POT! Stories Too Good To Keep To Ourselves

Listening to a news spot on TV concerning the mental health of our soldiers and especially the idea that a soldier could have two positive drug tests and still stay in the military, reminded me when I was a soldier in Germany during the early seventies. Soldiers were smoking hashish (stronger and purer pot) with great regularity and I didn't even know it. A couple of them recently told me and we had a laugh, especially how they would come to see me, go to church-feeling good. Then, we turned serious since both are outstanding citizens, (one, retired cop, now a PI; the other, an economics prof at Ohio State) The question I had for them: do all drug users start with marihuana. Answer from them, They think: YES!!!!


As Californians will soon vote whether to legalize or not is a big issue. To be honest, I haven't had much personal experience with pot. I tried a little in Vietnam but nothing. For one thing, I've never smoked and think you have to have been a smoker to be good at it. I was "Bill" as in Clinton, didn't inhale. Then a couple of dozen years ago, I ran into an old high school buddy and he was into it. I tried a puff. Nothing.


So after a healthy discussion with some of my buds, one was convinced that a "brownie" was the answer. Since my buddy was pro legalizing, his thinking, "if you just try it, realize it merely relaxes, you'll see the benefits." So, what the hell! So, here I am with this brownie. Let's just relax, take a little bite, it's not going to kill you. So, a little chunk. An hour or so, nothing. OK, here's another chunk, bigger one this time. I'm sitting on the couch, suddenly, my head begins to hurt, my ears are burning. I stumble to the bathroom. My ears are blood red. I make it back to the couch and pretend to watch TV. The TV looks a little blurry, maybe I just think it is. I seem a little nauseous, where is the relaxing. Maybe the brownie was tainted or bad or something. No, it came from a marihuana dispensary. This is weird. I'm really feeling weird. Maybe I should call 911. What am I going to tell them, "I had a brownie." Dang! The feelings finally passed. I never relaxed. I flushed the rest of it down the toilet. Well, I can tell you this: I KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO VOTE ON THE POT ISSUE.


Was that really your experience of something you forwarded?

It reminded me exactly of my own experience. But mine was worse. You know I'm totally socially liberal and would let anyone do anything so long as it does not harm other people. But in the case of legalizing pot I would vote NO, for two reasons.

Reason 1 - A couple of years ago when I lived on Funston ave, I went to a party that some of my gay friends were having. They are all very decent normal guys, people I know and like and respect. One of them had made pot brownies. Now, I am not into pot or any other drugs (unless you count beer and wine, which perhaps I should). I had tried all sorts of drugs when I was in high school, just to try. They seemed like a complete waste of time and money and none made me feel particularly happy or interested or excited (except LSD - and I stopped that immediately because I actually liked it and I could tell it was pretty wacky stuff). I was offered a pot brownie at this party. My reasoning was this.... I am an intelligent adult person with good self control. I am with people I trust. Now what is this thing?... It is pot and a brownie. The brownie part is fairly innocuous. OK. And as for the pot, well, it seems like every high school student in the US seems to be smoking the stuff all the time, so how bad can it be? I had a nibble. Nothing. I had some more. Nothing. It tasted good though. I just thought I was immune. So I finished the thing. About 30 minutes passed. Suddenly I felt dizzy and my eyesight and hearing were wobbly. Then I started to feel anxious. I was taken home by Stacy (who was living with me at the time). I drank some water and sat on the bed and then I knew I was feeling very anxious. Then scared. Then very scared. My heart was beating wildly. I was doing everything I could to be quiet and look normal. I tried to tell Stacy what was going on. I tried to tell her I was scared. I could either not talk or only a whisper came out. Apparently I looked very funny because I was sitting bolt upright in bed with my eyes wide open clearly trying to smile but just looking very worried. I new what I wanted to say but I could not make my mouth say the words. It was just like being in a nightmare where you need to move but you are paralyzed. I believed at the time that I had permanently damaged my brain, that I would be able to think like a normal person but that I was forever trapped in this body not being able to talk or communicate. It was absolutely TERRIFYING. I eventually was sick and projectile vomited all over the bathroom. I swear the next day there were green chunks of marijuana vomit all over the bathroom, on the walls and the ceiling. And it absolutely reeked of pot. The next day I was fine again. Just weak and shattered. It was a very frightening experience. Now, when your brain is swamped with unusual foreign chemicals that alter the way you perceive reality, subvert your ability to talk and even to reason, that's a pretty serious physiological event. It's not something that I feel I would ever want to experiment with again. The brain is a pretty tough piece of hardware, but it is not indestructible, and if you damage it enough it will not recover. The lethargy, paranoia, and inability to focus, concentrate, or truly be engaged in life that I see in habitual marijuana users is a powerful deterrent to me. And the experience I had makes me think that any brain, including mine, could be vulnerable.

Reason 2 - I used to live on Funston and Geary, just around the corner from a marajuana dispensary, next to the electronic music shop. I got to see the people who used marajuana. They were not old people with glaucoma or people going through chemo. They were almost 80% young punks in souped-up BMWs and kids in Escalades. None older than about 25 and all clearly disafected, agressive and insecure looking - clearly not nice people. Aaout 20% were just stoners, between 25 and 40. Just long term drug users. Hopeless flotsem and jetsom of society. I would see some of them sleeping in the buishes along Park Presidio. This is not the sort of character development we want to encourage.

I think this stuff should be illegal. It's bad for the people who use it. It's bad for society that has to deal with these people, and it enriches people who are parasites.

Adam

From your experience, pot would not have to be illegal.....people who would try it the way you did and experienced the same effects, would be" innoculated" from further use......and those who found pot to be enjoyable would be able to do so without penalty.... so far, I have not heard of even ONE DEATH from the use of pot.....but we have heard of many deaths attributable to other legal drugs like alcohol...... Accordingly, pot should be legalized......

Afghanistan and Vietnam: Sorry Wars

"We will continue to face huge challenges in Afghanistan, but it's important that the American people know that we are making progress and we are focused on goals that are clear and achievable." The President


What American people is he talking about? I would say, "the American people who care." Here's one who cares and I trust his comments.

I've been to Afghanistan more than 35 times; mostly in secure areas but on the borders a few times. It is all tribal in the worst sense of the word. 85% can't even read or write. However, we have done more for women in these years than ever before and from what I understand, except for the Taliban, the fathers in the villages want their daughters to be educated. If we stay it will be a 25 year odyssey, a generation of struggle. The whole country and Pakistan too in these areas lives in the 10th century.

The latest "Time" is pretty dismal about the prospects for women in Afghanistan if we leave. I don't think we should leave,relatively speaking, just get the conventional forces out of there. Leave Special Ops. We've got drones, protect the population centers and just keep fighting the Taliban. And give the women a chance.

I doubt it can happen because our political system won't allow it. Think Vietnam. In Vietnam, the South at least had the semblance of a legitimate democratic government. But , we couldn't see it through and who knows, as it has worked out, maybe the best thing. I don't see that in Afghanistan. For instance, in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh only had nationalism as his goal. In Afghanistan, we don't know what the hell is Karzai's agenda, his brother, tribes, clans: who is on who's side. It is a colossal mess as we have tried to make sense of it. We can't!

At the very least we ought to allow for a very liberal immigration program for women. The picture of the 18 year old on the cover of Time is pretty disturbing. To give the country back to a ruthless, ignorant bunch of fanatics mired in the 15th Century or earlier, is unthinkable. And, now we have had 10 Aid Workers killed by the Taliban. We don't know the circumstances yet but whatever they are, such a loss.

WHY HISTORY MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Even if it doesn't teach anything: think Iraq and Afghanistan.



It was on this day in 1964 during a speech in Congress that Senator Ernest Gruening of Alaska said, "All Vietnam is not worth the life of a single American boy."

Senator Gruening gave an impassioned plea before the House on this day, urging them to oppose further escalation. But the next day, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing expanded military action in Vietnam. Ernest Gruening was one of only two senators to oppose the resolution; the other one was Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon.

