WHAT IS STORMBRINGER?

I've been on the road a LOT, at least 50% of the past two-and-a-half years, to all the garden spots: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Dem. Rep. of the Congo, Pakistan, El Salvador (OK that wasn't so bad), Israel (THAT was a fun trip!), Bangladesh, South Africa, South Sudan, Kenya, Mali and East Timor. Work has interfered with writing, which is my main thing - or at least, I wish I could make it my main thing. Time for a realignment of the aiming stakes. If you're a new visitor to Blog STORMBRINGER, this is what it's all about. If you have seen it before, consider this refresher training. Cheers, and thank you for your support! -S.L.

STORMBRINGER is a military blog, primarily dedicated to honoring heroes of the great US / UK / ANZAC / CANADA / ISRAEL Alliance in this conflict forced upon us by the Evildoers of Islamic Fundamentalism. Themes include reports on international security, great battles and notable events of military history, the greatness of Ancient Greece and Rome (and how the civilization of Ancient Rome still exists and prevails), the story of United States Army Special Forces (the Green Berets) and of course from time to time bits of my personal philosophy; inspired by Aristotle, Cicero, Atilla the Hun, John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, the Duke of Wellington, Winston Churchill, Ayn Rand and Rush Limbaugh, to name a few.

An essential ingredient of my personal philosophy - a.k.a. The Philosophy of STORMBRINGERISM - is what Ayn Rand refers to as laizee-faire capitalism. The phrase laissez-faire (pronounced: lah-zay-fair) is French and literally means "let do", but it broadly implies "let it be", or "leave it alone." In economics, laissez-faire describes an environment in which transactions between private parties are free from state intervention, including restrictive regulations, taxes, tariffs and enforced monopolies.

Also from Ayn Rand, I embrace the concept of Human Exceptionalism; the belief that human beings have special status in nature based on their unique capacities. This belief is the grounding for some naturalistic concepts of human rights. Taking it a step further, Rush Limbaugh describes the philosophy of American Exceptionalism: the theory that the United States is qualitatively different from other nations. This stems from our emergence from a revolution, and the uniquely American ideology, based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism and laissez-faire. This observation is traced to Alexis de Tocqueville, the first writer to describe the United States as "exceptional."

STORMBRINGERISM is also about the Cult of the 1911 and the individuals right to self-defense - up to and including lethal force - is a justifiable defense in a court of law:

Pistol US M1911 .45ACP

But, you say, how does this include the Great Alliance; our worthy allies the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel?

Simple: the American experience would not have been if the foundations of Democracy had not been laid in Britain, and before that in Ancient Rome, and before that Ancient Greece. In that, the UK is the Mother Country - has been and always will be - and by default this makes Canada, Australia and New Zealand our brothers and sisters.

But . . . but . . . what about tiny (yet MIGHTY) Israel?

Israel is the oldest country, and at the same time the youngest. The ancient Egyptian Empire and civilization has come and gone . . .

Nobody speaks in hieroglyphics anymore.

. . . and the people who built the pyramids are not the same folks who live in Egypt today. Likewise Babylon . . .

Nobody speaks in cuneiform anymore.

. . . it is gone, ground into the dust, even less of it left than in Egypt. There is still a Syria, but the ancient Assyrian Empire is dead and gone and it's people flung far and wide across the globe in diaspora.

Of these ancient kingdoms and empires of the Old Testament, only Israel remains, the smallest - yet most powerful - of all the countries of the Middle East.

The oldest country in the Middle East is also the only modern democracy in the Middle East.

Modern Israel exists because of Britain and the United States - if it was up to the rest of Europe and the Middle East there wouldn't even be anybody left to occupy a State of Israel. The Islamists - al Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Mullah-led theocracy of Iran - view Israel as a Western foothold in their territory, much like the Crusader Kingdoms a thousand years ago. They - the radicals who have hijacked Islam - consider it only a question of time until they drive the Israelis into the sea and get that land back.

As such, Israel is with us, or like the Israeli girls say:

"Don't worry America - ISRAEL IS BEHIND YOU ! ! !"

"VISIT ISRAEL BEFORE ISRAEL VISITS YOU."

