Independent Patriots for America

The year 2007 is the beginning of an Independent Patriot movement across America we have dubbed; “INDEPENDENT PATRIOTS FOR AMERICA”. We have but one purpose and that is to ensure our great Republic remains free and under the authority of “the people”. 

Americans are generally without political representation…Republicans and Democrats have abandoned the people.  America as the Founding Fathers envisioned, is in jeopardy.

America At War

Are we on the Viet Nam path Out of Iraq?

October 02, 2005
 
Fox News “War Stories” with Ollie North on 10/02/2005 focused on the indecision of American leaders during the Viet Nam war and the terrible price our pilots, and in effect, all troops paid.
 
President Johnson and Defense Secretary McNamara during the Viet Nam war (neither one knowing anything about fighting a war) demonstrated a callous disregard for the lives of our troops and welfare of our nation, by spending more time focusing on what our “cold war” enemies would think of U.S. decisions than the life threatening impact on our own troops and success of the war.
 
Fast forward forty years to the middle east conflict in Iraq.  President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld are engaged in some of the same indecision that cost us victory in the Viet Nam war. 
 
As in the Viet Nam war, the anti-war rabble is again raising it’s ugly head, having never learned “freedom is not free”, our troops in the middle east are being second guessed,  hamstrung with limitations on what can and cannot be attacked, which raises the question… where is the war in Iraq being managed.  My guess is that Washington is still calling the shots, otherwise our Generals would have insisted Syria be in the cross-hairs long ago.
 
During the Viet Nam war, Washington was making tactical decisions which nearly always put our pilots and ground troops at a disadvantage.  Rather than being bold, aggressive, and fighting on our terms to win, politicians were more concerned about what the “Russians would do”.  Great thought was given to our bombs falling on Russians assisting North Vietnamese in the north but little thought of North Vietnamese artillery located in Cambodia firing on us in South Viet Nam with impunity…we were not allowed to take action against North Vietnamese in Cambodia…U.S. politicians, in effect,  protected our enemy which resulted in American lives lost.
 
Now the same scenario is reflected in Iraq… instead of taking action on Syria and Iran for supporting the enemy in Iraq, we allow them to funnel money, weapons, and materiel into Iraq with impunity.  President Bush and others appear more concerned what France, Germany, the UN and other pip squeak nations will think.  The Iraq war is being waged with an emphasis on politics at the expense of our troops…our decision makers are hell-bent on repeating the Viet Nam mistake.
 
I view the fight in Iraq as just, honorable, necessary, and President Bush did the right thing in taking Saddam out.  However, politicians have no backbone, our troops are put in a rut, we are treading water as men and women die, while the “get out” cry becomes more shrill…in short, our superior fighting force is muzzled.
 
Syria and Iran are our enemies.  We are allowing them to kill our warriors without being held accountable.  Our troops are once again fighting with one hand while the enemy is given the advantage.  Syria and Iran should pay a heavy price for their support of the Al Qaeda butchers.

President Bush states “the war in Iraq is central to defeating terrorism”…if that’s what he believes, then why does he not fight the war accordingly?
 
If we are unwilling to take the fight to the enemy, even if it means involving another nation, it will only be a matter of time until we tuck our tail, exit Iraq, and build another wall of names.
 
Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret

January 6, 2007 — WORD that Adm. William Fallon will move laterally from our Pacific Command to take charge of Central Command - responsible for the Middle East - while two ground wars rage in the region baffled the media. Why put a swabbie in charge of grunt operations?

There’s a one-word answer: Iran. ASSIGNING a Navy aviator and combat veteran to oversee our military operations in the Persian Gulf makes perfect sense when seen as a preparatory step for striking Iran’s nuclear-weapons facilities - if that becomes necessary.

While the Air Force would deliver the heaviest tonnage of ordnance in a campaign to frustrate Tehran’s quest for nukes, the toughest strategic missions would fall to our Navy. Iran would seek to retaliate asymmetrically by attacking oil platforms and tankers, closing the Strait of Hormuz - and trying to hit oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf emirates. Only the U.S. Navy - hopefully, with Royal Navy and Aussie vessels underway beside us - could keep the oil flowing to a thirsty world.

In short, the toughest side of an offensive operation against Iran would be the defensive aspects - requiring virtually every air and sea capability we could muster. (Incidentally, an additional U.S. carrier battle group is now headed for the Gulf; Britain and Australia are also strengthening their naval forces in the region.)

