Comments for Are You Connected? at http://www.michaelyon-online.com , comment 1 to 22 out of 20 comments http://www.michaelyon-online.com Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:31:14 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16341 Very interesting article, I will be featuring on my new blog shortly. I used to work in the wireless industry, so this entry was very interesting for me because I know some of the ins and outs of this topic. I remember a story from the Russian war in Chechnia in the 90's involving a Chechen commander who was specifically targeted and hit by a rocket out of nowhere as he was talking on his sat phone. The ability to determine locations of people through cell phone signals, especially satellite phones, is well established. Unfortunately, like Yon said, this has not been a secret for quite some time, which is why Bin Laden purportedly uses no-tech communication methods. But, the silver lining in this is that, having to rely on 18th century communication methods to avoid our detection has undoubtedly slowed down and complicated the effectiveness of their operations even if it means we can't find them for the time being. - Aden Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:48:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16324 Michael, You're simply the best. I read everything that you write and I feel this overwhelming admiration and gratitude. Thank you for all that you do and the truth that you present to us back home and around the world. You have my utmost respect, admiration and support. May God Bless You and Keep You Safe.....Keep Your Head Down. - C D C Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:51:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16322 Not only do you give honor to our country and service members, but you also give honor to our family. Thank you cuz. I served in the US Navy as a Technician in a field that was highly technical and secret. Later, I worked as a contractor for the DOD in the same field. As a result, I was deployed to the sands for field work. I saw many people who could hardly afford to eat but were using technology much higher than their pay grade. I often wondered why others did not see what was obvious to me then. Why aren't our political leaders supporting our troops ? Why are they defeating us by defecting to the other side thru those other medias ? I have followed your reports since those early days. Your reports are the only ones that I have found to be reports of Truth no matter whose fault the truth falls on. You are a credit to us all. You will always remain in my players. May God continue to protect you. Stay safe. I know it is not easy where you are. Stay smart. Most of all, stay Honest. - Andrew J. Yon III Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:09:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16307 Michael, Thanks for all you do. I was down in Florida 2 weeks ago and stopped in Lakeland to see your photos and pick up your 1st book. (I already have your 2nd book) I look forward to your dispatches and hope you come out with a new book soon. Keep your head down.... Stay safe. Bob - Robert Chappell Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:32:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16308 Mike, My apologies for being paranoid about the OPSEC ramifications in your previous post. We live and breathe OPSEC daily where I live and work, so sometimes it's easy to get hyper-paranoid about it without looking at the big picture. You're right about it being out in the open. I've seen it or read about it everywhere, cringing every time because it's out there. Still, thanks for showing us the big picture. As for criticism for partisanship, you can't win. Whenever you reported negative news about our efforts in Iraq or the failures of leadership you were criticized and called a political hack. Yet, when you comment on ramifications of the election just a week away you're called a political hack. It's obvious you're not partisan. You just say it like it is, good or bad. Sometimes the truth hurts whether your a Dem or Rep. Thank you for keeping it real for both sides of the political spectrum. After all, aren't we all fighting the same enemies? - tmmkkt22 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:11:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16317 Michael, I appreciate the danger you subject yourself to in order to bring us stories from Iraq and Afghanistan. I have followed your work since the earlier days and have observed a funny thing about some of us that leave comments. When you make an observation about a particular topic but don't take sides, you get comments from people questioning and pushing for you to sound off with your personal position. Then when you do, and it doesn't happen to agree with what we wanted to hear we get ignorant. People are funny. I 'personally', realize that as a former SF soldier your training gives you insight and perspective on global governmental and political ebb and flow that most people do not have. Coupled with the fact that you are actually on the ground seeing first hand the effects that both our military and political actions are having in different countries worldwide; causes me to see your comments on the current election as very relevant. People forget that in past dispatches you have made comments in your dispatches that were "swimming upstream", only to pick up the paper or turn on the news days, months, or a year later to find that Michael Yon was spot on. Michael you keep right on doing what you do. Stay Safe Gilbert - Gilbert Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:51:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16316 Jim Olson: The email said he'd breathe easier if McCain won, not Obama. Re-read it. Everyone else, the point of the dispatch was opsec, not everyone's political opinions, like we don't have enough places to comment on the web. Mike, thanks for pointing out the problems with opsec, I don't post a lot of friends' pictures, even in my office, because of what can be seen in the backgrounds of their portraits. It's something everyone needs to think about! Stay safe! - Cassandra McDonough Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:58:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16315 "Any Democrat will tell you that it is better that 3,000 civilians die in a collapsing building than we abrogate the "rights" of a single terrorist." - Steamboat jack Oh, please. I realize it's easier to argue against strawmen, but isn't there a line somewhere? Go tell that line to all the Democrats serving in our armed forces. They exist, and by indiscriminately demonizing their party you demonize them. - Bill Johnson Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:52:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16313 I just finished your book (Moment of Truth) and learned an immense amount, even though I have followed the war closely and read most (if not all) of your dispatches. Michael, you truly are the modern day Ernie Pyle and your country loves you for it. My little brother is in Army Infantry, has recently re-enlisted and will likely be deployed before long. Please keep up your one-man mission, and