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Home » Elder Care » Health Conditions » Alzheimer's & Dementia » Articles » 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's and Dementia
How do you know if your parent has Alzheimer's disease or dementia? If dad continually forgets where he puts his keys, or mom seems to get easily confused these days, does it mean they have Alzheimer's? Not necessarily. Only a doctor can diagnose the condition. Every person experiences different symptoms, to different degrees. But here are some warning signs to look for.
Forgetfulness and memory loss
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The most common symptom of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss. However, just because dad can't remember where he put his shoes or calls the grandkids by the wrong name doesn't mean he has Alzheimer's. Anyone can sometimes forget the details of a conversation, but early onset Alzheimer's causes a person to forget entire conversations that took place only moments ago. Alzheimer's usually affects short-term memory first, meaning the person forgets information that he/she recently learned. They have trouble remembering important dates and events. They ask for the same information over and over again. They may even forget the faces of family members.
Lack of concentration and confusion
Getting confused about times and places is a common sign of Alzheimer's. Your mom or dad may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before. People with Alzheimer's may forget where they are, or how they got there. They might have difficulty understanding that an event happened in the past, or will be occurring in the future, versus something that is happening in the present. They lose track of the seasons and passage of time.
Losing things
A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places. For example, misplacing your keys can a happen to anyone, but finding lost keys in the freezer could indicate Alzheimer's. A person with Alzheimer's may lose things and be unable to retrace steps to find them again. They may swear they placed an object in a certain place, and accuse others of stealing it when it doesn't turn up where they expected to find it.
Difficulty doing familiar tasks
Alzheimer's affects the ability to do normal, everyday tasks. People may have trouble remembering how to drive, how to cook a favorite recipe, or how to play a familiar game. They may start relying more on a spouse or family member to do things for them that they once enjoyed doing themselves.
Language and speaking problems
People with Alzheimer's have trouble remembering the right words. For example, they say "what-cha-ma-call-it" instead of eyeglasses, or call a watch a "hand-clock."
Problems with simple math
People in the early stages of Alzheimer's may have difficulty working with numbers, including simple math problems. They may have trouble balancing a checkbook, or calculating simple addition. Along with math, Alzheimer's can affect one's abilities related to vision, such as depth perception, judging distance or seeing colors.
Poor judgment
Look for changes in decision making, rationalizing and judgment skills. A person who has made poor decisions all of their life might not have Alzheimer's. But Alzheimer's could be the culprit when a once logical decision maker who weighed all the options and made sound decisions suddenly exhibits poor judgment.
Personality changes and mood swings
A person with Alzheimer's might exhibit changes in personality and sudden mood swings. They could become fearful, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. A once self-confident person might become tentative and shy. They may be easily upset at home, or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
Changes in grooming and personal hygiene
Sudden or declining attention to hygiene – not bathing, wearing the same clothes over and over again, not brushing teeth – can point to Alzheimer's disease. When a person once kept her home immaculate all her life, but suddenly stop cleaning and leaves clutter laying around for weeks, it could be cause for concern.
Withdrawing from friends and family
Someone with Alzheimer's might start withdrawing from family, friends and activities they once enjoyed. Rather than calling attention to memory lapses or communication issues, they avoid situations where they have to be around others. They are typically embarrassed at their inability to communicate or perform tasks like they once did. Alzheimer's-related depression also cause withdrawal from social situations.
Doctors diagnose Alzheimer's or dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory and language skills -- are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness. If you think someone you love has Alzheimer's disease, contact your doctor.
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Salesforce technologies help companies connect with customers, partners, and employees. Emtec's subsidiary Wave6, a Silver Cloud Alliance Partner, works to deliver Salesforce solutions that drive profitable revenue; improve cross selling and customer satisfaction; retain customers; standardize selling platforms; and improve collaboration across sales, marketing and operations.
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subset: commoncrawl


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analysisBy Sandy Grant
In 1975/76 when the virtually bankrupt National Museum was being taken over by the government, another museum was being launched in Mochudi. This was the Phuthadikobo Museum whose chosen theme was "Mochudi and its people" - thus tribal man, semi urban man, and simply man during years of change.
Isaac Schapera's photos and his immense literature on Mochudi helped to launch the new initiative and provided a bridge to link the 1930s, 40s and 50s with the 60s, 70s and 80s. This linkage was underpinned by a continuity of family, of tradition, custom and culture. But was anything left of the material culture of the Bakgatla/Batswana? In their 1983 consultancy reportOram and Nteta observed that Botswana lacks a rich material culture and that this makes it more difficult to find and collect artifacts and historical material.
Some time ago, Professor Neil Parsons remarked that Phuthadikobo had more of these artifacts on display than anywhere else. Indeed many, but certainly not all of those items are to be seen there. But at that time, there were only two museums in the country and the National Museum, with its focus on the environment, preferred to keep such items in store. Later, the Serowe Museum came to possess many of the artifacts listed here.
Having indicated the range of Setswana artifacts that still exist, it is now necessary to add a little more about where they are to be found. The best information about medicinal plants, for instance, is available in the Mafikeng Museum (South Africa) whilst Serowe has probably the best collection inside Botswana. Mochudi, Serowe and Kanye have very fine clay pots on display but, by far and away, the best bet is the National Museum; but permission would be required to see them in store. For traditional foods, Mafikeng's display is unmatched.
For contemporary traditional building, Molepolole Museum is way out on its own and a visit there allows the opportunity to discuss techniques, materials and tools both in terms of construction and decoration. Only there can the traditional cupboard (koboto) be seen. A reproduction of an older vintage house, from the iron-age, can be seen in the Mafikeng Museum. Granaries are a problem. Serowe and Molepolole have examples of the sometimes very large woven granary - the sesigo - whilst special arrangements would need to be made with Phuthadikobo to see an example of Mochudi's spectacular clay made granary - the sefala. The National Museum has an ox wagon in reasonable shape and Phuthadikobo the oldest tractor to be owned by a Motswana.
No museum has made a particularly convincing attempt to demonstrate how clothing has changed although Mafikeng has made excellent use of historical sources and illustrations to show what was worn from early to mid-19th century. The photos of Duggan Cronin and Schapera at Phuthadikobo give some idea of what people were wearing in the early part of the last century and help to provide evidence of the genesis of the traditional gathered, Sekgatla skirt or toitshi. Francistown museum, which naturally specialises in Kalanga rather than Setswana artifacts, has tried to focus attention on German print dresses and skirts and this has demonstrated the need to establish regional variations and the nature of change over the last 50 to 100 years.
For the personal papers of Setswana Chiefs, the first port of call must be Serowe with its Khama family papers.
These include Tshekedi's letters. Arts and Culture learnt that the University of Botswana Library now holds others that belong to him. Phuthadikobo has the remnants of Isang Pilane's papers, which include Simon Letanke's extraordinary, "I have lost the hope of the natives ever becoming a nation," letter of 1933, as well as copies of letters of Chiefs in the 1930s donated by Schapera. These may or may not have been included in his article of 1933, The Native As Letter Writer. It also has the bible presented to Lentswe I on his conversion in 1892.
If only because it is situated on a rain hill, Phuthadikobo has a special interest in rainmaking. Almost inevitably it is also strong on initiation (bogwera and bojale) for the simple reason that Kgosi Linchwe hugely revived these practices in the period 1975 to 1988. Originating from a very much earlier period, however, are the two bojale drums, which were re-discovered in Mochudi in 1975. These drums have been brought into this country by the Bakgatla when they migrated from the old Transvaal in 1869-71. One drum is held in trust by the National Museum and the other is in Mochudi. With the Chobe buffalo the two drums must be amongst the country's most important cultural and historical possessions.
Phuthadikobo is also unusual in possessing brass/copper neck rings. My own speculation is that these rings were worn only by Bakgatla women who had taken part in the great trek. Either they must have gone out of fashion or had become unavailable as a result of moving away from sources of supply.
For some unknown reason, they appear to have been found in this country only in Mochudi. There is a real need now to help researchers and interest groups by recording Setswana artifacts and their whereabouts in a national register, by identifying those which are yet to be collected by record variations of name, and by studying differences in style and design - for instance, baskets which not so long ago were being made by women throughout the country.


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The FBI calls them the latest threat to law enforcement, extremists who disregard their U.S. Citizenship, do not pay taxes and blatantly ignore authority.
According to the Counterterrorism Analysis Section of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in the last three years, sovereign citizens have become a growing domestic threat to law enforcement. The FBI believes these particular citizens have a propensity to react violently when confronted with government officials, and because of that, the agency says it will now pay close attention to this latest, additional threat.
The FBI considers sovereign citizens as comprising as any other terrorist movement. They are scattered throughout the United States and have existed for decades with such known members as Terry Nichols, who helped plan the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
The blast tore apart the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of 6, and injured more than 680 people. It was considered the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Center.
Law enforcement officials say sovereign citizens do not represent an anarchist group, and are not part of a particular militia like Nichols, however they have been known to use or buy illegal weapons.
Deputy Assistant Director Stuart McArthur of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division explained, "We started to notice a heightened potential for violence."
According to the Washington Post, McArthur added, "The thing about generally sovereign citizen extremists is that because their ideology just intrinsically deals with the rejection, complete rejection, of the constitutional authority of the United States or any other government for that matter, that when you have an encounter with law enforcement, we have seen that has a potential to go high and right very fast."
