Please say a prayer for SSgt Collado and his family, friends and comrades in arms. He was an advisor assigned to Iraqi units in Najaf. He was a good Marine, and a better friend. He will be missed. Two other Marines were injured during the attack. Our prayers go out to them as they recover.
Marine from Columbia, South Carolina killed in Iraq
31-year-old Marine from Columbia died on Monday following an attack on his vehicle in Iraq, the Pentagon reported Wednesday. Staff Sgt. Jay T. Collado "died from an improvised explosive device near Baghdad," according to a statement released by the Pentagon. The statement did not say when the incident in Iraq occurred.
Collado had been working with the Army's 4th Infantry Division in Iraq, but originally was assigned to a Marine unit based in Camp Pendleton, Calif., the release said.
Collado was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, which is part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
A little bit of violence is...
I can’t really begin to describe the events of the last couple of days. I think the press has been reporting, accurately and inaccurately, that the country is on the verge of civil war. I can say that the amount of civil unrest has increased, but it’s not in our immediate area. The people here are tense and cautious, but seem to be in generally good spirits.
There is a church in one of the districts near our area. It’s a small, brownish building, about three stories high, that sits on a busy street corner. It isn’t surrounded by walls or fences; it has large windows with broken glass, but no bars. If you walk across the street, there is a small store, where a vendor sells chips and soda to the people as they leave the church. 5 times a day, he told me, people come to the mosque to pray, and 5 times a day, he sells things to make a living. The minaret to the church isn’t really a minaret. It looks sort of like a steeple you would see on top of a church in Kansas or Kentucky. There is no bell, but there is a loudspeaker, where the Imam of the church, who I had met, has his younger leaders call to prayer, because he can’t sing the call anymore. The mosque itself is quite clean. The trash is nowhere is sight, and there is an air of reverence surrounding the mosque. In the small courtyard, where the Imam greets his attendees every day, there is a small garden, maybe 5 feet by 5 feet, and from it he grows onions and potatoes that he gives to the local people, as well as for himself. He tells me he eats the food from the garden every day, because to be one with the earth is to be one with god. He tells me that he has been the leader of this church for 25 years, and that his father was the leader before him, and his father before him. Its interesting to talk to him, he is wise and insightful in his own way. At moments, he even appears somewhat regal and dignified, as if he were some kind of monarch, although I do not think this is intentional. He is quiet and small, yet he commands the respect of his followers, and when somebody says something he does not like, he seems to straighten up and gives them a look that could crush rocks, and the unlucky object of his ire seems to melt.
The mosque I am talking about, this little place of solitude and reverence was burned to the ground two days ago. It was 800 years old.
I have not seen the Imam since the fire that claimed his home. I haven’t seen any of his younger acolytes, and only a few of his faithful come by the remains. I am afraid that he was killed inside the mosque, or else he was captured and will be found in a few days, handcuffed and shot on the side of the road. I can not even begin to imagine the age and history of some of the items that were inside the church as it burned. Our nation is only 200+ years old, and this building was here. Most of the nations on this planet did not exist, yet this church was here. Entire civilizations have come and gone, yet people came to this building to pray.
Today, as we moved by and stopped to survey the damage, I noticed the trash was everywhere. The vendor across the street is gone now; apparently he left since there were no more people. The garden, so meticulously maintained, was uprooted and stomped. It was covered with oil and grease, to make sure that it was never used again. I never knew if this mosque was Shia or Sunni, and to be honest, it didn’t matter to me. What matters to me is that there are people in this country that would resort to this kind of destruction at all. We are called infidels and hated for what we believe, yet these people who are supposedly so close to god, have no concern for the house of the very god they believe in. I am becoming more convinced that all these people know is violence and hatred, and they will always be that way, no matter what “civilized” people try to teach them. In their eyes, death and violence is the way life is. Just like the desert, the reality of this country is that you either survive, or you don’t. You hurt people to get what you want, or you get hurt. If a thousand years of history teaches them anything, it’s that there will always be killing and destruction.
There is a church in one of the districts near our area. It’s a small, brownish building, about three stories high, that sits on a busy street corner. It isn’t surrounded by walls or fences; it has large windows with broken glass, but no bars. If you walk across the street, there is a small store, where a vendor sells chips and soda to the people as they leave the church. 5 times a day, he told me, people come to the mosque to pray, and 5 times a day, he sells things to make a living. The minaret to the church isn’t really a minaret. It looks sort of like a steeple you would see on top of a church in Kansas or Kentucky. There is no bell, but there is a loudspeaker, where the Imam of the church, who I had met, has his younger leaders call to prayer, because he can’t sing the call anymore. The mosque itself is quite clean. The trash is nowhere is sight, and there is an air of reverence surrounding the mosque. In the small courtyard, where the Imam greets his attendees every day, there is a small garden, maybe 5 feet by 5 feet, and from it he grows onions and potatoes that he gives to the local people, as well as for himself. He tells me he eats the food from the garden every day, because to be one with the earth is to be one with god. He tells me that he has been the leader of this church for 25 years, and that his father was the leader before him, and his father before him. Its interesting to talk to him, he is wise and insightful in his own way. At moments, he even appears somewhat regal and dignified, as if he were some kind of monarch, although I do not think this is intentional. He is quiet and small, yet he commands the respect of his followers, and when somebody says something he does not like, he seems to straighten up and gives them a look that could crush rocks, and the unlucky object of his ire seems to melt.
The mosque I am talking about, this little place of solitude and reverence was burned to the ground two days ago. It was 800 years old.
I have not seen the Imam since the fire that claimed his home. I haven’t seen any of his younger acolytes, and only a few of his faithful come by the remains. I am afraid that he was killed inside the mosque, or else he was captured and will be found in a few days, handcuffed and shot on the side of the road. I can not even begin to imagine the age and history of some of the items that were inside the church as it burned. Our nation is only 200+ years old, and this building was here. Most of the nations on this planet did not exist, yet this church was here. Entire civilizations have come and gone, yet people came to this building to pray.
Today, as we moved by and stopped to survey the damage, I noticed the trash was everywhere. The vendor across the street is gone now; apparently he left since there were no more people. The garden, so meticulously maintained, was uprooted and stomped. It was covered with oil and grease, to make sure that it was never used again. I never knew if this mosque was Shia or Sunni, and to be honest, it didn’t matter to me. What matters to me is that there are people in this country that would resort to this kind of destruction at all. We are called infidels and hated for what we believe, yet these people who are supposedly so close to god, have no concern for the house of the very god they believe in. I am becoming more convinced that all these people know is violence and hatred, and they will always be that way, no matter what “civilized” people try to teach them. In their eyes, death and violence is the way life is. Just like the desert, the reality of this country is that you either survive, or you don’t. You hurt people to get what you want, or you get hurt. If a thousand years of history teaches them anything, it’s that there will always be killing and destruction.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Misunderstandings
Let me put it out there. Yes, there were many Army personnel that I worked with during the early days, and they were as valuable to the team as anybody I could have asked for. We lived, fought, and worked together, and they did an outstanding job. I will remember their names and faces for the rest of my life. I wish that those people were here now, to show these people here now, the way it should be done.
Thanks for reminding me...
Thanks for reminding me...
Monday, February 13, 2006
Support for the Few
I got this article in the New Hampshire Union Leader. Our efforts as advisors are not without support!!!
Happy Valentines Day!
Kenney, NH senator, back from the war
By GARRY RAYNO Union Leader Staff
MANCHESTER – State Sen. Joseph Kenney, 45, of Wakefield returned to the Granite State yesterday after spending the last five months stationed in Iraq.
Greeted by friends, supporters and several people who held signs that read "Draft Kenney for Governor," he arrived at Manchester Airport yesterday afternoon dressed in his desert camouflage.
"It's good to be back," Kenney said. "I finished up my tour serving my country, now I look forward to serving the state of New Hampshire again and especially the people in (Senate) District 3."
Kenney was stationed in Baghdad and was a military advisor to the Iraqi ground forces command for five months, but has been away from home for six months.
"We're making steady progress, but it's a complex environment over there with lots of ethnic differences and in-fighting. The coalition led by the Americans is the glue keeping it all together," he said.
Kenney said his friends have been very supportive while he has been away. The Senate and House legislative staff and recreation group, or SHARC, sent him a Christmas tree and gifts during the holidays, he noted.
He was greeted by his wife and two children — the youngest, his daughter, was only two-months old when he left to go overseas.
Sara Brothers, the daughter of Department of Employment Security Commissioner Richard Brothers of Tilton, held a sign that read "Joe Kenney American Hero."
Brothers, who held a sign welcoming Kenney home, noted "(Joe) would make a great governor."
Kenney said he would be back at the State House chairing the Executive Departments and Administration Committee on Tuesday.
Kenney is currently serving his second term in the Senate after serving four terms in the House. He is vice chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee and is a member of the Public and Municipal Affairs Committee.
His colleagues in the Senate plan a celebration in his honor this week.
Kenney is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marines Corps and has served since 1980.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Happy Ahoura!!!
Over the last few days I have had the opportunity to watch the Ashura holiday. For those of you who don’t know what it is, it is the Shia holy day, where they celebrate(?) the death of the martyr Hussein in the 7th Century. I think most people, especially Americans, only know the holiday by the pictures and stories of the people beating themselves and bleeding all over their faces. I would agree that it seems a bit much to honor somebody by bleeding all over, but then, I never said I understood these people in the first place.
Needless to say, I had some interesting thoughts about it, while I was surrounded by thousands of people heading to Karbala for the ceremonies. A majority of these people that did not live in the city, walked to get there. I think some people walked 60 miles or more. That is some serious dedication, and it made me think about just how faithful I was. I mean, I like to think of myself as a good person and all, but would I, could I, walk 60 miles to celebrate the death of somebody by beating myself? Not only that, but I don’t think I know anybody who would do that. Yet, here, so far away from the “civilized” world, people think nothing of it. I am sure the government frowns on the practice, and I understand that a number of Arab governments don’t allow it. In Kuwait, they encourage the donation of blood instead of the self-flagellation. If the people here can get so frenzied about something, how can we even think to enforce controls on them?
As we moved up and down the roads, I was shocked at the number of people who were actually glad to see us. Our presence had to be a little comforting, as Iraqi Police, Army, and the coalition guys went about there business, mindful of the occasion but dedicated to the task at hand. I would like to think that the air was one of friendliness and cooperation; however, I know that isn’t entirely possible. I am sure that there were a number of people who were there to do harm, and create chaos, but I believe that our efforts made it impossible to do. Still, I was impressed that we got waves from all kinds of men, women, and children. Lots of smiles, lots of support. It really felt good to sit back and watch as the whole thing unfolded in from of me.
All things come to an end however, and I must say that the mission was successful. As of yet, no bombs went off, no one got killed. If this is progress, it’s a step in the right direction.
I am not impressed with some of my Army colleagues, and watching the whole operation take place makes me wonder how the Army gets things done. I can’t even begin count the number of suggestions, recommendations, and points I brought up to try to get things done the way that I think they should be done, but I am convinced that the Army isn’t really in this to get the job done. I am confused as to why the Army seems to want to play mentor to the Iraqi’s when we should be setting the tone and pace. Lead from the front is what I have always been told, but it appears that the Army has chosen a “Guide from the Rear” approach. Easier to recommend the proper solution and watch the Iraqi’s go the other way, then to take them by the hand and drag them to the right thing. Somebody told me that working with the Marines is great, but they are always so Gung Ho and Push Forward, that sometimes they rush in to things. That is nothing but wrong, especially in this business. If we don’t take the Iraqi’s in the direction we want them to go, they are going to go in the direction they are most familiar with, and that direction leads right back to where they were before. That is not what we want, and its not what we need for them, so the best way, I think, is to show them how to do it the right way, and let them move forward from that. Instead of asking them if they will do it our way, you must tell them. They are like children, and will only learn right from wrong if they are shown the difference.
