Tuesday, September 27, 2005
some notes to post, before i leave the house today. people are beating up the media. i cant help but to notice that ever since the war in iraq started (no, its not ended yet) liberal friends of mine claim the american media is one-sided. funny, the right-wingers (mostly bible thumpers) claim its a liberal media. which is it? anyway, iraq is a mess. real danger lurks here as things slowly unravel in iraq and the region around it. the storms in the gulf states have kept news from reaching the states, not bias on the part of the news media. i feel sorry for alot of the people in iraq, soldiers and civilians. the soldiers on the ground are getting screwed (would you want that job?) and ive always felt sorry for the vendors who support the troops. these vendors are local and also come from places like iran and kuwait. they have no protection from terrorists and they are kept away from places where they might compete with western vendors. if you have a choice about the services you use, try to use the local vendors. they are cheaper, provide a better service and there is no waiting in long lines. its safer as well. vendors are vendors, they make thier money selling things. they wouldnt have much of a business if they threw things at (or shot at you). well, the big shots know nothing of these matters. they live in the green zone. people dont throw things at them and they have western vendors to tend to thier every need (unlike the common grunt on the ground these green-zone people have the money and services to live like royalty). these people are clueless and they are not going to pass much information down to us little people at the checkpoints (let alone the media). people need to watch things in iraq real close now because the situation is going to get more complex. if your considering a tour of duty in iraq, better reconsider. if you do get stuck there, pump the locals for information (your safety is involved). also, use local vendors (its the right thing to do). if people cause you grief at your check-point, dont let them pass. i remember sending alot of 3rd ID officers packing because they were rude to me or locals. remember your 4th general order "walk your post from flank to flank and take no shit from any rank" dont let the brass bully you (those damn worthless pogues...), you run the checkpoint. good luck to all,....