POIGNANT COMMENT FROM ONE OF THE GIRLFRIENDS

I'm heading South, to the land of Huey Long, aka The Kingfish! I'll be eating oysters, shrimp po'boys, and pecan pie, might even try some white lightnin'. New Orleans will be hotter than a $20 pistol on Saturday night and the humidity will make a gator wilt. We're leavin' Thurs early am. Thanks to United's great service, we're flyin' thru LAX,changing planes, arr. NOLA midafternoon. Jan and Lauren will be doing wedding dresses, deciding,etc,etc.
Capt will be visiting folks, Austin's kin folks,etc. I'll be jogging only in the early am. I haven't found a swimming pool yet in all of NOLA, and that's after 11 years of looking, no less. So much for a healthy city. No wonder everybody is 50lbs. over the limit. I'll ret. Monday, but, won't make breakfast until WEdnesday.
Y'all take care, say a prayer for the late Senator from Alaska, Ted Stevens, lost in a small plane crash on the way to a fishing lodge with a few pals. Not easy in bad weather, as we know.
Got a call today from an old USMC classmate from OCS. He's published a book telling the story of all our classmates who were KIA in RVN: 42 out of about 400 who served there. He researched all the records and it seems to be a creditable job as a tribute to those who didn't return. One of our class who is in the group was an Australian citizen, born an raised. Seems he was the most difficult to profile, not much family. He was shot down and MIA. He told me a story that cleared up a mystery: on Christmas night, '67, our company hit the bush to look for a missing Marine Pfc. who didn't return from a night patrol w/ his squad. Evidently he was captured and held a prisoner in Cambodia only to die there 2 years later! Sad. That was a long night for us, in the rain, in the paddies, in the dark: Vietnam.
See you soon,
Capt.

TRIP TO North Carolina

Thought you guys might like this. The South is still the South but what the hay. The best example of the overt difference of the the trip yesterday on the way from NC to Spartanburg, SC. I went through a stretch where I took a little toll road. I was handing my buck to the little blond toll taker and she said in that sweet syrupy southern voice, "Thank you very much. We appreciate it." This has lost a little in translation but imagine the GG or Bay Bridge toll taker. We are talking the finger. God bless and God bless "'Merica."

F...THE TRUTH

The media is always interested a story and not the truth. And, for the life of me, I don't see why we can't get it. Well, yes I do: most who watch TV or even read print media don't take the time to be discerning with questions like, like "where is the truth here?"

The latest bruhaha about the USDA female fired over remarks made 20 years ago, now discovered to be taken out of context and video doctored. An example of how media outlets will do or say anything for a story. They don't give a damn about truth and they never apologize. Assholes and sorry MFers is all I can say.

A REAL HERO

In life, rarely do we find ourselves in the presence of someone that we can genuinely call hero. Hero is so banied about in our culture that it is downgraded somewhat. Still, I give it special meaning. I think I get what most are meaning. Most often we hear hero as related to soldiers and rightly so. Why not? But there are heroes and then there are heroes. Warren Chan is a true hero. He didn't just do his duty, he personified his duty by soldiering in a rare way.

I've read somewhere that the WWll combat soldier was in actual combat seventy days. The average for Vietnam combat soldiers was something like 200days. For Warren, it was like 365 days. If he ever came out of the field, I don't know when it was. Let me just kind of spell itout. Warren goes into the Army during Vietnam, is assigned to an infantry unit in the 101st Airborne Division. One would almost have to get into the psyche of the 101st and the country to understand what this means. Vietnam is building up. The generals want more troops. The 101st is training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. They are a proud Division (about 16,000troops). At that time, one of two Airborne Divisions in the Army, the other being, the 82d Airborne. Warren, possibly the only Asian American in the entire Division, surely in our Battalion (1/501sr Infantry)He is sent to jump school. He's a paratrooper.

The 101st deploys to Vietnam. The 1st Brigade is already over there. It is just before Christmas and of course as we now know, just before the 1968 TET offensive which many believe was the turning point of the war. Warren, of course, is thrust into this. He becomes the RTO (radio telephone operator) for the D (Delta) Company Commander of the 1/501st Airborne Infantry battalion. From that time forward, Warren never leaves the field. He is essentially in combat every day. During that period, he sees his platoon leaders wounded or killed, to include his company commander. At one point because he is the ranking person alive, a Sergeant E5, he literally is in charge.

Here's a good story. All his life, Warren has had a speech impediment. In elementary school, through High School, he goes for therapy. Slurring his rrrs according to him, hard for people to understand him. And, of course, this brings me to something that makes me smile. Here you have Warren, hard to understand, what does the Army do? You got it! He is given a job where he talks on the radio constantly. I guess saying "over, out here," maybe doesn't require oratory but there are times... Anyway, his commander, Captain Holland, multi-toured Vietnam leader is his CO (commanding officer). It is a 24/7 thing as they are together, Warren is monitoring radio traffic. They are operating in the AO (area of operations) when they have contact. The Artillery FO (forward observer) calls in for the 105s (artillery guns) to fire. They catch a "short round." (a round that falls on their position, rather than the target). Captain Holland gets hit, a sucking chest wound. Warren realizes what happens and calls for a cease fire. Theys say at first, they can't understand him. Of course they can't. He is excited and this makes his impediment worse. He prays according to him, "please God, I have got to do this. His speech impediment disappears. "Cease fire, cease fire." They understand him." The firing stops. He calls for a medivac. In the meantime, he is on top of Captain Holland applying pressure to his chest wound as the blood is pumping out. The medivac can't come as they have been taking fire, (VC shooting at them and the Medivac is worried that they will get shot down) Suddenly, a General in a Command and Control helicopter who has been monitoring the radio traffic tells them to "pop smoke" he's coming in. He does and they load Captain Holland aboard. He lives.
NOW, WARREN CHAN IS CAN BE CALLED A HERO.

VIETNAM WILL NEVER BE OVER

The Vietnam war ends. 39 year anniversary. I don't think so. In a real sense, it isn't over. On PBS, Jeffrey Brown interviewed the author of
The Things They Carried. It wasn't very satisfactory to me. No
comments would have been comforting, however. I don't know exactly
why. Tim O'Brian gave some innocuous answers about war. This isn't
criticism of him although it sounds like it. He actually is going
around talking to kids in schools about war, his book. It sounds like
some good responses from the kids.

The sour grapes are mostly my fault. I want someone to raise hell, to
say what war is all about. How governments make stupid decisions and
then try to justify them. It is not that war in Afghanistan or Iraq is
not a noble effort at least in theory but it is stupid. And, without
going into a rant, let us lament the fact that we lost 58,000 plus
Americans in Vietnam and accomplished nothing but the scars we still
live with. Let me hear the argument that we have accomplished
something in Iraq. There's almost as much chaos as when we invaded.
American deaths are way down as we have moved out of the cities but
with great regularity, thr people are being killed. They are
struggling with the government after no clear cut winner in the recent
election. I'm still skeptical that we'll be able to get out clean. In
Afjghanistan, we are operating with the best strategy to be successful
I think. The only caveat: in Afghanistan 20 years for it to possibly
work. No way. So, this ex soldier ain't celebrating the anniversary of
the ending of the Vietnam war.

PTRAEOUS AS MAGICIAN

Give me a break! If there has ever been any idea that Congress is a
bunch of brainless politicians in denial of any semblance of reality,
the 100% confirmation so quickly of General Petraeus has got to be it.

After listening to his statements about the future of Afghanistan, I
am personally aghast. He could not make it any plainer. There is no
end in sight for Afghanistan. And, to think that reasonably smart men
seize on something like, "artificial deadlines."

This is bpth stupid and weird. Petraeus says things like, going to get
worse before it gets better, expect more deaths, going to take years.
WHAT! We are locked into a strategy that with just a rudimentary
understanding of the difficulties, makes the idea of winning so much
worse than even Vietnam, I shutter. You have to be kidding me.

I don't even want to sound out my "crying in the wilderness" views of
Afghanistan but any way you look at it: a fast tract to nowhere. I
hope and pray that Petraeus is not believing his press releases already.

SELF FULFILLING PROPHESY

I sure as hell hope not. I am no apologist for the president but admit upfront that I am a Democrat. Mostly out of honoring my Dad. He would turn over in his grave if he thought any of his boys were Republicans. This from a man convinced that FDR saved the world. really consider myself more of an Independent.