I am not saying that we create an Iraqi Army, Police, or anything that is a mirror image of the US. I am saying that there is a right way to do things that work across the board, because it is simple, its effective, and it works. We know what that path is, but the Army command here seems very hesitant to cross it. It’s a shame, because there is so much progress that can be made, if people were only willing to put their skills to work.
OK, no more flowery prose. These Army guys are freaking morons. They don't want to listen, they don't want to get involved, they just want to collect their fucking Awards and NCO-ERs and go back to their regular jobs. I wish them well, because the sooner they leave, the better off we (I) am going to be. Good thing I have free medical, because these clowns are driving me to the loony bin.
Needless to say, I had some interesting thoughts about it, while I was surrounded by thousands of people heading to Karbala for the ceremonies. A majority of these people that did not live in the city, walked to get there. I think some people walked 60 miles or more. That is some serious dedication, and it made me think about just how faithful I was. I mean, I like to think of myself as a good person and all, but would I, could I, walk 60 miles to celebrate the death of somebody by beating myself? Not only that, but I don’t think I know anybody who would do that. Yet, here, so far away from the “civilized” world, people think nothing of it. I am sure the government frowns on the practice, and I understand that a number of Arab governments don’t allow it. In Kuwait, they encourage the donation of blood instead of the self-flagellation. If the people here can get so frenzied about something, how can we even think to enforce controls on them?
As we moved up and down the roads, I was shocked at the number of people who were actually glad to see us. Our presence had to be a little comforting, as Iraqi Police, Army, and the coalition guys went about there business, mindful of the occasion but dedicated to the task at hand. I would like to think that the air was one of friendliness and cooperation; however, I know that isn’t entirely possible. I am sure that there were a number of people who were there to do harm, and create chaos, but I believe that our efforts made it impossible to do. Still, I was impressed that we got waves from all kinds of men, women, and children. Lots of smiles, lots of support. It really felt good to sit back and watch as the whole thing unfolded in from of me.
All things come to an end however, and I must say that the mission was successful. As of yet, no bombs went off, no one got killed. If this is progress, it’s a step in the right direction.
I am not impressed with some of my Army colleagues, and watching the whole operation take place makes me wonder how the Army gets things done. I can’t even begin count the number of suggestions, recommendations, and points I brought up to try to get things done the way that I think they should be done, but I am convinced that the Army isn’t really in this to get the job done. I am confused as to why the Army seems to want to play mentor to the Iraqi’s when we should be setting the tone and pace. Lead from the front is what I have always been told, but it appears that the Army has chosen a “Guide from the Rear” approach. Easier to recommend the proper solution and watch the Iraqi’s go the other way, then to take them by the hand and drag them to the right thing. Somebody told me that working with the Marines is great, but they are always so Gung Ho and Push Forward, that sometimes they rush in to things. That is nothing but wrong, especially in this business. If we don’t take the Iraqi’s in the direction we want them to go, they are going to go in the direction they are most familiar with, and that direction leads right back to where they were before. That is not what we want, and its not what we need for them, so the best way, I think, is to show them how to do it the right way, and let them move forward from that. Instead of asking them if they will do it our way, you must tell them. They are like children, and will only learn right from wrong if they are shown the difference.
I am not saying that we create an Iraqi Army, Police, or anything that is a mirror image of the US. I am saying that there is a right way to do things that work across the board, because it is simple, its effective, and it works. We know what that path is, but the Army command here seems very hesitant to cross it. It’s a shame, because there is so much progress that can be made, if people were only willing to put their skills to work.
OK, no more flowery prose. These Army guys are freaking morons. They don't want to listen, they don't want to get involved, they just want to collect their fucking Awards and NCO-ERs and go back to their regular jobs. I wish them well, because the sooner they leave, the better off we (I) am going to be. Good thing I have free medical, because these clowns are driving me to the loony bin.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Honoring a Warrior
I recieved this email and thought I would post it. It is from the funeral procession for Cpl Lundstrom, killed Jan 7 2006 outside Fallujah. He was from a Souix Tribe in South Dakota.
http://multimedia.rockymountainnews.com/slideshow/slideshow.cfm?type=DEFAULT&ID=012006lundstrom&NUM=1
http://multimedia.rockymountainnews.com/slideshow/slideshow.cfm?type=DEFAULT&ID=012006lundstrom&NUM=1
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Days go Bye
Well it’s been a couple of days since I updated, so let me get everybody caught up. We have been pretty active around here this past week. It’s been hard to keep track of the days, it seems like time just moves forward and you only know what day it is by the calendar. All thinks considered, you really become numb to it, and it’s easy to see how Iraqi’s have no real understanding of the importance of time. This is, of course, how we as Americans view it. I gather from them that time isn’t as important, and things will happen if god wills it to happen.
Anyways, we have scene some remarkable improvement in the Iraqi Police. Not much mind you, but like I tell my guys, little victories are critical. We pretty much started our week with no plan at all, so I put together these classes on patrol planning and patrol steps. The officers got a class on planning, while the soldiers got a class and instruction on patrol operations. The classes went on the same day, and much to my surprise, were a big hit. The officers displayed no apparent knowledge of anything resembling military skill, while the soldiers performed reasonably well. We had a plan to put this into action, and last night we had the officers plan a patrol while the soldiers actually worked it on the street. In the end, it worked out pretty well, at least till they got tired, and that’s when they lost control. But, for 3 hours, it worked out pretty good, and I am proud of my team for helping put it together.
We have also been working hard to get the soldiers to wear flacks and helmets. It has been an ongoing battle, and almost fruitless. But yesterday, I guess they all decided to pay attention. I think the IED had something to do with it. A couple of days ago, we had an officer get killed by an IED. Apparently he walked right up to it after he was told not to, and it blew him to pieces. Not very pretty, but one very large he had his Kevlar helmet on, and his head was still intact. Anyways, pretty gross, but all of the sudden the helmet is critical to these guys. Lesson learned I suppose.
I have been thinking about this lately, watching the police in action. I think we have all read about how Saddam treated his people, but it didn’t really dawn on me how badly these people suffered, until I watched the Iraqi’s interrogate a prisoner. Now, before anybody gets into an uproar, they DIDN”T touch the guy, or beat him, or anything like that. But, from the moment they brought him in, you could tell by looking at him that he was petrified. They (the police interrogator) were quiet and asked specific questions, but something in his voice struck me as evil. Watching these people work makes me feel as if I am infected by them. Its not so much as what he says, but the way he says them. Some of the things he said and the way he asked, I think the people are still very much afraid of the authority. It makes me wonder how Saddam destroyed these people. Some of the stories I have heard over the years were pretty horrendous, but you never really take them as fact until you see it in the eyes of the people who committed them. Also, the police have a tendency to grab people randomly. Better to grab somebody and bring them in, then to say we didn’t catch anybody.
A good rain has a way of washing away the filth. Clouds are forming overhead, and it looks like another storm is on its way.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Quick Reminders
Election Day here which was yesterday, was not really Election Day, but election results release day. The Iraqi government released the results of the election, and of course, we were on the street to make sure that nothing violent happened. I probably should say that properly. Violent things were bound to happen; we were there to make sure it doesn’t get out of control.
So here I am, sitting behind a machine gun, manning a checkpoint with my Iraqi counterparts. The sun had just gone down, and the streets were pretty empty, except for a car or two moving through the dirty streets. The temperature dropped pretty quickly, and it didn’t help sitting in the valley of a bunch of 4 story buildings. The Iraqi soldiers were assigned to search vehicles, and we were supposed to cover them. I watched them for a long time, as they walked up to the car in the dark of night, asked the occupants to open the truck, open the doors, get out of the car while we look in the glove box. Most of the time the soldiers have their weapons on their shoulders, if they carry them at all. They seldom wear their helmets, don’t have high-tech weapons, and yet they do their job day in and day out.
I look up the street, and I watch some of my guys search cars. They approach the car with weapons pointed at the occupants. They shout at them, have them get out, search the people, then the car, all with weapons trained, ready to fire at the slightest movement. The lights sway back and forth from the high wind, flickering here and there, and I can sense that something bad is going to happen. I make my way down to my guys, and tell them to lower their weapons. They look at me like I am crazy, but its obvious that these people are not a threat. I give them a couple of quick pointers, and remind them that we are not here to look for trouble. We are here to help train the police to do a job better. They grudgingly move back and let the Iraqi’s do what they need to do.
Are we doing something wrong? Are we looking for trouble, hoping to find some excuse to open fire? Are we waiting for the opportunity to engage somebody? Are we trigger happy, hoping somebody will show a gun so we can unleash some terrible devastation on them? I don’t think so, but I can’t get the idea out of my head that we are heading down some terrible road that will end up badly. I remind my guys every day that the choice to fire or don’t fire is theirs to make, but they have to be level headed about it, because only then will you know if you did the right thing.
I walk back to my position, and I ask the Iraqi soldier why they don’t do vehicle searches like we do. He says it is in the hands of god, and that no matter what we do, if God comes to claim our souls, he will do it regardless of what we do. I tell him yes, that is true, but you don’t have to go looking for it. If you wear your gear or you are a little bit more cautious, you may avoid getting killed. He looked at me and in a serious voice and said, “Yes, that is true, but we are not looking for trouble, so we do not threaten the people like you do.” With that, he put out his cigarette pulled his knit cap on against the cold and walked back to the vehicle point as a car came up to the traffic circle.
The wind picked up a bit, and the trash was blowing across my feet, as I lowered my weapon, and walked after him to the vehicle point.
Side bar: The night ended without incident. If I learned anything, I realized I am a total moron for putting myself at risk like that. I also learned that sometimes courage is admitting that you might not always be right.
So here I am, sitting behind a machine gun, manning a checkpoint with my Iraqi counterparts. The sun had just gone down, and the streets were pretty empty, except for a car or two moving through the dirty streets. The temperature dropped pretty quickly, and it didn’t help sitting in the valley of a bunch of 4 story buildings. The Iraqi soldiers were assigned to search vehicles, and we were supposed to cover them. I watched them for a long time, as they walked up to the car in the dark of night, asked the occupants to open the truck, open the doors, get out of the car while we look in the glove box. Most of the time the soldiers have their weapons on their shoulders, if they carry them at all. They seldom wear their helmets, don’t have high-tech weapons, and yet they do their job day in and day out.
I look up the street, and I watch some of my guys search cars. They approach the car with weapons pointed at the occupants. They shout at them, have them get out, search the people, then the car, all with weapons trained, ready to fire at the slightest movement. The lights sway back and forth from the high wind, flickering here and there, and I can sense that something bad is going to happen. I make my way down to my guys, and tell them to lower their weapons. They look at me like I am crazy, but its obvious that these people are not a threat. I give them a couple of quick pointers, and remind them that we are not here to look for trouble. We are here to help train the police to do a job better. They grudgingly move back and let the Iraqi’s do what they need to do.
Are we doing something wrong? Are we looking for trouble, hoping to find some excuse to open fire? Are we waiting for the opportunity to engage somebody? Are we trigger happy, hoping somebody will show a gun so we can unleash some terrible devastation on them? I don’t think so, but I can’t get the idea out of my head that we are heading down some terrible road that will end up badly. I remind my guys every day that the choice to fire or don’t fire is theirs to make, but they have to be level headed about it, because only then will you know if you did the right thing.
I walk back to my position, and I ask the Iraqi soldier why they don’t do vehicle searches like we do. He says it is in the hands of god, and that no matter what we do, if God comes to claim our souls, he will do it regardless of what we do. I tell him yes, that is true, but you don’t have to go looking for it. If you wear your gear or you are a little bit more cautious, you may avoid getting killed. He looked at me and in a serious voice and said, “Yes, that is true, but we are not looking for trouble, so we do not threaten the people like you do.” With that, he put out his cigarette pulled his knit cap on against the cold and walked back to the vehicle point as a car came up to the traffic circle.
