THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2004
Thursday Edition: One Medal for Soldiers, Not Two
The key question is: are the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq two wars or one?
This week, the Pentagon has ruled they are one war — a war on terrorism.
So those who serve in both places will get one medal — the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. See a picture of it here.
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The Washington Post says:
Many troops who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are expressing disappointment within military circles that the Bush administration has decided against awarding separate campaign medals for service in each country in favor of a single decoration covering service in the global war on terrorism.
Three members of the House Armed Services Committee asked Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to "direct the creation of separate campaign medals to recognize service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom."
"There were two separate campaigns, one against the Taliban and bin Laden forces [and one] to prevent the use of weapons of mass destruction," said Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. "The purposes were different, the campaigns were different, they were carried on differently. They're distinct from each other." His website says Skelton has also cosponsored legislation, H.R. 3104, to provide for the establishment of separate campaign medals for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spacewar.com included this passage:
Rumsfeld said the decision to have a single Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal was "unanimously recommended" after debate and discussion by the chiefs of all the military services.
Asked whether there was a political agenda behind the action, Rumsfeld said, "Not that I can imagine, no. This department is not involved in politics."
General Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, backed him up, saying that, "we thought that this was the best for our forces."
Some servicemembers are privately seething, however.
"They're pissed," said one servicemember who asked not to be named. "They don't understand it."
"As a servicemember who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, it doesn't make sense. Those were two totally different wars. People should be recognized for the service they give," he said.
In the past, the military has recognized specific campaigns with ribbons and medals, from Guadalcanal during World War II to Desert Storm and the NATO air war in Kosovo.
The decorations are a point of pride for servicemembers and when worn on their chests an outward symbol of where they have served.
Rumsfeld said the recommendation to have a single campaign medal covering the global war on terrorism "came from below."
"It's approved by the chiefs in the tank," he said, referring to the super-secure room in the Pentagon where the most sensitive discussions of military issues are held.
"They had a lengthy discussion and debate about it. It was approved by the under secretary for personnel and readiness that has jurisdiction over it. And it was signed off on it by Paul Wolfowitz," he said. Wolfowitz is deputy secretary of defense.
Bedbugs Making a Comeback in 28 States
Data from Orkin shows a 300 percent jump in calls about bedbug infestation in homes and commercial buildings from 2000 to 2001. There has been a 70 percent increase in calls in each year since then. The return of the bedbug has been reported in 28 states and three Canadian provinces.
All of this comes from The Providence Journal's Edward Ortiz who wrote:
For years the bedbug has made benign appearances in our homes as part of a nighttime rhyme that counseled sleepers to sleep tight. But the bedbug is back, and in some places, it's back with a blood-thirsty vengeance.
The parasite has become so prevalent lately that pest-control specialists are scrambling to deal with infestations by training workers who know nothing about them.
Bedbugs have been feeding on mankind for centuries, and their pestilence has been documented since the 17th century. Bedbugs were a common pest in the United States in the years before World War II.
Today the common bedbug — its scientific name is Cimex lectularius — is invading the beds of posh hotels and college dormitories, as well as homes and tenements. The return of the pest in the United States has been traced to 1999, said Frank Meek, national technical manager and entomologist at the exterminating company Orkin, which is based in Atlanta.
Pictures of bed bugs can be found here.
The Badger Herald reported recently:
University of Wisconsin distinguished faculty associate and entomology expert Phil Pellitteri said he does not see this problem amounting to epic proportions, however.
"I don't know that I'd call it epidemic or anything. The real problem is that 10 or 15 years ago, it was highly unusual to see bed bugs ever, but now in comparison, they are a lot more common," he said.
Bed bugs start out nearly invisible and are less than a quarter of an inch long. After they bite a host and gorge on human blood for nights on end, they turn a deep, mahogany red and can swell to nearly the size of a ladybug.
Experts across the country have cited the lack of strong pesticides as a reason for the recent resurgence of bed bugs nationally.
The Badger Herald also offered this remedy:
Bed bugs are not able to survive in cold temperatures, so placing the infected furniture or mattress outside for one night during winter months can kill off the bugs entirely.
A story distributed by AP last fall said:
"It's still at the beginning stages," Kansas State University entomologist Ludek Zurek said of the bedbug's return. "I'm predicting it's going to get worse. Nobody knows why it's coming back."
Some say an increase in international travel is to blame.
Mike Lawton, a staff entomologist with Western Exterminator Co. in Irvine, Calif., said people from countries where bedbugs are rampant are staying in U.S. hotels and motels, bringing the insects with them.
"They've (bedbugs) had an incredible impact on high-end hotels," he said. "You've got to keep it hush-hush. If the word 'bedbug' gets out, it scares a lot of people away."
Zurek said a majority of new cases reported in 2002 — 31 percent — were in hotels and motels. Of the remainder, 28 percent were in apartment complexes and dormitories; 25 percent were in single-family homes; and 16 percent were at other locations.
Sky High Oil: What Does the Dollar Have to Do With It?
The answer is plenty.
OPEC had planned to increase production, but when the dollar sank to new lows against the euro, OPEC decided not to increase production because the buck was worth less.
Oil was just over 24 bucks a barrel a year ago. Now it is shooting above 33 bucks. Experts say a long cold snap (now under way in the Midwest) and increased demand in China and Russia will keep prices high.
Here is a good backgrounder from Forbes.
New Gas and Heating Oil Predictions
Meanwhile, EIA, the U.S. Department of Energy's statistics and analysis branch, "now expects gasoline prices at the pumps to rise on a monthly basis throughout the winter and into late spring. While gasoline inventories are at normal levels, relatively low crude oil storage is seen likely to keep refined product prices firm, EIA said Wednesday...
"Household heating bills for natural gas-heated homes are now seen rising 8 percent this winter, up 2 percent from the last forecast. Propane-heated households are seen paying 3 percent more this winter, a 3 percent rise from the previous outlook.
"Heating-oil users are still seen paying 4 percent less than last winter, while homes with electric heat are still expected to pay 2 percent more than a year ago, EIA said."
More Unruly Behavior on Planes
You may have seen that yet another flight was diverted because of an unruly passenger. Another incident occurred last week on a Honolulu to Detroit flight.
In case you missed it, over the holidays I pulled down a collection (third story on the list) of 2003 "passenger horror stories" filed to the FAA by pilots and flight attendants.
It is pretty easy to figure out which ones were from your town by looking for your city's airport code on the reports.
Here is how the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review afternoon edition adapted the database to make a nice local story.
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Editor's Note: Al's Morning Meeting is a compendium of ideas, story excerpts, and other materials from a variety of websites, as well as original concepts and analysis. When the information comes directly from another source, it will be attributed, and a link will be provided, whenever possible.
Posted at 12:47:47 PM
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