They operate as individuals without established leadership and only come together in loosely affiliated groups to train, socialize or spread their ideology to other willing participants.
They may refer to themselves as "constitutionalists" or "freemen," which is not necessarily a connection to a specific group, merely indicating they are free from government control and follow their own set of laws.
While the philosophies and conspiracy theories vary from person to person, their core beliefs are generally the same. They believe the government operates outside their jurisdiction and refuse to recognize federal, state, or local laws, policies and regulations.
While the FBI does not have an official number of sovereign citizens, one analyst estimates there are about 100,000 across the nation. In 2009, 10 were legally convicted. That number increased to 18 in both 2010 and 2011, but most of the convictions were for white-collar crimes.
The FBI notes one particular example of a white collar crime that escalated into a standoff involving a New Hampshire couple convicted of federal income tax evasion, failure to honor federal payroll taxes, and other conspiracy fraud charges.
Elaine and Edward Brown, both sovereign-citizen extremists in their 60s, never appeared at their 2007 trial or sentencing.
In protest, the Browns barricaded themselves in their home during the summer and fall of 2007. The pair received support while issuing militant and threatening statements, and stockpiling weapons and explosives.
The Brown's were eventually charged with weapons offenses after their arrest in October 2007, when law enforcement discovered pipe bombs, improvised explosive devices made of gun powder cans with nails and screws taped to the outside, and a large cache of handguns and rifles that included .50-caliber rifles.
The FBI says sovereign citizens often produce documents that contain peculiar or out-of-ordinary language.
In some cases, they may even speak their own language or will write only in certain colors, such as in red crayon.
Other indicators that are used to help identify these individuals, law enforcement officials say are references to the Bible, the Constitution of the United States, U.S. Supreme Court decisions, and treaties with foreign governments.
Personal names spelled in all capital letters or interspersed with colons such as JOHN SMITH or Smith: John are also indicators along with signatures followed by the words "under duress," "Sovereign Living Soul" or SLS, the copyright symbol ©, personal seals, stamps, and thumb prints in red ink, as well as the words, "accepted for value".
Officials say they also may carry fraudulent drivers' licenses to indicate their view that law enforcement does not have the authority to stop their vehicle.
They may even write "No Liability Accepted" above their signature on the license to signify they do not accept it as a legitimate identification document.


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published: February 13th, 2007
There was a discussion on Full-disclosure and Bugtraq about a very peculiar vulnerability in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox which can be used by attackers to trick victims into uploading local files.
It was Michal Zalewski who brought this subject back on the table. The vulnerability he described is not new. In fact, it is a variation of an issues discovered back in 2000. The peculiar thing about it is that it was reported to Mozilla's Bugzilla back then but never fixed. [...]
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HOT PINK WHITE For iPhone 4 Defender Hard Case Holster - APL2-I4XXX-B4-E
|Coating on outside of touch screen membrane resists finger prints. New material used for touch screen membrane eliminates static, bubbles and "oil slick" appearance. Inner felt liner cushions your device. Textured silicone exterior for improved grip. Included holster holds device face in or face out (face in is recommended for highest level of protection)


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Colloidal Silver 5 0
User Ratings
[YEA] Thanks for the great info on MRSA. Below is a link from the US Patent Office of a CS product scientifically tested against MRSA. Scroll down to "10" (near bottom of page) for detail. The CS brand tested is from American Biotech Labs (aka American Silver). It is sold under different labels. It is sold at GNC stores as "Silver Biotics". Because the link for the patent is a mile long, I suggest you go to the USPTO website and do a search for the patent number.
http://patft.uspto.gov/ Patent nbr: 7,135,195
Lastly, there is also this info: "William Beaumont Army Medical Center has proven ABL's SilverSol Technology effective at killing all three forms of leishmaniasis, which causes the "Baghdad Boils" infecting U.S. soldiers, at a concentration of just 1-2 parts per million." http://www.cliftonmining.com/aboutABL.html
Replied by James
Akron, Ohio, Usa
01/19/2012[YEA] Two years ago I have MRSA staph infection. My left arm swelled up to double the regular size. I went to the hospital, they put my on an IV of antibiotics and the swelling went down a few days later. For a year and a half I would get reoccuring boils and swelling. I tried everything: Epsom Salts, Manuka Honey, Tea Tree Oil, etc. IT was only when I used Colloidal Silver in a nebulizer(it helps with asthma too) and externally on the boils that I noticed immediate relief from the staph infection.
I am thoroughly convinced that colloidal silver cures MRSA, though I am just speaking from personal experience.Replied by Liljen
Ravenna, Ohio/usa
04/12/2012Can I ask you what brand of Colloidal silver you used and at what dosage as a friend of mine is battling this for the last year and would like to know where is the best place to get it?
Cornstarch 0 0
User Ratings
WARNING! (1) 100% Posted by Helen (Clearfield, PA) on 07/31/2009
[WARNING!] People who are susceptable to MRSA and boils shouldn't use cornstarch-based body powders. Why: because cornstarch is a perfect growth medium for staph, and it is my contention that the use of cornstarch-based body powders has been a contributing factor is the rise of staph infections in general. But the more staph infections there are, the more likely one is to eventually get a resistant form, and who wants to play those odds?
p.s. Staph can cause boils without neccessarily being antibiotic resistant.Replied by Chris
Los Angeles, California, Usa
05/11/2011That is exactly correct. Cornstarch fosters not only the proliferation of certain bacteria, but also fungi. Talcum-containing products should be substituted.
Eliminate Sugar, Take Acidophilus 1 0
User Ratings
YEA (1) 100% Posted by Kristi (San Diego, Ca) on 04/10/2010
[YEA] I have had 2 cases of a MRSA infection where the doctors didnt know anything, gave me antiobiotics, and then cut and drained them. I haven't had one in 1.5 years after cutting out the majority of sugar from my diet. I take acidophilus in the morning, try to eat limited processed foods and as little as preservatives and sugars as possible. No soda, candy, chips, ect. I havent another infection and feel alot healthier.Replied by Worried
Columbus, Usa
06/27/2011Do you drink acidophilus as a probiotic capsule or drink as milk?
Epsom Salt Baths and Oregano Oil 1 0
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YEA (1) 100% Posted by Sherie (NC, US) on 11/29/2014
[YEA] I have found with MRSA the most important thing to eliminate pain and to promote healing is to get the boil opened up as soon as possible. The best, fastest and cheapest way to do this is by taking regular soaking baths in epsom salt. Also, take oil of oregano 2 or 3 times a day. I usually take 3 to 5 drops in a half a glass of orange juice. The juice masks the taste of the oil. I prefer to use DoTerra Essential oils as my trusted brand of oils. They have many other oils that you can use as well but Oregano has always done the trick for me.
Garlic Treatment for MRSA
Home Remedy Ingredients:
- Garlic - 1 Clove
Eating a clove of raw garlic daily can help kill a staph infection from the inside. You can also crush the garlic into a paste and apply it to a boil for 10-20 minutes at a time, 2-3 times a day. Don't keep it on any longer than that or you will burn your skin.
User Ratings
YEA (8) 100% Posted by Aftermath431 (Mountain View, Mo) on 08/04/2012
Hi. I have a MRSA infection just above my elbow. I have been on antibotics for about 2 months and its just about gone. Its a closed wound but doesnt seem to want to go completely away. The area is also pretty much flat just light red in color. Ive been applying silver gel to it for about 1 month, but dont know if its doing any good since the MRSA wound is closed up. So last night I applyed garlic I crushed and apllyed it to the Mrsa wound for about 8 hours. When I woke up and removed the garic the wound had indentation on it where the garlic was applyed and now the Mrsa wound is bright red almost like a burn, and slightly raised. Can someone please tell me what happened?Replied by Naomi
Chicago, Il
08/27/2012Hi Aftermath, you've probably figured this out by now but it looks like a burn because it is a burn-(that is it's a type of chemical burn. I think that's the right term, I'm not exactly sure). I did something similar a few weeks ago, I've been on antibiotics for a month trying to cure a staph infection and tried some garlic topically on the infection for about two hours. Decided it didn't feel right and took it off, it was raised and red but within a few days scabbed up pretty regularly. Garlic burns can be bad, and after I did it (put fresh, crushed garlic on the site) I looked up how to make a proper poultice and they said no longer than ninety seconds of application to avoid burns. However, I did it for 30 minutes in a second application, and did not receive any burns. Tried it again for 50 minutes, and it was iffy so now 20-30min is my limit. Also, the garlic seemed to help the first and second time but not the third for whatever reason. I should try it again but am going to try colloidal silver first. Also, I'm not sure what kind of silver solution you are using but there is apparently a difference between colloidal silver (silver particles suspended in a colloid) and some other silver products- I have one that contains silver chloride, but it didn't do anything for me and I've found out it's not as effective as the other. Hope this helps. Thank you all for the wonderful website! My appreciation is beyond words.Posted by Prosperity (Tampa, Fl) on 08/29/2011
[YEA] I went to the hospital last week for something that I thought was an insect bite. My result came back MRSA. Strong garlic pill crushed in coconut oil is working for me. I'm on a pillician also. I prayed to God for His help and He has answered. Thank you LordPosted by Mommy V (Washington, D.C., Usa) on 08/12/2011
[YEA] My family (self, hubby, children, father, mother-in-law, sister, niece, nephew... ) suffered from recurrent MRSA skin infections for several years. At the worst of it, my husband had multiple boils the size of baseballs over his legs and backside. My sister and her 2-yr-old daughter went through half a dozen types of antibiotics over the course of a year, and even after resistance tests the MRSA would recur a month or two later. We saw infectious disease doctors, pediatriciants, naturopaths... We disinfected everything over and over. We eliminated sugar, white flour, preservatives, dyes, and MSG from our diets. (We lost a lot of weight and my allergies cleared up, but the MRSA kept returning.)
