Something... and Half of Something: In Memory of the USS Cole

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October 12, 2007

In Memory of the USS Cole


In Memory of the
United States Navy Personnel
Who lost their lives
on the USS Cole (DDG 67)

12 October 2000

On Thursday, October 12, 2000, 17 of our Nation's finest were killed in a terrorist attack on the USS Cole, docked in the port of Yemen to take on fuel.

We must never forget these brave young men and women, they gave us their all.

Cherone Louis Gunn
Signalman Seaman Recruit 
Rex,  Ga.
James Rodrick McDaniels
Seaman
Norfolk, Va.
Timothy Lamont Saunders
Operations Specialist
2nd class
Ringgold, Va.
Lakiba Nicole Palmer
Seaman Recruit
San Diego, Ca.
Richard Costelow
Chief Electronics Technician
Morrisville, Pa.
Andrew Triplett
Ensign
Macon, Miss.
Craig Bryan Wibberley
Seaman Apprentice
Williamsport, Md.
Gary Graham Swenchonis Jr.
Fireman
Rockport, Texas
Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter
Hull Maintenance Technician
3rd class 
Mechanicsville, Va.
Lakeina Monique Francis
Seaman
Mess Management Spec.
Woodleaf, N.C.
Timothy Lee Gauna
Seaman
Information Systems Technician 
Rice, Texas
Marc Ian Nieto
Engineman 2nd Class
Fond du Lac, Wis.
Ronald Scott Owens
Electronics Warfare Technician
3rd Class
Vero Beach, Fla.
Joshua Langdon Parlett,
Engineman Fireman
Churchville, Md.
Patrick Howard Roy
Fireman Apprentice
Keedysville, Md.
Kevin Shawn Rux
Elect. Warfare Tech
1st Class
Portland, N.D.
Ronchester Mananga Santiago
Mess Management Specialist 
3rd Class
Kingsville, Texas
The Navy Hymn:

"Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidst the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea."
Amen

The bombing of the USS Cole was a deliberate act of war by al-Qaeda, and it went ignored and unavenged by the Clinton Administration. I'm sure he pointed his finger as he said "If, as it now appears, this was an act of terrorism, it was a despicable and cowardly act. We will find out who was responsible and hold them accountable." Strong words from a weak man, in the end, Clinton did nothing.

On November 3, 2002, under the Bush Administration, the CIA fired a AGM-114 Hellfire missile from a Predator UAV at a vehicle carrying Abu Ali al-Harithi, a suspected planner of the bombing plot. Also in the vehicle was Ahmed Hijazi, a U.S. citizen. Both were killed. This operation was carried out on Yemeni soil.

On September 29, 2004, a Yemeni judge sentenced Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri and Jamal al-Badawi to death for their roles in the bombing. Al-Nashiri, believed to be the operation's mastermind, is currently being held by the U.S. at an undisclosed location. Al-Badawi, in Yemeni custody, denounced the verdict as "an American one." Four others were sentenced to prison terms of five to 10 years for their involvement, including one Yemeni who had videotaped the attack.

On February 3, 2006, 23 suspected or convicted Al-Qaeda members escaped from jail in Yemen. This number included 13 who were convicted of the USS Cole bombings and the bombing of the French tanker Limburg in 2002. Among those who reportedly escaped was Al-Badawi. For more on this, please read this article on the escape by Jane Novak, of Armies of Liberation.

Meanwhile... Clinton is still pointing his finger and his wife has her eye on the White House.

Posted by LindaSoG at October 12, 2007 12:04 AM


Comments

Two days in a row I've had to cut back on my coffee to protect the innocent from my ire.

Seventeen American lives ended by Cowards.
Caused in part because of ROE's written by political Cowards.
Followed by relative inaction by elected Cowards.

Thank you for having the Honor that the Cowards do not.

"Never Forget".
(Wollf howls in Remembrance)

Posted by: howlsatmoon at October 12, 2007 01:45 PM


Linda, thank you for posting this. (And I've always liked the "Navy Hymn".)

Posted by: Kevin K at October 12, 2007 10:01 PM


You’ve been tagged for “A different kind of tag”

http://righttruth.typepad.com/right_truth/2007/10/a-different-kin.html

(sorry if you don’t like tags, just ignore this)

Posted by: Debbie at October 13, 2007 01:03 PM