01/01/2007 Morning Report

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I’ll start with this amusing report from the BBC. It seems the French protested the New Year--and any future ones. The report says it was a mock protest. But…I wonder…
(…says a lot about a culture that protests the future…doesn’t it?...)

Well, the rush martyrize Saddam Hussein has begun. This BBC report paints him as an angel doing nothing wrong during captivity. Not one word of his disregard for human life. Not one word of his total disdain for…oh…never mind. Meanwhile, the NY Times published this report on the supposed rush to execute Saddaam. The part I don’t understand is the outcry over his execution during the Haj. During this time, the devil is symbolically stoned. If someone who massacred thousands to maintain his reign isn’t a devil, I don’t know what is in this life. Unfortunately, even the Haj has been anti-Americanized and turned into a political event.
(…interesting, though, that the Saudis condemned the politicization…who would have expected that of the wahabbists…)

In a related piece—that takes away the media negativity--Blue Star Chronicles had a great write up and a video on what we are doing in Iraq. It’s an awesome post.
(…and in a shameless pulg…check out my Any Soldier video, too…if you haven’t already…lately…)

In Somalia, Ethiopian backed government forces captured the last Islamic stronghold.

To cheering and waving crowds, well-armed troops drove into Kismayo after clearing roads laced with land mines that had been left by an estimated 3,000 hard-line Islamic fighters fleeing a 13-day military onslaught by government troops backed by Ethiopian tanks and MiG fighter jets.

You would think the media and general public—world wide—would get a clue about how people really feel about these Islamiists after seeing the cheers of those who are set free from them. I give kudos to the Ethiopians for sending help to the legitimate government in it’s time of need. The media went to great lengths to paint that as ugly as possible. And, I’m sure there are some underlying motives yet to be revealed. Still, even in my own optimism, I wonder how long the government will actually be able to maintain control given that they could barely hold anything without the help of Ethiopia.

I missed this report a couple of days ago. It seems the warring factions in Northern Ireland are on the way to agreement on policing issues. It’s been a major dividing point for a long time. And, for those wondering what the long ugly history of this situation is, the BBC actually has a good summary available.

Meanwhile, out west, the dig out continues. With 32 inches of snow in western Kansas, two feet in Albuquerque, and at least 12 deaths blamed on icy roads, this is a pretty wide spread mess. But, the National Guard is responding well. The CAP (Civil Air Patrol) is locating stranded motorists. And, people are rising to the challenges.
(…it’s good to see the overcoming spirit of Americans in action…despite the previous blame game that got an independent consultant hired in Denver…)

Finally, there was this report from the Ft. Worth Star Telegram:

Spc. Dustin R. Donica, 22, of Spring died Thursday of wounds from small-arms fire, the Defense Department announced Sunday.
Pfc. Nathaniel A. Given, 21, of Dickinson, near Galveston, died Wednesday when an improvised explosive device detonated near him while he was on patrol. A soldier from Michigan also was killed.

Once again, at our house, we remember your cry—the cry of all fallen warriors:

"Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrow, we gave our today."
(--The Kohima Epitaph--)

We remember what you have given, Spc. Donica and Pfc. Given. And we say thank you for the tomorrows you have given others. May God give back to your family more than they have sacrificed and lost.

And, now, we dance In Memoriam.