So, these polls predicting the demise of the Democrats fit in that self fulfilling prophesy. You say something long enough, then it becomes true. The polls, which I hate, are predicting a takeover of the Congress. What! Where the f... are peoples' heads. Don't they remember the Bush years: (I voted for George W. The first time): two wars, an economy
in shambles. Where are the heads of this crowd polled. I'VE NEVER BEEN POLLED.

I do think that for some odd reason, polls are more true than not but here is a time when individual Democrats need to turn this "mother" around. Those of us who try to be objective, the kids and others who elected Obama need to get off our asses. And, keep guys like the president's press guy, Gibbs, from almost conceding defeat. Who in the f... wants to return to where we were.

Personally, I think we expect too much out of a president. He is our leader but most of what goes on in the country is out of his hands, i. e., Unemployment is high. It is hard to know why, indicators are that we are recovering. We want to think the jobs will be back. Maybe, maybe not but it isn't the president's fault.

What is baffling to me is why would people turn to yesteryear which was disastrous. HERE'S A VIEW, people who have these really entrenched views, mostly the Fox News types. Even when presented with the facts,
i. e., jobs created through the stimulus, they can see construction work being done, statistics back it up, they still stick to their views. There is nothing the President can do to turn them around. A University of Michigan study says essential the same thing. What I would like to see happen will never do it. The Individual Democrats should make their mantra: our first priority was that we did what was good for the country, i. e., a stimulus package to get people working, health care for all Americans, etc. And, if that is not good enough for you, f... you very much.

Actually, Afghanistan is a war of choice
By Ian Welsh

Michael Steele's comments on Afghanistan remind me of my favorite definition of a gaffe: "saying the truth in the worst way possible." To wit, Steele said that Afghanistan is a war of Obama's choosing, and that everyone who's occupied Afghanistan has come to grief over it. Now one can quibble a bit over the details of who came to grief and who didn't, but basically he's right. Afghanistan went badly for the Russians and the British, most recently. There's a reason Afghanistan is called the "graveyard of Empires" and if the US isn't careful it'll be the graveyard of the US empire.

Likewise, yes, this is a war of choice for Obama. He could have done his review, said, "Hey, there are almost no al-Q'aeda fighters in Afghanistan anymore, so we won, let's go home." He could have said, "Fighting in Afghanistan is seriously destabilizing Pakistan, which is far more important than Afghanistan, so let's go home." He could have said, "Yes, if we leave, some al-Q'aeda camps might spring up but we can always bomb them and anyway there are plenty of failed states where al-Q'aeda can set up camps and we can't occupy all of them."

The point is that continuing in Afghanistan was a choice. Obama could have chosen otherwise. Not being in Afghanistan will not create an existential threat to the US.
So yeah, Steele was right. Of course, being the RNC chairman, Steele isn't allowed to say things that make sense and contradict Republican warmongering. Now here's a truth that Steele didn't tell.



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MY REACTION TO THE ABOVE ARTICLE


I like this. And, I think there is much truth. I've had what I have believed is a solution all along, that fits politics (which cannot be escaped); Steele should have been pushing it: leave 20-30,000 Special Forces troops in Afghanistan, fight for the population centers, use it as a training ground. (We spend millions of dollars a year training all the Armed Forces in desert warfare at the National Training Center in the deserts of California) Allow for a very liberal immigration policy to the US, especially for women. You'd have to do that to satisfy the politics of it. Guys like John McCain have gone "round the bend" I think and sound exactly like Vietnam but not much choice as politics go. And, unfortunately, Steel is no MLK who had the moral ground to publicly condemn the Vietnam war. Fortunately, too, he had all these draft dodgers (and this isn't negative but the draft obviously made it easier to protest--dodging bullets in Vietnam is not the same as protesting in Berzerkly). I hope Steele doesn't resign and he has "color" on his side. The guy has withstood financial scandal and so hang in with this. Make them fire him and he can be a martyr.

A PACEMAKER RUINED THEIR LIVES

A really good article, written by writer who lives in Mill Valley,California was recently in the New York Times. The basic gist of the piece had to do with an issue that faces so many: declining health in later life and the sometimes intransigence of the Medical Community. The writer told how a pacemaker ruined the lives of her Mom, herself and two brothers. The pacemaker had a 10 year battery life while her dad had strokes, dementia, would nor die and docs would not remove it. Heart kept ticking. Sad but most difficult thing and implied in this article was the profit motive for the doctor and the medical community. It showed the importance of having a well thought out and specific Medical Directive and a physician that would agree to abide by it.

VICTORIA AND A MEDICAL DIRECTIVE

Victoria had a simple faith and philosophy which was wrapped around
being reunited with her brother Fred, who died in a plane crash on his
last flight before receiving his aviator wings; her beloved retired
military father (WWl) and her devoted mother. Toward the end,
Victoria's life was linked to this goal. Consequently, she was
determined not to remain on this earth longer than neccessary. To her,
as her body gave out and her activity level decreased, i. e., she had to
give up driving--time to go. At this point of her life, having every possible
contingency in a Medical Directive was beyond important. She made sure her physician would adhere to her wishes and he agreed. And, when it
was time for her journey, Victoria met her goal. God bless her.

A WAR STORY

Our unit in Nam was operating in a free fire zone, (nobody suppose to be there, meaning, Vietnamese). Along beside this stream was a few little huts. It had been raining like if you ever saw Forest Gump, rained so hard it was sideways, about as miserable as you can imagine. So, at night, it was quite a treat to slip inside one of these huts and get a little sleep. The huts had almost no roof and so the rain poured in but still, something. Some straw was on the floor. It was about three in the morning and I was awaken by something on me, you guessed it: a rat and not a field mouse either, something like a small cat. For whatever reason, I was calm as a cucumber and remembered that several of our guys had been bitten and had to take these gosh awful tetanus shots or whatever they give you for possible ravenous rat bites: had to take them in the belly. I turned my head to the side and there was a platoon of rats, they were in a line to walk across me. Would you believe that I lay there and they all walked across and I didn't get bitten. Should I put this in the miracle category.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

On Talk of the Nation on NPR (National Public Radio), I listened to a
program about Muslim Women wearing the habib I think it's called,
covering the head. They had some women on who heads (no pun intended)
some organization of supporting women who cover, etc, then some twenty
something Muslim who was covered, very conservative and wearing it was
a great dedication to God she allowed. Then we had all these women
calling in. Some Mormon types wearing a special type of underwear,
both men and women. Then some young Pentecostal female called in
telling about her devotion to God by justifying it all with Scripture.
She wore long dresses

I was doing OK listening till all this "prooftexting" of the Bible
started. Prooftexing is taking a small portion of something and
applying it to a broad princrple. The "prooftexer refuses to accept
the whole scripture: that which comes before and after.

As a person of faith, this proof texting doesn't do a thing for me.
Religious people can do anything they please but for goodness sakes
don't try to justify what you are doing by prooftexting the Bible. The
radical Muslims do it by the use of the Koran. I don't know the Koran
but I do know the Bible. One big difference in radical Muslims, I
guess, is they have moved to violence. Christians in modern times,
other than the occasional abortion idiot, are not running around
trying to kill people. Sorry, I digress.

Prooftexting the Bible shows people's ignorance I think. The Bible is
a wonderful book and I believe it. And, as my seminary professor, Dr
Boyce, use to say, treat the Old Testament, as Wisdom literature,
meaning great stories. But, arguing the Bible is mostly a waste of
time for thinking people unless you simply agree to disagree. My
advice, stick to the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are
about what Jesus said and did.

HELEN THOMAS-An I con

What the f...Helen Thomas, 89, is authorized to say what she wants.
Just kidding. Nobody really is! But, talk about an over reaction. Give
me a break! If her remarks are the worse thing ever said about Israel,
they are damn blessed and that is saying it mildly. I support Israel.
Us Southern types are raised with the adage, anybody who f...s With
the Jews are eventually going to get it. But what the hell. Helen
Thomas is a news icon and this a piss poor approach by the political
correct police. Robert Gibbs calling it reprehensible is taking himself way too serious. And, the rest of the press. Talk about Hull Defolade (couldn't be found). Are they scared of Israel? Nobody is immune or should be from taking a few hits. Helen, over the top but come on! The Prez ought to have said, "Helen, this is a bit much and you know better." She is 89 for God's sake. What the hell, lighten up.