Not only did Adm. Fallon command a carrier air wing during Operation Desert Storm, he also did shore duty at a joint headquarters in Saudi Arabia. He knows the complexity and treacherousness of the Middle East first-hand. STRENGTHENING his qualifications, numer ous blue-water assignments and his duties at PACOM schooled him on the intricacies of the greater Indian Ocean - the key strategic region for the 21st-century and the one that would be affected immediately by a U.S. conflict with Iran.

The admiral also understands China’s junkie-frantic oil dependency and its consequent taste for geopolitical street-crime: During a U.S. operation against Iran, Beijing would need its fix guaranteed. While Congress obsesses on Iraq and Iraq alone, the administration’s thinking about the future. And it looks as if the White House is preparing options to mitigate a failure in Iraq and contain Iran.

Bush continues to have a much-underrated strategic vision - the administration’s consistent problems have been in the abysmal execution of its policies, not in the over-arching purpose. Now, pressed by strategic dilemmas and humiliating reverses, Bush is doing what FDR had to do in the dark, early months of 1942: He’s turning to the Navy. AS a retired Army officer, I remain proud of and loyal to my service.

I realize that the Army’s leaders are disappointed to see the CentCom slot go to an admiral in the midst of multiple ground wars. But, beyond the need for a Navy man at the helm should we have to take on Iran, there’s yet another reason for sending Fallon to his new assignment: The Army’s leadership has failed us at the strategic level. After Gen. Eric Shinseki was sidelined for insisting on a professional approach to Iraq, Army generals did plenty of fine tactical and operational work - but they never produced a strategic vision for the greater Middle East. Our Army is deployed globally, but our
generals never seem to acquire the knack of thinking beyond the threat hypnotizing them at the moment (the Marines, with their step-brother ties to the Navy, do a better job of acting locally while thinking globally).

I have been receiving a ton of email with a mountain of excellent thoughts, suggestions, etc……..but there is no way I can make them all available to the many of you that should read them without the assistance of our new weblog at http://www.independent-patriots-for-america.com - The dialogue I am seeing is thoughtful, strong, pointed, but not trashing anyone personally………personal attacks will destroy the best intentions.
 
In the last few days it appears our common goal of saving America has taken on an exponential degree of interest…
 
I would like to suggest that everyone re-register as an “Independent”, renounce the Republican, Democratic, and other parties, and start focusing on what’s right, good, and proper,  for America, not what’s going to be good for a party…Eventually we need “Independent Candidates” to receive the votes of all the independent thinkers in America at the local, state, and federal levels….I personally think we need to forget party politics and think how we get people elected that think America….Independents!
 
We desperately need our Flag Officers to step up to the plate and bring their experience, influence, and knowledge to bear……I personally appreciate the strong letters some of our Generals have been making public recently……..we need more.
 
Until someone can get their arms around our common goal and determine the most effective approach, please consider joining our new talk group that we have established.  It is open to American’s that have had enough of the corrupt, deceiving, dishonest, self-serving government now in power…we need everyone, every man, woman, young person……..and we need to let our troops know we view them more than cannon fodder…we love them and want nothing more and nothing less than the full power of America behind them…no playing games…we want them to win and come home safe.
 
You can join our new group (no obligations, cost, etc) by going to: http://www.independent-patriots-for-america.com/patriot-talk/ and subscribing. 

Once you are subscribed you can choose to simply read or actively participate in the discussions. This will take the burden off individuals to forward valuable comments that offer each and every one of us encouragement and hope.  Our message will get out…..
If we want to expand this talk/comment/action group, then we need to encourage everyone we have email contact with to also join……..as I have witnessed, our subjects cover many areas but all seem to be focused on one thing:  To preclude the takeover of America by the political mafia, Islamic butchers, illegal aliens, ACLU, abortion factories, judicial activism, and the like……..the minutia we may not all agree on, but the primary goal must be solid.
 
We must, must create an earthquake in the political arena that will leave no doubt, America is ready to do what it takes to right our Ship….I’m talking about a political earthquake that will create a tsunami unheard of in American politics…..God help us.
 
Let’s get together…
 
Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret

The year 2007 is the beginning of an Independent Patriot movement across America we have dubbed; “INDEPENDENT PATRIOTS FOR AMERICA”. We have but one purpose and that is to ensure our great Republic remains free and under the authority of “the people”.Americans are generally without political representation…Republicans and Democrats have abandoned the people.  America as the Founding Fathers envisioned, is in jeopardy.