military Archives - The Minnesota Sun

Commentary: America Needs to Decide How It Will Stand Up to China in Taiwan

October 23, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

According to Russia’s Interfax news agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently announced, “Just like the overwhelming majority of other countries, Russia views Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China. This is the premise we proceed from and will continue to proceed from in our policy.” At the time of this statement, Russian forces were conducting joint naval exercises with Chinese forces in the Pacific—culminating in a 10-ship joint formation sailing through Japan’s Tsugaru Strait on October 18.

This, following a series of unprecedented Chinese military aircraft incursions into Taiwan’s airspace, has rattled Taiwan and America’s other allies in the region, namely Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia. During the first week of October, over 150 aircraft, including advanced SU-30 fighters and H-6 heavy bombers, flew into Taiwanese airspace. An unprecedented 56 tactical aircraft penetrated Taiwan’s airspace in a single 24-hour period on October 4, the highest single day total to date.

China has already taken control of multiple islands claimed by these allies in an effort to access vast oil and natural gas resources, as well as project its military power in the contested territorial waters of the South China Sea. China’s ongoing trade dispute with Australia has also ratcheted up tensions in the region.

Biden, Congress Seek to Chip Away at Gun Rights with United Nations Arms Treaty, Military Red Flag Law

October 4, 2021October 4, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration are attempting to nibble away at the Second Amendment from both within and without the U.S., gun rights advocates warn, as Congress seeks to pass a red flag law for military members and the president eyes signing on to a United Nations arms treaty.

Red flag laws that would apply to military members were slipped into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the House of Representatives last week with the help of 135 Republicans.

Red flag laws are “essentially bypassing due process,” Gun Owners of America’s Director of Outreach Antonia Okafor told the John Solomon Reports podcast on Wednesday. “It is going from one person who says they accuse you of being a danger to yourself, or to somebody else, and then going to a judge that then gets reasonable suspicion, right, that you are a danger to yourself or somebody else.”

Defense Bill Sails Through the House with $24 Billion Increase

September 27, 2021September 26, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The House late Thursday passed the National Defense Authorization Act after a marathon day of voting on hundreds of amendments as Congress continues work toward a government funding bill with a potential shutdown one week away.

The $768 billion defense bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, with 316 lawmakers voting in favor. It now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to pass and soon after become law as it has yearly for nearly six decades.

It provides an additional $24 billion for the defense department compared to last year’s legislation, an amount touted by both Washington Democratic Rep. Adam Smith and Alabama Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, the House Armed Services Committee’s chair and ranking member.

Commentary: The Bidenization of America

September 22, 2021September 21, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Day by day, as the Biden Administration crashes into utter shambles and a cloud of dust reminiscent of 9/11, the Bidenization of America becomes more stark and horrifying.

I can remember no more pitiful words from a senior American government official in 65 years than Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s complaint that the Taliban government in Kabul was disappointing in its lack of “inclusiveness.” (To be sure, that is not all it lacks, and that could hardly have been a surprise.)

Nor can I think of any diplomatic initiative by a senior American government official more certainly doomed to ludicrous failure than environment ambassador John Kerry’s recent trip to China requesting the collaboration of the People’s Republic in this administration’s hell-bent-for-leather assault on what it is trying to identify as climate change.

The Taliban Controls a Vast Array of Weapons After America’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan

September 14, 2021September 13, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Afghan, coalition forces advance into Taliban heartland British Lt. Col. Andrew Harrison, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment commander, conducts a shura with Tor Ghai village elders after ISAF and ANA secured the village during a recent operation. (Photo courtesy of Task Force Helmand Public Affairs)

When the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan last month, the group took possession of a U.S.-funded weapons stockpile worth tens of billions of dollars.

The U.S. invested nearly $83 billion in bolstering the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), more than $24 billion of which went to funding weapons, vehicles and other equipment, according to a Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report published in July. The amount of funding for weapons, vehicles and equipment is based on a 2017 Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimate that roughly 70% of the investment went towards other budget items like training.

