NBC is reporting live now – watch MSNBC. Brian Jenkins asks Richard Engel who right now says “The Last Patrol” will cross the border in about half hour. His reporting is the official Pentagon announcement of troop withdraw. No more combats missions; though some soldiers staying for training.Last troop – 440 troops, per Engel embedded with Striker Brigade. Rachel Maddow reporting live from Baghad now. Side bar: Engel is broadcasting from the “Bloom-mobile.”
UPDATE: Just watched the last combat troop cross into Kuwait, 4:20 Pacific time. That’s March 2003- to-moments ago.
Engels: “The beginning of the end.” About 50,000 troops remain as trainers, desk jobs.
Lt. DeWitt from San Jose – he watched the war start when he was 17; volunteered know he’d be deployed to Iraq; “proud” of the “good job” his unit has done.
Some combat troops coming home, then some going to Afghanistan. Rent the movies “Coming Home” and “First Blood” to understand some of the PTSD that some of the troops might experience….We need to help them.
I’ll have a more thoughtful response later.
UPDATE: Admiral Mike Mullen is on Facebook (pictured) and four hours ago – about two hours before the formal withdraw – he was posting about sending out DADT surveys to military spouses and the need to fill them out. The two responses on his front page are positive.
UPDATE: LETTER FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE WHITE HOUSE BLOG:
Ending the War in Iraq
Posted by Katelyn Sabochik on August 18, 2010 at 01:00 PM EDT
Earlier today, President Obama sent a message to the White House email list about ending our combat mission and drawing down the number of troops in Iraq. Check out the email below. You can sign up to receive periodic updates from the President and other senior administration officials here.
Good afternoon,
Shortly after taking office, I put forward a plan to end the war in Iraq responsibly. Today, I’m pleased to report that — thanks to the extraordinary service of our troops and civilians in Iraq — our combat mission will end this month, and we will complete a substantial drawdown of our troops. Over the last 18 months, over 90,000 U.S. troops have left Iraq. By the end of this month, 50,000 troops will be serving in Iraq. As Iraqi Security Forces take responsibility for securing their country, our troops will move to an advise-and-assist role. And, consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, all of our troops will be out of Iraq by the end of next year. Meanwhile, we will continue to build a strong partnership with the Iraqi people with an increased civilian commitment and diplomatic effort. A few weeks ago, men and women from one of the most deployed brigades in the U.S. Army, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, returned home from Iraq. The Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden were at Fort Drum to welcome the veterans home and spoke about their personal experiences as a military family:
Our commitment to our troops doesn’t end once they come home — it’s only the beginning. Part of ending a war responsibly is meeting our responsibility to the men and women who have fought it. Our troops and their families have made tremendous sacrifices to keep our nation safe and secure, and as a nation we have a moral obligation to serve our veterans as well as they have served us. That’s why we’re building a 21st century Department of Veterans Affairs. We’ve made one of the largest percentage increase in the VA’s budget in 30 years, and we’re dramatically increasing funding for veterans’ health across the board. In particular, we’re delivering unprecedented resources to treat signature wounds of today’s wars—Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Our sacred trust to take care of our veterans goes beyond simply healing the wounds incurred in battle. We must ensure that when our veterans leave the Armed Forces, they have the opportunities they need to further their education and support their families. Through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, some 300,000 veterans and families members have pursued a college degree. Others are taking advantage of job training and placement programs. My Administration will continue to do our part to support the brave men and women in uniform that have sacrificed so much. But supporting our troops and their families is not just the job of the Federal Government; it’s the responsibility of all Americans. As we mark this milestone in the Iraq war and our troops continue to move out of Iraq, I hope you’ll join me in thanking them, and all of our troops and military families, for their service. Sincerely, President Barack Obama
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Sometimes I think we LGBT equality advocates practice fishbowl politics. Sure some of us have standing in other worlds – openly gay California Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, for instance, who stands tall in both the Latino and labor communities. He spoke very powerfully about that at the Equality California dinner where he was honored on Saturday night (that story coming up). But I wonder if we are so self-aware that sometimes we assume other people are as knowledgeable as we think they are.
On Saturday, the
Dan Woods, lead attorney for the Log Cabin Republican’s federal challenge to the constitutionality of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law and policy, gave his closing argument Friday morning. In his 55-page presentation, he reviewed testimony from his expert witnesses and from former servicemembers about their experience living and being discharged under DADT. He also cited the Justice Department’s cross-examination, as well as poking holes in their defense, which relied on the will of Congress that passed the law in 1993. Woods cites quotations from congressmembers to show the animus towards lesbians and gays which he says is behind DADT. He also explained why he thinks DADT violates the constitutional right to due process and freedom of speech. It is a thorough summary of an historic case. Please click inside to read Dan Wood’s closing argument. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY. THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS AND REBUTTAL WILL BE AVAILABLE ON
I met Servicemember United Executive Director Alex Nicholson when he arrived in Riverside, CA on Tuesday to testify at the Log Cabin Republicans’ District Court trial challenging Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I spoke with him then and then later by phone after he was dismissed as a witness on Wednesday afternoon. While all the testimony was important, Alex’s testimony was critical since he is a named plaintiff in the case of Log Cabin Republicans v. the United States of America and the government has been mightily trying to discredit and undermine him.
This s
Just a quick note on lunch break at the Log Cabin’s federal challenge to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell here in Riverside, CA. Former Navy 
There’s no doubt that President Obama is under a lot of pressure – we see Tuesday how the Dow Jones dipped, raising serious concerns about whether Europe’s economic troubles are lapping at America’s shores. Additionally, the military is undergoing a profound change as they deal with and possibly re-think the strategy in Afghanistan. Some LGBTs want Obama critics such as
I was no fan of Virginia
In Rose Garden comments Wednesday, President Obama says he was not personally insulted by the offensive remarks from Gen. McCrystal to
Patrick Range McDonald has a
The USC School of Social Work and the USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families is hosting Admiral Mike Mullen, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for a free event that is open to the public on Friday, June 11.
A Facebook-organized group in Los Angeles called “Sitting in Solidarity” are spending all or part of Memorial Day (from 8:00am-7:00pm) sitting in silent mediation supporting the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and praying to 



