Electronic Chapter Newsletter Update
July 2015 Issue   Check Out our Website here

Thank you for your continued involvement in the 1st Marine Division Association.  Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July Holiday and enjoy this month's " SCUTTLEBUTT"
Happy Fourth of July
Tun Tavern Team
Thank you to this team of individuals who annually provide an additional $100 of financial support to the 1st Marines Division Desert Cities MPMOH Chapter - it is greatly appreciated.

Mike Bales | Carl Brooks | Joe Daily | Dave Franklin | Charlie Garbarini | Sam Huttenhower  

Jim Larsh | Howard Lehman | Gene McClendon | George Moffatt | Jim Olson | Marilyn Paige    Richard Partee | Bill Ross | Sandy Sandoval | Ray Schum | Bob Shepard | Buddy Sklar 

George Stettler | Jim Sullivan | Dale Turner | Quint Villanueva | Col Mike Walker | Michael Walker   Myrl Wallace | Linn Wiley | Franz Jevne | Charlie Knickerbocker

July 16th Luncheon

 

Plan on joining us for this luncheon.  Speaker has not confirmed his availability. We will announce plans for our August luncheon to honor our WW II Marines including having State Senator Jeff Stone as our guest of honor.

 

A Whose Who of Radical Sunni Islamic Groups
Special Article from Mike Walker

 

I. To understand the tangled web of interrelationships between the various radical Sunni Islamic groups look to these six extremists:

Mullah Omar (Taliban leader)
Usama bin Laden (al Qaeda cofounder)
Ayman al Zawahiri (al Qaeda cofounder)
Abu Muhammad Maqdisi (spiritual leader of al Qaeda)
Abu Musab al Zarqawi (leader, al Qaeda-in-Iraq)
Abu Bakr al Baghdadi (leader, Islamic State)

The international flavor of these radicals shows why this is a far-reaching movement. Omar is from Afghanistan, bin Laden was from Saudi Arabia, Zawarhiri is Egyptian, Maqdisi is Jordanian, Zarqawi was a Palestinian born in Jordan and al Baghdadi is from Iraq.

II. Background

Mullah Omar commands the Taliban. After taking control of Afghanistan, he incorporated al Qaeda into the Taliban army in the mid-1990s and assisted Usama bin Laden in planning the 9/11 attacks.

The two were bound together by a marriage between their children. Without Mullah Omar's support, 9/11 would not have happened.

Ayman al Zawahiri is the current head of al Qaeda and co-led al Qaeda with Usama bin Laden until the latter's death in 2011. In the 1990s, Zawahiri became close friends with Abu Muhammad Maqdisi. Maqdisi became the spiritual leader of al Qaeda and the two remain comrades to this day.

Maqdisi left Afghanistan for home and was imprisoned from 1995-1999 for inciting rebellion against King Hussein of Jordan. While in jail, Maqdisi radicalized fellow Jordanian Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

At Maqdisi's urging, after his release from prison, Zarqawi went to Afghanistan to join al Qaeda but never fully submitted to Usama bin Laden.

Wounded in 2001 when the US attacked Afghanistan terrorist camps after 9/11, he was granted safe passage by Iran and arrived in Iraq. Once there, he became a leader in the extremist Ansar al Islam Group. After the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, Ansar al Islam was destroyed but Zarqawi survived. He formed al Qaeda-in-Iraq with his headquarters in Fallujah. He led al Qaeda-in-Iraq until killed by US forces in 2006.

During that period, one of his up-and-coming subordinates was Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, today's leader of the Islamic State.

III. What is the major distinction between al Qaeda and the Islamic State?

Both want to recreate the Caliphate. Al Qaeda hopes to convince the Shia to return to the Sunni fold. To the Islamic State, the Shia are apostates who have two choices: 

Abandon their heresy or die.