In the aftermath of the shocking collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government last month, U.S. defense officials estimated that Taliban militants took dozens of aircraft including Blackhawk helicopters and thousands of vehicles, communications equipment and weapons. Republican lawmakers demanded the Biden administration provide them with a full accounting of the equipment that was in the Taliban’s possession while GOP members of the House Armed Services Committee introduced a bill requiring the White House to share the information with Congress.

Commentary: Thousands Stranded in Afghanistan as Biden Ignored and Generals Disregard Warnings from the Battlefield

August 19, 2021August 18, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

“Our military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31st. The drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart… And thanks to the way in which we have managed our withdrawal, no one — no one U.S. forces or any forces have — have been lost. Conducting our drawdown differently would have certainly come with a increased risk of safety to our personnel.”

That was President Joe Biden as recently as July 8 justifying not just a drawdown, but a rapid drawdown of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, trying to reach an arbitrary goal of zero troops in the country by the end of this month.

Newt Gingrich Commentary: Critical Race Theory Can Only Hurt the Military and the Country

July 25, 2021July 24, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Critical race theory has now taken hold in the U.S. military. And I have to say, I find it perplexing. My father served for three decades in the U.S. Army. I grew up understanding that the military is about forming a bond, a unit, a team working toward the same goals and protecting each other while achieving them.

So, you can imagine my shock when I started to learn how seriously the leaders at the Pentagon were starting to integrate critical race theory (CRT) in their curriculua. In fact, a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Lynne Chandler Garcia, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed, “I teach critical race theories to our nation’s future military leaders because it is vital that cadets understand the history of racism that has shaped both foreign and domestic policy.”

As Mark Davis opined in Newsweek, “Finding such warped content in today’s liberal college classrooms is not surprising. But finding it at the U.S. Air Force Academy is unacceptable.” I couldn’t agree more.

Commentary: Military Potentially Losing Middle America

July 2, 2021July 1, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Traditionalist and conservative America once was the U.S. military’s greatest defender.

Bipartisan conservatives in Congress ensured generous Pentagon budgets. Statistics of those killed in action, in both Afghanistan and Iraq, reveal that white males, especially those of the rural and middle classes, were demographically “overrepresented” in offering the ultimate sacrifice to their country.

When generals, active and retired, have become controversial, usually conservative America could be counted on to stick with them.

Critical Race Theory Presented Before Board of America’s Oldest Military Academy

June 23, 2021June 22, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

In a recent livestream, a Virginia state official gave a presentation on why the far-left and anti-White teachings of Critical Race Theory should be encouraged at the oldest military academy in the United States, the Daily Caller reports.

Janice Underwood, who holds the title of Virginia’s “Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer,” spoke before a virtual gathering of the Board of Visitors at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). In the lecture, Underwood promoted the racist writings of Robin DiAngelo, the author of the book “White Fragility.” She explicitly called for such “uncomfortable” ideas to be promoted at VMI, and said that such race-based thinking should be incorporated into “every single course” at the academy.

“Discomfort is to be expected,” Underwood continued, but encouraged the faculty to “lean into that discomfort. Walk towards the discomfort, not away.” She added that students at the academy must “engage in self-reflection and engage their own racial engagement and biases.”

Commentary: Honoring America’s Heroes on Memorial Day

May 31, 2021May 31, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

On Memorial Day, we commemorate and honor our fellow Americans who gave their lives in service to our country.

Throughout America’s history, our military men and women have bravely defended our God-given freedoms against the evils of religious persecution, slavery, foreign enemies, and radical terrorism.

The first defenders of American freedom were the courageous Continental Army and its leader, General George Washington. As we noted in our documentary “The First American,” it was a monumental challenge for Washington to mobilize a poorly trained and under-equipped army to victory against the British.

Space Force Commander’s Book Exposing Marxism in the US Military Shoots to Number One After His Firing

May 18, 2021May 17, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

A new book about the Marxist takeover of the military reached the top spot on Amazon’s bestseller list after the author, a former commander of a U.S. Space Force unit in Colorado, was fired for promoting it.

