The Fledgling Grows

Iraq took another step forward, as we again hold our collective breath:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq regained full control if its towns and cities on Tuesday as U.S. troops pulled back, six years after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein. [snip]

"This day, which we consider a national celebration, is an achievement made by all Iraqis," Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in a televised address, as citizens drove around the streets with flags and plastic flowers draped over their cars.

"Our incomplete sovereignty and the presence of foreign troops is the most serious legacy we have inherited (from Saddam). Those who think that Iraqis are unable to defend their country are committing a fatal mistake."

I hope he's right. They have been given a gift at great cost to both themselves and the givers--I feel much the same as I did after they held their first post-Saddam election, full of sadness for those who died, pride for what has been accomplished, and hope tempered by reasonable fear that it could all be for naught.

With apologies to Mr. Franklin... They have freedom, if they can keep it.

[some great pics--just keep clicking]

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Bumpy Ride?

If you have ever doubted the instruction to pack your care packages for deployed troops as if they'll be handled by a bunch of gorillas... check out the condition of the boxes.

LA UNION, El Salvador (June 25, 2009) Postal Clerk 3rd Class Mark Gonzalez, assigned to the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), sorts mail during a port visit. Continuing Promise is a four-month humanitarian and civic assistance mission to seven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Comfort is scheduled to be in El Salvador until July 2. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Danielle Grannan/Released)

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Entrepreneurs

If you've worked with small businesses at all, you probably know about the "entrepreneur type." There's definitely a type, at least among the successful ones. They are focused, energetic, imaginative,bright and persistent. They do not take "No" for an answer. If they want something from you... they'll probably find a way to get it.

As part of my job, I am often giving electronic time and attention to various companies--usually startups--that donate to the organization or support us in some manner (usually that means web space, stories, etc). This puts me in touch with a lot of entrepreneur types, and I've learned that within that group of go-getters, there is yet a more intense sub-group.

This morning I actually started a conversation with the boss by saying: "Remember what I said about "Marine entrepreneurs?" Oh yes, they are definitely a special breed. Just read that first paragraph again, then overlay it with an improvise-adapt-and-overcome, never-say-die, relentless, complete-the-mission Marine mentality...

Good thing they're also unfailingly polite! And it helps that I love 'em, too...

However, they have one drawback: when you can't or won't give them what they so politely request, ignoring them doesn't make them go away. :P

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A Brief Letter to the New York Times and Friends

You short-sighted, self-focused, nauseating hypocrites! And believe me, that was the nice version of what I wanted to write!

If you want to think so highly of yourselves that you believe you are called to "tell the truth" regardless of the consequences, I can believe you to be simply misguided zealots. But you have now proven that belief misplaced. I am reminded of day after day of headlining news stories that endangered Americans...

"Flushing the Koran," which turned out to be false
Abu Ghraib photos trumpeted after the story was already out
Details about body armor vulnerabilities--with diagrams!
Haditha "massacre" trumped up on the flimsiest of evidence
Bush lied (there's a difference between being wrong and lying!)
Closeups of and other details of how American soldiers died
And on and on...

...as well as every single anti-military, morale-killing story that does nothing more than demoralize the US and make the terrorists think they have a chance of winning, which encourages them to keep fighting and killing Americans.

I was about to ask how you all sleep at night, but it's obviously you sleep quite well wrapped in your warm of blanket of provincial self-righteousness. For all your world citizenship, you obviously can't see beyond the ends of your own noses.

Update: Powerline points out the national security secrets the NYT intentionally spilled, endangering all Americans (IIRC, in at least one case President Bush literally begged the NYT not to publish the story).

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Major Funny

Yesterday I discovered Major Dad is now on Hulu. I thought it was funny back when it aired, but boy did I miss a lot! Between not knowing anybody in the military at the time and being a very naive teenager, I missed half the jokes and certainly didn't realize the subtlety of some of the humor and underlying messages.

I spent 4 hours yesterday literally laughing aloud as I watched the first 10 episodes--my face hurt! Oh, it's not pitch-perfect, but it's definitely funny. And things like the mix of idealism and humor in this this episode (where the Major is trying to get his sergeant to re-up) make me love it all the more.

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True Grit

Is there a more appropriate day to run this article than the Army's 234th birthday? Wounded soldier Erik Castillo embodies the warrior mentality applied to the stripped-down basics of living--improvise, adapt and overcome:

Five years have passed since he woke up drooling and paralyzed in an Army hospital with a coconut-sized hole in his cranium... [snip]

Castillo, she said, has succeeded at one of the most difficult things a human being can be called upon to do: create a new vision of the world and his place in it.

You really should read it all. You won't regret it.

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Knock, Knock

I think this means I'm back, but I'm not sure. I just know I needed to make that post above here. So, there it is.

I suspect there will have to be some redecorating--or maybe even some renaming--around here. We'll see...

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