The wind picked up a bit, and the trash was blowing across my feet, as I lowered my weapon, and walked after him to the vehicle point.
Side bar: The night ended without incident. If I learned anything, I realized I am a total moron for putting myself at risk like that. I also learned that sometimes courage is admitting that you might not always be right.
Last media ranting
I was reviewing this morning’s edition of the New York Times Online, and I noticed something that I thought was interesting. In the news there were no less than 8 stories, each different, about the Osama Bin Laden audiotapes, as well as the Al-Zawahiri tapes. Each story has links to past stories, Multimedia presentations, figure tables, and all sorts of gee-whiz cool to watch bits. SignOnSanDiego, the online provider for the San Diego Union Tribune, has 4 stories, each one similarly linked. The LA times had 6 stories. The evil Aljazeera news site had only 1. It has links, but they were to the previous day headlines.
What is it that people can’t stand about Aljazeera? They write the news, like almost any other web site. They report the news, just like FOX and any other broadcast network. They show unedited video, like Telemundo, NNN, and other foreign news agencies broadcasting in America. During the war in Afghanistan, Aljazeera was crucified for showing video of battles, beatings, and pillaging that was going on. It was a topic in every major news show. Nobody even came close to mentioning that Telemundo was showing the same video, that the video was obtained from Aljazeera, or that Telemundo is offered as basic cable to almost every person in the US, while Aljazeera is not carried by any subscription service. In Iraq, Aljazeera is the poster child for wayward journalism, supposedly unbiased but obviously working for the enemy. Yet, for all the bad press it receives, it appears rather tame when you compare it to FOX, Arab-News, or even BBC. They report the news, and that’s pretty much all they do.
Now, I think that they do take a side in the war against terrorism, when they decide to broadcast the messages of terrorists. I can’t for a moment believe that these tapes just miraculously show up on the doorstep of the Aljazeera office, with a sticky on it that say “Play Me.” I don’t for a minute believe that the terrorists happen to be attacking at the very moment that the Aljazeera camera crew was passing through. I am really sure that Aljazeera reporters were not just running around in the street and happened across Osama Bin Laden at the corner, with something to say. No, I am sure that some reporters, probably a few editors, and maybe an owner or two, are sympathizers. That is fine, because that is the way of the world over here.
No, my problem with the media is that they latch on to it, and by claiming it at Aljazeera footage, believe that eliminates them from any responsibility. I think that if you know the terrorists produce video, then you know that the video is designed to invoke a response, and you as FOX or ABC are perpetuating the problem by broadcasting the video. You increase the sense of fear and panic in this country by making people “feel” it. You blast them with 30 channels of bad news, and say later that you are just repeating footage shot by Aljazeera. What you should be doing is NOT showing the footage at all. The same is true of other types of crime. I have mentioned this before, but I was talking to family about crimes against children. I think, statistically, it is lower now than it has been. The problem is that the media hammers us with it, so it appears like it happens all the time. One story broadcast on 20 different stations, in 52 states, across hundreds of cities makes it appear like its happening all over. Remember when they used to say “By the time you finish watching this commercial, 12 women will have been killed by their husbands.” Are you kidding me?
So, what is the solution here? I say, stop broadcasting that crap. Bite the bullet and the millions of advertising dollars that gets generated, and stop showing the terrorists. Sure, you can tell us about them in the news, but don’t beat us over the head with it. That would make me feel safe, and like my fellow warriors over here say, even a false sense of security is still a sense of security.
I guess I will change the topic. Blasting the media is getting old, and there are other things to discuss.
I saw the article in the Washington Post, that the Army has awarded a contract for 70 million dollars to produce ceramic plates for the torso plates on the body armor. They only weigh 5 or 10 pounds. Gee, that’s nice, more crap I am going to have to carry.
I am going to break this post in half and write some more about Election Day in another block.
http://english.aljazeera.net/
What is it that people can’t stand about Aljazeera? They write the news, like almost any other web site. They report the news, just like FOX and any other broadcast network. They show unedited video, like Telemundo, NNN, and other foreign news agencies broadcasting in America. During the war in Afghanistan, Aljazeera was crucified for showing video of battles, beatings, and pillaging that was going on. It was a topic in every major news show. Nobody even came close to mentioning that Telemundo was showing the same video, that the video was obtained from Aljazeera, or that Telemundo is offered as basic cable to almost every person in the US, while Aljazeera is not carried by any subscription service. In Iraq, Aljazeera is the poster child for wayward journalism, supposedly unbiased but obviously working for the enemy. Yet, for all the bad press it receives, it appears rather tame when you compare it to FOX, Arab-News, or even BBC. They report the news, and that’s pretty much all they do.
Now, I think that they do take a side in the war against terrorism, when they decide to broadcast the messages of terrorists. I can’t for a moment believe that these tapes just miraculously show up on the doorstep of the Aljazeera office, with a sticky on it that say “Play Me.” I don’t for a minute believe that the terrorists happen to be attacking at the very moment that the Aljazeera camera crew was passing through. I am really sure that Aljazeera reporters were not just running around in the street and happened across Osama Bin Laden at the corner, with something to say. No, I am sure that some reporters, probably a few editors, and maybe an owner or two, are sympathizers. That is fine, because that is the way of the world over here.
No, my problem with the media is that they latch on to it, and by claiming it at Aljazeera footage, believe that eliminates them from any responsibility. I think that if you know the terrorists produce video, then you know that the video is designed to invoke a response, and you as FOX or ABC are perpetuating the problem by broadcasting the video. You increase the sense of fear and panic in this country by making people “feel” it. You blast them with 30 channels of bad news, and say later that you are just repeating footage shot by Aljazeera. What you should be doing is NOT showing the footage at all. The same is true of other types of crime. I have mentioned this before, but I was talking to family about crimes against children. I think, statistically, it is lower now than it has been. The problem is that the media hammers us with it, so it appears like it happens all the time. One story broadcast on 20 different stations, in 52 states, across hundreds of cities makes it appear like its happening all over. Remember when they used to say “By the time you finish watching this commercial, 12 women will have been killed by their husbands.” Are you kidding me?
So, what is the solution here? I say, stop broadcasting that crap. Bite the bullet and the millions of advertising dollars that gets generated, and stop showing the terrorists. Sure, you can tell us about them in the news, but don’t beat us over the head with it. That would make me feel safe, and like my fellow warriors over here say, even a false sense of security is still a sense of security.
I guess I will change the topic. Blasting the media is getting old, and there are other things to discuss.
I saw the article in the Washington Post, that the Army has awarded a contract for 70 million dollars to produce ceramic plates for the torso plates on the body armor. They only weigh 5 or 10 pounds. Gee, that’s nice, more crap I am going to have to carry.
I am going to break this post in half and write some more about Election Day in another block.
http://english.aljazeera.net/
Monday, January 16, 2006
It’s been a really good couple of days, and we have been pretty busy. I was thinking the body armor issue that has been floating around the news the past week or so, and I am a little tired of the whole thing. I listened to the politicians say that the armor is inadequate, that the military is short-changing the soldiers, putting them in unnecessary risk, and the “we owe it to them” debate. I am pretty sure a lot of this is publicity is generated by the publics concern for the safety of its men-at-arms, but I wonder if people ever think about the practical side of the debate.
I say this not because I am lacking in armor; it’s exactly the opposite. I have all the armor I am supposed to wear, and I wear it faithfully. The point I am trying to make is, this stuff weighs a lot. I recall in a book written a long time ago, called “The Soldiers Load” and in it the author discusses the weight the soldiers carries and how it affects the fighting ability. I believe the author was discussing the ability of a soldier to fight in any condition with all kinds of items in his pack, but the same holds true today. I don’t carry my pack into battle anymore, but I have almost 50 pounds of gear attached to my body armor. The armor plates, ammo, weapon, helmet, vest, and other items weighs a lot, and I am not sure how much more I can put on and be reasonably expected to hold up.
Another point that can be made is I have yet to see anybody out here without the necessary armor. I am sure that there are some, but we have to take in to account the job of the person, and if that person is even in any danger. I am talking about the amazing “fobbit” that anonymous alluded to in a previous comment. I didn’t realize what it was, but I am told it is somebody who never leaves the FOB (Forward Operating Base) Well, if that is the fobbit’s job, then so be it, I am never going to call somebody out and tell them “you don’t know what its like out there”, because they job they do is what they are told. However, if you are a fobbit, and you dwell in the center of an airfield, someplace in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or Turkey, I think the need for you to have Full Body armor is alleviated by the fact that you are nowhere near the combat zone. So, when people say OMG the military is short 23,000 sets, you have to take it with a big rock of salt, because not everybody needs it. Now, that’s not to say that everybody shouldn’t have it, but let’s prioritize here.
Now, the vehicles. Let me tell you that a Hummer weights a lot, and it weighs even more with full armor. Our truck probably gets 6 miles to the gallon, and has a million dollars worth of hardware in it. That said, I don’t think anybody who hasn’t served, fully understands what a 155mm artillery shell will do to one of these trucks. A round that size has a destructive radius of, say, 400 meters, and fragments traveling at near the speed of sound may travel for as many as 1000 meters or more. At that speed, very little is going to stop it. But, I believe what we have is adequate for the job we do. But it would be impossible for the military to equip every vehicle this way. The cost would be extravagant. That’s not to say that the life of the person inside the truck has a dollar value, and I appreciate the fact that my truck is fully armored, believe me. But what is the cost of adding more armor to a tank that is already rated as the best tank on the planet? What is the cost of adding armor to a Hummer that will need to be replaced in 3 years, because the weight destroys the suspension? How do you add armor to a jeep that can’t sustain the weight?
These are terrific questions, and I wish I had the answers. I hope we find out soon. A life lost is unfortunate, but a life lost because they were not equipped is a tragedy.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Happy New Year Everybody!
A lot of people have asked me “What is the difference between working with the Iraqi Police, and working with the Iraqi Army?” I have to think a bit on that one most times. Now, normally, I would say things like, well, the army has a different job, and the training is not the same because the mission is different, blah blah blah. But what I would really like to say is this.
The difference between the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police is the Americans trying to teach them.
Now, some of you might not quite understand, and, of course, I will elaborate. But those of you who were there will understand right off the bat, and laugh along with me.
When we built the Army, we had a focused group of individuals that carved a goal and intent, and then worked to that. Things got hectic and crazy, but we never lost sight of the goal, we always were focused. Even during those craziest of days in the sweltering summer, we worked to teach and train the Iraqi Army to do what it was supposed to do. We didn’t just live with them and teach them, we in effect controlled them. We knew what we wanted to create, and we let them solve their own problems using the training that we provided. This would give then a solution generally in line with what we wanted or expected, and everything was good. We got what we wanted, and they learned the process of war fighting and decision making. I like to think of it as the West Coast Offense. They were efficient, fast and quick, but the bulk of the work was done in the classroom. I got to visit the Marines and soldiers of 1st IIF and I have to admit they pretty good. The focus and drive that we pushed, the solutions we developed, and the systems we created are still in place. Tweaked, prodded, and re-defined, but still the same. How do I know this? Because the key system I used to track vehicles and buildings is still tacked to the wall, with all the markings and more. It was as simple as I could make it, yet, a year+ later, it was still there.
Not only was our venture supported internally, I believe our intent was felt by others outside the immediate command. At various levels, people worked to achieve the goal of getting the army up and running, make it viable, armed, and ready. Not everybody shared the same timeline or method, but in the end, the goal was the same. I look back now and I am amazed at what we accomplished up and down the line. I see the Army fighting in parts of the country and I can’t tell you how excited I am for them, because that is exactly what we wanted them to do.
