Snark: to annoy or irritate

"Snark" has been in English language dictionaries since at least 1906, and Lewis Carroll used the word to describe a mythological animal in his poem, The Hunting of the Snark (1874). Most recently, the word has come to characterize snappish, sarcastic, or mean-spirited comments or actions directed at those who annoy or irritate us.

At first, this blog was just going be a place to gripe, but because it's more satisfying to take action than it is to merely complain, now most of the posts/reposts suggest ways to get involved in solving problems.


Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Message from Barbara Boxer


On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, we knew our country was under attack. United like never before, we also knew that one day there would be justice for this terror.

Two weeks ago, justice was finally delivered -- by brave members of the U.S. armed forces and intelligence personnel who, at the direction of President Obama, hunted down Osama bin Laden.

Of course, bin Laden was not found on a battlefield. He was ultimately brought down thanks to a sophisticated tracking effort conducted by our intelligence community. Other terrorists will likely be found in the same way: through targeted and thorough counterterrorism efforts, not by 100,000 ground forces in Afghanistan.

That is why I support President Obama's plan to begin withdrawing American combat forces from Afghanistan this July, and why I have authored legislation requiring an end date for that effort.

It's time to pass this important legislation. Please stand with my friends at Democracy for America, many of my Senate colleagues, and me by becoming a citizen co-sponsor right now.
Sign on as a citizen co-sponsor of the Safe and Responsible Redeployment of U.S. Combat Forces from Afghanistan Act -- and help show strong grassroots support for bringing an end to the Afghanistan war now.

Three days after 9/11, my Senate colleagues and I voted unanimously to authorize the president to use all necessary and appropriate force against those who attacked us. Now, after delivering justice to Osama bin Laden, it’s time to bring that mission to a close.

Over the past 10 years, we have lost 1,564 heroic American service members in Afghanistan. Another 11,657 have been wounded, many grievously. At the same time, we have spent nearly half a trillion dollars on the war in Afghanistan even while facing a fiscal crisis here at home.

Our brave men and women in uniform have performed admirably. Now it's time to bring them home, while transferring responsibility to the Afghan government and military. We have trained 150,000 members of the Afghan Army and 120,000 members of the Afghan Police. It is now up to them.

Our military men and women cannot continue to police every town and village in Afghanistan. But what we can do is continue to provide advice as Afghans take responsibility for their defense and continue our effective, targeted counterterrorism effort. 



While Osama bin Laden's death does not lessen the tragic loss of thousands of victims or the pain of their loved ones, it has dealt a significant blow to al-Qaida and sent a strong message to those who would harm us: The United States will pursue justice for as long as it takes.

Now, justice has been done, and the time has come to leave. Working together, we will end the war in Afghanistan.
Thank you for standing with us in this important effort.

In Friendship,
Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator
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