One night, after hours of prayer, I stumbled across a page by Bob Anderson (garlic farmer) on the MRSA Forum USA. He explained that while the allicin in garlic is potent enough to destroy MRSA on contact, it does not survive in stomach acid and therefore doesn't reach the skin when injested. He recommended bathing in garlic water. Sure enough, within a week my husband and both of my boys had clear skin!! In the 4 months since we tried garlic baths, my husband has had only one recurrence (which happened after we stayed a week in the home of someone else who had MRSA) and one garlic bath cleared up the boil overnight. WOW! What a relief! Praise God, whose "medicine" is so brilliantly complex (and free from side-effects).
1. Crush 4-6 cloves of non-irradiated garlic (look for white/green sprout in middle of each clove)
2. Let stand 30-90 minutes to allow allicin to develop.
3. Add garlic to warm bath. Submerge as much of the body as possible.
4. Soak for an hour or two, two or three times a week.Replied by Mommy V
Washington, D.C., Usa
08/24/2011Important note: It is likely that the first garlic bath will bring existing boils to a head. (This may make boils/rashes appear worse after the first bath. ) But, keep going... things should improve rapidly with subsequent baths.
Also, trust your intuition. If you sense skin irritation, take a couple days off. If you are bathing children, use less garlic and shorter baths.Replied by Mei
Texas, US
02/18/2015Hi MommyV! I was wondering how you guys are doing? Have you had any reoccuring boils since doing the baths several years ago? We just started and I'm praying it works. I would love to hear you and your family are doing now. Thanks so much!!! =)Replied by Macha
05/23/2015I'm curious to know how it's going too- and any further observations and info...TIA :-)Posted by Ana (North Lauderdale, Florida) on 03/14/2011
Garlic sliced in half with some criss cross cuts or pounded on once or twice placed directly on the boil worked for me. I have colonized MRSA and my less-than-willing-to-try-anything-other-than-lancing-and-antibiotics husband has it as well.
I have been suffering with back to back boils for 3 months. I tried ACV; drinking it and placing it on the boil. It did help burst it but it did not help keep them at bay. Tumeric applied to and taken helped to alleviate the pain and swelling somewhat, but it did not burst them or stop them. Campho-Phenique did not work for me, and Ichthamol Ointment helped to drain them after they burst but I cannot say it actually helped burst them.
I put garlic directly on my latest boil at the first sign of it and it made it go away before it got very painful. For the first 10-15 mins the burning was intense. it did subside and I actually felt a kind of "let down" in the boil. I left it on for an hour. The pain was greatly diminished. I did it again the next day and there wasn't any real burning or anything. I left it on overnight. The third day, I could no longer see or even feel where the boil was.
I started taking one clove of crushed garlic with water today and plan to take it every day to see if this helps to prevent the boils as I see it works to stop it once one starts.
I have been taking echinacea in white tea with unprocessed honey throughout.
I cannot stress enough how careful you have to be about your hygiene when you're having an outbreak . Wash your sheets in hot water, change them often, do not use your towel more than once, bathe at least twice a day, wear gloves when handling the boil and wash your hands often.
I used silver bandages on another boil that had drained and it healed much quicker than others I had before. These bandages don't stick to the skin as harshly as others do so I had less irratation to the surrounding skin as well. I found them online.
Thanks to all that contribute to this site.Replied by Ana
North Lauderdale, Florida
05/17/2011[YEA] update-5/17
I have been boil free for 2 months now. I was taking raw garlic everyday for about 2 weeks after my original post and cut that down to 3 times a week since. I also take echinacea in white tea with unprocessed honey for one week before my period and this combination has worked to keep me boil free for the last 2 months. Nothing else had worked before.Posted by Naturalhealthmom (Miami, Fl, USA) on 12/27/2009
[YEA] Raw Garlic for MRSA
I have been fighting recurring MRSA infections (boils) for over 18 months now...I tried Allicin, Colloidal Silver, Turmeric, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Oregano Oil, Oive Leaf Extract, Rife Machines, MMS...you name it, I have probably tried it. Last week, I started to get another boil- it was spreading and I started a fever of 100.5...I had nothing to lose and so I crushed 2-3 garlic cloves in my garlic press, let it sit for 14 minutes, mixed the garlic then THOROUGHLY with honey and gulped it down in one swallow. Make sure NOT to do this on an empty stomach!!!! Within 4 hours, my fever broke and the redness started to retreat. After all the other things I tried and all the frustrating months, amazing that the raw garlic took care of it! I proceeded to do the garlic 2x a day for 10 days and and am now going to take it 1x a day for the next two weeks to make sure it has killed all the MRSA staph. I am also drinking Phenomenal Water. I hope this helps many people. I also want to note that I used organic garlic and raw honey.Replied by Alex
Long Beach, Ca,united States
02/24/2011I'm also taking pHenomenal!! So glad to see someone else out there who has found that amazing product! I've also been taking goldenseal, have you tried that one before? Also what kind of honey are you using with the garlic? And have you tried tea tree oils before? I'm wanting to try tea tree oil in my nose but I'm kind of hesitant on how thats going to go, let me know if you have any opinions on that! Thanks!Replied by Vanislegirl
Vancouver Island, Canada
01/10/2012I have tried antibiotics and it definitely made things worse. I've been using baking soda/seasalt/aloe pastes and that seems to be working, but still 3 small boils I'm dealing with. I've recently added ground flaxseed to the paste and hope that helps. I'm going to do the crushed garlic both internal and external with manuka honey starting today. Hopefully I'll repost and let you know I'm cured! Its been 3 years (I was misdiagnosed with hormonal acne until 4 months ago when I got extremely ill from the mrsa).Posted by Sunny (Carlisle, PA) on 12/15/2008
[YEA] Garlic (actually Allicin from ____) cured my MRSA. My husband got the first, he was tested by his doctor and was found to have it. He took antibiotics. It went away and came back a second time. Again he treated it with antibiotics from the doctor. Shortly after he got it. I got a painful boil just like the one he had. I did not go to the doctor to be tested. I was sure that it was the same MRSA that my husband had.
I took the strong garlic ___ orally, six a day. I also used the cream. My MRSA when away. I never had to go to the doctor. It has not come back. It was expensive but it was worth it.Replied by Shelby
Newburgh, Indiana
12/22/2009I was wondering about non-MRSA staph infections and allicin - does it take a lower dosage or the same? I see predominantly MRSA cures, however I was wondering if the same can be applied across the board to any staph infection.
Currently I am taking a clove of garlic a day, 2 spoonfuls of manuka honey, 1,000mg of turmeric plus whatever I drink or eat with it in it mixed with cayenne pepper. The cephalexin I tried scared me, 500mg 4x a day for 10 days - I made it one day before my head felt as though it was going to explode and I couldn't breathe. I was just curious to know if I should be tested for the MRSA or what or if I should give the allicin a whirl. I am tired of feeling crummy.Replied by Shelby
Newburgh, In
01/05/2010Thought I would give update - I actually completed the entire antibiotic round given to me and the infection seemed to be under control. Once the keflex ran out, I went to the doctor for more, but he told me I was fine and to just use cortisone for the itching. I get the sneaking suspicion he was blowing me off, though the rash is still on my face but doesn't burn like before. I have a feeling it is almost gone and I don't want it to flare up again worse than before. Turmeric had gotten it under control, I will try crushed garlic to kill the rest of it off and see what happens. Quite the bugger to kill...Posted by Christy (Springfield, OR) on 07/14/2008
[YEA] I did it! I cured my son's MRSA that he was fighting for quite sometime. The boils were hurting him so bad it broke my heart. I just about came to the end of my rope when the physicians wanted to try him on another dose of antibiotics. I did my research on Allicin figured I had nothing else to loose. It took sometime to find the mg of Allicin that I was looking for (450 mg). I found some that was 490 mg and cost 1/4th as much as I was quoted at other nutritional stores. 7 pills for 5 weeks and he is cured! The doctors can't believe it. This Garlic Onion complex that I found is a LIFESAVER!! If you have trouble finding it locally please ask me and I will let you know of the company that I use. Good luck to everyone. MRSA can be beat!Replied by Lanette
Victoria, BC Canada
11/30/2008I have have MRSA for the 4th time now and am allergic to sulfa now. I'm on Clindamycin and I'm scared to death of this. I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get allicin in Canada and colloidal silver. Does this really eradicate it? Are they both taken orally? Thanks so much.
EC: Most local health food stores in Canada will carry allicin (garlic) and colloidal silver.Replied by Beth
Sacramento, Ca
09/13/2009[YEA] My husband is much better and we are so pleased with the results. You know how hard it is to get a man to see a dr even if it is life-threatening...I am so happy. Who knew garlic would be the answer.Replied by Tina
Bowling Green, Ohio
12/03/2009Could you please tell me where you got the less expensive allicin? Thank you. TinaReplied by Bigal123
Oxford, N.c. America
01/14/2012Silver kills mrsa- read this: http://www.colloidalsilvercuresmrsa.com/mrsa_cure.htmReplied by Jackie
09/16/2013To Christy from Springfield, OR: where did you get the 490 mg Allicin?Posted by Cathy (Marin County, CA) on 03/08/2008
[YEA] Hello everyone, Our family survived a vicious attack of f MRSA ourselves. My two sons were viciously attacked by flesh eating boils. I had a more mild attack. The boils my slesh eating MRSA. I know this will be hard to believe, however we dealt withons had grew to the size of small grapefruits.