The Iraqi Police, on the other hand, were nearly forgotten and pushed aside while the Army received all the goods. As a result, the people working with them were hamstrung with little gear, no facilities, and a force filled with collaborators. From the outset, they were not controlled; they were tended, like sheep. The problem now is that the Iraqi police leaders have assumed the reins and I think are running amok. The advisor teams are providing advice and some training, but the Iraqi’s can choose not to listen to it. From the first day I got here, I started asking questions about simple things that even my simple mind could understand. (How do the police get dental care? What is the rule of law that guides the police commanders? How many times can a police officer be absent before he is fired?) The bottom line is that there are no answers, because those policies don’t exist. So, my question is WHAT THE HELL HAS BEEN GOING ON HERE?
I know there is a war going on, and I know that there are only so many hours in the day, but I wasn’t asking for the solution to creating anti-matter. If we haven’t answered the simple questions, I asked, what is the guidance or intent that we are operating on? What is the goal here? What do you want us to do with these guys? Where are the beds, pillows and blankets? How come my police don’t have good boots? Why is nobody contracted to fix the plumbing on the base? Where is the maintenance contract to fix the trucks? Could somebody find out why I can’t get gasoline?
But that’s not the biggest issue. The biggest difference I think is that we have no goal. There is no intent here, no end state. Because no guidance has been issued, we are all just tending the sheep. I can’t believe that an intent or end state has never been created, because that would be completely un-military. I think the people have just forgotten, because I haven’t heard it from anybody, including the commanders.
Where is the vision? Where is the dream? What are these people supposed to do for their country?
Where is the DUC?
Until we understand what we want these police to be capable of doing, they will always be what they are right now, a temporary band-aid. And, until we pull our heads out of our asses, the biggest problem the Iraqi police have right now, is us.
The difference between the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police is the Americans trying to teach them.
Now, some of you might not quite understand, and, of course, I will elaborate. But those of you who were there will understand right off the bat, and laugh along with me.
When we built the Army, we had a focused group of individuals that carved a goal and intent, and then worked to that. Things got hectic and crazy, but we never lost sight of the goal, we always were focused. Even during those craziest of days in the sweltering summer, we worked to teach and train the Iraqi Army to do what it was supposed to do. We didn’t just live with them and teach them, we in effect controlled them. We knew what we wanted to create, and we let them solve their own problems using the training that we provided. This would give then a solution generally in line with what we wanted or expected, and everything was good. We got what we wanted, and they learned the process of war fighting and decision making. I like to think of it as the West Coast Offense. They were efficient, fast and quick, but the bulk of the work was done in the classroom. I got to visit the Marines and soldiers of 1st IIF and I have to admit they pretty good. The focus and drive that we pushed, the solutions we developed, and the systems we created are still in place. Tweaked, prodded, and re-defined, but still the same. How do I know this? Because the key system I used to track vehicles and buildings is still tacked to the wall, with all the markings and more. It was as simple as I could make it, yet, a year+ later, it was still there.
Not only was our venture supported internally, I believe our intent was felt by others outside the immediate command. At various levels, people worked to achieve the goal of getting the army up and running, make it viable, armed, and ready. Not everybody shared the same timeline or method, but in the end, the goal was the same. I look back now and I am amazed at what we accomplished up and down the line. I see the Army fighting in parts of the country and I can’t tell you how excited I am for them, because that is exactly what we wanted them to do.
The Iraqi Police, on the other hand, were nearly forgotten and pushed aside while the Army received all the goods. As a result, the people working with them were hamstrung with little gear, no facilities, and a force filled with collaborators. From the outset, they were not controlled; they were tended, like sheep. The problem now is that the Iraqi police leaders have assumed the reins and I think are running amok. The advisor teams are providing advice and some training, but the Iraqi’s can choose not to listen to it. From the first day I got here, I started asking questions about simple things that even my simple mind could understand. (How do the police get dental care? What is the rule of law that guides the police commanders? How many times can a police officer be absent before he is fired?) The bottom line is that there are no answers, because those policies don’t exist. So, my question is WHAT THE HELL HAS BEEN GOING ON HERE?
I know there is a war going on, and I know that there are only so many hours in the day, but I wasn’t asking for the solution to creating anti-matter. If we haven’t answered the simple questions, I asked, what is the guidance or intent that we are operating on? What is the goal here? What do you want us to do with these guys? Where are the beds, pillows and blankets? How come my police don’t have good boots? Why is nobody contracted to fix the plumbing on the base? Where is the maintenance contract to fix the trucks? Could somebody find out why I can’t get gasoline?
But that’s not the biggest issue. The biggest difference I think is that we have no goal. There is no intent here, no end state. Because no guidance has been issued, we are all just tending the sheep. I can’t believe that an intent or end state has never been created, because that would be completely un-military. I think the people have just forgotten, because I haven’t heard it from anybody, including the commanders.
Where is the vision? Where is the dream? What are these people supposed to do for their country?
Where is the DUC?
Until we understand what we want these police to be capable of doing, they will always be what they are right now, a temporary band-aid. And, until we pull our heads out of our asses, the biggest problem the Iraqi police have right now, is us.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
An army within an army?
I saw this in the news a couple of days ago, and thought it was interesting. It was amazing to me since I work with these Special Units, just how much of a difference there is between what we think and what is actually going on. We would call these guys dirty cops, but this is the way things are over here. Allegiance is based on Tribal affiliation, not national unity.
Various private armies still exist, threatening Iraq's national security -
Phil Sands, Chronicle Foreign ServiceWednesday, December 21, 2005
Samarra, Iraq -- Fighters loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have set up a base in Samarra, a Sunni-dominated city 60 miles north of Baghdad and home to a powerful insurgent movement.
The troops are part of an Interior Ministry special commando unit, based in Baghdad. But while they wear the camouflage fatigues of a government security force and receive a government salary, many of the SWAT-style team members have pledged their allegiance to al-Sadr and are adamant they are part of the Mahdi Army, his private militia.
At an outpost in Samarra, dozens of officers from the 1st Brigade Special Police Commando -- the Lion Brigade -- told The Chronicle that they followed al-Sadr. One, who identified himself only as Saif, said the men answered to the cleric and would do as he ordered. Like his colleagues, he wore a badge bearing the commando motto: "Loyal to country."
"There are almost 70 commandos here, and 57 of us are Mahdi Army," he explained. "Although we are in commando uniforms, we are still Mahdi Army. We have soldiers all over Iraq now, and every place in the south has Muqtada's men. Sadr is a hero."
All militias were supposed to have been disbanded and absorbed into a combined Iraqi security apparatus, sworn to uphold state rules. The reality is that various private armies continue to exist unofficially.
Mohammad Auoba, from the Shiite district of Iraq's capital where al-Sadr has drawn support from unemployed young men, insisted the commandos had enforced order in Samarra since their arrival last month.
"I'm from Sadr City -- we are in control there and security is very good. There are no problems," he said. "Samarra is bad -- there are terrorists here. I have already been shot at. We will make things better here."
He also claimed the troops did not respect their brigade commander, Col. Bashar Hussein, an ethnic Turkoman from the northern city of Kirkuk. "He is corrupt and no good," Auoba said. Al-Sadr, he added, is a great leader.
The remarks underline the fragility of efforts to create genuine national security forces that follow the law, rather than the word of controversial religious figures. In Baghdad, the Shiite-led Interior Ministry has its own police force, which has developed a fearsome reputation -- particularly among Sunnis, who accuse it of dispatching death squads against them, either with or without the permission of senior politicians.
Bodies of both Sunnis and Shiites, often handcuffed and showing signs of ritual execution, are frequently found in Iraq. With police forces too weak to conduct murder inquiries, most such deaths go uninvestigated.
U.S. raids on Interior Ministry buildings in Baghdad uncovered secret torture chambers where prisoners had been starved and beaten. The discoveries prompted former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite and a favorite of the Bush administration, to claim human rights abuses were as prevalent now as under Saddam Hussein.
Residents of Samarra, the scene of bloody clashes between U.S. soldiers and insurgents, said they feared a Shiite militia being unleashed on the city. Interviewed in their homes this week, they said they were unaware of a Mahdi Army presence, but claimed they had already suffered when commandos affiliated with al-Sadr's militia were dispatched to the city earlier this year.
Ibrahim Farraj, who lives in the Sikek district, said, "The Interior Ministry forces are very strong. The insurgents are afraid of them, but they are corrupt and we cannot trust them. The last time the Interior Ministry was here, they were al-Sadr -- people are scared of them and the Mahdi Army."
Farraj, a taxi driver, said he and other family members had watched the growing power of religious movements in Iraq with alarm. "We don't want clerics like Sistani (Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's Shiite religious leader) or Sadr running the country as they have in Iran. We want people, Sunni and Shiite and Christian, to have freedom and not be intimidated or forced to follow what religious leaders say."
Qutaybah Ismail Abid Abu Abbas, another resident of the Sikek district, said residents would wait to see how they were treated. "I don't know if there are Mahdi Army in the commandos," he said. "If they are, it's not a problem as long as we are shown the proper respect. All of us are Iraqi people. If they come to my house in peace, we will have no problems."
Al-Sadr, once charged by the now-disbanded U.S. occupation with murder, is a member of the leading Shiite coalition that apparently came in first in last Thursday's election for a new parliament. But during 2004, his forces battled the U.S. Army in Baghdad and in the key Shiite areas Karbala and Najaf.
His followers fought the Americans to a standstill, and the murder warrant was quietly forgotten.
U.S. Army Capt. Ryan Wylie, of the 3rd Infantry Division serving in Samarra, said he had heard rumors that the Interior Ministry was conducting a private war, but had seen no evidence.
"As far as I can tell, the commandos have not been abusing their power and they are behaving professionally and capably," he said. "They seem to be popular in the city -- people generally prefer Iraqi forces to Americans."
A West Point graduate, from Lincoln, Neb., Wylie said U.S. forces involved in training the Iraqis would not permit abuses. "We have guys with them all the time, mentoring them -- they'll make sure everything is done properly."
Col. Hussein, head of 1st commando brigade, said plans were in place to withdraw all U.S. forces from Samarra by early next year. When that happens, he insisted, his men would be merciless with any terrorists but would not crack down on civilians.
"We will not have any secret jails, and I demand my men treat everyone with dignity, even when we have prisoners," he said. "There is a new law that anyone helping the terrorists should be killed. They should be executed. We will send them to a court of law, and there will be a government executioner. When we see terrorists, of course we are going to kill them right away."
Various private armies still exist, threatening Iraq's national security -
Phil Sands, Chronicle Foreign ServiceWednesday, December 21, 2005
Samarra, Iraq -- Fighters loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have set up a base in Samarra, a Sunni-dominated city 60 miles north of Baghdad and home to a powerful insurgent movement.
The troops are part of an Interior Ministry special commando unit, based in Baghdad. But while they wear the camouflage fatigues of a government security force and receive a government salary, many of the SWAT-style team members have pledged their allegiance to al-Sadr and are adamant they are part of the Mahdi Army, his private militia.
At an outpost in Samarra, dozens of officers from the 1st Brigade Special Police Commando -- the Lion Brigade -- told The Chronicle that they followed al-Sadr. One, who identified himself only as Saif, said the men answered to the cleric and would do as he ordered. Like his colleagues, he wore a badge bearing the commando motto: "Loyal to country."
"There are almost 70 commandos here, and 57 of us are Mahdi Army," he explained. "Although we are in commando uniforms, we are still Mahdi Army. We have soldiers all over Iraq now, and every place in the south has Muqtada's men. Sadr is a hero."
All militias were supposed to have been disbanded and absorbed into a combined Iraqi security apparatus, sworn to uphold state rules. The reality is that various private armies continue to exist unofficially.
Mohammad Auoba, from the Shiite district of Iraq's capital where al-Sadr has drawn support from unemployed young men, insisted the commandos had enforced order in Samarra since their arrival last month.
