Navy SEALs Take Major Hit In Afghanistan; 17 Of The 38 Personnel Shot Down Were Members Of Seal Team Six

Update August 11th: The DoD has now released the full list of those killed; this list is published midway through this post. In addition, it's now been specified that although 22 Navy sailors were killed, only 17 were actually SEALs; this post has been re-titled to reflect that distinction.

The Navy SEALs took what is probably the biggest one-time hit they've ever sustained when the helicopter they were aboard was shot down by the Taliban in Afghanistan on August 6th, 2011. A total of 38 people lost their lives, including seven Afghan commandos, 30 American service members, and one civilian interpreter. Of the 30 American service members, three were Air Force air controllers, five U.S. Army air crewmen and 22 U.S. Navy sailors. Of the sailors, 17 were members of SEAL Team Six.

The contingent was flying aboard a CH-47 Chinook in the Tangi Joy Zarin area of Wardak's Sayd Abad district, about 60 miles southwest of Kabul. The Taliban claimed they downed the helicopter with a rocket while it was taking part in a raid on a house where insurgents were gathered. Although none of the 17 SEALs aboard participated in the operation to take out Osama bin Laden, their deployment in this raid would suggest that the target was a high-ranking insurgent figure, although it's now being reported that the SEALs had responded to help Army Rangers who had come under fire, had suppressed the threat, and were in the process of departing when the chopper was hit.

President Obama issued a statement from the White House. It read, in part: "My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the Americans who were lost earlier today in Afghanistan. Their deaths are a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan. ..." Afghan President Hamid Karzai and British Prime Minister David Cameron also expressed their condolences.

As next-of-kin were notified, the identities of the troops were released to the public. It wasn't until all next-of-kin were notified that the official list was published:

Assigned to an East Coast-based naval special warfare unit:

• Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, La.
• Master Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, Calif.
• Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Ark.
• Senior Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EXW/FPJ) Kraig M. Vickers, 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Conn.
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis.
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Mass.
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Mo.
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas.
• Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EXW/FPJ/DV) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of Washington, W.Va.
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, La.
• Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit.
• Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, Calif.
• Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL/PJ) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, N.C.
• Information Systems Technician 1st Class (EXW/FPJ) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah.
• Master-at-Arms 1st Class (EXW) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Neb.
• Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (EXW) Michael J. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia.
• Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL/SW) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa.
• Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Fla.
• Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah.

Assigned to a West Coast-based naval special warfare unit:

• Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, Calif.
• Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, of Saint Paul, Minn.

U.S. Army soldiers:

• Chief Warrant Officer 4 David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), of Aurora, Colo.
• Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), of New Century, Kan.
• Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), of Grand Island, Neb.
• Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Wash. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), of New Century, Kan.
• Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), of New Century, Kan.

USAF airmen killed, all assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron of Pope Field, N.C., were:

• Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Fla.
• Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Calif.
• Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pa.

Seven Afghan commandos and an Afghan interpreter died alongside the U.S. troops during the nighttime operation conducted in Afghanistan’s Tangi Valley.

Some Pakistani newspapers are reportedly celebrating the death of the troops and falsely claiming that the SEALs onboard had previously participated in the bin Laden takedown.

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell Follows Texas Governor Rick Perry's Lead, Proclaims August 6th A Day Of Prayer In Alaska

On June 6th, 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry issued a proclamation declaring August 6th a national day of prayer and fasting in Texas. In his proclamation, Perry wrote, in part, "Given the trials that have beset our country and world - from the global economic downturn to natural disasters, the lingering danger of terrorism and wars that endanger our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and theaters of conflict around the globe, and the decline of our culture in the context of the demise of families - it seems imperative that the people of our nation should once again join together for a solemn day of prayer and fasting on behalf of our troubled nation". He also invited all other governors to join him in a ceremony at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas; only Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas accepted the invitation.