A FAST TRAIN TO NOWHERE

As we begin to apply the Counter Insurgency Strategy to ridding the
Taliban in what most believe is the most important spot in
Afghanistan, Kandahar, I've become more and more convinced that very
simply we need a Soviet style solution. Get the hell out.

Talk about a long shot! F...here is just one little piece taken from a
great article in NY Times, titled, Kandahar--a better title would have
been, Back To The Future. And the reason?--the reporter arrives in
Kandahar to witness, "a young widow forced into marriage with an
elderly man is being taken to the main mosque and stoned to death, by
one of her own children, among others, for alleged adultery with her
husband's 38 year old son."

And, does any thinking person, outside the "can do" military generals
labor under any illusion that we can reconcile our culture with one
mired in the 15th century. PLEASE. Give me a break. Evidence after evidence indicates that under the best scenario, Afghanistan is a "fast train to nowhere." Forget all that bullshit about embarrassed/shamed if we get the hell out. If we
continue to be this stupid, we might be the mext to get stoned.

THE NON VIETNAM VET

It is always a little HUMOROUS to me when someone claims to have served
in Vietnam but didn't. For at least ten years after Vietnam, we didn't
talk about Vietnam. It wasn't that we were ashamed of what we did but
we weren't stupid either. For almost some inexplicable reason, the
general public somehow identified us with the ills of the country,
made worse by Vietnam. So, what did we do? Kept our mouths shut.

To be honest, we simply did our duty. Next case. And, time does some
crazy things, at least in my view. Serving in Vietnam has become a
kind of badge of honor. "I am a Vietnam vet" became in vogue.

I was absolutely intrigued. Vets were coming out of the woodwork. And,
suddenly I would see guys claiming to be vets that simply made me
smile. The homeless guys who were drugged out were putting Vietnam vet
on their signs--Please help. Vietnam vet. Many were too young to be
Vietnam vets and, the old guys were getting mileage out of it.

Now, of course, we are getting guys like Blumenthal, a politician from
Connecticut embellishing his resume. He went from a six month Marine
Reservist to a combat vet. Now, trust me, that is a leap. What do vets
think about it? We are all over the map. For me, I could care less. I
did my duty, served my country, survived. Other vets are not so kind.
They range from calling Blumenthal a sorry MF to lying SOB to typical
politician.

Here's what I've noticed about non vets. When I talk to them,
regardless of what they say, there appears to be some sort of
underlying feeling--a major singular event of their lives happened and
they missed it. In a sense, maybe this "missing this singular event,"
regardless of the reason, is behind the "wanna be" types like
Blumenthals' lying. Let me give Blumenthal a little comfort. Vietnam
was a "sorry" war and you didn't miss a f...... thing! Still, you
shouldn't lie.

BRAVEST WOMAN IN AMERICA

The World Affairs Council is a forum for various individuals of note
to speak and promote their positions, usually with an accompanying
book. Recently, my wife and I, along with friends, attended to hear
Hersi Ally. Here's the short version of who she is. She wrote a book,
Infidel, a very good memoir, where she confronted radical Islam
attitudes toward women. When I read it, I thought "this is going to
get her killed." She has now written one called, Nomad, which I
haven't read but will. From Somalia, she escaped a forced marriage,
went to the Netherlands, eventually became a member of paliarment.
Made a movie, condemning Muslim treatment of women. Gus Van Gogh who
produced movie was killed by crazed Muslim for insulting Mohammed.
Eventually, she resigned from parliment, mainly due to politics and
eventually made her way to U. S. primarily because we could protect
her. Good for us.

To me, Ally has become a singular voice for facing up to radical
Islamists throughout she world. She made several points in her talk:
one had to do with our failure to confront and condemn Islam
radicalism. For instance, we have no trouble condemning Christianity
and she used the Catholic Church as an example. The press has been
merciless toward the Church whereas they tread lightly in condemning
Islam for their various practices centered in the 15th century, i. e.,
stoning, beheadings, mostly centered on the various interpretations of
the Koran. No trials, hearings, nothing. We look the other way. She
called it a type of naiviety. I would say, it is more of the American
"political correctness." Very complicated in a sense and often wrapped
up in our insane and stupid politics. Ali also zeroed in on American
Muslims who are untiring in their efforts to defend Islam as opposed
to honestly discussing the faith.

I've become a big fan of Hersi Ally's bravery in speaking out. I
didn't feel that she got the chance to be as honest and forthright as
she wanted to be at the WAC. The moderator appeared to be way
overboard in wallowing in PC herself.

It was obvious from the audience that we were a friendly and
appreciative crowd as we gave her a standing ovation. To me, she is
now an American treasure. I hope we are protecting her with an
intention that befits her.

**Ruth, this is beyond sad. Talk about Vietnam revisited. I get so frustrated because to me Iraq and Afghanistan remains two parrellel stupidities that make us realize over and over that we learned nothing from Vietnam. And, this young family as well as your own sacrifice made me know that noway can we say it is worth it. And, yet our pain seems to be oblivious to the powers that be. I read just today something I already knew but brought it back again. Nixon became the president on the idea that he would get us out of Vietnam. At that time we had about 17000 dead. Four years later, there were 58,000 dead. So much for keeping promises.



You know I feel so sorry for the families who are losing their sons, husbands, uncle, cousin...who ever to this war because they will get a certain amount of sympathy, care, concern and attention to distract from the fact that their loved one is never coming home. But after the pom and circumstances they are going to be alone, very alone and they will be confused as to why no one else cares while they are still during with that pain. That pain will soon turn into anger and eventually they will learn the truth that our government only sees their loved one as an acceptional loss of war and soon people will stop coming around and calling as they need to get back to their own lives, something the family will never be able to do. Yes...when it is suddenly all silent again the realization will set in.....your loved one is gone and no matter how much you wish.....he is not coming back. Then many years from now they will pull out of these countries like they did in Vietnam and you will have to search for a good reason your loved one give their lives to their country. There is no closure in losing loved ones to a death so violent in war.....there is just a very small amount of acceptance. Those of us who appreciate those who have lost their lives or have been wounded or have half their heads still partially at war and partially at home, we are so few that it is hard for them to see us. The glory to sacrificing for a war is short!!

Today I was just talking to my sister how Irag and Afghanistan is a repeat of Vietnam and how our government has learned nothing from it, only the families have. I was also disappointed to see the story of this killed soldier was number four on the news list and it did not even make the ten most read stories. How can we teach others what war is truly like, where is the media when all these soldiers are coming back with missing limbs, post tramatic syndrome and the large suicide rate. Bottom line....how do you make people care!!!
Ruth

And, Ruth as usual, I would like to use them. Afterall, in a sense, that is the eccense of where we are in our country, how do we make people care? Well, let's face it: we can't when less than one percent of our population's making the sacrifices. Sad. Plus, there are many, regardless, don't give a damn for anybody but themselves.

**Ruth's brother was killed in Vietnam

The Things They Carried

This is one question from Tim O'Brien's, author of The Things They Carried, interview in the book section of the SF Chronicle.

Chronicle. If one updated the contents of their rucksacks-the things they carried--it seems the soldiers you wrote about could in many ways be serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. What parallels. would you draw?

Tim O'Brien's Answer. They're carrying cell phones, and they're in much greater contact with the outside world than we ever were. I felt utterly isolated from anything having to do with family, civility, decency, events in America. However, the soldiers' combat experience in Vietnam seems eerily similar to what the men and women are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq. They're civil wars, who's your enemy, who do you shoot at, who do you kill? No front, no rear, no uniforms, inanimate land mines blowing you up. And then there are the echoes that are more meaningful to a fiction writer, the echoes of some mom In Dubuque holding her dead kid's clothes in her arms as she watches him go into the grave. Is it worth that? What is being accomplished that is worth that Mom's grief?

WINGNUTS

The latest bunch of "Wingnuts" are some group of idiots demonstrating at fallen service members funerals. They are upset that gays are not universally condemned. What insensitive MFers. Their asses should be kicked till their noses bleed. Now a group of motorcycle types want to show up at the funerals and do just that: "kick some insensitive butt." Have at it is my view. Then apparently some judge in a free speech sense, said the father of the slain Marine who sued and lost had to pay legal feels of 19 thou. to the idiot group interrupting his son's funeral. Bill O'Reilly is paying. I've never liked O'Reilly mainly because he invites people on his show and then insults them, I thought. However, with me, he's now won bigtime points. I'm taking him off the "Wingnut" watch lists.