My oldest son came home one day with a bad "spider bite" -- it slowly healed. A week later 6 more boils came back and they were literally eating away at his legs within a few hours. We took him to our family doctor of 20 yrs plus, and his nurse practitioner threw Septra, Doxycicline, and Murpirocin ointment at the infection. Our doctor called us and told us not to worry. He said that they have never had the antibiotics fail to kill the infection and that it would not come back.
Well, it did come back within 10 days after using the drugs correctly. The drugs did cause the infection to retreat which was a part of what save his life because it bought us time to research. We also consulted with an Infectious Disease Doctor and he confirmed my thinking, the doctors are experimenting to see which antibiotic might kill MRSA. At that point I lost confidence in doctors and antibiotics and decided to research and pray.
Our lives depended on finding something that would cause the boils to go away. We did find something and it was___ and ___ ____ [garlic]. We used it as suggested and got the results we needed. Since we used ____ ___ ___ ___ ____ [garlic], we have not had any signs or symptoms of MRSA for over 2 yrs.
My youngest son who also had flesh eating boils, did not need any antibiotics or medical care at all since we used ___ ___ [garlic]. We did keep in close contact with our doctors through our recovery process. We used ____(research links below) topically and internally. ___ ____ ___ [garlic] needs to be used properly to achieve the desired results.
Because of our recovery and the recovery of many others using ___ ___ [garlic], I want to help others. I am not a doctor or health practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I have been able to help many to get the same desired results that our family had. I am blessed and honored to do so. I have provided research links for all of you below. Feel free to email us if you would like our help with where to purchase
___ __ ___ __ __ and how to use it properly. God bless, Cathy
Here are some research links to help:
Here is our website that has more about our recovery and MRSA info. _____.com
Please consult with your doctor regarding any natural protocols that you want to combine with antibiotics.Replied by Jag
Toronto, On
08/12/2009Of course garlic is good, but on these forums of needy people, some elements are trying to make money by selling products at much higher prices and promoting specific brands which they sell. Be careful and don't buy from these inhumans.
EC: Yes, and thank you for pointing out this post! Most of their other posts were removed long ago... We are leaving this one on the site (now fully edited) to show how companies submit posts with key words that repeat over and over in order to bring up favorable results on Google. In this case, certain words describing a certain garlic supplement were used repeatedly.Replied by Livvy
Philadelphia, Pa
06/21/2013I am struggling with recurring MRSA and am fighting it with raw garlic. It seems to be working so far, but what is the link where I could find the Allicin tablets?
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YEA (3) 100% Posted by Zander (Cincinnatti, Oh) on 12/04/2011
We had a bed bug infestation from a guitar case which we had loaned out and retrieved.
We self treated with DE [you have to be VERY careful with this, protect your respiratory system with a respirator, not a paint mask and it must be food grade, not swimming pool filter type] and, at a separate time, yes kerosene. We have an all wood ceiling and floors. We used a nasty, non-natural insecticide in the kerosene and mopped the floors and ceiling with the mixture. Obviously, one must exercise common sense caution with the use of kerosene [as with any flammable liquid], which is the centuries old treatment for bed bug destruction and repulsion [old timers would place their bed posts in cans of kerosene to prevent them from scaling the posts].
A thorough examination of the bed frame and bedding--under mattresses particularly, must be done as well as under lamps, particularly floor lamps, furnishings, book cases, behind switch plates and outlet covers. Remove such covers and paint the backs of each with DE bound in a bit of soapy water. Allow to dry completely before replacing.
We made the fatal error of using bug "bombs" at our first discovery of these creatures which spread them and caused us to have to battle them for months, rather than the day or so it might have taken to eradicate them. The bug bombs spread them. They are much easier to find and eliminate if they are not spread.
The last bed bug we saw was 3 months after the search and destroy measures faithfully followed as described above; however, I experienced what I believed were bite marks for ..... two years afterwards.
I went to extreme measures and actually slept in a diving suit! When "bite" marks appeared inside the covered areas I tried to determine if these were delayed skin reactions to previous bites that had perhaps occurred elsewhere in the home. That was so much fun to wonder about.
After leaving my home for three months, I came to suspect MRSA as the source of the "bite" marks. The marks were typically MRSA like "spider bite" in appearance.
I began a natural protocol for MRSA which included zinc, turmeric and coconut oil. The "bites" then disappeared.
I believe that what I had was MRSA carried by the bed bugs. I would like to confirm with a home test kit, if possible. If anyone has information about where such can be ordered online, I would be truly grateful.Posted by Jacli2001 (Philadelphia, Pa) on 07/18/2011
Hi Ted,
I am hoping you can please help. I gave birth to twins April 27th, 2011 and ended up with masititus immediately following. I am so blessed the twins have not been affected thus far. June 1st, 2011 I had an IND done on the inside of my left breast and was informed that I was heavily infected with MRSA. I was put on all the latest and greates antibiotics. I had reactions to most of them and was sent home on June 10th with clyndamyocin for 15 days. Meanwhile some of my lymphs nodes well swelling while I was on the antibiotics and a continual hard mass remained somewhat nest to the incision. Once the incision closed over I started putting honey on my breast to keep away the MRSA and help with scarring.
On July 15th I started to have a rash outbreak on the outside of my left breast. It was blistery So everywhere I was applying the honey (manuka honey) there was no sign of infection. So if you can picture a square-like area on breast was free and clear of the infection. This gave me faith that the honey was working. So I appliead Honey all over the affected area and the scarred area.
On Jul 16th I went and bought a large quantity of turmeric, coconut oil, epsom salt, organic acai berry juice, tea tree oil. This morning I had noticed redness and cellulitus on the inside of my left breast, where the mass is. I immediately started taking the turneric and applying the tea tree oil and drinking the acai juice. I later washed with the epsom salt and applied coconut oil to my legs. I have also had a continual bad case of folliculitus on my legs ever since I contracted the mrsa.
On July 17th the area on the inside of my breast is gone and the outside are looks all scabbed over like scrath. It looks as if nothing more is there. I am still applying tea tree oil and then honey all over my breast, as well as taking the turmeric (3 teaspoons a day) I also drank a glass of acai berry too. Things appear better on the outside. However, my breast is swollen and once this started I had aching in my breast that extends into my back and left arm. If I wear anything other than a sports bra aching will extend into my left leg. This aching is still there and the swellingis also there though the outside appears healed.
My theory is the mass is old milk colonized or infected with mrsa that didn't surface with the majority of everything else. I am fearful I am going to have another surgery. I do not want to take antibiotics because of the affects. I just order some colloidal silver tincture and soap. I rarely drink soda and I eat gluten free.
I am also being seen by a surgeon who wanted me to take antibitotics and agreed if I didn't have a fever that I don't need them.
What would you recommend? Also my multivitamin has B-6 in it. Were explaing that B-6 should be avoided? I was unclear in your explanation.
Thanks you.Replied by Dee
Central Tx
07/07/2013Hello, You said, "some of my lymphs nodes swelling."
A few years ago I had a lab report that said, "metastasized" about my huge, sluggish lymph nodes. The lymph got working right with AG (Arabinogalactan called AG ImmunEnhancer, a disaccharide from the larch tree). It reduced my gigantic lymph nodes (ping-pong ball sized) to normal navy bean size in three days. I took 3 capsules each morning and evening for the three days. So much for "metastasized cancer in lymph nodes"! (I don't really believe the diagnosis; just think something was blocking my lymph nodes.) Blessings.Replied by P
Charlotte, Nc
02/14/2015How did your mastitis/mrsa turn out? What cured it?Posted by Bonnie (Campton, Ky) on 04/05/2011
I have a pool. Last summer my 13 yr. old daughter had MRSA. She did not tell me and got into the pool. So how do I rid my pool of MRSA?Replied by Nikki
San Diego, Ca
06/22/2011[YEA] My son has had 2 staph infections, he would get these clusters of bumps that start out like pimples and then turn into an infection. He recently had another outbreak on his leg, 3 bumps, I immediately rubbed garlic on it and it disappeared the next day. A few days later it came back in another spot, after almost 2 weeks of trying to get rid of it, I found this product called PHenomenal. After 2 days of using this water/gel it was gone like magic. I even tried a little on my face for acne and it cleared me up. I highly recommend it, it worked great for my son!


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Daniel Radcliffe Doesn't Understand Why His Gay Sex Scenes Are Considered "Shocking"
Daniel Radcliffe may still be most famous for playing Harry Potter, but he definitely has an edgy side.
Dan got nude on stage for Equus — where he had really close relationships with horses — and he plays poet Allen Ginsberg in the new film Kill Your Darlings, during which he is shown having sexy time with men. The guy's just comfortable in his own skin — but apparently not everyone is comfortable with his uninhibited acting.
