Canada's Viability as a Country is in Serious Doubt

Canada's Viability as a Country is in Serious Doubt
It almost seems as if the foolish dithering prime minister of Canada Paul Martin, has deliberately set up the cogs in motion for the dissolution of Canada. Certainly his appointment of a Haittian born CBC news reader, with dual French and Canadian citizenship, if is as researched as he contends then he has just dealt a strong hand to Quebec sepratists and former terrorist who are part of her social circle.

In western Canada more and more young people are considering the prospect of separation due to feelings of alienation by the government in Ottawa which is put in power by the politically challenged voters of Ontario.

Whereas once Pierre Trudeau a strong, charismatic ( but wrong headed) prime minister fought for a strong federal government, the current prime minister Mr. Dithers has a day dream of something he calls "asymetric federalism" which leaves little room for a strong country called Canada.

In liberal circles it is equated with racism to pronounce your pride in Canada's proud history during the wars. I'm sad to say that I can find little left to be proud of in the current Canadian political climate and I believe that the country is inevitably drifting apart.

It seems Peter Worthington has come to the same conclusion:

http://torontosun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Worthington_Peter/2005/08/16/1175067.html

More and more I have come to the conclusion that we would be better off as part of the United States. Think of the economic juggernaut that would create!

If you think it's hot here, you should try Iraq.......

...........with full body armour no less. It's so hot in Iraq right now that the average person from North America can't comprehend it. Around here in Toronto we are having are a record hot summer with temperatures consistently above 30 degrees Celcius and into the high 40's with the humidity off Lake Ontario. But Iraq is off the scale. I've read a number of posts in various Soldiers blogs but none so eloquently describe what American Soldiers are dealing with (besides the terrorists) than Thunder6. If you are following the War on Terror you should be reading Thunder6. Here's two of his posts on the topic of heat:

August 16, 2005
Meltdown

We are all in thrall to the fulgid patriarch that boils the summer sky. In Baghdad the sun claims dominion over all, there is no sector of the city that doesn’t bow before its scathing wrath. The sun is utterly pitiless; those foolish enough to shed tears in the blistering onslaught would find the drops evaporating before they hit the ground.

The heat is manageable, even with body armor. Miserable, but manageable. The sheer force of the sun is another matter entirely. The rays burn down with such force that the palm groves here rain down boiling sap. And manmade structures fare much, much worse.

Yesterday our patrol linked up with an armored task force and we fell in line behind some M1 Abrams tanks. As soon as we settled in behind the tank we noticed it was leaving soot black impressions on the roads as it rolled by. It seemed like some massive stamp pad was leaving a breadcrumb trail of hundreds of jet impressions in perfectly symmetrical lines.

It took us less then a minute to realize the superheated asphalt was literally melting the tanks rubber track pads. Boots suffer the same fate, if you stand in place too long you will often find the spongy roads have settled around your soles like so much boiling tar.

I’m really starting to miss the rainy season... even if it does mean ankle deep mud.

August 14, 2005

Range Day

The M4 carbine is a lethal tool, but in the end it is just that… a tool. The situation profoundly changes when that tool is placed in the hands of a trained infantryman. It is as if the two exist in some martial symbiosis; each taking, each giving. When an infantryman picks up a rifle those carefully machined components stop being callous collections of metal and become the fluid extension of his will. The catalyst for this hybridization isn’t some technological marvel – it’s the natural result of trigger time.

When I say trigger time I’m not referring to pressing a button on a video console. Comparing first person shooting games to combat marksmanship is like comparing a ride on the plastic pony in front of a supermarket with saddling up a thoroughbred. If you want to be deadly accurate there is no substitute for being on a range.

This of course means that even here in Baghdad we have to set up firing ranges to hone our marksmanship skills. Today I was tasked with serving as the OIC (Officer In Charge) of the firing range while Killer Company’s platoons confirmed their optics.

