My Lancet

The following was written a few days ago but posting has been delayed due to technical difficulties and ongoing operations.

So, I did something pretty stupid the today; I watched I Walk the Line, by myself, on the day after Christmas. I can sing pretty well and have a pretty good voice for singing and I really enjoy singing for an audience but I cannot write the songs. Sometimes, especially when I’m feeling pretty melancholy, like right now, I want to put something on paper that can express the deep emotions I feel. I try and I always get stuck, usually on the second line, but I still dream of one day finally telling the story of my pain and my pleasure.

There are so many songs about broken hearts, about missing the ones you love, about the pain of separation, but nobody has yet penned the song I feel, of being torn between the love for my family and the love for my country; I have a duty to both and I cannot seem to fulfill them both.

Brian Holbrook wrote some pretty good songs; you may know him as Gold Falcon from The Jump Blog. My Pretty Ones comes close to expressing my divided duty but he assured me that is not what the song is about. Hands to Work also speaks to me about duty regardless of the trails that we face and I can relate. But, one day, I hope to drive a lancet of music straight to my heart and soul so you can all feel my devotion. Until then, you’ll have to settle for black and white text.

Christmas

To quote my wife, “I’m glad it’s over.”

In all my years and all my deployments I have only been away from home for two Christmas’ now. The first was just after my son was born twelve years ago. I guess I forgot how terrible it is. Loneliness is redefined when you’re married and again when you have kids and the Holiday Season is only a constant reminder of it.

On Christmas Eve we were fortunate enough to have some turkey, potatoes, pumpkin pie, and some brownish green stuff we assumed was sweet potatoes delivered to us nicely prepared. We added some vegetables, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and other items that family members had sent then invited some of our Philippine counterparts and made quite a feast of it. Later, we helped host a Christmas party for the Phil soldiers and their families. We had received several boxes of toys from family and friends which we dispersed to the children there then we were introduced to a number of silly party games. I didn’t stay long; I wasn’t in a partying mood.

Christmas day was a free day with nothing planned. I had hoped to spend the morning chatting online with my family but internet and computer problems turned it into the equivalent of a couple short episodes of, “can you hear me now?” With everyone off they were all online which choked out internet bandwidth so I couldn’t even kill the day playing World of Warcraft; I ended up starting a flight home courtesy of Barb and FlightSimX.

On the next morning, which was Christmas day back home since we’re about 16 hours ahead, I had received a note from my wife; apparently she had a similar day. I waited until I knew things would have settled down back home, grabbed the satellite phone, found a place under the baking sun where the phone had a good view of the sky and finally had a chance to talk. When I asked her how her day had been she replied, “I’m glad it’s over.” Our talk helped. We finally had the chance to put a happy ending onto a difficult day.

My Job

As a soldier it is my job to hunt down and kill or capture known Islamic terrorists. I know that these terrorists do not represent the majority of Muslims. I see them every day and when I talk with them they almost all just want to live and raise their families in peace.

Islam is proclaimed as a religion of peace but you don’t see Jews flying planes into skyscrapers and you don’t see Buddhists blowing up cars in busy markets. I know we have Catholics and Protestants killing each other in Ireland and we have racists blowing up government buildings in Oklahoma but the vast majority of terrorists are Muslim. This brings us to the oft quoted, “most Muslims are not terrorists, but most terrorists are Muslim.”

I remember seeing scenes of Palestinians celebrating in the streets on 9/11. I do not remember seeing any similar condemnation of this and other terrorist attacks. Too often, silence means consent and I wonder how many Muslims who proclaim peace secretly hope the terrorists win some concessions. As I see it, Muslims need to stand up and say, “stop.”

In my position here in the Philippines, I have the best opportunity to help the people here recognize the destruction these terrorists cause to their homes and their religion. I will do everything I can to help them heal themselves but I must stand ready to cut the cancer out if necessary.

News from the front: 2

The Smithsonian Magazine this month contains an article on our efforts here. It’s a couple of month old but still relevant. Then Dateline aired an old 45 minute interview with Gracia Burnham who, along with her husband, were held hostage by Abu Sayyaf for over a year. CNN was here this past week to but I haven’t been watching their station since their coverage of the Iraq Study Group turned me off again. Lots of news lately from the unknown front.

Really Unconventional Operations

I flew to Manila for some emergency dental work this past week. What a relief it was just to get a hot shower, but more on that when I get time.

Once back on our island I had to wait a few hours for a helicopter ride back to my teams base camp because my team was too busy to pick me up. While waiting, I received a fair amount of teasing from some of the guys. Not because they were too busy to get me but because of what they were doing.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were sponsoring the Philippine Girl Scouts for a two day event at our location and my team assisted by teaching a few classes. Green Berets have a reputation for womanizing and having a team in close contact with a few hundred teenage girls can put a lot of commanders into a nervous sweat.

Events were over before I returned and had a chance to settle in so I did not participate but, from what I have seen and heard, this was one of the most effective combat operations we could have performed. In typical teenage girl fashion, the girls identified a few favored U.S. soldiers. They would wave and giggle as they walked by or swoon when their favorite soldier was announced. It was cute and these guys continue to get teased but the effects have gone far beyond our base camp. These guys have achieved celebrity status here.

Now, when we drive the streets, the girls run out and shout out the names, or nicknames, of the soldiers they recognize. This may have some effect on our egos but, more importantly, it is a tactical victory. Having a few hundred adoring fans will make the terrorists think twice before targeting us and also adds several hundred extra sets of eyes that can warn us of possible danger.

I feel safer.

Time out

I've been traveling, spent some time in Manila, got a hot shower or three for the first time in 2 months and a reminder that the world is still out there. Give me some time to recover and I'll have more up here for you.

News from the front: 1

JOLO, SULU ISLAND, Republic of the Philippines -- Just days after a charitable organization teamed up with the U.S. military to deliver ambulances here, the emergency vehicles are making a difference in the lives of local residents.

Infil into my AO

The following events toop place just over two month ago and are not related to the recent typhoon which struck the Philippines this week.

Infiltration into my Area of Operation (AO) required a night on a plane, a day lost crossing the international date line, a night on a wooden slate bed in a Phil Army compound then another night on a large WWII landing craft in a typhoon. I went from Sunday to Thursday without a shower and so I didn’t mind it when the water was cold. It would be another 2 months before I would get the chance to take a warm shower, but I digress; back to a night I would never forget.

It was just starting to rain when we loaded the landing craft. This wasn’t the little one you remember seeing in all the WWII movies charging the beaches of Normandy; this was a big one used for landing large vehicles. It still had the bow ramp but the cargo area was almost big enough for a football field. The boat had no overhead cover so we improvised and threw up a couple of giant tarps. For tent poles the boat crew brought out several 6” x 12” beams about 10’ long; they tied cord to the tops and nailed them to 4’ beams at the bottom to try to hold them in place on the rusted steel deck. Sure, a lot of technical specs but you’ll see why in a minute.