Daniel, 23, told MTV News he doesn't understand why people seem fixated on the gay sex scenes. "For me, there's something very strange about that because we see straight sex scenes all the time," Daniel said (via Gossip Cop). "We've seen gay sex scenes before. And I don't know why a gay sex scene should be any more shocking than a straight sex scene. Or both of them are equally un-shocking." He was especially surprised to have people asking him questions about the gay sex scenes as if they were more shocking than what he was doing in Equus.
It does seem like everything after Equus should pale in comparison. But for some people, Daniel will always be Harry and they'll be "shocked" whenever he veers from that path.
Source: Gossip Cop


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'Once Upon a Time': 'Downton Abbey's' Lesley Nicol makes her debutAdd to Favorites | Once Upon a Time
On the latest episode of "Once Upon a Time," titled "The Queen is Dead," it's Snow White's birthday and she's not too happy about it.
Above, you can see she's kind of mad that Charming made her a birthday breakfast. She also gets a tiara from a "Johanna," whom we know from the clip below turns out to be a servant at the palace that Snow was kind of snotty to.
Also below, Snow spies on Regina and Cora on the hunt for Rumpel's dagger, and Emma and Mr. Gold lament not being welcome to share in pizza and bonding time with their respective sons.
We'd have to guess Snow White hates her birthday because that was the day her mother died, right? The title of the episode is "The Queen is Dead," after all.
We're excited to see Snow reunite with Johanna in Storybrooke, since she's played by "Downton Abbey's" lovely Lesley Nicol. Mrs. Patmore FTW!
"Once Upon a Time" airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Photo/Video credit: ABC


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When it comes to Pakistan's role in the global war on terror, President Obama may not get it, but Senator Levin does.
Pardon me for calling it the "war on terror" and not the administration's politically correct term of "overseas contingency operation." I suppose the war on drugs is now the "domestic contingency operation."
If the senator has his way, American aid to Pakistan will be dependent on Islamabad's demonstration that it is willing and able to confront the militant Islamist groups inside the country. The two groups that the United States are most concerned about are al-Qa'idah and the Taliban. Senator Levin may be placing himself at odds with President Obama.
Obama wants to provide $1.5 billion in aid to Pakistan to help in the battle against the insurgents who are using the lawless Pakistani tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan as a safe haven and as a staging area for attacks against American, Afghan and NATO forces. The President is absolutely correct in his assessment that going after the Taliban and al-Qa'idah in Pakistan is crucial to a victory in Afghanistan. Granted, the President has never uttered the words "victory" or "win" when talking about the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan - I added that.
I was encouraged, however, when I heard the President at least say that we would "defeat" the insurgents - that's a start. As I told Mr. Obama a few weeks ago, start talking like the commander in chief of the strongest armed forces in the world and soon you might start acting like it. That might just be happening.
However, Senator Levin is right to be concerned about providing over a billion dollars to one of the most corrupt countries on the planet without some demonstration that we will get a return on the investment. There needs to be strict control and accountability of the funds, a difficult task when dealing with a fungible commodity like money. It is even more difficult in the bazaar-like atmosphere of South Asia.
The paramount concern - siphoning off of American aid that will end up in the hands of the very people it is meant to combat - is real. Specifically, it is critical that any funds provided to the Pakistan's intelligence servce, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), be tightly managed. The ISI is riddled with officers who are more sympathetic to the Taliban - the ISI was instrumental in creating the Taliban - and to al-Qa'idah, than loyal to the central government in Islamabad. These guys bear watching at the minimum, and weeding out at best.
This comes at a time when the top Taliban commander in Pakistan, Bayt-allah Mehsud, declared that his organization will conduct a spectacular attack on Washington, DC. Mehsud also claimed responsibility for the recent attack on a police academy in Lahore.
We need to make sure that Pakistan in is the fight - on our side. If it takes American funds to make that happen, fine, but as Senator Levin contends, we need to see some real commitment on the part of the Pakistanis.
I rarely agree with Senator Levin's "progressive" policies, but this time, he's right on the money - figuratively and literally.
March 31, 2009
Aid to Pakistan - Senator Levin gets it right
When it comes to Pakistan's role in the global war on terror, President Obama may not get it, but Senator Levin does.
March 29, 2009
Air strike in Sudan hits old arms route
In January and again in February, unidentified foreign aircraft struck an arms convoy in Sudan near the Egyptian border. The conventional wisdom is that the strike was conducted by Israeli Air Force aircraft and that their target was a convoy headed for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Given the timing of the attacks - the last week of January and the early part of February - it must have been the Israelis. It is inconceivable that the Obama administration would have ordered this type of proactive decisive operation by the U.S. Air Force. The new American president is still laboring under the impression that his words will move Hamas to change its ways. The Israelis have concluded that only force of arms will move Hamas.
The attack on this arms transhipment route highlights an ages-old smuggling route, one used for at least two decades by the Iranians to support their clients in the Middle East and North Africa.
The red line on the map shows the route used by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force to move weapons from Iran to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. First, the arms are moved by air or sea to the Sudan. Generally speaking, arms and ammunition are heavy, so they are most likely moved by ship from Iranian ports to Port Sudan. From the port, the materiel is moved by trucks up the coastal road along the Red Sea into Egypt, continuing up along the Gulf of Suez.
There are a few spots to cross the Suez Canal, but the most likely is the well-established commercial ferry service at Qantarah (photo). I have crossed the canal here several times - it is a beehive of transhipping activity. These ferries are easily capable of moving heavy loads across the canal.
Once the materiel is on the Sinai side of the canal, it is moved to the Egyptian border with the Gaza Strip. At this point, it is broken down into much smaller parcels and smuggled through the scores of tunnels under the border into the Gaza Strip, where they are stored and used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. While this might seem like an inefficient method of moving arms from Iran into Gaza, it has been surprisingly effective. It is effective because it is relatively easy to bribe Egyptian customs and border officials to look the other way.
One of Israel's demands for a long-term truce with Hamas is the cessation of this arms smuggling. To be effective, this must include a commitment on the part of the Egyptians to control their borders. Israel has conducted numerous air strikes on the tunnels, but the soil on this border is conducive to tunneling, and the Gazans are highly motivated by the profits generated from the smuggling of consumer goods into the Strip.
Arms and goods - legitimate and otherwise - have traveled this route since trade began in ancient tiems. Iran has used it in the past to move weapons to Islamist groups in Africa, and now to Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip. It should come as no surprise that Israel is interdicting the weapons before they arrive at the Gaza border.
In January and again in February, unidentified foreign aircraft struck an arms convoy in Sudan near the Egyptian border. The conventional wisdom is that the strike was conducted by Israeli Air Force aircraft and that their target was a convoy headed for Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
March 25, 2009
IDF Chief snubbed in Washington - a message to Israel
The Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, visited Washington, DC, last week to meet with senior American officials to discuss what Israel believes is the growing Iranian threat to his country. In light of President Obama's attempts to reach out to the mullahs in Tehran - the most recent a Nowruz (Persian new year) video message - the IDF chief brought new intelligence on Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
Both American and Israeli intelligence establishments believe that Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons. The difference between the two assessments is how soon Iran will achieve that capability. The Israelis believe the Iranians are on the verge of developing a nuclear warhead for its ballistic missiles - missiles that can easily reach anywhere in Israel.
Press reports described Ashkenazi's reception in Washington as "extraordinarily cool" - he did not meet with any of the Obama Cabinet, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. He also was unable to schedule a meeting with his counterpart, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. Add to that list Director of National Intelligence Admiral Dennis Blair.
This is almost unheard of. The United States and Israel have close military and intelligence ties. It is quite normal for the IDF chief to meet with defense and intelligence officers. Keep in mind that in Israel, the defense establishment is the senior intelligence authority, making Ashkenazi not only Admiral Mullen's counterpart, but Admiral Blair's as well. Meetings such as those that did not happen are commonplace, at least they were.
What has changed? Obviously, we have a new administration whose foreign policy is somewhat changed. The unavailability of virtually any senior official is telling. This administration appears to have determined that forging a new relationship with Iran may come at the expense of the close relationship with Israel that goes back decades.
The only meeting with a senior American official was with National Security Advisor General James Jones. However, the meeting was focused on U.S. demands that Israel lift some military restrictions on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Jones was not there to listen to anything about what Israeli leaders considers an "existential" threat to the Jewish state.
The IDF spokesman tried to soften the blow with this emailed explanation, "The schedule for the United States visit of the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, was preplanned according to requests made by American officials. Any meetings that were canceled were substituted with telephone conference calls." An IDF internet site claimed that Ashkenazi returned to Israel to participate in talks revolving around the negotiations for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Conference calls? I'm not buying it. This treatment of General Ashkenazi is a not-so-subtle message to the Israelis: the situation has changed and you may be on your own in dealing with the Iranians.
How else can the Israelis interpret it? Obama has made several overtures to the Iranians - a terrorist country (unless you ask Janet Napolitano, then it is a "state sponsor of human-caused disasters") according to the State Department - all of which have been rebuffed. Obama advisors are urging the President to talk to not only the Taliban (a terrorist organization), but also Hizballah and Hamas (also terrorist organizations). As one analyst (that would be me) puts it, "We are trying to talk to the exact people we should be trying to kill."
Rather than dissuading the Israelis from a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Obama Administration's refusal to talk to senior Israeli military and intelligence officials may actually hasten the action they seek to stop. If Israel cannot get some assurance of support from the United States, it will feel compelled to act unilaterally.
Mr. President, you are talking to the wrong people.
The Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, visited Washington, DC, last week to meet with senior American officials to discuss what Israel believes is the growing Iranian threat to his country. In light of President Obama's attempts to reach out to the mullahs in Tehran - the most recent a Nowruz (Persian new year) video message - the IDF chief brought new intelligence on Iran's nuclear and missile programs.
March 22, 2009
Memo to Supreme Leader on the United States
Samir Inqilabi, Principal
Date: Favardin 2, 1388
Subject: The Great Satan
To: His Excellency Ayatollah Sayid Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Your Excellency,
I read with great interest your reaction to U.S. President Obama's recent Nowruz message to the Iranian people. Supporters of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic applaud your staunch position despite the pleas of the Great Satan's skillful orator. His repeated attempts to gain your favor only demonstrate the failures of his nation's policies toward the Iranian and Islamic peoples.
That said, Excellency, perhaps a change in your rhetoric might be more beneficial to the Revolution and further our cause. I humbly propose that you be more receptive - or appear to be - to Mr. Obama's approaches. This will force him to either make even more positive overtures toward the Islamic Republic, or reveal himself for what he most likely is - a clever speaker. When pressed to produce results, do we really expect him to stop his country's dangerous support for Israel, to lift sanctions on the Islamic Republic, or to apologize for the abysmal treatment of Iran over the last six decades?
Will the American people stand for a president that almost immediately upon taking office tries to appease almost all of their enemies? After all, Obama has already said he wants to talk to "moderate" elements of the Taliban. Yes, Excellency, I am aware how laughable that is - almost as laughable as earlier American administrations trying to appeal to "moderate" elements of the Iranian revolution. In January the Obama transition team indicated that the new president was even considering opening a channel to Hamas, to stop ostracizing our brothers in the Islamic Resistance. Even before that, he acknowledged that our most successful group - Hizballah - has "legitimate claims."
It remains to be seen, but this is your opportunity to put him on the spot. You have already, as the American's say, put the ball into his court. Now is the chance to make him perform. He has already demonstrated his weakness through multiple pathetic pleas for your approval. Paraphrasing candidate Obama, "Now is our time." Many of our Arabic-speaking brethren always fondly say these things will happen fil mish-mish ("in the time of the apricots," meaning never). Excellency, the trees are blooming.
Here are some suggested issues you may use to challenge Mr. Obama. Ask him to officially take the military option off the table in regards to our peaceful nuclear program. Ideally, he will then declare publicly that we have the right to enrich uranium - after all, it is for our electrical power needs of the future. It helps, Excellency, if you are able to stifle a smile when you repeat this fabrication.
I realize that this may be too much for Mr. Obama's first step in changing America's policy from one of leadership to one of acquiescence. Perhaps you should start with something less controversial - demand the unfreezing of Iranian assets in the United States and moving towards an end to the criminal sanctions on the Islamic Republic as expressions of his good intentions. Obama can enlist his friends in Europe and the United Nations to help on this effort.
I would have advised not to push on the Israeli issue as the Zionist lobby in the United States is very powerful, but things may be changing. The Israeli military chief of staff, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, was given what was described in the press as an "extraordinarily cool" reception in Washington by the Obama administration last week - he was there to talk about our alleged nuclear weapons program. I take this as a sign that the new administration regards Iran as much more important than past presidencies did. Perhaps now might be the time to ask Obama for a real gesture at the expense of America's relationship with Israel.
Excellency, the naive American president has painted himself into a corner. If he wants to improve relations with the Islamic Republic, he now has to make a concession to us. Seize the moment.
You have my number, Excellency - call.
March 21, 2009
Memo to President on Iran
Rick Francona, Principal
Date: 21 March 2009
Subject: Iran
To: President Barack Obama
I am sure that you have appointed capable and experienced advisors on a wide range of issues facing our country. I believe Dennis Ross, a respected diplomat and scholar on Middle East affairs, is part of your team. I urge you to listen to them. Of course, if your recent videotape to the Iranians was his idea, fire him.
Why do I say that? Because your recent attempts have fallen on deaf ears, specifically, these deaf ears.
This is not the first time you have demonstrated the same naivete about Iranian and Middle East issues. Almost immediately after assuming office, you granted your first television interview to the UAE-based Arabic language network al-Arabiyah. Your comments were immediately ridiculed by numerous Iranian officials, including their current president, past president, a vice president, the foreign minister and several government spokesmen.
When I critiqued your performance during the al-Arabiyah interview, I ended with this statement: "All President Obama can do now is make concessions, the exact wrong thing to do. While I am sure he views his actions as bold and strong, in the region this makes him look weak...."
This time is no different. Although you cleverly aimed your comments at the Iranian people, it was taken by the Iranian government as yet another clumsy outreach attempt on your part. The reaction from Tehran, as last time, was swift and predictable. The words were almost identical.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - the real power in Iran - characterized your outreach as "hollow words." He wants to see you make some fundamental changes in our policy before he is willing to consider a change in his stance. Those changes specifically include an agreement that Iran's nuclear program is not a topic for compromise.
Oh, by the way, Mr. President, he also wants you to stop American "unconditional support" for Israel, quit claiming Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, release frozen Iranian assets and lift sanctions.
In his mind, he has now squarely placed the ball in your court. Unfortunately, since you failed to heed my earlier advice, he is right to think that. The rest of the world is now watching for your next move. You have painted yourself into a corner. Your choice is either to appear to maintain the hard line or to make concessions.
That's actually no choice. You cannot make concessions to this regime. You should have put the ball in their court, rather than setting yourself up for a policy failure.
As I told you before, I realize that you think you are showing strength by reaching out to the Iranian leadership. However, they regard it as a sign of weakness and as willingness to compromise on your part. Doing so twice only confirms it.
You have my number - call.
March 19, 2009
Israel getting tough with Hamas - how unfair!!
Captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit Following the collapse of Egyptian-mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the release of a captured Israeli soldier, Israeli troops detained 10 Hamas politicians on the West Bank.
Gilad Shalit was captured by Gaza-based Hamas fighters in a cross border raid in 2006. He has been in Hamas custody since that time, despite repeated attempts by the Israeli government to secure his release.
As usual, Hamas's demands for an exchange of prisoners have been over the top. The latest demands include amnesty and release of dozens of senior Palestinians militants, all with Israeli blood on their hands.
After the politicians were detained by the Israelis, Hamas complained that the arrests were a reaction to the failed talks in Cairo. This comes as a surprise?
Of course the arrests are an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to exercise some lucidity in the negotiations. Israeli officials have also hinted that the 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons might face tougher conditions unless there is progress on the Shalit negotiations. Initially, it is thought that the prisoners will be denied visits by their families. Perhaps when Shalit's family is permitted to visit him, then the Palestinian families can visit their incarcerated relatives.
Additionally, Israel is likely to tighten the already economically crippling blockade of the Gaza Strip. Virtually all non-humanitarian goods and services must be smuggled into the Palestinian enclave via the 20-mile stretch of its border with Egypt, mostly via a series of tunnels that are often bombed by Israeli fighter aircraft. Israel could easily slow down humanitarian aid to the bare minimums.
While many believe these attempts to intimidate the Palestinians merely strengthen their resolve, at some point, hardship demands a change in policy. Is holding one Israeli soldier worth the collapse of the economy?
The Hamas spokesman's words are classic and reveal a lot. "Israel's arrests of Hamas leaders and lawmakers in the West Bank is an attempt to blackmail the resistance and achieve gains in the prisoner case. It shows the bankruptcy of the enemy. We call on the resistance factions to stick to their conditions in any prisoner exchange that will be discussed."
Words like "resistance" and "enemy" underscore its stance on the Jewish state. Its charter, and recent rhetoric, calls for the elimination of Israel. The recent Gaza conflict in December and January between Israeli troops and Hamas did nothing to change the status quo - it merely removed about 1000 Hamas members from the scene.
What options do the Israelis have? They believe they have no other recourse but to continue the pressure on the Gaza Strip - and thus on Hamas - until either the population rises up against the group or another war ensues.
Continued intransigence by Hamas merely guarantees the formation of a hard-line Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu. Hamas will not like Netanyahu's solutions to the Hamas issue....
Following the collapse of Egyptian-mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the release of a captured Israeli soldier, Israeli troops detained 10 Hamas politicians on the West Bank.
March 15, 2009
Iranian ascendancy - an opportunity for U.S. policy
Iran's rising influence in the Middle East is causing concern in the Gulf Arab states, long rivals of the Persian country across the water. That presents some opportunities for U.S. foreign policy in the area.
Every time Iran announces another missile test launch, introduction of a new weapon system, a large scale military exercise or advancements in its nuclear research program, the level of anxiety climbs in the countries that comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
These Arab countries rightfully concerned. Since the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 removed Saddam Husayn, Iran has tried to assert itself as the major power broker in the region. The Iranian leadership believes that the removal of Saddam cleared the way for them to increase their influence in one of the countries that has traditionally been a rival at best and a deadly foe at worst.
Iran continues its meddling in Iraqi affairs, especially in the Shi'a-dominated southern part of the country. For years Iran has provided weapons and training to various Shi'a militias, militias that have killed hundreds of American troops. One of Iran's primary clients in Iraq is the jaysh al-mahdi of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
On the Iraqi political front, Iran has tried to develop and maintain close relations with the majority Shi'a political parties, including that of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. When American troops depart Iraq, there will be a struggle over who will emerge as the key power broker in the Gulf region. Will it be Iran, Saudi Arabia or the United States?