Under most circumstances I would jump at the chance to spend a day on the range; but today wasn't just hot, it was infernal. The sun flared like with star gone nova, the heat compunded by our thick layers of body armor. By time the range was ready to go I was well on my way to being parboiled. As the trapped pools of sweat started soaking through my uniform all I wanted was to get away from the crushing heat. Since that wasn’t a viable option I just focused on watching platoon after platoon fire their weapon. Out of sheer curiosity I pulled out a small backpacking thermometer to index the misery. The little thermometer made it to 122 degrees before the heat burned out the LCD.

When it gets this hot you have to drink water in great heaving swallows even when you don’t feel thirsty. If you are drinking too much, too fast you will know in less then a minute - the only thing more uncomfortable then wrapping yourself in an armored sauna is the bloated feeling that comes from having water slosh around your distended stomach. As the hours ticked by I emptied bottle after bottle and watched as a slow parade of troops confirmed their accuracy. Despite the sun’s bright tirade the day passed without incident and the range came to a successful conclusion. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t fun, but in the end every troop on came away knowing that their weapons were once again dutiful agents of their will. And that knowledge is a very valuable thing indeed.

You can read his excellent posts here: http://thunder6.typepad.com/

Boots in Baghdad

As I've mentioned before, I started my occasional blogging, when I was made aware of a Soldier's Blog hosted by Blogger and the only way to comment on their posts was to register at Blogger. That gave me an opportunity to start this blog, which is no great shakes I admit. Hell, I can't even figure out how to get my profile, which arbitrarily decided to relocate to the bottom of the page, back to the top of the page.

Which brings me to the subject of a remarkable young man, Spc. Miner, an infantry Soldier serving in Iraq. Baghdad to be exact. Which is why his blog is called 'Boots in Baghdad'.

Spc. Miner is what is in military parlance known as a Grunt. He's an Infantry Soldier at the pointy end of the stick, doing daily patrols in Baghdad. And he still finds the time to blog!!! And his optimism is infectious.

And it's not just an ordinary run of the mil (pun intended) blog. It's an ambitous, creative, well produced blog that has a component for pictures; another recently created for videos, and I see today he's posted a song written and performed by one of his mates.

Many people, too many, think that Soldiers who sign on to do grunt work are too stupid to do anything else. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Spc. Miner is a shining example of that. He is thoughtful, caring, courageous, and intelligent. He is man who is goin places. You only have to vist his blog to see that.

Previously I have written in praise of American Soldiers and I'm proud to do so again. I'm a Canadian who is proud to have served in the Armed Forces of my country and I have a soft spot in my heart for Soldiers both Canadian and American, it's just that I've not found a Canadian Soldier blog to discuss.

We are in a war whether you want to believe it or not, for our very civilization. Thank God for the likes of Spc. Miner who describes his bog thus:

"I am a twenty-two year old National Guard Infantryman serving in Baghdad. I've been in Iraq for nine months now. As hard and discouraging as it can be at times... there is no where else I would rather be at this stage in my life. I am sharing my experiences in an effort to portray to anyone interested what life is like here for American soldiers. Please keep in mind that the views and opinions I may share are mine and mine alone. I do not speak for my unit, the National Guard, the United States Army, the Department of Defense or any other governmental agency within or affiliated with the United States."

I encourage you to visit his blog: http://www.bootsinbaghdad.blogspot.com/

Finally!! A Canadian General who tells it like it is!!

For too many years the Chief of The Defence Staff of Canadian Forces have been little more than bureaucrats with no real soldiering ability. The Last Canadian fighting general we had was Lew MacKenzie, who commanded the UN forces in Bosnia in 1993. He was passed over for Chief of Defense Staff because he was a soldier's soldier. Now we have in General Rick Hillier a soldier's soldier. His words were music to my ears:

CANADA'S TOP SOLDIER ANNOUNCES MISSION TO ROOT OUT MUDERERS IN AFGHANISTAN

By DANIEL LEBLANC The Globe and MailFriday, July 15, 2005

OTTAWA -- Canada's elite JTF2 soldiers are heading to Afghanistan as part of a 2,000-troop deployment that will target the "detestable murderers and scumbags" behind the rise in international terrorism, General Rick Hillier said yesterday.In a blunt briefing that signalled a new aggressiveness at the top of the Canadian Forces, the Chief of the Defence Staff said the impending operations are risky but necessary in light of last week's bombings in the British public-transit system.

