#So I just posted it oef

[emilydorp]

So in 'Good Day' what are the things that refers to TOP? I was not able to analyse anything that might suggest anything towards Top. Except that, GD is more approachable towards TOP 'officially' in public(apart from his instagram likes) with that scene where they made sure to blur Seungrat's face but not TOP's. I firmly believe this was done intentionally.

In the ZIP Daesung's episodes, they made it sure to blur both of their faces. But here, if they were careful enough to blur S's face, they could have blurred T's face too, but they didn't. And that says a lot.

Well, yep, that's a great thing that you saw! And you're 100% right there anon, it was done on purpose. But let me take you through the incredible world of GTOP delusion :)) I shall be honest tho, Good Day was something I wanted to tackle/analyze at the very end of my over analysis and saving of GTOP evidence, wayyy later, so there's a lot I can't include ToT

a) (Like the caption implies, there are MANY T.O.P references... *SOB* WHY DIDN'T I MAKE MORE TIME FOR GOOD DAY ANALYSIS? ESPECIALLY CUZ GD LIKED THIS REEL TOT. GD this show better be a goldmine of GTOP content lmaooooo /nsrs).

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b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

(Screenshots not mineeeeee since I literally don't have twitter :''))))

g) GD copied TOP's recreation/parody of the movie "Whiplash" and he even liked a reel pointing this out, but I can't find it, so trust :')) (Cuz they keep showing that one Whiplash challenge thing GD did instead when I try to find it ughhh ToT). I'll edit once I find? Or send me such a reel if y'all find it? :)))

EDIT: Another one of you sweeties in the comments helped me and I now have the linkkkk :D

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h)

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He is on the verge of CRYING because that dude used the WORD top. Not even talking about the person, just using the word in a completely different context. And like, he kept this part in.. and then liked this reel implying that his tears are over the fact that the word 'top' was said in front of him..

i)

Delulu ones (hahahahahaa......damn sorry for having fun, sheesh). Imho, these gestures below are like 'Drama', directed at Seunghyun and at the media/fans, especially the song "Telepathy", because he has stated multiple times that true love to him is telepathy and therefore that is also the way he wants to communicate with his fans and his lover. But yeah, it's just low key delulu me tbh :').

Edit: adding my Paris delulu theory for @deliciouskamepi, this picture is THE highlight of our theory (since I already over analyzed the Paris tryst theory already)

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That's all I have for now, since I haven't watched 'Good Day' properly ngl hahaha :))

[soullessjack]

another thing that really sucks about how the show went with jacks arc is like..he honestly did not have that good of a support system lmfao

yes the guys tried their best with very little to go off of in a LOT of areas yes I do have numerous posts and tags detailing how dean showed support but just LISTEN

the thing with characters that fall under specific archetypes (living weapon/monster-that-doesn’t-want-to-be-a-monster here) is that they usually have someone, or several other people in their life that. well. Support Them. like. shadow had maria to tell him that he could be whoever he wanted to be. the iron giant had Hogarth to say he is who he chooses to be. you get the idea. and yea, sam and dean and cas did eventually get to that point with jack — like dean even said in 13.06 that if jack is a monster for a single innocent death, so are he and the other guys for every death on their hands.

that’s fine and dandy and i wish more ppl acknowledged it but whatever but there’s also the faith part of it. Hogarth had enough faith that the giant would choose to be good and be his friend that he risked the other choice that would cost him his life. Maria (in the gens game) had faith that shadow wasn’t like black doom and wouldn’t join him. as much as tfw loved jack and genuinely saw him as their kid (which frankly makes it even more painful), when the chips were really really down they just. they didn’t fight hard enough for him honestly. i think even sam said that to dean in 14.19 or 15.03 (or whichever ep had the vampire kid) and he’s right.

bobby didn’t even consider the possibility of mary’s death being an accident. he gunned for jack like he was waiting for it to happen — waiting for the evil shoe to inevitably drop. i know cas tried to defend it, but “he may not have even realized what he did was wrong” is so flimsy I’m sorry cas it just doesn’t cut it (and it was very very wrong in the end anyways). sam and dean are still reeling from mary’s loss and don’t even know what to think, much less what to argue for or against. and I feel like.. how they really really felt, it was just littered in some dialogue here and there. Cas saying he knew something was wrong with jack and hiding it so their family didn’t fall apart, Sam saying they all knew [taking in] jack was a risk and yada yada. their general consensus was basically “yea we loved him but we always knew he might secretly have evil rabies and now that he’s evil it’s our fault for loving him so much we pretended he didn’t have evil rabies.”

and listen. i get why it went this way. i’m probably the biggest fan of Beloved Monumental Threat jack and functionally-dysfunctional TFW2.0 but like. it still hurts. and it hurts even more so when you pair it with jack’s psychotic subconscious hallucination telling him things like “stop pretending to be something you’re not, stop trying to go back where you don’t belong and you’ll feel so much better about it all.” literally looking nauseous for four days straight because he lost everything he ever had overnight and knows everybody thinks he’s Too Far Gone But He Really Isn’t So Please Let Him Come Back. eating a cactus would be significantly less painful and harrowing.

don’t make me tap the sign 👉 [JACK SUBCONSCIOUSLY THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS THE PET MONSTER OF HIS SURROGATE FAMILY. PET MONSTER. ARE YOU HEARING ME. OEF MKNYDR]€.

im reaching incoherency here but what sucks even more than all of that is that there’s no payoff to it. never any apologies from the guys or Bobby or resolution on jacks end. They just keep putting him in saw traps and then wondering “maybe he shouldn’t have been put in there” and once he’s freed from the saw trap nobody says “sorry we put you in a saw trap buddy you never deserved it and we were wrong to put you in it” and it is so so maddening

[alphabetboyluvr]

I'm thinking back to all sad bd moments between b and jungkook and I'm so sad, and the the twitter post of ditto holly??? I don't think I can get myself to read the future chapters. ILL DIE, omggg and the instagram one??? OEF 🥲🥲

:D :D :D

the Instagram one got a lot of people upset and like I understand why JUST TRUST ME

[schrijverr]

Heyy.. 'situation' anon here, I'll never pass up an opportunity to send an ao3 author i like asks on their authority so here i am again

🫖,🎵,🕸,📚 - sorry if thats too many lol, i was indecisive

also... while I'm here... ill publicly humiliate myself a little under the cover of anon and ask for your opinion of bobney/chobby/chimbobby ?

hello, situation anon! What a delight that you're back, thank you so much for the ask <333 And that's totally not too many, I love being enabled to talk, ask my partner, I will not stop xp

🫖: If you had a tea party with your blorbos you write the most, how would it go?

