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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Feldkamp speaks about terror
By OLIVIA
TAYLOR-YOUNG
IVN Correspondent
On Thursday evening,
March 30, Congressional
candidate Jim Feldkamp
addressed the subject of ter-
rorism with Illinois Valley
residents.
11, 2001. From Somalia in
1992, to the World Trade
Center bombing in 2001 to
the USS “Cole” in 1999,
and others, Feldkamp stated
that U.S. policy was always,
“We are going to bring the
guilty to justice.”
Regarding the Iraq War,
Cave Junction resident Steve Lyons (right) was among
those at Jim Feldkamp’s talk. (Dale Sandberg photo)
Speaking to a gathering
in the Josephine County
Bldg., Feldkamp defined
terrorism as an out-of power
minority group attempting to
change the will of the major-
ity by targeting civilians to
achieve a political end.
He also described terror-
ism as a codified belief that
whatever you do in the name
of what you believe is right,
is right, despite the law.
To the question, “What
can we do to protect our-
selves against terrorism?”
Feldkamp responded that
preparedness and enforcing
existing laws are key issues.
He also stated that, be-
cause of the success of
Homeland Security efforts,
he is not so sure Islamic cell
groups are ready to go into
further action. Certainly
there are cells all over the
place,” but we (the govern-
ment and law enforcement)
“…must be doing some-
thing right. There has been
no terrorist attack in the U.S.
in nearly five years.”
Describing himself as a
native Oregonian with a
national perspective, Feld-
kamp spoke of how his
training and experience
make him particularly
knowledgeable on the sub-
ject. As an FBI special agent
on counterterrorism, Feld-
kamp’s assignment was to
track down international
terrorists and groups that
fund them.
“ I hunted terrorists who
threaten us,” he said. “I
know what must be done to
protect America.”
Additionally, Feldkamp
noted that, having flown
more than 30 combat mis-
sions over Iraq during De-
sert Storm, he has, “… been
where many of our troops
are now and I understand
the dangers they face.”
Feldkamp emphasized
that terrorist attacks and in-
fluence were taking place a
full nine years before Sept.
Feldkamp emphasized that
he supports the war on terror-
ism and supports our troops.
He also believes that bring-
ing stability to the region is
now the driving force.
Acknowledging that
mistakes were made about
weapons of mass destruc-
tion, he said that, based on
international intelligence,
everyone believed there
were such weapons when
the decision to invade Iraq
was made.
But we have to look to
the future, not the mistakes
of the past.
“You cannot go back in
history and say we screwed
up,” he said. And now, “If
we don’t stay and complete
the mission, the message to
our enemies and our allies is
that we don’t have the politi-
cal will to stay the course.”
Feldkamp stated that
the United States’ goal of
bringing democracy to the
Mideast and creating a func-
tioning middle class, is
“impressive.”
In other areas, Feld-
kamp expressed optimism
about Hamas becoming a
legal government. They can
no longer focus on the de-
struction on Israel as reason
enough for their existence,
Feldkamp said. They were
elected on their promise to
bring about a civilized soci-
ety and do what that society
needs to do to survive.
They have to concen-
trate on aspects such as in-
frastructure and education.
If they don’t succeed in
these areas, they will be
voted out. But they cannot
succeed without interna-
tional funding help, which
they won’t get if they con-
tinue on their proclaimed
quest to destroy Israel. So
there is room to hope.
To other questions con-
cerning a variety of issues,
Feldkamp plans, if elected,
to revitalize Oregon’s eco-
nomic development by re-
cruiting new companies that
bring local jobs; helping
small businesses grow and
prosper; supporting the tim-
ber industry and wise man-
agement of our natural re-
sources; and securing our
borders and fighting illegal
immigration.
For the final question of
the evening -- “Would you
vote to renew the tax cuts
for the rich?” -- he answered
a resounding, “Yes, because
they have been good for the
economy.”
The tinderbox we call
the Middle East did not
form in a vacuum, Feld-
kamp told his audience. In
fact, the terrorism we see
there today is the result of
the region having been ruled
by various authoritarian au-
tocracies since the end of
World War I, as well as pol-
icy decisions that many
countries have implemented
in those 80-plus years.
Some of those decisions
include dividing the Pales-
tine Mandate in the after-
math of WWII and creating
the state of Israel. At that
time, Feldkamp noted,
neighboring Arab countries
urged Arabs who were living
in the new state to leave. But
when many did, Feldkamp
explained, they were not
subsequently welcomed into
the neighboring countries.
Instead, those country’s
leaders forced them into
refugee camps and then
blamed their plight on Israel.
“The Arabs betrayed
their own people,” said
Feldkamp, and those who
were disenfranchised
formed the basis for terror-
ists organizations.
Another set of deci-
sions, Feldkamp noted, were
the U.S. policies that sup-
ported the Mujadeen in or-
der to help defeat the Sovi-
ets in Afghanistan. Much
terrorist activity is theologi-
cally driven, he said.
Osama Bin Laden,
whom he describes as a
spoiled, rich kid, became
enraged when the United
States was given credit for
helping drive the Soviets out
of Afghanistan, which, like
a domino effect, then helped
to bring about the fall of the
Soviet Union in 1989.
Bin Laden declared that
it was not the United States
which helped bring this
about, it was Allah. After
the Gulf War, which ce-
mented good relations be-
tween the United States and
Saudi Arabia, Bin Laden
became even more incensed
at the sight of “Infidels” in
his country.
Reiterating how much
terrorist activity is theologi-
cally driven, Feldkamp de-
scribed how Bin Laden then
vowed to create a “Pan Is-
lamic world from the Hima-
layas to the Pyrenees.”
GP Fire gets $21,676 grant
U.S. Congressman Greg
Walden (R-Ore.) announced
that a $21,676 investment
from the Dept. of Homeland
Security’s Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program
(AFGP) will be made in the
city of Grants Pass to sup-
port fire prevention pro-
grams.
“Investing in fire pre-
vention efforts is crucial to
protecting people, homes,
businesses and the environ-
ment from destruction that
can be caused by fire,” said
Walden. “These funds will
help the city of Grants Pass
educate young people on the
dangers of fire and how they
can help prevent fire from
occurring, which will go a
long way toward protecting
the kids, their families and
the community.”
Kelly Hickman, the
A BUILDING FUND ACCOUNT is set up at Illinois Valley Building Supply to assist
Lavonne Foster and her two young daughters whose Selma home was destroyed by
fire recently. The dwelling, which they had built, was some distance out Davis Creek
Road and apparently was struck by lightning. The family, which was away from their
home at the time, lost everything and is working to recover. The account is in the
name of Deann Harris, and contributions of any size will be appreciated. Foster has
started Foster Cleaning Service for carpets at 951-9423. (Photo provided)
Mexico home God’s mi casa, su casa
(Continued from page 1)
you spoke to them.
I have often wondered
how the families manage
without running water, toilet
facilities or laundry. Each
day the children appeared
with clean, neat clothing and
shining faces.
Sophia said that she had
been praying for a house for
three years and thanked us
for coming. She was assured
the Lord had answered her
prayers and that we were
just the tools He had used.
Many tears of joy were
shed the day the house was
dedicated and they were
given the key to their casa.
The house is painted inside
and out, floor tiled, curtains
and blinds hung, and recent
houses have ceiling fans,
appreciated by anyone using
the carpeted loft area.
Gifts of food, household
items, dishes, pot and pans,
towels and personal items
such as shampoo, etc. are
left for the family.
A 16-by-20 square-foot
house doesn’t sound large to
us. But when you see how
the families take care of
their new home you realize
it isn’t the size of the house
that matters.
Most families still cook
in another building, and all
have outside toilets. Drink-
ing water has to be bought,
as well as propane. Electric-
ity is not always dependable.
Funds to pay for con-
struction of the houses come
from gifts of money and
some materials, and by a
huge yard sale held every
August at the home of our
lead builder, David Gilmore.
Kangaroos can grow up
to six feet tall, but are an
inch long when born
KAR KARE
370 Caves Hwy.
592-4878
$89 95
Brakes
average per axle
(subject to inspection)
4-wheel drive & trucks extra
Meidinger Concrete Construction
Serving the Valley since 1974
Specializing in all types of Concrete
and Masonry
New - Foundations - Walks - Drives - Patios
Mobile Home Runners and Foundations
Bridges and Abutments - Slabs - Large or Small
Exposed Aggregate - Retaining Walls and Basements
Stamped & Colored Concrete
Phone 592-4485
Mike Meidinger
License #93173
MANSFIELD R. CLEARY
for baby Rylianne's heart surgery.
Come dance with the
'Southern Oregon Blues Band'
and musical guests.
city’s Fire Prevention Pro-
gram Office assistant, said,
“This is great news, and we
are excited that we got the
full funding. We will use
these funds to purchase
much-needed fire preven-
tion training materials to use
in elementary schools.”
Junction Inn Lounge,
S a t u rd ay, A p r i l 8 , 9 p . m .
Raffle prizes Door prizes.
IVCDO Meeting Schedule
Making Things Happen!
April, 2006
Day
Date
Meeting
Time
Location
Thur
4/6
Workshop Meeting
7:00-9:00 PM
County Bldg
Tues
4/11
Executive Comm.
5:30-6:30 PM
IVCDO Office
Wed
4/12
Operational Oversight &
Projects & Programs
5:30-6:30 PM
IVCDO Office
Mon
4/17
Community Relations
5:00-6:00 PM
IVCDO Office
Board Meeting
7:00-9:00 PM
County Bldg
Thurs 4/20
answer is, “Yes.” We are
only gone for one week --
this is not a vacation -- we
go to work.
Are there benefits? Are
there sacrifices? Most assur-
edly so.
But the joy on the faces
of the family provided hous-
ing is enough -- the feeling
we have inside is an added
benefit. Want to join us?
His wife, Diane, and several
women and men work hard
to put it together every year.
Each person going pays
for their housing and meals
at the compound where we
stay, and for our own trans-
portation and vehicle insur-
ance.
So now the question is:
Are we ready for La Casa
#11? And the resounding
Attorney at Law
General Practice in
Illinois Valley
since 1980
Practice includes but not limited to:
Bankruptcy - Eliminate
financial problems
Living trusts - Avoid probate
Estate planning - Wills,
power of attorney
Domestic relations
Auto accident - Personal Injury
Criminal - DUII
Real Estate contracts - Foreclosure
592-2195
200 W. Lister