IV. Three final points: 

  • The struggle between the Islamic State and the Islamic Republic (of Iran) captures the current nature of the Third Fitnah between the Sunnis and Shia, a war whose origins date back to 1979 and the rise of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Kohmeini.
  • The Taliban and al Qaeda are allies but distinct organizations.
  • The Islamic State is an organization that grew directly from al Qaeda & is now its rival. 
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: Family Appreciation Day Report

 

     The City of Palm Desert hosted their first event for the 7th Marine Regiment at the Desert Winds Golf Club at 29 Palms on June 26th.   Over 3,000 Marines and families showed up for barbecued hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad and soft drinks.  There were 75 volunteers there to handle the set up the tables, the raffle and food serving including 20 from the Chapter.  

Mike & Barbara Bales, Joe Daily, Charlie Garbarini, Vince Mast, Dave & Karen Mourhess, Jim Olson, Dick Partee, Jon Schiff, Bob Shepard, Jim Sullivan, Bruno Takacs and Quint & Yolanda Villanueva. Mayor Glenn Miller, City of Indio and Coachella Valley Manager for Senator Jeff Stone also volunteered along with John Thompson from the Palm Springs Air Museum and Deborah Wedell, Marine Corps League. 

    The City had a group of volunteers there who did a great job with the food preparation.  Pepsi donated both soft drinks and chips and provided approximately a dozen volunteers to support the event.

     There were plenty of activities for the families.  A petting zoo, a bounce playground, a dunk tank and other entertainment for the children.  A scavenger hunt attracted both young and old. A live band provided entertainment.

     Mrs. Lisa Bargeron, wife of the Commanding Officer, was there since Colonel Bargeron is deployed to Kuwait at this time.  This event was Col Jay Bargeron's idea at the time when the City adopted the regiment.  She was extremely appreciative for all of the effort that was done by the City and the volunteers.  Obviously she will pass this along to the Colonel who will return sometime in October.

    Our Chapter Marines talked to the two battalion commanders, their sergeant majors and other command elements who made a point to thank us for our support.

 

Mission Accomplished for the City of Palm Desert!

Executive Board
President 
George Stettler
Vice President 
Richard Partee
Treasurer/Secretary 
James E. Sullivan
Sergeant At Arms  
Bruce Takacs
Directors
Michael Holquin
Robert Shepard
Quint Villanueva
Past Presidents
Bill Ping, 1998-2002
Joseph A. Daily, 2002-06
James E. Sullivan, 2006-09
Quintin Villanueva, 2009-12
Richard Partee. 2012-14

 

Upcoming August 20
Luncheon
Honoring WWII Marines
This should be an interesting luncheon since we will honor our WW II Marines and Corpsmen.  Stay tune for more details.
Freedom is not free,
but the U.S. 
Marine Corps will pay most of your share.

 

Brig. General Payne Awarded Congressional Gold Medal

The General is the oldest living Ace from WW II. He is 103 years old and a local celebrity in the desert cities.
Since the General was unable to travel to Washington DC, Congressman Raul Ruiz made the presentation at the Palm Springs Air Museum.  A large crowd was there to watch the ceremony.
 

City Leaders Dinner at Camp Pendleton

    Major General Lawrence Nicholson, Commanding General, 1st Marine Division hosted a dinner at Camp Pendleton for twenty two city leaders. The cities had adopted units at Camp Pendleton and 29 Palms. 


 

Palm Desert was there, represented by Mayor Susan Weber and City Manager, John Wohlmuth.
 

June Luncheon Report

City Manager, John Wohlmuth was our guest of honor.  He spoke about the accolades for the city and proud of having a balanced budget. 

REMINDER: 74th Reunion to be held in San Diego
The national association will hold their 74th Reunion 18 - 22 August at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in San Diego.  Reservations and more information call (760) 918-5801.
Thank You, hope you enjoyed this month's E-Scuttlebutt Newsletter.  A safe and happy 4th to you and yours.

James E. Sullivan, Editor