The writer in me, wants to go; god how would they react to suddenly appearing somewhere with a random stranger and tea? lmao. Rn im writing a lot of 9-1-1 and I feel like if the situation was plausible, they'd be chill, but I would 100% be too awkward about it omg. But I'd love to pick their brains about the work they do and I think they'd be okay answering questions. However, I don't think I'd want it to happen, bc the most plausible situation is me having an emergency haha

🎵: Do you create playlists for your fics?

I'm probably about to admit to being a total weirdo, bc I like my silence. Yup, I'm not a huge music person and I usually work and write in silence, no background noise, no music. So, usually no. I don't make playlists for my fic. I have for one, but that's an unposted Leverage fic (it's my lesbian nb, bisexual Eliot fic that goes from childhood love with Aimee through Damien Moreau to falling in love with Parker and Hardison, which I posted an abandoned first draft off) But overall, no, no playlists

🕸: Do you outline? How detailed?

My outlining usually consists of me jotting down future vague outline ideas and little snippets I might want to incorporate as I go along, just chilling at the bottom of my docx, along with things to remember like timelines or details I wanna come back to. I'm more a freestyler when it comes to writing. Nine times out of ten, I'll come up with a fun scene I wanna write and then go: 'huh, now how will i get there?' and kind of go from there.

Like, the I do verse that I'm posting right now, exist, because I wanted to write one scene in what is now chapter 30, then came up with a how would I get there and then that got out of hand, lmao. I followed the show, which gave me some hand holds, but I mostly let the characters take the wheel xp

📚: What are some of the favorite things you've learned while doing research?

Oef, I researched a bunch of weird things throughout the years (and subsequently forgot about most of them lmao). Idk if it counts, but I have this pocket of poetry I bought, bc I gave it to one of my characters as a gift and then I got curious, ended up using one of the poems in the fic itself too, so that was a lot of fun. I also felt like a huge nerd while doing so. But not as badly as that time I gave a fic a bibliography of historical accuracy and what I made up.

Honestly, most of the time I end up in niche things and with wikis open for fics I have never posted. I researched boxing techniques for a leverage fic I never wrote, as well as dentures for another unwritten leverage fic. But nothing concrete springs to mind right now

Your opinion of bobney/chobby/chimbobby ?

Oeh, that is a fun one, I never considered the ship before now. Admittedly, I had something against Bobby when I first started watching, but he's grown on me. However, him and Chim aren't my go to's for this fandom. And I love the canon ships they're a part of, so I wouldn't say I ship them myself. But they have an interesting dynamic, so I can see it. Like when Chim admits that he remembers his accident in season 1? That scene got to me.

Like, I can imagine that Chimney is the primary person that pulled Bobby into the fold when he first started there. He makes himself the comic relief and he would totally embrace the upgrade from Gerrard. And Bobby wouldn't want to let himself get pulled in, but he has this soft spot for Chim anyway, he can't help it. And then the accident with the rebar happens and it's the first time since Bobby transferred after the fire that he is confronted with loosing someone close to him again. And he's sitting there, by Chimney's bedside, praying, emotions overwhelming him, regretting that he never let himself be closer etc. Then Chim wakes up again and allows himself to get closer to him, to not make that same mistake twice. Then Chimney breaks down and Bobby lets him. That can be fun.

[tristealven]

winterlief replied to your post: ART

@tristealven​ can i just say OEF. this’ll be beautiful.

Yes! I was so happy to see that clip!!

[orbemnews]

WATCH: Walnut Hills graduate serving on historic naval ship surprises family CINCINNATI — When she was 17 years old, Jordan Sharp knew she wanted to serve her country. She discovered the United States Navy best fit what she was looking for in her post-Walnut Hills High School life. “I really want to do this, so I did it,” Sharp said. Courtesy, Sharp Family Her parents, Justin and Siobhan, said they didn’t flinch when she came to them asking that they go down to the Navy recruiter’s office to sign the paperwork necessary for Jordan to enlist. “That’s what she wanted to do, so that’s the last thing you want to say is no for something a kid wants to do and is passionate about,” said Justin Sharp. “Neither he or nor I even questioned it. We just said okay,” recalled Siobhan Sharp. Jordan turned 18 while going through basic training, proved her ability to take on responsibilities and showed leadership skills along the way. “During basic, I was actually what they call RPO, which is the Recruit Petty Officer,” explained Jordan Sharp. “I was the head of the whole division.” It was a role given to other recruits as well, but she says while the Recruit Division Commander (RDC) can strip you of the title and responsibility, she found that she was able to lead and managed to maintain the role through her training. Courtesy, Sharp Family “You have the connection between both of them, and here’s the recruit and here’s the RDCs, and you have the connection with both of them. And at the end of the day, you’re still the recruit, whether you’re in divisional leadership or not,” she said. She was awarded her first assignment on the USS Constitution, known as “Old Ironsides” since the War of 1812, when British cannonballs were seen bouncing off the wooden hull. Its historic place in our country’s Navy makes it a high-profile position for any sailor. “You’re just in the atmosphere of our history we go onto the ship every day,” said Sharp. When she was first asked to apply, she wasn’t quite sure what the USS Constitution was or its rich history. However, she has since become enthralled with its past and continues to study everything she can to best serve visitors when the ship reopens to the public. Her assignment on the USS Constitution will last for two years before she goes on to additional training for her main job in the Navy as a Master at Arms. There, she will help provide safety and security on Naval installations and ships, according to the Navy’s website. As for a 20-year career in the Navy, Jordan hasn’t made that big of a decision just yet. But, she does have her eye on the future as a history teacher or a lawyer. You can read more about the USS Constitution and its history by heading over to the museum’s website. If you have a veteran story to tell in your community, email homefront@wcpo.com. You also can join the Homefront Facebook group, follow Craig McKee on Facebook and find more Homefront stories here. window.fbAsyncInit = function() FB.init( appId : '1374721116083644', xfbml : true, version : 'v2.9' ); ; (function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; js.async = true; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '1080457095324430'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link Orbem News #9OnYourSide #Afghanistan #AirForce #America #Armedservice #Cincinnatinews #craigmckee #Family #Graduate #Hills #historic #naval #OEF #OIF #serving #ship #surprises #USA #Walnut #watch

[filipino76]

From three years ago to a reality: PTS Awareness plates are available at your local BMV in Ohio! $40 of the $50 goes towards a state fund for non profits that support PTSD Awareness! Post from 3 years ago: Met with Ohio State Representative Retherford a few weeks ago thanks to my Friend Kevin. My wife and I we able to share our experiences with ptsd with the former Marine. We just talked about life as brothers in arms. On behalf of the #ohiogclub, we were able to begin talking about plans to create an Ohio State license plate that supports and creates ptsd awareness! There have been so many opportunities that have come up in the past 3 years of creating ptsd awareness. For that, I am grateful. In the end, I hope that sharing these experiences will help someone with ptsd, somewhere in the world. #ptsd #ptsdhelp #brothersinarms #OIF #OEF #combatveteran #AirForce #Navy #Marines #Army #familysupport drivenwithpurpose.org #dwp4ptsd #notalone #savethe22 #22istoomany #22aday #preventsuicide #ptsdawareness #warathome #ptsdknowledge #charity #licenseplate https://www.instagram.com/p/B9gv340A74a/?igshid=zxwscm8eo6pi

[schrijverr]

Oops i also missed the ask post!