It is almost as if Iran has been preparing for that day. Since 2003, Iran has continued an ambitious militarization program across the spectrum, including the development of long-range ballistic missiles. The country has large, fairly well-trained and experienced armed forces, as well as a good special operations capability.
Although on paper the GCC appears to also have capable military forces, it is difficult to imagine them taking on Iran militarily. Add nuclear weapons to Iran's current capabilities - there is little doubt that Iran is intent on acquiring them - and it makes for an intimidating neighbor.
The recent overtures by Saudi Arabia to the Syrian government are a reaction to what is happening in Iran, not in Syria. Syria is the only Arab state aligned with Iran. Other factions in the Arab world, particularly Lebanese Hizballah (created by the Iranians in 1982) and Palestinian Hamas, also are aligned with the regime in Tehran. It is this Syrian-Iranian alliance that provides Tehran its gateway to Lebanon - the international airport in Damascus is the conduit for Iranian money and weapons to Hizballah, as well as other terrorist groups.
The Obama administration has also made overtures to Syria for the same reason - Iran. U.S-Syrian relations have been strained since Syria was allegedly complicit in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri. If - and this is a big "if" - either the United States or Saudi Arabia is successful in breaking Syria away Iran, it would be extremely helpful to American diplomacy in the region. Not only would it virtually strangle Hizballah, it would set the stage for meaningful talks between Syria and Israel. As long as Syria allows Iran to support Hizballah via its territory, Israel will not return the occupied Golan Heights. Those are the two main points for peace between Syria and Israel.
The Obama administration should be actively engaging our Gulf Arab allies - we need to maintain our relationships in the region, including access to a series of military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. As long as these countries perceive Iran as as threat, we have a unique opportunity to increase our influence in the region by being thought of as the guarantor of their security. Threatening to use nuclear weapons against the Gulf Arabs, or even against Israel, is one thing. Threatening to use them against the world's superpower is not credible. Our diplomats should try to convince the Gulf Arabs that the key to answering the Iranian challenge is close relationship with the United States.
As long as the United States imports two-thirds of its oil from abroad, it is essential that we have the ability to guarantee the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. Good relationships with the Gulf Arabs will not only provide security for them, it will allow the United States to maintain its role as a key power in the region.
Iran's rising influence in the Middle East is causing concern in the Gulf Arab states, long rivals of the Persian country across the water. That presents some opportunities for U.S. foreign policy in the area.
March 11, 2009
"9/11 Shura Council" - should we get the needles ready?
There has been a lot of debate over what rights should be afforded to the terrorists detained at Guantanamo Bay. The arguments between the Bush administration and human rights groups was taken all the way to the Supreme Court. After a few cases and changes in the law, it was determined that the detainees had the right to due process in the American federal justice system.
The focus of this commentary is not whether the detainees have rights. I maintain that they are illegal combatants and have none. If I was in charge, it would be a moot point since most of the current detainees would have been left dead on battlefields in Afghanistan.
Yesterday, the five detainees who have been charged with planning the attacks of September 11, 2001 filed a document basically pleading guilty to plotting and assisting the operation that killed over 3,000 people. Although this might disappoint the defense lawyers lined up to defend the accused, it will be hard to find additional ways to hinder a successful prosecution of these terrorists.
The five include self-claimed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammud and so-called "20th hijacker" Ramzi bin al-Shibh. Now they have confessed to the crime, these are two men who deserve to be put to death more than anyone.
Ordinarily, this would be good news for the government and the executioner could get the needles ready. Unfortunately, neither the Supreme Court nor the administration can figure out how to do it. President Obama has ordered a freeze on the war crimes tribunals at Guantanamo, but has made no provisions to try the accused in other venues. Hopefully he will not drop the charges as he did in the case of the suspected bomber of the USS Cole in Aden in 2000. These murderers need to be brought to justice.
If the five are allowed access to U.S. federal courts and the same appeals process as American prison inmates, they'll die of old age.
March 10, 2009
New York Times columnist wants a "reality check?"
Roger Cohen (left), a well-respected columnist for the New York Times and its subsidiary the International Herald Tribune, penned a column titled "Middle East Reality Check." Interesting reading. Had it been written by anyone without Mr. Cohen's experience, I would have asked, "Who is this clown?"
Mr. Cohen appears to have at least set foot in the Middle East a few times, unlike many of the current "experts" advising the Administration - and we know how well that is working so far. I think Mr. Cohen is being surprisingly naive at best, and dangerously obtuse at worst. Rather than simply dismissing his arguments and calling him names, let me address some of his points.
Basically, Mr. Cohen is urging the Obama Administration to deal directly with the terrorist groups - my definition, not his - Hizballah and Hamas, following the British determination that Hizballah is a "political phenomenon." Here's an analogy - given the events of the last few days, I wonder how many Britons still think the Irish Republican Army is just a "political phenomenon?"
Last week, the United Kingdom announced that it has reconsidered is position on Hizballah and was now prepared to have direct contacts with the Lebanese group. Mr. Cohen's reaction to this news? "Hallelujah," he says, claiming that Hizballah is "part of the national fabric" of Lebanon. Realistically then, in his view, we must deal with them. He feels the same about Hamas - the people who are firing rockets daily into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip (photo below).
There is no question that Hizballah and Hamas are each a part of the "national fabric" of their respective countries - both are political parties and provide social services. There is, however, the pesky little detail that both have armed extralegal militias that are not under the control of government authorities. Being "part of the national fabric" does not bestow legitimacy.
Mr. Cohen notes that both Hizballah and Hamas have long been treated by the United States as a proscribed terrorist group. True, Hizballah and Hamas have been named as terrorist organizations by successive administrations. There is a reason for this - they are terrorist organizations. Hizballah has American blood on its hands.
If we take Mr. Cohen's reasoning a step further, there are other groups that are part of the national fabric of their countries - perhaps we should look at direct engagement with them. There is Al-Qa'idah in Mesopotamia, arguably part of the national fabric in Iraq. Perhaps we should reach out to them - thugs who torture, rape and behead people as a means to their ends?
Then there is the Taliban in Afghanistan, certainly part of the national fabric. Wait, perhaps Mr. Cohen has spoken to President Obama - the President is willing to talk to the Taliban. See my article, Obama's outreach to the Taliban - a victory for the terrorists.
In a moment of clarity, Mr. Cohen does address American requirements for dealing with Hamas, reiterated recently by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her as yet unproductive trip to the region. According to the Secretary, Hamas must recognize Israel, renounce terrorism and accept previous Palestinian commitments.
Then - surprisingly - he adds:
The 1988 Hamas Charter is vile, but I think it's wrong to get hung up on the prior recognition of Israel issue. Perhaps Hamas is sincere in its calls for Israel's disappearance — although it has offered a decades-long truce — but then it's also possible that Israel in reality has no desire to see a Palestinian state.
One view of Israel's continued expansion of settlements, Gaza blockade, West Bank walling-in and wanton recourse to high-tech force would be that it's designed precisely to bludgeon, undermine and humiliate the Palestinian people until their dreams of statehood and dignity evaporate.
The argument over recognition is in the end a form of evasion designed to perpetuate the conflict.
Wrong to get "hung up on the prior recognition of Israel?" We (and/or the Israelis) should sit at the table with a group that remains committed to the destruction of Israel? Using the justification that Israel may not want a two-state solution is an easy way out of calling Hamas what it is - a terrorist organization.
Perhaps Mr. Cohen should tell his Hamas friends that a good first step to opening a dialogue with either the United States or Israel would be to stop firing rockets into Israel.
More of Mr. Cohen's eloquence:
Speaking of violence, it's worth recalling what Israel did in Gaza in response to sporadic Hamas rockets. It killed upward of 1,300 people, many of them women and children; caused damage estimated at $1.9 billion; and destroyed thousands of Gaza homes. It continues a radicalizing blockade on 1.5 million people squeezed into a narrow strip of land.
At this vast human, material and moral price, Israel achieved almost nothing beyond damage to its image throughout the world. Israel has the right to hit back when attacked, but any response should be proportional and governed by sober political calculation. The Gaza war was a travesty; I have never previously felt so shamed by Israel's actions.
In response to "sporadic Hamas rockets?" Hamas has fired 8000 rockets into Sderot since Israeli forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005. I guess if you live in New York, 8000 rockets being fired into Sderot could be called sporadic.
The Israelis will be relieved to know that you believe they have the right to strike back when attacked. Of course, you want their response to be "proportional." How do you define that? One rocket into Israel, one missile into Gaza? That's not how it works.
I read your biography - the lack of military experience (writing a book about General Schwarzkopf does not count) explains a lot. When you order troops into harm's way, you are not looking for a fair fight - you use overwhelming force to achieve your objectives. There is something about being the target of shots fired in anger that really helps you reach this opinion. One of Israel's objectives in Gaza was to kill as many Hamas fighters as they could. Even according to Hamas's numbers, most of the dead were in fact associated with the group.
You were shamed by Israel's actions. How about Hamas's?
March 8, 2009
Obama's outreach to the Taliban - a victory for the terrorists
In an interview with the New York Times, President Obama said that he was considering reaching out to "moderate" elements of the Taliban.