"I'm from Sadr City -- we are in control there and security is very good. There are no problems," he said. "Samarra is bad -- there are terrorists here. I have already been shot at. We will make things better here."
He also claimed the troops did not respect their brigade commander, Col. Bashar Hussein, an ethnic Turkoman from the northern city of Kirkuk. "He is corrupt and no good," Auoba said. Al-Sadr, he added, is a great leader.
The remarks underline the fragility of efforts to create genuine national security forces that follow the law, rather than the word of controversial religious figures. In Baghdad, the Shiite-led Interior Ministry has its own police force, which has developed a fearsome reputation -- particularly among Sunnis, who accuse it of dispatching death squads against them, either with or without the permission of senior politicians.
Bodies of both Sunnis and Shiites, often handcuffed and showing signs of ritual execution, are frequently found in Iraq. With police forces too weak to conduct murder inquiries, most such deaths go uninvestigated.
U.S. raids on Interior Ministry buildings in Baghdad uncovered secret torture chambers where prisoners had been starved and beaten. The discoveries prompted former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite and a favorite of the Bush administration, to claim human rights abuses were as prevalent now as under Saddam Hussein.
Residents of Samarra, the scene of bloody clashes between U.S. soldiers and insurgents, said they feared a Shiite militia being unleashed on the city. Interviewed in their homes this week, they said they were unaware of a Mahdi Army presence, but claimed they had already suffered when commandos affiliated with al-Sadr's militia were dispatched to the city earlier this year.
Ibrahim Farraj, who lives in the Sikek district, said, "The Interior Ministry forces are very strong. The insurgents are afraid of them, but they are corrupt and we cannot trust them. The last time the Interior Ministry was here, they were al-Sadr -- people are scared of them and the Mahdi Army."
Farraj, a taxi driver, said he and other family members had watched the growing power of religious movements in Iraq with alarm. "We don't want clerics like Sistani (Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's Shiite religious leader) or Sadr running the country as they have in Iran. We want people, Sunni and Shiite and Christian, to have freedom and not be intimidated or forced to follow what religious leaders say."
Qutaybah Ismail Abid Abu Abbas, another resident of the Sikek district, said residents would wait to see how they were treated. "I don't know if there are Mahdi Army in the commandos," he said. "If they are, it's not a problem as long as we are shown the proper respect. All of us are Iraqi people. If they come to my house in peace, we will have no problems."
Al-Sadr, once charged by the now-disbanded U.S. occupation with murder, is a member of the leading Shiite coalition that apparently came in first in last Thursday's election for a new parliament. But during 2004, his forces battled the U.S. Army in Baghdad and in the key Shiite areas Karbala and Najaf.
His followers fought the Americans to a standstill, and the murder warrant was quietly forgotten.
U.S. Army Capt. Ryan Wylie, of the 3rd Infantry Division serving in Samarra, said he had heard rumors that the Interior Ministry was conducting a private war, but had seen no evidence.
"As far as I can tell, the commandos have not been abusing their power and they are behaving professionally and capably," he said. "They seem to be popular in the city -- people generally prefer Iraqi forces to Americans."
A West Point graduate, from Lincoln, Neb., Wylie said U.S. forces involved in training the Iraqis would not permit abuses. "We have guys with them all the time, mentoring them -- they'll make sure everything is done properly."
Col. Hussein, head of 1st commando brigade, said plans were in place to withdraw all U.S. forces from Samarra by early next year. When that happens, he insisted, his men would be merciless with any terrorists but would not crack down on civilians.
"We will not have any secret jails, and I demand my men treat everyone with dignity, even when we have prisoners," he said. "There is a new law that anyone helping the terrorists should be killed. They should be executed. We will send them to a court of law, and there will be a government executioner. When we see terrorists, of course we are going to kill them right away."
Happy New Year!!
Its been a little while since I have had the opportunity to update this, mostly because the internet has been down and I have been pretty busy. I hope everybody has had a wonder New Year, and I hope 2006 brings every happiness.
I was watching our government’s propaganda tool (aka Fox news) and they were highlighting the “Pull out of Iraq” syndrome. We are going to pull out of Iraq, and reduce the troop strength from 155,000 to 135,000. I guess it sounded really good at home. I am sure that it makes the public feel like everything is successful and that an end is near. My opinion is that it’s exactly what the government wants people to believe. Everything is fine, everything is dandy, and our boys are coming home. I look at it a little differently.
I would suppose that they not going to pull 20,000 guys out of Iraq and send them home, what they are going to do is just send 20,000 less guys than they would have normally planned to do. This means that 130,000 guys are going to have to do the job that 155,000 people would normally do. So, basically, we are getting shorted, we are going to have to work harder and longer to make up the difference. Now, that might be great for the 20,000 people that don’t come out, but that doesn’t make it any easier for the rest of us.
I have a bone to pick with the idiots at MSNBC. I happened to catch the special about that Afghan terrorist Al-Qaida guy and I can’t believe they broadcast the interview. I mean, it must make people feel really good to see the guy that is planning the deaths of their sons and daughters, on national TV. I know it might be considered news by some people, but give me a break! I understand that journalists are supposed to be non-biased (except for the NYTimes and Orange County Register) but the news is also not supposed to glorify the enemy. Imagine the parents of the soldiers that this guy has allegedly killed, seeing this guy get a lengthy interview in front of a national audience, when their sons and daughters passing was nothing more than a footnote. Don’t media outlets have a sense of decency at all? But then, I guess we all know the answer to that one. The news really played it up, how the reporter got the interview, what he had to go through, how dangerous it was, and how the CIA attempted to verify the information. They did their best to make murderer seem like a victim of circumstance. Am I supposed to feel sorry for this reporter, who had to endure a 7 hour trip with blindfolds on? Should I have sympathy for the terrorist, which wears a rag over his head so he can’t be identified? Should I be ashamed that we have forced simple people to fight back any way they can, just because we attacked their country in response to their attacking ours? I might not be the most educated person in the room, but I know what insults me. I think somebody, particularly the media, needs to be held accountable. Maybe, if the government slapped them with a penalty for aiding and abetting, treason, or just simple collaborating with the enemy, maybe that would wake somebody up. I want the presidents of the major networks to be there to explain to the parents of the next group of soldiers that this guy kills, that the network was partly to blame. We could have reported these guys’ locations, but we wanted the big ad dollars. We should have fed the CIA the intelligence, but then our ratings would not have won the nightly Nielsen’s. We are so sorry for your loss, you know, we covered that terrorist in detail, so can we get a shot of you grieving over your daughters coffin, for the 6 o’clock?
Starting the New Year off with a bang!!!
I was watching our government’s propaganda tool (aka Fox news) and they were highlighting the “Pull out of Iraq” syndrome. We are going to pull out of Iraq, and reduce the troop strength from 155,000 to 135,000. I guess it sounded really good at home. I am sure that it makes the public feel like everything is successful and that an end is near. My opinion is that it’s exactly what the government wants people to believe. Everything is fine, everything is dandy, and our boys are coming home. I look at it a little differently.
I would suppose that they not going to pull 20,000 guys out of Iraq and send them home, what they are going to do is just send 20,000 less guys than they would have normally planned to do. This means that 130,000 guys are going to have to do the job that 155,000 people would normally do. So, basically, we are getting shorted, we are going to have to work harder and longer to make up the difference. Now, that might be great for the 20,000 people that don’t come out, but that doesn’t make it any easier for the rest of us.
I have a bone to pick with the idiots at MSNBC. I happened to catch the special about that Afghan terrorist Al-Qaida guy and I can’t believe they broadcast the interview. I mean, it must make people feel really good to see the guy that is planning the deaths of their sons and daughters, on national TV. I know it might be considered news by some people, but give me a break! I understand that journalists are supposed to be non-biased (except for the NYTimes and Orange County Register) but the news is also not supposed to glorify the enemy. Imagine the parents of the soldiers that this guy has allegedly killed, seeing this guy get a lengthy interview in front of a national audience, when their sons and daughters passing was nothing more than a footnote. Don’t media outlets have a sense of decency at all? But then, I guess we all know the answer to that one. The news really played it up, how the reporter got the interview, what he had to go through, how dangerous it was, and how the CIA attempted to verify the information. They did their best to make murderer seem like a victim of circumstance. Am I supposed to feel sorry for this reporter, who had to endure a 7 hour trip with blindfolds on? Should I have sympathy for the terrorist, which wears a rag over his head so he can’t be identified? Should I be ashamed that we have forced simple people to fight back any way they can, just because we attacked their country in response to their attacking ours? I might not be the most educated person in the room, but I know what insults me. I think somebody, particularly the media, needs to be held accountable. Maybe, if the government slapped them with a penalty for aiding and abetting, treason, or just simple collaborating with the enemy, maybe that would wake somebody up. I want the presidents of the major networks to be there to explain to the parents of the next group of soldiers that this guy kills, that the network was partly to blame. We could have reported these guys’ locations, but we wanted the big ad dollars. We should have fed the CIA the intelligence, but then our ratings would not have won the nightly Nielsen’s. We are so sorry for your loss, you know, we covered that terrorist in detail, so can we get a shot of you grieving over your daughters coffin, for the 6 o’clock?
Starting the New Year off with a bang!!!
Friday, December 23, 2005
Why does it have to have a title?
It is always frustrating to be a military guy. Some days, you want to reach out and help, make a difference, do the right thing for the right reasons. Other days, you just want to start shooting and keep firing until nothing moves around you. That was what it was like today.
It really started out as a pretty good day. There were lots of children on the street, which is always a good thing, because the insurgents would never kill children. Even the most heartless people have a problem doing that. So, with the streets full of kids, we went about our business making friends, connections, traveling with out Iraqi police and soldier counterparts. It was a little rainy, but not to bad for this late in the year. I had brought out some lollipops and some other stuff that I couldn’t eat, and I was planning on giving some to the children. We had just moved off of the freeway, and had turned north up one of the cities main roads.
We slowed down and stopped because our lead vehicle had spotted something in the road. So, we all got out, and got into decent positions, to block the road in case it was something dangerous. It wasn’t, but it was something equally disturbing.
In the middle of the road, was a woman. She appeared to be about 50, a little heavy, with a full head of hair and local Arab dress. We were going to move up to her to see if she needed help, but there was a vehicle sitting about 10 feet from her. We did the quick conference to decide on a plan, the approached the car. It appeared pretty safe, so we moved up and checked it out. All good, no problems. Well, there was a small problem. The woman, it appears was dead. Not just dead, but murdered.
She had been shot twice in the head, at very close range. The local people said the body had been there for about two days. They had put a blanket over her face to keep the flies away, because, they said, she was starting to smell.
I thought back to the pictures from New Orleans. Bodies’ were lying on the street corner, roof tops, and buildings. Covered with tarp, newspaper, anything that could be used. I could understand, because, at the time, there was no place to go and nothing that the people of that city could do. But this, however, was unreal. Nobody called the police; nobody moved the body and nobody did anything at all. Kids were playing right in the street not 5 feet from this body, and they just ignore her, like she wasn’t even there. People were shopping at the market, walking on the street. Walking passed the body 10 or 15 times a day. This from a culture and religion that preaches about the sanctity of the dead and the treatment of the body after it has passed. This from a society that doesn’t strike at women or children. My revulsion got even greater when we found out that they all knew her. She apparently lived about three buildings over. She was shot in cold blood by insurgents. Not for robbery, rape, or anything that would even remotely make sense. Nothing more than cold blooded murder. And she was left in the street by her friends and neighbors.
I had always believed that Americans could be some of the cruelest people. We have people who murder for no reason; we have child molesters, serial killers, rapists, gangs, and thieves. We have white collar criminals who kill to cover up their crimes. We have gangs that kill for the color on the shirt. Sure, we are not a perfect society, but even at our cruelest, we are not for the most part, apathetic.