Naturally, all the multiculturalists and anti-religious bigots have come crawling out of the woodwork to criticize Perry. Some hide behind the overly-quoted "separation of church and state" mantra, overlooking the fact that the Constitution merely proclaims that Congress shall make no law regarding the establishment of a religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof. Others who preach so-called "tolerance" claim there's no place for so-called "religious zealots" in government, thus betraying their own intolerance (intolerance of intolerance is STILL intolerance). The Houston Chronicle reports that a number of groups intend to organize counter-events and protests, most notably the American Jewish Committee and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The Freedom From Religion Foundation attempted to sue in order to stop Perry, but U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller ruled that they did not have standing to sue.

But the critics have not scared Alaska Governor Sean Parnell away from following Perry's lead. While he will not join Rick Perry in Texas, he has decided to declare August 6th to be a day of prayer in Alaska. The full proclamation is available on the governor's official website and is replicated below:

WHEREAS, throughout America’s history, our leaders have called upon us to look beyond ourselves for protection, wisdom, and strength by praying for our people and our country; and

WHEREAS, in 1779 during a time of battle and conflict, the Continental Congress issued a proclamation calling on the Almighty God…“That he will be our Shield in the Day of Battle, and our kind Parent and merciful Judge through Time and through Eternity;” and

WHEREAS, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving, Praise, and Prayer to recognize and pay tribute to “the presence of the Almighty Father and the power of His hand” in the nation’s ongoing civil war. Americans were invited to assemble “in their customary places of worship and in the forms approved by their own consciences render the homage due to the Divine Majesty for the wonderful things He has done in the nation’s behalf;” and

WHEREAS, in a time of war and suffering, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called upon Americans in a historic radio address on June 6, 1944, to join with him in prayer to the Almighty God as we “struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity;” and

WHEREAS, in 1981, President Ronald Reagan recognized prayer as a “source of strength” and in a time of reflection called on the nation to “join together before God, fully aware of the trials that lie ahead and the need, yes, the necessity, for divine guidance;” and

WHEREAS, we recognize that today we are a nation under trial of war, impacts of natural disaster, threat of more severe economic hardships, and that our families are under attack on many fronts;” and

WHEREAS, like Governor Rick Perry of Texas calling the citizens of his state to pray and fast for our nation beginning August 6, 2011, we join the people of Texas and beyond in following the example of past leaders and call our citizens to prayer, that we might acknowledge the challenges facing our nation, express our inability to meet them alone, and petition our Creator and Sustainer to help our nation in this time of great need.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sean Parnell, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim August 6, 2011 as:

A Day of Prayer for Our Nation

in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to join me and citizens across the country in humbling ourselves, seeking God’s face, and praying for the protection and provision of our nation’s people, and for the wisdom and strength of our leaders.

As you can see, the proposed prayer is nondenominational, simply referring to an Almighty God and declaring Him a Creator and Sustainer. Thus no Christian, Jew, or Muslim should have a theological problem with it, considering that all are monotheistic faiths. Even polytheistic believers shouldn't really have a problem with it, since most polytheistic faiths recognize one god as supreme. Those who have a problem with it can simply elect not to participate.

But that doesn't matter to the scores of critics who've swarmed the comments section of the Anchorage Daily News story and who've even posted to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner story. It's not enough that they're not required to participate; they want it banned. This shows that their real objective is to abridge our right to worship according to the dictates of our own consciences.

Even if you don't support Rick Perry's politics or his presidential ambitions, don't let that deter you from joining in this day of prayer if your conscience moves you.

Don't Think Abstinence Education Works? Watch This Video, "I Choose To Be Pure"

Abstinence education generates considerable debate. Opponents simply want to write off our teenagers and tell them to go with the flow because sex is natural and beautiful. They'll cite people like Bristol Palin as "proof" that abstinence education doesn't work.

The fact is, most proponents of abstinence education actually support what I call "Abstinence Plus". This means we teach students, in an age-appropriate fashion, how reproduction works. We teach them about birth control methods so they can effectively plan families later. We also teach them how to form effective romantic relationships, and how to avoid getting taken by abusers, creeps, and golddiggers. But we motivate teenagers to choose abstinence as the safest form of sex. No sex -- no clap. No sex -- no baby. No sex -- no problem.

