Prince Harry Safe From War

Deep in the bowels of Windsor Castle a decision was made that combat duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom was too dangerous for precious Prince Harry. This may come as a shock to the Royal Family but Iraq is a dangerous place for any soldier period. When U.S troops are deployed or reactivated for the ump-teenth time those service men and women, go dutifully, some grumble, some are scared shitless, and some pray for a safe return so they won’t miss the ’08 Presidential election. But the point is they go. Sadly some of our beloved troops won’t return, some will be mangled, and others will have Post Traumatic Stress Disorders for life. But they’re earnest in their efforts to succeed regardless of the debate on faulty intelligence and other meaningless grandstanding by politicians.

Even though he is royalty Prince Harry is no different from any of our young men. For every one soldier killed in the Anbar Province or in the Sunni Triangle, the United States may have lost a potential Senator, Representative or President. I realize Harry is third in line, to the crown, but believe me there is a line of succession that just about includes everyone in Britain and a couple of people in Detroit. So he can be replaced. Harsh you think? That is a sad reality of war. What about Harry becoming an enemy trophy you ask? So what I reply, Al Qaeda has three American soldiers right now. Needless soldiers will die protecting the Prince if he serves in combat you say? I am pretty sure that our troops that died in the recent ambush were protecting each other. Think about it Harry’s entire tour may be needed to prevent other needless wars on behalf of the crown. He will have experienced the horrors of war and thusly will react with prudence and patience when considering military solutions to obvious diplomatic problems in the future. So go ahead Prince Harry go see some combat I promise we wont tell.

~Vale~

Oh Babylon

I know what you are saying gentle reader, my title is too eccentric, too biblical, but somehow I think this title works. President Bush has authorized our military to kill---yes kill Iranians plotting against Iraq, and now he has taken the dictatorial stance that he makes the decisions on U.S. troop levels. What in the sweet land of liberty is this really about? Let’s review, we went to Iraq to intercede and destroy all weapons of mass destruction. We made it to Iraq but haven’t found one WMD, 3031 U.S. troops have been killed during this operation, the Republicans got their butts stomped because of their faux pas and the U.S has become the laughing stock of the entire world. I don’t like it one bit.

The question is how do you really tell an Iranian bomb-maker as opposed to a Sunni mill worker or a Shiite baker? That would be like trying to tell the difference between someone who resides in Shelby County, Alabama versus someone who lives in Shelby County, Iowa. Of course the accents would be different, and I know we Alabamians would pick up on it in a heart beat. But let’s say the person who was doing the deciphering was from New Deli, India. This is truly what we are facing with this proposal to kill Iranian experts.

On a diplomatic approach to the problem that is Iraq we should understand Iran has a vested interest. Like our vested interest in the U.S/ Mexico border. These two have been neighbors for a long time with strong cultural ties. If we have not learned anything since “Operation Iraqi Freedom” began, we should have learned this; we are not loved in Iraq. IED’s go off daily and these dastardly things are remote operated, so that means Iraqi citizens drive pass them with impunity. Those citizens don’t have to worry about the roadside bombs, because there’re friends and neighbors of the bomb planters. Abu Ghraib styled prisons have ruined our reputation and it’s a solidifying battle cry for all those who want to kill our troops, now add the benefit of haphazardly identifying Iranian “experts” and then the Hezbollah gets directly involved, instead of just showing how to build bombs. Bush in my opinion is pushing the envelope. He has to know that the U.S is “militarily impotent” as one of my other favorite bloggers put it.

The United States used to have the reputation as peace brokers, food aid suppliers, the first to help in disasters, the country you least wanted to piss off next to Russia, the most developed and civilized of nations, the most honorable of nations and a nuclear superpower…with passive aggressive tendencies. But somewhere between September 11^th and the day we invaded Iraq, something went awry. Sensibilities were lost to paranoia, paranoia led to secret prisons, warrant-less wire-taps, no fly list, gas prices through the roof, terror alerts for gas odors, three ounces of liquids as a carry on, and a President who believes that 21,500 troops will put down the violence in a place known through out history for the evilest of cities named Babylon. I will be glad when 2008 gets here.

~Vale~