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Wednesday, January 12, 2005

My Two Cents...Nothingness

“I don’t know what we’re even over there for anymore. They announced that the war ended a long time ago, so what are we there for? – Nothing.” It isn’t the response I usually get when I’m talking about why I have a multitude of Priority boxes to mail, so I was stunned momentarily. We’re there for nothing? Fortunately, I’m a bit of a smart-aleck, so I recovered. “Well, that’s interesting, because all of the troops I’ve talked to over there say they’re there protecting you and me.”

See, it isn’t about what I believe, or what you believe, about the war. It’s about what the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines believe. Men and women who fought and died gave us the right to speak our mind, yes, but just because you CAN do a thing, doesn’t mean you should. And, by the way, you also have the right to keep your mouth shut, and to show some respect.

The danger in the people who say “I don’t support the war, but I support the troops” is that they often come from the same mindset as the Viet Nam War protesters, who started by saying that they didn’t want the war because they supported the troops, and wanted them home. Funny thing about that is that these same people were making phone calls to the parents of fallen heroes, saying “I’m glad your son was killed by the honorable Viet Cong.” And, when they got what they wanted, and the troops came home, these people were doing things like spitting on returning troops, and throwing things at them. Ask a Viet Nam Vet about that sometime. Doesn’t seem that supportive to me.

I’ve read the words of a Marine who said, in paraphrase, “you can’t support the troops without supporting the mission.” I don’t know if that’s true, but it doesn’t matter. If that’s what one of our heroes believes, it’s worthy of note. I don’t pretend to be objective. I’m not. I have some definite views about the war, and some definite viewpoints on how it’s being run. But since no one’s called me to run the thing yet, I tend to think that maybe I don’t have all the answers.

Do you know the reason it took so long for the U.S. to get into World War II?--People thought that it wasn’t a real concern – that Hitler wasn’t a threat to the U.S. The reason people were against the Civil War?--Why fight a war over slaves – not even legally people at the time? (the war really wasn’t about slavery per se, but that’s another discussion) Against the American Revolution?--Was England treating the colonies like second class citizens REALLY important enough to go to war? It would be nice if war didn’t need to happen; if we all could just work things out in a civilized manner. But it ain’t gonna happen. It just isn’t human nature. And some things ARE worth going to war for. The American Revolution? YES! The Civil War? YES! World War II? YES! It is only historically, perhaps, that we have the ability to judge “worth.” Remember that no one knows what Saddam was planning. And apparently we’ll never know exactly what he had for WMD’s. I’m thinking maybe that’s a good thing, ‘cause I’m not exactly sure how we would have found out….

You’ve got a whole group of people now talking about Abu Ghraib, and the Gitmo detainees, telling me that I should be appalled, offended, putting on the war paint and marching on Washington. But what about the six Louisiana National Guardsmen -- and all the others -- killed because of some terrorist? What about my friend the Cav Scout, who has to go out day after day on a road where IED’s are as prevalent as slick spots on a New England road in January? What about the countless innocent civilians beheaded on video because of some distorted, psychotic religious mania (and please note, I criticize the mania, not the religion). I’ve seen a few of those videos. They are without a doubt the most horrific, disturbing, disgusting things I’ve ever seen. And THESE are the people I’m supposed to feel sorry for? These are the people I’m supposed to understand? Let me tell you, I hope I never understand the mentality that can allow you to do that to another human being. And let’s not forget, folks, Zarqawi has now renamed his group of psychopaths “Al Qaeda in Iraq.” OK, fine. So now you’re allying yourself directly with the group that perpetrated mass murder on the U.S. Homeland, and I’m supposed to sympathize? I think not. I’m not saying abuse of prisoners should happen. Nor am I saying abuse of detainees, who are NOT prisoners of war, should happen. But the military has procedures for dealing with those concerns, and they’re doing it.

