IRAQ

I recently sent a mass e-mail to friends and family letting them know I'm headed to Iraq for 6 months. I got many different replies - plenty of support and I appreciate it greatly. My favorite response was from my nephew, Matt, who asked me to share my thoughts on the Iraq sitaution. I love it - someone was willing to listen to MY opinion and not just thier own.

Anyway, I was inspired and wrote back. Below is the main part of my reponse.

I have always been very proud to be in the military, even here in beachtown California where I get some sideways glances now and then. Don’t get me wrong, some people in the military have done terrible things over the years. Despite that, the vast majority of the people I work with are there not for pay or glory but because we’re part of something bigger. There’s a whole public service aspect that keeps me pumped up. People dog lawyers, but I think there’s no worse profession than being a corporate exec making 250 times the pay of some of your own employees. How do they sleep at night? They have employees that work for their own company – THEIR OWN COMPANY – that make shit. This is the company the execs are supposed to embody. Where’s the leadership? How can they have any sense of pride when they’re cruising around on their yacht? Anyway, that’s why I’m proud to be in the military – it’s for the common good. (I know, I know, the whole “mom and apple pie speech.”)

So, 9/11 happens and I’m thinking, “this must have been what it felt like on Dec 7th, 1941.” I was ready to go get the bad guys. Then, all of a sudden we’re invading Iraq. Huh? Fine, I’ll give W the benefit of the doubt. He’s the pres, I gotta’ have some level of trust. He says there are WMD. Still a weak argument (invading just because someone has the ability to do something), but Saddam did gas his own people, so I’ll go along with the logic.

Then, we don’t find any WMD anywhere in Iraq. YGBSM (a common military acronym for You Gotta’ Be Shittin’ Me)! Now, I have never been a fan of politicians of either the Republican or Democrat persuasion, but W’s decision to go into Iraq has killed and maimed tens of thousands of Americans AND Iraqis (and others, too). For what? We have the luxury of hindsight and hindsight is 20/20 in many cases. Things are pretty clear right now.

Am I being overly harsh on W? Not even close. As the Commander-in-Chief, he has the sole ability to commit troops to battle anywhere he wants anytime (the whole Gulf of Tonkin thing). It’s actually one of the few powers the president actually has. That’s why it makes me puke when I hear Obama and McCain argue over taxes (or abortion, or health care, or any other issue the president has NOTHING to do with). The only role as pres they play in taxes is 1) they pay them (sometimes) and 2) they can veto a proposed tax law. They have absolutely NOTHING to do with setting tax policy (other than being the figurehead of their corrupt political party).

Back to Iraq. In this case, W got congress to go along and pass a resolution, but that meant nothing. Congress doesn’t send troops to battle – the CinC does. One man, one choice. Dude is liable.

So, as a US citizen, I’m pissed we’re in Iraq right now and pissed to be leaving my wife and kids for 6 months. As an Air Force Officer, my job is to do what our CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP tells me to do (the president is ELECTED, then appoints the Sec Def, Sec AF, etc). At some level, we’re putting blind faith in these people to use us righteously. I know, I know, blind faith is naïve.

Anyway, I take pride in my job and this is a unique opportunity to be part of something big (not necessarily good, but definitely big). As a military member, I’m actually looking forward to going. How ironic – worst thing to ever happen to me personally, but one of the best things to happen to me professionally. I say “best” only because I’ve been in 14.5 years and have rarely been involved in “real” work. It doesn’t get any more “real” than Iraq.

Anyway – feel free to fire away and tell me I’m full of shit. I don’t take it personally and like to consider myself open-minded. Trust me, I’ve had brothers tell me I’m full of shit and I still respect them. So many people have made up their minds and aren’t interested in hearing other inputs. Those are the people I feel most sorry for.

DAMN CUBS

They have now lost 7 straight play-off games. 7 STRAIGHT! Maybe it's because the 3rd base coach (Mike Quade), is looking at Erin Andrews instead of where the ball is at . . .