IN GOD WE TRUST LITTLE KNOWN TIDBIT OF NAVAL HISTORY
Old Ironsides
Got this historic email from Matt Vadney(ex navy man) just now had to post it,
IN GOD WE TRUSTLITTLE KNOWN TIDBIT OF NAVAL HISTORY…
The U. S. S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel,
carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers). However, let it be noted that according to her ship’s log, “On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum.” Her mission: “To destroy and harass English shipping.”
Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she efeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home. The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water.
GO NAVY
Recycled Soldiers, mission creep, nation building and the draft, is no burden to great?
Thomas Paine said, “Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism”. I, like a few of you, swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic more than once, and it is because of that oath and sworn duty that I write today. Dissent is not only my right it is my duty as a citizen of this democracy for without dissent we have dictatorship. A soldier’s duty is to go forward when others back away, to move into the line of fire when common sense and human instinct tell him not to. Our duty as civilians in this great democracy is to question why he is ordered forward in our place because the soldier cannot.
Back in 1985 my Regiment Commander told us something I have never forgotten, he said “As soldiers we are instruments of our nations policy, our duty is to make sure that that instrument is as sharp as possible when the nation calls.” That commander later went on to become Secretary of the Army. My point is that to be effective an instrument must be sharp, and cannot be overused, and we are overusing our instruments now. Remember those instruments are people not tools. In the 8 years of the War on Terror 300,000 different soldiers have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, how does this compare to past conflicts. Well in the 12 years of the Vietnam “Conflict” 3.6 million different men were deployed into the conflict zone. During the three and one half years of combat during World War Two, 16.5 million served in the Army for the duration of the war with only 15% ever seeing any combat. In Vietnam percentage of soldiers who experienced more than one 12 month tour was small and they were all volunteers. In the 1980′s I was trained by, and served with a few of these cats they were combat junkies who became addicted to the rush of combat like a drug. If we had never left Vietnam they would still be fighting today from wheelchairs if we let them, why because a good soldier doesn’t quit, he doesn’t leave his fellow warriors behind, his job is not to ask why it is to do or die.
Our politicians will say we have never had a more professional Army, and never has the Army been better equiped. That may be true but that’s not the issue here, the issue is we are sending men back for four, five, or even six combat tours. The issue is we are sending the same 300,000 guys into the breach over and over, the pentagon and the chicken hawks will spin it as a seasoned force consisting of more experienced soldiers, the reality is we do not have enough men in the Army or Marines to handle the multiple deployments and nation building we are undertaking. Did I mention the money? Do you know how much has been spent on the Military in the past 8 years? It is in the Trillions of dollars with a “T”. I have a team of people pouring over the annual defense budgets and the multiple “supplemental bills” for combat operations. Set the fiscal costs aside, what are the human costs of this never ending ground war in Afghanistan, Iraq and all points around the globe. Do you know how many men have been killed in combat and “non combat” operations in the past 8 years, how many have been wounded and not returned to duty? No, why is that? Because the government doesn’t want you to know, that’s the simple answer but the real answer is you don’t want to know what the costs of the Wars are in terms of dollars and more importantly in terms of lives and limbs. Do you?
What is the mission in Iraq today? Are we preventing the mushroom clouds, removing a dictator who kills his own people, eliminating terrorists, assisting Iraq in building a democracy, or just plain building a country from scratch after destroying it for no good reason? Who knows, the guys I talk to in Iraq have no idea what the mission is, they did in 2003, 2004 or 2006 but today they have no idea, none. How many men are still in Iraq? Why don’t you know you’re paying for it? What is the mission? They don’t know do you? Here is the thing, you don’t know the answers to these questions because you do not have a personal interest in the men or their mission.
Now, back to the main issue here, the Iraq and Afghanistan Combat vets will be the smallest group, by percentage of population ever to fight for our nation. In fact, more men were involved in Operation Desert Storm then in the entire war in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. My point, we are asking too much of these brave Americans, and it’s time to get them some help, it’s time to have the entire nation have a stake in these conflicts. Remember the 16.5 million Americans who served during World War Two, we defeated two Super Powers in less then four years and I mean defeated, total surrender and make no mistake Japan and Germany were Super Powers. Four years and sixteen million men to conquer the world and everyone pitched in everyone. After eight years, we are worse off in Afghanistan then we were after the 90 day Special Forces Operation to remove the Taliban in 2001 and early 2002. What’s wrong with this picture? How can it be fixed?
