Let justice be the foundation of a new beginning

More than 7 years of rape, murder and pillaging have gone unpunished. Demand justice for war crimes in Darfur.

Dear Rector, For more than 7 years now, alleged war criminals of Darfur have lived freely, while the innocent people in their paths have lived in fear. But last month, when two Darfuri rebel leaders, suspected of killing peacekeepers, surrendered themselves to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the wall of impunity finally began to crack. The suffering in Darfur won't end until all those indicted by the ICC are brought to justice. International justice can't work until there's international cooperation. In order for the ICC to effectively prosecute those responsible for grave human rights abuses, the international community must do its part to fight impunity. Urge the U.S. to strengthen its support of the ICC in bringing Darfuri war crimes suspects to justice. The U.S. has recently taken important steps forward to renew its engagement with the ICC. This shift in U.S. policy signals hope that those who so egregiously abused human rights will finally be held accountable for their crimes. Outstanding warrants for three high-profile individuals have been issued, but remain unanswered. Suspects Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb remain at large after being charged with 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. And despite becoming the world's first sitting head of state to ever be issued an arrest warrant by the ICC,Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir continues to be welcomed as a guest in other countries and given full presidential treatment. This blatant obstruction of justice has gone on for too long. The influence of the U.S. can push negligent governments to stop shielding these men from accepting responsibility. Ensure that the U.S. is doing its part in standing up for justice in Darfur. After all the suffering the people of Darfur have endured, they deserve a glimmer of hope. Let justice be the foundation of a new beginning in Darfur. In Solidarity, Juliette, Vienna and the rest of the Justice for Darfur Team  Share on Facebook  Share on Twitter

U.S. Navy Logistics Specialist

 U.S. Navy Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Claudia Morales travels to Ancon Beach, Peru, aboard a Marine Corps CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter July 3, 2010, to pickup mail for the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18). The ship is deployed in support of Southern Partnership Station 2010, which is designed to promote information-sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brien Aho, U.S. Navy/Released)

Radio communications

U.S. Army Pfc. Tahir Abdelmawla tests the radio communications during an air assault operation in Bak, Afghanistan, July 7, 2010. Abdelmawla is a focus tactical force forward observer with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment. (DoD photo by Pfc. Chris McKenna, U.S. Army/Released)

Security in a wheat field

U.S. Army Cpl. Robert Graves provides security in a wheat field in the village of Alowsi in Afghanistan July 6, 2010, as his unit conducts a dismounted patrol through the village. Graves is assigned to the 401st Military Police (MP) Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Brigade. (DoD photo Spc. De'Yonte Mosley, U.S. Army/Released)

Face of Defense: General's Son Pursues Same Path

By Army Spc. Brandon Babbitt
3rd Army

TOLEDO, Ohio, July 8, 2010 - The O'Connor family from northwestern Ohio prides itself on spirituality and hard work, while giving back to their community.

Army Brig. Gen. John "Jack" O'Connor stands for a photo with his parents after his promotion to brigadier general at MacDill Air Force Base, near his parents' home in Tampa, Fla. The O'Connors, natives of Toledo, Ohio, taught their children by example the importance of giving back to their community. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Brandon Babbitt  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Army Brig. Gen. John "Jack" O'Connor, commanding general of Army Materiel Command Southwest Asia and director of logistics for 3rd Army, grew up in a tight-knit family as the youngest of six children.

In 1977, O'Connor accompanied his parents as they retired to Florida and finished high school there. After graduating, he enrolled in the University of Miami, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in 1984 and completed the ROTC program, earning his Army commission as a second lieutenant transportation officer.

"It was hard to leave my home and that support system I had around me in Toledo," O'Connor said. "Even though I was not a seasoned military brat like my kids, with over 10 moves under their belt, the move to Florida as a teenager was an opportunity to spread my wings and gain some early independence while getting a great education."

O'Connor and his wife, Andree, have two children together: a son, Ryan, 18, and a daughter, Meryl, 16.

Ryan recently graduated from high school in the local community outside of Fort Eustis, Va., and now is headed to Ohio to attend the University of Toledo.

"My brother, Bill, a Navy submarine veteran, lives in Toledo, and has always played a big part in Ryan's life as his godfather and a mentor to him," O'Connor said. "As a father, I feel very comfortable with my son going back to my hometown, because I know he will have a lot of people there who care about him and will introduce him to that great Midwest living and culture."

O'Connor's son will be in the ROTC program at the university, and plans to follow in his father's military footsteps as he seeks the same brotherhood and camaraderie the Army has provided the senior O'Connor for more than 26 years.

Toledo seems to have something going for it when it comes to producing general officers. Two friends and colleagues of General O'Connor -- Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert H. McMahon, director of the U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Center, and Army Maj. Gen. James Rogers, commanding general of 1st Theater Sustainment Command -- also hail from Toledo.

"What are the odds that three generals, all from Toledo, would be serving forward at Camp Arifjan [in Kuwait] at the same time?" O'Connor asked with a chuckle.

