30,000 More Troops
30,000 more troops. 30,000 more men and women to Afghanistan. England is sending another 500. Not us, no no. We will take care of this mess, now won't we?
I'm stunned by the number, by Obama's decision. Not surprised, mind you, because when he went and did the salute to the dead soldiers coming home, I knew that was a photo op to prep us for this moment.
Eight years, soon to be nine, we are in this way over our heads. My 14 year old son will be signing up for the draft in four years- all 18 year old males have to even now. I don't see us done with this one in four years. The conflicts there are centuries old. Our Western notions will never work there.
Never.
We all wring our hands about H1N1, shortages of vaccines created by big pharm to make us think we're all going to die without it. We debate Michelle Obama in shorts, Oprah leaving, and whether or not Tom Cruise paid Katie Holmes to have his babies.
How many US servicemen and women are in Afghanistan now? How many in Iraq? How many are dead? How many wounded?
When is Oprah's last show?
Which gets more news coverage?
I wrote about meeting a young serviceman in the Atlanta airport last winter. He was on his way to report for duty after having finished basic training. He was confident he would not go to Iraq or Afghanistan. Besides, he said, if I don't like where I am, I can ask to be moved.
He was all of 18 years old. He believed every word the recruiter told him. Wonder where he is now.
30,000 more friends, neighbors, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. Will it never end?
I'm stunned by the number, by Obama's decision. Not surprised, mind you, because when he went and did the salute to the dead soldiers coming home, I knew that was a photo op to prep us for this moment.
Eight years, soon to be nine, we are in this way over our heads. My 14 year old son will be signing up for the draft in four years- all 18 year old males have to even now. I don't see us done with this one in four years. The conflicts there are centuries old. Our Western notions will never work there.
Never.
We all wring our hands about H1N1, shortages of vaccines created by big pharm to make us think we're all going to die without it. We debate Michelle Obama in shorts, Oprah leaving, and whether or not Tom Cruise paid Katie Holmes to have his babies.
How many US servicemen and women are in Afghanistan now? How many in Iraq? How many are dead? How many wounded?
When is Oprah's last show?
Which gets more news coverage?
I wrote about meeting a young serviceman in the Atlanta airport last winter. He was on his way to report for duty after having finished basic training. He was confident he would not go to Iraq or Afghanistan. Besides, he said, if I don't like where I am, I can ask to be moved.
He was all of 18 years old. He believed every word the recruiter told him. Wonder where he is now.
30,000 more friends, neighbors, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers. Will it never end?
posted by Sara at 9:54 AM
7 Comments:
Is there a draft now for 18 year olds?
You have to register for selected service now. not a draft now, but there is always the ability to call up all males over the age of 18 because of the registration.
Oh I see, geez! That is so scary.
Plus the 21,000 that he sent earlier in the year!
Sara, Meredith Baxter came out this morning! Awesomely brave!
Not even a week.
Oh so terrifying, a draft that hasn't been invoked in the history of the volunteer service, we should relegate the Afghans to living under a heroin-pushing theocracy to make sure that your son doesn't get drafted...even though he, like, won't.
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