipment into Kinshasa. American planes also carried 300 French troops into the Central African Republic and transported evacuated American citizens.
1992-2003—The No-Fly Zone War against Iraq. U.S. and British warplanes enforced a no-fly zone over much of Iraq. These operations frequently resulted in allied attacks on Iraqi air and ground targets. In effect, this was a low-intensity continuation of the Gulf War. As the 2003 invasion of Iraq drew closer, the attacks on Iraqi targets continued in order to soften up Iraqi defenses.
1992-1995—U.S. and allied intervention in Somalia. While originating as a humanitarian exercise to help the civilian population, it quickly changed into a nation-building attempt that brought American and other allied forces into combat with Somali militias. It is believed that the first al-Qaida attacks on American targets took place at this time in Somalia as the Jihadi terrorist organization aided the Somali rebels. The infamous Blackhawk Down incident occurred during this Somali intervention.
1993-1995—U.S. and NATO intervention in the Bosnian War. Intervention began in 1993 with the start of a no-fly zone, with actual U.S. combat involvement starting in 1994 with the shooting down of six Serb aircraft. In August and September of 1995, U.S. and NATO forces engaged in extensive bombing of Serb ground targets in Bosnia. This helped lead to the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the war.
1994-1995—U.S. invasion and occupation of Haiti. While the occupation was peaceful, this is only because the Haitian government collapsed in the face of an imminent U.S. invasion.
1998—In Operation Desert Fox, U.S. and British forces engage in a major four-day bombing campaign of Iraq from December 16–19, 1998. This was in response to an Iraqi attempt to assassinate former President George Bush while on a visit to Kuwait. This is a part of the larger No-Fly Zone War.
1998–Operation Infinite Reach. On August 20, President Clinton ordered a cruise missile attack against two suspected al-Qaida terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical factory in Sudan. This was in response to the bombing of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania by al-Qaida a few days earlier.
1999—Kosovo War. U.S. and NATO forces engage in an air war with Serbia in order to liberate the region of Kosovo from Serbia.
2000—In October, al-Qaida terrorists attack the naval ship USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden.
2001—Hainan Island Incident–On April 1, 2001, a mid-air collision between a U. S. Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals surveillance aircraft and a People’s Liberation Army Navy J-8II interceptor fighter jet resulted in an international dispute between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. The crisis was resolved peacefully.
2001—9/11 Terrorist attacks on the U.S. mark the start of the U.S War on Terror.
2001-Present—War in Afghanistan. In response to the al-Qaida attacks on the U.S. on September 11, 2001, American and allied forces invade Afghanistan in October, 2001. The War in Afghanistan becomes the longest official war in U.S. history. (part of the War on Terror)
2002-Present—Drone strikes on terrorist (al-Qaida and other Jihadist) targets in Yemen begin. (part of the War on Terror)
2002-U.S. Special Forces deploy to the Philippines to assist the Filipino government in their fight against Jihadist (and al-Qaida aligned) Muslim rebels. (part of the War on Terror)
2003-2011—U.S.-led Invasion and Occupation of Iraq. The Iraq War resulted in the overthrow of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. (Considered by the Bush Administration to be part of the War on Terror)
2004-Present—Drone War in Pakistan. U.S. drones operating out of Afghanistan launch missile attacks on suspected al-Qaida, Taliban, and other Jihadist targets. (part of the War on Terror)
2006-Present–U.S. Operations against Jihadist (al-Qaida, Islamic Courts, others) forces in Somalia in conjunction with Ethiopian, Ugandan, Somali government, and other allied forces. U.S. operations include air strikes, drone strikes, Special Forces raids and assistance to allied forces fighting the Jihadist militias. (part of the War on Terror)
2011—Libyan War. U.S, NATO, and other allied forces aid rebels fighting to overthrow Libyan dictator Muammar Khadafy.
2011—On May, 2, 2011, U.S. forces conduct a raid into Pakistan and kill Osama bin Laden. (part of the War on Terror)
2011—U. S. Special Forces are deployed to Uganda and Central Africa to aid in the hunt for infamous war criminal Joseph Kony and his band of LRA guerrillas.
2012—Benghazi Attack. On September 11, 2012, suspected Jihadist militants attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, killing four Americans, including the Ambassador. (part of the War on Terror)
2013—War in Mali—U.S. transport planes ferry French troops as they engage Jihadist forces in northern Mali. (part of the War on Terror)
2013– US Air Force planes supported the French in the Bulo Marer hostage rescue attempt in Somalia. (part of the War on Terror)

Over the span of nearly 100 years, America has been engaged in 88 military conflicts. This list does not include most cases of U.S. forces, usually Marines, going ashore to protect diplomatic missions and such. It also does not include most cases of CIA-led coups, clashes, and proxy wars, the current Drone Wars being the exception. More than likely, the next time Memorial Day rolls around, there will be more military engagements to add to this list, and more fallen American service members to mourn. Let us hope that their sacrifices are not in vain.

