06-16-2006, 02:16 PM
"Curiouser and curiouser," said Alice.
The recent Newsweek article covered the air raid which ended the career of Al Zarqawi. I was involved in similar (and regretably unsuccessful) operations a couple of years ago, and had some mild emotional flashbacks to days and nights trying to "get 'er done" as I read it. While disgusted at the "look how clever we are" comments from government sources (violations of Operational Security) I was taken aback by something discovered in the house where Al Zarqawi was hiding -- when the iron raindrops fell.
Surviving the blast were a few matresses, some "documents," and -- WTF? --
A picture of FDR.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
If it belonged to the owner of the house, why would someone living in the middle of Iraq have a picture of FDR up on the wall? I hadn't heard he was an iconic figure in the Arab world.
If it belonged to Al Zarqawi, why would he carry around a picture of FDR?
For all his strengths and weaknesses in domestic and foreign policy, FDR was an unabashedly globalist American president. (Example: While Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he provided a draft Haitian Constitution (1919) which was implemented at the point of Marine bayonets for about 12 years.)
The present Iraqi strife is in part -- particularly the piece Al Zarqawi played -- a struggle against the "globalist busy body" facet of American invasion and occupation. Taking Al Zarqawi's affiliation with Al Qaeda at face value (even if he embarassed the movement through Muslim-on-Muslim warfare) I can't wrap my brain around that symbol's incongruence: the archetype Globalist American President being held as a token (admired?) by the man leading an explicitly anti-globalist guerilla effort.
It would be similar to Ho Chi Minh keeping a picture of Woodrow Wilson in his pocket. (Wilson snubbed Ho in 1919 during the deliberations leading to the Versailles treaty.)
Was the Newsweek report in error, or are there are stranger threads to the ideological basis of the various resistance groups in Iraq than I could imagine in my wildest, caffeine-induced hallucination? Of course, this is the same Newsweek issue with the article examining whether or not Superman is Jewish or Christian. :blink: Last I checked, he was an extra terrestial . . . from Krypton!
In other weird news, Britanny Spears hired a 28 year old, US Naval Academy alumnus, as "body guard" or "manny" since she is (predictably for the Hollywood crowd) estranged from the father of her children. As an alum of that institution, I would never have considered that career path, not even at gunpoint.
Theory: these are two signs that the Apocalypse is upon us, and that there are 253 charges left in the staff. ;) Or, these are two signs that the world has only gone mad.
The third sign was Senator Clinton's remarks that "pulling out of Iraq is not the wisest course of action." Since when did she hire President Bush's speech writer? :o Four signs left, four more seals to be opened, and it's curtains for the free world, and the rest of the world, all at once.
Or not.
What to do, what to do. :huh:
The recent Newsweek article covered the air raid which ended the career of Al Zarqawi. I was involved in similar (and regretably unsuccessful) operations a couple of years ago, and had some mild emotional flashbacks to days and nights trying to "get 'er done" as I read it. While disgusted at the "look how clever we are" comments from government sources (violations of Operational Security) I was taken aback by something discovered in the house where Al Zarqawi was hiding -- when the iron raindrops fell.
Surviving the blast were a few matresses, some "documents," and -- WTF? --
A picture of FDR.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
If it belonged to the owner of the house, why would someone living in the middle of Iraq have a picture of FDR up on the wall? I hadn't heard he was an iconic figure in the Arab world.
If it belonged to Al Zarqawi, why would he carry around a picture of FDR?
For all his strengths and weaknesses in domestic and foreign policy, FDR was an unabashedly globalist American president. (Example: While Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he provided a draft Haitian Constitution (1919) which was implemented at the point of Marine bayonets for about 12 years.)
The present Iraqi strife is in part -- particularly the piece Al Zarqawi played -- a struggle against the "globalist busy body" facet of American invasion and occupation. Taking Al Zarqawi's affiliation with Al Qaeda at face value (even if he embarassed the movement through Muslim-on-Muslim warfare) I can't wrap my brain around that symbol's incongruence: the archetype Globalist American President being held as a token (admired?) by the man leading an explicitly anti-globalist guerilla effort.
It would be similar to Ho Chi Minh keeping a picture of Woodrow Wilson in his pocket. (Wilson snubbed Ho in 1919 during the deliberations leading to the Versailles treaty.)
Was the Newsweek report in error, or are there are stranger threads to the ideological basis of the various resistance groups in Iraq than I could imagine in my wildest, caffeine-induced hallucination? Of course, this is the same Newsweek issue with the article examining whether or not Superman is Jewish or Christian. :blink: Last I checked, he was an extra terrestial . . . from Krypton!
In other weird news, Britanny Spears hired a 28 year old, US Naval Academy alumnus, as "body guard" or "manny" since she is (predictably for the Hollywood crowd) estranged from the father of her children. As an alum of that institution, I would never have considered that career path, not even at gunpoint.
Theory: these are two signs that the Apocalypse is upon us, and that there are 253 charges left in the staff. ;) Or, these are two signs that the world has only gone mad.
The third sign was Senator Clinton's remarks that "pulling out of Iraq is not the wisest course of action." Since when did she hire President Bush's speech writer? :o Four signs left, four more seals to be opened, and it's curtains for the free world, and the rest of the world, all at once.
Or not.
What to do, what to do. :huh:
- Look up the guy who used to work for me, who has since become an Evangelical preacher, and ask his advice<>
- Sit here, sip my cup of coffee, and wait for the Rapture<>
- Put in an order for fish, as they'll soon be boiling in the sea<>
- Look out for the bleeding sun and moon, then move to Montana<>
- Get me to Nunnery, and quickly!<>
- Quit eating spicey chili late in the evening<>
- Seek the Cheshire Cat and ask him for answers<>
- Throw the TV into the trash<>
[st]
What would you do?
Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete