anotherlook

Picture courtesy of Ask.com

Picture courtesy of MSNBC

It’s a little bit creepy to see these two pictures side by side. One is identified as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the accused mastermind of the September 11 attacks on the twin towers in New York, the other is the notorious Osama bin Laden.

There are so many similarities that Mohammed could be an older bin Laden although the vibration coming off the eyes is a little different, the basic similarities are a little surreal. Being housed at Guantanamo Bay as a result of his involvement in the 9/11 devastation, Mohammed will soon make the journey back to New York to stand trial in the city that he will be immortalized for destroying.

Mohammed has confessed to his participation in the 9/11 attack and related how he celebrated the disaster. Called into play will be the fact that many of his “confessions” were as a result of the banned interrogation practice of water boarding which could somewhat, take the edge off the confession.

As a result of a deed he is most proud of, the extinction of the twin towers and all the lives that were lost, he wants to be executed so that he can die a martyr according to his religious beliefs, this as the United States has stated they will be seeking the death penalty for this crime. It seems ironic that he will get everything he desires for the crime of 3,000 souls.

Living in Pakistan at the time of this heinous attack and hatching this conspiracy in the mountains of Afghanistan with al-Qaeda leader and current look alike Osama bin Laden, he enjoys the label of “mastermind of the 9/11 attack” and celebrated with friends as he watched the televised version of the crashing of the twin towers; this even though he furthered his education here on American soil, earning a degree in mechanical engineering in 1986 from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

He prides himself on the fact that in all the years he lived in America, he never touched an American, not even to shake hands. Whether this is true or not, who knows but the fact that it was an accomplishment that he feels is relevant in discerning his contempt for Americans is truly a vicious statement of hate and disgust for Americans in general.

Hate is such an intense and irrational emotion I wonder how anyone can survive carrying such a load with them throughout life. It clouds the mind and erases the true beauty of life. It carries such negativity and yet it thrives so powerfully while motivating so thoroughly that it mystifies me.

To have indiscriminately taken the lives of so many people in one inclusive act and to feel nothing but pride at the accomplishment is beyond my comprehension. War is one thing and though I am basically totally against war, to partake in the terroristic acts that Mohammed took part in is so reprehensible to my way of thinking that it amazes and troubles me as the thought of it cruises through my consciousness. The intensity of hate is sickening and when faced with hate this strong you truly feel the presence of evil.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Supernova Long Sleeve Tee

Photo courtesy of MSNBC

As Fort Hood gunman, Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, is charged with 13 counts of pre-meditated murder after years of visible signs of his discontent with serving America, Federal prosecutors seized four U.S. mosques and a Fifth Avenue skyscraper which was owned by a nonprofit Muslim organization allegedly controlled by the Iranian government.

Situated in four major cities across the United States, New York City, Maryland, California and Houston, these establishments have been accused of funneling millions of dollars, yearly, back to Iran in support of Iran’s nuclear program. My question becomes what the hell are we doing in Afghanistan when America is, in effect, allowing money to be made by Iran, for decades, to support their nuclear programs as well as accused, by the United States government of bankrolling terrorism.

More importantly, The United States has long suspected the Alavi Foundation which used a front company known as Assa Corp of being behind this arrangement of earning money in America to send back to Iran.

As I was reading this article on MSNBC this morning and noting how long this situation has been going on, with the blessings of the United States government who has had knowledge of the situation all along, I became appalled at just what this implies on a larger scale.

Could it be that, because of the failed nuclear talks with Iran and the fact that Iran has recently detained and charged three Americans hikers with crimes in Iran, America has decided to press an issue that never should have been happening on America soil in the first place?

According to this article “For two decades, the Alavi Foundation’s affairs have been directed by various Iranian officials, including Iranian ambassadors to the United Nations, in violation of a series of American laws,” this according to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

I am one who does not believe in coincidence and therefore I am having a hard time trusting that this seizure just happened to come to a head at this particular time when the negotiations between Iran and the United States have stalled. Instead, this is no more than the United States blackmailing Iran in an attempt to obtain a negotiating chip in their dealings with Iran to stop all nuclear programs and release the American “hostages” they are now holding.

Even with the timing in question, my question is how could this so called “investigation” of the Alavi been going on for this long without a specific outcome prior to yesterday. Like the article states, “Suspicion about the Alavi Foundation transcends three administrations” where millions/billions of dollars have been earned on American soil in support of not only Iran’s nuclear programs but Iran has been accused of support for militants whom we are sending our kids to fight.

On top of all of this information and in spite of the time involved in the “investigation, the U.S. government is patting itself on the back stating that this is one of the biggest counterterrorism seizures in U.S. history.