IN AFGHANISTAN FOREVER

On NPR recently, I heard a Twitter type talk to several GIs in the
101st Airborne who are about to deploy to Afghanistan. They are
playing soldier in a mock situation, probably back at Fort Campbell
where part of the exercise means playing an Afghan soldier. We had the
same thing during Vietnam. These mock villages where we were suppose
to kind of "get" the process of war. It didn't happen for us as we
viewed the mission as search and destroy always. It is what war is.

It was almost comical listening to young soldiers from the 101st.
Soldiers acting out what they thought Afghans would do. I think they
"get" it--at least what they are suppose to be doing. However, even
in these "play like" situations, making this work is like impossible,
not to mention stupid. Soldiers have rules before they can fire, etc.
For instance, they can't go into a suspected insurgent house where
possibly civilians are without an Afghan soldier with them. I can
understand in a way: the military wants to avoid what happened with
the 101st in Iraq, now a book called, Death Squad, where soldiers
experience a massive breakdown of the chain of command and killed an
innocent family. Sad and could have been prevented, possibly. War is
hell.

What the powers that be simply either don't get themselves or are in
denial. A strategy of unconventional warfare and in this case, counter
insurgency will work, given enough time. How much time? Years and years. In Afghanistan, I would say ten more years minimally. Are we willing? No, I don't think so. Our political system will not allow for it.

VA IS A PUBLIC OPTION

I still don't understand some of our retired military brethren. I mean here we are, you and I and all of them, the recipients of free health care, and as far as I'm concerned it's socialized medicine. And some of them are recipients three times over - Tricare, Medicare and VA. Well, that's a pretty neat deal. And frankly I'm glad I have access to all that health care. But you know what, it ain't free. All of us taxpayers are paying for it; those who served and those who didn't. I think that's socialized medicine. Of course our brethern will say, "but I served, I earned it, it's been promised to me." I don't deny that. But what's wrong with extending these benefits to all citizens in some way or another? To me it's a very selfish attitude. I've got mine and screw you. I don't want to have to run the risk of paying more taxes to include you in a universal health care system. Oh yes, and especially a universal system in which a few undocumented aliens might slip in. WR, Col., Ret

BRAIN WASHING OUR TROOPS

Just can't seem to overcome this feeling of dread I have. I mean it's not ruining my life of anything but I just can't escape the feeling that things are not well here in the US of A. People are too polarized and some people have way too violent tendencies and some of them are totally wacko to boot. And then you got Palin stirring the pot and Limbaugh and the other guy on Fox whipping the throngs to a frenzy. Those guys make me so mad. They have nothing invested, no responsibility, no requirement to get anything done for the good of the country and yet people, many of them apparently, think the sun shines out of their butts. Did I mention that Limbaugh is a druggie (I'm sure he still is) and Palin is a quitter? Why anyone would take any of these people seriously is beyond me.


You don't spend any time around military facilities but I do. Disturbing. You can't go to any public place that has a TV set on Fort Rich or Elmendorf without seeing Fox News. It's everywhere - BX, commissary, medical clinic, hospital, gas station, food court etc. Our military members are getting brain washed. I need to figure out a way to do something about it. The other day I was stuck in a clinic for some reason and the guy from Fox News was on (I hope you know who I mean; just can't think of his name right now). He's nuts; stark raving mad foaming at the mouth nuts. wr, Col, Ret.

A BROTHER REMEMBERS A BROTHER

When Danny finished high school and left for the army, we were still paddling pirouges in the bayou. Danny and I helped my daddy make a living, fishing, hunting and trapping. We were poor and didn't even know it. We all knew how to work hard.
My life paths has took me to places I didn't know I would ever be at. I went to work for the Desoto Parish Tax Assessor about 26 years ago. When he retired, I was elected, and have never had an opponent since. The Lord has richly blessed me.
Retirement is coming up in the next year or so.

About 3-4 years ago, I started trying to find out what happened to Danny. It probably took that long before I could even talk about it. Until then, all I knew was that he was in the 101st airborne. Didn't know what unit he was in. I have found several men that did remember Danny. One of them was injured the same day, with AK47 fire to his shoulder that left him permanently disabled. Brother, Steven

Vietnam

What I remember about Vietnam that hits me right away. After an operation, we would come into our FSB (fire support base) and would have these great barbeques. It was a great bonding time. Of course, we didn't call it bonding. They were guys that were watching your back and you were watching theirs. My main bonding buddies were my squad members, about ten of us. I remember one especially from Texas. We called him Mex. I don't know why. Everybody had a nickname. One of my buddies died not long ago. He was one crazy mf. Did you see,The Hurt Locker? Reminded me of the guy from that. To think that I made it through is sometimes overwhelming. I was just a nineteen year old kid when I went into the Marines. After High School, I had beat around, trying things. Nothing clicked. I had a low number in the draft and knew I was going to get drafted. It was in my future and I kept thinking, I've got to deal with this. And, to be honest, think about it. I'm a kid just out of High School going to City College, mainly to look at the skirts. I'm in San Francisco, the most exciting city in the hemisphere. Gays were just beginning to show up in the City then but I could have my pickings and was having the time of my life. My Mom and Dad and sisters were always after me to settle down. They didn't want me going to Vietnam. I kept trying to tell them that I'd probably stay right in San Diego or something. Right!!!! LG

THE TWO WARS WILL BE A LONG TIME HEALING

The returning vets of our two present wars are going to be vastly different that what we've seen. Just being in the country is probably enough for PTSD. The flip side of the coin is that lifestyle in Iraq is so different too, living
conditions, that sort of thing.


I talked to a psychiatric nurse for VA one day this week and she laid
out a scenario like I had not heard. She said that VA has to try and
authenticate claims like PTSD while at the same time provide support
and that these guys are so on top of tweeter, social networking things that literally, they can spell out their needs and entitlements more
than those like herself who work for VA. It is estimated, at least I
read this: one out of every two Iraqi/Afghanistan vets will require
some kind of assistance from VA.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

I get my health care at the VA and often question my decision because it is a choice. I do like to "smell soldiers" is my figurative line. The vet population is quite interesting to say the least. First of all, many of them are simply screwed up--various reasons. For instance, I think combat solders all suffer some degree of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). In fact, everything I hear and read about the present crop of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan is that they will be the worst ever for PTSD. Not that they literally have experienced more combat but they are more aware; with constant media, an assess to all sorts of information, it is a kind of fulfilling prophecy: you are going to have problems and so consequently you have problems.

Hypocrites

Hypocrisy is a big time thing in the current so called Healthcare debate. Part of the problem is simply the old, "don't confuse me with facts, I have my mind made up." Let's take but just basic examples--those who are retired military or the Congress--think public option The retired military, certain civil servants are already lined up with VA (Veterans Administration) or another program called, tricare and so these people don't have the motivation to care much about the 45-50 million Americans who don't have health care. Plus, none of us should ever forget that the Congress has a great health care plan and they don't have any real incentive to pass a healthcare bill that covers all Americans. It is much easier to hide behind tax issues and the cost. None of us really know that anyway.

To answer a specific question. It appears to me and from the experts (not on Fox News of course) that Switzerland has the best system. It is universal health care. When they first voted on it, it barely passed. Many of the same arguments then in Switzerland that the recalcitrant Republicans here, with a great healthcare plan, are making, I might add. Now, 10 years down the road, the Swiss almost 100% endorse what they now have.

During the Olympics, we heard several specials on the Canadian system. Most seem very satisfied although a Republican during the "summit" did run out the fact that some Canadian minister came to the U. S. to have a heart value replacement. The bottom line in this sorry mess is that everybody has a lobbyist: the docs, insurance companies; everybody but the poor and the uninsured. Let's face it, many Americans are a bunch of hypocrites like Congress and talk about how awful what the Democrats are doing when we are sitting out here with great insurance paid by the taxpayers and not wanting the mostly less fortunate to have what we have.