The answer is the one the Pentagon fears the most, the draft. We can resolve the entire issue by instituting a draft. Why not, if the mission is that crucial to our national security everyone should pitch in and the draft is the answer, an added bonus it will create jobs. Why not institute a draft, because if you have a draft you create a level of interest among the American people that the Pentagon doesn’t want. What? Seriously, if you have an all volunteer force, then only those who are part of our Nations military culture, and the poor who have no other option or voice will participate. The regular American family is not poor or part of the military culture thus they have no reason to care about what the Pentagon does or where they send the men under their command. The French figured this out long ago and as a result created the French Foreign Legion, as no french citizen can be part of the legion the citizens give a rats ass about what happens to them, and yes the legion is real and deploys everywhere for France. After the massive anti-war, end the draft demonstrations of the Vietnam era the powers that be decided to go all volunteer, not to improve the Army but, to make it easier to use. Now that the middle American family no longer worries about junior being shipped off to Vietnam, or anywhere else for that matter they feel it’s ok to send guys back into the breach again and again, after all they volunteered didn’t they? You see no one will protest volunteers at least not in large numbers, not large enough to matter. So if you’re truly concerned about mission creep, nation building, and running our Army into the ground tell your congressman to reauthorize the draft. It you won’t call your congressman to tell him to start drafting your kids then call him and tell him to stop sending other peoples kids, husbands, and fathers to fight for something you can’t support with the lives of your loved ones.
The situation is Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan and we are not, he is not in Iraq, Iran, or Afghanistan, but we are. Osama is not in some cave somewhere as you would like to think, he is living in a large compound with his entire entourage laughing at us. He knows that everyday he lives it is a victory, he knows that the demographics are on his side in the long run, he knows we are not fully engaged in this fight and he is. We can win this, but we can only win this as a nation united behind a cause that is just and our cause in Afghanistan and all places Al Qaeda operates is just. We the American people need a call to action and lets win this thing once and for all, and then bring our boys home.
The Religious Right, the American Taliban?
Religious fundamentalism is defined as a belief in the infallibility of holy scriptures, absolute religious authority, and strict adherence to a set of basic religious principles without any compromise. Some of the factors which turn people to this adherence to strict religious philosophy are discontent in the political system , as a backlash against globalization, a strict religious education, or a lack of trust in government based on law versus one based on scripture. These factors may result in a population turning to religious fundamentalism to provide those needs that the nation-state cannot. - taken from US Army Field Manual on COIN (Counter Insurgency).
While reading the new counter insurgency manual the applicability of the previous definition of Religious Fundamentalism to todays Religious Right was striking. For some time now I have teased my sister in Texas about the Texas Taliban in reference to the local intolerance she faces in the Dallas area, after reading the new counter insurgency manual I am not so sure that these references are not appropriate.
Take for example, the Texas Bible Literacy Law, a state law that requires public schools to incorporate Bible literacy into the curriculum. What is the next step, turning public schools in Texas into Christian versions of a Pakistani Madrassa? Well, not right away but that is the goal. How does this happen in America, well currently 4 states mandate Bible Class in public schools they are in addition to Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. As they didnt add an hour to school in these States what did they cut back on? Well the results are they cut a little math, a little reading, and a lot of science. Why teach the bible instead of science? What is so special about science that we should teach it to our young? Well science is not taught it is learned, the difference is science is a process of thought and that is why in the Madrassa’s of Pakistan science is not taught, because a scientific mind is a mind that questions not obeys. In the world of religious fundamentalists science is the enemy in the east and now in the west. What are the results of people not learning to question what they hear? Maybe we can find an answer in the answers to a simple poll question. “ Was President Obama born in the United States?
The results by region are as follows; WEST 87%, NorthEast 93%, and MidWest 90% respectively, affirmed they believe Obama was born in the United States of American. However, in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, less than 50% affirmed they believe Obama was born in the U.S.
My question is does a coorelation exist and if so how was it created?
What are the dangers of Religious Extremism, what are the triggers that turn a religious person from one of quiet religious study and harmless worship into a religious extremist capable of bombing an abortion clinic, becoming a suicide bomber in Iraq or Afghanistan or taking a shot at the President of the United States?
The American Taliban and insurgency.
Have no doubt that we are fast approaching an American Insurgency, Pete Sessions RNCC said so himself. - ”Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban,” Sessions said during a meeting with Hotline editors. “And that is that they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person’s entire processes. And these Taliban — I’m not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban. No, that’s not what we’re saying. I’m saying an example of how you go about [sic] is to change a person from their messaging to their operations to their frontline message. And we need to understand that insurgency is required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with.”