Memorial Day Crosses

General Petraeus and His Place in History

10 Nov

General David Petraeus, perhaps America’s best-known, and most respected military leader since Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf, has resigned his post as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), as the result of an extra-marital affair. Petraeus gained intense fame and respect for leading American forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan, serving under both Presidents Bush and Obama.

The affair apparently with Paula Broadwell, the woman who wrote a glowing biography of the general, came to light during a background investigation by the FBI. While such a revelation is not always an automatic career-killer in civilian life, or even in politics, for both the military and the intelligence services, it is considered a serious security breach. News reports have General Petraeus tendering his resignation to President Obama on Thursday (two days after the presidential election), and Obama accepting the resignation on Friday, November 09, 2012.

In the post-9/11 wars, General David Petraeus’ career in a way served as a roadmap to those wars against Islamic Jihadists (i.e. the Taliban, al-Qaida, Somalia’s Shabab, among others), as well as the wars against Saddam, Gaddafi, and the proxy wars against Assad and Iran. He commanded the 101^st Airborne Division in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. From 2007 to 2008, Petraeus commanded all U.S. forces in Iraq, and implemented the controversial, but ultimately successful “surge” of troops into insurgent-infested areas of Iraq, usually in urban areas. Following his Iraq command, Petraeus was promoted to command the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), headquartered in Tampa, Florida. In this position, Petraeus oversaw all American operations in the Middle East from Egypt to Pakistan.

General Petraeus and Paula Broadwell

In the summer of 2010, following the resignation of General Stanley McChrystal as commander of forces in Afghanistan, President Obama assigned Petraeus to take over the war in Afghanistan.

David Petraeus retired from the military on August 31, 2011, having reached the highest working rank in the U.S. Army, that of a four-star general. Following his retirement, the President appointed Petraeus as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He held this important position in the so-called War on Terror until he offered to resign due to an extra-marital affair. His resignation was accepted by President Obama on November 9, 2012.

As a result of his various commands and the influence he had on U.S. military and intelligence policy during these post-9/11 wars, General David Petraeus holds a unique place in recent American history. If he ever writes a book of his wartime work, it will likely be a very informative tome that could shed light on many aspects on the American way of war in the 21^st Century.

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Posted in Afghanistan War, Current Affairs, History, Mideast Wars, September 11 2001, United States History, War and Conflict, Wars, Wars in Iraq

NATO Hits Pakistan Base, Killing 24

26 Nov

Pakistan is once again coming under fire, literally, for serving as a safe haven for Afghan Taliban forces using the ill-defined border region as a base from which they launch attacks on NATO/ISAF/Afghan forces inside Afghanistan. Below are incidents and conflicts involving the NATO/ISAF mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan. See also http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_pakistan.htm

Video of NATO Raid on Pakistan
U.S. Drone War in Pakistan (2004-Present)–The American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) uses unmanned Predator drone aircraft to cross the Pakistani border and launch missiles at suspected Taliban and al-Qaida forces and camps. Pakistan repeatedly denounces these attacks as a violation of their sovereignty. Various sources place the number of Pakistani/Taliban/al-Qaida casualties as a result of these attacks at between 1,700 and 2,600 as of November, 2011.

NATO Raid on Pakistan Military Outpost (Sept. 30, 2010)–NATO helicopters attack a border outpost, killing three Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan retaliates by closing the border to NATO supplies for two weeks.

U.S. Navy SEAL Raid on Abbottabad, Pakistan (May 1, 2011)–U.S. Special Forces raided a compound inside Pakistan, killing al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

NATO Raids on Pakistan Military Outposts (Nov. 25, 2011)–NATO aircraft attacked two Pakistani border posts, killing at least 24 Pakistani troops. NATO was attempting to target Taliban forces along the border, in Salala, a village in Pakistan’s Mohmand tirbal area near the border with Kunar Province in Afghanistan. (see Pakistan Border Region Map below).