When we pulled away from the shore we could see the rows of clouds that were the outer bands of the typhoon. The seas were rough and we were joking about how sea-sick we were going to be during our 12 hour tour, and yes, there were some Gilligan’s Island jokes too. I learned in the Jumpmaster course that the best way to avoid motion sickness was to keep busy so I stayed near the bow watching the horizon/ships/islands until it was too dark to see. I came back a while later when some of the guys were standing just behind the bow ramp looking toward the stern. I joined them. Where we stood, the horizon gave us a stable point of reference and we could remain relatively motionless while the boat rocked beneath us. The novelty was watching the superstructure get tossed around by the sea. After the novelty wore off I watched the luminescence of the sea for a while then I determined that it was late enough and I was tired enough to get some sleep without fear of motion sickness. I laid down and immediately fell asleep.

Occasionally I would be jarred awake with the boat crashing down on a wave. As an old percussionist, I know the difference between a slap that just makes sound and one that does damage. Nothing sounded wrong and the steady motion of the ship continued so I would quickly drift back to sleep, until…

I awoke to another crash, this one was louder than most but worse yet, it was accompanied by a very unnatural jerking motion. When my eyes opened like saucers, I was surrounded in an eerie blackness; the light that was filtering under our tarp earlier in the night was gone. Others had also been awakened and I could hear the shock and bewilderment coming from them too.

When my faculties began to clear I first noticed that the tarp that used to be 10’ overhead was now within 2’. I got up and began assessing the damage. Since the ship’s crew did not appear to be panicking, I quickly determined that our worst fears were not happening. The ship had not broken up and we were not sinking.

What had happened was one of the posts used as a tent pole had been thrown forward. Since it was anchored by cords at the top it could not fall over naturally but instead the bottom with the 4’ beam attached shot forward. My cot just happened to be in the way and the unnatural jar which awoke me was the motion of my cot getting tossed a couple of feet. We quickly reconfigured our tarp tent and went back to sleep.

Our 12 hour tour, due to the rough seas, lasted 18 hours. When we were finally on solid ground again it took another day for the ground to stop moving. I guess I now know what sea legs are. At the end of it all, when I first enlisted in the army almost 22 years ago, my wildest dreams could not have imagined myself infiltrating into a combat zone on a WWII landing craft. Now, it’s a night I will never forget.

A little payback.

I owe BlackFive one for sending so much traffic my way so…
When Matt made his book The Blog of War available for download I decided that I needed to check it out. I have attempted to read this book several times. If I’m lucky I can get through one page before having to put it down. It hits to close to home. The stories are real and the emotions are real and us tough Green Berets are not supposed to cry. I know of no other book that portrays the life of the soldier better than this one.

Matt, thanks for the book but I’ll have to wait until I get home when all this is a memory and not the all encompassing present.

"I'll be home for Christmas" - Not!

Philippine troops hunting down the combined Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists in the hinterlands of Sulu were ordered "to neutralize high-value targets before Christmas."

I’m not listening to any Bing Crosby this year but this article also provides a little background on the murderers we are after.

Out of the Closet

I have finally checked and double checked, I have established the boundaries and I can now say…

I am reporting live from a combat zone in a tropical paradise.

I have been in the Southern Philippines for just over 2 months now as an advisor for the Philippine Army in their hunt for terrorists. The connection between Saddam’s Iraq and the Al Qaida terrorist groups in the Philippines is well established and concrete. The details are another article. One of the prominent terrorist organizations here is the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). They have been responsible for the assassination of U.S. personnel and continue to kill and kidnap locals. If you visit here often you will get to know more about the unknown front in the Global War on Terrorism.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mine was good; I had some time off with a chance to relax. Our turkey came a day early and we celebrated by inviting some of the locals. The meal was good, better than I expected but none of my mother’s cherry pie or our apple pie (I can make it as well as she can now) or my lemon meringue. My family will be eating it all in about 7 hours from now. I wish them well.

Those few of you that read this understand why I am here and I am thankful for your support.

Worth its own post.

Carolina wrote:

I think Rangel is simply saying something controversial to see his face in the news. I really don't think there is a chance of draft being make law. However, I have been thinking for some time thatit would be a good idea. It seemed so wrong that such a small percentage of people and their families, those in the military, were carrying all the load for the society as a whole. I thought it should be spread around more evenly. But I have been reading that many active duty folks don't want draftees, they want people who have chosen to be in the military. So now I am reviewing my stance

Carolina,

You are right, those of us currently serving do NOT want draftees. This conflict is precarious enough without having to worry about a disgruntled private watching my back. A draft is the worst think that can happen to the greatest military force on earth and I will not see our military ruined for the sake of fairness.

Life is not fair. As one of the "small percentage," I recognize this and I am willing to carry the load. My efforts will be focusing on finding and convincing more WILLING participants.

If you want to help, you can start by clicking one of the links to the right.

I've said it before...

BlackFive is discussing the latest Democrat strategy, reinstating the draft. I wrote about this before and my words are just as relevant today as they were 15 months ago. I also predicted that if the draft were to return the Dems would do it. Here's what I wrote:

I have seen the “we’re spread too thin” argument far too often and it usually precedes an argument for or against a draft. I am personally fed up with this ongoing logical shortsightedness. If we are spread too thin in is because of gross miss-management.

The Department of Defense is required by current law to maintain troop levels significant enough to fight on two different fronts and protect our shores. It should be obvious that we have found ourselves in this worst case scenario. Our current administration has proposed some force realignments but those were vehemently opposed by the left; apparently it would negate one of their valuable arguments against the Bush administration. This can help relieve some of our deployment load but there are other alternatives that have not been discussed.

The Air Force recently announced 3 month rotations. It’s nice to see that they have enough lift capabilities to transport 100% of their deployed force every 90 days. The Army is sticking with their 6, 9, or 12 month rotations depending on the type of unit deployed. Again, it’s nice to see them sharing the pie and letting more officers get their combat ticket punched but this is still rather inefficient and creates problems. I have personally seen many officers who have refused to takes the risks necessary to take the fight to the enemy because they wanted to ensure that all their little boys came home at the end of their rotation. They apparently thought that the war could wait for the next unit.

As an avid student of history, a term common 60 years ago comes to mind, “Duration +6.” This term was used to identify someone’s length of service. Another term from another previous war, “Till it’s over.”

Now for my proposal as one who would be affected negatively. Activate the 19th and 20th Special Forces Groups in their entirety along with all reserve PsyOps and Civil Affairs groups. Deploy the 3rd, 5th, 19th, and 20th Groups as needed and leave us there “till it’s over,” or at least until things quiet down enough for a force reduction. Make SF the main effort and turn both theaters over to U.S. Special Operations Command to control. This would require far fewer conventional troops and would be much more effective. Approximately 65 years ago the Germans overran the French in a matter of days because the French believed they could fight WWII with WWI tactics; let’s not make the same mistake.

So, I’m watching CNN again…

If it wasn’t for the fact that what I am doing is in complete contrast to what CNN is reporting, I just might believe this stuff. It would also be nice to get some real news reporting. Until then, I’ll continue to read the MilBlogs.