For some reason, this crime, this apathy, seemed to me worse than the murder itself. Because, I felt that it was more than the woman dying in the street, which is particularly bad. It was the part that separates us from animals. It felt like watching a part of our humanity die.
For a moment, I wanted all these people to rot in hell. I wanted to make sure they got there.
Sidebar: It took three hours for the Iraqi police to come by and remove the body. They said it wasn’t a priority, and they would get to it some time before the end of the day. When they did show, they tossed the body on a truck and sped away.
It really started out as a pretty good day. There were lots of children on the street, which is always a good thing, because the insurgents would never kill children. Even the most heartless people have a problem doing that. So, with the streets full of kids, we went about our business making friends, connections, traveling with out Iraqi police and soldier counterparts. It was a little rainy, but not to bad for this late in the year. I had brought out some lollipops and some other stuff that I couldn’t eat, and I was planning on giving some to the children. We had just moved off of the freeway, and had turned north up one of the cities main roads.
We slowed down and stopped because our lead vehicle had spotted something in the road. So, we all got out, and got into decent positions, to block the road in case it was something dangerous. It wasn’t, but it was something equally disturbing.
In the middle of the road, was a woman. She appeared to be about 50, a little heavy, with a full head of hair and local Arab dress. We were going to move up to her to see if she needed help, but there was a vehicle sitting about 10 feet from her. We did the quick conference to decide on a plan, the approached the car. It appeared pretty safe, so we moved up and checked it out. All good, no problems. Well, there was a small problem. The woman, it appears was dead. Not just dead, but murdered.
She had been shot twice in the head, at very close range. The local people said the body had been there for about two days. They had put a blanket over her face to keep the flies away, because, they said, she was starting to smell.
I thought back to the pictures from New Orleans. Bodies’ were lying on the street corner, roof tops, and buildings. Covered with tarp, newspaper, anything that could be used. I could understand, because, at the time, there was no place to go and nothing that the people of that city could do. But this, however, was unreal. Nobody called the police; nobody moved the body and nobody did anything at all. Kids were playing right in the street not 5 feet from this body, and they just ignore her, like she wasn’t even there. People were shopping at the market, walking on the street. Walking passed the body 10 or 15 times a day. This from a culture and religion that preaches about the sanctity of the dead and the treatment of the body after it has passed. This from a society that doesn’t strike at women or children. My revulsion got even greater when we found out that they all knew her. She apparently lived about three buildings over. She was shot in cold blood by insurgents. Not for robbery, rape, or anything that would even remotely make sense. Nothing more than cold blooded murder. And she was left in the street by her friends and neighbors.
I had always believed that Americans could be some of the cruelest people. We have people who murder for no reason; we have child molesters, serial killers, rapists, gangs, and thieves. We have white collar criminals who kill to cover up their crimes. We have gangs that kill for the color on the shirt. Sure, we are not a perfect society, but even at our cruelest, we are not for the most part, apathetic.
For some reason, this crime, this apathy, seemed to me worse than the murder itself. Because, I felt that it was more than the woman dying in the street, which is particularly bad. It was the part that separates us from animals. It felt like watching a part of our humanity die.
For a moment, I wanted all these people to rot in hell. I wanted to make sure they got there.
Sidebar: It took three hours for the Iraqi police to come by and remove the body. They said it wasn’t a priority, and they would get to it some time before the end of the day. When they did show, they tossed the body on a truck and sped away.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...
6 days before Christmas, and I am reading this article about Black Friday. For the uninitiated, that is the day after Thanksgiving, when stores open at 4 am, and shoppers go crazy trying to catch the best prices on teaser items. I personally believe stores unload all the non-sellable stuff on those days, mark everything down, then secretly videotape the thousands of morons that descend onto the store, creating a stampede of bodies. Of course, they show these “Funniest Home Videos” at the Christmas party.
I have never participated in Black Friday. I have always felt that it was sort of the opening salvo in the undeclared war between the corporate community and the average American. They tell you to save, save, save all year long, then, in one shot, they hit you with the spend bomb. Invest your money, stocks, 401k, Roth IRA, buy a home. But, on Dec 1, spend like a dictator! Withdraw from your IRA, it’s not a problem, we can defer the taxes. Use your 401k; you can pay it back over time! Stocks will rebound, you can sell short!
Another phenomenon is the use of the internet. It’s so easy to do now, because you can sell your stock, fund your bank account, and buy that super expensive gift all without leaving your house. It doesn’t get any easier than that. The inclusion of a wireless system (the ultimate gift for the armchair quarterback) means you don’t even have to get out of bed. Ignore the shoppers, the neighbors, the children, and society! Just open your eyes and bang on the keyboard!)
Sitting on the opposite side of the world, I can see from the eyes of the foreigner, just how they get the impression that Americans are so godless, so hedonistic, that we would create names for days after holidays. I mean, they watch the crush of human bodies, the stores jammed with people. They see people brave rain, snow, hurricanes, tornadoes, to get to the malls and shops. They see stores open 24 hours a day, and they think Americans must have no goals other that to shop, get fat, and enforce their version of democracy on the world.
You know what…. I have to tell them “Yes, that’s who we are.”
I miss the holiday spirit. I miss the Black Fridays, the internet shopping, the TV shows, the ridiculous movies, the clay-mation specials. That is who we are. We are Americans, and we work hard all year to splurge, not for ourselves, but for family and friends. That is the simple truth. We may spend on ourselves, but when it comes to family and friends, there is no limit on what we will do, where we will go, and how much in debt we will make ourselves. I do plan on participating in an Black Friday next year, and not only am I going to spend, spend, spend on teaser items, I am going to have a big party at the end of the day to celebrate. I have that kind of freedom. I have paid my dues. I have earned my citizenship. Leave me alone, so I can be bombarded by adds, mailings, fillers, and food...
God Bless America, Land of the free shipping, home of the brave (but wait! There’s More…)
Happy holidays everyone, and hope you have a very merry Christmas season!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
What, no Republicans?
Well, it’s over, and I must say it was very successful. Not my tour in Iraq, that circus is just starting. I am talking about the elections. It has been a very long day, but I have to admit that is was really amazing to see such a wonderful turnout. At every polling station, we saw hundreds of people, waiting in line, waiting outside, talking politics, holding up banners, posters, signs even bed sheets. People that had voted proudly held up there purple finger, waving at anybody who would wave back. I saw people praying in the streets, singing, dancing and crying. People were getting bussed in to the election sites at 7 in the morning, they came in trucks filled with people, they walked, they pulled wagons, and they came in on crutches and in ambulances. They came to celebrate this miraculous practice called the democratic process, and to experience the freedom that the democratic process promised.
As the night wound down and the crowds started to disburse, I noticed a sense of true relief in eyes of my Iraqi’s. As I spoke to them about the events of the day, they seemed to be grateful that the day passed with no incidents. One of their biggest fears was that a bomb would go off inside one of the polling places, or that somebody would try that suicide vest thing. They were ready to celebrate, but the commanders were doing there best to keep the soldiers in line and focused, ready for anything.
It didn’t take to long. About 15 minutes after the polls closed, we started hearing gunfire around the highways. Reports started filtering in about drive by shootings. Not far away, we listened to a large firefight erupt on three sides with machine guns and RPG’s. As it started to get closer, we got into our cover positions, Iraqi’s and Americans side by side. We could see some tracers reaching out into the sky, and the sound of men shouting got closer. We could see women and children racing into houses, and police sirens wailing as cars filled with Police and soldiers raced into the fight. The wind picked up rapidly, blowing trash and dust into the air to mingle with the smoke, creating a hazy, eerie fog.
Looking around quickly to assess the readiness of the men, I saw the Iraqi commander to my left. He was smiling at me, with his thumb up and his pistol in his hand. At the gate, the Iraqi’s were raising an Iraqi flag on one side, and the American flag on another.
The price of freedom is paid for by the blood of its soldiers…
Side note: After about a half hour, the fighting stopped. No shots were fired by our men. No injuries were sustained. It was over as quickly as it began.
As the night wound down and the crowds started to disburse, I noticed a sense of true relief in eyes of my Iraqi’s. As I spoke to them about the events of the day, they seemed to be grateful that the day passed with no incidents. One of their biggest fears was that a bomb would go off inside one of the polling places, or that somebody would try that suicide vest thing. They were ready to celebrate, but the commanders were doing there best to keep the soldiers in line and focused, ready for anything.
It didn’t take to long. About 15 minutes after the polls closed, we started hearing gunfire around the highways. Reports started filtering in about drive by shootings. Not far away, we listened to a large firefight erupt on three sides with machine guns and RPG’s. As it started to get closer, we got into our cover positions, Iraqi’s and Americans side by side. We could see some tracers reaching out into the sky, and the sound of men shouting got closer. We could see women and children racing into houses, and police sirens wailing as cars filled with Police and soldiers raced into the fight. The wind picked up rapidly, blowing trash and dust into the air to mingle with the smoke, creating a hazy, eerie fog.
Looking around quickly to assess the readiness of the men, I saw the Iraqi commander to my left. He was smiling at me, with his thumb up and his pistol in his hand. At the gate, the Iraqi’s were raising an Iraqi flag on one side, and the American flag on another.
The price of freedom is paid for by the blood of its soldiers…
Side note: After about a half hour, the fighting stopped. No shots were fired by our men. No injuries were sustained. It was over as quickly as it began.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
One more time for the ill informed
Once again, the illustrious Anonymous said...
Hey guu-nny, you should use spell check when you write... It's not "esprit de corpse," it's "esprit de corps" which means "A common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group"... Obviously, your lack thereof, is what makes you obnoxious, arrogant, and without direction... Do you really think you are the elite... USMC???? Remember, we (U.S. Military and Coalition of the Willing) are all in this fight together... You (USMC) are the most whinners... Well, maybe after the "Air Force"... Why did you said all those things about the "Army"???? It's not true, and you know that... You "Jarheads," always think that you are the best... We have been in the fight more than you do... Look at the history books... Oh, I'm sorry, maybe that's the problem... You didn't finished past High School... Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner... Fight with honor, not by writing weakening statements against the U.S. Army... Army of One, all the way...
How come people always pick on the spelling when they have nothing else to say but complain? YOU NEED TO SPELL CHECK, YOU’RE IGNORANT!!! Give me a break. I think I mentioned it in my first entry, that I would spell stuff incorrectly from time to time, and if anonymous didn’t like it, then turn the page. So please, before go away mad, just go away. But since that’s not going to happen, and people need to vent, then I can choose to respond. Seems fair, doesn’t it? Because it’s my blog, and I can say what I want, for the most part. Ahh, the splendor of the democratic system.
First things first, I forgot the E. OMFG, I am cursed for life!!! Somebody call my probation officer!!! I committed one of the seven deadly sins!!! Is there a priest nearby, I need to confess!!
Get a life my friend.
Next, do I really think I am the elite? Well, I don’t spout that jargon, but, maybe the people from the 507th might. Sorry, had to throw that one in there. I know it’s not fair. Maybe there is a reason that the Marines were given the task of capturing Baghdad, even though we were not the first units in the area. Maybe there is a reason that the war waited for us to move up the Tigris/Euphrates valley and get in position to assault the city, while the army waited outside the suburbs. But I am not going to get into that, its all history and this is a US armed forces effort. My hats off to everybody who has participated, will participate, or will participate and doesn’t know it yet.
