Ma Deuce Gunner

An Armed Populace

2007-07-09T21:15:00.000-06:00

is an inherently safe populace. Who wants to rob or attack someone who quite possibly has a gun??!! It levels the playing field, allowing the ordinary citizen to defend himself against crime and terror. The Iraqi government today urged that its' citizens arm themselves amid the violence in the country. While this may prove to be a headache for the forces who have to sort the good guys with guns from the bad guys with guns, but I believe thoroughly in the concept that one of the best ways to deter violence is to be ready to respond with equal violence. This may well work well.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

SGT MDG.....OUT!!!!!!!

Idaho Steelhead

2007-03-12T17:12:00.000-06:00

For a great time, visit Rawhide Outfitters and ask for Steve to float you on a trip down the Salmon River. Absolutely an excellent time. Steve and his family also run a fine little place called the "Motel Deluxe", smack in the middle of Salmon, Idaho. If you are anywhere near Idaho and have the time, I HIGHLY reccommend giving this a try.

Thanks, Bobby and Steve, for a GREAT trip and a REAL TASTY fish.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG.....OUT.

Is it me....

2007-02-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

...or is Al Gore the Biggest Lefty Moonbat Ever?!?!?!?!!!!

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

A Red Letter Day In Iraq

2006-12-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

Saddam Hussein is dead. One of the most evil human beings on the planet is gone, and can murder no more innocent people.

I believe that this will bring out of the woodwork a lot of silent supporters of the insurgency in Iraq. This will definitely "flare the violence" in Iraq and will piss off a lot closet Baathists. Hopefully these supporters, who may have been facilitators, harborers and financiers in Iraq, will show their colors. When they do rear their heads, we should remember four things: Steady Position, Sight Picture, Breathing Control, and Trigger Squeeze.

Scouts Out.

MDG....OUT!!

A Summary of my Recent Outdoor Activities

2006-12-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

2006-03-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

This is my new Pup, Gracie. She is apx 4-6 months old. She is mainly Chocolate Lab, but I think there may be some Akita mixed in somewhere, she has a white stripe on her belly and her tail curls up straight over her back, like an Akita. Now I just gotta get her trained.
Posted by Picasa

Happy Blogoversary...to myself!

2006-03-20T14:56:00.001-07:00

I realized today that I have been 2 weeks past my blogoversary. Whoops. I even missed my 100,000th visitor.

I must apologize for my lack of posting. I will pick it back up, mark my words.

My wife and I adopted a puppy this weekend, a chocolate lab / mix. I picked her up today, and she is just getting adjusted to the new house. She is very docile, and is just adorable. Pictures will be up within the day.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

Mike..(aka MDG)..OUT.

Frustration Defined

2006-02-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

POP. POP POP POP. BRRRRRRPPP. POP. POPPOPPOPPOPPOPPOP. BOOM!! BOOM!! POP POP POPPOPPOP. BRRRRRRRRRP. BRRRRRRPP.

Automatic gunfire pierces the spring morning, sending the birds of southern Kirkuk skyward with a start, and my crew to a bit higher alert level. My squad had just dropped some medics off at a training location so they could educate the Iraqi Army. It was mid morning, but the mercury was already becoming unkind. We were swigging water and having a smoke break before returning to the FOB.

That day, I was in the vehicle commander's seat, for my squad leader was home on leave.

"Whoa, that sounds close.", says 'Little Man', my 5'3" driver.

"That sounds like Aidalla Police station.", says Jones, my gunner.

"Yep, sounds like rifle, machinegun fire, and maybe RPG's," I said. "Sounds like a firefight."

"Yo, Renegade Three Bravo, this is Three Alfa.", sqwaks the platoon net.

"Three Bravo.", I reply.

"Three Bravo, since you are the only one who seems to be able to talk to company, call that up, will ya?? Over."

"Wilco." The sound of the firefight continued in the not so distant distance.

As I switched handmikes, another NCO from the platoon a SSG, who, in my honest opinion, is a coward, and never should have made it to the position in which he was occupying at the time, walked over to the open door of my HMMWV.

"Animal House, this is Renegade Three Bravo...", and I reported what we had heard.

"Renegade Three Bravo, this is Animal House, Uhh...Roger." 'Uhh' is one of the things I HATE to hear on the radio. It is one of my pet peeves. In a big way.

"Animal House, this is R3B...sounds like the IP at Aidalla are getting their asses shot up over there...what is your guidance, Over?"

"Dammit Bautista, don't ask that, they might want us to go over there. I ain't driving over there with people shooting. Anyways, we have to escort the BC (batallion commander) at 1000.", says SSG Coward. "It's not our job to handle that".

"The old man will wait for us," I say to him, "especially if we catch or kill some bad guys, and we have a bunch of medics with us, in case they need some medical attention.", and I told him that with as much disdain as my voice could carry, and my facial expression echoed the sentiment. If looks could kill, I tell you.

Meanwhile, the firefight continued, with intervals of light and heavy fire. Men were dying as I fingered the coils of the radio handmike. How time seems to drag in those situations.

Have you ever been in a position where you are waiting for a decision that is being made somewhere else from your present location, and it is serious, and still you wait...knowing what you should do, but are waiting to be told to do it??

"Renegade Three Bravo, this is Animal House...we are rolling QRF from the FOB, Over." My blood pressure instantly skyrocketed, for the FOB was 10 minutes drive time away, and that was pushing the HMWWV's to maximum speed. I was less than 3 KM from the shooting, straight down the road.

"Animal House, this is Renegade Three Bravo, it is gonna take too long for them to get there, I am 90 seconds away, Over"

"Uhhh......(whoever was manning the CP at the time actually un-keyed the radio and then re-keyed it in this space).........Roger, over."

As I waited, the A team leader and acting squad leader came to my truck. "What did they say?? I told him, as the gunfire tapered in the distance. At that time, SSG Coward joined us, and told us that we better get back to the FOB.

Unable to convince SSG Coward that we should go over and investigate, we loaded our HMMWV's and left to return to the FOB.

We passed the QRF heading towards the IP station only 1/4 mile from the gate.

Five Iraqi Policemen died that morning. Three others were seriously wounded. The terrorists got away. Somewhere, somehow, someone made a decision to let them die.

Later, reports stated that it was four terrorists in a sedan, with 2 AK47s, a PKC, and an RPG. I had 3 HMMWV's, 2 .50 cal heavy MG's, a M240B, and fifteen soldiers with which to greet the enemy.

I have never felt such frustration in my life. I felt so angry, because we could have done something. Killed a few bad guys. Bandaged up a few good guys. Who knows. Communications broke somewhere that day, and information never got to the decision makers.

That was one of the worst days of my time in Iraq...we were so close, yet were kept so far away...too short of a leash, I guess.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

New OBL Tape

2006-01-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

FOX News, Drudge, and others are reporting that an new audio tape, reportedly by Osama Bin Laden, has been released by Al-Jazeera.

It is reported that the tape offers a truce in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but after claiming that they are winning on those two fronts.

"In response to the substance of the polls in the US, which indicate that Americans do not want to fight Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their land, we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stick to.

"We are a nation that Allah banned from lying and stabbing others in the back, hence both parties of the truce will enjoy stability and security to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by war.

"There is no problem in this solution, but it will prevent hundreds of billions from going to influential people and war lords in America - those who supported Bush's electoral campaign - and from this, we can understand Bush and his gang's insistence on continuing the war."

To me, it sounds like they know they are losing in Iraq, and have completely lost in Afghanistan, and they are trying to cover the fact that they are really getting their butts whipped. They aren't just getting their butts whipped, but they are getting their pants pulled to their ankles, hung upside down on the swingset, and we are buying candybars, pop and comic books with their lunch money.

The tape also claims that the measure we have undertaken to safeguard our shores have not inhibited their efforts to bring more terror to the US. OBL claims that they are just involved in preparatory stages. Bring it on, sucker, like we need another reason to turn you into worm food.

It is a longstanding US policy to not negotiate with terrorists. Simple as that.

Now my question to the anti-war folks. The CIA has authenticated his voice on this tape. My question is this (or maybe it's more of a statement, I'll let ya'll decide):

Bin Laden claims to have influence on the terrorist we are fighting in Iraq. It seems as if he controls them, and is the one responsible for the insurgency in Iraq. Who claimed responsibility for 9/11??? Oh, yeah, Bin Laden did. So, Iraq has nothing to do with 9/11??? Riiight...any other theories that need de-bunking??

One thing OBL has right is his strategy in this tape. He strokes the anti-war protesters, using almost identical rhetoric when attacking President Bush. Makes you wonder, who is reading who, and what kind of un-holy alliances run much deeper than we may like to think.

More as the situation develops.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

All Went Well

2006-01-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

I am so totally amazed at my vision. I am a little giddy, because it is completely WEIRD that I don't have to wear glasses or contacts anymore.

I got glasses when I was 6. I just turned 25. I had been wearing glasses and/or contact lenses for the past 19 years, and Tuesday, that all changed. I LOVE it!!!!

Seriously, if you have ever contemplated getting this surgery done, take my advice...stop contemplating and DO IT.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Gettin my eyes done...

2006-01-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

I am going in for Lasik laser-eye-surgery this afternoon. I would ask for your prayers that this very routine, low-risk procedure would go well and no complications arise. Thanks..

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

New Video

2005-12-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Got some new video posted over at my MDG Video.

It is a montage of photos compiled while in I was in Iraq. I have many, many photos, and hopefully this will be the first of at least a few pictures slideshows I publish.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

UPDATE: The link above is now fixed. Thanks for the heads-up, Karl.

U.S. House Resolution

2005-12-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the new resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives, about the fallacy of setting an artificial timeline for the redeployment of U.S. Forces from Iraq.

I believe that this is a very needed gesture, and it reads very well. Call your Congressman, and tell him or her to vote in favor of this resolution.

You can find their contact information RIGHT HERE.

Please, voice your support for this resolution. Call your Senator, maybe we can get something like this done in the Senate.

SCOUTS OUT.

MDG.....OUT.

Momentus..

2005-12-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today, a significant leap towards democracy was taken in Iraq.

I won't re-hash the turnout numbers too much, except to say that the high turnout is a testament to the 'state of the war', that we are winning!! It says that people feel secure enough to go out and stand in line and not fear reprisals.

Sunni Arabs turned out en-masse, which is a considerable turnaround. Sunni's are seeing and understanding that they hold the key to their own freedoms in their hand, and, while sometimes fighting for it is the only option, voting for it and abiding by the decisions of the general populace is a pretty darned good way to go about deciding how your government should work, and who should be a part of your government.

Today is an especially good day for me, and should be for all the men and women who have served over in Iraq. Not just Americans, but everyone who is a part of the "Coalition of the Willing". Every person who has toiled, bled, sweated, and cried in the sands of Mesopotamia should rejoice today. Today is what we worked for. The groundwork laid by us has proven solid, and a democratic nation is being erected on that foundation. I spent a year of my life in Iraq, doing my part to secure the country, that democracy and free will might be given a chance to flourish in a part of the world where those things are rare, and to allow a formerly repressed people to live in peace. Every soldier wonders wether his contribution will be wasted, will the Iraqi people squander this opportunity we have given them?.
Today they raised their purple index fingers again and said "NO!!! We will not waste what you have given us!!!" A year of my life in that desert, and today I see that my sweat was not in vain. My fallen comrades blood was not spilt in vain.

A while back, on the first election day, in January, I wrote on my buddie's site, that the seed of democracy had been planted. A fitting analogy, as the fertile crescent is some of the most fertile ground in the world. In October, that seed of democracy pushed through the crust of the Earth and showed its green stems to the world, under sunny skies. Today, that young shoot has become a tree, and has begun to unfurl leaves, leaves that are red on top, black on bottom, and have green stars and arabic writing on a white center stripe. This tree will soon bear fruit, and that fruit will be sweet to the Iraqi people. Victory and Freedom.

I think back to the Iraqi guys who worked with us as interpreters. Doc, Jay, Bob, Omar, and Adam. I think about how they were on the last election day. I think about their purple fingers, and how Jay, in particular, made an effort to show his purple finger to every soldier in the platoon, and to shake their hand or hug them and show his appreciation that he was able to vote for his own life, to express his own free will.

Finally, I want to leave all you who oppose this war and our efforts in Iraq with this question:

How does unprecedented voter turnout and very sporadic attacks or violence look like we are losing??

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

Yes, I know I am a Nerd

2005-12-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post some gun pictures...this is my daily carry setup...the gun changes regularly, though.

Can you believe...

2005-12-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

Apple wants to charge a person $49.95 just to talk to someone about any problem you have with your iPod, if you call after the first 90 days you have had the thing.

Anyone know what the little icon on the iPod means if it shows an iPod with "x"'s for eyes and a frowny face, and a triangle with an exclamation point next to the picture of the iPod?? My users manual is in our conex that is somewhere between here and Kirkuk, and the online manual does not address that icon.

Anyone who knows anything about iPods, please HELP!!!

Scouts Out!!!

MDG...OUT.

"Dude, Where's the Beach" has a great photoshop up...

2005-12-09T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here.

It really is exactly what needs to happen to Howard Dean.

Remember Pearl Harbor

2005-12-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

Some people compared the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US to Pearl Harbor. An unprovoked attack on sovreign US soil. We went to war over it, and fought three different enemies, on all hemispheres of the globe. World War Two.

This was a illustration of our resolve after Pearl Harbor.

Where has it gone? Where has the American Fighting Spirit gone?? I know millions of us still possess it. I know millions of Americans support our effort. I want to know this:

What would have happened to someone back in 1944 or 1945 who, three years after an attack, and three years after we had been fighting our enemies, decided they had had 'enough' of the war, and wanted us to stop fighting before we completely defeated the Japanese or the Germans??

The poster says "OUR BULLETS WILL DO IT". That is the only way, sometimes.

2005-12-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Today is the 64th anniversary of the event that drew us into World War Two...the Japanese sneak attack against the U.S. Navy fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

My wife and I had the priviledge to visit the USS Arizona Memorial 8 days ago. It is an amazing tribute, steeped in reverence and remembrance. Having lived in Hawaii from 1994-98, I had multiple visits to the Memorial, whenever family would visit. This visit, although the memorial, the museum and the program for the tour has not changed, was more moving than it had ever been before. I am not sure why. Because I have seen war? I have seen tradegdy, loss, death, and the joy of seeing your buddy emerge from the cloud of black smoke and fire unscathed. Freedom is sweeter, a little more touching, to those who have seen the face of battle.

MDG...OUT.

Ok, Howard, Enough Already

2005-12-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Howard Dean has really gotten out of hand. Seriously. If he has a leash and a muzzle, will someone courageous at the DNC (is that possible) put it back on him??