return safely! I am proud to wear the same label of 'American' with men like you. - NorthGaRob Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:28:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16312 From respected, veteran war reporter to partisan hack inside two sentences. - Graham Ludlow Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:42:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16311 "Mr. bin Laden used to live in Sudan. He was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1991, then he went to Sudan. And we'd been hearing that the Sudanese wanted America to start meeting with them again. They released him. At the time, 1996, he had committed no crime against America so I did not bring him here because we had no basis on which to hold him, though we knew he wanted to commit crimes against America." -- Bill Clinton explains to a Long Island, N.Y., business group why he turned down Sudan's offer to extradite Osama Bin Laden to America in 1996. - Greyhawk Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:55:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16310 I suspect that we will have to deal with Iran sooner or later. Word is that they would like to develop and launch a nuke warhead over the US. The resulting EMP would take out our power grid and shut down our economy. A first strike by the US may be in the plans. It would be if I was a strategic planner in the Pentagon. I think a few high altitude, low yield air bursts over their nuke sites and capital at 2 AM would take out all of their electrical grids and electronics without killing many people. The centrifuges run 24/7, so they would be damaged, hopefully beyond repair. Their air defenses would be severely degraded also. Then tell them that we will now get serious. - Marc Boyd Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:34:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16309 In what country and in what party is OBL a "political leader?" He is an ordinary citizen/terrorist. As such, he's fair game. Tom - Tom Kubitz Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:33:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16300 Obama will win you are pathetic lying losers - nlcatter Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:00:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16299 I have been folllowing you since you first hit the ground in Iraq. Thanks for all you report and photographs you share. You are the man! "Above The Best" - Dan Jacobs Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:53:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16298 it will be a travesty to the citizens of oure great country if barack obama becomes our next president! despite all of president Bush's faults, he has been part of the colossal and successful effort to prevent any further attacks on american soil and to achieve a successful outcome in iraq. the iraq war was dubbed the next "vietnam" by barack and his colleagues in the democratic party. it is sad that the national and world media as a whole has decided to almost completely ignore our phenomenal successes in iraq! i often wonder if the "big" players in the media giants have lost friends and loved ones in iraq like me and countless other americans have? many of baracks colleagues in the domocratic party have a track record of complete ignorance in regards to islamic fundamentalism, intelligence, and the association between some jihadist in a afghani cave and our country's stability! president clinton had multiple opportunities to kill bin laden during his term but decided against it each time for a litany of illogical reasons! on one occasion president clinton had on hand actionable video feed of bin laden in afghanistan and aborted the missile strike against him because osama was with a prince from an arab nation and president clinton did not want to handle the backlash from the princes death! i wish he would explain this rational of thought to the 3,000 families who never saw their mother,father,son, or daughter again! i urge people to read and investigate the track record of the democrats and their inability to make smart, actionable decisions for any event beyond our borders! their lack of their foresight is absurd!!! peter bergen has written on these miscues extensively and i urge people to take the time and educate themselves on how world events effect every fabric of american society! if barack supporters think the economy is bad now, what do they think will happen if a dirty bomb goes off in times square? - greg byrd Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:58:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16297 I just wanted to say thank you for your efforts. I have followed your posts from the beginning. I have worked for major news networks here in america for years--enough to be considered "connected" but I always find the kinds of information from your dispatches I believe people need. I am almost ashamed at the way my work place presents the information. I always look to your dispatches for what is really going on down there (as the litmus test to what is being reported in my work place). Thank you not only for your honesty in the events but also the honesty in withholding what you believe to be information putting our guys/gals in harms way. Whether or not people agree or disagree with what we are doing there the truth needs to be laid out in front of us. Thank you for treating the truth with respect and dignity. These are amazing times we live in. Great and horrible things are happening. Thank you for telling it like it is! stay safe. ps. If you could, tell the guys/gals in uniform there thank you for what they are doing and we love them all. - mike c. Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:30:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16296 I too will breathe easier. One reason - Obama losing would mean Americans haven't been conned by the main stream media. My local betting shop has the same odds for McCain as Bush in the last week. All the BBC/Times of London bias and they won't offer better than that? Come on guys, if you really think he's going to lose, give me 10 to 1 at least. I will not lose faith that America will vote for the best choice for president, even though I live in the country that gave Winston Churchill "the order of the boot" when they needed his experience and nous for the country's reconstruction. - carol Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:24:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16295 This is exactly why I don't post some of the photos I recieved from some military friends while they were in Iraq. They sent awesome pics which might have told a bit too much about vehicle makeup. Soldiers' safety has to be important to those who post news. Because their blood IS our treasure! - Collette A. Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:07:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/are-you-connected.htm#comment-16294 So just what has Obama uttered that makes you thing we will "breathe easier" if unfortunately he gets elected into office? Please site specific quotes of his related to a nationall defense design. - Jim Olson Sun, 26 Oct 2008 16:35:00 +0100