I am trying with all my might to not blast Anonymous, but its gets harder to do by the minute. Sure, I might have spelled a word wrong, but where did you learn English? You (USMC) are the most whinners Not sure what that means at all. Why did you said all those things about the "Army I didn’t said anything about the Army as a whole, I was referring to the groups that I work with, who are mostly Army. We have been in the fight more than you do. You didn't finished past High School. I submit that I did finished past High School, where I was present for the grammar portions. You sort of sound like you are still in High School. I find it very difficult to believe that grown adults can’t seem to compile simple sentences; just like the simple ones you chose to use. I do not know if you were there, but you should go back. As far as being in the fight more than you do? Do what? Maybe you have been in the fight more that we have, (that would be the proper form) but then, that wasn’t my comment, and it probably isn’t true in your case, and it really doesn’t strike me as something boastful anyway. Oh, sorry, that was a multi-syllabic word. Didn’t mean to insult you.
Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner So, somebody got a name for that tight corner? Can’t be sure, but I think your talking about FANTASY LAND. I don’t recall any one specific instance where a Marine unit had to be bailed out by an army unit. I am sure there might have been one, its quite possible that it has happened recently. But there is a difference between bailing somebody out, and assisting in an operation. In this area, we have plan for the Army to provide some air support and fire support. That’s obvious, because there is no Marine unit here to provide similar support that we would normally get. But, again, I don’t recall the last time the Marines asked for a bailout. So, you said it, please provide some kind of historical support. That’s all I ask. Now, don’t cheat and have to go back to WW2 or something. Any instance in the past 2 years would suffice. If you can do that, then I will give you all the credit you deserve. But it won’t amount to a lot, so please leave your ridiculous comments on the FOX NEWS blog where they belong. You might even get it put on TV. Won’t that be nice?
But I forgot, you’re an Army of One, so nobody will see it but you…
Hey guu-nny, you should use spell check when you write... It's not "esprit de corpse," it's "esprit de corps" which means "A common spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group"... Obviously, your lack thereof, is what makes you obnoxious, arrogant, and without direction... Do you really think you are the elite... USMC???? Remember, we (U.S. Military and Coalition of the Willing) are all in this fight together... You (USMC) are the most whinners... Well, maybe after the "Air Force"... Why did you said all those things about the "Army"???? It's not true, and you know that... You "Jarheads," always think that you are the best... We have been in the fight more than you do... Look at the history books... Oh, I'm sorry, maybe that's the problem... You didn't finished past High School... Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner... Fight with honor, not by writing weakening statements against the U.S. Army... Army of One, all the way...
How come people always pick on the spelling when they have nothing else to say but complain? YOU NEED TO SPELL CHECK, YOU’RE IGNORANT!!! Give me a break. I think I mentioned it in my first entry, that I would spell stuff incorrectly from time to time, and if anonymous didn’t like it, then turn the page. So please, before go away mad, just go away. But since that’s not going to happen, and people need to vent, then I can choose to respond. Seems fair, doesn’t it? Because it’s my blog, and I can say what I want, for the most part. Ahh, the splendor of the democratic system.
First things first, I forgot the E. OMFG, I am cursed for life!!! Somebody call my probation officer!!! I committed one of the seven deadly sins!!! Is there a priest nearby, I need to confess!!
Get a life my friend.
Next, do I really think I am the elite? Well, I don’t spout that jargon, but, maybe the people from the 507th might. Sorry, had to throw that one in there. I know it’s not fair. Maybe there is a reason that the Marines were given the task of capturing Baghdad, even though we were not the first units in the area. Maybe there is a reason that the war waited for us to move up the Tigris/Euphrates valley and get in position to assault the city, while the army waited outside the suburbs. But I am not going to get into that, its all history and this is a US armed forces effort. My hats off to everybody who has participated, will participate, or will participate and doesn’t know it yet.
I am trying with all my might to not blast Anonymous, but its gets harder to do by the minute. Sure, I might have spelled a word wrong, but where did you learn English? You (USMC) are the most whinners Not sure what that means at all. Why did you said all those things about the "Army I didn’t said anything about the Army as a whole, I was referring to the groups that I work with, who are mostly Army. We have been in the fight more than you do. You didn't finished past High School. I submit that I did finished past High School, where I was present for the grammar portions. You sort of sound like you are still in High School. I find it very difficult to believe that grown adults can’t seem to compile simple sentences; just like the simple ones you chose to use. I do not know if you were there, but you should go back. As far as being in the fight more than you do? Do what? Maybe you have been in the fight more that we have, (that would be the proper form) but then, that wasn’t my comment, and it probably isn’t true in your case, and it really doesn’t strike me as something boastful anyway. Oh, sorry, that was a multi-syllabic word. Didn’t mean to insult you.
Anyways, don't throw dirt to the eyes of those who bail you out every time you are in a tight corner So, somebody got a name for that tight corner? Can’t be sure, but I think your talking about FANTASY LAND. I don’t recall any one specific instance where a Marine unit had to be bailed out by an army unit. I am sure there might have been one, its quite possible that it has happened recently. But there is a difference between bailing somebody out, and assisting in an operation. In this area, we have plan for the Army to provide some air support and fire support. That’s obvious, because there is no Marine unit here to provide similar support that we would normally get. But, again, I don’t recall the last time the Marines asked for a bailout. So, you said it, please provide some kind of historical support. That’s all I ask. Now, don’t cheat and have to go back to WW2 or something. Any instance in the past 2 years would suffice. If you can do that, then I will give you all the credit you deserve. But it won’t amount to a lot, so please leave your ridiculous comments on the FOX NEWS blog where they belong. You might even get it put on TV. Won’t that be nice?
But I forgot, you’re an Army of One, so nobody will see it but you…
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
A little bit of tech
It has been a pretty long last couple of days and its about time for us to take a break, so we are having a 24 hour stand down and maintenance day. I can’t tell you how important it is for us to take a day to just relax sometimes. This last 24 hours had been pretty rough, and we all were getting pretty edgy, that’s for sure. But, now that we have had a day off, we are re-energized, and ready to go at it again.
Having been around the block a couple of times, I can say it’s pretty amazing how far the military has come in the past few years. The gear that the modern Marine gets issued now a day is so much more sophisticated then it was even 10 years ago. During the first Gulf War, I remember I had an M-16, a set of bino’s and crude set of Night Vision goggles. We wrote letters with pen and paper, computers were huge desktop items the size of suitcases, and I still had an old Sony walkman and a bunch of cassette tapes.
Today’s military has it so much different. Now, my rifle is an m-4 carbine, with laser sights, and optical target enhancers so I don’t really even have to aim, just put the red dot on the target. I have a small pocket sized GPS, a digital camera the size of a box of cigarettes, a digital radio that I can communicate with for miles that weighs like 3 pounds, and fits inside my pocket. I have a laptop computer, DVD’s that store my entire music library on 1 disk, and optical bino’s that way less than 12 ounces that can tell me the direction I am heading in. I have a wireless mike that I can use to talk to my team members, Thermal sights that can let me see through walls, and a telescoping lens that will allow me to shoot a target from 2000 meters away and put a round right through a 4 inch hole.
All this stuff and here I am finding myself having to teach the basics of military skills. The Iraqi’s, as I learned, can’t read a map. They have a very hard time shooting at things farther than 20 feet away, and they don’t have the discipline to learn how to use the radio, because they have trouble understanding the manual.
My concern is that I think we have forgotten what it took to get here. We have become reliant on technology to do the job for us, and have forsaken the simple field skills that most every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine will need to survive once the batteries run out. I thought for a long time that I was a techno holdout, because I prefer the compass and map to the GPS. I have a computer, but I still write my orders by hand. I keep written records instead of electronic ones, and I prefer the iron sights on my rifle. I think that gives me the edge when I am teaching the Iraqi’s, because I understand that they are not so far from me, they don’t have the tech stuff, and I don’t use it. But what about the other soldiers? I have said before that some of my other teams complain that they don’t have the newest gear to do this job or accomplish that task. Since when in the service, does that matter? You are expected to accomplish the mission any way you can, but do you have the basic skills to do the job? If you remember the basics, then it should be easy. But if you don’t practice the basics, and rely on the tech to do the work, then you are just asking for trouble.
Case in point. The Iraqi commander can’t read a map very well. He has a small GPS, but it’s in English, so he can’t really use it, and it doesn’t make sense to him in the first place. So, how I tell him where to go and how to get there? Well, I break out the old handy map, and with my handy compass, I show him how to read the map, and plot a point, and navigate from one point to another. He was pretty excited about that. Lesson learned.
Another example. Communications are key on the battle field, but the Iraqi’s don’t have radios. Some of my other teams were at the point where they had decided to do the missions themselves, but that isn’t the solution. You can’t do the missions, because its their problem to solve and their country to run. Are you going to do it for them? So, I suggested and showed the soldiers basic Hand and Arm signals, so they could communicate without yelling. BAM! Worked pretty good. So good that they are making up some of their own.
Technology is a wonderful thing, and can add simplicity and accuracy to our lives. In the service, it can make an average soldier or Marine and turn him or her into a serious and deadly threat on the battlefield. It turns night into day, and clears up some of the fog of war. It is a force multiplier, but, it can stop a unit in its tracks if they forget the basic skills that have made soldiers for hundreds of years. It becomes even more critical as we teach armies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other 3d world countries, because the basic skills is all they know. In the case of the Iraqi’s they don’t have much time to learn anything else, because the war needs to be won now, not when they have technical superiority.
I will go back to watching my DVD on my laptop now..
Having been around the block a couple of times, I can say it’s pretty amazing how far the military has come in the past few years. The gear that the modern Marine gets issued now a day is so much more sophisticated then it was even 10 years ago. During the first Gulf War, I remember I had an M-16, a set of bino’s and crude set of Night Vision goggles. We wrote letters with pen and paper, computers were huge desktop items the size of suitcases, and I still had an old Sony walkman and a bunch of cassette tapes.
Today’s military has it so much different. Now, my rifle is an m-4 carbine, with laser sights, and optical target enhancers so I don’t really even have to aim, just put the red dot on the target. I have a small pocket sized GPS, a digital camera the size of a box of cigarettes, a digital radio that I can communicate with for miles that weighs like 3 pounds, and fits inside my pocket. I have a laptop computer, DVD’s that store my entire music library on 1 disk, and optical bino’s that way less than 12 ounces that can tell me the direction I am heading in. I have a wireless mike that I can use to talk to my team members, Thermal sights that can let me see through walls, and a telescoping lens that will allow me to shoot a target from 2000 meters away and put a round right through a 4 inch hole.
All this stuff and here I am finding myself having to teach the basics of military skills. The Iraqi’s, as I learned, can’t read a map. They have a very hard time shooting at things farther than 20 feet away, and they don’t have the discipline to learn how to use the radio, because they have trouble understanding the manual.
My concern is that I think we have forgotten what it took to get here. We have become reliant on technology to do the job for us, and have forsaken the simple field skills that most every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine will need to survive once the batteries run out. I thought for a long time that I was a techno holdout, because I prefer the compass and map to the GPS. I have a computer, but I still write my orders by hand. I keep written records instead of electronic ones, and I prefer the iron sights on my rifle. I think that gives me the edge when I am teaching the Iraqi’s, because I understand that they are not so far from me, they don’t have the tech stuff, and I don’t use it. But what about the other soldiers? I have said before that some of my other teams complain that they don’t have the newest gear to do this job or accomplish that task. Since when in the service, does that matter? You are expected to accomplish the mission any way you can, but do you have the basic skills to do the job? If you remember the basics, then it should be easy. But if you don’t practice the basics, and rely on the tech to do the work, then you are just asking for trouble.
Case in point. The Iraqi commander can’t read a map very well. He has a small GPS, but it’s in English, so he can’t really use it, and it doesn’t make sense to him in the first place. So, how I tell him where to go and how to get there? Well, I break out the old handy map, and with my handy compass, I show him how to read the map, and plot a point, and navigate from one point to another. He was pretty excited about that. Lesson learned.
Another example. Communications are key on the battle field, but the Iraqi’s don’t have radios. Some of my other teams were at the point where they had decided to do the missions themselves, but that isn’t the solution. You can’t do the missions, because its their problem to solve and their country to run. Are you going to do it for them? So, I suggested and showed the soldiers basic Hand and Arm signals, so they could communicate without yelling. BAM! Worked pretty good. So good that they are making up some of their own.