Still doubt that the religious right is fighting an insurgency against the US Government, or at least stoking the flames of radicalism? Lets examine Gov. Rick Perry (R) of Texas who recently made comments about secession, which is not only treasonous but down right idiotic. Perry was quoted as saying, “When we came into the union in 1845, one of the issues was that we would be able to leave if we decided to do that.” ” This was not spoken at some golf outing and secretly taped, this was from a prepared speech to a group of so called tea baggers! Tea baggers, are you serious that’s the best name you could come up with? Do you know what tea bagging is? Maybe they do and the joke is on me!
We all know that over the course of the past three decades the GOP has tailored its message more and more to the religious right, pandering to maintain a grip on power in the face of changing demographics. But what many of you have failed to understand is the tactical advantage the GOP and the religious right have, what? Yes, I said the tactical advantage, because the GOP began in the 1980’s with the moral majority not seeking national office but with local offices, none too small or inconsequential, from school boards to utility boards, while the progressives have focused on the White House and Congress, they missed the boat and now, in many states your children study the bible in public school. Why, because the school boards are dominated by the religious right, how did this happen ? Because they ran for school board and no else bothered to, why? To control the educational system under the guise of protecting children from radical science and crazy liberal ideas like evolution and geology. Recently, the radical religious right have opened museums that teach children that the earth is 6,000 years old and that man and dinosaurs walked the earth together, like the Flintstones! Seriously these people deny fact and do not accept the whole radial carbon dating thing, or any science for that matter, why because it contradicts the literal word for word translation of the bible. What was the Army definition of Religious Extremist again?
Wonder why our students are behind most of the world in science and math and your doctor is from India, well I bet he didnt study the bible in India I bet he studied evolution and science not theocratic dogma. The bible is a fine book don’t get me wrong, but no one, whom has studied religion at a non-fundamentalist school thinks the bible or the Koran for that matter are 100% true and should be interpreted word for word. Faced with these facts I have concluded that we, the men and women of reason need to begin our own counter insurgency operations today, not tomorrow, for tomorrow may be a day too late. So get off your duff and do something before it’s too late.
Reagan’s Missile Defense Triumph by Andrew Nagorski Washington Post
If Ronald Reagan was watching the news from afar last week, he had to be smiling. Not because of President Obama’s decision to abandon the planned deployment of a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. Reagan certainly wouldn’t like the political symbolism of that gesture — walking away from an agreement with two allies in Central Europe and appearing to bend to pressure from the Kremlin. As a partisan fighter, he would be in line with the Republican chorus of disapproval. Link to article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092403934.html
What can 46 million people do? Besides get health insurance, that they can’t do.
Forty six million people is quite a crowd and surely must have some power, to assist in demonstrating just how powerful this group of 46,000,000 people could be I needed an example. So I started where any American should, with an election; In 1996, forty-six million people were enough to re-elect Bill Clinton President, wow that’s a lot of power. So I looked at another election 2004, John Kerry and his fifty-nine million people were only enough for second place. So maybe forty-six million people aren’t really that powerful and we should just let them die, after all the rest of us already have access to healthcare. Rather then give in to my skeptical nature I decided that elections were not the best to look for the power of 46,000,000 people, so let’s try World War Two how many people did that take, well 16,500,000 Americans served in the Armed Forces during the war so I guess 46,000,000 could beat Hitler, then I thought what about the allies. Well Combined forces of Great Britan, Russia, and the US are roughly 47,000,000 with the Soviets having major record keeping issues, its difficult to get an exact figure, I am sticking with 46,000,000 people could take down Hitler’s Germany in World War Two, so maybe forty-six million people are powerful with the right equipment. But, M1 Garands, Sherman Tanks and P-51 Mustangs are all outdated and obviously not helpful in obtaining healthcare. So maybe, if 46,000,000 people could take down Hitler, they could get healthcare in the Good Ole US of A , err no because 43 idiots are preventing that from happening in the US Senate.