WHAT WAR IS WORST

Probably, those3 who serve think their war is the worst. It surely is when they are in it. Some chaplains recently weighed in at my request. The Question:

Compare the Army now and when we were in during the late sixties and early seventies.

It was worse in the sixties and seventies. I stopped taking my family to movies on post because of vulgar and racial stuff, not to mention violence. I looked out my office window one Sunday afternoon and watched about 30 blacks with clubs wade into a group of whites. Our Bn Cdr issued cheap cameras to soldiers throughout the Bn and said just take photos and I will sort it out. He did, too, calling soldiers out of formations, showing the photos, then sending them to the brig. I first wore a clerical collar then, thinking that with it I might obtain a bit more respect and safety. The priority of assignments was Vietnam and a lot of what Germany got was bad stuff. Also, I met an NCO that had made E-6 in a bit over 12 months, promoting to fill slots with what was available. He was pretty sharp, but definitely not sufficiently experienced to be an E-6. Ch (Col) LH, USA. Ret

GOD BLESS THE TROOPS

The first time I saw Victoria I'll never forget. Her big yellow Cadillac was perched at the top of the hill by the Post Chapel at the Presidio of San Francisco. A big American flag streamed from it announcing two remarkable women. Over the years, I'd often see that flag flying in the breeze, always with the same authority. That day, Victoria merged from the car along with her Mom. She walked slowly, a pretty severe case of osteoporosis. Her Mom held to her as they made their way to the chapel, under the canopy and into it. They sat about two thirds back. I would see them every Sunday.

Presidio was what us paratroopers called a "leg" post. Most military types thought getting assigned to the PSF (Presidio of San Francisco) was a dream assignment. Not me. I had arrived dragging my feet. My original assignment was to 7th Special Forces at Fort Bragg. I actually was leaving my all time favorite assignment, the 82d Airborne Division to take the Special Forces. It was a natural progression for a macho, egotistical military officer. I don't know how it happened that I was now at PSF. My good friend and boss at the Presidio, a Priest, says he didn't engineer it but I was skeptical. I was one of the few SF trained chaplains in the Army. It seemed in my own mind, I had sacrificed and taken lots of risks to get Special Forces qualified. It involved a gruelling training regiment, culminating in a jump into the the very unknown Uharrie Forest with an m60 machine gun strapped on my back. I was going to Vietnam to a Green Beret unit but when I got to Vietnam, I got siphoned off to the 101st Airborne. it turned out to be a great assignment not to mention a great ministry. This should have taught me a lesson. The only reason this has any relavance is my gloomy mood thinking that Victoria and her Mom, Esther, were now my parisherners. Quite a change from the paratroopers of the 82d Airborne. I was so stupid. Every Sunday when I came out of the Chapel, her Mother greeted me with, "could do that thing you do." I smiled and gave her a big HooAhhhhhhhhhh, the paratrooper yell. She roared with laughter and it pleased Victoria so.

I didn't know it much then but came to realize later on--these two were the epitome of patriotism. Red, white and blue coursed through their veins. Victoria was always dressed to the "nines" with three pins on her blouse or jacket: an American flag, her WAC (WOman's Army Corp.) one and another in the shape of a flag with the words, "I pledge Allegiance."

The Post Chapel was the second oldest building on the Presidio, a dynamic historical chapel with these gorgeous flags of units that served at the Presidio hanging from high cathedral ceilings. Plagues adorned the walls as memorials to the decorated and famous military and the not so famous. It was almost like Victoria and her mother were born for that chapel. Victoria loved one story of the memorial plagues I told her and she repeated it often to almost anybody who would listen. A former Chief of Chaplains (Major General) came to the Chapel and replaced his former wife's name on the Memorial with the name of his present one.

Victoria's family was military through and through. Her Dad was a military man, retired with the rank of Major. They were stationed in Hawaii, Utah, Fort Benning, and other "postings" as she called them. He was in WW l. They lived for a long time in Seattle and put down roots and somehow made their way to San Francisco where Victoria became a 4th grade public school teacher. They lived in this really nice apartment on Nob Hill and she and her mother spent their time riding around the Bay Area and hanging out on the Presidio.

The Presideo was a big part of Victoria and her Mom 's life. They were a familiar site at almost every single event that went on: the chapel, the club, ceremonies, change of command. Someone said to me one day, "Who is that lady with the other older lady?" People remembered them because Victoria was beginning to suffer a little more from the osteoporosis and walked slower but always with her Mom on her arm. Must be somebody important. "Of course, I allowed."

For the vast majority of their lives, Presidio of San Francisco was a hard charging military Post with active duty soldiers and a first rate teaching military hospital. Victoria took it personal when anybody had the audacity to call the Presideo a base as opposed to a Post. And, when the "powers that be" decided to close the Presideo, Victoria again took it very personal and never forgave them, whoever "them" might be.

The love of Victoria's life was her brother Fred. Fred was pretty remarkable I think. He was in flight training in Southern California, preparing to be one of the Army Air Corps's finest. Victoria was herself a WAC (Woman's Army Corp) stationed in Virginia. She was a clerk and waiting her turn to go overseas. It was WW ll. Her Dad was an Artilleryman and was somewhere in the Southwest. All were "ready" to ship over to the big war.

Victoria never figured what might possibly happen. She got the call in the middle of the night and could describe it in intricate details--how the "Charge of Quarters" came to get her. She fell to the floor. Fred had crashed and been killed. It was a training accident. He was on his final check-out flight before he got his wings. Later on he posthumously got them. Fred was dead. Victoria could not believe it.

The funeral, the time of grief, all ran together with life. A war raged on in Europe and Japan had attacked us. Fred was dead. Here's where the story of Fred takes a turn, especially in Victoria's mind. There was an incident when her mother went to get Fred's personal items. Someone whispered to her, Victoria thinks maybe the Red Cross; "Fred is the 4th one to die in a similar act. We think maybe sabotage. A German sympathizer is suspected of sabotaging Fred's plane and the crash was the direct result of his actions." It was a blow to Victoria. The details and follow up to such a heinous act disappeared in the mist of war.

Years later Victoria wanted to clear it up. She travelled to LeMoore Field where the "act" occurred and talked to people. She joined the Aces Organization which kept her on the edge of those who had been fellow students of Fred. Had he lived, to her, no doubt he would have been an Ace (pilot that shoots down at least 5 enemy planes). She actually located some who had flown with Fred. Over the course of years, Victoria steeped herself in the history of these contemporaries of Fred. Along the way, the sabotage story faded and for Victoria, a kind of nostalgia set in. She could cry and did often when she talked of Fred. Her apartment had pictures of him everywhere--the correspondence concerning his death was stacked in numerous piles.

After Victoria's Mom's death, the actual beginning of our personal involvement with her began. She kind of fell apart, as there was literally no one to help. My wife, stepped in and took her under her wing (Jackie is an angel) so to speak. I got the commander to authorize her continued access to the Presidio and especially the Officer's Club where they hung out and were fixtures.

Victoria moved into the Sequoias, a retirement center. She continued to be a ubiquitous presence in the Bay Area, developing a cadre of good friends and driving that big old car around. Flag flying. She and Jackie made trips to Europe, numerous ones to Washington, visiting Arlington Cemetery and the graves of her Mom, Dad, and Fred.

A few weeks ago, Victoria had a heart attack. After her attack and subsequent hospital stay, she returned to the next level down at the retirement center. In the Health Center, Victoria had a small room as she would hope to gain strength and return to her apartment. The room had a nice TV but Victoria decided it was a place for the pictures of her family and mostly of her beloved brother.

Victoria died recently. The pictures of her family are still up. God bless Victoria on her journey. HooAhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

IS A SINGLE AMERICAN LIFE WORTH IT?

Ruth, I love to hear from you. In fact, I read an article today that
reminded me lots of you. It was about Peg Mullen whose son was killed
by friendly fire in Vietnam. In fact, she died this year and the NY
Times profiled her along with many others who died last year. I found
it really a little strange those they did profile. And, here is
something equally as interesting: the first time I ever heard about
her, I was a student at the Command and General Staff College at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas. I was hiding out in the library and picked up
the NY Times Magazine and read this story about her. Her son was
killed in Vietnam and she had been turned into a peace activist. She
wrote letters to politicians, the president who was Nixon--at that
time, there were only 5000 or so Americans dead. Four years later, it
was like 50,000.

