"Santa" Returns Home In Time For Christmas

Santa is not only delivering gifts to the Hill family in Mt. Lebanon but he is the gift they've been waiting to come home for a year now. "My dad coming home, it was really … Having friends and family around is better than any material gift that I could ever receive. So, it wouldn't be the same without him here," Jennifer Hill said.

Her dad gives special meaning to this 20-year tradition of playing Santa because at 59-years-old Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Hill has now finished his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Link: www.kdka.com/holidays/Santa.Jim.Hill.2.895104.html

FBI Agent From Lebo Extends Long Arm To Iraq

The Iraqi police officer was ambushed, U.S. federal agents say, because he was working with them and investigating his country's kidnappings, assassinations, insurgent attacks and police torture of prisoners.

Shot in the neck and chest, he escaped before his car exploded. The officer, known as "Little Ali," ran into a nearby home -- which fortunately belonged to a Sunni like him -- and called FBI Special Agent Robert Johnson, who was stationed in Iraq and leading the U.S.-Iraqi Major Crimes Task Force.

"Right then, the rule of law was really unstable," said Johnson, 46, of Mt. Lebanon, who now serves as the supervisor of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Pittsburgh. "Crime was pretty rampant throughout Baghdad. We knew we were on the right path when we started getting targeted."

Link: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_588256.html

Lebo Grandpa To Serve Second Tour In Iraq

At a time when most people his age are thinking retirement, one local Army reservist has volunteered for a second tour of duty in Iraq.

Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Hill, 58, says part of the reason he's heading back is his commitment to family and the families of every service man and woman who will be in his command. He's already thinking about how to bring everyone home safely for next Christmas.

The Mt. Lebanon resident who grew up in Oakland is no stranger to combat. Forty years ago, he served two years in the jungles of Vietnam - a Marine and scuba diver. But back then he was a single care-free teenager. Now he's a grandfather.

Link: www.kdka.com/local/Grandfather.Iraq.Army.2.618387.html

Trouble In Lebo, Part 2

As Mike mentioned in this post, a number of residents have been receiving anonymous letters in the mail because they have been posting signs in their yards stating "Support The Troops, End The War". The letters have not been addressed to the home owner specifically, but just sent to the address itself.

One of our Blog-Lebo readers provided me with a copy of the letter and I'd like to share the content of it. The text provided below is exactly how the letter was written:

To whom it may concern:

I am writing to you because of the signs you have in your yard, "Support the troops, End the War." These signs have been a discussion piece with my family and friends; we have decided this would be the most appropriate action. I would like to remind you of the events of September 11th and all the American lives that have been forever ruined. If you get a chance please visit ground zero or talk to a person who lost a loved one that day. Other terrorist attacks include the previous World Trade Center bombing, the attack on the U.S.S. Cole and United States Embassy's. Also recall the attacks in Spain and Europe. There is a group of very real people, Muslim Extremists who have declared a Jihad (holy war) on Christians, Jews, Mormons, and even Capitalists. They want to kill us, and have proven so with various acts. These terrorists consider themselves martyrs, which is why you see so many willing to die as suicide bombers. I consider it a tribute to the United States Military, that since 9/11 we haven't had another terrorist attack on American soil. The troops have protected our American way of life. I have several family and friends in the U.S. Army, and they want to be in Iraq and Afghanistan hunting down terrorists. The terrorists are not going to go away on their own!!! The current U.S. troops are fighting the way our grandfathers fought communists. Our grandparents so graciously gave us the opportunity to live in this beautiful country, and our generation is fighting terrorists to give our kids that same opportunity. Ending a war as you would like, will not stop, but will only allow terrorists to operate and kill more innocent people. The sign should read, "Stop the War, Support Terrorists." That is what it would be doing. I don't want any U.S. troops to get hurt or killed but their cause is worthy. Even liberal media stations have even recognized that 2007 has been a great year of progress in Iraq. I am asking you to take down these embarrassing signs that have no substance or logic behind them.

Merry Christmas,

Your neighbors in the Mt. Lebanon area