I will save my sympathy, my understanding, and my loyalty for the people defending my freedom, and ensuring that I can sleep safe and sound in my home at night. And I will continue to make that clear to people who want to tell me that these brave folks are over there for “nothing.”

My views are mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Soldiers’ Angels or anyone else for that matter. You are welcome to reprint or repost anything I post as mine, as long as you credit it accordingly. Thank you.

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From Yahoo! News

Two More Louisiana Guard Soldiers Die In Iraq
KWTX-TV Waco Wed, 12 Jan 2005 7:42 AM PST
A homemade bomb has claimed the lives of two more soldiers from a Louisiana Army National Guard Unit that is part of the 1st Cavalry Division's Task Force Baghdad.

Convoy of U.S. and Iraqi Troops Ambushed
AP via Yahoo! News Wed, 12 Jan 2005 6:08 AM PST
Insurgents ambushed a convoy of American and Iraqi forces in the northern city of Mosul, detonating a roadside bomb and firing from a mosque in an attack that killed three Iraqi National Guardsmen, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

Two Iraq cities await elections
USATODAY.com via Yahoo! News
Wed, 12 Jan 2005 6:17 AM PST
On a street corner in Sadr City, one of the poorest slums in all of Iraq, men gather to argue politics. The smell of raw sewage is overpowering. Trash is strewn over muddy roads.

Convoy of U.S. and Iraqi Troops Ambushed
ABC News
Wed, 12 Jan 2005 6:32 AM PST
Insurgents Ambush Convoy of U.S. and Iraqi Troops, Killing Three Iraqi Guardsmen

Reporters' Notebook: 31st MEU says goodbye to veteran Marine
Stars and Stripes
Wed, 12 Jan 2005 7:02 AM PST
Marines from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit held an unusual gathering Monday night, performing a retirement ceremony at an air base hangar in Iraq.

Saving Adam Walsh Helping hands uncover a true American son
Public Spirit
Wed, 12 Jan 2005 4:27 AM PST
DEVENS -- Sometimes a person needs help from another when life is on a downward spiral. If help given is recognized as an opportunity for change, the result can be dazzling, as exemplified by Army tank driver Spc. James Adam Walsh.

Iraqi Schoolgirls Craft Arkansas State Flag

from http://www.defendamerica.mil

CAMP LIBERTY, BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2005 — The Arkansas flag hangs brightly in what was one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces in Baghdad’s International Zone. The flag, made by girls from a local Iraqi school for the deaf, spans three stories in length and was hung by Arkansas’ 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry. The flag will return to the U.S. with the soldiers and find its new home in the Arkansas State Museum upon their return. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Rebekah-mae Bruns.

From the DoD Website - Marines in Iraq

http://www.defendamerica.mil


MARINES IN IRAQ — U.S. Marines watch the approach of a CH-53E Super Stallion while sitting on an old Iraqi armored personnel carrier, Jan. 9, 2005. The Marines, assigned to Helicopter Support Team, Landing Support Company, Combat Service Support Battalion 7, 1st Force Service Support Group, were waiting to conduct one of many external lifts of the vehicles that were moved from Al Asad, Iraq, to an off-base shooting range used by aircraft from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul Leicht Story




CAMP TURAYBIL, IRAQ — U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpls. John Dooley (left) and William Fishburn keep vigilant watch over traffic passing by on the road to the Jordanian border at Camp Turaybil, Iraq, Jan. 5, 2005. Marine combat engineers have refortified the camp after a suicide bomber drove his truck into the U.S. military compound here in December 2004, killing two Marines and injuring six others. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan B. Busse


U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpls. John Dooley (left) and William Fishburn mix concrete at Camp Turaybil, Iraq, Jan. 5, 2005. Combat engineers from Combat Service Support Battalion 7 have spent the past three weeks refortifying Camp Turaybil after a suicide bomber drove his truck into the U.S. military compound here in December 2004, killing two Marines and injuring six others. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan B. Busse