The bottom line -- unemancipated teenagers have NO BUSINESS engaging in sex, and we need to sell that message forthrightly, without fear or favor. Six teenagers of different religious faiths (Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic, Lutheran, Mormon, and non-denominational Christian) appear in the video embedded below and tell us why they choose to be pure (H/T to LDS Media Talk):



Contrary to what the pop culture claims, abstinence education can work. In February 2010, The Daily Beast reported on a peer-reviewed study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine which showed that Black middle-school students in the Northeast who enrolled in an abstinence-only program (no instruction on contraceptives) and were taught, sans moral or religious arguments, that they should delay sex until they were ready were more likely to delay sex in the two years after the program, as opposed to those who enrolled in no program or those who were instructed in safe sex.

In April 2011, Catholic Anchor reported that a study published in 2010 by the American Medical Association found that the probability of having sexual intercourse was approximately 15 percent lower among high-risk teens in one prominent abstinence-based program than those in condom-promoting courses or those undergoing no sex education. Alaska Governor Sean Parnell is a firm supporter of abstinence-based sex education programs.

The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) provides more information on abstinence education. Just because we are IN the world doesn't mean we need to be OF the world. Sex is natural and beautiful -- when done within the confines of a committed relationship providing maximum protection to both participants.

U.S. Senate Passes Debt Ceiling Compromise Bill 74-26, Begich And Murkowski Vote Yes; Will Be The Largest Debt Ceiling Hike In U.S. History

On August 2nd, 2011, the U.S. Senate passed debt ceiling compromise legislation by a 74-26 vote. The legislation, which passed in the U.S. House 269-161 on August 1st, was piggybacked to S.365, a technical amendment to the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. The actual legislation is called the Budget Control Act of 2011, which can be read HERE. One hour later, President Barack Obama signed it into law. It basically trades an increase in the debt ceiling for matching cuts in the budget over a period of time. Read this CNN cheat sheet for a more expanded summary.

Among those voting Yes were both Alaska senators, Mark Begich (D) and Lisa Murkowski (R). Both communicated their intention to support it prior to the vote; both said it served the country well, even though each cited parts they didn't like. Begich wasn't happy about the failure of the compromise to raise new revenues by closing tax loopholes for America's wealthiest, while Murkowski said she was most concerned about the automatic, across-the-board cuts that would occur if Congress doesn't come up with targeted ones, noting that the automatic cuts would likely hurt Alaskans more than specific ones would.

Read the roll call vote at the following link:

-- http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00123

According to CNS News, the $2.4 trillion increase will be the largest in U.S. history, topping the $1.9 trillion increase passed by Congress and signed by President Obama on February 12th, 2010. This means the two largest increases in the debt ceiling will have occurred during the Obama Administration. Of course, Republicans are not guiltless:

-- What is now the third largest historical increase in the debt limit was enacted on March 27th, 2003, when then-President George W. Bush signed a law that lifted the limit by $984 billion. However, this was partially in response to the launching of the Iraq War on March 20th, 2003.

-- What is now the fourth largest historical increase was enacted on November 5th, 1990, when then-President George H.W. Bush signed a law that lifted the limit by $915 billion. However, this was partially in response to Operation Desert Shield, which began on August 2nd, 1990, which escalated into Desert Storm on January 17th, 1991.

So the two Republican administrations can cite the entry of America into external military conflict as an excuse for their increases; after all, what self-respecting president wants to shortchange the troops in beans and bullets. But unless Barack Obama intends to start a new war, he cannot cite military conflict so readily as an excuse.

The financial industry is sending mixed signals in reaction. According to Politico, Fitch said it will not downgrade the nation’s AAA credit rating now that Congress has passed the legislation. However, the Anchorage Daily News reports that Fitch still wants to see a credible plan to reduce the budget deficit to a level that would secure the United States' AAA status. Fitch will conclude its scheduled review of the U.S. sovereign rating by the end of the month. Neither Moody’s nor Standard and Poor’s have yet to comment on the debt legislation; the three entities rate debt that is issued by countries, states, corporations and municipalities based upon the likelihood of default. The AAA rating is the highest available and signifies an extremely low likelihood of default; if they downgrade us to AA, it would cost the federal government more to borrow money, which could increase our annual deficits and our national debt. Time says a downgrade could "send shock waves through the retirement plans of millions of Americans"; it could even have some effect on Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend portfolio.