I would say it’s a little too late since we have supplied Iran with the funds to create its nuclear weaponry and essentially put this instruments of war in the hands of a man who is violent, vindictive and has demonstrated his hate for America. It is a little too late because it makes the appearance that we are supplying financial support to the very people we are sending our kids off to fight – essentially we, not the insurgents, Taliban or al-Qaeda are murdering our own.

I’m sorry this is very disconcerting but more than that, this whole scenario is un-fucking believable. All I have to say is we need to be getting our troops out of this murderous situation that we have been funding for years. Those people are probably laughing their behinds off at the ignorance of the Americans and pocketing any and all aid we are giving them for use in fighting for their “cause” as they symbolically spit in our faces.

If you can not perceive this as a very real possibility as both Iran and Afghanistan’s elections were both subjected to fraud, deception and violence, I feel sorry for your incompetence but more importantly for the troops who have given their lives for the madness we have created.

And that’s the way I see it!!!

Walgreens Tampons with Biodegradable Applicator Super 40ea.

Photo courtesy of MSNBC

To all the troops that have served and are serving this country, the United States of America, I wish you a safe Veterans Day but more than that I write this corny poem in support of your mission for I know that freedom is not free and peace is nothing more than an allusion.

To all the troops in foreign lands, I applaud you
And give verbal acknowledgment for all you do.
But also by the swelling of my heart in pride,
Thankful that you are on our side.

I cheer for you and wish you well
I pray that you will never fail,
Stay safe my friend until the end
You are brave and strong, loving and kind
And never are you far from my mind

Your sacrifices, and they are many, are known
As you set, just the right tone.
You are willing to lay down your life and fight
For what you believe in your heart is right.
In darkness and the light
You survive conflict and blight.

For all the troops who served their time
You are like a permanent ray of sunshine
Brightly shining in memory of wars gone by
Those who have left us, like twinkling stars,
Shining brightly in the midnight sky

To all of you, I admire you, trust in you
And care that, in the moment or for the moment
You are willing to give your life in atonement
For injustices and wrongs that have been done,
Too brave to run, no battles do you shun.

You lend aid to those who know only struggles and strife
You keep us safe and stand for what is good, in this life
And though your sorrows are great, in my heart you rate
All the recognition of this date
So let me, among many, say

Happy Veterans Day!!!

May God cover you with the armor of protection
And keep those who mean you harm at bay until the next rotation.

Stay Strong, Fight The Wrong And Make It Back To Where You Belong

And that’s the way I see it!!!

Heart of a Champion

How many terrorist plots are brewing here in America and when will the time come that one slips below the radar and is hatched before our very eyes leaving hundreds dead and millions living in the aftermath of destruction, both emotional and physical. More importantly is our involvement in the Middle East helping or hurting our chances at peace in our own lands. Is our involvement in the Middle East truly preventing the violence of terrorism?

While Obama may have promised bi-partisanship on the floor of Congress, which was and is truly his hope, he failed to realize he had no real control over people and their idiosyncrasies. As he puts his best foot forward to accomplish all he needs to accomplish, in the hearts and minds of those around him it is business as usual, which involves, to a large degree, political games.

Having not been able to pass a health care/insurance reform through the brick walls of Congress, allowing him to move on to other crisis issues with a clear mind and with the political games played by both Democrats and Republicans, he is now being criticized for his thoughtful hesitation for not acting on McChrystal’s request for more troops.

A house divided can not stand, a house divided falls short of its goals and a house divided is the United States of America. How this house can be in favor of sending youngsters off to die without hesitation but be so totally against something as basic as health care, both costing the United States billions of dollars but one being more of a choice while the other being a necessity for the stability of our financial future, I will never comprehend.

It is obvious that fighting the war in Afghanistan is creating more problems than it is solving, both financially as well as adding a new divide amongst the people of the United States. Logically speaking if we do not have enough money to finance health care for the people of the United States how do we have money to support the war in Afghanistan, donate money for reconstruction and to support a counterinsurgency in Pakistan.

While people are using the fact that the health care reform is too costly, so too are the wars we are knee deep in. While people use the excuse that the war is necessary to stop violence on our soil, there have been two plots to wreak havoc on American soil in two months.

The most recent was a “home grown” terrorist by the name of Tarek Mehanna who grew up in an upscale Boston suburb and had plotted to kill shoppers in U.S. malls and kill U.S. troops in Iraq, an area the United States is holding up as the poster child for a military surge in Afghanistan even though the violence has not really stopped in Iraq.

The thought process of the American public, as well as those in charge of protecting and serving the American public worries me. As far as I can see, Obama is the only one that is showing a true concern for the American people in all he attempts to do yet with every step he attempts to make there are those who are placing concrete slabs on his ankles in an attempt to hold him back at a time in the history of America where decisive action is not only necessary but not without grave consequences if left unattended.