The other day I watched the Caliphate News Network feature a female soldier who was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress . Apparently she had been traumatized by the sight of empty coffins just waiting to be filled. My first reaction was, “you have got to be kidding,” my neighbor says, “that’s no different than working in a mortuary,” but the question I would like answered is, why is this considered a news story?

The clip continued with her claiming to have been sexually harassed while in the Army; I have no intention of countering the claim since I know how young men act especially when they see too few women. CNN quickly mentioned that she had been found guilty by court martial of being drunk while deployed in a combat zone and finishes with the comment, “like the war in Iraq, she has troubles that will last a long time.”

So, now we see the why. It’s just another way to show why the war in Iraq is so bad. CNN, with your insistence that you are not picking sides, you sure are showing your colors.

Veterans Day

I began Veterans Day before dawn. I showered for the first time in 2 days, because water is not an unlimited resource, and dressed myself in 70 pounds of combat gear. Wedged behind the wheel of an M1113 (armored HMMWV) we joined a convoy of medical professionals and drove to a nearby village where we set up a clinic in a small school. Approximately 500 people received free medical care in a safe environment because our Band of Brothers was willing to sacrifice our time away from family, some much coveted sleep, and several gallons of sweat.

That is what Veterans Day is all about, sacrificing for something greater than the individual, and carrying the torch for another generation.

And the winner is…

I watched the election results as they came in on the Caliphate News Network because my only other option was BBC. They did little to conceal their elation and showed nothing but DNC footage the whole day.

As a soldier taking the Global War on Terrorism to the enemy, I was very disturbed by the results. I now wonder how a congress soft on defense and with little regard for the soldier will face an enemy willing to kill himself to achieve his goals.

It is clear that the DNC was able to charge their power base by projecting President Bush as the Great Satin. They have apparently learned from Bill Gates (sorry Barb) that it doesn’t matter if it works or if it’s true, you just have to advertise it well enough. So, here I am, writing this article in Microsoft Word on a machine running Microsoft Windows because it is what the powers have made available and I do not understand Linux enough to use something better.

Did Bush and Co. make mistakes? Of course they did, the last person I knew who didn’t make mistakes was executed 2000 year ago. I have discussed areas where I thought they were handling the war in Iraq wrong. I can also give you a list of other policies that need to change but that would violate OpSec in a big way. This administrations greatest error is in its advertising. Saddam had WMDs! Now Syria has a beefed up mobile WMD program. We do not hear anything about that in the evening news. The GOP wants to privatize Social Security; is there a risk? Yes, but it’s much lower that the current guaranteed failure that the DNC wants to force into continuation. We don’t hear that on CNN either. How about socialized medicine? The DNC thinks it’s a great idea but they don’t want you to see the masses of Canadians who travel to the U.S. to get decent medical care.

Another of the GOPs mistakes is in their recent practices. Republicans have always been for fiscal accountability and our Republican Congress with a Republican President have thrown out all financial responsibility. In this and other areas, the GOP has offered Democrats in elephant pants. As a result, the Republican base had the choice between Democrat liberals and Republican liberals. Apparently, too many thought the choice was not enough to stop at the polls on the way home.

So, who won on election day? Of course, only time will tell, but if history has taught us anything; it wasn’t the soldier, it wasn’t the economy, and it wasn’t freedom loving Americans.

Caliphate News Network

Has anyone beaten me to this one?

I saw the CNN show and I was not overly offended by it. After all, This is CNN we are talking about; I have known where they are coming from for years now which is why I only watch them when I need new material to illustrate liberal illogic. What did get my attention about the story was the fact that they decided to air caliphate propaganda but not the Danish cartoons.

Then there’s this. CNN seems to believe that there is no difference between the TERRORISTS and our SOLDIERS. Just because the Caliphate News Network chose only to show the terrorist in only their most positive environment does not mean that is all the terrorists are doing. These same terrorists are the ones who plant bombs on roadsides where children play and murder family members of those who oppose them. Contrast that with our soldiers who take great risk while being shot at to make sure they do not injure the other civilians these terrorists are hiding behind. Any comparison short of contrast is ignorant at best.

Are Your Eyes Open?

“And he answered, Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” 2 Kings 6:16

I have heard it too many times from Liberals who claim to be the majority. They organize their protests and rally for an afternoon in a park or an hour in front of a Federal Building. They do it more often and get more people; or so they think. But, like Elisha’s servant, their eyes are not open to the truth.

I have seen their protests and I can also see the demonstrations from the Conservatives. They are the Freepers who oppose the Code Pinko’s, they are the Patriot Guard members, and the Protest Warriors. But more than that, they are hundreds of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen who put on the uniform every day to support our great nation. They are the Soldiers Angels and countless other organizations which have emerged in recent years to provide aid and comfort for those on the front lines. They are a handful of residents in Bangor, Main who daily greet every Marine who returns to the United States. They are Police and Firemen who escort departing and returning units and the occasional funeral procession and the citizens who stop to pay their respects.

They may rally many for an afternoon in the sun but many, many more rally every single day to show their devotion to the cause of liberty and justice for all. Our numbers are greater and our resolve much firmer and it has been proven in every national election for the past 12 years.

Supporting our Troops

It’s hat-tip time and in a BIG way. I received the following information for our Family Readiness Group leader. For all of you who like to support the troops, weather family, friends, or otherwise, here are a plenty of organizations who know what “Support the Troops” really means. Please support them or use them as your situation allows.

- Free computers for spouses or parents of deployed soldier in ranks E1 – E5.
- Free magazines, up to 3 choices, for deployed service members.
- Free mail/gifts sent to children of deployed soldiers.
- Free phone cards.
- To sign up for sponsoring soldier care packages for theater.
- Commander can sign up for mugs for unit troops.
- Free shoebox care package.
- Free cookies.
- Lowest airfare available.
- Free care packages.
- Free air conditioners/heaters.
- Free air travel for Emergency Leave, and for the family members of injured soldiers to travel to Medical facility.
- Airline discounts for R & R.
- Free books, DVD’s, CD’s.
- Daily prayer and scriptures.
- Free care packages (your family member signs up to have sent to you).
- Free care packages.
- Get adopted to receive stuff. We couldn't forget these people!!!
- Free gifts and care packages.
- Free bible, Christian video, and book for spouse/family members of deployed troop.
- Free shipping/packing materials for shipping to troops. This looks like the same priority mail stuff you get for free at the post office. At least they'll deliver to your home.

P.S. After 5 full days of traveling I am finally home; at least what home will be for the next half year plus. We finished our travels with an experience that must be told… eventually.

Travel Time

I am writing this during some of my last few hours at home before beginning a long journey half way around the world. I have still not received word on how much I can discuss about where I will be going or what I will be doing for the next 9 months. I will also be very busy setting up our team house and establishing communications. I do not plan on ignoring this blog site for most of a year but, until I receive further clarification, I will stick to political topics only.

I expect to have broadband internet access in the team house and depending on time available I should be able to actually increase my blog activity. (I know, not very difficult with how negligent I have been while preparing to deploy.)