"The London attack actually tells us once more: We can't let up," Gen. Hillier told reporters.He said terrorists are ready to target Canada as much as any other Western country and that Canadians have to be aware that their soldiers are in for some "risky business" as they head out to Afghanistan.It was the first time Gen. Hillier has confirmed that members of the Joint Task Force 2 -- the country's secretive commando team -- will be involved in combat missions against the remnants of the former Taliban regime and supporters of al-Qaeda.

"These are detestable murderers and scumbags, I'll tell you that right up front. They detest our freedoms, they detest our society, they detest our liberties," Gen. Hillier said. He stressed the new face of the Canadian Forces, which he said are now focused on the first job at hand: protecting Canadian interests at home and abroad.

"We're not the public service of Canada, we're not just another department. We are the Canadian Forces, and our job is to be able to kill people."

Previous Canadian missions in Afghanistan have provided security in Kabul, the capital. But the next three missions, involving 2,000 troops, will be heavily centred in the southern mountains, where soldiers will be called upon to hunt down and fight the insurgents.Gen. Hillier said Canada is already in the crosshairs of the terrorists, and he does not believe it becomes a bigger target by participating in military operations that give hope to the Afghans.

"We're not going to let those radical murderers and killers rob from others and certainly we're not going to let them rob from Canada," he said.He pointed out that during the Second World War, Canadian soldiers did not shy away from fighting the Nazis."Did they say, 'No we might be attacked over here if we actually stand up against those despicable murderers and bastards?' No, they did not," Gen. Hillier said.

The native of Newfoundland has been the top soldier in Canada for five months. Bolstered by a growing budget, he is promising a "radical transformation" of the forces to make them more effective in their daily operations.With his straight-talking style, Gen. Hillier has already effected a major change at the top of the military hierarchy in comparison with his blander predecessor, General Ray Henault.

Gen. Hillier is a popular figure among the troops, and he has impressed his political bosses with his vision for the forces.His goal now is to rally Canadians behind the military and convince young talent to join the expanding forces.He would not speak about the number of potential casualties among Canadian troops in Afghanistan, while stating there is no such thing as a safe mission."You can't reduce the risk to zero," he said.

The recent Canadian rotations in Afghanistan have been centred at Camp Julien in Kabul. Gen. Hillier said that the coming missions will "shift the centre of gravity to Kandahar," the area of southern Afghanistan that saw the rise of the Taliban.The goal is to bring stability and democracy to the area, he said, adding that this is "the exact opposite of what people like Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar and those others want.

"Later this month, 250 Edmonton-based soldiers will head out to southern Afghanistan to form what is known as a Provincial Reconstruction Team.The soldiers will be accompanied by officials from the RCMP and the Canadian International Development Agency, the federal aid agency, to develop ties with local officials and help with the reconstruction of the war-torn area.In addition, 700 soldiers from Petawawa, Ont., are heading to Kabul to help the Afghan authority conduct a general election, planned for September.

After the vote, a large portion of the forces will move down south to join the PRT and prepare for the arrival of the biggest deployment in Kandahar.In February of next year, about 1,100 soldiers will set up a new camp in the area, heading up a new multinational brigade that will eventually operate under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, alongside American troops already in the area.

Gen. Hillier also said the army is sending at least 100 armoured vehicles to Sudan. The Grizzlys are military surplus and several will be sent later this month, with the remainder to follow, he said.