Speaking of babes, when I first signed up, SOLDIER Magazine always had a bikini babe featured on the back cover. Along the way they started rationing the cheesecake until sometime toward the end of my first tour I picked up a copy of SOLDIER and flipped to the back page. Staring back at me was a sergeant; all cami'd up and in full battle rattle - talk about taking a hard dose of reality. Well every now and then some imagery may appear on STORMBRINGER that is a throwback to an earlier, simpler time when it was okay for a warrior to tape a pinup girl in his wall locker, or depict one on the nose of his mighty war machine:

People send me all kinds of stuff to post in STORMBRINGER and I appreciate all the support I get. Most of the material sent is political, Tea Party/Make America Great Again-themed stuff - which is great, although I usually tend to wave off politics because it's done elsewhere, and I don't have time enough to dedicate the energy & creative juices to do it right.


STORMBRINGER SENDS

A CAVEAT

STORMBRINGER is about Honor, items of military interest, literary and artistic themes, and the international security situation. I am a professional soldier, a writer and a thinker. I try not to let politics intrude . . . S.L.

This summer I told a dear, old friend that I am not a political creature, that I do not post politics on social media. This is true, however I have since begun posting a few political images & memes on Twitter, FB, etc. This is as a counter to the unbalanced propaganda I've seen long-time friends post on their social media. I never go along with the crowd, I am a free thinker and I instinctively question the popular wisdom. I certainly do not trust what the talking heads on the squawk box dish up for us, especially when it is endorsed by the powers-that-be.

AND SO I post anti-Hillary material. For what its worth I am not a Republican - I am an American first, a Conservative second and I only vote Republican because voting the other way is simply unthinkable. I do not especially care for Donald Trump - he is not a Conservative, he was a Democrat for a hell of a lot longer than he's been a Republican and I honestly do not care for his style. He turns me off as much as he turns off all the liberals I know.

But this election is not about whom we vote FOR . . . it is about whom we vote AGAINST. For a long, long time I have said that if Mussolini was running against whomever Team Obama / Clinton put up there, I'd vote for him. Hell, I'd vote for Daffy Duck before I voted for Hillary Clinton. Well maybe I spoke too soon because look who we got.

THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I can't wait for this election to be over. This is the craziest political season since the Emperor Caligula made his horse into a senator, and the senator's wives into whores. When it is all over this time next week I will take down all the political propaganda I have posted to date.

This is the craziest political season since the Emperor Caligula made his horse into a senator, and the senator's wives into whores.

Now if you think right, you can go out and do your part to Make America Great Again. And if you think the other way then you must deal with the knowledge that you have voted for the only candidate to run for the Presidency while currently under criminal investigation by the FBI, and that your candidate Hillary is the single most unethical, corrupt, dishonest individual to run for the office of President of the United States . . . EVER.

That is all.

Take Due Notice Thereof and Conduct Yourself Accordingly,

STORMBRINGER SENDS

A WORTHY CAUSE

Junior's Bullet Pens - proceeds go to families of fallen military & wounded disabled veterans.

Junior’s Bullet Pen Company is dedicated to one of our fallen heroes, Staff Sergeant Chris Falkel, KIA, of the 3d Special Forces Group.

I met Chris's Dad this week at Fort Bragg, and he told me the story of his son, and the Bullet Pens.

SSG Chris "Junior" Falkel was weapons sergeant Operational Detachment "Alpha" 316. Between 7–9 August, 2005, Chris and his Special Forces team were involved in a 54 hour battle “that will live in the annals of Special Forces history. On the evening of 8 August 2005, Chris paid the ultimate price and died saving the lives of his team and 16 members of the Afghan National Army attached to ODA 316. SSG Chris Falkel was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery and heroism.

In early 2005, Chris attended Special Operations Target Interdiction Course – SOTIC - the Special Forces sniper school. After he graduated, Chris shared with his Dad the concept of making pens out of 7.62 NATO shell casings - the round used in US sniper rifles. Unfortunately, he never got the chance to make a bullet pen because shortly thereafter Chris deployed to Afghanistan for his fateful Rendezvous With Destiny.

Chris's Dad thought about Chris’ dream of making a “bullet pen” for a couple of years, and ultimately Junior’s Bullet Pen Company was created. These pens are dedicated to his son.

Most of the brass used to make Junior’s Bullet Pens is once-fired military brass.

