Beau Biden's deployment to Iraq

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:33 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Joe Biden

From NBC's Jeannie Ohm
Here's some more information about the deployment of Joe Biden's son, Beau, to Iraq: This will be his first deployment to Iraq and the first with the Army National Guard, which he joined in 2003. Moreover, he's going with the 261st Signal brigade, which is part of the brigade headquarters.

They leave for Ft. Bliss, Texas in early October and will undergo training there for a month or. An official says it's safe to say that the brigade will be in Iraq before the end of the year. The length of deployment will be one year. No word yet where they will be in Iraq and which division they will fall under.

Biden will be part of his brigade's administrative staff in Iraq and provide military counsel and enforce the UCMJ since he's a JAG.

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Comments

Its getting closer because OBAMA is wasting time with his VP pick.
It better be Biden, Clarke, Hagel, Powell or Hillary.
If he picks Kaine, Bayh or Sebellius the dems are DONE.
HOW BOUT THE TIME TABLE BARACK??? McCain was AGAINST IT.
The WAR, More wars>>
What the hell is Obama waiting for???
This is getting DUMB on his part. We need a fighter as well as a brain Barack.
TIME TO DESTROY MCNASY Dema- Crapped (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:34 AM)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Anyone on this blog knows I am a staunch Obama supporter; but I agree with this statement. There is such a thing as controlling your message, media, etc. but I think he is way overplaying his hand on this Veep pick. The kids are back in school and many of us are ready to take our platform and start pinging the issues. All of this media hype is stale and overstated. We are going to win this thing on issues, so let’s get it on.

I just read someone else say McCain doesn’t take vacations; yet in the article they responded to – it explicitly stated he is on vacation. That’s what we mean on this blog when we say low information voter. You are entitled to your opinion; but not your facts. You like McCain, you hate Obama – whatever your position; but we don’t take you seriously on this blog if you don’t use salient, relevant facts to support your though farts. We demand more.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:39 PM)

God speed. Hopefully you wont be there for too long.

Mr. Eko (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:39 PM)

From AP, referencing Biden statements:
He said he didn't think Obama was ready to be president yet, saying it's "not something that lends itself to on-the-job training." He offended some blacks when on the first day as an official presidential candidate he tried to compliment Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean."

hmmmmm....how are they going to kiss and makeup?

lily (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:40 PM)

Be happy Beau didn't get shipped to the south side of Chicago. It's safer to be in Iraq then it is to be in Barack Obama's Chicago. And, in Iraq, unlike in Chicago, you're allowed to carry a weapon to defend yourself.

Calvin Lister, Blue Island IL (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:42 PM)

America's brave troops deserve the BEST we have to offer - because that is what they give us.

I will be praying for Beau's safety, as well as all of the other troops in war torn areas.

They are America's greatest asset. Their service should be honored, not politicized.

John McCain has used the military like a ladder to support his own political ambition. I remember a time when that was considered shameful.

I guess this is the new morality.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:43 PM)

Godspeed to Beau and all those who are being deployed to Iraq, are in Iraq, and to their families anxiously waiting for them to come home safely.
----------------------
Did you see the headline about the WH agreeing to a timetable?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/21/white-house-iraq-agree-on_n_120323.html

Does this mean that GWB surrenders, too? {snark}

MI Chick (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:44 PM)

Perhaps Senator Obama has not finalized his VP pick yet? Let's not fall prey to taking media speculation as the truth - it rarely is.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:44 PM)

Any word on John McCain's son Jim? Where is he stationed? I know he got back from Iraq earlier this year. Has he been redeployed.

L. Taylor, Scottsdale AZ (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:45 PM)

First I want to wish Joe's son a safe return, as well as all our military.

What is facinating it that the Wednesday night theme at the convention is...National Security or a topic related to the military. Joe knows first hand what it's like being a parent of a soldier. He would be a great VP pick.

Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:45 PM)

Will Beau get a typing job like AlGore got in the Vietnam war?

BlackListed (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:45 PM)

Considering we are talking about Iraq, can we start discussing McCain's agreement that we may need to reinstitute the draft. This is a big deal and it needs to be talked about in the media.
In my mind, even considering the draft as potentially in our future discloses McCain's mindset. He invisions the U.S. in conflict after conflict. If he gets into office, he will chase various wars around the world. He knows he can't fix any of our domestic problems, so he will try to keep the spotlight on the military and defense issues. We have serious problems and we need serious leaders to manage them. I cringe every time I hear McCain speak. It's like watching a train wreck over and over again.

Bill, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:47 PM)

yeah...just go ahead and tell our enemies that the potential Vice Presidents son is going to be in a freakin' war zone...i'm sure there are NO security implications at all...

btw, how come you don't publish where McCain's son is? If you're telling the world about Biden's deployment, isn't it fair to tell the world about McCain's deployment? I'm just wondering why its more appropriate to put Biden's son in danger than it is to put McCain's son in danger...