Recognizing the need for decisive action has not limited the games that are being played and I am left wondering how, supposedly, grown rational people can be so childish as I ask myself why these obvious games are being played.

I am left wondering how long this absurd, pretentious, ego driven, money hungry health care debate will go on. I am left wondering will mankind ever be capable of living in the world in peace and harmony as my senses tell me that we are moving in a dangerous direction with no one willing to stop the madness.

I say violence begets violence and as we live in subtle fear of not knowing when the next terrorist attack will occur, it should be teaching us that lesson and that the war in Afghanistan does nothing to prevent a terrorist attack here in America.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Essentials of Abnormal Psychology (with CD-ROM)

Iraq is proof that winning in Afghanistan is nothing more than a pipedream. There is still an insurgency in Iraq and they are attempting to undermine the government prior to what may prove to be an important election in Iraq.

Nineteen people died on Sunday as a result of a car bomb that went off in an area that had become a symbol of restored peace in Baghdad. This is a strong indication that while the insurgency has declined in their actions, the intent as well as their capability to pick up where they left off is still of grave concern.

Last week eight people lost their lives at an open-air market which was attacked by a car bomb. While the Iraqi officials are saying that these attacks are isolated and not an indication that the insurgency is regaining its footing, I say that these are warnings made by the insurgency that they have not been defeated, that their presence is still strong and that their intent has not changed.

Is America deluding itself into believing that they have disrupted the insurgency to a point that they are no longer a viable threat to Iraq? Are the insurgents sending a message to America as well as to the Iraqi people that they are still around, that they will not be defeated, that they will not simply go away?

Are we fighting a losing battle in both Iraq and Afghanistan? It would seem that the message is clear in Iraq that as American’s begin to pull out, the insurgency will increase. They are demonstrating that although they have pulled back to some extent, they are regrouping and even though their attacks have been sporadic, they still have the potential to inflict terrorism with the unexpected bombing of busy areas whenever they feel like it.

With this in mind, what was really accomplished in Iraq besides the capture and murder of Saddam Hussein? Why is Iraq such a perfect example of America’s accomplishments in the war against terrorism and proof of what a surge in American troops can do for the Afghan war?

More importantly, Pakistan had a crisis situation over the week-end in an eighteen hour stand off at a military site, while bombs went off in India as well. This is further indication that the American presence in these lands, have no real affect on the mentality of terrorist; that a surge of troops only postpones the inevitable violence that the terrorist seem to enjoy and that the American presence seems to encourage.

Recruitment for the insurgency takes place on campuses, at markets and mosques and probably on line via the internet. Recruitment never stops nor does the number of people willing to die for the cause decrease along with those who are forced to participate in the madness.

America is even considering the possibility of paying Afghans, directly or indirectly, not to fight by appealing to the economics of their poor economy. How ridiculous is this idea. This, to me would encourage others to join the fight in order to get paid by the American government who refuses to pass legislation for medical coverage of its own people yet are only too willing to pay for an economy where so many of their own troops are dying and the fighting never stops.

As the confusion continues, indecision is rising and opinions are raging in both directions as to whether or not to send more troops off to die or not to send more troops. How long do we fight this war and encumber our economy with the cost of the war alone, not to include the money donated to get people in Afghanistan not to take up arms against us. What purpose are we really serving and how do we get to a point where we can just walk away?

While the consensus seems to be leaving is not an option, after eight years what has the reward been for staying? More violence, more death, more expenses, more grief and a never ending supply of hate, anger and Taliban. – Something is not right about this picture. I say this area of the world, the same area of the world that took his life, needs Jesus and until they accept the concept of Jesus, turmoil will be their daily bread, hate will be their motivating force and peace will never happen.

As this seems to be a proven fact over many years of violence and corruption in these areas, why did America allow itself to be drawn in with no exit strategy? Why must we continue to babysit these foreign countries where the “enemy” is not truly known to us and the people themselves are not really decisive enough to take more than a half-hearted stand against their oppressors?

How are these rational efforts by a nation as great as America and would our participation have been so intense if our dependency on oil had not been as great. We gave them the key to our weakness and they are controlling our existence both in our own land and in theirs – did we not see this coming?

And that’s the way I see it!!!!!

Rooted - New Testament

Geez as hard as I try, I can not seem to stay away from the news. I get angry at the extent of the hate I see. I get angry at the irrational comments made by those who are supposed to be in office working for the good of the people. I get angry at the media and the way they lead into certain stories (with bias and intent) but like a drug, lately I can not ignore the news.