World Trade Center

I have never cared for Oliver Stone or any of his idealistic movies and I think Nicolas Cage is a self-serving egotistical third rate actor, so, put their work together and it’s something I don’t want to waste my time with; but… when my wife said she wanted to see it I wasn’t going to say no on our last night together before I deploy. I did do my homework and checked out the reviews on Yahoo Movies so I knew it was about two trapped Port Authority officers and not an overall story of the attack but I was still quite skeptical.

My greatest fear is a nondescript government sedan in front of my house and World Trade Center played this emotion like no other since We Were Soldiers. Since the ending is more predictable than Titanic I’ll continue. The movie sent us on an emotional rollercoaster showing the damage to a world, a nation, a city, and a couple of families but left you with the realization that with as bad as this was it was a couple of the extreme few good endings and there were nearly three thousand bad endings.

When I left the theater I was stunned with silence. I left with one reassuring thought, in less than a week I would be in an ideal location to do something to the terrorists who would do this again. No other organization in the world is better suited for finding and eliminating terrorist cells than the U.S. Army Special Forces. I have been trained to find them and World Trade Center shows exactly why I must find them.

Just Another Day on the Job

This one is for Jake and Shamrock7 to give them the motivation to finish a tough road. The rest of you can just enjoy the story.

I managed to sleep late, a whole extra 30 minutes, and got up at 0630; being on the range the day before until midnight earned us that much. We skipped PT due to a lack of time but I didn’t feel like I was cheating myself ‘cause our previous evening wearing 35 pounds of body armor and gear snapping an M-4 up and transitioning to an M-9 is a pretty good workout. So, I drag my carcass into the shower and off to what they call breakfast in this run-down compound then load up for a final day on the ranges.

Today’s range is the automatic weapons range and we took half a dozen various machineguns. I tossed my M-24 in because I still had 100 rounds of M118LR match grade ammo for it. At the range we counted our ammo and we had 600 rounds of 5.56 link and 500 rounds of 7.62 link per person.

We had more people than machineguns so I started out with my M-24. I had to zero the PVS-10 night scope for it anyways. I lay down behind it, took aim at a 100 meter pop-up target and squeezed of a round. It impacted quite high so I dropped the elevation and fired another then another until the thing was dropping the target every time and the dirt was kicking up behind it right were I was aiming. By this time I’ve worked up quite a sweat lying in the sun in this hellacious humidity and have sweat dripping down my face and carrying sunscreen into my eyes. I returned to the vehicle to grab my drive-on rag but it was not there and I thought, “It must be lying next to my bed where I would have dropped it last night.” I looked around and found an ammo bandolier, folded it into a 1 inch strip and tied it around my head like a bandana to keep the sweat from dripping into my eyes. My team mates start calling me Col Braddock, a different twist from their recent activity – making up new Chuck Norris jokes but replacing his name with mine; apparently someone said I had a striking resemblance to the actor.

Back on the line and behind the M-24, I spin the elevation up to 300 meters and drop a target at that range; too easy. I look out in the distance and see targets out to 800 meters so I crank up the elevation again and take aim on the farthest target – I squeeze – it drops – I finally wake up for the day. There’s something very exhilarating about being able to lie down and touch something more than half a mile away. I cleaned up all the targets on the back row while giggling like an evil scientist then screamed at the tower to reset the targets.

Once I confirmed my complete dominance of a circle a full mile across it was time for a different kind of fun. I grabbed my 3 boxes of SAW ammo and got behind the nearest M-249, loaded it, and started dropping them again. “Wow! This thing shoots fast.” I kept knocking down targets; it’s pretty good out to 400 meters. At one time some smoke streams across my face while I inhale and it burns in my nostrils but I love the smell of burnt gunpowder and I’m loving life right now.

I finally loaded up an M-240 with a 300 round belt and lay a box containing my other 200 round belt next to me. I was one of the last ones to fire the M-240 so there was already a large pile of brass and links lying under the gun. The first burst threw some hot brass under my chest so I moved the gun left a foot. Subsequent bursts kept throwing burning hot brass under me and I had to keep thinking of ways to keep the brass from coming back at me. I ended up getting a couple of good burns before figuring out something that worked. The M-240 is a reliable weapon; it’s not as personal or as accurate as my M-24 but it gets peoples attention.

Once everything was fired we had to clean up the range; that meant picking up all that brass and links. The M240 was easy since it drops the brass directly below the gun but the M-249 SAW ejects the brass quite violently resulting in brass being scattered over a very large area.

We spent the remainder of the day cleaning a weeks worth of carbon off of 2 ½ dozen weapons of different sorts. I still enjoyed cleaning my M-24. She is old and hasn’t always been treated properly but she’s still a very accurate weapon. She needed a name so I christened her Athena, the goddess of war and guardian of the city.

It was just another day on the job.

Liberty and Justice for All

230 years ago it was commonly believed that the masses needed to be ruled and they wanted to be ruled. The French Revolution had failed with Emperor Napoleon filling the vacuum and Monarchs ruled throughout the known world. Meanwhile, many in England were appalled that, in the Americas, a handful of ungrateful antagonists had the audacity to rebel against the best form of government on Earth. These Nobles perceived themselves genetically and divinely superior to their subjects and considered it their god given right and responsibility to rule over them. They continually misunderstood this and the many previous rebellions that arose as ingratitude rather than the base desire of all men to have more control over their own lives.

Over the past couple of decades I have personally lived on five of our planets six populated continents. Almost every time I have traveled to another country I did not live on fortified military bases but among the local population. I lived in homes like theirs, walked their streets, ate their food, and frequently attended religious services with them. I have talked with them and made many friends among them. One thing was obvious within every person I talked with; they may have different customs but every one of them desired freedom.

In the fall of ’94 I flew into Gonaives, Haiti to stop crimes against the population there committed by the ruling body. I was on the fourth CH-47 of a flight of five into the city and stepped off the helicopter to a sea of black faces cheering our arrival. Many spoke English and they all expressed extreme gratitude for the freedoms they had just received when our first helicopter landed.

In Jinja, Uganda, I met Linda, a young woman crippled by polio. She owned a style of wheelchair common only in Africa. It was more a tricycle with peddles where the handlebars would have been. This device was her freedom. It allowed her to do things she normally would not have been able to do like attend services with a new-found Christian church; a new freedom many of her fellow countrymen enjoyed since recently emerging from decades of dictators like Idi Amin.

In Brazzaville, Congo I was spending a day at the U.S. Embassy helping install a new communications system and needed some additional parts. The embassy official I was working with could not leave at the time but he gave me directions to a local shop and I violated the two man rule and began the walk. The directions he gave me were not nearly as good as they should have been and I made a turn into the wrong part of town. I found myself walking along the docks of the Congo River facing a crowd of disgruntled looking young men. The Congo, at the time, still had its own internal strives and, since I was wearing the distinct uniform of an American soldier, I felt like I was wearing a Klan outfit in the Watts neighborhood. While I was formulating by strategic withdraw the most amazing thing happened; the crowd began to cheer. I have had many years to contemplate the event and can thing of nothing that would have elicited that response other than the freedoms my uniform represented.