Canada's role in AfghanistanThe Canadian Forces are entering a new stage in their operations as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in coming months, with a renewed focus on the more volatile southern region of the country.Three distinct deployments involving more than 2,000 soldiers are in the works, culminating with the presence early next year of a combat force in Kandahar, the birthplace of the terrorist-supporting Taliban regime.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Late July and early August:250 soldiers leave Edmonton to join a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Kandahar. The goal is to patrol the area in armoured G-Wagons and forge ties with local officials during the six-month mission.

Late July and early August:700 soldiers from Petawawa, Ont., head out for Kabul to provide security for the general election, scheduled for September.

Late 2005: After the vote, a number of them will join the PRT and prepare for the arrival of a Canadian-led multinational brigade in Kandahar.

January-February, 2006:1,100 soldiers from Edmonton head out to Kandahar, which will be the home-base for the Canadian-led multinational brigade. Canada will ensure leadership of the brigade for nine months, but the Canadian Forces will provide troops for a full year.

In addition to patrolling streets in G-Wagons, the Canadian Forces will use larger armoured vehicles to hunt terrorists and Taliban supporters.

Will the British Learn From This?

Some of the things I'm reading suggest that, while all the right words are being said; "They will Fail" "They will not destroy the British Way of Life" etc. ,seem to be empty rhetoric. I'm concerned that the British Way of Life has so morphed under multiculturalism and liberal political correctness that the definition of the British Way of Life has become mushy.

The situation is the same here in Canada even though, now Muslim clerics are starting to speak out against these attacks, the suspicion lingers that these are half hearted if not mere dissembling remarks. Where are the Muslim clerics who demand the capture and trial of these vermon.

England has nearly 2 million Muslims living there. A large percentage of them don't consider themselves British, but rather Muslims living in Britain who have nothing but contempt for the British Way of Life. I believe Britain is going to have to suffer more such tragic events before the Liberal blinkers come off. Currently these liberals prohibit racial profiling. When the IRA were bombing the British mainland it didn't take long to figure out where they were coming from. How much more will it take for Britain to wake up to the enemy in their midst?

What follows is a commentary by Cal Follows that spells out my concerns.
=======================
Horrific reminder . . . with prelude
By Cal ThomasJuly 11, 2005
PORTSTEWART, Northern Ireland.

The words heard most often by political leaders, commentators and citizens after the London terrorist bombings were "shocked, but not surprised."

No one should have been surprised because Britain, like the United States, has created a welcoming atmosphere for terrorists and allowed them the fertile soil they need to grow and carry out their murderous acts among us. Just as a lifelong smoker should not be surprised when diagnosed with lung cancer, neither should Britain and America be surprised when people who refuse to adopt Western notions of pluralism, tolerance and individual liberty kill and maim innocent people they and their religious masters label "Zionists and crusaders."

In Britain, proposed "hate crimes" laws have sought to forbid even the few clergy still worth hearing from saying homosexuality is a sin. No such laws have been proposed to stop radical Islamic Imams from preaching hatred of Jews, Christians and Western values.

Leftist lawyers eagerly defend the radicals. They are more concerned about the treatment of killers at Guantanamo Bay and the "atrocities" performed on Abu Ghraib prisoners, who would kill us if they had the chance, than the seething masses eager to strap a bomb to their bodies and end their worthless lives while killing "infidels."

The pattern should be familiar by now. A terrorist act is committed. Western leaders condemn it in the "strongest possible terms." Pledges are made that the killers will not achieve their goals and our way of life will continue. Muslim leaders issue statements condemning the killing of "innocents." To them, though, innocents are people who are not "Zionists and crusaders," so the condemnation's sincerity is suspect.

The Times interviewed two young Muslim men in East London, a neighborhood with a large Muslim population. Nineteen-year-old Kadar Duale said he doesn't believe the London bombings were carried out by al Qaeda, but "by someone more powerful, like the Israelis." Such thinking is not isolated among a few radicals.