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Posted in Afghanistan War, Current Affairs, Pakistan, War and Conflict, Wars

Obama’s Speech on the Death of bin Laden

02 May

Below is the text of President Obama’s Speech announcing the death of Osama bin Laden. Go to http://www.historyguy.com/obama_bin_laden_dead_speech.htm for the video of his speech and the transcript of the president’s remarks on the killing of bin Laden.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON OSAMA BIN LADEN

East Room

11:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory — hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda — an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will — remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Source:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead

http://www.historyguy.com/obama_bin_laden_dead_speech.htm

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Posted in Afghanistan War, Current Affairs, History Updates, Pakistan, September 11 2001, United States History, War and Conflict, Wars

Veteran’s Day in America: A Time To Honor Heroes

11 Nov

American Veteran on Veteran's Day

Honoring our Heroes on Veteran’s Day

Veteran’s Day is a time to reflect upon the sacrifices, bravery, and patriotism of millions of service members whose call to duty guarantees the freedoms and way of life enjoyed by all Americans. To my brother, cousins, father, aunt and grandfathers who served, most especially, THANK YOU!

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Posted in Current Affairs, History, History Updates, September 11 2001, This Date in World War Two, War and Conflict, Wars, Wars in Iraq, world war two

McChrystal Flap Shows Power of Civilian Control Over The Military

24 Jun

It is interesting that Afghan President Karzai wanted General Stanley McChrystal to stayas the Western commander in Afghanistan, and Karzai apparently found it not unusual for a military commander to publicly criticize his civilian bosses. Considering that Karzai is from a part of the world where the military often calls the shots or at least threatens to override civilian control (see Pakistan, Turkey, and most of the Middle East), it may be a good lesson to Karzai and his regional counterparts in how a democracy is supposed to work. McChrystal is may very well be right in his comments about President Obama’s national security team members, but it is a severe breach of established protocol between a subservient military and the elected leadership of a democratic country. Right or wrong, the general should have kept his mouth shut. And why was he giving so much access to a reporter anyway? Bad judgement all around!

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Posted in Afghanistan War, Current Affairs, War and Conflict

Aghanistan and the War Against Bureaucracy

09 Dec

For anyone interested in the complexities and frustrations American fighting forces are experiencing in Afghanistan, The History Guy highly recommends reading an op-ed piece in the New York Times written by Afghanistan veteran Jonathan Vaccaro. His article shows the inane bureaucracy imposed on the front-line commanders and soldiers who are doing their best to protect the Afghan population from the Taliban and al-Qaida. Read the article at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/opinion/08vaccaro.html

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Posted in Afghanistan War, War and Conflict

New Biography Page on General McChrystal, Afghanistan Commander

27 Oct

George Stanley McChrystal (b. August, 14, 1954)
General Stanley A. McChrystal is an American army general who was named the commander of allied forces in Afghanistan, and assumed command of those forces in May of 2009.
General McChrystal is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. McChyrstal is a Green Beret and an Army Ranger, as well as a veteran commander in Special Operations, also known as “Black Ops.”
McChrystal served in Afghanistan as chief of staff of the military operations in 2001 and 2002. He also commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment and served tours in Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
Forces under General McChrystal’s command found and captured Saddam Hussein and with tracking and killing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Mesopotamia (al-Qaida in Iraq).
General McChrystal replaced General David McKiernan…

http://www.historyguy.com/biofiles/mcchrystal_stanley_general.htm

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Posted in Afghanistan War, Biography, Current Affairs, War and Conflict

President Obama Announces New Afghan War Plan

29 Mar

President Obama’s Afghanistan Strategy (2009)
On March 27, 2009, President Obama, flanked by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, announced his new strategy toward the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Below are the video of his announcement and the text of President Obama’s announcement. To see this page, go to: http://www.historyguy.com/obama_afghanistan_strategy_2009.htm

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Posted in Afghanistan War, Current Affairs, Pakistan, War and Conflict, Wars

History of Iran Wars

09 Oct

With the world economic crisis dominating the news, little attention is currently placed on the ongoing tensions between the United States and Israel, on one side, and the Islamic Republic of Iran and its allies, Hezbollah and Hamas, on the other.