Gonna ask 36 cuz i need advice for myself lol

And 2, 31, 32 cuz im curious about your anwsers

That's okay, super funky that you send one, always welcome :D, thank uu! <3

36. How do you come up with fic titles? What's the one you're most proud of?

Oeh, I one made a helpful guide about titling fics, because I used to give more writing advice. I think the most important thing is knowing what your main thing is in the fic, like is it about a certain thing happening or an interaction between two or more characters, and then making it a little more abstract, so narrowing it down to like a few words, before getting more poetic with it. A pyramid approach so to speak xp

As for which one I'm the most proud of? Oef, I don't know, I think Stitching Up a Mask, but that could be recency bias. I also love Home of the sky take me to the home of my youth.

2. Anything that you'd like to write but feel like you're unable to?

That's a though one, I mean, I guess more darker fics. I love angst, but I'm not good at keeping it angst, so it turns out a little more h/c whenever I try. Plus, certain topics are just outside of my experience and I'll feel weird about writing those. But overall, I usually give whatever I want a try, the only thing stopping me is hours in the day lmao

31. What was the most difficult fic for you to write (but in the end you made it)?

Definitely I Found Myself a Cheerleader, because I kind of fell out of the fandom for a bit, I really only had two more chapters to write, but I just stopped feeling it. I'm the kinda person who won't post until it is finished, so I had poured all that work in only for it to never see the light of day, so that really sucked. The only thing that got me through that one was rereading comments on my other Stranger Things fics, so much appreciated to everyone in my comments <3

32. Do you have a word/expression that you always use in your writing?

Gosh, probably. Not deliberately, but certain things just come back over and over, because the themes fit or I like them. When you start looking my crying descriptions probably all look very similar haha

(if anyone noticed anything, do tell, I am curious)

[zjs3720]

This makes my heart happy.

I’m a Marine Corps veteran. I served in Afghanistan in 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and spent some time in Japan as well. So, naturally, when I read articles like this I can breathe a sigh of relief. 60.6% of post 9/11 vets attribute their military experience to their success as a civilian (DeSilver, 2013). Similarly, I read another article recently that says that military veterans as a whole are more successful than their civilian peers (Shane III, 2017).

One of the reasons this is so important to me is because of the huge cultural differences between the military and the civilian world. For starters, there are huge stigmas surrounding military service. There is a lot of talk of PTSD, and veterans being “damaged.” There are horror stories of veterans being treated poorly, homeless, and dying from lack of medical care.

These stigmas exist because civilian and military culture are so vastly different, due almost entirely to difference in our values. One point that stands out about the civilian world is the emphasis on individuality. People are encouraged to express themselves, stand out and be individuals. Conversely, in the military you’re sent to a 10-13 week training camp, depending on the branch you join, that is geared around destroying your personal identity and, for lack of a better word, indoctrinating you into their belief system. Then, while they are destroying your individuality and personal identity, they introduce you to a new set of rules and guidelines they expect you to follow. For instance: did you know that in the Marine Corps you can be brought up on charges for doing literally anything while walking in uniform? Smoking, drinking, talking on a cellphone, chewing gum, all prohibited while walking in uniform. You read that right.

This brings me to my next point, which is why I personally believe we have so many issues with military members returning to civilian life. We essentially indoctrinate our service members into whatever branch they serve, and then, rather than helping ease their transition back into civilian life, your superiors make your transition excruciatingly difficult. From personal experience, I can tell you that the last 9 months of my active duty career was some of the worst. My chain of command made it clear that they did not approve of me returning to civilian life. There is a long check out process that involves multiple counselings and meetings with different entities within your unit, and those in charge either made it impossible to meet with them or gave extra duty to just make life miserable. At every turn, I was told I would fail. College, I wouldn’t last. Marriage or family, it would fail. I was told, and I’m not making this up, constantly by my superiors that I would become that poorly treated veteran I mentioned earlier. Homeless, alone, a failure.

So, when people ask me why I think we have such a problem here, I don’t believe it’s the culture. No, I think military culture in itself is just fine. It does its job of keeping our military prepared to do exactly what its intended to do: destroy the enemy, sometimes by any means necessary. Where I believe the disconnect is falls under the military itself making its so difficult for you to leave that culture. So, when I see stories like this it makes happy to see that veterans are succeeding in their own lives. It gives me hope. All that, and there is this very satisfying feeling that comes with succeeding where you were told you would fail.

DeSilver, D. (2013). Most-recent veterans say military prepared them for civilian work. [online] Pew Research Center. Available at: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/11/11/most-recent-veterans-say-military-prepared-them-for-civilian-work/ [Accessed 3 Aug. 2017].

Shane III, L. (2017). Report: Young vets are more successful than their civilian peers. [online] Military Times. Available at: http://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2017/07/29/report-young-vets-are-more-successful-than-their-civilian-peers/ [Accessed 4 Aug. 2017].

[bountyofbeads]

Trump Warns Iran as Risk of Wider Armed Conflict Grows https://nyti.ms/2SGFIi7

"Dear Americans who think war with Iran is acceptable, You have no idea how catastrophic such an event would be. None. I say that as a veteran of OIF and OEF. The entire Iraq war was a gigantic debacle, one that continues to resonate with fresh horrors every day. Iraq did not have a modern professional army. Iran does. Iraq did not have multi-national support from US adversaries. Iran does. Iraq did not have a highly devoted nationalist populace who was willing to defend the Saddam regime. Iran does have a massive loyalist populace willing to defend their leadership. If the United States engages in open hostility with Iran, it would cost the lives of tens of thousands, or potentially more than a hundred thousand Americans. It is quite literally insane to believe that war with Iran is acceptable." Austin Ouellette, Denver, CO

Every American should be made to read the recent series in the Washington Post "The Afghanistan Papers" to see what a wasteful and useless effort that continuing war is. Wasted lives and wasted money yet everyone said we were winning. The same people want us to go into Iran. Iran will be the war that will bankrupt us.

Obama clearly understood that they would be no peace in the Middle East unless we have a deal with Iran. In the past, we thought Saudi Arabia would intercede and help bring stability but it became clear that they could not even handle tiny rebellions in their border with Yemen. Money cannot buy everything. Israel built walls and protected themselves and inadvertently let Iran become the biggest player with sphere of influence from South Asia, Emirates, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Obama was right in his approach to engage Iran just like he did with Cuba. Had we remained engaged we would have dealt with Syria and ISIS and even Venezuela differently. We took a turn for the worse. Elections will always have consequences.

