--- [ WORLD WATCH ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=332) # Editor’s Memo: Disgraceful ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Oct-2016/086x.png)CITYWATCH TODAY—Many of you have heard the story. Ten years ago, needing more bodies to fight in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, California’s National Guard offered enlistment bonuses to Guard members. Close to 10,000 of them said yes and went off to battlefields to fulfill their part of the deal. Turns out the Guard goofed. Bonuses had not been approved. Now, the Guard wants its money back. Yes, you heard it right. The US military … the greatest waster of dollars on the face of the earth … mistakenly offered bonuses to CA Guard soldiers to go fight in a war that was started using the Saddam WMD myth as justification and now they want their money back. Is it any wonder Americans are even willing to vote for Donald Trump before they will support for one more day the clowns in DC that would accept this kind of misguided thinking? Written by Ken Draper. October 24 2016 [Comments](#disqus_thread) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Oct-2016/086x.png)CITYWATCH TODAY—Many of you have heard the story. Ten years ago, needing more bodies to fight in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, California’s National Guard offered enlistment bonuses to Guard members. Close to 10,000 of them said yes and went off to battlefields to fulfill their part of the deal. Turns out the Guard goofed. Bonuses had not been approved. Now, the Guard wants its money back. Yes, you heard it right. The US military … the greatest waster of dollars on the face of the earth … mistakenly offered bonuses to CA Guard soldiers to go fight in a war that was started using the Saddam WMD myth as justification and now they want their money back. Is it any wonder Americans are even willing to vote for Donald Trump before they will support for one more day the clowns in DC that would accept this kind of misguided thinking? Congressman McCarthy tagged it well: ‘Disgraceful.’ Read the rest [here.](http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-bonus-guard-20161024-snap-story.html)) Then, do something. At the very least, let your congress person know how you feel. +++++ Tom Hayden has died. He was 76. He reflects a heady era that served as the platform for my growing up … anti Viet Nam, marching for civil rights, Bob Dylan, MLK, standing for something. At least we thought we were. Hayden did and it made getting elected difficult for him. In today’s political environment it’s hard to find anyone in search of any kind of truth … or, for that matter, capable of telling it. “If we appear to seek the unattainable … we do so to avoid the unimaginable,” Hayden said. Another light has dimmed. The Nation editor’s remember … in Today’s CityWatch. Ken Draper-Editor, CityWatch [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Last Name [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/54/064j-54f0ecbd.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) ### [Be Prepared to Protect Our Democracy in November From a Trumpian Plot](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) BE AWARE - Back in the days when conservatives were so hungry for media platforms that they’d come on progressive shows… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ab/063e-ab3b1ba1.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) ### [Nithya Raman Loses the Homelessness Gavel — Her Record Explains Why](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) THE BOTTOM LINE - Raman wants Los Angeles voters to promote her to mayor. Before handing her the keys to City Hall, v… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/75/064a-75d5dbb3.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) ### [Your Boss Owns Your Workday—Not Your Brain](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) THE NEURAL WORKPLACE - California must protect workers before workplace surveillance crosses the final frontier: the hu… --- ## [ WORLD WATCH ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=332) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2026/051q2.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32951:venezuela-needs-the-world-more-than-ever-english-spanish&catid=332)### [Venezuela Needs the World More Than Ever \[English & Spanish\]](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32951:venezuela-needs-the-world-more-than-ever-english-spanish&catid=332) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2026/047f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32873:netanyahus-betrayal-of-israels-promise&catid=332)### [Netanyahu’s Betrayal Of Israel’s Promise](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32873:netanyahus-betrayal-of-israels-promise&catid=332) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/May-2026/039k.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32727:turkeys-egregious-human-rights-violations-are-beyond-the-pale&catid=332)### [Turkey’s Egregious Human Rights Violations Are Beyond The Pale](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32727:turkeys-egregious-human-rights-violations-are-beyond-the-pale&catid=332) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Mar-2026/022f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32427:from-epic-fury-to-a-trap-of-trumps-own-making-finding-the-way-out&catid=332)### [From ‘Epic Fury’ To A Trap Of Trump’s Own Making: Finding The Way Out](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32427:from-epic-fury-to-a-trap-of-trumps-own-making-finding-the-way-out&catid=332) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Feb-2026/055p.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32307:top-7-mongolia-travel-tips-for-2026&catid=332)### [Top 7 Mongolia Travel Tips for 2026](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32307:top-7-mongolia-travel-tips-for-2026&catid=332)