While many pundits and analysts in the U.S. and abroad wondered about a Bush/Cheney "October Surprise" to damage or destroy Iran’s growing nuclear capability, and to perhaps aid John McCain’s campaign, the likelihood of such an attack is now greatly diminished due to the above-mentioned economic crisis. Below is a history of the wars involving Persia and Iran from the late 1700s to the present day.

From the History Guy Website at: http://www.historyguy.com/wars_of_iran.htm

The modern nation of Iran is also known throughout much of history as the ancient nation of Persia. This is the same Persia which overran the Spartans at Thermopylae; the same Persia which fell to the conquering Macedonian, Alexander the Great; the same Persia which fought the Romans and their successors the Byzantines for centuries for dominance in the Near East. This is also the same Persia which fell rather easily to the expanding Arab Muslim Empire led by the successors to Islam’s founder, the Prophet Muhammad. Persia became the center of the Shia branch of Islam. The Shia, who are also known as Shiites, often fight against the larger and more dominant Sunni branch of Islam. Most Turks and most Arabs are Sunni. The Persian, or Iranian people are not Arabs. They speak the Farsi language and are largely Shiite. Iran also has large ethnic minorities, mostly along the nation’s borders. These minority groups occasionally rebel in favor of autonomy within Iran, or for outright independence. The larger minorities include the Arabs of Khuzistan, the Kurds along the northwestern borders with Iraq and Turkey, and the Azeris along the Azerbaijan border to the northwest. Baluchis inhabit the border region near Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Several themes emerge as the military history of Iran and Persia is examined. One is religious: The Shiite Iranians/Persians engaged in many wars against their Sunni neighbors, whether they were the Ottoman Turks, the Sunni-ruled Iraqis, the Sunnis of Afghanistan or the Sunni monarchies of the Persian Gulf. Another theme is geographic and economic. Wars and conflicts with an expanding Russia to the north, and an imperial Britain to the south, both looking for ways to dominate the lucrative Gulf region. And, in the 20th and 21st centuries, conflicts with the United States, which based its policies toward Iran on a need to contain Soviet communism, and on a perceived need to ensure continued access to Iranian and Gulf oil. Persia officially changed its name to Iran in the early 20th Century.

This page on the wars of Persia and the wars of Iran covers conflicts from the late 18th Century to the Present day.

Persian Civil War–(1779-1794)–The revolt of the eunuch general Agha Mohammed led to this 15-year civil war. Agha Mohammed eventually won the war and became the Shah of Persia.

Georgian-Persian War–(1795-1796)–After consolidating his power, Agha Mohammed invaded the Caucasian kingdom of Georgia, which had previously been a part of the Persian Empire, but had broken away following the death of Nadir Shah in 1747. Persian forces invaded Georgia and defeated the Georgian King Heraclius.

Afghan-Persian War–(1798)–The new Shah of Persia, Fath Ali, supported a pretender to the Afghan throne against the Afghan King. The pretender, Muhammad Barakzai overthrew his brother, Zaman, with help from an invading Persian army.

Russo-Persian War–(1804-1813)–Following Russia’s invasion and annexation of Georgia and Karabakh, Persia gave aid to rebels resisting Russian rule. Russia then attacked Persia, and put the city of Erevan under siege in 1804. The siege was lifted upon the arrival of Persian reinforcements led by Shah Fath Ali and Crown Prince Abbas Mirza. Warfare continued in the Caucasus region and along the Caspian coast until 1813. The most significant battle after the initial invasion and siege was the Battle of Aslanduz (Oct. 21, 1812), in which the Russians defeated an army led by Abbas Mirza. A peace treaty was signed on October 12, 1813 at Gulistan. In this treaty, Persia recognized Russian rule over Georgia and other disputed Transcaucasian areas.

Afghan-Persian War–(1816)–Persia invaded Afghanistan and occupied the western Afghan city of Herat. Local Afghan guerrillas forced the Persians to exit Afghanistan.

Turkish-Persian War–(1821-1823)–The regime of Crown Prince Abbas Mirza launched an attack on Ottoman Turkey due to Turkish aid to Azerbaijani rebels in Persia. The rebels had fled from Persia and were given refuge by the Ottomans. The war opened with a Persian invasion of Turkey in the Lake Van region, and a counter-invasion by the Ottoman Pasha of Baghdad (Iraq belonged to the Ottoman Empire), who invaded western Persia. This invasion force was driven back across the border, but the newly modernized Persian army of 30,000 troops defeated 50,000 Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Erzurum near Lake Van in 1821. A peace treaty in 1823 ended the war with no changes to their mutual border.