Part of her belief or somebody's was that the government started
classifying many deaths as friendly fire as they did not have to be in
the total of all killed. I did not know this. She actually took her
son's last calculated paycheck, bought an ad in the paper and used the
background in the paper as all the soldiers killed in Vietnam from
Iowa with a white cross representing each soldier.

It was sad to read of her death and her grief. One thing resonated
with me especially. She lamented the fact that she didn't do more to
keep her son from going to Vietnam. What are your thoughts on this?


I am not sure war is worth even one life when you have to live with the pain of losing a loved one. That pain does not get any easier as time goes by, when they talk about "time heals all wounds" it is not true...at least not in this case. The parents of all those men are at the age where they are all passing away now and I hope they can find some peace where ever the next deminsion is. My heart aches for those who had to live with their loved ones as MIA. Could there be anything worse in not knowing or the dying of hope as you sit around and wait for years and years. I still believe those who are so call "running" this governent should have to have their children be number one to draft into war and then lets see how willing they are to get into wars we have no right being in. Iraq is another joke. They have been fighting for 100s of years and we are suppose to go over there and settle their problems with our soldiers. It reminds me of this friend I have and she was tellling me how her son was going to join the Army and I told her she should talk him out of it. She told me that the Army promised her he would not go to Iraq. I told her don't trust your government. And guess where he was sent.....Iraq. And she worried endlessly for a whole year and told me how awful it was. I just don't understand how anyone can kill our presidents but we cant find one guy named Bin Laden. Couples can make it into the White House through security and we still cant find Bin Laden. Our so called "security" at the airport still lets a bomber get through. We have a president that is half white and half black and yet we say he is a black president. He gets a Noble Peace Prize for doing his job when that little old lady who saved so many children and had both legs and arms broken because of that doesnt get one. The pilot who brought the plane down safely and landed in the river was not a hero at that point, he was a very kind person who had been a hero to everyone all his life but it took something like landing in the river to show all what a kind person he is.....he is a person of my country not my government, you can tell he has always been a kind person.
Gee.....I guess I have done a lot of venting in my last two emails...LOL I am not bitter as my emails sound just expressing how I feel sometimes.
Ruth


On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:23 PM, wrote:

Ruth, see you got the article. Interesting inasmuch as I wondered if your own view has changed. As we look back on Vietnam in terms of history, was it worth one soldier's life? I don't think so. It is a dilemma as soldiers (and I see this with the guys in Iraq and Afghanistan), have to believe what they are doing is right and worthwhile. We can't fault them for that but we have to fault our leaders for putting them in harm's way.

www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/magazine/27mullen-t.htm

WHAT'S IN A BOOK TITLE ANYWAY

I forgot to tell you that Alan Nack was in the hospital in SF for chemo infusion to help him in his fight against pancratic cancer. Carole (his wife) said that while she was waiting to checked out their books and she started reading your book, "Pistol Packin Chaplain." You will remember them from the church, their kids Christopher and Jonathon. The boy's father used to come to church with Jonathon.

HOW WE DIE

A great article in the NY Times: Hard Choice for a Comfortable Death: Drug-Induced Sleep. If you have hung out much in nursing homes with relatives or friends, watching them struggle in their last weeks, days, hours, waiting for death, you want to read this long and informative piece. It talks about something I'm very familiar with--we use to do "help people die" all the time when I was a hospital chaplain at Letterman Army Medical Center on the Presidio when Letterman was a full scale teaching hospital. If you understand hospice, they essentially do relatively the same, which I think is great. They simply increase the morphine and the terminally ill, who at this stage are not with us, other than still breathing, slip into the terminal sleep. According to the article, it is called terminal sedation, a treatment that is already widely used and as the article says, "vexes family and a profession whose paramount rule is to do no harm."

What is different about this article is that for the first time, at least as I've seen, the medical community admits that they do this and even talk about cases and drugs they use. Two popular related drugs are ativan and roxanol (to calm the patient). These two medications often lower blood pressures which may be more a product of the dying process than the drugs.

The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine has endorsed "palliative sedation to unconsciousness." The fact that we are talking about it is pretty remarkable. Is this euthanasia? I don't think so. How about helping the natural processes of life take over, which include dying. Politics and zealots have unfortunately entered the fray, not much to do about it. What irritates me is that most of the zealots have no "skin" in the game. Only the families do. So, us paratroopers would say to the zealots, f... 'em.

We all die and so to figure out how to do it as easy as possible is no small thing. Recently, I read about a doc, A Stone Freedberg, who is an example for us all. He made it to 101, quite surprising to him. His genetics weren't good: father died at 75and Mom at 60. And, get this, in 1939, the year I was born, Dr. Freedberg discovered a remarkable truth: ulcers were not caused by stress which was widely believed. At the time, he was forced to move on by his boss as the finding was more or less a theory. 70 years later, two doctors won the Nobel Prize for discovering the same thing. The good doc might have wallowed around in self pity. Not so. He went on to have a remarkable career and life. When he was closing in on his final days, he even catalogued his organ shutdowns for a friend. And, when death was at the door, Doctor Freedman said, "It is time to draw the curtain."

We simply don't do a good job of helping people die. There comes a time when someone is not going to get better, they are not going to recover so why not make the end the very best we possibly can. What is fascinating to me is how reticent people, even professionals, are to talk about the end of life. Why? is always confusing to me as we all die and yet is understandable.

Seeing folks at the end is so sad, most in their 90s and beyond. You would think that these "front burner types" who've lived long and rich lives would simply be "ready" beyond any doubt to hit the trail so to speak. Not so as the denial of the process is a big factor. A doctor friend of mine told me about his mother, 92, well educated, had lived a beautiful life according to him. He was convinced that when it came "time" she would opt for the, "no extraordinary means." Shaking his head still in disbelief, she allowed exactly the opposite, "do everything you can," she said. "I want nothing spared to keep me alive."

Presently, my wife and I are doing all we can to prepare a loved one to die because it is what she wants. After a debilitating heart attack, the now 89 year old's once vibrant life has been reduced to being almost helpless with wearing diapers which, for her, is the height of indignities. If anything happens, "no extraordinary means or anything else to keep her alive," are her wishes which she repeats constantly. God bless her and more power to her. I'm going to sign off with a HooAhhhh for her Mom who use to love this when I did it for her at the chapel and pleases Victoria no end. HooAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

RAMBLINGS on the day after Xmas

I am refusing to say Happy Holidays. I think we have gone overboard in the PC category. Christmas has become a cultural holiday, I think: for whatever it's worth, fine with me. And, to try to avoid saying Christmas is uncool, at least to me. So, I hope you had a Merry Christmas.

Some asshole in San Fran objected to a star on the top of a Xmas tree. The guy looked like he needed a decent meal or maybe had too many and naturally the media gave him lots of coverage. Oh, I just thought, Happy Boxer Day for us Brits Actually I'm Irish, does that count? Somebody is probably somewhere objecting to that.

Now somebody might object to me using Xmas but the X is the Greek symbol for Christianity. Speaking of Greek, that great leather jacket, Andy, went to the Church candlelight service the other night. People were constantly telling me, "that is a great jacket."

OK, I know you are hanging on every word, so here's the last subject, As I was messing with one of my blogs this morning, I had this thought. "It is nice to have the fantasy of possibly one of the GFs actually reading what I have to say." The fact that it is an illusion, still I am "playing like" as we say im NC, one of the buds might be. One advantage to this personal jabber is that nobody interrupts. Who knows that anybody ever reads anything. I did quiz Larry and he actually read Brothers. I was astonished.

According to the Airborne Press counter, about a hundred people a week click on the link to "breakfastwithmygirlfriends." And, what I put on the blog is not some of the good stuff like considering whether being called a "low life moron" is more civil than MF. I am sure what the "guru" meant to say is that he occasionally thinks there are moronic views, not that the person is a moron. I personally like MF better. It has a kind of melodious Buddhist chant feel to it. (I think I've said this before).