Amir Taheri, an Iranian commentator on Middle Eastern Affairs, wrote a column for the Times of London on July 8, in which he demonstrated the kind of clear thinking that seems to have eluded muddleheaded politicians and other self-deluded people who yammer for the TV camera: "You are dealing with an enemy that does not want anything specific, and cannot be talked back into reason through anger management or roundtable discussions. Or, rather, this enemy does want something specific: to take full control of your lives, dictate every single move you make round the clock and, if you dare resist, he will feel it is his divine duty to kill you."

A Sunday Times survey taken just after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States found 4 in 10 British Muslims (there are as many as 2 million) believed Osama bin Laden justified in his war against America. A similar number said Britons who choose to fight with the Taliban are right to do so. Another opinion poll for the Asian radio station Sunrise found 98 percent of London Muslims under 45 said they would not fight for Britain; 48 percent said they would take up arms for bin Laden [ed note: Times of London, Nov. 4, 2001].

In view of these beliefs and repeated acts of terror, the incitements against all things Western, Jewish and Christian in who knows how many mosques in Britain and the U.S., the teaching of seditious ideas in radical Islamic schools funded by our "friends" the Saudis, and the refusal of most Muslim communities to assimilate and learn the language, history and practices of their host countries, why do Britain and the United States continue to allow such things within their borders?

Unless we are prepared to accept continued terrorist attacks as "normal" because of some sick understanding of tolerance and pluralism, we had better do whatever is necessary to root out these people and forbid any more from entering our countries.

Shortly after September 11, 2001, Mohammed Abdullah, a 22-year-old accountant from Luton was quoted in the Times: "We don't perceive ourselves as British Muslims. We are Muslims who live in Britain. All Muslims in Britain view supporting the jihad as a religious duty."

In the face of such comments and actions like the latest terrorist bombing, Britain and America should consider what Mark Steyn wrote in a Daily Telegraph column July 8 (and in his column in today's edition of this newspaper): "If the governing class goes about business as usual, that's not a stiff upper lip, but a death wish."

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist.

Bush's Speech on Iraq

Bush gave one hell of speech yesterday and the Dems are all over him. Unfortunately for them Bush means what he says and follows through. He will continue the mission in Iraq. Amercan Soldiers will prevail.

Bush said he was prepared to spend the political capital he earned during the last election. Even though some turncoat Republicans are coming out against the war in preparation for next year's elections Bush will prevail. He is the Commander in Chief of the the American Armed Forces and doesn't give a damn about the polls. He is concerened about doing the right thing and he will.

History will judge him well.

American Soldiers, Soccer and Iraqi Kids

An American Soldier in Iraq named Michael writes a very interesting blog called A Day In Iraq. He's a very fine writer and fine example of the modern American Soldier.

Michael puts himself in harms way voluntarily on a daily basis. In his off time, which is seldom, he concerns himself with how he can help to improve the life of Iraqi kids. Recently he came up with an idea of starting a drive to get soccer balls to as may Iraqi children as he can.

The idea is not a new one as many other American Soldiers have come up with the same thing. However what is so compelling about Michael's idea is the amount of heart and thought that went into it. You can read about it here:

Operation Soccer Ball

I was sitting on guard the other night, trying desperately to do something productive, or at least think of something productive to get me through the four hours of boredom. I started thinking about all the good things that are happening in Iraq, the things that you’ll never hear about on your nightly news or read about in your morning newspaper. Whether the terrorists, the media, or misinformed public know it or not, democracy in Iraq is on the move. Like a freight train, whose momentum can’t be slowed, so it is with freedom and democracy in Iraq. There is no stopping it. It’s no longer The Little Engine That Could, crying out “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”Iraq is now the Big Engine that Did, having already climbed the mountain of heartache and sorrow to reach the plateau of promise, the view of peace and prosperity in its sights, flourishing in the valley below. There is still work to be done though. That train is still on the plateau, but I have no doubt it will soon reach the downward slope, momentum taking over, propelling it downward, with nothing to impede its progress down the prosperous path in its future.