JB (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:47 PM)

By the time BBiden gets there, the war is going to be over. Any way to expidiate this? Maybe JBiden can pull a few strings to get the boy into the mix?

Col. Sanders (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:47 PM)

JB (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:47 PM)

Republicans pretend to care about troops.

John McCain Battles the Veterans
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/07/08/john-mccain-battles-the-veterans/
Vietnam Veterans Against McCain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFM1xqqTX_g

Republicans and miltary men on John McCain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJUCU1UH2w&eurl

Obama Takes Gloves Off: "It's Crunch Time"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/21/9233/70657/864/571701

banko (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:48 PM)

A deployment of one year. Uh-huh. The Bush years saw people going for multiple deployments. If Bush's surrogate, McWar is elected, he may do multiples also. If Obama is elected, maybe that won't happen.

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:50 PM)

May all the lying Bush Administration be visited with the just consequences for the lost, and broken lives they have squandered at home, and abroad.

The day our soldiers come home will be great indeed.

aleese (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:50 PM)

Wishing his son a safe return.

Sandra, Tennessee (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:50 PM)

This is sad. Hope he stays safe.

MIA in Miami (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:50 PM)

McCain - out of touch

http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2008/08/approval-ratings-public-v-mccain.html

nadeem (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:53 PM)

http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/

POW's don’t want McCain. Maybe you should try covering some of this and do some real journalism. Everyone needs to read through this website and view the videos and I guarantee nobody will vote for McCain after doing so. It shows how much the military despises this man.

Tampa (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:54 PM)

Obamabots, wake and smell the coffee, because its Hillary, and its strong! If she's not the VP pick for Obama, he's sealed his defeat in the Fall.

Sorry, but if you've been around these elections as long as I have, you would know this. You are probably all as naive as your candidate.
Pat Huntington NY (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:00 AM)
******************************************************
Hooray! Pat is threatening us again! Listen here Pat. I've been around these elections for a bit myself. I majored in political science. Politics have been my hobby and my passions for many years so don’t call me naive. You are not qualified to make predictions because you are too emotionally invested in Hillary. You are so enamored by Hillary that there is no way you can look at this race objectively. You never provide any factual evidence to back up your claims that all is lost without Hillary. You remind me of the guy on the corner screaming the end is near.
______________________________________________________

Getting closer? Sorry, but polls are a lagging indicator. The whoosh Obama heard while he was on vacation was Team McCain, who doesn't take vacations, flying by him in the polls.
Vickie F., NY (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:27 AM)
******************************************************Ummm…Pick up a paper lately? McCain is on vacation right now in Sedona, AZ. But great post. Very informative.

Mark,Seattle (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:54 PM)

Nation Guard grunts get the job of cleaning out the latrenes. Beau should be used to it because it similar to working with Democratic polititains.

Beaus Aunt Selma (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:55 PM)

God speed. Hopefully you wont be there for too long.

Mr. Eko (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:39 PM)
********************************************************

I second that.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:55 PM)

Proud of all the young men and women who serve this country, coming from a military family I think of these people every day. I know they are in danger because of a lie, because very rich people wanted to be richer, they allways knew it to be a lie. They also
thought it would be easy, no easier than it will be when China trys to repossess the U.S. for unpaid loans. When McCain reinstates the draft, all the draft age media and thier children should be the first to go, along with jerry cc tex.

Obama/Biden

marty holloamn,columbia,s.c. (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:55 PM)

Bless him and all who serve. Take note out there - fools that believe only republicans serve or care for their country. We presently have a man in the white house who was not up to the job and has caused great loss of life in the unnecessary war in Iraq. I am a former republican who is not ready to see another highly unfit person elected president. Barack Obama is well suited to the office and capable of dealing with diverse problems. John McCain is unfit for the responsibility and out of touch with needs and desires of average Americans. Vote Obama.

subgruvet, ok (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:57 PM)

Senator Biden,

We're praying for you, Beau, and your family.

Andrea, thank you. He is as well as can be expected, at 80, and a diagnosis after 18 mos. of symptoms.

donna (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:58 PM)

Inside Edition:12 million dollar McCain home
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/21/122528/482/723/571842

banko (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:58 PM)

lily they already have kissed and made up!!!!!

Sheryl, Houston TX (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:59 PM)

Lily - They already did the apology dance over those two things. Not sure why it's necessary to bring them up again. I once called my brother a bigoted a******. I'm spending Christmas at his house this year.

This expectation that politicians have to be perfect is so detrimental to our democracy.

Kevin, Austin (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:59 PM)

> Biden will be part of his brigade's administrative
> staff in Iraq and provide military counsel and
> enforce the UCMJ since he's a JAG.

So he'll be prosecuting honorable American soldiers for trying to do their jobs? That, and it appears he'll also be doing some secretarial work and light filing. Nice to see he's following in dads footsteps.