"Bring the 80,000 National Guard and Reserve troops home immediately. They don't belong in a conflict like this anyway."

Having been an Army Reservist and a current National Guardsman, he insults me and every citizen soldier who has or is wearing the uniform. He does not understand the structure of the United States Armed Forces and how our force works. Furthermore, his thinly veiled assertation that somehow the National Guard or the Reserve may not be 'up to snuff' enough to do the job correctly is downright incredulous. Every NG and AR unit has performed quite well over in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I've seen this before in my life. This is the same situation we had in Vietnam. Everybody then kept saying, 'just another year, just stay the course, we'll have a victory.' Well, we didn't have a victory, and this policy cost the lives of an additional 25,000 troops because we were too stubborn to recognize what was happening."

Somehow, Howard thinks that we will have 12 times the casualties in the coming years than we have had in the past three and a half.

Staying the course is the only option. The cowardly thing to do is to cut and run, to let the Iraqis take off in a plane with only half the rivets fastened and half the wires connected.

Does anyone else feel like I do on this subject?? The worst thing is that this man thinks that he speaks for America.

I believe that the anti-war, anti-Bush folks see that when we are successful in Iraq, that they will look like morons. They are now trying to make it so that we pull out of Iraq without finishing the job we have started, without completely defeating the terrorists and ensuring that the ISF can secure their own country, and if Iraq, after our pull-out, devolves into a civil war or similar totalitarian regime, they will say 'Look, we were right all along.'.

The democrats and the anti-war folks are seeing that we are going to win. When we do, they will have lost whatever credibility they might have now. They want us to fail, because success will invalidate every word that has come out of their mouths in the last 5 years.

I believe that many people oppose this war and this President for the simple fact that it is 'politically fashionable' or 'socially fashionable'. Honestly, who can think that freedom in not worth fighting for?? Do they seriously believe themselves?? Or are they saying sensational things to turn the spotlight upon themselves??

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

One more thing:

Howard Dean, you make me sick.

Luau Time

2005-12-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2005-11-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

The wife and I are off to Honolulu to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. Enjoy your holiday with your family, and remember that God is the whole impetus behind everything you are thankful for this holiday season.

I am thankful most of all to be home with my family. I am so thankful for God protecting me while I was in harm's way. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

Stay tuned for photos of the MDG vacation to Hawaii!!!

El Capitain... this one's for you...COWABUNGA!!!!!!!!!!!

2005 Milbloggies

2005-11-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

JP Borda, formerly of thenationalguardexperience.blogspot.com and hooah.net has now opened milblogging.com, an index of Mil-Blogs. It is a great resource to finding milblogs.

He is hosting the 2005 MILBLOGGIES, a reader driven survey of the best milblogs of 2005.

This site is listed, and has been in and out of the top ten since the inception of milblogging.com. So, go over and vote.

Matty O'Blackfive occupies the top spot by a wide margin, and I doubt I have the clout to unseat him, but lets give him a run for his money. B5 is a friend and a blog-mentor to me, so a little friendlly competition is in order.

If, perchance I do win an award, any monetary prize will be donated to either Project Valour IT or OP Iraqi Children, and I will leave the decision up to you guys.

Soooo, go and vote, will ya??

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

A Few Links

2005-11-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some excellent letters from soldiers who have been there or are there, and who understand and believe in the war.

A Redleg's Perspective: Last night in Iraq

SGT Hook

Read them, for they are good. VERY GOOD.

An Open Letter to the Anti-War Crowd

2005-11-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

To my loyal and supportive readers...this is not directed towards you. I know that you all support, encourage, and agree with me, the leadership of this country, and this war.

To all you anti-war folks, I have to get something off my chest.

You all are a disgrace to the country you call home. You abuse the freedoms that I, and many others, have sweated and bled to protect with your vitriolic rants and seditious acts and statements.

You hide behind the First Amendment, claiming the bile you spew forth is protected under the right to free speech. Some of you claim that you "Support the Troops, but not the war". I submit to you that this is a preposterous assertation. In order to truly and honestly support the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who have sworn to "Uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America", you must also support the endeavor that they are currently undertaking. Our job is to safeguard you, to kill, disable, or catch the human scum who have made it their mission in life to blow you into chunks of human gore, sever your head from your torso, incinerate you, collapse your office building, gas you on the subway, or murder your children with television cameras rolling live.

Their aim is to scare you into submission. Scare you so much, inject so much fear into your mind that you willfully throw your freedoms out of the window in the name of 'security'. If we can kill them, disable them, or catch them before they are able to inflict the horrors of their idiom on you, then you should be grateful.

I am not attempting to heap praise upon myself. The words you are reading are not for my glory, nor are they intended to glorify anyone, but to show the fallacy of your words and actions. True, you are free to believe what you wish and to voice your opinion as such, but I am also free to do the same.

The words on your screen that you are reading now are intended to cause you to think about the ideology to which you cling. To make you see that folks like 'Code Pink', Fred Phelps, Cindy Sheehan and their ilk are morally bereft individuals. Dark, vile people who do not want others to have their freedoms, but abuse the same to do the shouting.

Your inability to understand the gravity of the situation in which we, as a nation, are embroiled is appalling. In my eyes, you do not understand what dangers this country faces from these terrorists, nor do you understand what it takes to protect you from this peril.

I think back to the Jews who were led out of Egypt whined that they were tired of eating manna, trekking through the desert, facing the danger of wild animals, desert heat, and uncertainty as to what the next mile in the sand might bring. They longed to be back in bondage, slaves to the Egyptians, with full stomachs, roofs over their heads, and a place to call home. They would have rather been forced to perform manual labor by Draconian task-masters rather have their freedom. They knew that they would be fed, have a permanent house, regardless of the way they were treated, as slaves doing forced HARD labor.They were not willing to travel the hard road, to fight for their freedoms. It was easier to go back and be oppressed by the Egyptians rather than press forward and fight for their own nation, for their own freedom. I use the word fight. I mean the term both militarily and in simple reference to the struggle to maintain resilience of spirit.

Some of you will immediately discount the previous reference for the simple fact it is Biblical. Regardless of what you believe spiritually, the parallel draws the conclusion. People who are willing to trade freedom for security are sorry individuals. Freedom is costly to maintain, financially, but also costly of life, resolve and dedication.

Some of you will argue that Iraq has nothing to do with 9-11. It has everything to do with that terrible fall day. The terrorist action on that day was not simply an attack against four airliners, two high profile structures and the people in the planes and buildings, but on the sovriegnty and safety of the USA. In the Declaration of Independence, we all know the clause, "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness". The terrorists want nothing more than to take those rights from you, and they did, from almost 3000 people on that day. A great majority of the terrorists were from Saudi Arabia. That is one of the anti-war crowd's talking points. The concept which I believe you fail to grasp is that they were part of a larger network, a community of evil people who despiseus. Let us use illegal drugs as an example.

For instance, if a person is arrested for selling drugs, do the law enforcement agencies stop there?? Do the stop with the person who carries out the crime at the lowest level?? No, they attempt to take down the whole network, and go as high as they can to try and eradicate the problem at the top. They go to the mid-level suppliers, then the clearinghouses of the nation, the couriers, the financiers, and the kingpins and cartel bosses. An investigation that starts somewhere say, Cleveland, could lead to Chicago, thenMiami, then Cuba, and then to Bogota. The trail could branch anywhere in the chain, and in our instance, the trail led to Iraq.

Another parallel can be drawn from the example of narcotics. A proactive stance is essential in taking care of the problem. We can sit back inside our borders, hoping to catch the drug runners at the borders, or we can go on the offensive, find the problem at its source and deal with it at its origination. Similarly, do we set up treatment centers and simply hope that addicts will happen to decide to come in for help with their problems, or do we seek them out, advertise, reach into the community and try to bring aid to them??

Our expedition into Iraq and Afghanistan is the exact same concept. We are attempting to stop the terrorists where they breed, where they are steeped in their radicalism, where they do not harm OUR citizens, my family and yours. It may seem callous, but I mean no insult towards anyone of different nationality. Another hypothetical example...a ship is sinking. A seaplane lands to rescue the people on board.The seaplane is owned by a ficticious nation...let's use Atlantis. The seaplane is capable of carrying 30 people other than the aircraft crew. There are 34 people in need of rescue. Thirty of the passengers on the ship are Atlantean. Who are the crew of the plane going to take with them?? The Atlantean's, of course. They will rescue their countrymen first, and if possible, they will come back for the others, if possible. You take care of your own. You protect your countrymen, protect your homeland and its people. Not to say that others are worth any less as human beings, but you take care of your own.

We are taking care of our national interests. Making sure that OUR borders are safe, fighting the enemy in their homeland, not ours. I would rather fight the enemy where they do not put American civilians at risk. It is my job to fight the enemy and remove his ability to attack Americans. Would you rather wait and have us fight in the streets of St. Louis or New York or L.A. or Smalltown, USA, or would you rather we kill them before they can even pose any danger to you in your hometown??

We removed a regime that supported terrorism. He supported an ENEMY of the United States of America, and was an evil person. Saddam Hussein was a terrorist in his own right, against his own people. A friend of my enemy is my enemy.

So, enough with your venomous, acrimonious rantings. If you don't like the fact that your government is making aCONCERTIED EFFORT to preserve your freedoms, go somewhere else. You are parasitic dregs, stealing from the people who secure yourfreedoms, abusing the freedoms to malign them, all the while being behind the shield of protection they so willingly provide.Let me define parasite for you :

"something that resembles a biological parasite in dependence on something else for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return"

Now, ask yourself...does this in any way apply to you??

You are stealing my blood, and you should be ashamed of yourself. Go back to your dark holes and brood, for you and your logic isnot welcome, and many more people than you think feel the same way I do. You are evil, as evil as our enemies.

This is something I have wanted to get off my chest for a long time, but I did not think that while I was in Iraq I should post this. Now that I am home, and see and hear the anti-war crowd and their message through a different set of eyes, I believe my words are appropriate. Jen over at Jennifer's Musings emailed me a month ago and asked me for my opinionand what I would say to the Anti-War protestors. She posted it here. You will find many sentiments in this article were echoed in that one, as that post kind of became a rough draft for this one.

Thanks.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

Its official!!!

2005-11-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

He's actually coming HOME today. MDG called me early this morning to tell me he'll be flying in this afternoon. I don't know how I'll make it through till then! Thanks again for all your support. You probably won't hear much out of us for a day or so. . . . .

The Straight Word, Straight From an Iraqi Citizen, Final Installment

2005-11-07T02:35:00.000-07:00

This is the answers to the questions below, submitted by you, my readers, have not been altered in any way. These responses are from straight from the mouths of, well, extraordinary Iraqi citizens, men who are willing to work to better their country.

Jay and Doc are brothers, and were both interpreters for my company during my time in Kirkuk. Along with their other brother, Bob, these three were the most outstanding three Iraqis I had the priviledge to work with. They were always punctual, motivated, enthusiastic, and prepared when we needed them to be. They truly want their country to succeed, and both their words below, and their actions on the battlefield are irrefutable proof of their patriotism, and I believe, representative of the main body of the Iraqi nation.

Jay, Bob, Doc; Shukran, A Salaam Alaaykum...Thank You, May Peace be Upon You.
You have forever changed my opinion of Iraq's good people, I count you among my brethren in arms,for you sweated and bled with us, so we could be safe, and you could be free.

Q. How do they see the future of Iraq in 10 years? Do they see a free country still growing or do they see a longer more drawn out fight for freedom between their own people?
A. Jay: I dont think a civil war will happen, because they have been trying to incite one for the last three years. Most people here are educated enought to recognize the dangers of that for this country.
[MDG] Do you still think it will be free in ten years?[/MDG]
Jay: Yes, I do.

Q. Are women being treated with any more equality now than they were before the fall? (All within religious guidelines I'm sure.)
A. Doc: Unofficially, its the same. It depends on the area, religion, and tradition. Ethnicity and religious affiliation has a affect. Some cities, suchas Baghdad, Dahok and Suleimania, it is more liberal, than say, Arbil or Mosul.
[MDG] What about Kirkuk??[/MDG]
Jay: Kirkuk is 'middle of the road' when it comes to the treatment of women. Ramadi and the Sunni triangle are the most 'conservative' where they have the least rights, along with Basra and southern Iraq.
Doc: Officially, Traditions take more precedence than the new law, but under the new law, they have equal rights.

Q. Do most Iraqis feel safer from random violence than they did before? (Not war related violece, but robbery, rape, etc)
A. Jay: It is worse than before. Saddam released all the criminals from all the jails before you invaded. He did it intentionally, because he knew that they would play a role in the insurgency. The terrorists are paying the common criminals to carry out the insurgency. Saddam knew they would help the terrorists, because the terrorists would pay them to set bombs or shoot rockets or mortars.

Q. Are Iraqi girls beginning to get the same educational opportunities that boys have?
A. They have always had the same rights to education. Nothing has changed in this regard.

Q. Is there anything that they have learned/gained from you guys (military) that you'll keep with them for their lifetime? (Culture, skills, knowledge etc)
A. Jay: Social skills...being around different people of faith, personality. We have leared to be tolerant of other people, and the knowledge that the regular American soldier is a good person.

Q. How do you view the world differently now than they did before?
A: Doc: We see the Americans in a different light. We saw the Americans as a 'bunch of jerks'. Now we see that the Americans are right. I want to keep working as an interpreter, because I believe in our cause. I believe in the way you (the American's and British) are dealing with the other countries.

Q. How do they want the people of the world to view them now?
A. Jay: There are a lot of people who think Iraqis are uneducated, and that we are always fighting each other, but that's not right. I just want to prove to the other world that the conflict here is POLITICAL, to the common man, the racial divides do not exist as large as they would lead you to think.

Q. What do they hope happens to Saddam? (put to death quickly, prison, long time waiting to be put to death, released and expelled, etc)
A. Jay: Exile is not an option. I don't want to think about Saddam. He is no longer in power, and that is the main issue. His punishment should be the rest of his life in jail, having to witness the growth of the nation without him, to see the people he repressed to take part in the affairs of state. I think he would suffer more seeing this country succeed. Death would be the endof his suffering.
[MDG] So you think it would be better to rub it in his face??[/MDG]
Jay: Yeah.
Doc: Death. There are still people who worship him, and want him to return to power.
[MDG] So you think as long he is alive, they will have hope that he will come back to power.[/MDG]
Doc: Yes, they will continue their activitiesuntil they know he is dead.

Q. If they could tell Saddam one thing, what would it be?
A. Jay: Why?
Doc: Any punishment you recieve could never measure up to the crimes you committed.