Technology is a wonderful thing, and can add simplicity and accuracy to our lives. In the service, it can make an average soldier or Marine and turn him or her into a serious and deadly threat on the battlefield. It turns night into day, and clears up some of the fog of war. It is a force multiplier, but, it can stop a unit in its tracks if they forget the basic skills that have made soldiers for hundreds of years. It becomes even more critical as we teach armies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other 3d world countries, because the basic skills is all they know. In the case of the Iraqi’s they don’t have much time to learn anything else, because the war needs to be won now, not when they have technical superiority.
I will go back to watching my DVD on my laptop now..
Friday, December 02, 2005
Cruising through the downtown
051203
I was spinning through downtown Baghdad last night. We had a just cruised through our area, and decided to trek through the International Zone, just to get our bearings. Our normal area is south of the city, in a small subdivision. It’s filled with wealthy, poor, and looks like your typical 3rd world city, with its have/have-not separations, religious divisions, and trash.
The International Zone, however, is different. If you haven’t been there lately, you would be generally amazed at its transformation. Instead of T-walls, barricades and barbed wire, the roads are generally open, with wide lanes and clean streets. Even late at night, as we cruised through, we saw people on the street, a few cars, and activity in and around some of the coffee shops and small eating places. I think there is still a curfew, however, in the IZ; I think ignoring it is a thrill. As I surveyed the areas, (I can do that, because I sit in the turret of my Hummer) I saw new construction, repair of damaged buildings, and, above all that, the smell of the city. Instead of raw sewage and smoke, I could smell food being cooked, the smell of the coffee shop, and a faint scent of incense. I could here laughter, conversation, and people having a good time. The lights played off the streets, and, for a moment, I thought I was in Kuwait city or Qatar.
Is this what Baghdad was like? Before the war, before the chaos? Is this what the future is going to be like for this nation, as the IZ expands beyond the border of the city to other regions of the country? Is this is what the terrorists and insurgents are trying so hard to destroy?
If so, we need to do what needs to be done because the future here is full of hope. I have seen the streets of Mosul, the downtown sections of Najaf, Fallujah, Sadr City, Ramadi and Tal A’far, and they could look similar to this if the effort is made and the peace is won. The democratization of this country needs to be a priority not of the coalition forces, nor the politicians, sheiks, tribal leaders or visiting dignitaries. This priority needs to be set by the masses of this country. They need to understand, to see with their own eyes, what peace holds for their future, and the potential the “good war” has for them. Without that, I think, it will only become harder to unseat the insurgents, terrorists, and factions trying to foster the madness.
As we turned south and headed across the bridge leading out of the IZ, I turned back to see the river and a last look. Where is the media now? Where are the reporters, the cameras, and the breaking news? Why can’t they show images like this? Because this doesn’t generate the big fees from advertising, doesn’t foster the “TERRORISM ALERT: ELEVATED” fear that our political leaders want. Because it makes everything look peaceful, and we just don’t want that now, do we?
Crossing the bridge, we hear machine guns south of us, and are moving towards it. I smell smoke, and can hear police ambulance sirens wailing. Time to go back to work.
Happy Holidays.
Please say a prayer for the Marines, soldiers and the families of those that were killed and wounded yesterday.
I was spinning through downtown Baghdad last night. We had a just cruised through our area, and decided to trek through the International Zone, just to get our bearings. Our normal area is south of the city, in a small subdivision. It’s filled with wealthy, poor, and looks like your typical 3rd world city, with its have/have-not separations, religious divisions, and trash.
The International Zone, however, is different. If you haven’t been there lately, you would be generally amazed at its transformation. Instead of T-walls, barricades and barbed wire, the roads are generally open, with wide lanes and clean streets. Even late at night, as we cruised through, we saw people on the street, a few cars, and activity in and around some of the coffee shops and small eating places. I think there is still a curfew, however, in the IZ; I think ignoring it is a thrill. As I surveyed the areas, (I can do that, because I sit in the turret of my Hummer) I saw new construction, repair of damaged buildings, and, above all that, the smell of the city. Instead of raw sewage and smoke, I could smell food being cooked, the smell of the coffee shop, and a faint scent of incense. I could here laughter, conversation, and people having a good time. The lights played off the streets, and, for a moment, I thought I was in Kuwait city or Qatar.
Is this what Baghdad was like? Before the war, before the chaos? Is this what the future is going to be like for this nation, as the IZ expands beyond the border of the city to other regions of the country? Is this is what the terrorists and insurgents are trying so hard to destroy?
If so, we need to do what needs to be done because the future here is full of hope. I have seen the streets of Mosul, the downtown sections of Najaf, Fallujah, Sadr City, Ramadi and Tal A’far, and they could look similar to this if the effort is made and the peace is won. The democratization of this country needs to be a priority not of the coalition forces, nor the politicians, sheiks, tribal leaders or visiting dignitaries. This priority needs to be set by the masses of this country. They need to understand, to see with their own eyes, what peace holds for their future, and the potential the “good war” has for them. Without that, I think, it will only become harder to unseat the insurgents, terrorists, and factions trying to foster the madness.
As we turned south and headed across the bridge leading out of the IZ, I turned back to see the river and a last look. Where is the media now? Where are the reporters, the cameras, and the breaking news? Why can’t they show images like this? Because this doesn’t generate the big fees from advertising, doesn’t foster the “TERRORISM ALERT: ELEVATED” fear that our political leaders want. Because it makes everything look peaceful, and we just don’t want that now, do we?
Crossing the bridge, we hear machine guns south of us, and are moving towards it. I smell smoke, and can hear police ambulance sirens wailing. Time to go back to work.
Happy Holidays.
Please say a prayer for the Marines, soldiers and the families of those that were killed and wounded yesterday.
First Contact
First Contact
The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind of activity. I can sit here and ramble on and on about it, but its still fresh on my mind, (as well as the situation report) so I won’t go into that. But I can tell you that it has been a very busy time since we arrived here.
Have you ever seen grown men cry? We have a rather large assortment of teams, mostly Army teams, and I have to say these guys are some of the biggest whiners I have ever had the displeasure of working with. Most people think the difference between the Marine Corps and the Army is the motivation, esprit de corpse, and all those intangible qualities. But after seeing what I have seen this last week, I will tell you the difference is that the Marines take what they get and make it better, the Army expects the best and won’t work without it. In layman’s terms, the Marines plan for the worst, while the Army plans for the best.
Now I am not saying that we are better than they are, what I am saying is that our heads are where it should be, and their heads are not. Troop welfare is a critical to any mission, but mission accomplishment is and must always come first.
Next issue
I was watching reading an article from MSNBC or CNN this morning, about the foreign troops and their plans for pulling out the soldiers. We turned to discussing the eventual draw down plans, and how soon the troops will be going home. While this is all well and good, and I am sure that the powers that be (military bosses) want to bring the troops home as soon as possible, I think, once again, that the media is making this a much bigger issue, and they don’t understand the nature of the situation. I can’t see any end to this situation in the near future, and I would be hard pressed to say that there are going to be large scale draw downs any time in the next 4 years. The simple fact is that this country is a hotbed of problems, and I believe the war against terror is being fought right here. Sure, we are winning, but this country is not close to governing itself, and we are not going to leave until it is stable. There are too many factions, to many issues, to many terrorists here now. If we draw down, we will create nothing short of chaos, destruction, death, and mayhem. Maybe, once the people have been given an opportunity to taste freedom, maybe if they are given the chance to see a viable future that the Iraqi citizen can play a part, and then we can talk draw down. A Marine I know gave it to us in simple terms…
As an American individual, we look deep into the future, planning from high school our future education, job, marriage, and retirement. Things like buying a home, a car, having kids, paying for their education; these are a part of our mental development. We moved passed the need for food, shelter, clothing, because, by and large, we lave that.
The typical Iraqi citizen, however, is the exact opposite of this. They are still in the food, shelter, clothing stages of survival, and when you are at that level, you will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I can’t blame them because I would do the same thing. Basically, if you didn’t have food and couldn’t feed your family, would you be willing to kill, steal, or commit other illegal acts to get it? Most American’s would not. Most Iraqi’s probably would.
What does this mean? I believe that, until we can move the Iraqi citizen beyond the survival stage, we will not be able to leave this country to its own devices. To do so would invite civil war, or, at least, create such an immense crime problem that the government would be hamstrung until it is solved. Once we can move them past the survival stage, the average citizen will be able to look at the future, take part in the process, and be part of the society.
Then, and only then, will we be able to go home. Then the media can report about the homecomings, the parades, and the “We Won” hysteria. But until then, don’t feed the frenzy, because the politicians just live for that. This war is about more than polls, it’s about more than sound bites. At least I hope they think so.
The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind of activity. I can sit here and ramble on and on about it, but its still fresh on my mind, (as well as the situation report) so I won’t go into that. But I can tell you that it has been a very busy time since we arrived here.
Have you ever seen grown men cry? We have a rather large assortment of teams, mostly Army teams, and I have to say these guys are some of the biggest whiners I have ever had the displeasure of working with. Most people think the difference between the Marine Corps and the Army is the motivation, esprit de corpse, and all those intangible qualities. But after seeing what I have seen this last week, I will tell you the difference is that the Marines take what they get and make it better, the Army expects the best and won’t work without it. In layman’s terms, the Marines plan for the worst, while the Army plans for the best.
Now I am not saying that we are better than they are, what I am saying is that our heads are where it should be, and their heads are not. Troop welfare is a critical to any mission, but mission accomplishment is and must always come first.
Next issue
I was watching reading an article from MSNBC or CNN this morning, about the foreign troops and their plans for pulling out the soldiers. We turned to discussing the eventual draw down plans, and how soon the troops will be going home. While this is all well and good, and I am sure that the powers that be (military bosses) want to bring the troops home as soon as possible, I think, once again, that the media is making this a much bigger issue, and they don’t understand the nature of the situation. I can’t see any end to this situation in the near future, and I would be hard pressed to say that there are going to be large scale draw downs any time in the next 4 years. The simple fact is that this country is a hotbed of problems, and I believe the war against terror is being fought right here. Sure, we are winning, but this country is not close to governing itself, and we are not going to leave until it is stable. There are too many factions, to many issues, to many terrorists here now. If we draw down, we will create nothing short of chaos, destruction, death, and mayhem. Maybe, once the people have been given an opportunity to taste freedom, maybe if they are given the chance to see a viable future that the Iraqi citizen can play a part, and then we can talk draw down. A Marine I know gave it to us in simple terms…
As an American individual, we look deep into the future, planning from high school our future education, job, marriage, and retirement. Things like buying a home, a car, having kids, paying for their education; these are a part of our mental development. We moved passed the need for food, shelter, clothing, because, by and large, we lave that.
The typical Iraqi citizen, however, is the exact opposite of this. They are still in the food, shelter, clothing stages of survival, and when you are at that level, you will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I can’t blame them because I would do the same thing. Basically, if you didn’t have food and couldn’t feed your family, would you be willing to kill, steal, or commit other illegal acts to get it? Most American’s would not. Most Iraqi’s probably would.
What does this mean? I believe that, until we can move the Iraqi citizen beyond the survival stage, we will not be able to leave this country to its own devices. To do so would invite civil war, or, at least, create such an immense crime problem that the government would be hamstrung until it is solved. Once we can move them past the survival stage, the average citizen will be able to look at the future, take part in the process, and be part of the society.
Then, and only then, will we be able to go home. Then the media can report about the homecomings, the parades, and the “We Won” hysteria. But until then, don’t feed the frenzy, because the politicians just live for that. This war is about more than polls, it’s about more than sound bites. At least I hope they think so.
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