Maybe it’s naive of me to think I can do something to help it reach that slope, but I’ll be damned if I don’t try. Sure we’re out here fighting the good fight, pursuing the bad guys in every corner of Iraq. Sure we’re building schools, rebuilding infrastructure, helping restore pride in Iraqis for their country. Sure we’re helping to establish and nurture a government from its infancy to one that will soon be heard on the world stage. Sure we’re spreading good old fashion American Goodwill throughout Iraq, as only our great country can. Naysayer’s be damned, I’m proud of what we’re doing in Iraq, and I’m proud to be a small part of it. The critics can sit on the sidelines like cackling hyenas’, salivating over the misfortunes and casualties of this war, but we’re in the arena actually doing something. You’re doing something. The good old US of A is doing something to make Iraq and the world a better, safer, more prosperous place to live. But I want to do something more. I look forward to every time I go outside these gates, the opportunity to hunt down a terrorist driving me onward. It’s why I signed up, why I don’t mind being over here away from my family for a year. Sure I may voice my frustrations on this blog, but those frustrations aren’t meant to diminish the honor I feel in serving our country and helping the people of Iraq. This blog may be nothing more than the inane rambling of a wanta be writer, with no value to its author or readers, but maybe I can turn it into something of value, something good and worthwhile. So that’s when I came up with an idea.

What are the Iraqi people in general, and the Iraqi children in particular, passionate about? In a word, soccer. Actually it’s football to them, but we know it as soccer. They have more passion for the game of soccer than we ever thought of having for football or baseball. I’ve yet to meet a child, or an adult for that matter, who doesn’t have at least some interest in the game of soccer. Forget bowl season, the World Series, March Madness, and the Super Bowl, they don’t care. Their ‘Field of Dreams’ isn’t a baseball field in the middle of an Iowa cornfield. Their ‘Field of Dreams’ is a soccer field in any open area of Iraq. Streets, fields, farms, the dusty ground off the side of the road, or the lush green land of a farm. On sand or on pavement, no place is safe from the stampeding feet of Iraqis chasing a soccer ball. In every mission I’ve been on, I’ve never once failed to witness a game of soccer.

On one overcast evening, before the sun had fully set, I saw a group of men divided into teams, each wearing bright pastel jerseys. These jerseys contrasted beautifully against the tall green grass and the light gray color of the cloud filled sky. There was something electric about the whole scene, reminding me of Saturday night football games on a college campus in America during the fall. I’ve seen this same scene through the thermal sights of my Bradley, each player a bright red figure, indicating the heat radiating from their body as they chase the precious ball. More often the scene is of children in rags playing on the dry hard packed dirt of a schoolyard. They’re all passionately chasing that elusive soccer ball.

If they don’t have a soccer ball they’ll use anything as a substitute. I’ve seen kids kicking around a rock with as much passion and glee than if they were playing in the World Championship. They need soccer balls, and I want to give them one. What a better way to convey the goodwill of America and American soldiers than by giving them the soccer balls that they so desperately desire. You want to continue to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis, give them the tool that will enable them to do something they love. Besides guns and ammo, every humvee, tank, truck, Bradley, Stryker, and helicopter should come armed with soccer balls as well. How I would love to be standing out the top of my humvee, having the guys below feed soccer balls up to me, so I could then throw them to any children I pass. Why not airplanes too? I can picture C130's flying over cities and towns throughout Iraq, dropping soccer balls from its cargo hold with little parachutes attached to each one. It’s doable. Crazier things have happened. Or have helicopters hover over a school during recess and drop a bunch of soccer balls to the delight of the kids below. We can rain down hellfire on the heads of terrorists, turn around, and shower the good people of Iraq with peace in the form of a soccer ball. The love of sports, in this case soccer, can be an instrument of peace and a bond that is common to us all. It will transcend our cultural differences and our languages. It will also mitigate the feelings of some Iraqis that see our presence in their land as aggravating.