Q. Do they see the American and indeed the "Western" style of life as a threat to Iraqi's way of life.
A. Doc: We will retain our national identity, but we need their support, to take the good things. To learn from culture, technology, science, and such to improve our way of life, while still being myself. To share and aid in successes.

Q. Do they feel that they are Iraqi's first and whatever: tribal, religious, regional allegiance second. I guess what I'm after here is: Is there a strong Iraqi national identity?
A. Doc: I am from Iraq. Nowhere else. We are Iraqis, first and foremost. There is a STRONG national Identity.

Q. There are still a few people in America who believe we should not have gone into Iraq. What would your interpreters tell us to tell them?
A. Doc: They dont know the job that was done by the Americans. You did a very good job, and gave us our freedom.
[MDG]Some opponents of this war say itsa war for oil.[/MDG]
Doc: You deserve to be able to buy the oil, we know you are not stealing it. We are waiting for the country to become stable enough for the other civilian companies to come and help develop Iraq. We believe that Saddam was a threat to the world, and that the world is safer without Saddam in power."

Q. What did you think the Americans would be like before we arrived?
A. Doc: We knew you were coming to help us. We didn't think we were gonna steal, rape and pillage, or anything like that. Saddam spent a lot of time to make us think we were evil, to distort our view of America, but we didnt believe it. He showed us movies about your culture, to try and demean the US, but we knew it was just propaganda. It was like a miracle when you came here.

Q. What is his personal favorite moment with the Americans? (something like the tea party you participated in)
A. Jay: When we captured some bad guys who were kidnappers. The lady in the house told us that the bad guy was a kidnapper, on a general knock and search.
Doc: When you stop the bad guys. That is the best times we have, when you stop the people who want to stop the progress of Iraq.

Q. What is his personal worst experience with the Americans?
A. Doc: Bad attitudes toward the populace, sometimes a racist treatment, because of previous casualties, maybe.
Jay: We dont like seeing the AIF released after being caught and incarcerated.

Q. Once the insurgency is defeated and Iraq is peaceful, should the oil revenue go to the government, so they can waste it on subsidies and ill conceived projects and pork barrel, or should majority of it go directly to Iraqis in monthly payments?
A. Doc: We believe that the oil money should go to the people. It should go to government programs, and the excess that the government doesnt need to run itself, that the extra money should go to the people. Taxes arent required in that sort of arrangement.

(Just a note, and no insult to the submitter of the question...I wonder, since it is a predominately Muslim country, if they call "Pork Barrel" spending something else?!?!?!

This is my last post from the sands of Northern Iraq. Even though I may be on American soil when this actually is posted,it was completed and authored in Iraq.

To tease you about my next upcoming post of substance (I am sure there will be short, elated posts from my wife announcing my arrival in the USand finally at home), brace yourselves, you Anti-War folks, I have some words for you...and they are not nice.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

Demob. . .

2005-11-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

MDG finally made it to his demobilization site at Ft. Lewis. At this point we have absolutely no idea how long it will take him to go through that process. It seems to be completely random and unorganized (big shock there). I think the wives should be in charge of organizing it - we'd have them all home in a matter of days :)

Update. . . .

2005-11-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

He is still on foreign soil, but not for long. MDG just called me from Ireland and was getting ready to board his flight to the US!!!!!! YYEEEAAAHHHH!

Update. . .

2005-10-29T14:33:00.000-06:00

Papa Ray predicted correctly. MDG was delayed about 31 hours out of Kirkuk and is now sitting in a tent in Kuwait waiting for a flight out. Unfortunately, it looks like he will be spending a few days there. After he came home on leave in August I learned my lesson not to expect smooth traveling. Hope for the best and brace for the worst! Its hard not to get discouraged though. Dealing with the military gives me so many opportunities to practice patience!

Hang in there Sweetie. I love you

My Soldier is Coming Home!!!

2005-10-27T20:25:00.000-06:00

A Message from MDG's Wife

"He's on his way!" I have waited so long to say those words! It has been more than 24 hours since I heard from him, so I’m assuming I’m safe to say to spread the word. I would like to thank you all for prayers and support. They have meant so much to my husband and I. MDG has enjoyed the interaction he has had with you and looks forward to continuing his site when he gets home - as soon as I can stop kissing him long enough for him to type :)

I thank God for bringing us through this. He has poured out His blessings on our lives in the past year. I could never have done this by my own strength. Again, thank you for all your prayers - they were vital to us.

I will continue posting updates on MDG’s progress towards home as I hear from him over the next several days.

To My Soldier: I love you so much. I am waiting anxiously to see you step off that plane and into my arms. We’ve made it! Some days it felt like this tour would never end, but here we are days away from being reunited. I am very proud of all you have done. I’m so lucky to have you! You are a wonderful husband. Thank you for praying for me and encouraging me and supporting me through this. Ephesians 3:20 says that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to the fullness of God.” That is what I feel He has given me in you - immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine. I am honored to be your wife. Thanks for being my husband. Thanks for loving me

MDG’s Wife

COME ON AIR FORCE!!!!!!!!

2005-10-27T03:08:00.000-06:00

Don't fail me now!!!!!!!

Once I get actually in-transit, MDG wife will take over and keep you updated on my travels.

Thank you all SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH for your support, kind words, emails and most of all, prayers. I am indebted to you all for it.

The blog will stay up, and will I will continue to post stateside. The I have conducted the interview with my terps, although it probably wont be posted until I get home. There were some great questions, and some equally great answers.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and from every fiber of my being. This will not be the last you hear from the MDG, there's just gonna be a hiatus for a while. Please keep checking back. I look forward to revealing my identity, which I have kept mostly secret, due to both OPSEC and my wife's wishes. I didn't want to put out a name and a geographical location, for safety concerns.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT...OF IRAQ!!!! Yeeehaw!!!!!!!

Another Blogger Meeting

2005-10-23T09:17:00.000-06:00

On the afternoon of the 22nd, I went over and met with Caelestis. I enjoyed meeting him, and we had a great conversation.

Caelestis is a VERY well learned and intelligent guy. He spent time in the Army, and now works as a contractor for the Army. He and I talked for almost an hour, and I learned A LOT from him in that short amount of time. He has some very good posts about the referendum, here and here. Go read.

We arranged to meet again today for lunch, but I didn't see him in the chow hall. So, Caelestis, same time tomorrow, buddy...hope ya can make it...and if the ASAS is too much trouble, I have ammo...

Grey Eagle was there, though, and we ate together. It was nice to sit down and chat with not the same guys you have been eating chow with for the last 18 months. Nothin against my platoon-mates, but new conversation is always welcome. I forgot my camera, but she had conducted her meeting PCI, so we were able to get a picture...which as soon as she emails me, I will post. She will probably do the same, when she gets access to the internet like I do.

These two are two of my favorite bloggers, so it is really amazing that I have been able to meet them, much less in Iraq, and less than two weeks apart. I guess I REALLY have to get to putting the new "Bloggers I have Met" coulumn.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

Sorry for...

2005-10-20T09:22:00.000-06:00

... the light blogging as of late. The reasoning behind this is two-fold.

1. Not a lot has happened lately that is worthy of writing about. It has been quiet around the city, and driving around the city for two hours is not anything to write about.

2. I have been packing and prepping to go home. It looks as if I will be leaving Iraq within the week. YAY!!!!

I will try and do one more interview with my interpreters before I leave. I would like for the questions to come from you, my readers. Please leave your questions in the comments of this post. Deadline for submission of questions is: 0800 EST, 22 October, 2005. Thanks.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

SUCCESS!!

2005-10-16T11:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, the Constitutional Referendum went off without a hitch here in Kirkuk. NO reports of attacks on voter or polling sites were made. People were able to vote without fear of reprisal, attack, or death...and it looks as if the referendum will be passed.

The Iraqi Security Forces were the main forces used to protect the populace. The US only appeared in the city as a back-up force, prepared to provide support, while the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army ensured physical security of the polling sites.

It looks as if the poll numbers indicate upwards of 60% voter turnout, on a national scale, which is more than we could ever hope for in the US. It seems the people here belive in the system, that they know that every vote counts, and they are eager to give their input into government.

Democracy has taken another step here in the Fertile Crescent, and I hope soon it will be running smoothly.

More soon....

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT

Tagged...

2005-10-11T01:53:00.000-06:00

Jen, my blog-daughter, over at Jennifer's Musings tagged me yesterday...so here goes...

Seven things I want to do before I die:
1. Make it back to the US
2. Raise a family
3. Be the best husband I can
4. Finish my college education
5. Visit Europe again
6. Own my own home
7. Shoot a trophy Elk, Deer and Moose

Seven things I can do:
1. wiggle my ears
2. Use Chopsticks
3. Make a excellent ROCKIN meal of biscuits and gravy
4. I'm pretty good at HALO 2
5. Make a pair of black leather boots SHINE like you wouldn't believe
6. use a sewing machine
7. Completely dis-assemble and re-assemble an M4 Carbine in less than a minute.

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Dance without embarrasing myself
2. Draw or Paint (I am an not artistic, I can't even get crayons right)
3. Roll my tongue
4. Understand liberalism
5. Get my dirty socks into the hamper (It's physically impossible for me to accomplish)
6. make an over-easy egg, I always break the yolk...
7. ...or a pot-roast, for that matter...i DESTROYED a piece of meat once...

Seven things I say a lot :
1. "Dude, Seriously.."
2. Right on
3. Roger
4. I can't wait to get out of this country (Iraq)
5. I miss my wife.
6. Donkey, SHUT UP!!(inside joke)
7. (quietly)"Lord, give me strength, protect me and my men, keep your hand over me, help me vanquish my enemy and give me peice of mind to make good decisions. Amen"

Seven things I find attractive in a female:
1. My wife, everything about her!!!!
2. (see above)
3. (see above)
4. (see above)
5. (see above)
6. (see above)
7. (see above)

Seven… celebrity crushes? Who came up with that one?
1. None, really..
2. Seriously. (see above in 'things I say a lot')
3. I am not star-struck...
4. because...
5. I have the woman I want...
6. and it is not fair to her...
7. ...But my wife would laugh and say "Lila McCann"

Seven people I feel like bugging:
1. El Capitan
2. SarahK
3. Sgt. B
4. Caelestis
5. Mustang 23
6. PebblePie
7. Peter Clute

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG....OUT.

A Few Links...

2005-10-10T04:48:00.000-06:00

I read, from the Mudville Gazette's Open Post, an Op-Ed from the LA Times, of all places. It was titled Peace is not the answer. It's an excellent piece.

Also, I found a translated version of the new Iraqi Constitution, found here It really is nice to see a document, something concrete.

Finally, I watched "An Unfinished Life", with Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, and Jennifer Lopez. It's a good movie, go see it.

Sorry not more right now, been busy prepping for the elections.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

MilBloggers Meet...

2005-10-09T05:35:00.000-06:00

I went to the gym today to do some cardio. I was standing in line, waiting to sign in and get a towel behind a couple of 101st ABN soldiers. I noticed the female soldier in front of me had her name and unit written on the stock of her rifle. I recognized the unit name. I asked her if she knew of a person in her unit that blogged under the pseudonym of Grey Eagle. She said "That's me!" (She's listed in my blogroll, under Lady Screaming Eagle I introduced my self, and we had a little discussion, about the FOB, the services available on post, and Kirkuk.

So, now I will have to change my blogroll, and put a category "Bloggers I've Met".

And, it also means.....my replacements are here....on the way stateside SOON!!!! HOOOAH!!

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Record

2005-10-04T03:57:00.000-06:00

My brigade, the 116th Brigade Combat Team, made up of units from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, New Jersey, and California, currently owns the record for re-enlisting soldiers, out of any unit, Active Duty, Reserve or National Guard, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 256th BCT, headquartered in Louisiana, held the previous record at over 400 soldiers re-enlisting in-country. The 116th BCT set out to beat that record with a goal of 500, and did on 14 September 2005, with BG Alan Gayheart, Commander of the 116th BCT, ceremonially swearing in SGT Seckel in front of a representative formation of other soldiers re-affirming their commitment to continue to stand ready to protect freedom.

I'm in there somewhere, third row from the back, right-center of the photo. Even I couldn't find myself.

You will notice the photo is labeled "500th Re-Enlistment". As of right now, the 116th BCT has had 733 soldiers sign new 3 or 6 year contracts.

I venture to say that this is a huge testament to the will of the army. Not the Army, the organization, but the army, the men and women who wear the uniform, no matter what branch. Knowing the adversity faced in combat, and the need for the constant defense of our nation, and having already experienced hardship, loss, and separation, a momentus number are willing to continue to be counted among the willing.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

OPEN POST COURTESY OF Mudville Gazette

How Many...

2005-09-30T12:20:00.000-06:00

soldiers fighting "illegal" wars, who "steal oil" and "opress" the popluace get offered to join a family for tea during a patrol? Anyone?? Anyone?? Beuhler??

That's what I thought.

The photo is a little dark, please accept my apologies.

At night in Iraq, many people spend the evenings outside in the yard or out in the street. Whole families sit around and interact. It is neat to see 3 or 4 generations of a family enjoying each others company. We all know about how some families in the US are, who rarely eat together at a table, and if they do, they retreat from each other to watch TV, go to the mall, go out with their friends...so on and so forth.

Last night, we were out in the city, on an escort mission. We stopped and got out while at one of our objectives, and we happened to be next to this family. The patriarch of the clan (directly to my L in the photo) immediately stood up and came to me, offering his chair and a cigarette. I declined the chair, accepted the cigarette, and continued to 'pull' security. The children immediately surrounded me, saying whatever phrase they knew in English, which is normally "Mistah". A lot of the time, kids beg for candy or soccerballs, but these kids just wanted to know my name and where I was from. I dug into my cargo pocket and found some peppermint candies, the soft kind, which are just plain confectioners sugar and peppermint oil, and hand them to the kids.

The patriarch then stood again and walked to me with his hands in front of him, making a stirring motion. We have learned that this is the Iraqi hand signal for tea. "Chai? Chai?", he said. I shot a glance to my squad leader, who smiled and said "Go ahead, we have plenty of security."

To the patriarch I turned, and said "Naam, Shukran.", which is Arabic for "Yes, Thank You". A flash of a flowery dress is all I see, as an older teenage girl disappears behind the gate, destined for the kitchen. I nod and smile at everything they say, and they all giggle at the faces I make, as they try to communicate with hand signals and few English words.

Before I know it, the young woman appears at the gate, holding an immaculately polished silver tray with eight steaming cups of chai. Pre-poured into small glasses with gold rims and ornate flowers carved into the glass, and matching saucers, and miniature brass spoons jutting out the top of the glass. Sugar is already in the tea, in ridiculous quantites. Iraqi tea is served VERY HOT, and the sugar dissolves with a few swishes of the diminuative spoon.

