Why Iraq is worth it.

I couldn't let this story go by; the little girl in this story is worth fighting for her to have a decent and free country. The story can be found at the BLACKFIVE site, but I'm copying it here so it won't get lost:
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Via Seamus, this email is a thank you from a Marine Gunnery Sergeant in Iraq. It was sent two days ago (12/14/04):

Just wanted to write to you and tell you another story about an experience we had over here.
As you know, I asked for toys for the Iraqi children over here and several people (Americans that support us) sent them over by the box. On each patrol we take through the city, we take as many toys as will fit in our pockets and hand them out as we can. The kids take the toys and run to show them off as if they were worth a million bucks. We are as friendly as we can be to everyone we see, but especially so with the kids. Most of them don't have any idea what is going on and are completely innocent in all of this.
On one such patrol, our lead security vehicle stopped in the middle of the street. This is not normal and is very unsafe, so the following vehicles began to inquire over the radio. The lead vehicle reported a little girl sitting in the road and said she just would not budge. The command vehicle told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and so they waved to her as they drove around.
As the vehicles went around her, I soon saw her sitting there and in her arms she was clutching a little bear that we had handed her a few patrols back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused and I got out the make sure she was OK. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved over and pointed to a mine in the road.
Immediately a cordon was set as the Marine convoy assumed a defensive posture around the site. The mine was destroyed in place.
It was the heart of an American that sent that toy. It was the heart of an American that gave that toy to that little girl. It was the heart of an American that protected that convoy from that mine. Sure, she was a little Iraqi girl and she had no knowledge of purple mountain's majesty or fruited plains. It was a heart of acceptance, of tolerance, of peace and grace, even through the inconveniences of conflict that saved that convoy from hitting that mine. Those attributes are what keep Americans hearts beating. She may have no affiliation at all with the United States, but she knows what it is to be brave and if we can continue to support her and her new government, she will know what it is to be free. Isn't that what Americans are, the free and the brave?
If you sent over a toy or a Marine (US Service member) you took part in this. You are a reason that Iraq has to believe in a better future. Thank you so much for supporting us and for supporting our cause over here.
Semper Fi,
Mark
GySgt / USMC

Sometimes, Nature is just a Bitch. Pray for all the victims, including these. 

How does America produce such troops?

I am constantly amazed at the stories about our troops in Iraq; their kindness, bravery and self-sacrifice that the Imperial News Media never seems to find interesting. Read this story about one casualty meeting Rumsfled; if you can read it without getting choked up, you are indeed a cactus!

Started another blog

I ended up starting another blog, primarily to focus on a non-political area. I happen to believe that planning for the far future is a necessity for society and space exploration is an important part of it. To read more, go to Space Troll

Lessons from two displaced people

In reading some of the Iraqi blogs, I came across an entry on Kurdo’s World that both concerned and irritated me. Because some Kurds are upset that the repatriation into Kirkuk of Kurds has not been actively supported by the interim government (which would involve removing various other Arabs from Kirkuk), there is talk of a possible election boycott by Kurds over this. I say this to those who threaten this boycott; grow up! Until you have an elected government, such relocation decisions could be construed as arbitrary. With the thousands of casualties the U.S. took (as well as our coalition partners), I resent such whining at this point that demeans those sacrifices and only serves to encourage the terrorists and anti-democratic forces.

I personally believe repatriation should occur and- at least to some degree- will occur. But- in the unlikely case it doesn’t- I would hold up two examples that both started in the late 40s and took two completely different directions.

The first is the fate of the Palestinians. These people were wrongly displaced- as much as a Holocaust payment as anything else- and forced to live where they did not wish to. Now, nearly sixty years later, the majority of the Palestinians still live in squalor, hatred for their displacement still consuming their lives and culture. The second- which occurred at about the same time- was the fate of the Nationalist Chinese (my wife’s people). The were driven from their ancient homeland to Taiwan, carrying very little with them. While they have never given up on going home, they did not let that consume them; they got busy and built up a society and political entity that is the envy of many. Their dislike of those that forced them from their homes and their yearning to return has not diminished; they just got on with their lives despite it.

Hopefully, none of the 14,000 Kurds will have to face the decision and should do everything legal and nonviolent to come to a constructive end. However, if some do not manage to (and- because the world is NOT inherently fair, it is possible), I certainly recommend the Taiwan approach over the Palestinian any day. One send their children off to become engineers, the other straps explosives to them to blow up coffee shops and buses.

Vanity Health Care

I find I have some readership on my site, so I guess I should to post more.

America has lost all reason in what it considers heath care. My son, several years ago at the age of 11, pointed it out best. While watching a program discussing prescription medicine benefits for Medicare, turned to my mother and announced ‘Now, all those 70-year-old men can get Viagra!’

Viagra, Cealis, Levetra, Botox, plastic surgery, gastric bypasses, hair implants, Ritalin (for 90% of the kids who are on it), etc., etc. We are spending many billions a year on what can only be referred to as ‘vanity medicine’. The amount we spend on this stuff probably would be enough to provide essential healthcare to half of Africa. A recent figure listed that 44% of Americans are on a prescription; how much of that is truly needed?

I have news for my fellow Americans: we do not need to have the sex lives of crazed jack-rabbits. Fighting Mother Nature via cosmetic surgery is an utter waste of great talent and resources. Botox??? Don’t people realize that stands for Botulism TOXIN and works by poisoning muscles?? Steroids?? Excessive Ritalin prescriptions and gastric bypass surgery fit in the ‘we’re too lazy to try discipline’ category.

And lastly, we men do not need a full head of hair; I myself have a shiny cranium. Of course, it is not due to hair loss; I would say I suffer from GFM- Gravitaitional Follicle Migration. The only woman who would run her fingers through my long, wavy locks these days would be a chiropractor adjusting my back :)

I, as a political conservative, defend the individual’s right to be this stupid; but that so many people spend so much on this junk is a sad demonstration of the degeneracy of our current society. And- most importantly- not one penny of tax money should EVER go for any of this. Will the Federal government make that logical decision when it comes to granting prescription drug benefits for Medicare? Hah! Don’t make me laugh. Medicaid money goes for Viagra now. You Americans remember that come April 15th (tax day for the non-American readers).