Junior’s Bullet Pen Company is Veteran owned. Foundations supported by Junior's Bullet Pens include:

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Task Force Dagger Foundation

Fallen Heroes Project

Operation Shower

Green Beret Foundation

AmericanSnipers.org

Remembering The Brave

Worldwide Rangers Inc.


When you buy a Bullet Pen, you help support a U.S. veteran and/or his or her family. If you are a veteran, you have just supported yourself.

- STORMBRINGER SENDS

UNDERGROUND CARVINGS MEMORIALIZE CANADIAN SOLDIERS

Canadians have found a unique way to honor their veterans of the First World War.

A long-forgotten subterranean memorial to Canadian soldiers who fought in the First World War will soon see the light of day, thanks to the efforts of a London, Ontario based group.

The unusual memorial was made by the soldiers themselves as they slept, ate and waited in a cave in northern France. They were eventually called to fight at nearby Vimy Ridge, in what would become one of the greatest victories in Canadian military history.

The cave, which is accessible through a small hole in a farmer's field, has been sealed off and largely forgotten since the 1917 battle. British experts reopened the cave five years ago, working to preserve carvings made by soldiers along the cave walls.

Part of an ancient chalk quarry, the cave is a labyrinth of corridors and open spaces that were once lined with hundreds of bunk beds. While recovering from wounds, soldiers carved into the wall.


Alec Ambler, a young stone mason, signed his work and went on to survive the war. Many others weren't so lucky.

A soldier names Elroy Lacey drew animals he remembered from his farm in Dunwich, Ontario. He was later killed in the fighting. Another carver, Grant Phelps, was a railway worker from St. Thomas, Ontario. He was hit by shrapnel in the opening moments of the Vimy Ridge battle and succumbed to his wounds hours later.

Eventually the fighting ended and the cave was abandoned. But there is also some graffiti in the cave dating to 1940, as Belgian refugees hid from the fighting in the next world war.

Now a Canadian group called the Canadigm Team has joined them to document and to make exact replicas of hundreds of pieces of graffiti, which they plan to show across the country.

"This is unique," said retired General Rick Hillier, the honorary chair of the Vimy Foundation. "It's part of our legacy, part of our history."

The etchings by long-dead soldiers are slowly deteriorating, so restorers have been working to document subterranean pre-battle, First World War-era hideouts in France. Soldiers' stories are being researched in preparation for the centenary of Canada's victory at Vimy Ridge.

Canadigm's inaugural exhibit, titled The Souterrain Impressions, will open in the fall of 2013 and will tour across Canada for the next four years, leading up to the 100th anniversary of the battle.


- CTV News

Today's Bird HERE


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NORWALK CT SCHOOLS DROP VETERANs DAY

I bet you dollars to doughnuts these wingnuts celebrate Earth Day - S.L.

Norwalk, Conn. (AP) - A Norwalk city council member with the backing of local veterans groups is asking the city's education board to reconsider its decision to eliminate Veterans Day as a school holiday.

Councilor Kelly Straniti says she contacted the Board of Education after veterans opposed to the calendar change asked her to get involved.

The change was adopted earlier this month at the recommendation of Superintendent Susan Marks, who wanted more classroom time for students. Some of that classroom time would be spent educating students on the importance of Veterans Day.

Alfred Scudder, chairman of the Norwalk Veterans Committee, tells The Hour newspaper that the decision was "crazy."

Board of Education Chairman Jack Chiaramonte says no disrespect was meant and he's willing to listen to the veterans' concerns.

They defended the nation. It is only right and proper to teach our children to honor them.




Today's Bird HERE



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THE EPITOME OF HONOR

A Marine Force Recon buddy sent this to me today; this is what the American warrior class does for it's own - we always bring them back. It might take fifty, or a hundred and fifty years, but in the end . . . we always bring them back.


This is Honor.





The Marine Raiders of World War II were the forerunners of Force Reconnaissance.

Also today, we honor Tim Hetherington, British war correspondent and photographer - killed in action, 20 April 2011 in the besieged Libyan city of Misurata.

Journalists go forward to the battle fronts as absolute volunteers - there is no requirement they go. This is guts, and they serve an important role as scribes of history. But in the end, theys rolls the dices and theys takes theys chances. Hetherington was worthy, however - he was director and producer of the film “Restrepo”

In 2007 and 2008, Hetherington spent 14 months with a platoon of 
paratroopers from the famed 173d Airborne Brigade in the Korangal Valley, Afghanistan.