I served my first Afghan tour in Western Afghanistan along the Iranian border. A great deal of trade is conducted along a single border crossing and consequently the first city on the Afghan side had many Iranian citizens. Of the many we talked with, they all asked the same question, “When will you do for Iran what you did for Afghanistan?”

Of the countless people I have met from dozens of different countries one thing has always been there; the basic desire for freedom. Why then do we allow dictators and despots to rule over and terrorize their people? I understand that we cannot invade every dictatorship and have no desire to do so. What we can do and should do is to promote and support the many people in these countries who advocate freedom. This support, however, must go well beyond the support we gave the Kurds in Iraq and the Cubans at the Bay of Pigs.

If history has taught us anything, it is that freedom only comes at the cost of blood and it has to come primarily from those who want it. Freedom cannot be given as a gift but we must help pay the price since no insurgency ever succeeded without external support.

Things that make you go hmmm?

I am relatively young, athletic, and –here’s the big one – I have not even seen my wife for 39 days, but someone thinks I need a good deal on Viagra and Cialis desperately enough to circumvent Hotmail’s spam filters. Maybe we are fighting the wrong enemy; perhaps we should declare a Global War on Spammers.

I finally paid Walt a visit today.

I had to run into Tacoma to pick up some cables and connectors the Army system couldn't seem to get for me. The electronics store was on 29th Ave. and the thought occurred that I was only a short 23 blocks from the Corina Bakery.

It didn't take long to recognize the cozy store front from Michael Yon's photos. Since I had missed lunch it was pretty difficult to decide what needed sampling; I chose his Carmel Pecan Cheesecake and two Chocolate Chip Cookies off the still hot sheets. The Cheesecake was perfectly delicious and not too rich like most cheesecakes are. The cookies could have been made by my wife. As soon as one of you tells me the best way to ship a cheesecake I'll be sending one to my mother who loves caramel even more than I do.

The bakery is definitely a family business with Walt, his wife Jessica, and daughter present in the store today. One older gentleman came in and seemed quite at home in the place. He talked with Walt's daughter (I'm assuming her name is Corina) as if he were her grandfather. Walt later told me the man purchased something every day. It seems apparent that Walt and family have made an impact in there neighborhood far beyond their neighbors waistlines.

I'll add my endorsement to the many others that have been given; the Corina Bakery is a must stop during any visit to Tacoma.

What is really happening in the Middle East?

My reply to an article, published in the International Herald Tribune on July 19, 2006.

I find this article extremely short-sighted. The writer does include some facts but his bias completely misses the point.

The toppling of Saddam Hussein was intended to send shock waves across the Arab world, intimidating the region's brittle tyrannies while encouraging the spontaneous civic movements that have brought democracy to much of post-Communist Europe. In Iraq itself, democrats were to replace a brutal autocrat, providing a model for the region.

Precisely the opposite has happened. The war has not only engulfed Iraq in violence and made the country a magnet for jihadists, but it has also awakened sectarian tensions that are spreading beyond Iraq's borders. From Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, Shiites and Sunnis are cautiously eyeing each other, heading for a mounting rivalry that has already helped plunge Lebanon into chaos.

Any look at history will show that freedom has always required time and blood. Iran and Syria are trying to make a mess of the region because they feel threatened by democracy. These types of things were common throughout the Soviet empire. "Autocrats" (I call them tyrants) are always fearful of their subjugated population and any threat to their power and control. They also always create enemies of the state in order to unite their people against a common foe and to portray themselves as their saviors.

What we need to do is to place agents within Iran and Syria to encourage dissent and fully support them when they do dissent. The common diplomatic assumption that a standing despot is better than an unknown replacement is cowardly pessimism; it's like saying, "I won't get out of bed today because I might have a bad day."

We cannot let some tyrants’ acts of desperation discourage us from our goals. Let them throw their fits and let's show the world exactly what they are then, when their bankrupt, we can continue to encourage democracy throughout the region. This is the only way we will ever see peace in the region.

Back online

Finally! We got wired for the internet just before going to Yakama Training Center for a week on the ranges so, now that I'm back from Yakama, I can consider our spartan living conditions at least tolerable. Had fun in Yakama, 0600 to 2400 was an average work day but did manage some Yakama night life on Thursday. Here's an excerpt from one of those days.

I Faced Death Twice Today.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006 started a little too early for me with the cell phone alarm belonging to the team mate in the bunk above me. I knew I had 60 minutes before breakfast and 30 minutes work to do, so I rolled over and closed my eyes for a few more minutes of sleep. I was succeeding in my intended task when I heard a crash nearby. Still reluctant to start they day, I casually opened an eye and was surprised to see the heavy wood and steel bed frame from the bunk above with a 200 lb. soldier on it about one inch from my face.

The bunk beds relied on a small wooden dowel in each of the four corners to keep the top bunk on the bottom bunk; mine only had one. With the equivalent of four vertical 2x4s resting on two horizontal 2x4s and only anchored in one of the corners, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. I thought, “There’s not much I can do about what has already happened.” and wanted to continue sleeping but couldn’t ignore the two team mates hovering over me trying to put the upper bunk back together.

In the middle of the afternoon, and after several hours on the convoy live fire range, an unexpected tracer started a fire. We worked hard and extinguished the fire after it burned a couple of acres of dry brush and were ready to start shooting again when we noticed some smoke again. We pull up about 50 feet upwind of the fire to prepare to tackle it again while I contacted Range Control.

My radio was tied into a pouch attached to the heavy body armor I was wearing so I left it on when the others in the vehicle removed theirs. I also kept on my helmet and Peltor radio headset/active hearing protection so I could continue to talk to Range Control and stayed in the turret to give my antenna the extra height. I had just told Range Control that we did not need any assistance when things changed.

The winds changed and gusted back toward us and I saw 30 feet of dry brush consumed by fire in less than a second. The flames leaped 20 feet high and were rapidly approaching our parked GMV (armored HMMWV or Hummer for the civilians). I knew that it took a long time to crawl into and out of the turret position with all that kit on and could imagine what that hot fire could do to all the diesel fuel in the vehicle. I also knew that, even if I could get out, I could not out run the flames spreading so quickly weighted down like I was.

I yelled for the driver and told him to get us out of there. The others ran back to the vehicle and tried to start it up. It probably started just as quickly these diesel engines usually do but it seemed like forever while I was watching the flames lick the front bumper; I though it would never start.

Since you are reading this in the first person, the outcome should be clear. We managed to get out of there after just warming the front of the vehicle in the flames with only a few bumps and bruises from getting bounced around the turret hole. We contacted Range Control and told them we would like their assistance after all and let them fight the fire while we shed our gear and left to eat dinner.

After all this, I smile, think of the cool stories I can tell then say “what an exciting day” and “I’m glad I said my prayers last night.”

The shootout is a bust.

