The Political Conundrum!

An Egyptian newspaper claims the Muslim Brotherhood may have constituted a large, well-armed wing, with perhaps thousands of operatives, and its purpose is to engage in terrorist operations.

The report, published May 27 in Egypt's Al-Masry Al-Youm, carried the headline, "Why is Security Silent About the Secret Armed Organization of the Brotherhood?" A potential mission for this Muslim Brotherhood armed division would be to send 10,000 trained fighters to south Lebanon (Hezbollah territory) and to Gaza to attack Israel. Author Hussaneyn Kuroum notes there are some Muslim Brotherhood leaders who refute the existence of an armed wing, but the current Secretary General (Guide) Mahdi Akef, has made statements clearly indicating that the organization has such an armed element. The article questions what the Egyptian security services may or may not know about this unit.

Kuroum cites an interview in a separate Egyptian publication with Brotherhood opponent Wahid Hamid, who argues Akef's brash talk has meaning:

"He said that he is prepared to send to South Lebanon tens of thousands of fighters. Will he send them with clubs and swords? Or will they be armed in a modern fashion, besides there being trained to fight? Mahdi Akef also said, 'I am prepared to send fighters to Gaza.' Good. He'll send them with what and how? Sure, armed and trained. The matter is clear. It can be easily concluded."

The public suggestion in a respected, privately-owned Egyptian media source that the Muslim Brotherhood has a significant armed branch should be of keen interest to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies. If this is true, it should put to rest any consideration by U.S. officialdom to engage the Muslim Brotherhood in substantial dialogue. It would seemingly weigh in favor of designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

Read our entire article here.

These are really great professional level pictures taken in Afghanistan of soldiers, the environment and the Afghans. Check it out at

www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/slideshow/11755

Lawmakers sharply criticized the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday about why a national scare over botched colonoscopies earlier this year didn't prompt stronger safeguards at the agency's medical centers.

Speaking at a presentation at the Paris Air Show, Boeing Co. said Tuesday it was confident in its chances to win the rematch with rival Airbus for a multibillion-dollar contract for refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force.

North Korea's missiles could hit the United States in as few as three years if the rogue nation continues to ramp up its weapons system, Pentagon officials said. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn agreed with Sen. John McCain that the U.S. should be prepared for a "worst-case scenario".

More troops will be trained as unmanned airplane operators than as fighter or bomber pilots combined, the U.S. Air Force said.

Before he was named by President Obama to be the next Army secretary, Rep. John M. McHugh of New York had asked Congress to set aside tens of millions of dollars in next year's budget for defense contractors that now could fall under his command as the Army's civilian leader.

www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/military_afghanistan_uniforms_061509w/

“Congress is about to order new combat uniforms for troops in Afghanistan after hearing complaints that camouflage that was fine in Iraq doesn’t work so well in a mountainous and often muddy environment.”

Bouhammer can tell you that we knew this in 2006. This just goes to show how slow Government moves. It took over three years for them to figure out that the all environment combat uniform is apparently not well designed for “all” environments.

Secretary Napolitano discussed the nearly $1.8 Billion in FY 2009 FEMA Preparedness Grants on June 16, 2009 in Washington, D.C. These grant programs are a key part of how the Department of Homeland Security helps to prepare and strengthen our country against terrorism and against disasters.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced nearly $1.8 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness grants designed to help states, urban areas, tribal governments and non-profit agencies improve their readiness by enhancing protection, prevention, response and recovery capabilities for all disasters on June 16, 2009.