So why can’t forty-six million Americans who’s Grandpa’s could take out Hitler get health insurance? did I mention 43 idiots in the Senate? back to the war, what about those Germans who our grandpa’s kicked the shit out of, I mean we did win the war so they must be far worse off then us right? Wrong, there aren’t even 46 Germans who don’t have access to healthcare, they all get it, just like all the other nations who participated in the war heck, even the French who didnt really fight against Hitler all have insurance. Even though they quit the war early and we bailed them out again(see1918). Seriously the French dont deserve health insurance, they are French and what did they ever do for us? They did provide Naval and Military Support during the Revolution, oh. Well after the Revolution they didnt do anything for us, Napoleon actually sold us half of our country at yard sale prices. No, I mean after the Louisiana Purchase? Well to be honest they did give us the Statue of Liberty. I knew that, I mean after the Statue of Liberty, err, damn French fries! Ok, I give up, but they are still French all cool with the wine and cigarettes, they are all skinny and look like runway models so what if they have healthcare? We don’t need healthcare for all we aren’t Socialists!!!
Ok, so let’s get this straight, our grandpa’s have Medicare (government run healthcare) our allies in world war two all have government run health care, and even the guys who started the war and then lost all have government healthcare, what wrong with this picture? The whole world has gone mad with Socialism! So I guess forty-six million Americans today aren’t worth as much today as sixteen million were in the 1940′s ahh, inflation of course that explains it.
Socialism is not American, Social Security, Medicare, ok, stop that is all for old people, and besides we, the properly insured, in-order to create a more perfect union, don’t give a shit about people who don’t have insurance or even access to a doctor. Why dont they work or something? What they do work, and its my next door neighbor, no can’t be he voted for McCain he’s just like me!
Just think as we sit here on the verge on the largest and worse flu season in a century 1 out of 4 kids in your childs classroom will not have access to a flu shot, or a doctor if they get sick. Do you think that might cause a problem? No, of course not we got our flu shots already who cares if my 2nd grade sons best friend dies from swine flu because his parents job doesnt offer insurance or the plan they have doesn’t cover immunizations, I mean public health is not the insurance companies job, or mine it’s the governments. Are you a Christian? Would Jesus be against the public option?
What if Jesus had said I don’t want to pay for someone elses sins, let then get a job, leave me alone I have vacation time saved up and my PPO doesn’t cover crucifictions so I am out of here! Hmmm you are going to try all day to figure out how to make Christ a Republican, he wasn’t he hated politics and if he were here he would hate you for you selfish manner and simple politics. What if idiots didn’t run the world? Forty-three idiots in the Senate.
Descent into Chaos by Ahmed Rashid (My review)
Ahmed Rashid’s breakout book “Taliban” has long been required reading for those in the know and now we can say “Descent into Chaos” is even more so.
Rashid does a masterful job of detailing the complexities of Central Asia, its politics, tribal affiliations, history and its “Descent into Chaos”. If you have an opinion on all matters Afghani, Pashtun, or Pakistani you must read Rashid’s book.
Be an informed citizen and educate yourself on Afghanistan, read the history, read the military reports, understand the culture, and most of all read Rashid, if you’re interested in Afghanistan, the Taliban or the war and reconstruction of Afghanistan and Central Asia your perspective is incomplete without reading Rashid’s two books, “Taliban” and “Descent into Chaos”. The two works together will give you a basis for forming a position on the most important decisions our Civilization faces in the darkest and most mysterious place on Earth. No reporter, politician or citizen should go into this era uninformed, it’s that crucial.
Homeland Security Study cites Idaho Rodeo as Al Qaeda target? WFT
(originally published by Southwest Center for Counter Terrorism in June of 2005)
The latest is a long line of hilarious “terrorism studies” by so called experts. They are warning about Al Qaeda striking a Rodeo are you serious.
It came from four years of work and a series of mathematical formulas developed by Walter W. Piegorsch, Susan Cutter and Frank Hardisty whom have never been anywhere near the middle-east nor had a personal encounter or conversation with a “terrorist”. The thing is the returns for striking Boise are zero, sure a few people and some potatoes might get hurt but it would not cause fear and panic as most American’s can’t even find Idaho on a map. How much of our tax money wasted on this boondoggle, err if it cost more than a dollar we got ripped off again. The study obviously fails to take the other side of the equation into account, risk v reward. After the attack on New York, which caused huge financial losses and damaged our GDP. Al Qaeda would be a laughing stock if they attacked the Pro Rodeo Event in Boise, and knocked off a few cowboys and a Bull named Demon. While I appreciate the fact that people are trying, the fact is terrorism is not easy and the terrorists planners are not stupid. Most of the planners and masterminds behind Al Qaeda are highly educated, evidently they got better grades then people who funded and ran this study.