I have learned, over the past 11 months, that you DO NOT attempt to sip from the cup, or your lips and tongue will pay the price. You stir for a while, both to dissolve the sugar and attempt to dissipate some of the heat. When you are ready for a sip, you pour a little into the saucer, which is an art all unto itself, because I always end up with some tea running down the side of the glass. You then sip from the saucer, because the tea cool rapidly to a comfortable drinking temperature.

We all stand there sipping in the dark, lightning flashing in the distance, illuminating the southwestern sky. Now it is time to go, the element we were escorting is ready to move to the next site. I take a final sip of tea, replace it on the waiting tray, now held by who looks like the patriarch's son. I turn to the old man, and again thank him, shake his hand and then momentarily place my hand on my chest, an Arabic gesture of gratitude. Instantaneously, right hands surround me, for everyone wants to shake mine. Even the women, who sometimes shy away from us, smile and shake our hands here. Smiles abound.

As we mount the vehicle, the family stands on the curb, waving and smiling. I reach into my pocket and feel some more soft peppermints, which I toss to the kids, and they smile even bigger, if it was possible to seem any happier. "Win their hearts and minds.", they say. In this little microcosm of Iraq, a curb in a neighborhood under the desert stars, "Mission Accomplished".

I shall never forget the 10 minutes I spent with this family. No conversations of substance transpired, no earth shattering foreign policy formed. Simply hospitality and gratitude; just smiles, body language and handshakes. For a while, there was no fighting, no explosions, no terrorist possibly lurking around the corner. Even though I was in full combat gear, sharp steel sheathed, ammunition and explosives strapped to my chest, rifle slung at my front, for a moment, I was just a guy enjoying a hot beverage and some candy with the neighbors.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

Update 7 OCT 05: Thank you all who emailed me photo-shopped copies of the picture in this post, but they are .bmp images, and the hosting service I use only accepts JPEG. Still working it, though.

"Renegade 3" Crew

2005-09-30T12:18:00.000-06:00

This is my fire team and my squad leader.

Observer----Driver----Asst. Gunner

Sqd. Ldr-------------------Me, the "MDG"

New Video at MDG Video

2005-09-26T01:34:00.000-06:00

I have a new clip posted over at MDG Video. It is from one of our sister companies practicing stacking and entering a building...a VERY SMALL building. Hope you get a laugh out of it.

SCOUTS OUT.

MDG....OUT.

-Jennifer's Musings: Declaration of WAR

2005-09-25T05:23:00.000-06:00

Jen, my blogdaughter, has posted an excerpt of what is tantamount to a Declaration of WAR signed by, among others Usama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. Go on over there and give it a read, and make sure you read it all they way to the bottom, for her commentary at the bottom is very insightful.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG......OUT.

Thank You

2005-09-24T08:18:00.000-06:00

I would like to welcome my new readers, courtesy of Time, and thank all my regular readers for their loyalty, comments and encouragement. I will do my best to produce content you enjoy reading. I never thought I would gain the readership base that I have. Thank you all for reading. I hope you keep coming back.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Conex Day

2005-09-24T07:25:00.000-06:00

Today, we packed our conex. To the un-initiated, a conex is a metal shipping container that can be loaded on a flatbed truck or a ship.

To a soldier, loading the means one thing: We are close to the day when we stuff whatever we have left into a duffle bag and a rucksack, I pack my laptop into its gargantuan black waterproof case, and put on my assault vest...which will be MUCH lighter, due to not having a ridiculous amount of ammo, and load the freedom bird. Sometime after the elections in October, we will transfer our AO (Area of Operations) to the 101st ABN, and we will di-di-mau back to the US. We'll to Kuwait for a while, then on to my native Washington, at FT. Lewis for an uncertain amount of time, and then return to Idaho. I can't wait to get back to my wife and my life.

So, just another check-mark in the book that gets us home.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG....OUT.

Response

2005-09-20T05:15:00.000-06:00

I would like to respond to a comment left on my last post...

Anonymous said...
Do you think that what you are doing is worth the deaths of 25,000 Iraqis and 2,000 US soldiers, or, is this going to be like Vietnam - a completely pointless exercise?
The reason I ask is that it seems that we are helping to install an Islamic government with strong ties to Iran, which will lead to the enslavement of women.
Must make you wonder what you are fighting for!

Many of the terrorist who have been killed in the fighting here in Iraq are not Iraqi. I can't divulge the breakdown as I have heard from our intelligence assets, but many of the terrorists we catch are NOT indigenous Iraqis. There are Syrians, Saudi's, Jordanians, Iranians, and other personell from other countries. There are definately Iraqis that take part in the insurgency.

If you are counting people killed by the terrorists, innocent people killed by suicide bombers, that is the reason we are here. To protect those innocent people until the new Iraqi Security Forces are able to do the job themselves.

As a soldier who takes part in combat operations, I know that there is the possibility that I may never make it home. We are doing a dangerous job, but I signed up for it. When I signed my contract, almost 8 years ago, I knew that I was joining an organization that someday might put me into harms way. I knew that I might fight and die in a foreign land. I joined the Army to defend the freedoms of our land. Detractors of this war may claim we are not fighting for freedom. I beg to differ. By fighting this war here, we are not only procuring freedom for a new country, but we are taking the fight to our enemy. We need to show the terrorists that if they attack our homeland, we have the capability and the resolve to destroy them where they plan and plot to kill our citizens.

One of the great things of freedom is choice. Choice is the cornerstone of freedom. Iraq did not choose to be ruled by Saddam Hussein. They did not choose to be oppressed, starved, and murdered by the thousands. We have given them choice, an opportunity to excersize their volition in how they want their government to rule the country.

Islam is a fact of life here. Moreover, Islam is a way of life. Islam is inextricably intertwined in the day to heppenings of the average citizen. When a religion carries so much precendence in a society, aspects and beliefs of the religion are bound to manifest themselves in law and government. Shari'a law is what these people have known for generations.

If Shari'a law is incorporated into the constitution, and the constitution is ratified by popular vote, then we have done our jobs. We have given them the opportunity to freely elect their leaders, and on 15 October, they will have to ability to adopt or discard the laws the leaders have created. Wether or not the constitution contains elements of Shari'a law is the choice of the people.

I don't see enslavement of women here. I have seen female doctors in the hospitals, I have seen news of women attending and graduating police academies. Women participated in the election in January, the first time EVER. Older, more traditional women still wear the black "abaya", but you often see women wearing modern, colorful western influenced clothing. Women here may not be treated as well as they are in America, but I do not believe that enslavement is a term that properly describes the status of womens rights in Iraq.

As for my own personal hopes for this country, I wish to see this country succeed, no matter which law they adopt. I would love to see them have free and fair elections, and live peaceably under the government they choose.

I don't know of a single soldier who has spent time in the sands of Iraq who doesn't care about this country. I have invested almost a year of my life working to secure this country so its people can live free from tyranny. No, it's not a lost cause. This is not another Vietnam, and I don't believe for a second we will allow it to go in that direction.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG.....OUT.

Not Re-Inventing the Wheel...Just Fixing It

2005-09-13T10:53:00.000-06:00

Sol was still fairly low in the eastern sky, its scorching rays tempered still, by a thin layer of clouds, yet to be burned off by the heat from the sun, and from the dust that rose into the air, kicked up from the convoy. We bump and bounce along a dirt road, tall reeds run the length of the rutted path, seperating the route from the irrigation canal on our left.

As my rippled soles of my boots hit the crust, I look around and survey my surroundings. The ground, baked hard from eons of desert sun, is sprinkled, seemingly uniformly, with black pellets. Sheep and goat turds litter the ground, and they are to be seen everywhere, almost as if they were spread, in feeble attempt to fertilize the hard ground. They crunch underfoot, moisture robbed by the parched air, as I move toward the link-up point. The days mission is a "Knock and Greet", a PC term for "Cordon and Search", and we are working in coordination with the Iraqi Army. This hamlet, barely large enough to be mentioned on the most detailed map, matches the earth it has been scratched from and formed out of. Thatched roofs dominate the 'skyline', if you can call it that. Chickens, Turkeys, sheep and dogs run about the villiage. A huge pile of sunflowers is to my left,

The particular IA fire team my squad was working with was standing around the back of the "bongo"; as we Americans call it, a brown Isuzu truck, with a long bed, the vehicle they rode to the target village in.

Our four are a motley crew. They were aged from early twenties to mid-thirties, near as I could guess. Their uniforms were dirty, ill fitting, but of uniform pattern. They all were copies of the old US Army "chocolate chip" Desert Camo design, reminiscent of the first Gulf War. It is odd to think about, soldiers of a new army, wearing the same, albeit old and discarded, style uniform of the force that repulsed their predecessors from Kuwait over a dozen years ago. Almost symblolic, if you ask me. A new, free army, wearing the clothing of a force that restored the sovreignty of a nation from the rule of their former dictator.

Two of them were wearing a flimsy imitation of a modern tactical vest, with cheap fastners and pattern mocking the American Woodland camo. Another is wearing a rugged canvas chest bandolier, with large black buttons, but faded from years of use. A brown blotch is splashed on the right shoulder, possibly bloodstains from another conflict, another time. The last one, the youngest, and probably the least ranking of them, has no vest, just bare body armor, AK mags jammed is his pockets, and a cheap, dollar-store-variety flashlight in his hand. Three had kevlar helmets, two with camo covers, one bare, a 'turtle shell", as it would be referred to in the US Army. Again, the youngest appears to have been shafted on the equipment, for he only has an old Iraqi Army style helmet, a steel pot, with a tattered and severely weathered leather chinstrap hanging unbuckled.

Their AK's were different, also. One had a brown plastic stock kit, one with a wood stock kit. Another had a skeletonized folding stock and black plastic furniture on the forend. The last one carried an AK with no stock, a thick piece of twine serving as his makeshift sling.

The only thing they all had was the yellow-papered French Galuoise cigarettes that dangled from each soldiers lip, or burned in their thick, dirty fingers. These soldiers are eager to get to work, though, enthusiastic to be on a mission. I see hope in them, hope that they might make a difference, hope they might make their country safer, hope that they might keep their children from being murdered in the streets by radical factions. Enthusiasim they have, training and equipment they are recieving, and more often than not, a baptism by fire for a new army they have had, for they fall under attack far more than the Coalition forces.

We canvass the village, the IA soldiers as the main searchers, stacking and restacking sacks of grain in storehouses, opening cabinets, overturning mattresses, combing through closets and exploring dark corners of sheds and homes. A barn, mud, with a thin sheet-metal door, no doubt its frame shoved into still wet mud, is secured with a rope. Our mission is to seal off this small burg, allowing no ingress or egress of the indigenous population, and search every structure, well, haystack and vehicle for contraband.

I open the barn, and the stark scent of urine immediately offends my nostrils. It is dark inside, for the entrance was on the west side of the hut, its solid mud windowless walls allow no light to enter. The roof is heavily thatched. The SureFire weaponlight on my rifle made short work of the darkness, obliterating the inky blackness, revealing a mainly empty space. The thick layer of loose dirt, still littered with goat turds, is decorated only with a large, bald flat tire, on a hopelessly dented and heavily rusted rim, never to roll correctly again. I think about a television series I saw, about a wheelwright in the early 1800s. The visual comes to me, as the show portrayed them crafting a wooden wheel with a metal rim, how perfectly round it was, made with rudimentary tools, unaided by computer balance machines and laser alignment devices. Our mission here in Iraq is similar to the weelwright of old. Build a device, or country, in this case, that spins well, balanced and straight. The former regime flattened the tire on the wheels of this country, bashed and mangled the rims on a hard stone or curb, and was content to let the country rust away in a dark, dank place.

Iraq is a new place, believe me. We are providing tools and training to this fledgeling country to flourish. Opportunity they have, paid for by men and women, not unlike myself, who gave all to secure and defend freedom, and who hail from many nations. Experience they need, and they get it on almost a daliy basis. Zeal and dedication they possess. These components are what is required to form a country that can move forward, in a balanced and straight path, guided by multi-lateral leadership under a new era of democracy. I hope that we will be successful, and they ride this vehicle we are building well, and that the wheels don't come off when they start to pick up steam.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

MDG.....OUT.

Enough

2005-09-11T13:35:00.000-06:00

The purpose of this blog is two-fold.

1. To tell the story of my time in Iraq, to inform my readers as to the goings on in this War on Terror, and to provide insight into the daily life of a US Soldier in Iraq.

2. To foster debate and discussion about this war, in a courteous and civil manner.

Personal attacks and mockery will not be tolerated. Neither will be vulgar language or hateful material. Any and all comments which I feel breach the line and qualify as obscene, hateful, inappropriate or unbased will be deleted.

SCOUTS OUT.

MDG....OUT.

Grrrrrr

2005-09-08T06:46:00.000-06:00

I just lost a 1600 word post. Stupid wireless internet connection.

Avian Reflectiveness

2005-09-02T23:50:00.000-06:00

I found out this morning, you can't get a reading off a chicken with a laser range finder. Who knew??

SCOUTS OUT!!

MDG...OUT.

R&R Recap

2005-08-31T07:21:00.000-06:00

I arrived back home in Idaho at about noon, 02 August. My wife, in-laws, niece, Pastor, and about 30 members of my church were there to greet me. It was kinda cool, my wife met me at the outside of security, and everyone else was waiting over at baggage claim. So, I got to enjoy my first kiss without feeling like I had to greet everyone else right away.

That first night, we ate dinner at Texas Roadhouse, which is one of my personal favorites. Texas Roadhouse was the first meal I had on Family Day, the 48 hour pass between basic training and AIT. It's a place where they have piping hot biscuits with some killer cinammon butter, and EXCELLENT steaks. I am the kind of guy that really enjoys eating GOOD food. My wife says she loves to watch me eat. Good thing she is a dietitian, too.

The next day, my wife and I drove to Coeur D'Alene (CDA), Idaho, for some alone time. We had a great time. After sleeping on my single size matress for the last 8 months, the king-bed was AWESOME.

We drove 9 hours straight to get there. Now, that sounds like a long drive, and it was, but it was a wonderful opportunity to have a long conversation, with no distractions, like TV or telephones. Communication is, at best, difficult while deployed, and it was wonderful to be able to talk. Just talk and do a little re-connecting.