I saw that documentary; it was so real for me, it sent shivers up my spine.

Timothy (Tim) Hetherington, 1970 – April 20, 2011

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400 ROUNDS, 17 GRENADES & 30 ENEMIES

Soldier Single-Handedly Beats Back Taliban Barrage.


Last summer, a single Gurkha soldier of the British forces single-handedly beat back a Taliban attack of 30 fighters in Afghanistan with just a chunk of metal and a sandbag after running out of ammunition. Sgt. Pun's extraordinary courage in Helmand province earned him the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross at a special ceremony in London:





Facing a surprise attack at a Afghanistan checkpoint, Sergeant Dipprasad Pun, 31, hoisted a 50lb machine gun off its mount to blast at the enemy.

When they kept coming, he launched 17 grenades and picked up an SA80 assault rifle, which jammed on him.

Then he threw the machine gun's metal tripod at his attackers, before fending them off with a sandbag while yelling in Nepali: "I will kill you!"

With nothing left to hand, the exhausted hero finally managed to fire off a Claymore mine, and the blast sent the enemy scattering.

Pun's medal citation said his actions saved the lives of three comrades and prevented the key military position he was guarding from being overrun.

"I was really scared but as soon as I opened fire that was gone. I knew I had to kill them.

"I thought they were going to kill me after a couple of minutes, definitely. Looking back at it, I realise I'm a very lucky guy, a survivor. It is great to get this award. I am very happy."

The sergeant in the Royal Gurkha Rifles told how he was on night-time sentry duty on September 17 last year when he discovered insurgents laying an improvised explosive device at the checkpoint.

He was surrounded and the enemy opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and AK47s.

As the 20-minute battle raged, Sgt Pun raced onto a wall to remove the .50 cal machine gun from its mount so he could lower it enough to aim at the attackers below.

At one point he turned to find a "huge" militant standing behind him ready to pounce and Sgt Pun fired a final machine gun round at him.

He also fired his SA80 assault rifle, but the weapon failed just as another Taliban crept up on him. He said: "I threw it away and grabbed a sandbag to hit him but all the sand poured away. I had nothing left. Suddenly I found the metal rod and hit him with it.

"I threw it at him yelling in Nepali 'I will kill you' and he fell down. They were very determined. They kept coming and coming. In the end I was nearly collapsed."

Sgt. Pun's actions saved the lives of three comrades and prevented the key military position he was guarding from being overrun.


The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is just one level below the UK's top military honor, the Victoria Cross.









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CONSTANT DRUMBEAT OF INSANITY CONTINUES

The continual assault on our culture continues. If I had time, I would document the many ways the destructive, anti-Western Civilization forces within our society have attacked all that is good and decent. The inversion of our morals and values has become an almost daily occurrence. This time the very method we honor our heroes is cheapened, made meaningless:


”A three-year-old federal law that makes it a crime to falsely claim to have received a medal from the U.S. military is unconstitutional, an appeals court panel in California ruled Tuesday.”

“A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with him in a 2-1 decision Tuesday, agreeing that the law was a violation of his free-speech rights. The majority said there's no evidence that such lies harm anybody, and there's no compelling reason for the government to ban such lies.”






August 17, 2010 SAN FRANCISCO - A federal law making it a crime to lie about receiving the Medal of Honor or other military decorations violates freedom of speech, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.



Read more HERE and HERE


You know, they're absolutely right. All a military decoration is, is a little piece of tin or brass, with a bit of silken ribbon around it - these things are ultimately meaningless.

Unless you attach meaning to them, of course. Stolen Valor is about giving meaning to the symbols we drape upon those who have bled on our behalf, those who came back in bits and pieces, and those can no longer defend themselves; the Honorable Dead.

During the course of my career I had the dubious pleasure of personally busting out two phony wannabe's - shamed the shit out of these kids and tossed them out of Special Forces training. I've seen too many good men die in that uniform, seen too many families suffer the consequences of such sacrifice, to tolerate fake heroes.

But now the Bozo's of the Ninth Circus Court of Appeals have determined that this is OK. They have stripped honor from the real heroes, and their families, on behalf of the fake, phony wannabe's who mock our heroes by portraying themselves as something that they are not.

Have we gotten to the point where nothing has any meaning any more? If not, at what point will we get there?