Judge Judy (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:00 PM)

He [Biden] offended some blacks when on the first day as an official presidential candidate he tried to compliment Obama as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean."

hmmmmm....how are they going to kiss and makeup?
lily
----------------------------------------------------

Lily - good point, but those comments are a far cry from what we heard during the primaries from the Clintons. If the Clintons who are still trying to kiss and make up to the African Americans and others they may have offended, so does everyone else. Politics (and mone) can bring the worst out of people, but lets hope whoever he picks as VP will accept and support Mr. Obama 100% as expected.

Mel, Orange, NJ (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:00 PM)

Barack, listen... you can change Washington when you are POTUS, until then, you have to fight back, and it has to be NOW before these slanderous attacks take root.

Steven, Highlands Ranch, CO (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:01 PM)

Lunchtime! Smoke'em if you got 'em. You too Barack.

Lunchlady Doris (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:05 PM)

Joe Biden would be a great VP choice. He can come out and attack McCaint's lies, while Barack focuses on the issues important to us all.

Holly (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:05 PM)

I don't believe it's proper or ethical to put Biden's son personal information out there like that. Do you think only good ole Americans are the only people reading this. Your post put his son in undue danger. YOU SHOULD REMOVE IT NOW. There is no need to make him a target for some nut.

Be Real NY, NY (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:05 PM)

Odd there is nothing yet about McCain agreeing with a supporter yesterday that we will need the military draft again the way things are going.

Julie Harris, Palm Desert, CA (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:06 PM)

How come no discussion on why Karl Rove was in Georgia (not our GA) but the Russian one for "vacation" a couple of days before Russia retaliated after Georgias ill-advised aggression on S. Ossetia? Look like USA wants to start another war so McLame can use the fear card again and try to hoodwink the public and steal the Nov election. We wont be FOOLED again!

Paul, Miami, FL (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:06 PM)

to Lily:
If you can forgive Cindy McCain for stealing drugs and John McCain for giving her a "stay out of jail card"; I can forgive Biden for saying Obama talks articulate.

Deal?

judy ovilla Tx (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:07 PM)

Biden is one of the few members of Congress to have a child serve in the military (active, reserves or National Guard). Jim Webb of VA also has a son that served (or is serving now; not sure). How many others have kids that serve. The public should know. I would hope that all those that are in Congress know what it is to go through to have to worry about sending their child to war.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:07 PM)

Bill, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:07 PM)

Clare from KC I agree with you on some of what you said. I would like to see Obama pick Hagel but Bayh would be a good pick. I say that the polls don't realy matter too much most american are spending time with their families. Lets see where the polls are after the convention. I say he should wait till the convention to announce his pick. Also I think that Hillary would doom Obama's chance of becoming President. We all know that she dosen't realy want Obama to win!

Obama/Hagel 08 Real Unity

Marcel,Las Vegas, NV (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:08 PM)

Pat Huntington NY: '...Obamabots, wake and smell the coffee, because its Hillary, and its strong! If she's not the VP pick for Obama, he's sealed his defeat in the Fall...'

Pat, I'd rather see Obama LOSE without Hillary than win with Hillary as VP
I'm tired of the corruption and crookedness

Hillary VOTED FOR THE WAR to 'position' herself for the 2008 campaign
Bill thinks race-baiting is OK, if it gets you the nomination
there's also the business of Bill flying around in Ron Burkle's 'Ari F*uck One' plane
Is Bill a voyeur or a participant ?

NO THANKS

Obama will take the lead permanently after naming his VP and the convention.
That VP WON'T BE HILLARY
Naming Hillary would make Obama seem weak and would negate his core message of 'CHANGE'

Get over it Hillary lost !
She was a LOUSY campaigner
She still is

(Does anyone remember Evita Peron?)

Obama/Biden '08
Obama/Clark '08

They both work
and they can BOTH BEAT McCAIN !

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:08 PM)

In my entire life I have only been able to vote for two democrats who became president. I am so sick of voting for losers. Even with Biden or Clinton I have big doubts if he can pull this off. What a mess. Well I can't wait for Universal Health Care, I'm on my way to the Doctor to get some anti-depressants.

Leigh (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:08 PM)

To quote Dylan, this story is "Too Much of Nothing," a song done by Peter, Paul and Mary.

Full Moon (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:09 PM)

I think McCain is a war monger and,if you like war you should vote for McCain.

ljpdek (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:10 PM)

Admirable. Just as admirable as John McCains son fighting in Iraq. I bet Joe and John are very proud of their sons. I know America is.

Weston Cleason, South Bend IN (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:10 PM)

Lily, to your post...

African-American kisses and make up every day to those who may insult them everyday with prejudgment which is usually falsely. Matter of fact, many Americans make up each day otherwise we will not survive the next challenge ahead.

Single Mother for Obama, Seattle, WA (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:11 PM)

Good Luck Beau Biden!
Now if someone could just figure out a way to send the rest of the democrat lawyers out of the country.

Dave, Tn (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:11 PM)

Actually ,Clara ,its "Thought" not Though. Hmmm its difficult to take someone like you seriously when you fail to take someone else seriousy because of their Thoughs You Obamatroids slay me.

Truthteller (Sent Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:12 PM)

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