Lt. Colonel Matthew Lohmeier, commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, was relieved from his post after he appeared on a podcast to promote his book, Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military.
“Irresistible Revolution is a timely and bold contribution from an active-duty Space Force lieutenant colonel who sees the impact of a neo-Marxist agenda at the ground level within our armed forces,” a description of the book reads.

Commentary: The U.S. Military Is Just Another Woke Institution

May 10, 2021May 9, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The backsides of American soldiers in uniform

Tucker Carlson spurred a much-needed reexamination of the military in March. His monologue criticizing the military’s political correctness drew a more furious response from top brass than any foreign threat is likely to do. The generals’ response only affirmed Tucker’s points about the degraded state of our armed forces. Why do generals—both current and retired—feel the need to condemn civilians who question the wisdom of putting women in combat?

The answer is that the military, along with the entire national security establishment, is at one with the Democrat-Media complex. The image we have of generals and senior officers as defenders of tradition is wildly out of step with reality.

This fact is underscored by its contrast with a letter issued in France last week. The letter—signed by 20 retired generals, 80 officers, and 1,000 lower-ranking soldiers—was stridently right-wing. “The hour is late, France is in peril, threatened by several mortal dangers,” the letter states. Though retired, we remain soldiers of France, and cannot, under the present circumstances, remain indifferent to the fate of our beautiful country.”

West Point Probed for Allegations It’s Pushing Critical Race Theory on Cadets

May 10, 2021May 9, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

A U.S. congressman is seeking transparency from West Point Military Academy after hearing complaints regarding elements of critical race theory present in its training curriculum.

Rep. Mike Waltz, a member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to West Point leaders requesting copies of teaching materials provided at West Point after receiving complaints from various families and cadets.

In a phone interview with The College Fix, the Florida Republican explained that many families of West Point cadets come from military or law enforcement backgrounds, saying “they found it incredibly divisive.”

Pentagon Promotes Radical Resources to Kill ‘Extremism in Ranks’

April 9, 2021April 8, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Defense Department is promoting reading resources on opposing “systemic racism” that include radical authors as part of a program to combat extremism within the ranks of the military.

In a virtual meeting for “all hands” last month, the agenda—obtained by The Daily Signal—counted the scandal-plagued Southern Poverty Law Center as a credible resource alongside the Department of Homeland Security and the University of Maryland.

U.S. Commander Warns of China’s ‘Increasingly Assertive Military Posture’

March 11, 2021March 10, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

A top U.S. military commander warned lawmakers on Tuesday that China has adopted an “increasingly assertive military posture” as it seeks to supplant the United States as the world’s dominant military force.

“Its rapidly advancing capabilities and increasingly competitive posture underscore its drive to become a regionally dominant, globally influential power,” Adm. Philip Davidson, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, testified before members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Commentary: The Coming Military Purge

February 11, 2021February 10, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

One of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s first actions after confirmation has been to order a “60 day stand down” to combat extremism. This follows the widespread and mostly baseless establishment fantasy that “right-wing extremists” and “white supremacists” are running rampant and pose some immediate threat to the country.

Troops Fear SecDef Austin’s Stand-Down Will Single Out One Form of Extremism, Ignore Others

February 11, 2021February 10, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

The pending military stand-down to address “extremism in the ranks” may bring results that go beyond what Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expected to achieve, according to active duty service members who are scheduled to attend the mandatory sessions.

Austin on Friday ordered all uniformed and civilian leaders in the Defense Department to set aside a day soon to discuss “impermissible behaviors” related to extremism.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Issues 60-Day ‘Stand Down’ Order to Address ‘Extremism’ in the Military

February 9, 2021February 8, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Joe Biden’s Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has issued an unprecedented “stand down” order for the entirety of the United States military over the course of the next 60 days, for the purpose of addressing alleged “extremism” in the military’s ranks, as reported by Breitbart.

Austin announced the decision in a Tweet on Wednesday, saying that he “met with senior leaders to discuss extremism in the military. As a first step, I’m ordering a stand down to occur over the next 60 days so each service, each command, and each unit can have a deeper conversation about this issue.”