Seriously I want my money back, this study cost more than body armour for 400 soldiers, and for what a flawed study that fails to understand that the enemy is fear itself not some dude who wants to blow up a rodeo event in Idaho. If Al Qaeda has been reading this article, which I am sure they have they just crossed Boise off the list anyway. If you want to know what target Al Qaeda will strike at next, grab your wallets because it’s the economy. Osama and his Muj allies think that they bled the Soviet Union Dry and caused it to collapse ( they give Reagan no credit nor do I) not by blowing up the Moscow Ballet but by keeping a huge Soviet Army in the field for years at the cost of millions of dollars a day. This method caused economic turmoil in one Super Power(USSR), and led directly to political change which intern caused the withdrawal of the Soviets from Afghanistan. Lets call it the Saladeen-OBL model of how to defeat the Crusaders, it worked in then and if we don’t stop dropping $1,000,000 bombs on $1 mud huts it will work again.
So next time you read a study from DHS, look at the price we pay because we are living in fear and know that OBL and his crazy minions just got closer to the goal of breaking the back of the American Economy, and don’t be naive enough to think that he and his proxies are not trading in oil futures right now. While I can’t prove it, it is obvious that price manipulation is occurring, if you accept that fact then you must ask yourself who would benefit the most from this, the House of Saud, big oil companies, or OBL with a few million here and there can create immense profits for the terrorist network.
So grab your wallet and go to the rodeo, because Osama ain’t going to blow up Idaho, he doesn’t have to he is already winning we just dont know it yet.
Jordan Shay, Sergeant US Army Blogger, twitter ID regulargrunt (KIA)
Jordan M. Shay
In honor of Jordan Shay, who was killed in action in Iraq last week, I am posting a link to his blog, http://throughamberlenses.blogspot.com/ and his twitter account link, http://twitter.com/regulargrunt take a look and remember this young man who gave all he had for the people of Iraq, and I doubt they give a shit.
SHAY, Sgt. Jordan Michael Age 22 formerly of Amesbury died Sept. 2, 2009 from injuries sustained while on patrol in Iraq. Jordan was born April 3, 1987 in Exeter, NH, son of Holly (Foster) Shay and the late Michael Shay. Jordan graduated from Amesbury High School in 2005. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006. Jordan was a specialist who rose to the rank of Sergeant. He served in the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division based in Fort Lewis, Washington. He was serving his second tour of duty and was stationed in Baqubah, Iraq. He had been deployed on this tour just last month. Jordan was a gifted writer who blogged about his experiences in Iraq. Jordan enjoyed hiking especially at Mt. Ranier in Washington, scuba diving and golfing. He was also an avid Red Sox fan. Jordan was a loving, gentle spirit who adored his girlfriend, Kelsey, family and friends. He was also devoted to his platoon brothers of 5-20 in Ft. Lewis, Washington. In lieu of flowers donations to the following organizations would be appreciated: Pit Bull rescue organization “Villalobos Rescue Center” (P.O. Box 1544, Canyon Country CA 91386 http://www.vrcpitbull.com/) or The Wounded Warrior Project (P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517 woundedwarriorproject.org)
Jordan desribes himself and his situation as; Jordan is currently serving as an infantry fireteam leader in the somewhat infamous but downward spiraling 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment. He’s fed up with the Army life, but probably won’t be able to succeed in the civilian world anyway.
His last blog post;
The Promised “Real” Post!
The back ramp of the Stryker dropped to reveal a dusty, rundown Iraqi Police station in a nondescript Baqubah suburb. We stepped out of the truck onto the ramp, and took the two foot drop to the ground in stride. Todd took off for a walk around the compound; I motioned for the rest of our squad and followed after him. The walk revealed a typical IP station, a large walled courtyard surrounding an average size building. The courtyard was filled with trash, sewage, broken generators and spare parts to nonexistent machines.
Leaning up against the back of the building we discovered half of a rusted Russian heavy machine gun, and another piece of a Cold War era anti-aircraft gun. No big deal, except both weapons had been used against our company two years prior during the retaking of the city of Baqubah. Pretending this find meant the IPs were doing their job and taking dangerous weapons off the street and not that they were the average two-faced insurgents, we rounded the last corner of the compound and headed for the front gate.
Thanks to the hand-tying status of forces agreement between Iraq and the United States, American soldiers are not allowed to operate in urban areas without having the Iraqi Police or Iraqi Army present. Exceptions apply, but they’re few and far between.