The next day, we got up early (well, I got up early, as I was still on Iraq time, and dragged my wife out of bed, which is a complete departure from the norm, where she is the early riser) and drove up to Silverwood, a theme park just north of CDA. It had some big wooden rollercoasters, which I had a great time on. I am very proud of my wife, she actually rode on one with me, "The Timber Terror". She is not much for high-adrenaline rides, but she got on. I think she enjoyed it, too. They had the pre-requisite high-priced food and drinks, and we rode everything we wanted to ride. MDG Wife got some footage of me on the one she decided to sit out. Then, we went over to the water park, and worked on the tan while floating the "Lazy River". There are carnival games there too, and I, fully knowing it is nearly impossible to do, had to attempt to "Shoot out the Star" with the full-auto BB gun. No dice. Just a little shred of red was left. Oh well.

We then ate dinner at a nice Italian place, on the patio. As we prayed over our meal, some really shady looking homeless guy stopped next to our table, and when I finished praying, I looked up and there was a smelly, hairy guy standing waaaay to close to my table, just on the other side of a little plastic fence, staring at our food. I tell you, he just about got to meet my Kimber Custom TLE II. I think he sensed I was not happy with his presence, and he quickly moved on.

Dinner on the Patio

Then, we walked down to the boardwalk and watched the sun set over the lake. For the un-initiated, Lake Coeur D'Alene is a large lake in northern Idaho, about 30 miles east of Spokane, Washington. CDA is a resort town, and it is a popular destination for water skiing, sunbathing, and shopping.

Evening walk on the Lake Coeur D'Alene Boardwalk

Coeur D'Alene was great. There was a street festival in CDA, and we enjoyed meandering through the festival. There were many homemade products, arts and crafts. There were food booths everywhere, too.

The next 2 days were spent bumming around CDA. We just went where we felt like going, shopped where we felt like shopping, and ate where we felt like eating. We went to a sushi restaurant, and, well, it was not as good as we had hoped. We did find a good breakfast spot, however, a place called "The Breakfast Nook" (The name kinda gave it away). I had some great pork chops and hash browns. They were big shreds of potato, and super buttery.
{Homer Simpson}MMMMMMMMM.....Butter.{/Simpson}

On our fourth day, we drove north to a friend's cabin on Lake Pend Orille (pronounced pond o-ray). We spent the day lounging on their little beach, floating on the big inflatable islands anchored just off their dock, jet-skiing, and wake-boarding. We had dinner with our friends that evening, and I finally got some watermelon.

Jet Skiing

On the fifth day, we slept in, because a day at the beach and zipping around on the water, and swimmimg really takes it out of you. We relaxed and hung out. We went to "The Taste of Coeur D'Alene" for lunch. I have been to "The Taste of" Honolulu and Seattle. I was not so much impressed by CDA. The most exotic thing they had there were some wok-fired yakisoba. They were mediocre. I did get a pretty good fresh squeezed lemonade, though.

That night, we went on a dinner cruise on Lake CDA. It was a great night, in the high 70's, clouds just kinda randomly dotting the sky. We really enjoyed the food, which was served buffet style. Prime Rib, baby.

Me and the Mrs on the dinner cruise

The next day, we drove back home. We were gonna take it easy, and stop halfway for the night, but MDG's sister-in-law and her family had arrived from Oregon, and my niece, who is 2, could not understand why Uncle Mike was not home from Iraq. I guess her parents told her the whole 2 day car trip that she was gonna see Uncle Mike when they got to Nana and Grandpa's house. So, we hauled on home. I am not one who would ever try and disappoint my nieces.

The rest of my time home was very relaxing. We did some more shopping, hung out and played with my nieces, I tried my hand at welding while helping my father-in-law build some hitching posts in the barn. I loaded up all my .22cal guns and went up to the mountain behind the house and shot a brick of ammo. I love the smell of burnt gunpowder.

I was lucky enough to be home on my 3rd Wedding Anniversary. I woke up and thought, "OH, NO, I FORGOT FLOWERS". I had a gift, but forgot the roses. There was a fire about a mile away from our house, so I told MDG wife I was going to see what was burning and ran into town. That evening, we drove to the next major town south of where we live, and stayed the night in a 'theme suite' hotel. We stayed in the "Jungle Falls Suite". RAAAARRR!!!! We did arrive in town a few hours before check-in time, and my WONDERFUL WIFE even let me go to a couple gun stores. What a woman.

The Jungle Falls Suite

My wife also cooked me up some of my favorite Filipino food dishes. Sinigang, Pancit, and Lumpia. And REAL rice, none of the 'Uncle Ben's' type ka-kaa they serve in the chowhall. To me, if it doesn't stick together, it ain't rice. With soy-sauce. Yeah.

My Auntie M. and Uncle P. (Auntie is my Dad's older sister), who had been visiting MDG Sis in the Midwest, were driving back to Washington and stopped by to see me for a night a few days before I left to come back here. It was good to see them...we grilled steaks and talked all night.

MDG Wife and I saw "Four Brothers" and "Must Love Dogs". I enjoyed both of them. No, really, both of them. I like John Cusack movies. I can watch "High Fidelity" or "Grosse Pointe Blank" anytime. The dude is hilarious. Language warning for "Four Brothers", and gore too, but a good movie nonetheless.

The rest of my time was unremarkable, yet completely wonderful. It was a great time of relaxation, good food, great company, and wonderful interaction. I really can't think of anything I missed doing, and don't regret anything I did while at home, except possibly the sushi restaurant.

R&R was everything I could have hoped for, and nothing I feared. It was wonderful to be home, however short it was, but I can't wait to make it for good. We're in the homestretch now.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

2005-08-25T15:49:00.000-06:00

Now, If we could only find a way to mount Mama Deuce on here.....
Posted by Picasa

Time to Ride

2005-08-24T18:55:00.000-06:00

0300. It is dark. The moon is high and bright, but filtered through the camo netting, it provides an eerie white glow on the warriors who are preparing for a mission.

The smell of diesel exhaust wafts through the motor pool. Radios beep, crackle and hiss... "Animal Base, this is Renegade 3B, radio check, over." "Roger, out" comes the reply.

Clink. Clank. Piink. The sound of .50cal headspace and timing gauges being tested in machine guns. Orange-red cherries from the tips of cigarettes dot the motor pool. Light-hearted banter between the men fills the air, recounting humorous movie lines, laughing about funny occurences on previous missions. Feet shuffle and scrape through the round rocks in the parking lot, as the almost ceremonial pre-mission wrestling match breaks out. Someone has blindsided his buddy and has him in a headlock, and they twist and push and pull, much to the amusement of bystanders. Questions from superiors to subordinates regarding loadplans, gear, and provisions pierce the laughter from time to time.

Red-lensed flashlights surround HMMWV hoods, illuminating maps and imagery, schedules and charts. Questions are asked, roles in the upcoming mission confirmed and reconfirmed. Every once in a while, someone calls out, "Hey... Where did you put that...??" or "Anyone seen my...???"

Then it happens. "Mount UP!!!!!" cries the Lieutentant, and circles of men scatter, striding quickly to their modern day up-armored chariots. The 'riiiiiiiip' of velcro can be heard, from body armor being adjusted and re-adjusted and thin, sturdy tactical gloves donned, the 'snap' of plastic buckles being connected, and gunners clamoring onto the roofs of their gunships. "Good to go!!!" can be heard throughout the motor pool, over slamming doors and idling engines, as final crew checks are done.

"RedCon 1" comes over the radio, as the truck commanders check in with the Platoon leader. All is ready. Armor is on, ammo ready to be loaded into clean weapons, radios constantly chattering.

"Renegades, this is Renegade 6, follow my move." The truck lurches forward as we pull out of our spot and into line. The dust fills my nostrils as we move; I grip the handles of Mama Deuce for stability... I am back, and it is time to ride. I love this stuff.

Back In Iraq

2005-08-22T23:16:00.000-06:00

Well, I am back in "The Sandbox". My R&R was all I hoped it would be. A more in-depth synopsis will follow soon.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!

MDG.......OUT.

HOME

2005-08-03T08:31:00.000-06:00

I FINALLY MADE IT!!!!!!!

Almost There....

2005-07-31T00:28:00.000-06:00

I am now in Kuwait, and have been here for the past day. I will be leaving Kuwait tonight, on my way back to Idaho. I should be standing on soil belonging to the Greatest Country in the World, the morning of the 1st of August. Hang in there, MDG Wife, I'm almost there.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Grrrrrrr..

2005-07-28T09:53:00.000-06:00

Not taking back any of the bad things I have said about the Air Force (see below). Waiting for a flight due to maintainance issues. I hate waiting.

Going Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-07-27T22:47:00.000-06:00

Leave. R&R. A Break. Call it what you wish. I am getting out of here for a few weeks.

My bag is sitting packed by the door, a brand new clean uniform neatly folded inside. Just the basics for traveling...books, shaving kit, candy and stuff for the flights. I got my tentative flight time, just counting the hours. I take back everything I ever said about the Air Force, as long as they get my plane here and off the ground on time. I have been away from home fully 8 1/2 months. Time for a break.

So, I may or may not be posting until I get back to Iraq. Maybe, but don't hold your breath. I'll probably post and tell you I am home safely.

So, I bid farewell for a while.

My Love, I will hold you in my arms soon...

MDG.

Castpost

2005-07-26T08:12:00.000-06:00

I recently opened a CastPost Media Blog, which allows users to host video and audio for free. Go check it out.

Here is my site: http://www.madeucegunners.castpost.com

I only have a short video of a bunch of little kids chasing my HMMWV. There will be more to come when I get home from leave. Two days....and I am OUTTA HERE...for a while, at least.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

London.....Again.

2005-07-21T11:35:00.000-06:00

The terrorists have hit London again. No fatalities this time...Thank the Lord. This one was adding insult to injury.

Britons, keep your heads up. They kicked you in the groin the first time, and now have bloodied your nose. Maintain your resolve, Cousins.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG......OUT.

UPDATE...

2005-07-21T11:23:00.000-06:00

We got some news about our recently injured soldiers. The news is good.

All seem to be in good spirits. One of them is already moving around on crutches. Another wants nothing more than to be able to come back here and be back "with the guys".

The soldier who lost his legs has surprised us all, though. He is simply "estatic" to be alive. What an attitude to have!!! Lose parts of both legs, and still have an outlook of "Well, at least I am not dead." Knowing the soldier, though, it is none too surprising to hear of his attitude, while staring at the beginning of a lot of pain, healing and rehabilitation. I have heard some people sink into depression when faced with massive injuries, but his spirits have stayed miraculously afloat.

Keep getting better, guys, we all are behind you, and I know there are veritable LEIGONS of people praying for your comfort and speedy recovery.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

Yes, I know I am a Nerd...

2005-07-17T12:25:00.000-06:00

I am a giant gun nerd. Not as much as Kim Du Toit, but a nerd nonetheless. Today I got to hang out for a while in the arms room of the local IP SWAT team...and being the nerd I am, I had to get photos of me with their more exotic weapons. So, check out the gallery below.

Out of all of them, I would want the Benelli M4 Semi-Auto 12GA shotgun.
B-E-A-utiful.

2005-07-17T12:24:00.000-06:00

Fun with RPG's

2005-07-17T12:23:00.000-06:00

Benelli M4 Semi-Auto 12GA Shotgun...This is a beautiful VERY VERY nice scattergun. I have shotgun envy.

2005-07-17T12:22:00.000-06:00

SVD...Dragunov..Russian Built, 7.62X54R

Just Try It, We Triple-Dog Dare You....

2005-07-17T00:47:00.000-06:00

(HAT TIP: Patrick Al-Kafir)

Britain has got something genius. They have their hunters out.

"The covert armed units are under orders to shoot to kill if surveillance suggests that a terror suspect is carrying a bomb and he refuses to surrender if challenged."

I think this is great. Anyone seen the movie "After the Sunset"? In it, Pierce Brosnan's character, a retired jewel thief, trying to rid himself of the urge to steal the last Napoleon Diamond, tells the FBI Agent tracking him exactly how he would do it, therefore negating his chances of success. This, I believe, is the other side of the coin, in my sometimes disjointed thinking. Instead of the bad guy telling the good guy what they are doing, the Brits are saying this to the terrorists:

"We have a pretty good idea who you are, you buggers. We are watching you. Actually, you may or may not be in a set of crosshairs right now. So, you splodeydoper, walk the line, and make NO uncertain moves, especially if you are wearing a rucksack, and if you do not assume the position of "Y", as in the Village People song, we will not hesitate to turn your head into a canoe, courtesy of one (or more, depending on our mood) of Her Majesty's Royal Armory 168gr 7.62X51mm Match bullets, or whatever be the cartridge of the day. So, be good, you militant islamofacsist terrorists, because Cecil, Basil, and Terrence can hit you from farther away than you think. Toodle'oo!!"

See, the English have it right. No charges, no trials, if you are in the act of attempting to commit mass murder by blowing yourself up in a public venue, they are going to stop you, by whatever means necessary, and then go have a pint. Period. Personally, I hope they kill a terrorist or two this fashion. I believe the message would resound further that way.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

(Open Post courtesy of The Mudville Gazette)

Would you believe this...

2005-07-16T04:34:00.000-06:00

This was actually in the LA Times... (HAT TIP: Greyhawk)

LINK

I think it is directly on point, and am surprised they printed it. Finally a good editorial from the LA Times.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG....OUT.

Another Prayer Request....

2005-07-15T09:56:00.000-06:00

My company had another casualty yesterday. Again, I am not going to mention a name, but he lost both legs from an IED attack. Bastards. He was a young, motivated kid, who showed a lot of promise to be a good soldier. Again I ask that you all pray for his healing, for comfort for him, and for his family.

MDG....OUT.

Pete has some good posts up.....

2005-07-15T09:34:00.000-06:00

My good friend, Pete, has up some good posts regarding the recent G8 summit.

Link 1

Link 2

One is Pete's take on the G8 summit...

Link 2 is a deployed soldier's perspective on G8..

Go read 'em.

Aftermath..

2005-07-10T06:12:00.000-06:00

The terrorists tried to hit the hospital today. THE HOSPITAL!!!!!!!!!!! More on that in a minute.

A BMW pulled up to the gate at the hospital and a guy got out and ran. So, the IP's guarding the hospital gave it a shove, and it went Ka-blooey. I don't know if there were casualties in that one.

Moments later, another guy pulls up in this station wagon, and says he needs to visit someone in the hospital. He gets out of his car, leaves it at the gate, and goes inside the hospital. The IP take a look in the rear cargo area of the car and see an artillery round. Uh oh.

Luckily the IP's were able to push the station wagon down the road about a hundred meters, without it going BANG. I arrived on the scene at this time. The Iraqi police was evacuating the people from hotels and shops near the second car. I tell you what, these guys had a good perimeter set up. EOD was able to come out and control-detonate the device. It blew up...again......and again. EOD blew the first charge, and then the car burned. I got video of the hood of the car, what looked like an older Impala station wagon, 200 feet in the air. Seriously, I mean WAAAAAAY up there.