What I try to put on the blog is more useful stuff/opinions (I hope) like the 16th chapter of Revelations which sounds like the predicting of global warming. Just kidding but it does. If I was a fundamentalist and could write a book about the 16th chapter of Revelations, all the fundamentalists would feel guilty unless they bought the book; they would then flock in "Sarah Palin numbers" to the Christian bookstores who had been given huge discounts by the publishers to stock the book; the fundentalists would buy one or several copies. The fundamentalist preachers would start teaching the book in their churches, requiring all members to buy one or more copies less the Holy Spirit strike them down, thus increasing sales. And, I could get super rich, maybe get a megachurch and make all of the GFs deacons with a nice salary. I'm going to think about that. If I got a megachurch, some of you might want to run the church restaurant or other businesses of the church that God has directly appointed to be successful We could actually have a theatrical production and one of the GFs could play the role of Jesus driving the money changers out of the temple. Of course, there is only one GF fitting for that role, Malnekoff, as in Michael. God would make us such legends in our own minds that we could buy "The Raintree" and have our own restaurant with the little pudgy Hispanic waittress. We would have to get a Greek to be in charge of the menu with some "eyetalians" handling foot traffic.

Comment

Your frustration over whether the troops are brainwashed ("they have access to the same information that we do") is understandable but these are volunteers who have signed up out of economic distress or other motivations and expect to be put in harms way....so, as a coping mechanism, they have to throw in completely to the mission's "rightness"....the only way that this lemming outcome could be checked is to initiate the draft again.....then , those non volunteers i.e. draftees, would definetly question the "rightness" of the wars, of course, within the bounds of military law....there would also be mass demonstrations like there were against the Nam War... until the whole society has a direct stake in the wars, there will be no such questioning of the "rightness" of the wars....Freedom is not free but a great majority of our society is not being asked to share directly in the sacrifices necessary to maintain that freedom....it's like Rome asking mercenaries to fight its wars as the Roman masses became lazy and undisciplined which was a basic reason that the Roman Republic came to an end.....there has to be a sacrifice sharing expectation in our society to maintain the necessary vigilence over our Republic and our freedoms.....until the time that this comes to pass, we are in the same danger as the Roman Republic was before its fall..........It's Wake Up Time In America ! ! ! !
Sam D.

An Alternate Universe

Based on our discussion yesterday when a few actually appeared to be listening, here's another thought with you hanging on every word, naturally. One thing that bothers me no end are the things like I related that I saw on TV, a soldier being interviewed in Afghanistan, talking about missing his daughters, sadness, the wife and her sacrifices (ignore the fact that both were overweight--I'm slapping myself for even mentioning). Anyway, he goes on to say, "we are doing such good over here. These people need us and depend on us." And, here we are, out here in the hinterlands reading, watching the news and thinking, "what and who is he talking about." I feel bad that I am thinking this way as I know from having been at war, you have to believe in what you are doing, it is your job. For Ray, not to put words in his mouth but his view was that he was focused on his little niche, that which was right in front of him. The right/wrong strategy if it didn't affect his men had little impact on him I think for Larry, going on patrol, making it back in one piece, left little time for cogitating your navel. For Hank, dropping his ordnance and firing up a few black pajama types and getting back to his Filipino servant left little time for world events. All that aside, have our soldiers been brainwashed? Is it the type of soldier we have enlisted? What? They have assess to the same media we do. Dang, this really bothers me.

BROTHERS

For those who haven't seen Brothers, here is my review. Some
plagerized from Karl. Brothers is one of those movies that I
expected to have trouble sitting through. However, it really wasn't. I
think that mainly I had read so much and talked to those who
had seen it that I was not the least bit surprised. The brothers, one
the epitome of the good son and the other a perpetual "F..." up.
However, they loved each other. The theme of the movie had already
been done in The Valley of Elah. War simply plays hell with the
warriors. Tommy, the n'the well younger brother shapes himself up when
his brother Sam is killed in Afghanistan or they think he's dead. All
the while he is being tortured and eventually forced to kill one of
his own. I'm not giving away too much because even this had been done
before.

The toll on families is a given. Natalie Portman, playing the wife is
very good. Jake Guillenhau(sp) and Toby McGuire are also very good but
one of the small daughters stole the show. Her facial expressions and
attendant actions overall are simply precious. A good movie which
should, along with many war themed movies, have more impact but not
so. In Brothers, the movie never really hit on any opposition or even
asking any sort of the basic question of "why are we there" The one
brother did mention IT briefly but moved on. Being a good Marine was more
the philosophical tone. There are so many more themes that are lightly
touched which could have been fleshed out but not in 2 hours I guess.
For instance, Sam Shepard, playing the straight arrow retired Marine
father, Vietnam vet, tries but wrestles with his own demons and mostly
fails.

A last view. Why are these movies not box office successes? My view:
the 50% of the American population that "thinks" is in bigtime denial
that we are in two unwinnable, untenable wars which are draining us in
every single way. Thirty five percent of our fellow Americans don't
think at all: they support a position such as war and having their
minds made up, also prefer denial. The other fifteen or twenty
percent are simply "out to lunch." They don't care one way or another
and take little or no interest beyond their own narrow limits. And,
they don't go to movies, not war movies anyway.

HE'S BACK, HE'S BACK

Yes, Ted is back as in Ted Haggard, the former pastor of the Colorado mega church. Think, you will remember him? He was the voice of family values and the darling to right wing fundamentalists until he was caught frequenting a gay masseuse. The preacher went from a host of microphones, TV, and so many attendees on Sunday morning, they had to go in shifts to disgrace.

Haggard in his return, has closed in on a space close to his old stomping grounds. The Lord probably spoke to him to locate close to his former flock. On his first appearance, so many came that they had to move to a barn. He's back and like Jim Bakker(minus Tammy), probably a TV show is to follow. With Bakker, I actually watched a little of his show one night: same old stuff, selling a dream. Send in your money. And, they are. Redemption is a big issue with people of faith, along with forgiveness. But, it seems to me that the "faith" might be better served if these guys would keep a lower profile. Forget it! Once they have tasted the limelight, with egos as big as all outdoors, they can't give it up, even with the shame. And, what about those who flock back to them--people are pretty forgiving. And, then again, in my view, let's try stupid.

Report On Thanksgiving from pilot/soldier

All is well here for Thanksgiving and I ate to a point of discomfort... Twice. I had to leave way earlier than normal that day and was out taking people here and there and they went out of their way to take us to eat with them. As it turned out, our meal was far better than the one served here at the base. The Turkey I had was strange, but delicious. Said turkey appeared to have been canned, whole... I looked at it sitting in the mermite can and said aloud, "Looks like that poor bastard got shot out of a cannon." The guy standing next to me (who was already taste testing it) replied, "Yeah, a gourmet cannon." It was truly tasty. They finally opened the new Dining Facility (DFAC) here that they've been working on since the first time I was here. The Third Country Nationals (TCNs) did a fantastic job with the decorations...
Getting into the double digits which is nice, but means that we're getting into that time of the deployment where people get hurt due to preventable, complacency related incidents. We are all ready to get home.
Hope all is well there.

CW4 MWR

Mel, thanks so much for the sitrep and for the account of the "hat." Maybe next year you'll be ready to go with us. What a trip we had this year. Needless to say, the pheasants of North Dakota had little to fear from me. A great time and your Dad, I can truly say, made the best shot: two went down in succession and almost with one shot. But, don't know if you know the story that made our trip. The one about the woman crawling in bed with your Dad. It was one of those stories where you almost had to be there but with some embellishment, it made the trip.

With the military, it sounds very much to me like: the more things change, the more they remain the same. I remember writing an article, mainly for my own consumption, about getting too comfortable in Iraq. Some general seemed to be proud of the fact that he had found a whole bunch of ice making machines for the PXes; my take was that it was a common problem with us. Although we want soldiers to have as many comforts as possible, the idea that we are settling down for a long stay in Iraq was a problem. This was in the early days of the war. Now, of course, we have settled down for who knows how long. In fact, I am still very doubtful that we'll be out with any real timetable. And, Afghanistan, with an overlay on our lives that looks surprisingly like your Dad and my war (Vietnam). Oh well, don't want to get started here.

Be careful and don't take chances. As my personal gift to you for what you are doing for the country, I want to spring for your expenses on our next hunting trip. File the dates away: 21-24 Oct 2010. Great bonding time. God bless. Be well and safe. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}}}}}}}