Trump Warns Iran as Risk of Wider Armed Conflict Grows

Administration officials say they are restoring “deterrence” against Iran, but the president’s reluctance to use force in the Middle East may be creating an opening for Tehran.

By Michael Crowley and Edward Wong | Published Dec. 31, 2019 | New York Times | Posted January 1, 2020 |

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump toughened his rhetoric toward Iran on Tuesday, saying the country would “be held fully responsible” for the attack by Iraqi demonstrators on the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad, an assault that Mr. Trump said was directed by Tehran.

“This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening, in some of his most bellicose language of the year toward Iran.

The growing crisis has strained Mr. Trump’s aversion to war with Iran as well as his distaste for Middle East entanglements generally, including in Iraq. Mr. Trump faced pressure from hawkish allies in Washington to confront Iran forcefully, while memories of the deadly attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, loomed over the administration.

Many analysts said Iran had thrown the Trump administration on its heels and was forcing a president entering his re-election year into unpalatable decisions about escalation and the risk of wider conflict.

“The Iranians believe Trump has shown he doesn’t want to go to war,” said Vali Nasr, a former State Department official in the Obama administration and a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Mr. Nasr said that Iran’s leaders were “making the president realize there is risk and cost to his policy” of crippling sanctions on the country’s economy.

The siege on the embassy created an unwelcome holiday crisis for Mr. Trump, who has spent the past week out of sight, splitting time between his Mar-a-Lago resort estate in Florida and his luxury golf club a few miles away. Mr. Trump has not spoken to reporters since Christmas Eve and was absent from a Sunday evening news briefing at Mar-a-Lago during which three of his top national security officials discussed American airstrikes against an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia.

But on Tuesday the White House said Mr. Trump spoke by telephone with Iraq’s prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, imploring him to help protect Americans in the country.

Although Iraq has seen mass anti-government protests in recent months, Mr. Trump left no doubt that he viewed the embassy assault as Tehran’s handiwork. “Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq,” he tweeted. “They will be held fully responsible.” Mr. Trump also ordered a contingent of Marines to protect the American personnel there.

No Americans were harmed in the assault on the compound, and the attackers did not enter any embassy buildings. But the Trump administration was treating the threat as a serious new escalation by Iran, two days after Mr. Trump approved the airstrikes against the militia group that American officials said launched a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that killed an American contractor and wounded four American soldiers.

The events of the past several days amount to a violent cat-and-mouse game between Washington and Tehran, as Iran bridles under economic sanctions and seeks to exact a price from the United States. Those sanctions contributed to mass protests that the country’s leaders say were instigated by the United States to bring down Iran’s regime.

Trump administration officials, particularly Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have long spoken about the need to “restore deterrence” against Iran to check its military activities in the Middle East. They blame President Barack Obama for emboldening Tehran through the 2015 nuclear deal. But supporters of the agreement say that Mr. Trump’s May 2018 withdrawal from it prompted Iran and its proxies to adopt a more aggressive posture toward the United States.

Meanwhile, some of Mr. Trump’s allies fear that a president who has repeatedly called for winding down “endless wars” has effectively condoned Iranian behavior by shying away from military force. In mid-June, Mr. Trump ordered limited airstrikes to punish Iran for shooting down an expensive American drone near its coastline, only to call off the attack at the last minute. Mr. Trump also defied calls from some Republican supporters to strike at Iran after it attacked a major Saudi oil production facility in September.

Mr. Trump has also said he would like to negotiate a new nuclear agreement with Iran’s leaders. But Iran has refused to discuss its nuclear program until Mr. Trump rolls back economic sanctions, including on oil exports, a step the president has refused to take.

Mr. Trump was cheered on by some Republican allies on Tuesday, including Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a longtime advocate of confrontation with Iran who golfed with the president in Florida on Tuesday.

Mr. Graham praised Mr. Trump on Twitter for “acting decisively” and told Iran that the president “will hold you accountable for threats against Americans and hit you where it hurts the most.” He also issued a veiled threat of further military action, telling the Iranian government that “a country that depends on the ability to refine oil for its existence needs to be cautious.”

Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, said Iran “must be held responsible.”

Complicating the picture was what a senior Trump administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Monday, cast as longtime frustration with the Iraqi government, saying it has not sufficiently protected American military and diplomatic personnel from Iranian-backed militia groups. About 5,000 American troops and several thousand more civilians remain in Iraq nearly a decade after the United States officially ended its occupation of the country.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly criticized the 2003 American invasion of the country as a colossal mistake and has been eager to withdraw American forces from neighboring Syria.

Mr. Trump tweeted on Tuesday that “we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!”

But much of Iraq’s political establishment has bitterly complained about the American airstrikes within its borders. The strikes hit Shiite militia fighters who, while aligned with Iran, helped to defend Iraq from the Islamic State in recent years and have close ties to the country’s leadership.

“The story in Iraq has shifted,” Mr. Nasr said, as prior anger at Iranian influence in the country is displaced by outrage at Washington. “I think the administration has miscalculated.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump tried to keep the focus on Iranian influence in Baghdad.

“To those many millions of people in Iraq who want freedom and who don’t want to be dominated and controlled by Iran, this is your time!” Mr. Trump  implored on Twitter as demonstrators set up camp at the gates of the American Embassy in Iraq’s capital.

Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser, John R. Bolton, warned in a tweet against conflating the embassy attack with mass protests that have gripped Iraq in recent months.

“The attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad is straight from Iran’s playbook in 1979,” Mr. Bolton wrote. “It’s a sign of Iranian control over Shia militia groups, not a sign of Iraqi anti-Americanism.”

Some foreign policy analysts said the fast-moving crisis pointed to muddled thinking within the Trump administration about its approach toward Iran.

“Trump, who would just as soon withdraw wholesale from Iraq, faces a conundrum in an election year: How to avoid looking weak on the one hand and yet avoid triggering a messy conflict with Iran and deeper involvement in Iraq on the other that will alienate his base and energize his opponents,” said Aaron David Miller, a former State Department official and Middle East expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Mr. Trump’s public pledges to disentangle the United States from wars in the Middle East are more complicated and problematic than they appear, former officials and analysts said. While the president has talked about withdrawing American troops, he has actually added troops in some areas, most notably about 3,000 to Saudi Arabia in an order issued in October. The key factor there was Saudi Arabia’s willingness to pay the costs of maintaining the troops, a persistent issue with Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump has signaled a strong distaste for engagement in foreign conflicts in nearby Syria. He surprised top advisers by withdrawing American troops from the Syria-Turkey border in October and allowing Turkey to invade a Kurdish-held area in Syria. Mr. Trump eventually agreed to keep some troops by oil fields in Syria after senior Defense Department officials stressed to Mr. Trump that the soldiers would be securing oil.