It turns out there was other ordnance in the vehicle...and it blew without warning. Luckily we were keeping our distance and were behind cover while it burned... because about three minutes later, a secondary explosion, bigger than the first, took everyone by suprise...I was about 75m away from it, around the corner of a building. So, after checking to make sure the VIP we were escorting was OK, we pulled back away from the car a bit further. Good thing. The third explosion took us all even more by suprise, I think, because we figured, "OK, thats it, Cool." It was amazing. Four or five minutes after that, the thing blew up AGAIN, and we were standing there looking at each other, wondering "Holy Smokes, just how many rounds were in there??" It was kinda like being at the circus, wondering just how many clowns are gonna come out of the little car...instead it was wondering just how many times the car is gonna go BOOM.

Later, on the radio, we heard that the Iraqi FD got the flames on the car put out, and the area cooled off, when they found 5 more artillery rounds that were blown clear of the vehicle that did not explode. If they had all gone, it woulda been a big-biggie. I mean HUGE.

VBIED...after the first blast

Now comes my rant...

These sicko's tried to blow up the hospital. They attacked innocent people on public transportation in London on Thursday. These barbarians need to be dealt with very heavy-handedly. Anyone who attacks innocents deserves a whuppin. I don't understand how anyone can sympathize with their cause. Now, dear readers, I know most of you agree with me, that's why you read this page. If you know anyone who can "sympathize" or "understands" what these terrorists are doing, ask them what good blowing up the hospital can do. I can understand everyone complaining and moaning, calling for us to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan.....if it was the US and Coalition Forces trying to demolish the hospitals of this country. BUT IT IS TERRORIST SCUM, the very forces we are here to defeat.

UPDATE: 7-11-05, 1100hrs The first blast was a suicide VBIED, and four innocent civilians were killed, and approximately 15 were wounded.

UPDATE: 7-15 In response to the last few anonymous comments, I can't comment on wether we caught the guy, or what would happen if we did. Sorry, OPSEC considerations.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG......OUT.

It Ain't Much...

2005-07-08T14:00:00.000-06:00

...But today, out on patrol, we drove on the left side of the road. Ya know, as a show of support for our Brit friends. We pretty much drive wherever we want, and the Iraqi's are used to it, so we just hauled off down the wrong way.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG...OUT.

How to prepare for deployment...

2005-07-08T09:37:00.000-06:00

(Hat tip: Grey Eagle)

How to Prepare for Deployment..this one made me laugh...alot. Because it is Oh-So-True.

Link found here.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG.....OUT.

Kaleb..

2005-07-08T08:52:00.000-06:00

For those who asked...this is Kaleb, my Father-in-law's dog. See, next to the crypt keeper pooch, he's Westminster Kennel club material.

Science Question....

2005-07-08T08:31:00.000-06:00

Being the grunt that I am, and only having taken one semester of college, therefore having not reached the level of education warranting the taking of thermo-dynamics, I have a question.

We have a big chest freezer in our building. Since it is insufferably hot in this country, the entire freezer is dedicated to water bottles, with exception of the Otter Pops my wife sends me. We take frozen water bottles out on patrol with us so we have cold water throughout our patrol. Anyhoo...

I was checking to see if I needed to add more bottles. The freezer was moderately full. I picked up a bottle of water that looked clear to check the temperature. It was cold. When I squeezed it, it immediately went from liquid to the consistency of a 7-11 Icee, spreading from the middle towards both ends. I picked up another and banged it against the side of the freezer bottom first. Same result, the water turned to slush, spreading upwards from the point of impact.

Can anyone tell me what causes this phenomenon? I would think that the excitement of the molecules would create friction between the agitated molecules, causing heat (a negligible amount)?? But the water becomes slush. Is it becoming colder due to the agitation?? How does this happen??

Any answers, please leave them in the comments.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG....OUT.

London...

2005-07-07T08:30:00.000-06:00

London has fallen vicitm to terror today...

At least 4 bombs exploded in the London public bus/subway system. FoxNews.com is reporting 33 dead, over 300 wounded in the blasts, which struck during the morning rush.

Britian has stood shoulder to shoulder with the US in our collective struggle against terror. They have now been bloodied on their homeland, and unlike Spain, I can see that this will only strengthen their resolve to fight homicidal extremist terrorists.

Will we ever end terror?? No. Must we do our best to keep them from murdering innocent people in our streets in massive numbers? Yes. We, collectively, must seek to minimize the impact of their fanatacism. This means interdicting them at our borders, while they are in transit to their targets, at their training camps, and destroying the infrastructure they use, their financial and idealological supporters. It means going where we may not be wanted, in order to protect our citizenry. Show them that they will not be allowed to threaten our people, our security, and our way of life. The more we KILL in their breeding grounds, their training camps, the less willing they will be to attack us. We need to show them we are willing to stop them before they come to harm innocents.

Britain is our ally. We should support them in whatever course of action they settle upon, just as staunchly as they have supported us.

God bless the families who have suffered loss today. Pray for their loved ones, for healing of the injured, and justice be swiftly and viciously be handed out to those responsible.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG.....OUT.

Dick Durbin Blames the "Right and the Mainstream Media"....Heh..

2005-07-07T07:12:00.000-06:00

I am reposting a Daily Herald interview with Dick Durbin, found here. Durbin contiunes to make himself look stupid by some of the comments he makes here. Really stupid.

Durbin: U.S. won’t leave Iraq for years
By Eric Krol
Daily Herald Political Writer
Posted Wednesday, July 06, 2005

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Tuesday it would take a miracle to get U.S. troops out of Iraq within three years and hinted Democrats will filibuster a Supreme Court nominee they find too conservative.

The state’s senior senator also told the Daily Herald editorial board he’ll press hard to pass an upcoming measure to spend federal tax money on stem cell research and will vote against a constitutional ban on flag burning.

Durbin, a 60-year-old veteran lawmaker from Springfield, made major headlines last month for comparing the U.S. treatment of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay to the way the Nazis treated their victims, and he later apologized. On Tuesday, Durbin said he had only himself to blame for giving his political foes fodder but complained the firestorm that resulted was an “orchestrated right wing attack.”

What follows is an edited transcript of the Durbin editorial board session, with a longer version available at www.dailyherald.com.

Q. You voted against the Iraq war, but you don’t think the United States should set a timetable for troop withdrawal?

A. I do not. At this point, I think that might be counter-productive. But I do believe we should have a plan that has some finite goals, what do we want to achieve. We should hold the Iraqis accountable for the number of troops that they’ll have trained and ready to replace Americans. Whether it’s the troops in the field or border patrols or security forces, I think that’s reasonable. And holding them, of course, to their own deadline when it comes to constitutions and forming governments.

(Durbin went on to say the Iraq commitment is “long-term.”)

Q. Define long-term.

A. When we invaded (in March 2003), (Sen.) Dick Lugar of Indiana said five years. And I thought, oh man, I hope he’s wrong. I think to say substantial troop presence by the United States, if we ended it in five years from invasion, it would be a miracle at this point.

Q. Do the Democrats already have a filibuster plan if the Supreme Court nominee is too conservative for their liking?

A. Well, no. The honest answer is, I hope it doesn’t happen. I think at the Supreme Court level, it would be troubling. I hope it doesn’t come to it. But it may, depending on the nominee.

I’m encouraged by one thing, and that is that the White House is making overtures to have a bipartisan discussion on this. We don’t expect them to give us a list of six nominees and say, you know, which one can you live with. It’s the president’s authority and power to make this decision. But to have even a basic conversation about what we’re looking for on the court is progress. We haven’t had any of that for four and a half years. So that is a promising thing.

Q. Your comments about Guantanamo Bay obviously caused a political firestorm and you apologized. One remaining question is, why didn’t you run that imagery past someone, staff or fellow senators, before you busted it out?

A. Let me just say those were my words, nobody else’s, they were mine. It’s not the type of thing, in my business, where you pull over senators, and say, let me read a speech to you. It isn’t done. Nor do I expect them to do that to me or ask me to review their speeches. As I said, and I’ll repeat here, it was a very poor choice of words. The imagery of Nazis, Soviets, Pol Pot and the rest of it went way beyond the pale. I thought that I was making a pretty clear reference to an FBI memo, but others did not see it that way. I have said that I apologize for those words and I feel that I should have chosen different words, better words, for that purpose.

But what an interesting reaction, when I think about it, as I look back on a half dozen, 12 words that were used. I discovered, as some others have discovered, what the other side has available that we don’t. They are so well-organized.

Q. Isn’t that the way it works in Washington?

A. On one side it does.

Q. There are Republicans who get dirtied up, too.

A. Yeah, but I’ll tell you what, we have nothing. We are not even in this league. We’re sitting on the outside of the stadium listening to the cheering inside. We don’t have the right-wing radio operation. The bloggers are getting started, I’ll be honest with you, on our side as well.

Q. So do you see this as almost an orchestrated attack on you …

A. Oh, it definitely was.

Q. …or do you see it as the media really doesn’t know what they’re doing?

A. It’s an orchestrated right-wing attack that brings the mainstream media in. If they make enough noise. Here’s how they do it: go into a press conference in Washington and the guy stands in the back from Fox and just screams the same question over and over and over again to the point where the other reporters are, my God.

Q. How did they bring (Democratic Chicago) Mayor Daley in?

A. (Syndicated conservative columnist) Bob Novak. He came to Chicago one Monday and had lunch or a meeting with the mayor. Told him his side of the story. And unfortunately, the mayor didn’t know that we had put out a statement the Friday before about this and he made some statements along those lines. He’s also the father of a young soldier training to be a Ranger. I’m sure he felt extremely sensitive about that. We talked about it afterward. I don’t think he knew the whole story.

Q. Do you feel personally hurt by that?

A. I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed by it, but I’m going to continue to work with Mayor Daley. I’ve known him for 30 years. He came to see me after this event to talk about things that the city needed, and I’m going to continue to help.

Ok, here is where I point out his idiocy:

1.

"We should hold the Iraqis accountable for the number of troops that they’ll have trained and ready to replace Americans. Whether it’s the troops in the field or border patrols or security forces, I think that’s reasonable."

Troops in the field, border patrols....they are ALL security forces. Apparently his knowledge of military matters is as deep as mine in the field of astro-physics.

2.

"But what an interesting reaction, when I think about it, as I look back on a half dozen, 12 words that were used."

No Sir, it was not just the 12 words you used. We, and I believe I speak for a whole lot of people in the US, were offended by your whole speech, and the ideas behind it. When a person decides on the language they are going to use, it belies the persona and the ideology of the individual using the words.

3.

" It’s an orchestrated right-wing attack that brings the mainstream media in. If they make enough noise. Here’s how they do it: go into a press conference in Washington and the guy stands in the back from Fox and just screams the same question over and over and over again to the point where the other reporters are, my God."

Ummm...not sure how to answer this ludicrous statement...One guy from Fox is an "Orchestrated right wing attack'?!?!?!!!! Okie-dokie. I do believe, if you look at the overall scheme of things, and I challenge anyone to find anything proving otherwise, that the MSM decidedly leans LEFT. Fox is definately more conservative...but we have people at NBC who seem to think that The Founding Fathers were terrorists, anchors at CBS who knowingly promulgate forged documents in an attempt to slander and defame the character of The President of the United States, and the list goes on......

It is apparent that Dick Durbin does not think before he speaks. It is also apparent that he is not to be taken seriously. We should be ashamed as a nation to have someone with such flawed logic as one of our lawmakers.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

And I thought Kaleb was ugly.....

2005-07-06T23:53:00.000-06:00

Kaleb is my father-in-law's dog. He is a German Wire-haired Terrier. He is a great bird dog, and mouser, too, but not the most handsome dog ever. He looks like a million bucks next to this one. Click at your own risk, this pooch looks like the Crypt Keeper.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

2005-07-04T05:27:00.000-06:00

Happy Independence Day, All...

Today our nation celebrates it independence from tyranny. We celebrate our freedoms gained and maintained by the blood of men and women who stood to defend their countrymen, their republic, their liberty. We hoist our colors proudly, launch our fireworks powerfully, and sing our anthem vigorously. We remember our Founding Fathers, who risked their lives, families, homes and their entire way of life to create a new nation.

Today I write from the sands of Iraq, in which we now endeavor to secure a new democracy. There have been great steps towards freedom here in Iraq, and many more are needed. We have given these people a great chance at democracy. Let us hope that they will be able to celebrate, in the future, as we do now.

So, enjoy your BBQs, your family picnics, city parades and fireworks shows. Play some John Philip Sousa, for me, will you? And, on this day, feel NO pity for me and my men. We proudly stand to defend the freedoms you celebrate today. Many people ask, "What can I do to support the troops?" Do this: Enjoy your freedoms, abuse them not, and pray for the prosperity of our nation, wisdom for our leaders, and safety for our soldiers. Eat with your families, drink with your friends, play with your kids. That would give all of us who wear a uniform of the Armed Forces of the United States the greatest pleasure today. Enjoy yourselves, that's why we do it.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

MDG....OUT.

I think not, Mr. Willams...

2005-07-02T07:30:00.000-06:00

Brian Williams yesterday compared the Founding Fathers of The United States of America to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and said that the Founding Fathers could have been considered terrorists by the British Crown.

I beg to differ, sir.

The account of his remarks are found here (hat tip: LGF, Michelle Malkin, and FrankJ).

Let us dissect this ludicrous assertation.

Terrorists use fear and violence against the general populace to gain their goals. They attempt to intimidate the populace into effecting change within a government or group of people. Terrorists attack innocent people. Terrorists do not wear uniforms, fight under battle colors, march in rank and file, or maneuver on battlefields. Terrorists blend with the civilian population, hide behind innocent men, women, and children, and strike in marketplaces, neighborhoods and office buildings.

Our founding fathers rebelled against nearly tyrannical and opressive British rule. They formed standing armies, and citizen militias, and fought a war against a uniformed army, on fields of battle, not city streets.

In the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers did not attack the population to effect change. We fought battles against a standing, uniformed army in order to repel them from the shores of a new country and install freedom. In fact, it was the population that rose up to fight against the opressors. The new patriots that formed this country were not terrorists, they were fighting for freedom.

Some people characterize the terrorists here in Iraq as freedom fighters. Again, I beg to differ. My enemy does not fight for freedom... we have already given the Iraqi people their freedom. They fight, in my opinion, for power, driven by religious zealots and bigots, and fueled by hatred. America fought for freedom from tyrannical rule, taxation without representation, for personal property and the sanctity of home.

