Yet another day

(Originally written on Christmas Day, not posted until 9 January)


Happy Groundhog Day! Actually, today is Christmas Day. Unlike a lot of other folks here serving, this is my first Christmas on a deployment away from home. In 2003 I was mobilized for a CONUS mission to Andrews AFB in Maryland, which was close enough to home for me to be at home Christmas Day. This is a little bit different. The vibe of Christmas, you can feel it a little bit. We have the day off, people are around their CHU’s all day since they don’t have to go to work, and it does feel like a non-work day. Of course, there were what must have been a few controlled detonations somewhere nearby, and waking up to them is something that makes one a little nervous. Anyway…

So, since I get to read the news everyday on the internet, I am trying to figure out how the country feels about this whole scandal with the CIA taping these abusive interrogations, then destroying the tapes. First, how it is that we as a country can have serious dialogue about torturing people just mystifies me. People who are self-proclaimed Christians are foaming at the mouth that we need to be torturing people in order to get information. Second, the fact that the CIA actually filmed this stuff, then kept it around for awhile, is a little strange. Why film it? To refine the technique? To record all the information, like a police interrogation? Who was the guy behind the camera, and what was he thinking? I can say that yeah, in the aftermath of 9/11, I definitely wanted revenge. I didn’t care about anything but retribution. The problem is that those days are long gone.

Let’s consider Afghanistan for a second. We are barely hanging on there; we are able to keep the Taliban and Al Qaida from taking control of the entire country, but neither we nor NATO have the force size to eradicate both of those elements from Afghanistan. Why? Because we have about 150k troops here in Iraq, that’s why. We went to war here because the administration lied, and our friends gave us the benefit of the doubt. Now, the truth is out, and the other military powers who COULD help--England, France, Germany, hey--what about bringing the Chinese into this?--don’t believe a word that the president says. And the countries who are here in Iraq are, shall we say, motivated by other incentives to be here. What do you think the Albanian Army brings to the table in Iraq? I’m asking myself the same question. The Macedonian Army? The Army of El Salvador? Well, maybe they can bring some counterinsurgency experience to the table, but frankly, what they fought is a whole lot different from the political environment here. The Ukrainian Navy is here, too. These forces are here in small numbers, so small they are frankly inconsequential. I don’t know how much money they get for being here, but it’s enough, I guess. The administration is using the US Army to pay for the house, and they’re using these little third-rate banana republic armies for the window dressing.

And what are the Democrats doing to get things right? Hmm. Not a whole lot that I can tell, other than playing the waiting game. I’ve said this before--they need to show some brass balls and present an alternative solution, one that doesn’t involve trying to force Bush to do what they want by cutting off funding for the troops. I still find it hard to swallow that they have been in charge of Congress for a year now and they’ve rolled over for Bush on all of this stuff. Bush is no Bill Clinton when it comes to his political skill, and the Dems are standing there getting pummeled. Something I learned as a young second lieutenant was pick and choose your battles--the Dems in Congress are picking all the losing ones. They look impotent and ineffectual.

And here Bush is, just whistling past the graveyard--literally--as he plays out the clock. Disgraceful.

I was going to try and upload some pics. That will have to happen a little later. I am having some "technical difficulties."

I’ll have some more very soon.

OUT