The president announced in December 2018 that he planned to withdraw troops from Syria, prompting the resignations of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a veteran Marine general, and Brett H. McGurk, the special presidential envoy to the international coalition battling the Islamic State.

On Tuesday morning, the State Department said Mr. Pompeo had spoken with Mr. Mahdi, and Iraq’s president, Barham Salih, in separate calls. A summary of the calls released by the department said that Mr. Pompeo “made clear the United States will protect and defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and independent Iraq,” and that the Iraqi leaders “assured the secretary that they took seriously their responsibility for and would guarantee the safety and security of U.S. personnel and property.”

The safety of embassy employees is fraught for Mr. Pompeo. He delivered blistering criticism of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when he was a member of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, which investigated the decisions she made around the 2012 attack on the diplomatic compound in Libya. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens; another full-time government employee, Sean Smith; and two American C.I.A. contractors died in that attack.

Former State Department officials and associates of Mr. Pompeo say because of that history and the ensuing harm to Mrs. Clinton’s political career, he is keen to ensure that American diplomats under his watch are not harmed. Republican politicians say that Mr. Pompeo might run for an open Senate seat in Kansas in 2020 and then president in 2024.

That history was clearly on the mind of the president himself. By late Tuesday afternoon, with embassy security beefed up and the imminent threat seemingly repelled, Mr. Trump boastfully tweeted: “The Anti-Benghazi!”

In May, during a period of heightened tensions with Iran, Mr. Pompeo ordered most non-Iraqi employees of the Baghdad embassy and the consulate in Erbil, in northern Iraq, to leave the country. Employee numbers at the embassy are now much lower than they were before that order, American officials say. In September 2018, Mr. Pompeo ordered the closing of the Basra consulate, despite the opposition of the top diplomat there.

In response to the turmoil in Baghdad on Tuesday, the American military conducted a show of force with helicopter gunships and deployed about 120 Marines to reinforce the compound’s grounds, a Defense Department official said. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper also said that about 750 soldiers would be sent to the region immediately, and that additional troops were prepared to follow in the coming days.

Mr. Esper called the deployments “an appropriate and precautionary action,” adding, “The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found around the world.”

*********

Iraq Protests Swarm U.S. Embassy Again, Dispersing Amid Tear Gas

The protesters, including members of Iranian-backed militias, largely withdrew after a few hours, but the situation remained volatile.

By Falih Hassan and Alissa J. Rubin | Published Jan. 1, 2020 Updated 8:24 AM ET | New York Times | Posted January 1, 2019 |

BAGHDAD — For a second day, demonstrators swarmed outside the United States Embassy in Iraq on Wednesday and troops fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse them, but after a few hours the militia leaders who had organized the demonstration called on the crowd to leave.

Unlike on Tuesday, protesters did not get inside the compound. By midafternoon all but about 200 had dispersed, taking their tent poles with them.

President Trump said on Tuesday that Iran was responsible for events at the embassy compound in Baghdad, and tweeted, “They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat.”

That drew a taunting response on Wednesday from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader. “You can’t do anything,” he said in a speech in Tehran, according to his website, adding: “If the Islamic Republic decides to challenge and fight, it will do so unequivocally.”

The situation in Iraq reached a new level of volatility in the last few days as Iran and the United States attacked each other’s forces, in an escalation of hostilities that was at risk of spiraling out of control. The growing confrontations between the United States and Iran, the two main sponsors of the fragile Iraqi government and the two primary foreign military powers there, makes the already unstable region even more so.

The United States blamed an Iranian-backed militia for a rocket attack on Friday on an Iraqi military base, which killed an American contractor and wounded several other people. American forces responded on Sunday with strikes on five sites controlled by the militia, in Syria and Iraq, that killed at least two dozen people and injured twice as many; Iran has put the death toll at 31.

On Tuesday, thousands of Iraqis, many of them militia fighters, marched on the United States embassy compound in Baghdad to protest the American strikes; some of them forced their way through the outer wall, set fires and threw rocks. They did not attempt to breach the embassy itself, and there were no reports of serious injuries, but the clash evoked memories of the takeover of the American embassy in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

In an ominous sign for the Americans’ ability to stay, the Iraqi authorities, who had prevented previous demonstrations from getting near the embassy compound, allowed the protesters on Tuesday to march on it unimpeded.

Militia leaders vowed that they would not go away, but would stage a sit-in just outside the compound until the United States withdrew from Iraq. Were the Americans to do so, they would strengthen Iran’s hand in a country where it already wields significant power.

But on Wednesday afternoon, the umbrella group for the militias, the Popular Mobilization Forces, ordered everyone to leave the embassy area.

The number of protesters on the street outside the compound on Wednesday was about 1,000, much smaller than it had been on Tuesday, but the situation remained combustible.

Iraqi special forces charged with protecting the embassy were relatively few in number, about 30 men. They were caught between the demonstrators and American troops, and exposed to the tear gas fired by United States forces at the protesters who attempted to climb onto the roof of the guard post — damaged by fire on Tuesday — and jump inside the compound.

At about midday, as more protesters clambered on to the roof, the Americans fired at least four volleys of tear gas, driving several hundred demonstrators back from the compound’s front gate, but a larger number remained.

A general with the Iraqi security forces, who asked not to be quoted by name, stood with his men next to the perimeter walls as protesters tried to scale them.

“This is not good — they have to stay away from the wall,” he said. The Americans, he added, “are right when they fire tear gas because otherwise the protesters will get inside the compound, but we are caught in between.”

“What can we do?” he asked.

In the past months, in the face of antigovernment protests, it was Iraqi forces firing tear gas to dispel protesters. But this week, the Iraqi authorities have left that to the United States, rather than confronting their own people.

Mr. Khamenei, addressing Mr. Trump, said, “If you were logical — which you’re not — you would see that your crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan” and elsewhere “have made nations hate you,” the ayatollah’s website reported.

Iraqi militias — in theory under the umbrella of the national military, but often quite independent — played a major role in the fight against the Islamic State, or ISIS. While many of the armed groups, who are made up of Shiite Muslims, are backed by Iran, a Shiite theocracy at odds with the United States, the two powers had a common goal in their effort to defeat the Islamic State. Once the Islamic State was largely demolished, however, the Iran-backed Iraqi militias turned their attention to constraining United States activities in Iraq, especially after America ratcheted up its sanctions against Iran.

Mr. Khamenei said the United States was “taking revenge on the Popular Mobilization Forces for defeating ISIS,” a group that he claimed “the U.S. had created.”

The militia that the United States struck on Sunday, Khataib Hezbollah, denied responsibility on Wednesday for the most confrontational demonstrators, although it had pushed for protests in front of the embassy.

When asked why the protesters were climbing on the roof and setting fires anew, a spokesman for the group, Mohammed Muhi, said: “We can’t control those people and I think you heard me say over the loudspeakers: ‘Don’t go deeply, don’t burn.’ Our message is to stay here and have a sit-in, but they didn’t listen to me, so what can I do?”