Russo-Persian War –(1825-1828)–This war resulted from the ongoing border disputes arising from the Treaty of Gulistan (1813) between Persia and Russia. Persian forces were initially successful, capturing the Georgian capital of Tbilisi in 1825. Russian forces led by General Ivan Fedorovich Paskievich went on the offensive against the invading Persians and defeated them at the Battle of Ganja (also known as the Battle of Kirovabad) on September 26, 1826. Abbas Mirza led a Persian force of 30,000 which was defeated and routed by a Russian army of 15,000 troops. In 1827, General Paskievich captured Erevan and Tabriz in the the northwest of Persia. The Russians captured the Persian capital of Tehran in the winter of 1827-28, along with the Persian army’s total inventory of artillery pieces. The resulting peace Treaty of Turkomanchi recognized Russian rule of Armenia, forbade Persia to station warships on the Caspian Sea, and forced Persia to pay a war indemnity to Russia. A war indemnity was a financial payment from a defeated nation to the winner to pay the cost of the war. This defeat basically ended Persia’s role as a major power among the nations of the Gulf and the Caucuses region.

Afghan-Persian War–(1836-1838)–Persia invaded Afghanistan partly in response to Britain’s influence in the region, and laid siege to the western Afghan city of Herat. The Herat defenders were aided by a British military advisor named Eldred Potter. Potter offered his services to the Afghans and set about organizing the city’s defenses. Persian assaults on the city failed, and the invading army gave up the siege (September 28, 1838), and returned home.

Afghan/Anglo-Persian War–(1855-1857)–Persia again invaded Afghanistan, this time successfully capturing Herat. This upset the British, who claimed influence over Afghanistan. The British Empire declared war on Persia (Nov. 1, 1856), and proceeded to invade Persia both by sea and by land. British forces landed and took the Persian port of Bushire in January, 1857. An Anglo-Indian army invaded Persia, which soon gave up and agreed to evacuate Herat.

Persian Revolution –(1906-1909)–Persia was beset by internal political violence and rebellions against the rule of the tyrannical Shah Mohammed Ali. Actual warfare broke out in 1908 by a rebellion in the city of Tabriz. The Shah’s forces besieged Tabriz, but the rebellion did not end until an intervening Russian army brutally seized Tabriz in March of 1909. While this was occurring, other rebel factions marched on Tehran, capturing the capital city on July 12, 1909. The Shah abdicated his throne, and his young son, Ahmad Mirza became the new Shah.

Mohammed Ali’s Invasion –(1911)–With Russian approval and aid, the exiled former Shah, Mohammed Ali, landed on the Caspian coast on June 17, 1911,in an attempt to recapture his throne. His forces were defeated by a government army and he returned to exile on September 5, 1911.

Anglo-Russian Invasion and Occupation of Persia –(1911)–Russia invaded and occupied northern Persia on the pretext of restoring order in the country and also to protect Russian financial and economic interests. British forces also invaded and occupied most of the oil-producing southwestern Persia. This was partly to counter Russian influence, and partly to protect British oil supplies.

World War One –(1914-1918)–Though Persia officially did not take part in this war, Russian and Ottoman Turkish forces used Persia’s Caucasus region as a battleground throughout the war. British forces continued and expanded their occupation of southern Persia while also pursuing invasions of Ottoman Iraq.

Soviet Invasion of Persia –(1920-1921)–The new Communist regime in Russia (now renamed as the Soviet Union), invaded northern Persia and established Soviet satellite states in Gilan, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and Khorasan. Following the coup of Persian General Reza Khan Pahlavi in February of 1921, a peace treaty with the Soviets was ratified, and Soviet forces withdrew.

Persian Revolution –(1921)–Reza Khan Pahlavi overthrew the corrupt Shah Ahmad Mirza and crushed the separatist regimes in Gilan, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and Khorasan.

Arab Rebellion in Khuzistan –(1932)

Anglo-Soviet Invasion and Occupation of Persia –(1941-1946)–The Soviet Union and the United Kingdom once again occupied large areas of Iran due to their war with Germany during World War Two. This time, no combat took place in Iranian territory, but the Soviets did aid separatist movements among the Kurds and Azeris.

Kurdish Rebellion –(1941-1944)

Azeri Rebellion –(1945)

Kurdish Mahabad Rebellion –(1946)–This Soviet-supported Kurdish separatist movement fell to the Iranian army after the Soviets withdrew their troops in 1946.