While I support the President's efforts to examine all possible strategies and tactics to win the war in Afghanistan, he really needs to hire some better advisors on how to accomplish things in this part of the world. These remarks are reminiscent of his initial public comments about overtures to Iran - highlighting his naïveté in things beyond Chicago politics. (See my earlier article, Obama and Iran - naïveté and the real world.)
First and foremost, he needs to commit to "winning" the war, not "ending" the war. As in Iraq, the President seems to have trouble mouthing the word "win" when it comes to America's battles. The kumbaya theory of politics is that we can all get along and diplomacy can solve everything, but at some point nations must deploy their armed forces into harm's way to defend their interests.
When that point is reached, when America must expend her most valuable resource - the blood of her sons and daughters - the Commander in Chief should employ leadership, not rhetoric. Saying we are not winning the war demoralizes American troops. Mr. President, you're the Commander in Chief - start talking like it and pretty soon you just might find yourself acting like it. You should be telling the Taliban that we are going to destroy them, not "reach out" to them. Of course, since you have closed Guantanamo, they'll probably surrender and "lawyer up."
Public disclosures that you want to talk to the Taliban gives them a moral victory. You might think such moves make the United States - and you - look strong, but in this part of the world, it has the exact opposite effect. They perceive that they now have the upper hand and you are coming to them to seek their benevolence, their mercy. You are gaining the reputation of being an appeaser, not the leader of the free world.
Now, back to some specifics. The Taliban are not Afghan nor Pakistani - these are artificial nationalities created by outside powers - they are Pushtuns. The venue is merely an address - ethnicity trumps that. Members of the Taliban join the organization because they are committed Islamists - "moderates" do not seek to be part of the Taliban.
The situation in Afghanistan is vastly different from what we faced in Iraq - conversely, the opportunities are not the same. In Iraq, we were able to convince members of the Iraqi insurgency to turn on the al-Qa'idah in Mesopotamia, or AQI, organization. Members of AQI were mostly foreigners trying to impose their will on the local population - the Taliban in Afghanistan are part of the local population.
So, President Obama, you want to reach out to the "moderates" in the Taliban. Assuming that they exist - and I do not - what are you going to offer them? A few provinces in Afghanistan where they can implement shari'a law, where girls are refused an education, where any dissent is not tolerated? Perhaps you'll offer control of the local poppy crop and opium trade?
You said in the interview that solutions in Afghanistan will be complicated. Not really.
There are bad guys who want to impose an archaic form of Islam on a population who does not want it, a group allied with a terrorist organization who has killed over 3,000 Americans, a group of true believers who thus far will not negotiate.
Mr. President, you are the Commander in Chief of the most powerful, best-trained and best-equipped armed forces on the planet. The America people paid for this capability - use it. The Taliban are our enemy - you cannot negotiate with them, they are true believers in a bastardized concept of religion.
Order our troops to hunt them down and kill them.
In an interview with the New York Times, President Obama said that he was considering reaching out to "moderate" elements of the Taliban.
March 7, 2009
Al-Qa'idah leader on September 11, 2001
Dr. Sayid Imam al-Sharif, now 59 years of age, was one of the founders - with Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri - of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. The group was reponsible for the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, and later joined the Afghan mujahidin in the fight against Soviet occupation forces.
It was this latter association that led to the formation of al-Qa'idah with Usamah bin Ladin. Al-Sharif, known also as Dr. Fadl, wrote the guidebook for fundamentalist groups, Foundations of Preparation for Jihad (holy war).
Now we come to a CIA success story, the type of operation that I hope the Obama administration will still allow. After the attacks of September 11, the CIA found al-Sharif in Yemen. He was "rendered" to a secret CIA facility for interrogation, and later extradited to Egypt where is serving a life sentence. Good operation.
In prison, al-Sharif has re-thought his earlier writings on jihad. His analysis - granted, a bit late - of the September 11 attacks is telling. It has received minimal coverage in the American media.
"Every drop of blood that was shed or is being shed in Afghanistan and Iraq is the responsibility of bin Ladin and al-Zawahiri and their followers.
"The attacks on September 11 were both immoral and counterproductive. Ramming America has become the shortest road to fame and leadership among the Arabs and Muslims. But what good is it if you destroy one of your enemy's buildings, and he destroys one of your countries? What good is it if you kill one of his people, and he kills a thousand of yours? That, in short, is my evaluation of 9/11."
This should be the centerpiece of an information campaign aimed at the trouble spots of the Muslim world.
Dr. Sayid Imam al-Sharif, now 59 years of age, was one of the founders - with Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri - of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. The group was reponsible for the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, and later joined the Afghan mujahidin in the fight against Soviet occupation forces.
March 5, 2009
Hamas and Iran meetings - no surprises here
Photo: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hamas co-founder Mahmud al-Zahar in Tehran
The link between Iran and Hamas has been about a closely guarded secret as the Islamic Republic's support of Hizballah in Lebanon. Virtually all of Hamas's weapons and funding in the last decade has originated in Iran. Hundreds of Hamas fighters have been trained in Iran by members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Qods Force.
During the 34-day conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas in December 2008 and January 2009, Hamas was badly bloodied but maintained the facade that it was in a strong enough position to sit at the Egyptian-mediated negotiations in Cairo. Those talks went nowhere - neither side was serious.
However, the world wants there to be a settlement, a ceasefire, to the situation in Gaza. Even now, Hamas and Islamic Jihad members launch Qassam and Katyusha (Grad) rockets into southern Israel. Israel responds with air strikes on Palestinian smuggling tunnels along the Egyptian border and other targets inside the Gaza Strip. The situation has lapsed into the "no-solution solution." Neither side seems anxious for a truce.
With no progress, the level of the talks in Cairo changed. From the indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, the players changed to U.S envoy George Mitchell and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Palestinian Authority President Mahmud 'Abbas was brought in to be an acceptable interlocutor with Israel, overshadowing Hamas.
Not to be outdone or out-maneuvered, Hamas invited participation from fellow terrorist groups Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. That effectively doomed the talks to failure. The Egyptians, hoping to revive the talks, convened a conference at Sharm al-Shaykh. American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended this conference - Hamas chose not to attend as they felt the deck had been stacked against them in favor of arch-rival Fatah led by 'Abbas.
Iran took advantage of the ongoing inter-Palestinian struggle by hosting a competing conference in Tehran for supporters of Hamas. The meetings not only sought financial support for Hamas, but discussed ways to improve "resistance to Israel." That's code for terrorist operations.
Iran is clearly using Hamas as a tool for its own operations against Israel and its quest to be the major power broker in the region. This is similar to its use of Hizballah in Lebanon against israeli interests in the region. Iran has no inherent interest in advancing the Palestinian cause beyond causing problems for Israel. Iran is the enemy of Israel, as Hamas is the enemy of Israel. This perfectly illustrates the Middle East adage, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
From the Iranian optic, support to Hamas is an easy, low-cost method to attack Israel. It fits their plans to destroy the Jewish state. Let's recognize it for what it is - this is about Israel, not the Palestinians.
March 3, 2009
Featured in a new book
Last year, I was asked to write a few thoughts about the attacks of September 11, 2001 for a series of "Best of ..." books - this one on Washington, D.C. One of the author/publishers is a personal friend, an intelligence community colleague of many years and an American hero in his own right.
I jotted down some thoughts - it is surprisingly not difficult to express my feelings about that day since I lost colleagues at the Pentagon. It was a bit humbling to see my words in print in that context. I cannot replicate that here - see Best of Washington (nine clicks) - but here are my words:
Pages in History - Remembering 9/11
The attacks of September 11, 2001 will forever be burned into our memories. The images of the towers falling in New York, an aircraft down in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon in flames changed all of us forever. Over 3000 people, Americans and hundreds of other nationalities of every race and creed perished at the hands of 19 misguided religious extremists who hijacked not only four jet airliners, but also one of the world's great religions.
It did not take long for American to respond to the attacks. Within weeks, the Taliban government that provided a safe haven to Usamah bin Ladin and his al-Qaeda jihadists was toppled. Millions of Afghans began the difficult road to democracy. The price paid in 2001 for their opportunity to experience freedom was borne by the same group of Americans who have provided that same opportunity for hundreds of millions over decades – the men and women of the America's armed forces.
The most famous symbol of American's military might is the Pentagon, the five-sided monolith on the banks of the Potomac River. More sobering, a glance to the west from the Pentagon underscores the high price of America's freedom and that of countless others around the world – the hundreds and hundreds of rows of stark white headstones that cover the hillsides of Arlington National Cemetery.
It is here that the currency of freedom is banked. Anyone who has attended a ceremony at Arlington will never forget it – the flag on the coffin, the honor guard in full dress uniform, the crack of the rifles firing volleys as Taps is played on the bugle, the snap of the flag as it is folded into the familiar triangle of blue, and the reverence of fellow warriors as another American hero is laid to rest.
Americans remain deployed around the world – many in harm's way – in the defense of freedom; the funerals at Arlington continue. Young Americans from all walks of life from across the country continue to volunteer to join the armed forces, knowing full well the risks of stepping forward at a time of war. The risk is real – over 4000 Americans have already fallen in the global war on terror, and more will make the ultimate sacrifice as Americans refuse to bend to the will of those who would rob us of our hard-earned liberties.
Those who would rob of our liberties came to our shores on the morning of September 11, 2001 with the goal of changing American. They did – we will never be the same; the world will never be the same. With renewed purpose, Americans will stand and fight for their freedoms, and the freedom of others.
Author, Media Analyst, Intelligence Officer