There are about 30 groups within the Popular Mobilization Forces, each answering to different leaders who do not always agree with each other. Neither the government nor any of the factions has the authority to corral all of them, making for a dangerous mix.

______

Falih Hassan reported from Baghdad, and Alissa Rubin from Paris.

*********

Why the U.S. Became the Focus of Iraqis’ Anger

Months of antigovernment protests had centered on Iran’s influence in the country. A rocket attack and a series of airstrikes changed that.

By Alan Yuhas | Published Jan. 1, 2020 Updated 9:16 AM ET | New York Times | Posted January 1, 2019 |

For months, furious protests have battered Iraq, driven by frustration at a dysfunctional economy, corruption and the pervasive influence of a foreign power: Iran.

Then a rocket attack killed an American contractor in Iraq, American airstrikes hit an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, and Iraqis’ anger turned back on the United States, culminating with a break-in at its embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday.

The airstrikes and the embassy break-in brought the United States to its most serious crisis in the country in years — and pulled it deeper into the volatile problems engulfing Iraq and its neighbor Iran.

Complicated at the best of times, the relations between Iraq, Iran and the United States are now even more fraught.

What happened in the last few days?

On Friday, more than 30 rockets were fired at an Iraqi military base near Kirkuk, in northern Iraq, killing an American civilian contractor and wounding four American and two Iraqi servicemen.

The United States accused an Iranian-backed militia, Kataib Hezbollah, of carrying out the attack. A spokesman for the militia denied its involvement. President Trump blamed Iran for the attack, writing Tuesday on Twitter, “Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many.”

The American military launched airstrikes against the militia over the weekend, killing 24 members in what Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called “a decisive response.” He said the United States would “not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy.”

The United States and Iran are at longstanding odds — over influence in Iraq, Iran’s nuclear program and other issues — and tensions have spiked under the Trump administration, which pulled out of the 2015 nuclear accord and imposed punishing sanctions on Tehran.

But the American airstrikes came at a particularly combustible moment in Iraq, where anger at foreign meddling was already running high. For much of the last 16 years, Iraqis’ ire has been directed at the United States for its invasion and the war and occupation that followed. But Iran has also deeply embedded in Iraq, raising fears that the country would be caught in the rivalry between Tehran and Washington.

The country’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, warned that Iraq must not become “a field for settling regional and international scores,” and Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi called the airstrikes a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

On Tuesday, protesters stormed the sprawling American Embassy compound in Baghdad. They did not enter the main embassy buildings, and eventually joined thousands of others nearby — many of them members of the fighting groups technically overseen by the Iraqi military, and many chanting, “Death to America.”

Mr. Trump accused Iran of “orchestrating” the break-in, adding that “they will be held fully responsible.”

Many of the protesters who broke into the compound were members of Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias. While Iran remains deeply influential in Iraq, it has also been the recent target of anger, and sometimes violence, by Iraqi protesters.

Why has Iraq been so volatile recently?

Huge, sometimes violent protests began erupting across Iraq in October, as people angry about unemployment,  corruption and shambolic public services poured into the streets. For 12 weeks, the government flailed for a solution, variously promising reform and cracking down.

More than 500 people were killed and 19,000 injured in the unrest, according to the United Nations special envoy to Iraq.

The brutal government response hardened protesters’ resolve, and the protests gradually expanded to include complaints about Iran’s widespread influence in Iraq’s government. (An Iranian general, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, had brokered the deal creating the current government.) Many protesters link Iranian influence to corruption in the government and among Shiite militias.

In November, protesters burned down the Iranian Consulate in the southern city of Najaf, and for weeks, protesters camped outside the heavily guarded Green Zone of Baghdad, the seat of Parliament and the prime minister. By the end of the month, Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi said he would resign.

Iraq’s government has been in limbo ever since, unable to pick his successor.

How is Iran involved in Iraq’s militias?

After years of competing with the United States for influence over Iraq, Iran has emerged as an aggressive and powerful force in Iraqi life.

Iran wields powerful influence in the government, business and religion. Iranian-linked parties have gained significant strength in Parliament, especially since the American military withdrawal in 2009. And when the Islamic State invaded Iraq in 2014, Iran helped form Shiite militias to fight it, giving it leverage in Iraq’s security.

As the militias and the United States — effectively fighting on the same side — drove the Islamic State out of territory it controlled in Iraq, the militias gained influence. They control powerful factions in Parliament and the military, and some have turned into mafia-like groups that use extortion rackets to profit from Iraqis.

Some militias have attacked Iraqi bases where Americans are stationed, too. The populist cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who has called for the United States and Iran to leave Iraq, urged the militias to stop “irresponsible actions.”

The group accused in Friday’s rocket attack, Kataib Hezbollah, has close ties to Iran, but many Iraqis consider it a primarily Iraqi force. It is separate from the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, though both groups have Iran’s backing and oppose the United States. The State Department has designated both groups as terrorist organizations.

Kataib Hezbollah promised “retaliation” for the airstrikes, without providing details. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the United States “must accept full responsibility for the consequences of this illegal action.”

What is the United States presence in Iraq?

The United States has about 5,200 troops in Iraq, and a fluctuating number of civilian contractors. Most of the soldiers are stationed at a base northwest of Baghdad and at a base in the Kurdish-controlled north.

The embassy compound in Baghdad opened in 2009 and, at 104 acres, is nearly as large as Vatican City. The compound and the American Consulate in Erbil, in northern Iraq, have a combined staff of 486, most in Baghdad.

After the storming on Tuesday, the Pentagon sent 120 additional Marines to Baghdad. Late Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced that about 750 troops would deploy to the region.

The American presence in Iraq has declined sharply from its height during and immediately after the Iraq war. There were nearly 16,000 people in the embassy compound in 2012, and 170,000 troops in Iraq in 2007. Amid rising tensions with Iran this year, the State Department ordered some diplomats to leave the embassy.

What’s happening in Iran?

Adding to the regional turmoil, Iran has also been reckoning with its worst unrest in decades.

These protests began in November with a sudden increase in gasoline prices, and grew into demonstrations against Iran’s leaders and how they have handled American sanctions, a staggering economy and anger from neighbors in Iraq and Lebanon.

Thousands of people demonstrated, many from cities with large low-income and working-class populations, but Iran’s security forces crushed the protest, killing up to 450 people, according to human rights groups. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, justified the crackdown by calling the protests a plot by Iran’s enemies at home and abroad.

*********

[chaton-katreal]

Don't know how to pause the queue so I just dunk oef the last two posts and am gonna log off for the day o7

[atlanticcoastupbringing-blog]

Gun Laws in the United States

I have this task on my to-do list to read the United States Constitution. I have read it before, but I haven’t done any in depth study into it. I’m no lawyer.