"When I met my wife, while we were both working in Germany in 1987, we married the same year after four months of dating," O'Connor said. "My boss at the time, retired Maj. Gen. Tom Arwood, was my best man. I was a first lieutenant at the time, and yes, the general was from Toledo too. So my general officer connection to the Glass City goes way back."

O'Connor said he believes his strong Midwest values are a direct result of a cultural upbringing in an environment of teamwork and commitment. He also is reminded of the importance of service to nation as he looks across his family and thinks of those who have served or are serving in the Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force.

O'Connor credits his parents -- William II, a World War II Navy veteran and career fireman, and Betty Jane, a career nurse -- for the family's commitment to give back to their communities and work in the public sector.

"I really owe it to my mom and dad for always instilling in us the importance of giving back and to do things for the greater good," the general said. "I am very proud that my son is following in these very footsteps. It makes me feel like the important things my parents taught me are being handed down to the next generation."
 

Dr. Biden Hears From Guard Troops, Iraqi Teachers

By Elaine Wilson of American Forces Press Service

CAMP PROSPERITY, Iraq, July 6, 2010 - Reintegration, education and support for single soldiers' families were among the issues Texas Army National Guard soldiers raised here yesterday during a roundtable discussion with Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden.

Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, talks with soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard on Camp Prosperity in Baghdad, July 5, 2010. Biden held a roundtable discussion with Guard members as an opportunity to hear their family concerns. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson

Dr. Biden was in Iraq with her husband over the weekend to visit with troops for the Fourth of July holiday and to meet with senior Iraqi leaders. Dr. Biden met with several military units while there, but showed a personal interest in speaking to Guard members.
"I have a special place in my heart for the National Guard," she told the group of about a dozen soldiers of the 72nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Houston who had gathered in a small café here. Her son, Beau, she explained, is in the Delaware Army National Guard and was deployed to Iraq last year.
An ongoing issue she's heard about, she said, is education. National Guard families don't live on a base, she explained, and the schools their children attend may not be aware that their parent is deployed or how to identify deployment-related issues. Dr. Biden encouraged the Guard members, who are due to return home in August, to share their family related concerns with her, particularly regarding their separation and homecoming.
"When our son came home for [leave], and then had to go back again, his kids were affected. How could they not be?" she said. "I think I understand some of what you may be going through, but it's nice to hear what you're experiencing, what we can help you with, what [First Lady] Michelle [Obama] and I should be working."
A young mother spoke up, expressing concerns about her relationship with her 16-month-old daughter. She's worried, she said, about re-establishing a bond with her, noting there are other mothers in her unit who also had to deploy shortly after giving birth.

Dr. Biden assured her that a mother-daughter bond is unshakable. Once they're together, "I'm sure it's going to be like you never left," she said.
Another Guard member requested more support for single soldiers without extended families. Many soldiers may be returning home, she said, only to be alone. Dr. Biden said her son has expressed some of the same concerns for soldiers, and brought up the idea of a post-deployment "buddy system" to facilitate soldiers looking out for one another.
Another soldier noted the importance of units communicating with the single soldiers' extended families, whose only source of information may be their son or daughter. Army Col. Mark Dempsey, brigade commander, encouraged these soldiers to bring their parents or another loved one to Guard events so they can be included in information and updates.
A mother of four said she was grateful that she was a military spouse before becoming a soldier. Unlike many others, she said, was aware of the available support programs. She was especially grateful to her children's school, she said, which e-mailed her with updates on her children and sent letters regularly. But others, she noted, might not have that same familiarity with military support programs.
Other concerns centered on employment, children with special needs, and alcohol and drug abuse among returning soldiers.
Serving in the Guard is a "tough job," Dr. Biden acknowledged, with soldiers having to transition quickly from deployment to the civilian workplace. A servicemember may be a soldier one day and an accountant the next, she said as an example, forced to move rapidly "from one world to another."
Dempsey stressed the importance of robust family support. His unit has frequent family events through its family readiness program, he told Dr. Biden, and prides itself on its efforts to keep families connected.
The colonel said his unit has a Family Readiness Program "smart book" that leaders can use as a reference for family issues ranging from finances to car trouble, and also coordinates mission-ready exercises for leaders, during which they run through scenarios that highlight typical family issues or crises that occur during a deployment.
The commander said over the course of the first two-day training session, he saw "tremendous growth" in the leaders. "It sounds like you really have a great support network," Dr. Biden told the soldiers.
Dr. Biden thanked the soldiers for their candid comments and suggestions, and vowed to continue her ongoing support of servicemembers and their families. She's been visiting with military families around the world, she noted.
"We want to support you and hear what you have to say, and work on the issues that affect you and your families," she said.
Dr. Biden encouraged the soldiers to send her an e-mail if they think of other issues, or just to let her know that they're home safe.
Vice President Biden often says that taking care of troops and their families is a "sacred obligation," she said. "The president, Michelle [Obama] and I all are 100 percent behind that."
Dr. Biden met yesterday with about a dozen female Iraqi teachers -- ranging from elementary- to university-level English teachers – at the U.S. Embassy here to hear their education-related concerns.
Several of the women had been to America on an exchange program; one called her time there life-changing. She now works for the Iraqi Education Initiative, which aims to send 10,000 Iraqi women to the United States and the United Kingdom to study. The first group left two weeks ago, she said.