Anti-Mossadeq Coup –(1953)–The American Central Intelligence Agency planned and executed a coup against Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq. Britain was concerned that Mossadeq was going to nationalize the oilfields of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (now known as British Petroleum, or BP) and the United States feared that Mossadeq may ally Iran with the Soviet Union. The plan for the coup was called "Operation Ajax," and it succeeded in overthrowing Prime Minister Mossadeq and installing a more pliable Prime Minister. The Shah assumed greater powers, and Iran was a firm ally of the Western powers during the Cold War until the Shah’s overthrow in 1979.

Iran-Iraq Border Battles –(1969-1970)–Disputes over the Shatt al-Arab waterway, claimed by both nations, led to hostilities in the late 1960s. Iran supported a rebellion by Iraqi Kurds until 1975, when the Shah and Saddam Hussein reached an agreement

Kurdish Rebellion –(1970-1980)–During the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini against the Shah, Iranian Kurdistan rose in rebellion. The Iranian Army and the Revolutionary Guards crushed the rebellion. Kurdish losses were around 10,000.

Iranian Seizure of Gulf Islands –(1970-1980)–Iran occupied several Persian Gulf islands claimed by the United Arab Emirates.

Dhofar War–(1973-1975)–Iran sent troops to Oman to aid the Sultan of Oman, who was fighting against Marxist rebels aided by South Yemen. The Shah of Iran reportedly wanted to not only support a fellow pro-Western Gulf Monarch, but also wanted to give his troops combat experience in the field.

Islamic Revolution in Iran –(1979-1980)–Iran was swept with anti-Shah protests, culminating in the Shah going into exile and the Ayatollah Khomeini taking power and installing an Islamic Republic. During the resulting instability in Iran, several ethnic groups rebelled, including the Kurds and Azeris. A Marxist group known as the Mujahadeen Khalq also became active against the Islamic Republic.

U.S.-Iran Hostage Crisis–(1979-1981)–Radical Iranian students seized control of the American Embassy in Tehran, sparking a crisis that nearly resulted in war. A badly-planned and badly-executed U.S. military rescue attempt ended in disaster in 1980.

The First Persian Gulf War (also known as the Iran-Iraq War)—(1980-1988) – In 1975, Iraq and Iran came to an agreement on the disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway which provides Iraq’s only outlet to the sea. In exchange for Iran stopping support for Kurdish rebels, Iraq agreed to share the Shatt al-Arab with Iran. This and other disputes over their common border, plus the belief that the 1979 revolution had weakened Iran, led Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to launch an invasion of Iran on September 22, 1980. After initial successes, the Iraqi army ground to a halt and soon retreated under repeated assaults by the numerically larger Iranian Army and Revolutionary Guards. After the Iranians pushed the war into Iraq, Saddam’s forces began using chemical weapons. By 1988, both nations faced exhaustion and, after nearly a million casualties between them, agreed to end the conflict.

The Tanker War –(1984-1988)–Iran and Iraq each attacked oil tankers and oil facilities in the Persian Gulf in an effort to damage each other’s economy. The United States entered the fray in 1987 by "reflagging" several Kuwaiti oil tankers, thereby providing them with American legal and military protection. Iran continued to attack these ships, provoking violent American responses.

Iran’s Proxy War with Israel –(1980s-Present)–Iran openly supports and arms Israel’s enemies, Syria, Hamas, and Hezbollah. Israel and the United States consider Iran to be a party to the warfare waged by Hamas, Hezbollah, and the tensions with Syria.

PEJAK Kurdish Rebellion –(1998-Present)–The Party for a Free Life in Iranian Kurdistan (PEJAK) is a Kurdish guerrilla force fighting for freedom from Iran. Believed to be supported by the Kurds in Iraq as well as by the United States.

Proxy War with the United States –(Current)–Iran and the United States are, for all intents and purposes, engaged in a mutual proxy war against each other. The United States alleges that Iran is supplying weapons, training, money, and cross-border bases to anti-American forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran is meanwhile alleging that the United States is arming and encouraging Kurdish, Azeri, Arab (Khuzistani), and Baluchi militants in rebellion against Tehran. This all serves as a backdrop for the possibility of a new war between the United States and Iran. Such an "Iran War," in addition to the current Iraq War and Afghanistan War could destabalize the Middle East and jeopardize the West’s oil supplies.