While procrastinating actually reading it and becoming more informed on certain issues, I started to think about how I instinctively felt about it. In general, I like it. I don’t know if I deitize it like some and place it on an untouchable pedestal, but it is a very well written document, and it was the start to the country I love. It has its flaws, and I think for people to ignore that is dangerous.

For whatever reason, the 2nd amendment is one of the most controversial. I’m not sure why it merits such importance, but people are really passionate about it. 

I have a little pocket copy of the constitution (no, I don’t carry it with me), this is what the second amendment says: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

To me, that’s a pretty simple amendment, but there have been so many legal arguments and precedence set over it, that it’s become very difficult to understand. 

Here is my ignorant view of the amendment. In 1789 when the amendment was written, the United States was a new country, there was no law or authority given by the constitution to maintain a standing army for longer than two years (although a Navy was important). Warfare had not evolved to what it became in the industrial age. In order to best protect the country in a time of aggression (because we definitely upset a certain country in the revolution, ahem War of 1812), the writers thought it necessary for citizens to have the inherent right to keep and maintain a weapon, so they could be used quickly in the Defense of the nation. 

Since 1789, warfare has evolved, weaponry has evolved, our manufacturing has evolved. The United States has thousands of nuclear weapons, and a standing military with a 700 billion dollar budget. Why do we need citizens to keep and bear arms? In my opinion, we don’t. Does that mean I believe weapons should be banned? Absolutely not, it’s a free country. But like all things proven dangerous, they should be HEAVILY taxed regulated. People may argue that I don’t respect the constitution. Well, I do, I respect that it’s not perfect, and some of it hasn’t maintained its relevancy. But the founders knew it wouldn’t maintain its relevancy! We have a legislative and judicial branch able to change the laws, but it’s political suicide for most to ‘anti 2nd amendment’. 

It’s February 2018, and we’ve had 12 school shootings in the United States. In 2016 the FBI conducted 26 million criminal background checks. If only 50% of those resulted in the sale of a gun, 13 million guns were sold... In one year.

I really don’t believe, and this is another ignorant opinion, that gun ownership is an issue of states rights, that should be handled by states at all. I think the ATF, not the FBI, should maintain a registry of every weapon owned and registered regardless of caliber. Initially, every gun owner should be given $100 for each weapon registered. Expensive? Yes, but I think it’s worth it. We spent over 4 Trillion dollars in OIF and OEF, let that sink in. This would be a fraction of that. Gun owners should pay a federal tax for owning a weapon in the same way licensed drivers pay for vehicle registration and licensing fees. Every gun owner should be required to maintain proficiency on each weapon type they have. Standards in proficiency would be determined by the federal government. If you lapse in proficiency you pay a fine, if you fail to pay the fine your weapons are repossessed at the governments expense until you can. 

Well, that’s what I was thinking. Like I said, this isn’t coming from any place of fact. I don’t know much on the issue, I just have my opinion. I will try to strengthen my opinion, and will write more posts when I have new information or need to correct myself.

[emilydorp]

Honestly, I feel like all of GD’s relationships with women were just PR. Why? Because GD has always shown—one way or another—that he's queer, and YG seemed to constantly push public relationships with women to cover that up. They never really did that with the other members. I mean, we all know Seungri was the actual playboy of the group, but nothing ever came out about his dating life before the Burning Sun scandal—or at least nothing I can remember.

But with T.O.P, it’s a different story. First of all, he’s incredibly private��he even said in an interview once that nobody knows his secrets except GD. And second, there’s a high chance that T.O.P is bisexual, but after a while, he seemed to give up on women. Why? Probably because every woman that came into his life ended up hurting him. I remember him saying in an old interview that finding a good woman is really hard. Honestly, I think Kim Gavin was the last girlfriend he had—because even she hurt him. She leaked a photo of them together, and then her sister started talking badly about him online.

So yeah, that’s kind of why GTOP shippers struggle to accept their relationships with women.

(Wow, I'm rereading and gosh, I was blunt, I'm sorry, it isn't personal, I'm just mirroring you tbh; I just don't like these slightly negative asks oef).

a) Girl. Kim Gavin's sister DENIED that her sister was dating Tabi, and provided evidence that she's right. How is that talking badly about him?

In fact, she proves my point of the pajamas meaning nothing and the beach backdrop being generic. Her explanation for why she asked Gavin to delete the picture, hmm, okay I apologize for assuming Gavin was using that picture for publicity, if her sister is to be trusted in this matter (but I agree, the possibility of it being an intentional leak is higher). This statement wipes out 2 pieces of evidence already (all we have are the "matching" lamps and the picture which isn't that big of a deal for me).

I wonder why she decided to defend her sister and make it clear that she wasn't dating Choi Seunghyun (did Gavin get hate for it? Lemme know). Additionally, TOP spoke about being burnt and hurt by love (and also about giving up on women) way before this entire scandal (in fact, he said that there were NO good women, not that finding one was hard), so yeah. Idk, that's a contradiction right there?

And, I mean, fine, let's say Tabi is bi (cuz we don't know for sure). Imo, he prefers men VASTLY, since he literally said he likes chairs more than women. Can you really see him seeking a girlfriend after such statements? Well then, good for you, anon. I've already made myself clear imho. :)) Also are you a GTOP shipper? You don't seem like one, what a shame, lmao. We have a lot of matching furniture and pajamas for you to conclude they're dating lmao.

b) Seungrat had at least TWO "sex" scandals before Burning Sun, and the women he hooked up with during the first scandal complained that he was horrible (I'm not sure if the picture is still online, but she posted a picture of two women hanging over him and also his back while he was asleep (and therefore had concrete evidence) and proclaimed that he was 'careless').

(I don't remember the first scandal's issues anymore (it drew to a close in 2012 or 2013, I'm sorry, I didn't really care since I wasn't active by the time that people concluded it was a real thing that happened) and here's a second one from 2016. He's done a LOT of hooking up outside of these two occasions, this is only when it was revealed, so you're right there, YG can cover it up sometimes. But also, honestly, Rat was just being careless, since it's possible to hook up as a celeb as long as you're careful about it, and he clearly wasn't.

c) Yes, they did push that image onto GD, and it unfortunately worked and made many people believe that he was this "Cold City Boy", as he said in "Night After Night", which is why so many people are shocked at how cute and in love with Tabi he is "now", when he was always a cute person and in love with Tabi.

[joshsgoldstarsister]

A token . . .

As I mentally unpack the journey that was my trip to Afghanistan, I struggle to find the words to share with you the experience. That being said I might as well start somewhere, even if it is in the mundane task of ‘unpacking’. 

Warning, this may be longish, but has pictures. So, there is that. 

Throughout my trip, I was given tokens of appreciation and respect. Most notably, I was ‘coined’, a word here that means, “given a specialized military token to commemorate the meeting of an individual or unit”. 