No, Mr. Williams, these men and their ideals are mutually exclusive of the terrorists of which we are embroiled in this conflict against, and for you to bring such parallels and equivocate the fight for freedom from tyranny to the fight against freedom for dictatorship and opression brings great discredit upon yourself and to our country. You are a mouthpiece for our country, as sad as that is, for the world gains its' knowledge of America through what it sees on the television and reads in the news. You have done your country a great disservice, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

Yours Truly... Ma Deuce Gunner

SCOUTS OUT!!!!

Some Patience, Please...

2005-06-30T03:14:00.001-06:00

Now, my wife will laugh when she reads this, because when it comes to some things, I am NOT the most patient individual around -- not by a long shot. But I believe a little patience is called for here.

I have seen, over the past couple of days, items in the news that are to this effect: "One Year After Sovereignty, Iraq Still Violent" or "Iraq: A Year Later...What Has Changed?" (These are not quotes, but generalizations of what I have seen or heard.) Come on, people, gimme a break... do you mean to tell me that you expect to see earth-shattering change in 12 months???

We live in a world of instant and nearly-instant gratification. Look at what we have... the internet, cellular telephones, instant messenger, ATMs, the fast-food drive-through; in some states there are even drive-through liquor stores. We have NetFlix, a service which sends DVDs to you; eBay, where one might buy practically ANYTHING. You can buy food online or through the telephone and have it delivered quickly, whether it be raw groceries or prepared food. Information through the internet is at your fingertips -- I mean, you are reading this, aren't you?

None of the things I have listed above are in and of themselves bad things. Convienience is, well, convienient. But it has conditioned us to be impatient beings. We want what we want NOW. This is why we are seeing the outcry from the Left and the attempt to label our endeavor here in Iraq and elsewhere a "quagmire."

A lesson in patience is in order. Again, my wife would not say I am the one to give it. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, the current Prime Minister of Iraq, said "You cannot fix in six months what took 35 years to break." Think about that.

There are hundreds of things that are better in this country, just ask Arthur Chrenkoff, who compiles a bi-monthly list of good things happening here. There are hundreds of things that need work. These things take TIME. These things take EFFORT. To this effort we must continue to add RESOLVE and PATIENCE. In the grand scheme of things, the two years that have passed since the end of 'major' hostilities, in all reality, is a very short time to reestablish a nation.

Chrenkoff also brings to our attention an op-ed piece written by PM Al-Jaafari, found here. Immediately below, you will find the entire text of his piece:

LAST week I was at Blair House in the centre of Washington, DC. In this house is the table on which George Marshall in June 1947 signed the plan to pump today's equivalent of $US500 billion ($647 billion) into the impoverished economies of Europe as an investment against future conflict. The plan was controversial but nobody would now deny its far-sightedness.

Nazism gave way to a lasting democracy, economic devastation was replaced by slow but sure progress towards economic regeneration. Consider the Germany of 1945 and the Germany of today: which would you rather have as your neighbour?

Last week I went to Brussels with an Iraqi delegation for a conference with foreign ministers of more than 80 countries. All have agreed to help Iraq towards a better future. On Friday I met President George W. Bush; today I will meet Tony Blair. Both have decisively chosen to back freedom and democracy in Iraq. They are right to have done so. It is not just a matter of principle but of the security of their own countries. Terrorism knows no boundaries; it strikes all over the world. Democracy, transparency and justice in the Middle East will dry up the wellsprings of hatred and terrorism and bring security to Europe and the US.

Terrorists are criminals and must be tried as such. But dealing with the spread of terrorism in the Middle East is more complex, as it thrives on ignorance, hate ideologies and the political failures of modern states.

Arabs are better educated in technical sciences, engineering and languages than in contemporary political and social sciences. Political education in the Middle East is usually indoctrination. By contrast, Iraq's recent electoral experience enlightened millions. It showed that education is to vote a government into power, then watch it grapple with the issues that confront people in their daily lives and see whether it succeeds or fails, and listen to it explain its policies honestly and frankly. A free press leaves people able to discriminate between propaganda, rumours and lies and the unvarnished reporting of facts.

Perhaps those elections can be an education also for the people of Western democracies. They can see that, like them, Iraqis want to choose their own leaders and are entirely capable of running fair elections and respecting the result. They can also see that there is nothing to fear if people choose to vote for an Islamic party.

I am not only the first democratically elected leader of an Arab country, I am also the first prime minister in the Middle East to come from a religious, Islamic opposition movement at the head of a diverse ethnic and political alliance. Embracing diversity within human society is not just a political necessity, it is rooted in my faith. Islam teaches that there is no compulsion in religion and that freedom of choice is divinely granted; it is dictators who need to cater to fanatics to stay in power.

Saddam Hussein is a case in point. He passed laws to limit religious freedom and degraded women's lives. I will reverse Saddam's legacy and welcome Iraq's diversity. I welcome the strong contribution that women can make in the workplace and in political life, where they make up one-third of our National Assembly, more than in most Western democracies.

Marshall said: "Our policy is not directed against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos." Today is the time for a new international Marshall Plan for Iraq and the broader Middle East, directed not for or against any policy but against ignorance, tyranny, hatred and anarchy.

Marshall repaired the decaying infrastructure of Germany after six years of war and 12 years of Nazi rule. In Iraq we have had nearly 40 years of fascist rule and have been in practice at war for half that time. I have seen throughout Iraq the marks of economic collapse and depredation this has left. Iraq today has few English speakers, it has hundreds of thousands of ex-soldiers trained for nothing but war and its universities, which once enjoyed a worldwide reputation, lag behind those in the rest of the region. It has debts totalling hundreds of billions of dollars and there has been no investment in its infrastructure for more than 20 years.

Three generations of Iraqis have grown up under a dictatorship, learning to take orders but not take initiatives or responsibility, and educated in religious and political hatred and isolationism. My people are a strong people; their will survived. The marks of Saddam's brutal and divisive rule, however, will take time to heal. Many of my people, as well as soldiers from the multinational force, are still being killed by terrorism.

The way will not always be easy. I am confident, though, that the prosperous democracies of the world will be as far-sighted today as Marshall was in 1947. Much blood had to be shed and money spent before peace was achieved in Europe. In Iraq the fight for democracy has cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

In the long run, however, it can secure centuries of peace and prosperity. Iraq's fight against terrorist networks and training camps, and the poverty and ignorance that supply them, has become the world's fight for the security of humanity.

Ibrahim Al-Jaafari

'Nuf said.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

MDG......OUT.

"And the links just keep on a-comin"

2005-06-28T02:28:00.000-06:00

IEDs in Iraq: Winds of Change

Phil Carter of The Intel Dump has been re-activated with the 101st ABN DIV. Good luck, Phil... I will be glad to see ya'll when you get here; that means I am heading home!!

John Schroeder of Blogotional has this about the current defamation being carried out in today's MSM. Go read.

Patrick al-Kafir of Clarity and Resolve has a piece about a senior terrorist being captured here. In fact, go read all his stuff. All.

As always, visit the MDG blogroll for more great brain-food.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG....OUT.

The National Guard Experience: The Golden Rules of Returning Home

2005-06-28T01:55:00.000-06:00

I guess today is a link day.

The National Guard Experience: The Golden Rules of Returning Home

Over at Assumption of Command: Now this is torture...

2005-06-28T01:25:00.000-06:00

Warning: Following link is a bit graphic... click at your own risk.

Attention Dick Durbin and the rest of you who think Gitmo is such a horrible place... Mustang 23 shows what the results of real torture look like... Assumption of Command: Now this is torture... and it was perpetrated by THE TERRORISTS against an Iraqi Army Soldier. Muslim on Muslim violence.

Prayers.......

2005-06-27T11:47:00.000-06:00

Three men from my company were wounded in action yesterday. All injuries are non-life threatening, but serious nonetheless. Please pray for my brothers and their families; names are not needed; He knows who you are praying for.

MDG.

Chrenkoff

2005-06-22T04:14:00.000-06:00

Arthur Chrenkoff, the straight-shootinest Aussie I have ever met, has a post with photos of soldiers from the countries that compose "The Coalition of the Willing." It is found here.

Notice all the formerly Communist nations who have contributed. And they accuse us of being unilateral.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Dick Durbin

2005-06-22T03:07:00.000-06:00

Note: I try not to comment on political issues, or politicians themselves, but this had to be addressed.

For those who have been following the Dick Durbin debacle, he proffered another apology yesterday, since his first one was seen as a total insult to our collective intelligencies.

He now offers this apology, found at The Political Teen. Go read his remarks, or watch the video.

He apologizes for his remarks offending people. He says:

"I don’t want anything in my public career to detract from my love of this country, my respect for those who serve it, and this great Senate."

Let's run this through the MDG Political Translator Machine (MDG-PTM)...

MDG-PTM:

"I want to try my best to look good to everyone, and say things that only fluff my facade. I want to seem like I am a total patriot, and that what I said was only words, not anything that cut deep into the men and women who protect us... and I better say something about respect or support... no, support would convey to everyone that I actually cared about them... oops, better throw in something else about my fellow politicians... I mean, these are the guys I have to play golf with."

I still am offended, and even more so by his pandering. Comparing our interrogation tactics to Nazis, Soviet, or Khmer Rouge is completely asinine. All of the regimes he compared us to MURDERED millions, if not tens of millions of people. I don't remember seeing anything about gassing prisioners in the shower. I haven't seen any reports of the detainees at Gitmo doing hard labor in freezing tundra or sweltering desert, for that matter. Re-education... (as under Pol Pot, aka CERTAIN DEATH in the The Killing Fields, mainly death by sharpened bamboo stick). Nope... haven't seen any of that, either.

I expected this kind of half-assed apology from him. What he needs to say is this:

"Please, citizens of America, and especially those who wear the uniforms of the armed forces of the US, please accept my humble apology for my acrimonious and completely unfounded comparisons of our treatment of the detainees and prisoners of war from our current struggle against terror. I made reference to Hitler's death camps, the Soviet gulags, and Pol Pot only due to their shock value. In all reality, being stuck in a room with the AC turned way up is in no way, shape, or form similar to being buried up to your head and poked with a sharp bamboo stick, nor is it similar to the starvation and genocide attempted in the Nazi death camps. I again apologize for my horribly chosen words and comparisons. Please forgive me."

Now, doesn't that seem like it would soothe a bit better? I call for censure and or impeachment for his remarks, but I doubt it will happen. I hope that the voters in Illinois will recognize his idiocy, and ensure he never returns to a lawmaking body or any type of public office, ever.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

This one is for my dad

2005-06-19T23:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Father's Day, Dad...

Thanks for all your support, your encouragement, your advice, and your teachings. I have learned much about how to be a responsible husband and someday father, through your example. I am so blessed to be your son. I love you, Dad.

KING OF BATTLE!!! (For my Dad, an old artillery officer)

MDG.....out

This one is for my wife....

2005-06-19T22:31:00.000-06:00

MDG's Wife...

My internet is working, but all the sites I use to communicate are not working...hotmail, ako, messenger, skype, all of them won't work...i just wanted to let you know I Love You and Miss You, and hope to be able to talk to you soon.

Your Loving Husband,

MDG

Chillin

2005-06-17T13:23:00.000-06:00

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

The RAGE in me BOILS

2005-06-16T09:32:00.000-06:00

Bubblehead, a blogger from Boise, ID, covered the dispicable actions of the Phelps family at the funeral and memorial service for CPL. Carrie French.

The Stupid Shall Be Punished: "The Friend of my Enemy..."

I stood and saluted as her flag draped casket was loaded onto a C-130 for her journey home. I watched her -- no -- my comrades give her final honors as only fellows in arms can. To see this angers me, sickens me, and hurts me.

I can't even write right now...

Watermelon

2005-06-12T11:51:00.000-06:00

You know, for a desert country, the Iraqi people sure do eat a lot of watermelon. I mean there are watermelons everywhere. You can't drive 1/4 mile without seeing a roadside stand with at least 50 melons, or a truck with the springs flat, filled with watermelon. They are all uniform size, about 7-9lbs, and the rind is color of a honeydew melon. Without fail, each vendor has cut one open and dislays a sample of their melon, and all the flesh is deep red. We are not allowed eat food outside the wire, but the DFAC doesn't have watermelon. I WANT WATERMELON!!!! I guess I will have to settle for Watermelon Jolly Ranchers.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG.....OUT.

Maintenance of Freedom 2

2005-06-12T10:24:00.000-06:00

I got a comment on my last post defending the right to free speech, saying that people are allowed to say what they want, no matter how much it clashes with my point of view or with the policies and guidelines of the US Government. I agree with that. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and their ability to voice such opinions, WITHIN REASON and within the boundaries of the law. For example, it is illegal to verbally threaten the President of the US. You are free to say it, but not without consequences.

What we need is a clear definition. How does the law apply in the world today?? Where does free speech end and seditious action begin?

When someone crosses the line that divides free speech from treason, who decides what constitutes a violation?? I believe that if it aids our enemy by galvanizing opposition to our cause, by emboldening the enemy to attack us, then it is treason. All the rest of the world knows of the character and caliber of the American popluace comes from what they are told through the media. They have no firsthand knowledge. Here in Iraq, the only contact they may ever have with persons from the US is seeing our soldiers in their streets. Soldiers who are in harms way in order to secure their neighborhoods, cities, and their country. But when they turn on the TV, and see America belittled and maligned, on our own TV, they believe that we are wrong in our endeavour. It is easy for them to believe, for we indeed give a menacing presence, armored trucks with machine guns, and uniformed soldiers, bodies festooned with arms and equipment. It has been difficult for them to see past those things, and see the smile, the waving, the teddy bears, school supplies, medical supplies and equipment, but they are coming around. Couple the visual of foreign troops in their city with the constant disinformation they are fed through the media, you have a tough mix to deal with.

If someone makes known tactical or strategic information vital to military operations or national security, it is treason. If an American citizen deliberately communicates with or fights for the enemy, hang him/her. Treason is punishable by death.

As a member of the military, I have a different entitlement to free speech. I am allowed to speak my mind, as long as it is not detrimental to the good order and discipline of my unit, the US Army, and the US Government. The authority to make that decision lies within command authority. That is why you will see me do the best to refrain from commenting on politics, US governmental policy, and Army policy. I understand this, as I am an instrument of the US government.

In my interpretation, when someone decides to cross the line, and aid the enemy through their words, reporting, or actions, they no longer are protected by the First Amendment. Whatever information they put out should be censored, they should be charged and stand trial for their actions. I am not condoning blanket censorship of critics. I do advocate prosecution of seditious persons.

