Isn't this interesting? The world's sole super-power isn't omnipotent....
Link.
And more bad news, albeit old and obvious: Serving in Iraq really sucks, big time. (Sorry, kids, Vietnam was far, far worse, although it ended far faster...).
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"Apocalyse...." What a frigging awesome movie!!! My next door neighbor when I lived in my walk-down studio on Manhattan's fashion-less East 83rd Street had done a stint in 'Nam in the Air Cav and said that that part of the film was beau-coup dead on.
Personally, I think 'Nam is far worse. But it at least started with a rationale then went to hell (racial issues and easy dope added to the misery? tragedy?) but Iraq was D.O.A. pointless from the get-go for anyone who had a clue what was going on -- and it wasn't hard to figure out how full of shit our leaders were -- just took a teeny effort to think a little. Which maybe makes it more tragic than 'Nam, in a way....
And of course the music in 'Nam was better ( :) ) and the movies are better than anything that'll come out of Iraq. There will not be an Iraq "Apocalypse Now."
From a Marine Recruit stationed at AL Anbar:
Dear Ma and Pa:
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile.
Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late.
Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay.Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc, but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon when you get fed again
It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route marches", which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice but awful flat.
The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Capt. is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.
This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds, and he's 6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come joining in.
Your loving daughter,
Gail.
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