This past week I received news that I will not be in the Tacoma area this next weekend and will not be able to plan, prepare or participate in a range day. As you may have notices by my very infrequent postings, I have not had much time to post lately and I do not forsee any changes for the next few months. You guys continue to have fun and I'll try to drop in when I can.

I'm in Washington

I had 5 days off with the family; sorry I didn't take the time to post a Do Not Disturb sign like Andi. I've been busy getting settled into some spartan conditions and just got connected to the internet today. I would like to meet some of the locals here in the SEA-TAC area specifically some of you who may have knowledge of the local shooting ranges. I do have transportation so drop me a line if you want to get together.

Roughneck Nine One

If you look to the right you will see an image and link to Frank Antenori's campain page. I have worked with Frank and was suprised when I heard he was running for Congress. He has also written a book about his experiences in Iraq. I have not read it yet but it looks like a good read. Pick up your copy of Roughneck Nine One today.

I know, I'm suggesting a book I haven't read but in my defense I'm currently reading 1776 and I have The Thirteen Gun Salute sitting on the desk waiting with seven more in the series waiting and I also have another must buy/read in Hunting the Jackal. If you don't like this excuse I'll quote the 77 year old Billy Waugh, "You wanna fight?"

Murder or Propaganda?

With so many condemning a number of Marines of committing mass murder the level heads are suggesting that we wait for an official investigation. Those who make these allegations are doing so based on a few short clips of video and biased comments made by and through politically and financially motivated sources. Anyone who is not a witness to the incident that makes any claim of guilt today is doing so based on desire and not fact and I question their allegiance for so readily turning against those who stand between them and those who wish to kill them.

The following explanation of the “wedding party” incident of 1 July, ’02 is given as an example of why we should withhold judgment based on media reports.

Although I was in Afghanistan on 1 July ’02 I was not anywhere near Deh Rawod, the location of the “wedding party” incident. I did share a room with an Air Force TAC-P (close air support caller) who maintained contact with the other TAC-P’s in the country. I also talked, face to face, with the navigator of the AC-130 gunship involved in the incident. I heard the details of the incident through both sources and they both explained them from their different perspective and both stories matched.

On the Evening of 30 June, U.S. forces prepared for an operation in the area which required helicopter support. Over previous weeks any aircraft flying in the area received ground fire from both small arms and anti-aircraft guns. This time they coordinated for support from an AC-130 gunship to eliminate the anti-aircraft guns before the helicopters flew through the area. When the gunship arrived they first checked in with a TAC-P on the ground who gave them the exact location of six anti-aircraft guns they had identified from the ground.

Just as the TAC-P was transmitting the last of the coordinates one of the guns opened fire on the gunship and the TAC-P relayed the information with the comment, “one of them is opening fire now.” The gunship navigator saw the incoming fire and confirmed the location. Even Hanoi Jane can distinguish the difference between aimed fire from a ZSU and indiscriminate celebratory fire from a few AK-47’s The gunship eliminated all six anti-aircraft guns.

The first official fact finding mission to the town made a number of discoveries that were only reported in the Stars & Stripes. These include recent wall graffiti depicting people shooting at aircraft, ZSU sized bullet casings that locals claimed fell from the sky (AC-130 gunships retain all brass inside the aircraft) and no bride or groom.

The navigator acknowledged that the video tape (all AC-130 missions are taped) confirmed that the Afghan claim of 48 dead was likely correct but there were no miss-guided bombs or shells. Were there women and children killed and wounded? Yes, but can you claim non-combatant status when you live in a house with an anti-aircraft gun on the roof?

I do not know why the U.S. Government has never released all the facts from this incident even when it continues to be trumpeted as an example of U.S. atrocities. The incident was reported directly to Pres. Karzai by an individual with known anti-U.S. sentiments with the express intent of damaging our reputation.

The Haditha incident may be murder and it may be terrorist propaganda, we do not know. If it is propaganda, it wouldn’t be the first time the media was a terrorist trumpet in the war against terrorism, but if it is murder, it will be the first time any unit has committed mass murder in the war on terrorism.

Pray for winds

In typical army fashion, my training schedule has been changed and they have scheduled an airborne operation for 15 July. If the winds are high on the 15th then I can be on the range in the afternoon, otherwise, I’ll have to make sure we include a night shoot.

I still need some locals to check out some ranges in the area. Do we want a rifle range, pistol or both, indoor or outdoor, BBQ at the range or restaurant/pub? Post up and let me know what is available and what you want.

How do you support the troops?

Some friends put magnets on their cars, some hate mongering demon worshipers from Westboro protest, I enlisted/reenlisted, but these Marines know how to do it right.

!Warning! grab some tissue.

Hat tip: (1VB)SARmedic

First Annual Milbloggers Shootout

I mentioned that I would be at Ft. Lewis this summer and
Barb from Righty in a left state mentioned that many milbloggers from the region could probable get together for a range day. Since I love a good range day I am proposing the First Annual Milbloggers Shootout to be held at a location to be determined on 15 July 06. If you are interested in attending then drop a comment below and steal the banner above.

Please check back for more information.

Moonbat Invades a U.S. Army Recruiting Tool

I was quite thrilled when the U.S. Army Recruiting Command announced that they were releasing a computer video game. I downloaded the game while still in Afghanistan but did not have a reliable internet connection to play on until I returned home three months later. I play the game and was active on the official forums and believe that I helped promote a good image of the U.S. Army and furthered the recruiting roll the game provided.

Today I learned of an art professor at the University of Nevada Reno who thinks that the game is his personal art studio where he can protest the war by typing a list of Iraqi War casualties. I cannot fathom how typing a list of names in a game can constitute art but he thinks it is. One of his other “art forms” includes strapping a pencil to his mouse while he plays Quake.

If you want to read more about this moonbat you can read the GameSpy article at: http://www.gamespy.com/pc/americas-army/709854p3.html

If you do not mind giving his personal web site a hit then you can check it out here: http://www.unr.edu/art/DELAPPE/DeLappe%20Main%20Page/DeLappe%20Online%20MAIN.html

I suggest that anyone who has played Americas Army should look for this game spoiler, who uses the name “dead-in-iraq,” online and fill the server he is on with veterans and military supporters who can let him know how misguided and ill-conceived his concept is.

Catching up

OK, I finally took the time to check out this nut case. I know, he’s already been shot down like the Hindenburg so I’ll just say that any one of the 13 answers he gave the commie web site had “poser” written all over it; so much so that I got quite a chuckle from each one. Then I found this, apparently he's from Tucson and not Tacoma as indicated in the previous interview. Apparently somebody in the Coffe Plantation knew what a "poser" looked like and didn't want one soiling any real veterans reputation in their establishment.

On the personal front, I’m in Fayetteville, NC for the next few weeks with free internet access in the hotel so I’ll be online when I’m not working. I will be traveling to Ft. Lewis on the 18th of June and already looking forward to meeting some bloggers there. Meanwhile, since I missed out on the Milbloggers conference in D.C., I suggest a Milbloggers Shoot-out on the west coast this summer. Anybody up for a 4th of July weekend barbeque and shoot?

