4 Mile Creek

A Fight Well Worth Fighting

Here's an article about some students in Greensboro trying to enlist in the Army while declaring themselves gay.  Good for them, and I hope that more demonstrations like this will force Congress to change the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy.  It has been a waste all around.  Gays have served honorably, and will continue to serve honorably, throughout our country's history.  They shouldn't be discriminated against, and I can't think of a single reason as to why it makes military sense to do so.  There will need to be some major re-thinking of the current set of rules covering things like living quarters on post, Dining Outs, etc.  But it is not insurmountable.  I am friends with several gay officers, and two of them are pretty much openly gay, although they don't live with a partner.  One is a surgeon, a damn fine surgeon, and I'm sure that the soldiers he has operated on didn't give a rat's ass about his sexual orientation. 

I'd say that in this day and age, the chance of a younger soldier coming into the Army not having been exposed to someone who claims to be homosexual is pretty low.  Gays are coming out in high school, so it's not like soldiers don't know about gays.  If these guys and gals are serious, I support them.  If they aren't, then they need to demonstrate against the folks who made these rules, Congress.  Or the President who signed it into law, Bill Clinton.  Not the Army.  The recruiters, no matter what their personal feelings are on the matter, are upholding a law they had nothing to do with when they deny openly gay people from enlisting. 

If Congress does change the law, I hope a reporter follows up with these protestors and sees if they were actually sincere in their desire to join, or if they were just trying to get headlines, knowing perfectly well they would never have to actually join.  I'd be interested in knowing. 

I Don't Get It

The House Intelligence Committee releases a report that says the terror threat is more alarming now than it was prior to 9-11.  I'm not sure I'd agree with that, but they have access to better intel than I do. 

But for some reason, the Dems on the committee refused to endorse the report.  I don't get it.  Aren't they constantly claiming that the war in Iraq is making us less safe?  But now, they refuse to endorse a report that says the exact same thing.  In fact, it couldn't have stated it much more clearly than this:

"The document also warned that Iraq has become a new breeding ground for terrorists who may target other countries. "Fighters who leave Iraq will have acquired first-hand experience in urban warfare," the report said. "Upon returning home, they have the potential to use their knowledge, credibility and popularity to recruit and train younger generations to fight against the United States and our allies.""

So what's the deal?  Any guesses? 

First Remove The Log From Thine Own Eye

This is pretty funny. And absurd at the same time. According to an article in the Arab News (via LGF), Saudi families are thinking twice about sending their sons to the US to study (or sit in a strip bar drinking beer).

“I am not going to sacrifice my sons by sending them to the US as long as they keep mistreating our children and abusing them for no reasons. My two sons will be graduating this year from high school and I will never ever think of sending them to America,” Al-Najjar said.

“I know of many parents that have changed their plans and are sending their children to other destinations such as Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The US is not the right place for our children and I hope all parents do not think about sending their children to any part of the US,” he added.

Of course the first thing one might ask is: "Are these the same parents who didn't have a problem sacrificing their sons by sending them to the US to fly planes into buildings in the name of allah?"

The second thing one might ask is: “Who gives a flying fuck what al-Najjar thinks?”

And the third thing one might ask is: “How can this possibly be bad, what with a majority of the 9-11 hijackers being Saudi males of college age? The Saudis are actually helping us out here.”

And of course these are all legitimate questions.  And the answers are: Yes.  No one but Senator John Kerry.  It ain't bad, it's good.

However, the story is bull. Complete, unadulterated bull. Anyone who has seen the lines outside the US Embassy in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh will tell you that there are days when there are over 1000 people in line waiting to get visas to the US. And I can tell you from personal experience that Saudi military officers and NCOs will do twists and flips to get one of the assignments to US military schools that are offered every year. I was responsible for getting candidates and making assignments to those schools when I worked for USMTM, and I was inundated with requests daily from Saudis who had heard about this school or that in the US. As was the custom, these soldiers would bring their whole family (and their TCNs), and were always overjoyed when selected. I’d like to hear from someone in USMTM or on the US Embassy staff in Riyadh to really see if this has changed now because one dirtbag Saudi went to jail in Denver for raping his TCN. Color me doubtful.  However, there is a silver lining to this very dark cloud, as expressed here by some Saudi returning from infidel land.

Meanwhile, a Saudi tourist returning from the United States recently expressed anger and frustration at mistreatment suffered at the hands of US authorities when he was detained for a couple of hours at the J.F. Kennedy Airport. “I thought things would have calmed down after all these years but the situation is still tense and Arabs are discriminated against and mistreated,” said Mamdouh Al-Saeed, 24.

If Saudis are suddenly able to distinguish discrimination and mistreatment of arabs and muslims, perhaps they will be able to put pressure on their own government to stop the institutionalized discrimination in their country against anyone who isn't an arab, or a muslim. 

Caracas, Maybe?

I didn't get to hear the UN speech by the Venzuelan Presidente, but I did hear a couple of short clips.  In one, he asks that the UN be moved from the US. 

I gotta say, I can't agree with him more.  And it's the perfect opportunity.  The building itself is old and needs to be refurbished.  I'd be willing to bet that the UN could move to another country, let's say an arab country (ohpleaseohpleaseohplease), and sell the land in NYC, and use the proceeds to fund a completely upgraded building.  Of course dictators like Chavez will still have the ability to rant and rave about the US no matter where the UN was built; and since that is the greatest export of the UN, there really shouldn't be much of a difference in its effectiveness.  I don't see a downside.

Thank you, Hugo. 

Thanks for the Gas

I occasionally tease some of my fellow soldiers who are still paying off school loans, letting them know that I paid a ridiculously low (even for 22 years ago) tuition of $320.00 a semester. 

Now it looks like the tuition will be even lower.

"Those (Wyoming high school students) with a 3.0 grade-point average and a score of 21 on the ACT admissions exam will receive nearly a free ride to the University of Wyoming or one of the state's seven community colleges.

Unfortunately, I don't think any of my kids will be much interested in going to Univ of Wyoming.  That would really help out my retirement fund. 

Welcome to the 21st Century

As near as I can tell, the only thing muslims want from the modern world is cell phones and semtex. 

Why should I be worried about what they want? 

Because cell phones and semtex are an easy way to begin dragging the rest of the modern world back to the 14th century, and the breeding grounds of terrorism that mosques have become are littered throughout the western world.  There may be one within small arms range of my house where my wife and children now live. 

Historical Perspective

Trying desperately to be politically correct, the Federal Police Commissioner in Australia, Mick Keelty, nails the entire 1400 year history of Muslims in the Middle East in one sentence. 

"Social misfits were gravitating towards Islam as a justification for lashing out."

For more proof, see posting below. 

Via Tim Blair. 

Note To Lefties

AK-47s are not a very good defense against Caterpillar D-8s. 

Just ask Saint Rachael of IHOP. 

As we say in the Army, a target-rich environment!

Via Tim Blair, via Front Page Magazine.

Damn Proud!

People call me "Digger" all the time.  It's not my name, but I never correct them, because I'm damn proud to share that name with these guys. 

Dorks in Black

Via Tim Blair, the 9-11 Conspiratorists:

Some Junior College is missing it's Chess Club.