By the time our squad had regrouped around the front of the building, our IA escort forces from outside the city had exited their humvees and stood around smoking and joking with each other. They were dressed in USMC desert fatigues, military body armor, and commercial tactical vests. They were also carrying clean weapons outfitted with modern American optics and flashlights. Apparently, Iraqi Army Special Forces are fairly well funded.
We passed them by and headed out the gate, since our absurdly strict platoon leader wasn’t around to stop us. One lonely IP stood guard just outside the entrance to the station. He remained rooted to the ground while we moved past him and out into the neighborhood. We figured he’d count as our Iraqi escort if someone important came along. Crossing a small lot with a few scattered cars and trash piles, a pack of four or five dogs picked up our scent and barked to alert the area to our presence. We held up at the far side of the lot, less than a hundred meters from the IP station. A group of kids had been playing around in the street, but had scattered as soon as we left the station. In previous years, that was a bad sign. Kids scattered and plugged their ears before roadside bombs detonated.
This time around, it’s a different war. “War” is hardly the word to describe the current situation. Anyway, the unit we’re replacing didn’t spend a single second of their tour mingling with the locals around this particular IP station. It had been months since the last American foot patrol through their village. They peeked around corners and out from behind courtyard gates. Families weaving around rubble and small rivers of sewage eyeballed us suspiciously, rarely returning a wave.
Two young boys crept closer, stopping about ten meters ahead of us. I motioned to them to come closer while Todd called to them in broken Arabic. Cautiously, the older of the two darted up to us. Todd pulled a pack of gum from his pants pocket and handed a piece to the boy, who looked confused but optimistic. Todd pulled out another piece for himself, and popped it in his mouth. The boy smiled and darted back to the safety of his house. When he stuck his head out a moment later, he was chewing happily and surrounded by a new group of local kids.
I motioned again to them, and a younger boy came running up over the broken bricks and dirt littering the street. I handed him a little pack of Sweet Tarts as my squad started moving back to the police station. He accepted happily and ran back to the house. I turned and followed the squad out of the neighborhood and back through the guarded station entrance, offering the lone IP a wave as he closed the gate behind me.
We walked up to the front of the building, wondering where our blundering platoon leader was. The Iraqi Army Special Forces soldiers were still lounging around, smoking cheap cigarettes in the scorching afternoon sun. Approaching them, they welcomed us with open arms and all sorts of broken English. Cigarettes were offered all around, we removed our helmets and gloves, and relaxed. The language barrier is always difficult to overcome, but through the few Arabic phrases I remember from my first deployment and creative sign language, we got to know each other. We examined each others rifles and pistols, resisted the pleas of the IA soldiers to trade watches and jokingly traded insults. An American private from Guam was played up as an Iraqi who forgot how to speak Arabic, and the sexual preference of all involved was questioned. Some things are funny to soldiers no matter their nationality.
A number of the Iraqi soldiers pulled out mobile phones with built-in cameras to take pictures with us. In true Iraqi style, they showed us pictures of their wives and children and poked fun at each other before finally settling down to pose for pictures. Todd took a few pictures with my camera, then moved into the group for a few more.
Our platoon leader emerged from the station a short time later, and ordered us back onto the trucks. We said goodbye to our new friends and loaded up into our Strykers. As our convoy pulled out of the compound onto the bumpy village roads, we offered the locals a final wave. Surrounded by young kids, even the parents waved back.
————–
It’s scary to think the few minutes my squad spent outside the police station interacting with the local kids, showing that we’re there to be friendly and help the Iraqis, and proving we’re not afraid to wander the streets alone may set the tone in KBS for the rest of our deployment.
Also interesting to note: According to the interpreter we had along with us today, the citizens of Baqubah (and most of Diyala Province) fear the men who wear the patch with the Indian head and star on a black shield (2nd Infantry Division.) When asked about 5-20 Infantry, they talk of the grey phantoms (rough translation) who appear in the night, move without sound, and rain incredible destruction down upon their enemies. At the same time, they praise our battalion for driving Al Qaeda out of their city, out of their neighborhoods, and out of their children’s lives.
We are respected in Baqubah. We are also feared. Our battalion has a fantastic opportunity to use these facts to our advantage and make a real difference before the withdrawal of all combat forces in the summer of next year. We made a difference in 2007, we could do it again in 2009. I fear we will not.
From Diyala Province,
Jordan
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