Burning an American flag - that's okay, that's Freedom of Speech. Erecting an al Qaeda Victory Monument on Ground Zero - that's good too, that's Freedom of Religion - in the meantime, try to get a copy of the Ten Commandments into a U.S. Courthouse, or a nativity scene on a church lawn and see what happens next. Two boys holding hands and getting married - that's good, that's Freedom of whatever-it-is.

Hordes of undocumented foreigners to stream across the borders and infest our land - and the same crowd that is against all that is good and decent in our society goes out to demonize and punish those who wish to take action, those who suffer at the hands of these hordes. Let these non-Americans wave Mexican Flags and dance and sing in the hallways of our schools on Cinco de Mayo - a non-holiday invented by Adolf Coors Brewing Company to sell beer - that's OK too; but dare not to wear an American flag on your t-shirt or to defend the American flag on this High Holy Day of Mexican Meaninglessness - "we cannot have this, no, no, no, no, NO!"


My only question is how come nobody ever tries to burn an American Flag whenever I'm around?


Thanks to Jason, Thomas H., and of course Theo, who each sent info on this sad state of affairs, to me.

- SEAN LINNANE SENDS

ADMIN NOTES

I've been tooling around the Blogger service, trying to jazz up the STORMBRINGER Experience . . .


Are YOU "Experienced"?


OK so I've cracked the code of the links (to the right on your screen) . . . IF YOU ASKED TO BE LINKED AND I DIDN'T DO IT - I DIDN'T BLOW YOU OFF I was still learning and I know at least one guy fell off my radar . . .


I'm struggling with ad sense on getting some better ads, stuff that's military related . . . if you see an ad for something TOTALLY WEIRD be advised I have no control over some of that stuff that's coming across the screen . . .


The products and services I personally endorse are to the right there - my buddy Mike's Screamin' Eagle Softail Custom Harley:




I have seen this bike and featured it on Theo's LAST of the FEW and STORMBRINGER last summer - THIS BIKE HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED . . . like the ad says: "meticulously detailed, garage kept beauty" and I can attest it DOES have less than 1000 miles.


. . . and a new Friend of STORMBRINGER: Caspi Silver by Amnon Caspi:





He makes the Sterling Silver Joysticks from famous IDF combat airplanes including the Mirage, the F-4 Phantom and the F-16:





Amnon makes other cool things as well, like miniature Jerusalem Walled City Business Card holders - as soon as I rate a permanent office and a desk I'm getting one of those - and other Holy Land related items.


STORMBRINGER GOT SUCKED INTO POLITICS this past couple of weeks . . . I told you it generates Dark Energy within me . . .


Dark Energy


What can I say? There's been some big dealings going down in Dog City - all you suckers who think the Federal Government is going to take care of you - did you forget already all that hullabaloo last year over the deplorable state of affairs at the VA and Walter Reed? Well guess what? Walter Reed is the SHINING JEWEL of Government Healthcare - you ought to pay it a visit, see what you're in for. Bring some kind of kerchief for your nose, maybe some Vicks VapoRub to put under your nose there like they did in Silence of the Lambs - the place smells of urine.





This post signals a return to the original vision of Blog STORMBRINGER . . . to fight Evil wherever and whenever it manifests itself . . . to promote military themes . . . cool facts and anecdotes from history . . . international security . . . the Holy Land . . . guns . . . leadership . . . survival . . . honor . . .





. . . the Paratrooper Mystique . . .









. . . and the general kaleidoscope of WAR WEIRDNESS . . .



. . . that followers of Blog STORMBRINGER have come to love and expect . . .






"Read responsibly, my friends . . ."




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THEMES

Due to current increase in workload and professional constraints, I will not be able to maintain posting to Blog STORMBRINGER on a daily basis. I draw no income from my writings here - none whatsoever - and right about now Blog STORMBRINGER is starting to absorb way too much bandwidth; it's starting to interfere with what pays the bills.







From this point forward, I will post one or two originally crafted "articles" a week; and perhaps two or three cultural "hit pieces" such as this vid clip of Miss Shirley Bassey, singing ballads of praise dedicated to that great warrior and walking Id, James Bond:




Shirley Bassey performing Goldfinger & Diamonds Are Forever for the James Bond Silver Anniversary programm in 1988.



Now may be a good time for an interim summing up . . .


