Category — Iraq

You’ve probably seen this, but I had to post it anyway.

Even better, you can get this on a shirt.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be true. *SIGH*

So, it was a busy day for me, and just a while ago I was able to see the interview with Jill Carroll on FoxNews.

As I was watching it, I was thinking, “Wow, this lady seems to be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome…”  The more she talked, the more I thought that it was really weird.  Was this the same woman who so upset in that other video?  Wow, they fed her, let her use the bathroom… Hmm, never hit her either, well that’s a relief…  The food was good – yeah, she kinda looks like she’s gained some weight.    Ah, even the furniture was nice…

WHAT?  THE FURNITURE WAS NICE?

Anyway, I dismissed it as just the ravings of a tired person…  Then I sat down to peruse a few blogs before heading off to bed.  Turns out I’m not the only one who thinks that this is WEIRD.  I guess I was slow on the uptake.  The blogosphere is awash with people crying foul.  To what end, I don’t know, but something doesn’t seem to add up.

Could this be a ruse?  Could it be that this freelance journalist staged the whole thing to draw attention to herself?  Did she then decide it was best to end the whole thing now, given the recent hostage rescue?  Coalition Special Forces kicking in the door could seriously derail any rise-to-fame plan that was in the works.

Read the full translation of the “interview” supposedly taped before her release.

Anyway, the best commentary I heard on this whole thing actually came from someone supposedly quoting Jill’s mother: “let us hope that all the families of the Iraqi people who are kidnapped on a daily basis can have the same happy reunion”.  Unfortunately, this is more often NOT the case.  I heard it reported that nearly 40 people are kidnapped daily, usually for a cash ransom.  Most end up dead.

God be with these poor people and their families.

I don’t know what all this means – if anything.  Maybe it is Stockholm Syndrome; maybe it’s a ruse, or maybe it’s the truth - sometimes that’s way more weird than any story we could ever dream up.

Russians Gave Saddam US War Plans; Mole in CentCom Suspected

Man, this is NOT what we need right now. I knew that the French, Germans and Russians were in bed with Hussein before the war, but this is simply outrageous.

One would like to think that this (if true) is just the actions of a single person and not reflective of government policy, but who knows? Could this be the signs of a new “cold” war? *SIGH*

UPDATE:

And again?

Saddam General: Newsweek Translation of Saddam Tapes Wrong

Who knows about this information, but bet a load of this:

[Former Iraqi Air Force Gen. Georges] Sada also says that chemical or biological weapons were flown to Syria in 56 flights, but was unable to confirm it.

General Sada’s allegations are confirmed by others. A Pentagon official, John A. Shaw, who was responsible for keeping track of Iraq’s weapons programs, claims that special Russian troops in civilian clothes supervised the transfer of Saddam’s WMDs into Syria. An Israeli general, Moshe Yaalon, has made a similar claim. The general in charge of Pentagon spy satellites has admitted observing large truck convoys from Iraq to Syria before the war began.

Yikes.  I know that there has been certain information about this kind of stuff before, but I hadn’t heard anything about the Russians being involved.

So, sorry for the lack of “post-age” lately – still recovering from my trip to the UK and Israel. I’ll be back up and posting shortly.

In the mean time, read something that is infinitely better than I could ever write anyway.

I don’t care what you are doing, or what is going on right this minute – you need to read the article linked below.

Don’t complain about how long it is, or say you aren’t interested, or think that it doesn’t matter…

I’m not even saying that you have to agree with it (though I’d really like to see an equally thought out point/counter-point if you don’t), but you have to read it.

Your future, my daughter’s future – they may well depend upon us seeing these truths. Maybe you’ll disagree – but read it, understand it, and think on it. Chew it up – spit it out if you are able – but don’t ignore it.

Most importantly, pass it on – even to people who won’t agree. Even if you don’t agree. A person who can’t listen to a point from “the other side” is a person of weak conviction – and none of us want to be like that.

What the heck am I talking about? This…

Thanks to Michael Yon for introducing me to Operation Iraqi Children.

This is an awesome cause that helps Americans send School Supply Kits to Iraqi children. I can’t think of something better to show the true spirit of America while planting seeds that will last a lifetime.

Look at these kids – so happy with so little… God bless them! Its this kind of spirit that is the true hope for Iraq’s future.

And God bless OiC founders Gary Sinise and Laura Hillenbrand! What a great idea…

Give today for tomorrow’s sake…

Not that Michael Yon needs mentioning on my blog, but I can’t help it. If you want an account of the war in Iraq and want to leave feeling like you were there, you’ve got to read some of his posts from when he was embedded with the Deuce Four in Mosul. My friend Phil from A Soldier’s Diary pointed out this post as one of Yon’s best.

Yon is now selling an iconic photo from his tour in Iraq, and has made them available directly from his blog. I think the picture speaks for itself. People can argue politics up one side and down the other, but they can’t deny that heroes fill the ranks of our armed forces.

Read the full story of the picture here.

I hope Yon doesn’t mind that I’ve posted his work here, and I hope you support him by buying a picture – I’m certainly going to. Even more though, I hope you give this picture to a Veteran to let them know how much you appreciate the sacrifice that was made for your freedom and protection.

God bless them, every one…