July 2011 Rasmussen Poll Shows 63 Percent Of All Respondents Oppose Affirmative Action, But 74 Percent Of Blacks Favor It

Source: Resist.com

On July 25th, 2011, Rasmussen released the results of a poll on affirmative action which got absolutely zero mainstream media publicity. Perhaps it's because respondents did not give the "right" answer.

According to the national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters which was conducted July 22-23, 2011, 63 percent of all respondents oppose programs that give hiring preference to women and minorities, an increase of eight points from 55 percent in 2010. However, with Blacks, who have been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative action, the picture is sharply different; 74 percent of Blacks favor government programs that give special treatment to women and minorities.

In contrast, 69 percent of Whites and 66 percent of voters of other races oppose these programs. Other noteworthy findings:

-- 53 percent of White respondents think affirmative action programs discriminate against white men, but 61 percent of Blacks disagree.

-- 46 percent of all respondents believe affirmative action programs discriminate against White men, but 31 percent disagree, while 23 percent are not sure.

-- Only 10 percent think affirmative action programs have been a success. 25 percent rate them as a failure, while 60 percent feel they fall somewhere in between success and failure.

Affirmative action is a distortion and a perversion of the civil rights movement, which was originally intended only to end forced segregation. It gives undeserved bennies to people in classes deemed "historically disadvantaged" regardless of their individual need. Originally limited to Blacks, it's now been expanded to Latinos, Alaska Natives, American Indians, women, and even gays. An additional distortion is the bogus doctrine of "white privilege", in which all Whites are deemed privileged merely by the color of the skin regardless of financial circumstances. Proponents of white privilege suggest that the lowest-class white is superior to the most sophisticated black. Some loonies even go so far to claim that only Whites can be racists, since so-called "people of color" are too powerless to be racist.

Affirmative action is nothing more than low-intensity race war against Whites.

U.S. House Passes Debt Ceiling Compromise Bill 269-161; Don Young Votes Yes, Gabrielle Giffords Casts First Vote Since Getting Shot

By a vote of 269-161-3, the U.S. House of Representatives passed debt ceiling compromise legislation on August 1st, 2011. Some of the last minute drama was documented by The Hill; it was not a slam dunk. The roll call vote may appear confusing because it indicates that the legislation was piggybacked to S.365, a technical amendment to the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, but the actual legislation is called the Budget Control Act of 2011, which can be read HERE.

In summary, the bill would raise the debt ceiling to just below $1 trillion, along with $917 billion in spending cuts. After that, the bipartisan committee would be charged with finding $1.5 trillion in cuts before Thanksgiving. If Congress fails to enact the cuts by the end of the year, the debt ceiling would be raised, along with the automatic reductions in spending. The Associated Press published more expanded highlights HERE.

Alaska Congressman Don Young voted Yes. But even more noteworthy, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ8) showed up to cast her first vote since getting shot, and received a standing ovation. She also voted Yes. The next stop for the bill is the U.S. Senate, where passage is considered likely. A Senate vote may take place tonight, but is much more likely at 12 noon on Tuesday August 2nd. Both Alaska Senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski have expressed support and are likely to vote Yes. Update August 2nd: The U.S. Senate passed this bill by a 74-26 vote.

Now for the links to the roll call vote. First from Govtrack, where the individual votes are grouped together by state:

-- http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-690

And here's the more standard depiction from the Office of the Clerk:

-- http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll690.xml

International Reaction: Darmin Nasution, the governor of Bank Indonesia, the central bank, welcomed the news. He said that it eliminated a major concern that had been looming over world markets over the past several weeks. But the news did more than just stabilize markets in Asia and elsewhere. In Indonesia, the Jakarta Composite Index climbed 1.5 percent to close at a record high. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 stock average added 1.3 percent, while South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.8 percent.