Commentary: Vets’ Service Is Worthy of Reflection on Veterans Day—and the Rest of the Year

November 11, 2020November 10, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

This Veterans Day, we have great reason to thank our many veterans and reflect on the immeasurable value of their service.

Celebrated every year on Nov. 11, what we now know as Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day, for the day the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end World War I.

Military Mail-in Ballots Cast for Trump Discarded in Pennsylvania, Federal Investigation Finds

September 25, 2020September 24, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Nine military mail-in ballots cast for President Donald Trump were discarded at a local Pennsylvania board of elections office, a federal investigation concluded.

The FBI and Pennsylvania State Police began an investigation Monday at the request of Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis, U.S. Attorney David Freed said in a statement. Salavantis requested federal assistance following reports of issues with a small number of ballots at the Luzerne County Board of Elections.

FBI Investigates Trump Support Detail Helicopter Shot Mid-Flight Over Virginia

August 13, 2020August 12, 2020 The Associated Press

The FBI is investigating the shooting of a military helicopter during a training mission this week in northern Virginia, injuring one crew member who was aboard, officials said Wednesday.

The Air Force helicopter was flying over Middleburg on Monday when it was shot from the ground nearby, according to authorities. The helicopter made an emergency landing at the Manassas Regional Airport, and federal agents were called to the scene to investigate, the FBI said in a statement.

Judge Michael Warren Commentary: Remembering What Memorial Day Actually Means During COVID-19 Times

May 25, 2020May 24, 2020 Admin

With much of the nation shutdown due to COVID-19, one might not even remember that May 25, 2020 is a Monday – or, more importantly, Memorial Day. The customary Memorial Day festivities of barbecues, beer, wearing white, traveling, and shopping will be truncated, if not arrested. But perhaps this is a sublime unintended consequence of social distancing and sheltering at home orders. If it settles our minds and let us focus on first things first – actually giving Memorial Day its due.

Mike Murray Commentary: A Military Option to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic and Prevent an Economic Depression

March 22, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

The current national strategy for fighting COVID-19 will fail. And the failure will be catastrophic. It will impact you and those you love. Continuing on the current track, even for the next seven days, will seal our doom. The measure of failure will be massive economic collapse that places millions out of work and threatens internal peace and security.

This will be to the 2000s as the Great Depression (1929 – 1933) was to the 1900s. But it need not be.

In a real war – and this is a real war where our livelihoods and security are at risk – a Wartime President always employs the Military Option.

Commentary: Do We Own Our Military?

December 29, 2019December 30, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

The preamble to the Constitution lists a number of core functions for the American government. Any American who has ever listened to “Schoolhouse Rock” (or maybe just an obsessive listener like yours truly) can name them all:

Housing Companies Subject Military Families to Serious Illness From Disgusting Housing Conditions, Military Wives Say

December 6, 2019December 5, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Housing companies subject military families to serious illness by purposefully covering up unsanitary housing conditions, military wives say.

Commentary: Neglect of Foreign Policy Led to the Deep State

November 20, 2019November 19, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Questions of foreign policy, particularly those of war and peace, are among the most critical in politics. A lost war can destroy an empire and erase a nation. Victory can attain safety, security, and prosperity for many generations. An inconclusive campaign—such as our neverending stalemate in Afghanistan—can sap national confidence and shatter the minds and bodies of a generation of veterans.

Commentary: The Military-Intelligence Complex

November 5, 2019November 4, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Much has been written about the so-called Resistance of disgruntled Clinton, Obama, and progressive activists who have pledged to stop Donald Trump’s agenda. The choice of the noun “Resistance,” of course, conjures up not mere “opposition,” but is meant to evoke the French “resistance” of World War II – in the melodramatic sense of current loyal progressive patriots doing their best to thwart by almost any means necessary the Nazi-like Trump.

Commentary: Trump Sticks to His Principles for Our Troops

October 27, 2019October 26, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Democrats’ presidential candidates were quick to attack President Trump’s foreign policy during their latest primary debate, but in the process, they revealed their own utter lack of any foreign policy plan for America.