It all started about May of last year . . . Blog STORMBRINGER grew out of guidance from Theo Spark - enfant terrible of the Internet with his excellent Blog Last of the Few. Theo became Blogmeister of STORMBRINGER and continues to advise to this day. Hurrah! for Theo





I don't know how he does it. The guy is great, does great work, and I plan on linking up with him in the UK one of these days.

Here at Blog STORMBRINGER we like Great Britain and all things British (despite my Irish heritage - I'm not a nut or a revolutionary). Theo represents all that is good of the little island that is Great; he's possibly the best thing that came out of England since . . . Led Zeppelin?







STORMBRINGER is about philosophy . . . soldiering . . . honor . . . military history . . . theology . . . current affairs and global security (which is to say the current conflict against the Islamofascists) . . . we take it from Ancient Greece and Rome (with a little bit of the Old Testament thrown in there from a historic point of view) and bring it up to the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist and the anti-Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address . . . we tie in the struggles of a Free People against the Forces of Tyranny and Oppression . . . throughout the ages . . . and a tidbit here and there from my friends and associates serving overseas in the great Global War on Terror . . .


Name that Drop Zone . . .



This is the correct time for me to thank my good friend David Frum for all the help & support he and his heroic editor Meghashyam Mali have shown me over the past year at his worthy site Frum Forum.
I also wish to offer a gracious "Thank You" to Dave's lovely wife Danielle, for having me as a guest at their home in DC. The Frum guest cottage is a wonderful enclave, from whence I've produced more than one memorable STORMBRINGER post, and Dani can knock together a meal, the best food you could possibly imagine . . .


I especially wish to thank David for the tolerance and patience he shows me; David Frum has taught me to understand that bit, when politicians speak of a colleague across the aisle; "We do not see eye-to-eye on politics, but he is a great friend, and a great human being." This is a Life's lesson of wisdom and understanding that no money can buy . . .


A special thanks also to my buddy, fellow Green Beret "Uncle Jimbo" over at Blackfive . . . the Blackfive Team are great, they do heroic work there against the Forces of Darkness . . .







I would be remiss if I did not mention the many emails I receive from readers, with much blog material, images and links - I thank you all; keep it coming and do not be discouraged if I don't post it right away. I save it all in a couple of special folders and now is the time for me to construct a queue. Like I said, I don't know how Theo does it; I simply do not have the bandwidth.


For now this Science Project will have to move to the back burner because I've got a sh*tload of 25-meter targets popping up like whack-a-mole - like I've told my friends and associates; in my professional life, I'm a sheepdog . . . and the wolves are always out there . . . circling in . . . waiting to make their move . . .

MAIL CALL

From: J. Davis <______@_______.com>
Subject: Interview request from Fox 5
To: linnane_sean@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 8:38 PM

Hi there. My name is Jennifer Davis and I'm a reporter with Fox 5 News in Washington, D.C.

We are doing a story tonight about Marine Sgt. David Budway, who you wrote about in your blog. He's being sentenced today for claiming to be an injured veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and scamming his way into free events.


(Former) Marine David Budway. He dishonored the Corps.


We wondered if you are local - are you based in the DC area? If so, you seem to have a strong opinion about this guy. Would you want to talk about it on camera?

It's Wednesday, about 430 Eastern and I'm doing this story for 10 PM tonight. Please call me at our assignment desk if you want to talk - (XXX)-XXX-XXXX.

Thanks.




I answer all emails from readers, each and every one of them:



Hello Jennifer,

Sorry I'm so late in getting back to you - I just got off work, late. Thanks for the update on David Budwah - note I do not honor him with the title of "Marine" for he has dishonored the Corps, and I doubt he is still a sergeant.

Thank you also for your interest in my opinion - I am honored. Although I spend a lot of time in the DC area, I do not live there. My home is in North Carolina. I travel a lot in my work and at present time I am in the Midwest, for at least the next month or so.

Now I must be straight with you: I work in the security field and aspects of my work is sensitive in nature. Bottom line, my employers would not be excited to see me voicing my opinions on TV. Therefore, I must decline your offer for an interview. Anyhow, I don't know if I really want to be too closely associated with this story. There is no honor here.

Anyway Blog STORMBRINGER is not about publicity and it is not about a personal agenda; it satisfies a need I have for a creative outlet, and helps me explore the philosophy I am developing. There is legitimate reason I go by a pseudonym - there are people out there who know who I am, people I've served with, and that's good enough for me. The rest of you just have to have good faith, and enjoy STORMBRINGER as it develops.

