Sixteen Dead in Pakistan Riots

At least sixteen people are dead in Pakistan, after protests have turned violent. Peshawar and Karachi have seen the worst of the violence, with rioters singling out movie theaters, now that the military blocks them from reaching embassies.

After they started to receive injuries from the mob, police in Peshawar fired upon rioters there, killing several and wounding dozens. In Karachi, police themselves were the victims of being fired on, and one of their own number was killed.

Embassies, and other European and US buildings, have been closed for the weekend, throughout the Muslim world, as governments try and avoid casualties amongst their staffs. Many countries are seeing protests and several have gone violent. Authorities in Bangladesh responded to thousands of protesters by banning demonstrations for the weekend. Tunisia planned ahead and banned protests before they could begin.

Syrian Airstrike Kills 54 at Gas Station

Syria's air force was busy Thursday, blowing up a busy fueling station. The air strike killed at least fifty-four people, with that many or more injured by the blast.

Government forces continued to shell the town of Tel Abyad, where a border crossing was capture by rebel troops, on Wednesday. Residents across the border, in Turkey, reported gun fire was also present, suggesting that national troops are trying to retake the crossing.

On Wednesday, Syrian Migs entered Iraqi air space and attacked various Syrian Free Army bases that had been set up across the border for protection. Iraq's government has repeatedly kept silent about Syria's use of it's air space.

Over 27,000 have been killed in the conflict, which began in February 2011. President Assad released a statement, Thursday, stating that his forces can not lose, and that it is just a matter of time til the rebels are eliminated.

Blue to Gold: ARMY Pfc. Jon R. Townsend

ARMY Pfc. Jon R. Townsend, 19, Claremore, Oklahoma, died September 16 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.
Pfc. Jon R. Townsend, nineteen, of Claremore, Oklahoma, from the brigade's 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment. Townsend joined the Army in May 2011 and arrived at Lewis-McChord last October. He is survived by his wife, Brittany Taylor Carden.

His high school principal said Townsend was determined to join the Army.

"Jon made up his mind that he was going to go to the service, so he spent all year getting ready," Steve Johnson told the Tulsa World. "He really believed in the cause and wanted to be a soldier."

Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/20/v-print/2257264/deadly-weekend-hits-3-from-jblm.html#storylink=cpy

Blue to Gold: ARMY Pfc. Genaro Bedoy

ARMY Pfc. Genaro Bedoy, 20, of Amarillo, Texas, died September 16 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

Pfc. Genaro Bedoy, twenty, of Amarillo, Texas, died Sept. 16th, 2012 in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 52nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

He joined the Army in November 2010 and arrived at Lewis-McChord the following March.

The Amarillo Globe-News reported that Bedoy is survived by his wife and infant child.

"He died as a hero," his cousin, David Gonzalez, told the newspaper. "We're all going to miss him. We loved him."

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/09/20/v-printerfriendly/2303011/deadly-weekend-hits-3-from-jblm.html#storylink=cpy

Suicide Bomber Kills Twenty in Mogadishu

A suicide bomber struck a popular restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Thursday.

At least twenty people were killed, including a member of Parliament and several journalists.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but al Shabaab is considered a likely suspect.

The terrorist group was responsible for an attempted assassination of newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

That attack included three suicide bombers, who killed two bystanders.

African Union members have been sending troops to Somalia to try and oust al Shabaab from it's base of power.

Blue to Gold: ARMY Spc. Joshua N. Nelson

ARMY Spc. Joshua N. Nelson, 22, Greenville, N.C., died September 16 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

The Defense Department announced Wednesday the death of Specialist Joshua N. Nelson, twenty-two, of Greenville, N.C., in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to D Company, 297th Military Intelligence Battalion 513th Military Intelligence Brigade, at Fort Gordon.

Nelson died September 16 of injuries sustained when his position was attacked with small arms fire. Three other Soldiers died in the incident.

Nelson entered the Army in March 2011 and reported to Fort Jackson, S.C. for Army Basic Training. He received his Advance Individual Training, in MOS 35N (Signals Intelligence analyst) at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. He arrived at Fort Gordon in December 2011 and was assigned to D Company, 202nd Military Intelligence Battalion, then later to D Company, 297th Military Intelligence Battalion. He deployed to Afghanistan in May. This was his first deployment.

Nelson was posthumously promoted to specialist. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NATO Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

The entire Fort Gordon community extends its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Specialist Nelson.

Blue to Gold: ARMY Sgt. Sapuro B. Nena

ARMY Sgt. Sapuro B. Nena, 25, of Honolulu, HI, died September 16 in Zabul province, Afghanistan.

A twenty-five year old infantry soldier from Honolulu was among four soldiers killed in Afghanistan Sunday when they were attacked at a checkpoint by Afghan soldiers, the Pentagon reported today.

Sgt. Sapuro B. Nena died in Zabul province of injuries suffered when his position was attacked with small arms fire. Nena was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. 

The Army at Fort Lewis said Nena enlisted in the Army in May 2008. He deployed to Iraq in 2009 with a Fort Bliss unit. This was his first deployment to Afghanistan where he had been stationed since December.

Nena’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Achievement Medal (two awards), Meritorious Unit Citation (two awards), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon (two awards) and NATO Medal.

The Pacific Daily News today reported that Nena's wife was living on Guam and has left the island for Dover Air Force Base in Delaware where her husband's body is being flown to.

Bank of America Cutting 16,000 Jobs

For the last while Bank of America has let it be known that they would be cutting 30,000 jobs by the end of 2013.

But now leaked information has let us know that they're aiming to cut 16,000 of those by the end of this year.

Fewer branches will be the most noticeable difference, but mortgage and lending operations are also expected to be a focus of the cuts.

There's no word yet on where in the US the cuts will be hitting the hardest.

US Lifts Ban on New Zealand Ships

From left to right: US Ambassador to New Zealand David Huebner, New Zealand Minister of Defense Dr. Jonathan Coleman, and US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta

Leon Panetta became the first US Defense Secretary to visit New Zealand, since 1986.

Whilst there he announced that the US is lifting a ban, that has been in place since then, on ships from New Zealand being able to dock in US harbors.

The ban had been in place after New Zealand barred nuclear weapons from entering it's waters, thereby making it impossible for many American naval ships to enter.

In 2003, when New Zealand sent troops to Afghanistan, the relationship between them and the US began to improve.

The two countries signed a trade agreement in May and a defense pact this June.

New Zealand has no plans to end the ban on nuclear weapons, leaving the US saying they see no future for the US Navy in their waters, but both countries are making it clear they will grow their relationship despite the hurdles.

Reaction to Obama's Latest Flag

This flag is the newest thing you can buy on the Obama campaign's site.

I really had wanted to come up with some great piece on why it was wrong, but I'm totally and completely just filled with disgust at it.

The arrogance of the man, replacing the stars of the flag of the United States with his own symbol, is something I can't even contemplate without wanting to throw up.

How anyone can think that that individual is for anything other than himself, is beyond me.

Obama has shown himself to repeatedly not have the interests of the US in his heart, and through repeated actions shown that he seeks The Republic's destruction.

This flag is just yet the latest example of how he seeks to put himself before what America actually stands for, and but a small reminder of how important it is to get him out of office in November.

The Republic has but one flag, and that is definitely not it.