Book Review: Jewell of the Mall – World War II Memorial by Stephen R. Brown

[FULL DISCLOSURE: I received my copy of this book free from the author for purposes of reviewing it. I was not paid for this review and the opinion expressed is purely my own] I received Jewel of the Mall in the mail the other day not quite knowing what to expect from a coffee-table book about the National World War II Memorial. I thought it would be a book of pictures full of accompanying text attempting to put them into context. This is not the case though, this book is 116 pages of great pictures that convey the feeling of majesty and grandeur you get from actually being there.   … More after the Jump…

The Law of War and Citizenship

Obama lawyers: Citizens targeted if at war with US I have to say that I agree with this decision 100%, I actually can’t believe that the issue was raised seriously. There are actually at least three sets of laws operative in the world for Americans, 1. Regular American civil and criminal law, 2. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) for military personnel, and 3. The International Laws of Land Warfare. I am no lawyer but I will take a stab at analyzing how this works and why I think the Administration’s decision is the correct one. As I understand it, as soon as someone places themselves in a state … More after the Jump…

A visit to Sharpsburg and the Battle of Antietam

I was asked by Patrick to write up a guest article about my recent trip to the Antietam National Battlefield in the Sharpsburg, MD area. I appreciate the opportunity to share my visit with his readers. In order to keep it short I will give a VERY brief overview of the battle and my thoughts about the battlefield and the sights and sounds that accompanied my visit. It is September 16th, 1862 and Union General George B. McClellan and his Army of the Potomac are face to face with Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. On the 17th, the single bloodiest day in American history, the … More after the Jump…