84 Percent of Female Army Recruits Fail the Combat Fitness Test

October 9, 2019October 8, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

The Army’s Combat Fitness Test (CFT), the successor to the previous Physical Fitness Test (PFT), has proven an astonishing failure, particularly when it comes to female recruits, as reported by ClearanceJobs.com.

DFL State Rep Compares D-Day Veterans to Antifa

August 22, 2019August 21, 2019 Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota State Rep. Jim Davnie (DFL-Minneapolis), chair of the House Education Finance Committee, recently compared D-Day veterans to Antifa.

Another Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Official Reprimanded for Anti-Military Comments

June 24, 2019June 23, 2019 Anthony Gockowski

A DFL official has resigned after writing a “reprehensible tweet” directed at Rep. Tom Emmer’s (R-MN-06) son, who recently completed basic training to become a U.S. Marine. “Can’t wait to hear about all the Iranian civilians he murdered after you and the GOP finish the garbage kabuki theatre false…

Same DFL Staffer Who Called for Murder of Republicans Faces Backlash for Labeling New Navy Ship ‘Murder Boat’

June 18, 2019June 17, 2019 Anthony Gockowski

A DFL staffer who once called for sending Republicans “to the guillotines” faced backlash over the weekend for calling the new USS Minneapolis-St. Paul a “murder boat.” William Davis, a research director and deputy communications director for the DFL, made the comments in response to the christening of the…

Presidential Hopeful Sen Liz Warren Pushes Bill Imposing Green New Deal Climate Goals on the U.S. Military

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Michael Bastach Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced legislation to conscript the military into the fight against global warming, mandating non-combat bases meet the goals of the Green New Deal. “[C]onsistent with the objectives of the Green New Deal, the Pentagon should achieve net zero carbon emissions for…

Ohio Bill Would Drastically Lower Tuition for Military Members

May 10, 2019May 9, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Amanda Johnson Service members, spouses of service members and dependents will be able to pay in-state tuition at all public institutions in the state of Ohio under proposed legislation passed by the Ohio House. Currently, there are just a handful of exceptions for some members in the military…

Commentary: Trump is Smarter Than the Generals

December 23, 2018December 22, 2018 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Christopher Roach A bipartisan consensus among the foreign policy elite holds that America needs to maintain its de facto overseas empire. This includes both preserving stability, as well as fomenting deliberate instability, including regime change in places like Syria. This consensus among elected officials, defense contractors, general officers,…

Commentary: Art of the Veto: How Trump Can Force a Vote on the Wall

December 21, 2018December 20, 2018 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Robert Romano [Click here to urge Congress to build the wall!] There won’t be any vote on wall funding this year or any year at the rate we’re going — because nobody in Congressional leadership is apparently willing to stick it in a bill and simply vote on…

Commentary: Meet Them With Tanks?

October 24, 2018October 24, 2018 Admin

by George Rasley Conservative social media is awash with advice for President Trump on how to deal with the army of invading Central American aliens who are rapidly approaching our Southern Border. There is a strong current of opinion that says the whole “migrant caravan” is a set-up by…

Trump Goes Where No President Has Gone Before: Establishes A Space Force as Sixth Military Branch

August 11, 2018August 11, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

Space … the final military frontier to Make America Great Again. President Donald Trump has ordered the creation of a sixth military branch, The Space Force. His 2020 presidential campaign sent an email out earlier this week soliciting votes for a logo for the branch. Supporters may vote for one…

Lee Company Sends a Cease and Desist Letter to Diane Black’s Gubernatorial Campaign

July 28, 2018July 27, 2018 Jason M. Reynolds

The Lee Company sent a cease-and-desist letter to the gubernatorial campaign of Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06) on Friday, calling for the removal of information alleging the company wrongfully fired a veteran who once worked there, The Tennessee Journal’s On the Hill reported. GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee is the owner…

Grand Ole Opry Honors Military Families at Special Tuesday Night Opry

May 28, 2018May 27, 2018 Bethany Bowman

Several country artists took time to perform, meet and greet honored military families, active duty military and veterans at the Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday, May 22.