Imagine the anticipation, the childlike excitement, that would fill the hearts of thousands of children upon seeing a U.S. soldier, or vehicle, delivering the gift of soccer balls. Sure the children need school supplies, clothes, and shoes, but what would you rather have as a kid. I can’t begin to count how many times kids have asked me, “Mister football.”Those other items are important. I’m not discounting that, but there are plenty of other organizations that are doing good work supplying them. There’s something wrong when it’s easier for a kid to get their hands on an AK that it is a soccer ball. Terrorists are a dying breed. Who are these kids going to look up to more? People who bring chaos and terror into their lives, or Americans who bring peace and soccer balls?

So how can I do this. How can I get soccer balls into the hands of Iraqis? I’m open for suggestions. I thought about a website that would help facilitate getting soccer balls from Americans back home to the soldiers here in Iraq. I was thinking of some kind of forum or message board based site linking people with soldiers, but I don’t have the time or expertise to accomplish something like that. We would have to have some way of spreading the wealth around all of Iraq. I don’t want just one area of Iraq receiving soccer balls. I want every corner of Iraq covered. Maybe everyone living east of the Mississippi River could send balls to soldiers or units stationed east of the Tigris River and vice versa. Of course, not only would we need people willing to send soccer balls, but also soldiers willing to receive them and distribute them. I don’t think there would be a problem with soldiers distributing them once they received them, but the problem would be to get addresses of soldiers or units. Or maybe it wouldn’t. I don’t know.

Maybe we could get the Department of Defense involved in some way. That would be ideal. They could be a clearing house for the delivery of the balls into Iraq and spreading them throughout. Maybe the Honorable Secretary Rumsfeld would sign off on it. He may think it’s a good idea. The DOD could set up a place for everyone in the states to send their soccer balls. The DOD could even donate their own soccer balls. Forget the $160,000 new sight that our Bradley needs. We can use another Bradley in our platoon, which we’ve been doing anyway. Put the money toward soccer balls. How many can that buy? Close to 20,000. Buying soccer balls with that money would do more for the war effort than that one Bradley ever would. Who needs a Bradley? I’d rather go out in humvees anyway. Hell, I’d rather go out on a bicycle. Forget about the most wanted playing cards. Why not put the faces of the most wanted on those 20,000 soccer balls. Imagine thousands of Iraqi kids kicking around a ball with Zarqawi’s likeness on it. That would be a beautiful sight. This culture frowns upon showing someone the bottom of your feet or placing one’s foot on another person. It would help foster contempt for terrorists and manage to humiliate each person on the most wanted list.

Corporations could get involved as well. They could place their logo on each ball. Imagine the exposure and positive publicity they would receive after donating a few thousand balls. Nike would be a good one. Come on Phil, how about 5,000 balls with a big swoosh emblazoned on each one. Microsoft and Mr. Gates could buy a ball for every person in Iraq, but I’ll settle for another 5,000. They could mark each one with the name of their latest software. The possibilities are endless. What a great way for New York City to win its bid in hosting the 2012 Olympics than by sending 5,000 soccer balls with New York 2012 stamped on each one. I think Paris is in the running as well. France wanted nothing to do with the war, but they could send soccer balls to help with the peace. They might even manage to earn my respect again. Hollywood could get involved too. You know those movie stars, they’re always looking for some charity to attach their names to. High school and college soccer teams could donate used soccer balls. These kids don’t care if it’s used, anything is better than a rock. Web sites hoping for that elusive exposure could donate as well.

How about the blogging community. Glenn could send a bunch of instaballs. Drudge could spread the word throughout the world in one hour. The military blogging community in particular could help spread the word.