Defiling a Gift So Precious

Yesterday I was going through a bunch of my army gear trying to sort what I would and would not need this next year. Some of the stuff I have not used since my first deployment to Afghanistan four years ago. I found the article below scrawled into a notebook. I cannot remember exactly when I wrote it but I feel it’s a powerful article so I’m sharing it with you.

All too frequently the price of our freedom is the blood of your youth and, in our military today, the very best that we have are the first to be called upon.

What we do not appreciate is the value of that freedom. we enjoy our opulence in a society where our very poorest live in comfort and leisure beyond the imagination of the majority of the worlds population. To help you appreciate our freedoms and wealth, I wish you could have been with me on the streets of Uganda to watch a polio stricken young woman hand pedal a tricycle/wheelchair more than a mile to enjoy her new found liberty of attending a Christian church. Or if you could have been with me while an army special Forces medic operated an aid station near a Congolese village that administered aid and comfort to hundreds in a single day which would likely be the best medical treatment they would ever receive.

We are fortunate that the fighting for our freedom has been paid in distant lands. No enemy had freely walked on our land in almost 190 years. But, the vast majority of the price is still paid within the walls of many homes. It is paid in the memories of our servicemen of friends that are no longer with us and often represented by an upturned chair at a lonely place setting during a regimental dinner. It is paid in the hearts of families torn apart with separation and occasionally death. By children who will grow old without a parent.

Far too often we cheaply copy the pain that comes from the price of freedom with our own foolishness. We tear our heats and families apart because we use divorce as a personal convenience. And, we throw our own freedoms away when we become dependant on a government handout.

As a soldier I have had friends gravely injured and some have died standing between your home and wars desolation. I beg you to please respect their sacrifice by improving that for which they fought. Do not take offense over those minor issues from a friend, neighbor, or spouse and make a concerted effort to contribute something more to our great society.

Military control of the CIA?

I don't have much time typing from the public library so this one is short and directly to the point.

Anybody who thinks it is wrong for someone from the military to run the CIA needs to do a reality check. With all the bickering about every presidential appointee it pretty obvious why the Democrats have been loosing ground since Jimmy Carter took office.

All you have to do is look at the history of the CIA and they readily admit that they are decended from the OSS in WWII. For those of you too busy to click and read, the OSS was a military operation that dropped small teams into enemy controlled territory like France and Burma. After the war, they decided that having covert intelligence types in other countries was a good idea and they started the CIA.

The Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency both are tasked to develop international intelligence. Since they CIA was formed the DoD has satisfied its self with tactical (local) intelligence and left the strategic (global) intelligence up to the CIA. But, keep in mind, the Army has been in the intelligence business a LOT longer than the CIA

I'm still alive...

I've been extremely busy lately in a course I cannot discuss. I finally managed to get off a little earlier than usual and decided to get away and say hi. I'll be bouncing around the country for a few more months before going overseas. While I'm traveling, if any of you are in the Ft. Bragg or Ft. Lewis areas drop me a line, perhaps we can have our own mini milblog conference.

Fred Phelps speaks for his "god"

This video linked from Andi’s World really had me in an uproar and contemplating what the Rules of Engagement were for these domestic enemies of the Constitution I swore to defend. I kept thinking how Phelps could speak for God like all his signs indicate then like a light from above the epiphany hit me; Phelps’ “god” is Satan. So, can someone PLEASE start printing T-shirts for future rallies that say, “Phelps’ “god” is Satan.” I can imagine a Rolling Thunder member with pipes turned toward these demons wearing that statement on his back.

Guess who's a new HOG member!

That's right, this afternoon I got my first ride in 9 months, 3 weeks, 6 hours and 30 minutes. Took all of 30 seconds to burn off the butterflies and hit the road again; although I still want to shoot everyone in a left turn lane. Can I say, "It's just like riding a bike?"

Announcements:

My National Guard Company has been called to active duty for another year long mission in the war on terrorism. I do not think this is a proper forum in which to discuss where I will be going or what our mission will be beyond saying that we will be dealing directly terrorist organizations.

I will initially be stationed at a location where internet access is virtually non-existent, so don’t expect many articles until I am in country and have our MWR access established. Imagine that; I can get online is some very remote parts of the world but not on a well established military base within the U.S.

In other news, my accident settlement will be coming in this next week. For those of you, who carry the minimum insurance, do NOT hit any motorcycles. The other drivers insurance will not cover my medical expenses. If not for other medical insurance, I would be bankrupt and I will not get a dime for lost wages. But, since my insurance did cover most of my medical expenses, guess who’s getting a new Harley Davidson Road King?

I've been busy...

Been working, attended drill, they gave me the flu shot, I got the flu, still recovering, preparing for my next deployment...

(The answer is, no.)

Who can own our ports, cont.

The UAE is an oil rich country that understands that its reserves of oil will not last forever. Because of this they are investing in other businesses. One of these is the container shipping industry which is the one everyone is up in arms about at the moment. This company, Dubai Ports World, is a legitimate international business and one that understands the need for profits. Allowing their company to be used for terrorist activities would guarantee the loss of every port they currently operate in at least 13 different countries.

The UAE and the US obviously do not agree on many issues but they are the most productive of Arab supporters for the war on terrorism; they contributions have even been greater than all the EU countries combined. If we step away from the middle-eastern male stereotype then we must first prevent the sale to Canadian companies because their last Prime Minister freed a known terrorist Ahmad Said al-Khadr and Canadians still petition for the release of his son, an admitted killer of a US Army medic and terrorist, from Guantanamo. We can point out terrorist ties to many Americans too, does that mean we should prohibit American companies from buying our ports?

What I see is a debate between the informed and the uninformed. If you will look at the reports you will see that the experts on international terrorism are all saying there is no problem with the sale. Those against the sale do not see the distinction of UAE businessmen from Arab terrorists a fallacy equal to associating Bill Gates with Timothy McVeigh.

As I have said before, I have fought with UAE soldiers and know their loyalties. Do not fear; DP World is not a terrorist organization.

Show me the money!

I was shocked to see a former team-mate on Fox News this morning. I doubt he will ever see a dime from this.

Who can own our ports?

It has been argued that since two of the 9/11 hijackers were from the United Arab Emirate (UAE) we should not allow the sale of our ports to a company in the UAE. Let’s continue with this concept. Since the Shoe Bomber came from the UK, it is only right that we should insist that they sell the ports that they are trying to sell to the UAE, but who can they sell them to? Obviously not to a U.S. owned company because the Oklahoma City bombers were Americans. If you want to continue to play this game, then who can own a U.S. port? They might as well be sold to Quantas because they never crash; even the Rainman knows that.

The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world that allows foreign ownership of property or businesses within its borders. Although there are laws that do limit who may own businesses here, they are not based on the owner’s religious preferences or ethnicity. To block the sale based on the current public opinion/ignorance would be little different than incarcerating Americans of Japanese decent in the western U.S.

I have personally stood shoulder-to-shoulder with UAE soldiers in the Global War on Terrorism; I have been invited to their dinner table and know their men. They are loyal and valuable assets on our side of the fight and do not deserve the slander they are receiving from the general public ignorance.

