America’s Greatest Threat

Every time violence erupts somewhere in the world, our national leaders and news media make it sound like that particular outbreak is America’s greatest threat. The conflict between Russia and Georgia is no exception. Almost as soon as news of the conflict broke, the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee, John McCain, was suggesting that the United States (or the United Nations) should send troops to the scene. I guess two wars are not enough for McCain; he now wants to start a third. (And with all his talk about... Read article

Ready & Forward

Going on patrol with 10 Cav and getting lost again… It’s showtime again. Today me and a 10 Cav platoon from JSS Karbdegla are going out to a COP (combat outpost) in Saha to join up with another platoon and then we’re going to hang out on the main market street in Abu D’Shir. “How can you spend time with those murderers and then actually write nice things about them?” someone e-mailed me today, referring to American soldiers. “As far as I can tell after actually being here,”... Read article

Todd Bentley Separates From Wife and Lakeland

What did Fresh Fire Ministries know and when did they know it? I’m talking about Todd Bentley’s marriage, which is in shambles. According to the statement posted on the Fresh Fire website it would appear that the board of directors have known for quite sometime: “Undoubtedly the pressures and the burden of the Outpouring, which approaches 144 days on August 23rd, have helped to create an atmosphere of fatigue and stress that has exacerbated existing issues in their relationship (emphasis added). We wish to stress... Read article

Why John Edwards’ Affair Matters

It has become a stereotypical pattern with men. A lad with a salad-days libido has a girl in every port, plays fast and loose with feelings and breaks hearts. Then he gets older, marries, has a daughter, and becomes very protective. He doesn’t want her dating guys who are just like he was. What this tells us is that when it’s our ox being gored, reality often becomes crystal clear. Sure, as a young man, dad no doubt rationalized his behavior. But when the object of ravishing eyes is his daughter, he knows what having... Read article

Cache Raider?

I arrived at the Karbdegla joint security station yesterday night and had trouble sleeping due to multiple insect bites, so by the time I got to meet with the colonel in charge, I was still beau-coup sleep-deprived. But the colonel was an eye-opener and well worth paying attention to as he described his area of control here in the West Tigris section of Baghdad and his future hopes for that area. I wish that people in America could hear men like him talk. They would get an entirely different — and happier —... Read article

I.O.U.S.A. is Authentic REALITY

Many Americans watch what the entertainment industry likes to call “reality shows.” These orchestrated “pretend” reality programs perpetuate the mind-numbing imaginings which contribute solely to viewer escapism. “We the people” have an opportunity to view a Reality Film which is about unadulterated reality. The documentary will be presented in a one-night exclusive premiere on August 21 in 400 theaters nationwide. Most people think back to school days when they hear the word documentary which meant a boring... Read article

Putin Walks into a Trap

The American-armed and trained Georgian army swarmed into South Ossetia last Thursday, killing an estimated 2,000 civilians, sending 40,000 South Ossetians fleeing over the Russian border, and destroying much of the capital, Tskhinvali. The attack was unprovoked and took place a full 24 hours before even ONE Russian soldier set foot in South Ossetia. Nevertheless, the vast majority of Americans still believe that the Russian army invaded Georgian territory first. The BBC, AP, NPR, the New York Times and the rest of the establishment... Read article

Sages Rule

1. Who Brought Olmert Down (and Why) You would not envy the position of Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert. He did not have a snowball’s chance in hell. Every day the newspapers and the TV channels broadcast new accusations against him and announced fresh police investigations. Often the Israeli viewer learned of Olmert’s alleged misdeeds before the Prime Minister himself did. Police did not just leak the details of the case – they poured it out like tropical torrent. Charges landed all over Olmert like the bomblets... Read article

Dear Abby: I’m over here in Iraq

As the sun set this evening, I left Camp Falcon in the company of my next embed unit and headed out to spend a few days at the Karbdegla joint security station in the West Tigris area. West Tigris is a combination of urban areas and farmland and of Sunnis and Shia. Our JSS is located right in the middle of the mix, in the administrative building of a former meat-packing plant. After a 20-minute ride in an MRAP, I got settled in my room and sort of collapsed. It’s been an intense seven days since I left SFO on... Read article

My Heroes of History

I am often asked about the people in history that I revere or otherwise hold in high esteem. Today’s column is an attempt to answer that question. Bear in mind, this list is by no means complete. I know I am omitting several people that should truly be included. However, time and space limitations require me to condense my list. So, here goes. I’ll begin with Old Testament history. David, Nehemiah, and Elijah are my heroes here. Despite his one moral lapse, David’s heart and character are unsurpassed. Along... Read article

Keep Lying to Ourselves until the Lie Becomes the Truth

Silent Assertion Lives in the Failing Denver Public Schools Re: “Illegal immigration ensures failure” J.M. Schell, Arvada, CO 8/10/08 It’s about time somebody knuckled down to brass tacks! We lie so much to ourselves that we begin to think the lie holds truth. I salute Mr. Schell for his candor and his honesty. Too bad Denver’s superintendent of schools, Mayor Hickenlooper and Governor Ritter refuse to come clean as to why we waste millions and billions of dollars on education—with such high failure rates. Keep... Read article

Bush’s War in Georgia

Will it be the Flyswatter or the Blunderbuss? “I saw bodies lying on the streets, around ruined buildings and in cars. It’s impossible to count them now. There’s hardly a single building left undamaged.” Lyudmila Ostayeva, resident of Tskhinvali, South Ossetia Washington’s bloody fingerprints are all over the invasion of South Ossetia. Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili would never dream of launching a massive military attack unless he got explicit orders from his bosses at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. After... Read article

I’m stuck in Baghdad freeway rush-hour traffic — in a Bradley tank

After spending a slow morning at COP Guerro — playing solitaire, filing stories and sneaking around avoiding angry dogs — we are now leaving to go out on patrol again in our Bradley tank. “We’ll be going to Cedar Street,” said the COP commander. “That location used to be so violent that we tried to avoid it whenever possible. That’s where a Bradley was attacked last year and four men burned to death. Special groups criminals,” which is what the military calls the local... Read article

Report from Iraq

If the Iraq Army wants to buy $10.9 bn in weapons, then let’s have a fire sale! I’m over here in Iraq, getting a micro-cosmic view of the situation on the ground. But if you want to see the Big Picture, try reading the Iraq Slogger online. “During the last week of July,” reported the Slogger, “the Department of Defense notified Congress about the proposed sale of $10.9 billion in U.S. military equipment and support to Iraq through the Foreign Military Sales program.” Amazing! That’s... Read article

Restore Constitutional Government to America

Every day we move closer; every time we open the paper, surf the Internet, it is worse. Left, right, libertarian, green, we know in our bones and hearts that we need to take action. We have been divided along lines of political opinion where we should have been joined to find solutions. We have been cut off from each other, manipulated for the profit of corporations and their cronies. It is bad and when we look into the future there is little to spark hope; The meltdown of the economy and the narrowing of what is permitted... Read article

Hamdan case exemplifies Bush’s failure in the “war on terror”

On August 6th, Osama bin Laden’s former driver, Salim Hamdan, was convicted of aiding terrorism but acquitted of more serious conspiracy charges. The next day, the jury sentenced Hamdan to 5 1/2 years in prison — much less than the 30 years to life that the prosecution wanted. The sentence includes the five years and one month that Hamdan has already served at Gitmo, so he may be free in as little as five months. This is the Bush administration’s big news-making catch, their showcase trial in the “war... Read article

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