Marines Took Down Flag in Cuba, Saw It Rise Again Today

These Marines took down the U.S. flag in Cuba in 1961. Today, they watched it rise again.
Washington Post
By Dan Lamothe
August 14, 2015

It was a few days into January 1961 when three Marines at the U.S. Embassy in Havana were given a sad task: Take down the American flag. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was shutting down the diplomatic compound and pulling Americans out, a response to the downward spiral in U.S. relations with the new government of Fidel Castro.

The non-commissioned officer in charge at the embassy asked for three volunteers — “the biggest, ugliest Marines you can find,” recalled retired Master Gunnery Sgt. Jim Tracy, then a sergeant. He and two others — then-Lance Cpl. Larry C. Morris and then-Cpl. Francis “Mike” East — were sent out to part a crowd of about 300 Cubans and take down Old Glory, Tracy said.
read more here

On Jan. 4, 1961, U.S. Marines Jim Tracy, F.W. "Mike" East and Larry C. Morris, assigned to U.S. Embassy Havana, lowered the American flag outside the U.S. Embassy for the last time. On Aug. 14, 2015, the three reunite and join Secretary of State John Kerry to reopen the U.S. Embassy in Havana.
(U.S. Department of State)

Publisher pulls CBS source's Benghazi book

Do you think they could have checked the story first?

Publisher pulls CBS source's Benghazi book
NBC News
By Elisha Fieldstadt
November 8, 2013

A notable publisher ceased the publication of a book detailing firsthand accounts of the Benghazi consulate attacks on Friday, after two previous reports by one of the authors conflicted largely with accounts in the book.

Simon and Schuster’s decision to stop selling “The Embassy House” — written by security officer Dylan Davies under the pseudonym Morgan Jones — followed an apology by CBS correspondent Lara Logan on Friday for featuring Davies as a key source during a “60 Minutes” interview.

In the interview and in the book, Davies recounted rushing to the U.S. compound on the night of the attack. However, an incident report written by Davies and submitted to his employer three days later read, “we could not get anywhere near the mission.”
read more here

US Marine's murder in Bel-Air caught on cam

US Marine's murder in Bel-Air caught on cam
report from Maan Macapagal ABS-CBN News
Posted at 11/26/2012

MANILA, Philippines - A closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera recorded the mauling and stabbing of a member of the US Mission to the Philippines by 4 men in Makati on November 24.

The CCTV footage from the corner of Rockwell Drive and Kalayaan Avenue in Bel-Air, Makati City at around 4 a.m. Saturday shows the victim, George Anikow, walking home to Bel-Air Subdivision.

He asked the guard how he could get in.

The guard answered that the gate is always closed between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

A Volvo car then arrived with 4 men on board.

The guard asked where they were going and checked their IDs.

Anikow suddenly joined the conversation and hit the side of the car with his hand.
read more here

118 views at 8:25

CIA deputy: Rice got initial assessment on Libya

CIA deputy: Rice got initial assessment on Libya
The Associated Press
Published: November 15, 2012

WASHINGTON -- The deputy CIA director has told lawmakers that U.N. ambassador Susan Rice was provided with an unclassified version of what happened during the deadly Sept. 11 attack in Libya that later proved to be incorrect.

Mike Morell briefed members of the House Intelligence committee on Thursday. Emerging from the session, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said Morell told the panel that Rice was given an initial assessment that a spontaneous protest over an anti-Muslim video evolved into an attack on the consulate.
read more here

What Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham Can Learn from Sherlock Holmes

UPDATE
McCain did a press conference instead of going to the hearing.

CNN’s Dana Bash reported on air that McCain, when questioned by a producer on the subject on Capitol Hill, not only refused to answer, but grew “very angry":

I have to tell you something that just happened on Capitol Hill, and that is our Senate producer Ted Barrett just ran into John McCain and asked about something that we're hearing from Democrats, which is John McCain is calling for more information to Congress, but he had a press conference yesterday instead of going to a closed briefing where administration officials were giving more information. Well, Ted Barrett asked John McCain about that, and it was apparently an intense, very angry exchange and McCain simply would not comment on it at all.

New US Embassy in Iraq has no housing for all its workers

New US Embassy in Iraq has no housing for all its workers
By BRADLEY BROOKS, Associated Press Writer
Fri Apr 25, 2:07 PM ET



BAGHDAD - The new U.S. Embassy complex does not have enough fortified living quarters for hundreds of diplomats and other workers, who must remain temporarily in trailers without special rooftop protection against mortars and rockets, government officials have told The Associated Press.

Sorting out the housing crunch and funding could further delay moving all personnel into the compound until next year and exposes shortcomings in the planning for America's more than $700 million diplomatic hub in Iraq.

The issue of "hardened" housing in the U.S.-protected Green Zone has gained renewed prominence since Shiite militias resumed steady attacks on the enclave in late March as part of backlash to an Iraqi-led crackdown.

More than a dozen people have been killed in the Green Zone in the latest waves of attacks, including a U.S. civilian government worker whose housing trailer was hit.

At one point — during the heaviest barrages early this month — the State Department ordered all its Baghdad employees to wear body armor and other protective gear while outside buildings in the Green Zone, which also contains the British Embassy, key Iraqi government offices and other international compounds.

click post title for more