Some Things Never Change

Congratulations to Snake Eater for identifying the writer of my last post.

As an article that could have been penned yesterday in the New York Times it is a little surprising to reveal that the Who Said This was written by Samuel Clements (aka Mark Twain) almost exactly 100 years ago. Before you finish reading his commentary read the historical account of The Battle of Bud Dajo.

Mark Twain could tell some wonderful stories, but Samuel Clements apparently had trouble identifying facts. I do not say this to reduce your view of one of our greatest novelists; I just want to illustrate the harm that can be caused by a poorly informed or miss-directed pen. Perhaps this is why he never thought the articles were ever worthy to be published.

Who Said This And When?

A prize (OK, all I can afford is an honorable mention) to the person who can identify who wrote this article and when. No cheating/no search engines.

The official report stated that the battle was fought with prodigious energy on both sides during a day and a half, and that it ended with a complete victory for the American arms. The completeness of the victory for the American arms. The completeness of the victory is established by this fact: that of the six hundred [Muslims], not one was left alive. The brilliancy of the victory is established by this other fact, to wit: that of our six hundred heroes only fifteen lost their lives.
General [X] was present and looking on. His order had been. "Kill or capture those savages." Apparently the army considered that the "or" left them authorized to kill or capture according to taste, and that their taste had remained what it has been for [several] years, in our army out there.
The official report quite properly extolled, and magnified the "heroism" and "gallantry" of our troops; lamented the loss of the fifteen who perished, and elaborated the wounds of thirty-two of our men who suffered injury, and even minutely and faithfully described the nature of the wounds, in the interest of future historians of the United States…
… So far as I can find out, there was only one person among our [many] millions who allowed himself the privilege of a public remark on this great occasion — that was the President of the United States. All day, Friday, he was as studiously silent as the rest. But on Saturday, he recognized that his duty required him to say something, and he took his pen and performed that duty. If I know President [X] — and I am sure I do — this utterance cost him more pain and shame than any other that ever issued from his pen or his mouth. I am far from blaming him. If I had been in his place, my official duty would have compelled me to say what he said. It was a convention, an old tradition, and he had to be loyal to it. There was no help for it. This is what he said:
“I congratulate you and the officers and men of your command upon the brilliant feat of arms, wherein you and they so well upheld the honor of the American flag”. (Signed) [The President].
His whole utterance is merely a convention. Not a word of what he said came out of his heart. He knew perfectly well that to pen six hundred helpless and weaponless savages in a hole like rats in a trap and massacre them in detail during a stretch of a day and a half, from a safe position on the heights above, was no brilliant feat of arms — and would not have been a brilliant feat of arms even if Christian America, represented by its salaried soldiers, had shot them down with Bibles and the Golden Rule, instead of bullets. He knew perfectly well that our uniformed assassins had not upheld the honor of the American flag, but had done as they have been doing continuously for [several] years in the [the country] — that is to say, they had dishonored it.

Stay tuned for the answer and a follow-up.

Freedom or Not?

While two emerging democracies in the Middle East have recently held elections neither of them have elected a majority of pro western politicians. Iraq has elected a parliament that favors Iran, and the Palestinians have voted Hamas into power.

Natan Sharansky, in his book The Case for Democracy, defines freedom with his town square measurement – can you announce your ideas openly in the town square without the risk of punishment? He also illustrates that people in a democracy with freedom abhor war and prefer open trade. If this is the case, and I emphatically state it is, then freedom and democracy in Iraq and Palestine may not mean an immediate U.S. Allie but it does mean less violence from them in the near future.

Rather than giving us what we wanted the Iraqi’s and Palestinians voted for what they wanted even if we think it was in ignorance. As their democracies mature they will identify political leaders who do and do not support their desires and will make corrections. After all, freedom does not exist in the first election or the latest; it lives in the next election.

Military Matters:

If you havn't read Jimbo's articles then now is the time to bookmark his site: http://www.madison.com/post/blogs/militarymatters/index.php

As an island of conservatism in a sea of liberals he writes with maximum effect. Drop in and help him maintain his position as the most popular guy in Madison.

We need more in Congress like this

Jim Kolbe's recent announcement that he would not seek another term has opened up the Arizona 8th District to a host of applicants. Frank Antenori is one of them. How great would we be as a nation if we could get him and a few more like him into office?

Did I mention that I have worked with this guy?

The Iranian Threat

In October of 2001 the United States infiltrated a handful of Special Forces teams into Afghanistan. They teamed up with a much fractured and strategically stalled Northern Alliance and in less than 90 days we had control of the country and our enemy was forced into hiding, isolated pockets, or escaping into neighboring countries.

Pakistan, neighboring Afghanistan to the south and east, may not have sealed its border nearly as well as we may have liked (has anyone seen our southern border?) but they have played an active roll in helping us capture and prosecute our enemy. To the west Afghanistan is bordered by Iran. Iran has made public statements claiming to be on our side against terrorism however a quick count of the number of terrorists captured in Iran stands at zero. On the positive side, at least they do not want them in Iran since they have been gracious enough to buy them tickets back to their respective countries.

After spending more than six months traveling along the Iran-Afghanistan border and talking with several Iranians I learned that the Iranians I talked with wanted the same thing we gave the Afghanis – Freedom. Then hearing the last president of Iran spit anti-American garbage, I came to the conclusion that we should have started in Afghanistan and continued west until we shook hands in Jerusalem. For those of you not geographically inclined, that means Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the Golan Heights. This would have been more than President Bush could have survived politically, but it would have been more strategically sound since no insurgency has ever succeeded without external support and Afghanistan and Iraq would not have Iran and Syria to import foreign terrorists and hide WMD’s.

Now, with some history and my opinions well established (after all, this is Where I Stand), I will expound on Iran’s position with their current presidents threats.

Last week we marked the 25th anniversary of the release of the American hostages from Iran after being confined for 444 days. In those 25 years Iran has made countless threats and has defended itself in a war against Iraq. Apart from condoning, endorsing, and supporting terrorists, all they did was make idle threats. Compare that with Iraq which attacked Iran, annexed Kuwait, and exterminated some of its own people. We do not have the political capitol to attack Iran since they have never shown any overt aggression; however, we do have a moral responsibility to encourage freedom.

We should not openly attack Iran but should covertly encourage and support dissident groups within Iran.

Blood Donor

I was a little put off when the Red Cross moved their blood donor facility further away from my home. I would occasionally find myself near their old location and would usually take the extra time to stop in to donate. I never find myself near their new location. So, when my church announced a blood drive in my neighborhood I made every effort to attend.

As I see it, one hour of my time can be worth several years to the recipient. When was the last time you donated?

The Ballance of the Court

OK, I had a good laugh when I heard this last week so I had to produce my first policial cartoon.

More excuses...

OK, it's been a LOOOONG time since I've added anything. I have been feeling rather limbic lately. Not being able to work to support my family has really taken its toll on me so you'll have to wait until I can get my emotions back to a higher level before I post any new substance.