Thanks again for your interest, and thank you for all the good work you do at the Fox network. You have a new fan.

Thanks,
Sean Linnane

P.S. My opinion about David Budwah - what do you think? He's a pathetic loser, and that's putting it mildly. He has virtually spit upon the graves of those who died for this country, and he has dishonored the tens of thousands of disabled veterans who suffer pain and disability for the rest of their lives. I don't know what's worse - all that, or the fact that he let down those kids. The whole thing is shameful, a disgrace. Thank you for publicizing this case, and I am glad I could do my bit. - S.L.


Here at STORMBRINGER we honor the Few, the Proud, the Marines. Semper Fi, guys. Keep doing what you do - God loves you, and you know why.

HONOR THEM

When I was young I read about the Trojan war; I studied Homer's writings for clues about such traits of personality or character possessed by the ancient heroes. I studied the Old Testament Book of Judges. Fascinated, I watched the film To Hell And Back; the story of Audie Murphy, Medal of Honor recipient and most decorated soldier of World War II.

I am not a hero but I have served in the company of heroes. More and more it seems nowadays we are living in an era of heroes.

In the latest conflict there have been heroes, as there have been in any and all wars of the past, mostly anonymous. Just recently I learned of a friend's stepfather's funeral at Arlington. A company commander in World War II, he fought with Patton; in a near ambush he was wounded by Germans three times on the same day, then returned to serve with his men on the front lines. For this heroism he received a single Purple Heart medal. He went on to serve his country in other capacities, working out of embassies in Africa and Southeast Asia. I didn't know it at the time, but while I was escorting his daughter to high school dances, this man was a prisoner of the Pathet Lao Communists. If I could have made it to Arlington that day, I would have worn my dress blues to honor this hero.

Three names immediately come to mind:

Captain Chesley N. Sullenberger, the nerves-of-steel pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 who safely his disabled aircraft in the East River and saved his entire compliment of passengers and crew from certain death.

Captain Richard Phillips of the MV Maersk-Alabama, who put himself in harms way, offering himself as hostage to the Somali pirates in exchange for the safety of his crew.

Colonel, US Army (Retired) Rick Rescorla. Born and raised in England, join the British military at age sixteen and fought against Communists in Cyprus and Rhodesia, then came to America, enlisted in the US Army and went to Vietnam with the 7th Cavalry - Custer's old outfit - and fought in the legendary Battle of Ia Drang. On Sept. 11th 2001, Rick Rescorla was vice-president in charge of security at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. His office was on the forty-fourth floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center. The firm occupied twenty-two floors in the South Tower. After the plane hit his building, the Port Authority told him not to evacuate and to order people to stay at their desks.

Instead, Rescorla ensured that every one of his firm's employees was safely evacuated, then took some of his security men back INTO the burning building to make a final sweep, to make sure no one was left behind, injured, or lost. Rick did not make it out. Neither did two of his security officers who were at his side, but only three other Morgan Stanley employees died when their building was obliterated. In this final act of heroism, Rick Rescorla saved the lives of over 2600 employees of Dean Whitter.

Of course, there are the 4900+ men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the subsequent campaigns of the Global War on Terror.

Some 640,000+ gave all in the wars of the 20th Century: 25 Somalia (including 18 in the Battle of Mogadishu); 113 Gulf War I; 24 Operation JUST CAUSE Panama; 240+ Lebanon peacekeeping operations; 19 Operation URGENT FURY Grenada; 13 Operation POWER PACK Dominican Republic; 58,000+ Vietnam; 36,500+ Korea (latest casualty US Army CWO David Hilemon in 1994); 416,800+ World War II; 116,708+ World War I; 4100+ the Philippine War; 2900+ Spanish-American War;

Some 675,000+ Americans who died in the wars preceding: (including 620,000+ KIA or died of wounds and disease in the Civil War; 13,200+ Mexican War; 700+ Texas War of Independence; 17,000+ War of 1812; 24,000+ American Revolution).

The numbers listed above do not include Americans killed in politically-motivated terrorist acts, to include the 18 American servicemen & civilians killed during my time in the Philippines 1988-1989.

They are all heroes. We must honor them.