I bet Greyhawk and his wife wouldn’t mind spreading the word. We could get traditional media outlets involved as well. They could at least help spread the word. More than any of these, I need you. I need you to spread the word. I need you to contact any soldier that you know serving in Iraq. I need you to donate balls. I don’t care if we get 100 or one million balls into the hands of the Iraqi children. Each one will make a difference. We soldiers can only get so many packages filled with snacks, baby wipes, magazines, and other nonessential items. Don’t get me wrong, these packages are greatly appreciated, but I bet the majority of us wouldn’t mind sacrificing a few packages for a soccer ball that we can pass on to some kid.

Every kid should have a soccer ball, even the girls, especially the girls. They are the most precious segment of the Iraqi population. We could start an Iraqi women’s soccer movement. Why not? It could help liberate them from the background of obscurity that this society already places them in, even at a young age. I want to be able to give a soccer ball to that shy little girl standing behind the boys, watching her angelic face become a bright shining light as I reach over the boy’s head’s to place a ball into her hands. Of course there will be so many balls that the boys standing in front of her will have already received one. Maybe one day they can field an Iraqi women’s Olympic soccer team. They could make their entrance onto the world stage at the 2012 Summer Olympics in New York City.

You may think all of this is impossible, but I don’t. When I dream, I dream big. If you’re going to dream, might as well dream big. So I’d thought about all of this and wrote it down on paper when I decided to do a search on the internet for any similar plan out there. I went to google, typed in operation soccer ball and hit the search button. Guess what? Yep, three different pages appeared in the search results here, here, and here. I was amazed, and yet not surprised that someone would have thought of this before me. You can read the stories yourself, but one in particular really amazed me. Some Kiowa pilots from the 1st Cavalry Division had actually been dropping soccer balls from their helicopters after completing their mission’s. They even dubbed their little project Operation Soccer Ball. Are you kidding me? There are pilots out there that are actually willing to do it. One story in particular really stuck out.

“I remember this one time when we came down, ready to drop a few balls and we see this kid standing off in the distance. He had his arm cocked back to his ear, just ready to hurl a rock at us. I pulled one of the balls out and tossed it to him. The kid just stood there for a second, like he really wasn’t sure what to do, but then he dropped that rock, grabbed the ball and gave us the thumbs up. That was cool,” Chief Warrant Officer Sonny Hinchman, Kiowa pilot.

Man, that’s beautiful. At first I was a little frustrated to read that others had the same idea before me. I felt like I was arriving late to the party. Then I thought, well why not take it to the next level. I’ll be the guy that arrives fashionably late, kicking off the party in style. They say they’ve procured 1000 soccer balls. That’s wonderful but nowhere close to the number of balls that we can and should provide for these people. These men can claim all the credit for starting the project. I don’t care. I want no credit. Maybe we can make a difference together.


You can read more of Michael's excellent posts at http://www.adayiniraq.com/

Meet Major K

Major K is an intellgence officer with the American Infantry Brigade in which Coporal Glenn Watkins served and died. This is from Major K's blog:
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April 17, 2005

Ladies & Gentlemen, We got 'em!

I am finally able to post this one because I now have reasonable certainty that we have all off the scumbags involved in the killing of CPL Watkins in custody. They all went down without a fight when we burst through their doors in the middle of the night. We got the first 2 about a week ago and have since rounded up the others. I hope that CPL Watkins is pleased with us as he looks down from above. These cowards are going for a nice long stay in Abu Ghurayb Prison. It took a while to drill down the details but the wait was so worth it. Most of the time, I hate being the Battalion Intelligence Officer, as I am an infantryman by training and most of my experience. Times like these, however, it is a great job, as not only do I head up the detective work that goes into catching these guys, but I get to go through the door with the assault team on the raid that bags them. The bigger fight is far from over, however, and after another 28 hour shift on the job, I conked out for about 3 hours to be awakened by fresh developments from informants. I woke, worked again for another 20 minutes to provide guidance to my staff and then conked back out. That was a few days ago. We are back to the grind looking for other scumbags, like the ones that killed a guy from our sister battalion here on the FOB. I hate RPG's. Back to Work!

Read more from Major K here: http://strengthandhonor.typepad.com/