You can learn more about military coins here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin

I will do my best to share with you the many coins I received and if I can, who gave them to me. 

To begin, I want to share with you my brother’s coins. While he was posthumously promoted to Corporal. He achieved rank of Specialist during his life. Which is why his collection of ten coins is rather impressive. Nine of these coins are unit specific, six are specific tokens of excellence and one is a Regional Command North coin (I am guessing Josh was in the right place at the right time). 

Since his death, I have been given two coins. The first a National Guard coin given to me in honor of my brother (does that technically make it his??) which I wrote about here: http://joshsgoldstarsister.tumblr.com/post/127635379872/challenge-accepted

I also have a National Military Bereavement Study coin, because I participated in the National Military Bereavement Study. So, I actually EARNED this one. 

Now to unpack my coins from my trip to Afghanistan: 

I want to feature my Troops First Coin, first. This is the nonprofit which organizes the Operation Proper Exit mission.  You can learn more about them here: http://www.troopsfirstfoundation.org/ But beyond a picture of this wonderful coin, I would like to say this organization has gifted me with the most incredible experience of my life. In a few days I will write more on that, but just know, this coin represents a huge weight being lifted from my heart. 

Next up, is the Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, Leroy Petry coin. Leroy accompanied us on the journey because Rangers Lead the Way. That being said, I learned you shouldn’t always follow the Ranger because he may not know where he is going (following Leroy got me into a little bit of trouble, nothing terrible, just somewhat lost or late on occasion). You can learn all about Leroy here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leroy_Petry . His coin, which he helped design, has both a Blue Star and a Gold Star to represent those respective families. Leroy talked about family and recognizing how important the families at home are to those who serve. I will add that he taught me the coin hand shake, which was really nice, since he was the first to give me a coin and there would be so many handshakes to follow. 

Our journey began with a luncheon where we were introduced to the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army General West. She was incredibly warm and personal as she wished us well. At the same luncheon I met Captain Thomas Feeks, Gold Star Father of Navy Seal Patrick Feeks. Captain Thomas was actually the first Gold Star Family member to participate with Operation Proper Exit. His coin, commemorating his son, is one of my favorites because of its motto, “Cry Havoc, Let Slip the Frogs of War”. 

Traveling to Afghanistan means going in through Kuwait. Our hosts there are part of Operation Spartan Shield. I received 3 coins during my time in Kuwait. It was so special to be in Kuwait because it is the hub for all our operations in the Middle East. Without their seamless organization we could not have had this trip. 

During our layover in Kuwait, we met with a British Officer, Major General Felix Gedney. Though our meeting was brief, his coin certainly made up for it in sheer size. 

Once we were in country our hosts at Bagram were incredibly caring and generous with their time. Seeing the medical facilities on site were inspiring, to know that the best care possible is offered to our deployed; to see them ever ready, the words fail me. We were coined by the 45th Expeditionary Medical Group. 

We were taken to Kandahar Airfield and given the grand tour. Walking into their hospital was like walking into any first class American hospital. There my fellow Gold Star Family members and I, were given a special token, a coin for ourselves, as well as a coin to put with our loved one’s collection. The gesture touched all of us deeply. 

I was gifted a coin by Chief Master Sergeant Roby Johnson who has a pretty cool job. His command includes making some big booms when called upon and while the his coin is great, he hooked me up with some sweet stickers for my roller derby helmet! 

Onward to FOB Feinty, where TAAC was the name of the game. Train, Advise, Assist Command (South) were not just welcoming, but enthusiastic to have us. 

In Kabul we were hosted by the U.S. Embassy, as well as NATO allies. There we shook many hands and a few coins came our way. Each one is unique and special but is there anything as neat as an FBI coin that serves as a bottle opener?? 

As we left Afghanistan, our farewell included what I will always consider an adoption ceremony. In addition to gifts of pictures, flags, patches, and coasters we were given coins of our Bagram hosts, the Third Infantry Division Dog Faced Soldiers. This coin, with a bite out of it from the mascot Rocky is incredibly special.

Finally, the most important coin was given to me, and only me. When I write about the care given to us along the way, the details put into our adventure, I don’t think anything demonstrates all of those things as much as this coin. Seven years after my brother’s death, by way of a series of chance meetings, I made my way to the country where he died. In the whole wide world, after all this time, I would never have expected to meet anyone who served with him.

 As it happened, awaiting me in Kuwait was one of my brother’s Officers. He was there to welcome me, patch me with the crossed swords of 10th Mountain and gift me with the coin my brother never received. As I said my goodbyes in the Kuwaiti airport, I was handed this coin. It is small, and plastic and it isn’t round, but it completes a collection that wasn’t mine to begin with. With a hug and that special handshake, I was given the coin of my brother’s battalion, commemorating their OEF 2010-2011 mission that he could not complete. Around it’s edges are the words, “LOYALTY, DUTY, RESPECT, SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOR, INTEGRITY, PERSONAL COURAGE”. 

It is a lite thing that grounds me. I can feel its weightiness in my heart when I hold it in my hand. When I began my journey, I felt like I was doing it for him, for my brother who didn’t leave the battle field with his shield, but on it. I went to learn about him and left knowing that I am always with him. 

*** Not all coins received were posted with pictures, because tumblr just couldn’t handle it. Sorry***

[narcissusfell]

god bless the crytype-ifier

now i can post shit like this

what the fuck diddd ujust fuckinsssay about me, ulittl e bitch???? i’ll have uknow i graduated to p of my class in the na vy seals, and i’ve been involved in numearous sec ret raids on al-quaeda, and i have oveur 300 confir med kills. i am trained i n gorrriolla warfare and i’m the topp sniper in the entire us arrmed forrces. uare nothinto me but just another target. i wi ll wipe uthe fuck out with preciusion the likes oef which ha s never been seen before on this earth, mark my fuckinwords. uthink ucan get away wiu th sayinthat shit to me over the ianternet?? think again, fucker. as we speak i am contacttinmy secret nnetwork of spies across the usa and your ip is beintraced right now so ubetter prepare for the storm , maggot. the storm that wipess out the path etic litttle thinucall you r life. yoou’re fuckin dead, kid. i can be anywhere, annnytieme, and i can kioll uin over sev en hundred ways, and ttthat’s just with my bare hands. not only am i extensivellly tra inned in unarmed combat, but i have access to thhe enntire aursenal of the united statess marine corps and i will useu it to its fu ll extent to wipe yo ur misser able ass off the face of the coantinen t, ulittle shit. if only ucould haive known what unholy retribution your littlee “clever” comme nt was about to b rindown upon you, maybe uwoulld have held your fuckintongue . but uc ouldn’t, udidn’t, and now you’re payinthe price, ugoddamn id i ot. i will shiit ffury all over uand uwill drown in it. you’re fuckindead, kiddo,