U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Wesley D. Porter, a heavy equipment operator with Marine Combat Service Support Battalion 7, lifts and transports items with a TRAM (Tractor, Rubber tired, Articulated steering, Multipurpose) at Camp Turaybil, Iraq, Jan. 5, 2005. Battalion combat engineers have spent the past three weeks refortifying Camp Turaybil after a suicide bomber drove his truck into the U.S. military compound here in December 2004, killing two Marines and injuring six others. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan B. Busse


U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Troy Turnbull, a basic metal worker with Company C, Combat Service Support Battalion 7, cuts a steel bar with an acetylene blowtorch at Camp Turaybil, Iraq, Jan. 5, 2005. Battalion combat engineers have spent the past three weeks refortifying Camp Turaybil after a suicide bomber drove his truck into the U.S. military compound here in December 2004, killing two Marines and injuring six others. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan B. Busse


U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Anthony Garcia, with Company S, 5th Battalion, 10th Regiment Artillery, cleans his M240G Machine Gun in a heavily fortified watch post at Camp Turaybil, Iraq, Jan. 5, 2005. A suicide bomber drove his truck into the U.S. military compound here in December 2004, killing two Marines and injuring six others. Combat engineers from Combat Service Support Battalion 7 have spent the past three weeks refortifying Camp Turaybil, working to emplace sand-filled and concrete barriers, elevate watch towers, set concertina wire, and install two steel, reinforced 14-foot high gates so the Marine provisional infantrymen assigned here can better control traffic. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan B. Busse







In Today's News - Wednesday, January 12, 2005

JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press
Death toll rises to 6 in Calif. mudslideUsing shovels, high-tech cameras and their bare hands, rescuers searched before dawn Wednesday for signs of life — or death — under the enormous mound of mud that killed six people in this seaside hamlet.

Bush nominates Chertoff for Homeland post
Michael Chertoff, President Bush's choice to run the Homeland Security Department, has won Senate confirmation on three prior occasions, but not since the anti-terrorism policies he helped develop have come under sharp criticism.

Convoy of U.S. and Iraqi troops ambushed
Insurgents ambushed a convoy of American and Iraqi forces in the northern city of Mosul, detonating a roadside bomb and firing from a mosque in an attack that killed three Iraqi National Guardsmen, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

Abu Ghraib inmates testify about abuse
Hussein Mutar says he was hooded and helpless on a night in 2003 when he fell into the hands of Spc. Charles Graner Jr. and other American guards at Abu Ghraib prison.

Safety concerns for Tsunami aid workers
Citing security concerns, Indonesian authorities have ordered foreign relief workers and journalists to tell the government their travel plans before moving about the tsunami-hit regions outside Aceh province's main city, warning they could be expelled if they disregard the order.

Sharon congratulates Abbas in phone call
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday to congratulate him for his landslide victory in an election to replace Yasser Arafat, signaling Israel's readiness to work with the new Palestinian team after years of boycotting Arafat.

Bush outlines proposals for H.S. students
President Bush is beginning his push to require high school seniors to take the math and reading tests now required of younger students under the No Child Left Behind law, the most ambitious item on the president's slate of second-term education proposals.

FBI probes more lasers shot at airplanes
At least a dozen cases of lasers being beamed into aircraft cockpits since Christmas are being investigated by the FBI.


Weather
Weather information provided by HamWeather

Iraq, Baghdad


Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Disbanding Saddam's Army Was Correct, Bremer Writes
The decisions by U.S.-led forces inIraq to disband Saddam Hussein's army and bar senior Baathistsfrom government jobs after "we liberated Iraq" were the "rightdecisions," Paul Bremer, former U.S. administrator in Iraq,wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

European press pulls in horns in face of Iraqi terror
Threatened with kidnap or death, European journalists are reducing coverage of the Iraqi election process to a strict minimum. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Ananova: War In IraqWatchdog to vet MI6 intelligence
The MI6 has appointed a senior business figure to carry out a major overhaul of the organisation. Ananova: War In Iraq


Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Iraqi insurgents worried about bin Laden
Osama bin Laden has vowed to turn Iraq into the front line of his war against the United States, but Iraqi insurgents seem worried that he's out to hijack their rebellion. Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq


From Fox News:
Three Killed in Iraq Ambush- Allawi Warns on Vote Safety- Is UBL Hijacking Insurgency?