Do some of the writers and reporters mean to commit treason? No. Are they only attempting to speak out against something they feel is incorrect or wrong? Yes, as is their right. The disconnect is where they abuse their right and give aid to the enemy. We are embroiled in war, and offenders need to be dealt with according to the laws of our nation.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!!!!

MDG...OUT.

Maintenance of Freedom

2005-06-10T08:37:00.000-06:00

Please accept my apologies for my recent lack of posting. Duty calls.

I was the CQ (Charge of Quarters) NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge) a few days ago, and posted on my XO's (Executive Officer, 2nd in commmand of the Company) are 5 quotes on the door to his office. I have walked past them a hundred times, and read them a few times. I read them again, and two of them struck me. One was from John Stuart Mill.

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth fighting for is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made or kept so by the actions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill

The other one was this one:

"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it" - Thomas Paine

There are a number of websites, news outlets, and people out there, American citizens, who constantly malign the military, the current administration, and the cause of freedom itself.

These folks are indeed "miserable creatures." These writers are morally bereft individuals. So, I find myself in a quandary... do I attack them for their excercising of their right to free speech, a right that I have volunteered to defend?? Do I dismiss their drivel as exactly what it is, and tell myself that it is just "free speech??" I feel that some of these people write treasonously. I think that the line between free speech and treason has been blurred, and dangerously so. These writers -- and I am speaking in general terms -- portray us as a barbaric, monopolistic, and imperialistically aspiring to dominate the world. I believe we are trying to spread freedom to the oppressed. To give those masses who have been persecuted under tyrannical and murderous dictators a chance at freedom.

Now some would say I am a blind champion of freedom. To a good many Americans, this may be the case. I in no way, shape, form, or insinuation mean to offend the supporters of our cause. I do not impugne your dedication to freedom, nor do I dismiss your gratitude for my service and every other person who has ever worn the uniform as a defender of the United States of America. Freedom is sweet to those who enjoy it. Freedom is just a little sweeter to those who have fought for it. Seeing how life was, could have been, and still is, in some cases, without the things we take for granted, is an amazing eye opener. Simply visiting a Third World country may not give the insight that I feel I have gained here. Again, I do not intend to demean anyone or their experiences, but freedom's flavor is a bit more scrumptious to those who have fought for it. A keen understanding of the definition of liberty is being etched into mine and the minds of all who serve in harm's way.

But I digress... treasonous "journalism" needs to be ended. I do not have the answer, though. Prosecution immediately springs to mind. Undoubtedly, the writers, bloggers, and journalists who purvey such garbage will cry foul and flail their arms, singing out, "We are just trying to tell the truth!! There is a public need to know!!" They think that classified information should be public knowledge. For example, the New York Times recently published an article detailing CIA procedures for transporting detainees. Wrong answer. These people who commit treason through their keyboards, microphones, and cameras are no better than John Walker Lindh.

There are aspects of war that are distasteful. Distasteful, but NECESSARY. George Orwell said it best:

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

He says "violence." Killing. Inflicting pain. If inflicting pain allows us to gain a tactical or strategic advantage to protect the innocent, so be it. I also want to clarify; attacking and killing an armed and resourceful enemy in military operations is not murder. USMC 2LT Ilario Pantano's case proved that. Blowing up IEDs and shattering the body of a two year old boy IS murder.

My point is this. There are things that go on in war that "Joe Sixpack" are better off not knowing; they are done in the intrest of freedom and national security. Those who divulge information which gives aid and comfort to the enemy are traitors. Those who cover incidents or acts which, however distasteful, assist in the attainment of freedom or the ability to win wars and defeat EVIL, and see what we do as "not worth it," are uglier than words can describe.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!!

MDG.....OUT!

I Don't Understand It...

2005-06-03T05:22:00.000-06:00

Yesterday there was an IED attack in Kirkuk. Twelve CIVILIANS were wounded. One was killed, and it happened to be a two and a half year old child. I was at Kirkuk General Hospital, providing escort to a humanitarian mission when the incident occured. Minutes later, cars started pouring into the hospital, bringing injured for medical aid. Ordinary people who happened to be in the area of the explosion immediately sprung into action and began helping their fellow citizens. Some wounded made it to the hospital before the ambulances left the premises.

From my position, where I was providing security, I could see the carnage as the broken and bleeding were unloaded from cars, pickup trucks and ambulances. I saw the lifeless body of the toddler who was killed. He bore almost the full brunt of the explosion. The child was killed instantly. Men and women, old and young were BLOWN UP just because they were walking down the street.

...And they say we are the bad guys...

SCOUTS OUT.

MDG

Jennifer has a GREAT poem for Memorial Day

2005-06-01T05:48:00.000-06:00

Jen at Jennifer's Musings has a wonderful, original poem that she has written and posted, titled The Silent Generation; A Thank You Poem. It is a must read.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG......OUT.

Thanks, Blackfive....

2005-05-31T07:11:00.000-06:00

Matt, of Blackfive.net was on MSNBC along with Buzz Patterson, discussing Milblogs. Blackfive mentioned my blog, much to my overjoyed surprise. Trey at Jackson's Junction has hosted the video here. Buzz mentioned me also. They both did an EXCELLENT job in the interview. Good show, men, good show.

I am sincerely honored to be thought of to be worthy of their mention on TV. Thanks guys, you have done me a wonderful service. Blackfive...I owe ya a beer or twelve. Thanks go out also to Trey, for hosting the video, and to my readers, who I will do my best not to disappoint.

SCOUTS OUT!!!

MDG

Memorial Day with a CAVALRY Touch

2005-05-29T08:31:00.000-06:00

FIDDLER'S GREEN
The Unofficial Poem of the U.S. Cavalry
Author Unknown

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.

Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.

Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

I post this as a tribute to all who have given their lives in sacrifice, so that others may live in freedom.

SCOUTS OUT!!!!!

MDG

The Straight Word...Straight from an Iraqi Citizen

2005-05-26T06:51:00.000-06:00

In response to some of the comments of my previous interviews, I bring you another installment of interpreter interviews. This interview was conducted with "Bob," another of our terps. "Bob" is actually "Steve's" (from the previous series) brother. These questions are from readers and fellow bloggers Dymphna and Leigh Blackall. Again, I take no jounalistic license with Bob's responses. However, since the questions are not my own, the format of the interview will change a bit. In the body of the interview, my words and thoughts on his responses will be marked, in order to distinguish my thoughts from his.

From Dymphna:

Q: Are Iraqis becoming more realistic about the time it takes the infrastructure to be re-built...or in some cases, built at all? Sometimes it seems as though it's a "what-have-you-done-for-me-today" attitude. Is that lessening as Iraqis assume more of this task?

Bob replied, "We understand that it will take some time to bring Iraq out of the rubble. We are willing to work to make Iraq like Germany or Japan after the Second World War, shining examples of how a nation can be re-built. We want to make Iraq the jewel of the Middle East, better and higher than our neighbors."

[MDG] Most of the major cities in Germany and Japan were reduced to smoldering piles of rubble 60 years ago. But now, metropolises like Berlin, Frankfurt, Bonn, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are bustling centers of commerce, culture, and technology. These countries have come to prosper after coming nigh on total destruction less than 70 years ago. [/MDG]

Bob continued, "It is hard, though, rebuilding, due to the terrorists. They attack pipelines, power grids, and roads. They also harrass the contractors who work with the Americans, even though their work is for the good of the Iraqi people. Yes; the, as you say, 'what-have-you-done-for-me-attitude' is lessening as we see we must take on more of the task."

Q: What is the one thing they'd like the Americans to do while we're still there?

He mentioned Japan and Germany again, and then went on to say this: "The majority of Shia and Kurd do not want the Americans to leave, because when you do finally go home, the Sunni will once again rise up and fight for power and control of the nation. Seventy percent of the Iraqi people are Shiite, and all the neighboring countries are mainly Sunni, with exception of Iran, which is Shiite, but none of them want to see Iraq recover."

Q: Are they concerned that Shar'ia law will become part of their constitution and do they see the ramifications of that if it happens (see Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc)?

Bob said, "This is a very important question. Yes, the majority of Iraqi want to seperate religion and policy of government. It is a tribal culture that exists in this country. Religion plays a big, big part in this culture. The tribal and religious leaders, and often they are the same man, have large authority in both civic and religious matters. They enforce their religious beliefs on their tribes. The Sheiks, ([MDG] civic leaders, unofficial "mayors" or "city councilmen", if you will [/MDG]) the big guys in the towns, are civilians, but some of them enforce their beliefs on the people, often to participate in the insurgency, or encourage their tribes NOT to vote in the elections. Government should be apart from religion. But the tribal system which we have had for SO LONG is standing in the way."

[MDG] I am gonna insert my opinon here. I believe this ties-in to the people wanting us to maintain a presence here. As long as we are here, in whatever capacity, there will be separation of church and state. [/MDG]

Q: How is medical care for the general public? I ask because Yemen appears to be having an outbreak of polio -- obviously vaccinations aren't being done. How is that in Iraq?

"The government provides free healthcare. If you go to the hospital, it is free, except for major case surgeries. Doctors are paid by a monthly salary from the government. As for vaccinations, I know there is a vaccination campaign going on nationwide, although I do not know what for."

[MDG] There is a MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella} campaign going on right now, and the US Army is playing some role in it, although, as to the scope of American Military involvement, I do not know.

I also know that prescription drugs are very hard to come by here. Medicines are not readily available. All must be bought on the economy, or even out of the country. Doctors write prescriptions, but they are not filled at the hospitals, citizens must go out and try and find these medications, wether on the black market or from local pharmacies. (My source for this information is "Steve", Bob's brother, from previous conversations.) [/MDG]

Q: The general Iraqi, like Iranians, seem to be more educated than a lot of the ME. What is the general attitude towards education? Is school mandatory? What's the literacy level?

"Education is very important to us. We know that in order to succeed in the modern world, we must educate ourselves. The majority of Iraqi's have attended at least high school. When Saddam was our leader, he made most everyone serve in the army, and discouraged higher education. Only Saddam's followers were allowed higher education, and many were allowed to travel abroad and obtain a higher education from foriegn universities at the expense of the Iraqi government."

[MDG] I must point out that Bob and his brother Steve are not Sunni, rather they are Shia, and are not Saddam loyalists. They both have collegiate educations. I believe that he was trying to say that it was much harder to go to college if you were not one of Saddam's minions. [/MDG]

Q: What annoys them most about the allied troops in general? Americans in particular?

"Trying to travel." says Bob, "The convoys are the most annoying. Because you clog the roads with your convoys and huge vehicles. We are afraid to pass or come close to you, for fear of being shot. It used to take three hours to get to Baghdad by car, now it takes 6 or 7, because of checkpoints or army traffic. We just can't drive anywhere without Americans being in the way."

From Leigh Blackall:

Q: G'day MDG. Your interview mentions, "He then told me that people are making more money since the fall of Saddam. The average salary, he says, was $1 a month, and that's not a typo. There was very widespread poverty, because there was simply not a lot of money circulating in the economy."

Did you happen to ask him if UN/US sanctions had much to do with this poor economy?

Bob says: "Yes. It is because of the sanctions. It was not the fault of the countries who put sanctions on us, but because of Saddams policies. Saddam made the majority of the country poor, but he blamed it on the US. We did not even have money to buy socks if we tore them. We got a little money from the Oil-for-Food program, but that was all we had to buy food. Saddam's followers got 'big money', land, cars; sometimes 15 or 20 cars, houses, and high paying jobs, while the rest of the problems were laid on the necks of the Iraqi people. We were very poor."

Q: And regarding the democracy - perhaps Suddam's admin just did not have the resources or the will power to impliment and guard a democracy in Iraq - I mean it is costing you guys heaps!

Bob - "Saddam's slogan was dictatorship. He claimed to put on elections, but they were false. Saddam's men would vote for you. You could hold them in your hand who actually wrote "no" in the elections. They were arrested and killed. Wiped out. Whole families. No, if Saddam had applied democracy to Iraq he would have lost power."

[MDG] It is no secret Saddam Hussein was an egomaniacal, murderous, bigoted dictator. He ruled this country with an bloody iron fist. He was the leader of his country, and his every whim as serviced out of fear or by bribery. He killed anyone who challenged him. He was NOT a democratically minded individual. [/MDG]

I am really enjoying doing these interviews. I think it is SO important to get the thoughts and opinions of "Joe Iraqi" out to the world. Keep the questions coming.

SCOUTS OUT!

MDG....OUT.

Clute does it again...

2005-05-26T02:33:00.000-06:00

Pete of peterclute.com has written an excellent piece on the "compromise" agreed to in the Senate.

Excerpt:

"The “compromise” may be a truce but it is certainly not a treaty. The only thing that makes me feel better about this is that there are a lot of Republicans that are furious with John Mccain and there are a lot of Americans that are going to realize that this “compromise” doesn’t actually mean anything other than it means there are too many weak kneed Republicans. I am trying to not let it bother me too much because the test of this measure is going to be the first Supreme Court nominee. Rhenquist had to go back to the hospital yesterday by the way.
Look folks, I want you to understand what this is all about. There are a couple of reasons why the Dumbocrats have chosen as a party to filibuster these nominees breaking 214 yrs of tradition."

Click here to read it all.

Just a warning...someone left quite a vulgar comment on this post, FYI.

SCOUTS OUT!!

MDG......OUT.

Good News...In the MSM

2005-05-25T07:39:00.000-06:00

(Hat tip...Blackfive)

The Wall Street Journal Online puts out an opinion page, WSJ.com Opinion Journal. There is a piece on the site titled The Dhia Muhsin Example: A roundup of the past two weeks' good news from Iraq. This is the first time I have personally read a "good news" piece published by any "big player" in the MSM. Authored by Arthur Chrenkoff, who also keeps a very enthralling blog.

It is quite a long post. There is SO MUCH good news coming out of Iraq. It tells so much about what is really going on here. It talks about the apprehension of terrorists, Iraqi citizens giving the terrorists up to the the Coalition Forces or Iraqi Securtiy Forces, rebuilding projects that are going on EVERYWHERE, and so many other good things that are happening, just not the bloody doom and gloom that we see so much on TV and read in the periodicals. There is a huge long list, and it only comprises the last two weeks in the country. We have been rebuilding this country for almost three years. It seriously took me 90 minutes to read the stuff from the LAST TWO WEEKS.

I applaud the WSJ for publishing this piece. I hope that the other mainstream outlets will join them. I believe that the blogosphere has forced a new impetus upon the MSM. We have showed them that they must be factual, be honest, or lose viewers, readers, and listeners. Sadly, we have to hit them in their pocketbooks, rather then effect a change from their desire for them to be truthful and honorable, or through just plain rational thinking. Keep up the pressure.

SCOUTS OUT.

MDG......OUT!!!