Iraq needs to send its future teachers outside the country to learn and then send them back so they can train others, she said. Another woman agreed, noting that many teachers in Iraq need improvement. Out of a class of 45 English students, she cited as an example, only five may have a good grasp of the English language, but the rest will move on anyway, though lacking in teaching skills. They'll then go on to teach others English improperly, she said. Other women commented that their books are outdated – some use books from the 1950s – and that there's a lack of online courses and Internet availability. The focus needs to be on younger students, another woman added. Dr. Biden, an educator for 30 years, agreed that quality education needs to start at the elementary-school level. After talking with the teachers, Dr. Biden made a quick stop to visit with Marines assigned to the Embassy. She spoke to each Marine there, thanking them for their service. After a whirlwind, three-day trip, the Bidens flew back to Washington last night.

Related Sites: Defense Department Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program  White House Blog  Photo Essay  Related Articles: Bidens Celebrate Independence Day With Troops in Iraq  Bidens Attend Naturalization Ceremony in Iraq  U.S. on Track to End Combat Mission in Iraq, Officials Say  Vice President, Dr. Biden Arrive in Iraq to Visit U.S. Troops

JIP Condemns Attack on Data Darbar Shrine

Journalists For International Peace strongly condemned two Suicide attacks on Data Darbar Shrine at Lahore in which 43 innocent pilgrims were martyred and more than 100 injured,, JIP mainatins that shrines are source of peace and tranquality- The saints are symbol of universal peace and love . There lives are orchestration of non-violence movements . Such Suicidal attacks are against Islam and aimed at a coward attempt to dismantle peaceful atmosphere and to create a rift among various segments and sects of society. JIP expresses heartily condolences to the families of those departed souls. May their souls stay at the highest heavens.
Iftikhar Chaudri
President
Journalists For International Peace
Islamabad, Pakistan

Bidens Attend Naturalization Ceremony in Iraq

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, July 4, 2010 - Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, presided over a naturalization ceremony in Al Faw Palace here today in honor of 156 servicemembers who earned their U.S. citizenship through service to the nation.

Vice President Joe Biden congratulates a soldier on becoming a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony in Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory, Iraq, July 4, 2010. Biden's wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, also attended the event, during which more than 150 U.S. servicemembers became U.S. citizens. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Backed by a ceiling-high U.S. flag, Biden congratulated the nation's newest citizens -- who represented all branches of service and 56 different countries -- calling them a "remarkable" group.

"What a sight you are today," the vice president told the troops in the ornate palace atrium. "What a powerful symbol you represent to all those who yearn for freedom all across the world."

The ceremony takes place on a fitting day, Biden said. "This Fourth of July weekend, I'm reminded that you have carried the torch of our founding fathers, the one that they lit 234 years ago," he said. "You carried it around the world, in this case in a uniform representing a nation that, until now, was not your own."

Biden said he can't think of a more stirring example of patriotism than men and women volunteering "to fight for their country, to put their lives on the line -- and some of your brethren, having lost their lives and limbs -- to fight on foreign soil for their adopted country."

Serving in Iraq has not been easy, the vice president acknowledged. But each time he visits here, he said, he sees progress.

"This nation, once embroiled in sectarian strife and violence, is moving toward a lasting security and prosperity with a government that represents the interest of every member of the community in Iraq," he said. "When the new government is formed, it will mark something absolutely extraordinary: a peaceful transition of power encompassing all the people of Iraq."

The United States is committed to cementing an ongoing relationship with Iraq through economic, political and diplomatic cooperation, he added.

Biden said he projected last summer that by now the United States would have achieved progress toward two goals: helping Iraq become a "sovereign, stable and self-reliant" nation and ending the combat mission after more than seven years.

"And I'm proud to report that because of you, and tens of thousands of our sons and daughters, including our son, we've made good on that promise," he said, referring to his son, Beau, an officer in the Delaware Army National Guard who served in Iraq.

As of today, about 82,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq, down from 165,000 at the height of the surge. The number will drop to 50,000 by the end of the summer, and the troops will remain in an "advise-and-assist" role. The U.S.-Iraqi security agreement calls for all U.S. troops to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

For the troops who remain, Biden pledged to provide them with everything they need and to care for their families. That commitment extends to when they return home, he added.

"Quite simply, we owe you," he said. "We owe all of you. And we owe your families."

Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, also spoke at the ceremony, expressing his gratitude for the servicemembers who chose to become citizens. Even before they had the right of U.S. citizenship, "you held up your right hand and volunteered to go into harm's way."

Their service brings others liberty and hope, he said, adding that he's honored to call them comrades in arms.

After the ceremony, the Bidens stopped by the Oasis Dining Facility here to visit U.S. servicemembers and civilians. The vice president then left to meet with senior Iraqi leaders, while Dr. Biden greeted 1st Armored Division soldiers here celebrating the Fourth of July holiday.
 

Related Articles: U.S. on Track to End Combat Mission in Iraq, Officials Say  Vice President, Dr. Biden Arrive in Iraq to Visit U.S. Troops