Israel Fires Missiles Into Gaza- Islamic Jihad Claims Gaza Blast- Hamas Boss: We Won't Disarm- Sharon's Coalition Survives Test

Safety Fears for Aid Workers - How to Help- Marines Expand Tsunami Aid- Egeland Praises Tsunami Aid- Video: Tsunami Update

Pilots Report More Lasers

Inmate: Graner LaughedBush Taps Chertoff for DHS

Rather E-Mails CBS Workers


From the Department of Defense
ON THE GROUND
U.S. Troops Uncover Bomb FactoryAL RASHID, Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2005— On Jan. 9, U.S. soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division embarked on a raid that proved to be their most successful in 10 months here, finding 23 artillery shells, wire and electrical triggers and other supplies that could be assembled into more than 50 improvised explosive devices. Story

'Commando' Unit Detains Suspected Bomb Maker

Cavalry Unit Rescues Iraqi Police Colonel, Wife

Combat Engineers Work to Improve Camp
CAMP FALCON, BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2005 — From patrolling to construction work, demolition to security, the soldiers of Assault and Obstacle Platoon of Company B, 8th Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, have tackled variety of tasks to improve life and keep troops safe at Camp Falcon. Story

ScanEagle Proves Worth in Fallujah Fight
FALLUJAH, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2005— It's called ScanEagle, and it has already saved the lives of many Marines. ScanEagle is an unmanned aerial vehicle that the Marines used during Operation Al Fajr, the coalition operation to remove insurgents from this city. Story

Iraq: Construction Begins on New Schools
MOSUL, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2005 — The construction of four brand-new schools for the children of Iraq’s northern-most province, Dahok, began in early January, and about 100 other Dahok schools are getting much needed renovations. Story

IN IRAQ
Iraq's Future Depends on Developing Schools

Rutbah City Council Meets With Marine Unit

Marine Pilots Serve As Forward Air Controllers

Training Iraq Army Tough, But Worthwhile

Arab Culture Classes Prepare Marines

Kuwait Vital to Coalition Logistics Chain

Marines Prepare Iraqi Guard for Elections

IN AFGHANISTAN
Soldiers Assess Needs of Afghan Village

Combat Weather Team Forecasts Mission Success

IN SOUTHWEST ASIA
Deployed Troops Send Relief to Tsunami Survivors

TOP NEWS
IN IRAQ
Soldiers Graduate from Training

Insurgents Continue Attacks

Iraqi Thwarts IED Emplacement

Iraq Daily Update

Iraq Reconstruction

Maps

Weekly Progress Report (pdf)

IRAQ ELECTIONS
Allawi Vows Elections on Schedule

Britain to Deploy More Troops

IN AFGHANISTAN
Missing Aircraft Search Continues

Afghans Aid with Weapons, Drug Find

Afghan Army Shows Great Progress

Soldiers Seize More Weapons

Weapons Find Protects Innocents

Enduring Freedom Marks 3 Years

Afghanistan Daily UpdateMaps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Rumsfeld, Ivanov Talk Terror War

Ridge Pledge: Secure Inauguration

Bush Names Homeland Security Chief

Gitmo Detainees to be Transferred

Waging and Winning the War on TerrorTerrorism Timeline

Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Screening Focus: Psychological Toll

National Guard, Reserve Update

TRANSFORMATION
Army Deploys CROWS to Iraq

nocashfortrash.org