In a recent post about the killing of Iranian Kuds Force General Qassem Soleimani,  I showed a picture of a group of young women, all amputees, who I believed to be former members of the United States military.  It appears that I may have been wrong in that assumption.  I received the following email message from Jack Graves, Jr.  who viewed that post:

“If you are going to write an article about something. Please research the photo you are attempting to make your WHOLE argument on.”

Mr. Graves attached a link to a “Snopes” article which stated that the women shown were not former members of our military, but indeed from Brazil.  I didn’t bother to fact check that information, because although the picture and information associated with it was indeed used to underline how severe the injuries inflicted by “IEDs” were, it wasn’t what I was making my “WHOLE” argument on.  Far from it.

The Iranian Kuds Force, under the guidance of Qassem Soleimani, is responsibe for the manufacture and distribution of the majority of the IEDs in countries all over the Middle East.  When our military was supplied with vehicles equipted with improved armor plating, Iranians engineered an even more destructive device, the formed penetrator (EFP).  This uses a “shaped charge” which can easily penetrate all but the thickest armor and causes horrific injuries to the occupants of the vehicle they are riding in.  Those injuries are graphically described by Congressman Brian Mast (R-FL), when he addressed the House last week while they were debating the resolution to limit the powers of President Trump to deal with Iranian attacks on our citizens and military in the region. You can view his comments by going to the C-Span site below.

https://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?c4845250/user-clip-us-rep-brian-mast

Representative Mast, a twelve year Army veteran, lost both legs and a finger while attempting to disarm an IED in Afghanistan.  Unfortunately, there are thousands of others like him, both male and female, who have been horribly maimed by the devices supplied by Soleimani’s Kuds Force to various dissident forces in the Middle Eastern sector.

So, this is not an apology.  I used the photo in good faith. I alway attempt, as best I can, to insure all photos and information used in this blog are accurate, but occasionally something slips by.  By now, it is my fervent hope that Qassem Soleimani is enjoying the rest of eternity in hell.  I thank God for the bravery and sacrifice of the members of our armed forces and their families.  We owe them a debt it is almost impossible to repay.