My recent anger is going out to Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican from Minnesota. His irrational comments at the Mackinac Island, Michigan Republican Leadership Conference left me shaking my head in disgust.

Pawlenty, playing ugly Republican politics stated “President Obama said in his joint session of Congress he’s going to call people out, so we want to call him out back and say ‘Quit bankrupting the country. Stop spending money we don’t have. Stop taxing us into oblivion and the next time you speak to the young people apologize and explain to them why you are leaving them such a huge debt to pay off.’”

While those may not be his exact words they are close enough to get the intent. Now I’m not for sure but I would be willing to bet that he is one of those same Republicans that are so concerned about the national debt when it comes to health care/insurance reform but are anxious to continue the war in Afghanistan. A war that has been going on for eight years – with no end in sight; a war that is taking more American lives monthly; a war that is “deteriorating” swiftly.

While health care/insurance reform is for the betterment of “we the people,” Republicans and their arrogant attitudes want to continue the war in a country which has home court advantage, which is winning the battle, which has an exhaustive supply of warriors and who refuses to give up the battle, costing the American people billions of dollars and spiking up the national debt.

So we send our kids off to fight, forever changing their lives and who they are, spend extreme amounts of money in a war that goes on and on and on like the ever ready bunny, troops come back home, no jobs available and no medical coverage to support their mental and physical wounds but you fight tooth and nail to prevent health coverage for the people you are supposed to be looking out for.

I don’t understand the thought process of those people who are for the war but against health care/insurance reform based on cost. I don’t understand the righteous indignation regarding too much government involvement after where big business has taken us. I don’t understand the concept/rant that government is becoming too involved in medical care but let’s expand Medicare/Medicaid to cover more people.

I don’t understand the lies, the hate, the twisting of words to make the same thing seem like a different thing. I don’t understand Republicans or Democrats that are dressing things up to seem like something other than what they are to make themselves seem smarter or make it seem like their idea is better when basically they are the same ideas with different packaging and the debt is going to continue to grow either way.

See this is why I hate to watch the news these days. Nobody is making sense, hate is strong and arrogance is obvious. Rational thought does not exist only egotistical political games are relevant and I feel this is going to be the tone of any debate as long as Obama is President. Those who are against the President will always be against him regardless to what he says or does.

People wanted change but the changes are being irrationally criticized. With the world view of Obama in office being very positive, Americans sit back and criticize every move he makes. The other day on the Cafferty Report, Cafferty asked is it better for the American President to be feared or liked. This comment was a direct put down because the view from some Americans is that Obama is showing weakness in his international dealings.

I say fear does not gain respect. I say fear involves a bully mentality. I say while people may fear you, they are not respecting you and though the people you get to fear you may walk the line, you can not control what they think or feel and you better believe that in the long run they are thinking of ways to get back at you because of the fear you instill in them.

I say slavery should have shown you that but lessons not learned are situations that you will continue to experience. I say eight years of Afghanistan and six years of Iraq should be showing you how true this is but you can not see past your arrogance and your need to win even when losing is smacking you in the face. I say only ignorant people and fools do not learn from experience – which one of those categories do Americans fit into.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Beloved Enemy/Shadowed Memories (Battles of Destiny, Vol. 2)

With allegations of fraud increasing in Afghanistan regarding the recent election, this picture of Lal Mohammad, which was in an article I read this morning on MSNBC, who claims his nose and ears were cut off by the Taliban, is a disturbing example of the viciousness with which the Taliban operates.

According to the article, Mohammad states he was on his way to the polling station to place his vote when he was stopped by the Taliban who searched him, found his voter registration card, cut his nose and ears and then beat him unconscious with a weapon. Many women in Afghanistan chose not to take a chance and turnout was limited by the threats made by the Taliban.

The death toll for U.S. troops in the month of August places August as the deadliest month, so far, in the 8-year battle with a total of 48 lives lost which breaks the previous record set in July of this year with 45 Americans dead.

General McChrystal has submitted his evaluation of the efforts in Afghanistan and states “The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable.” He goes on to say that the strategy needs revision.

On Monday, suspected Taliban militants set fire to 18 container trucks, on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, carrying supplies for Western forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Also on Monday, vote tallies showed President Hamid Karzai was holding a strong lead over the top challenger Abdullah Abdullah. If he indeed wins the election then nothing will have changed, as had been hoped for by the United States.

I sincerely hope that the results of the election are not being relied on heavily by the United States as a move in a different direction because I fear that like the election in Iran, the outcome has been pre-determined and the vote was just a pretense in the name of Democracy. Time will tell who the true “victor” is and whether the attitudes change in terms of dialogue and support.

However, when it comes to dialogue, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says American messages to counter information coming from extremists abroad lack credibility. He goes on to say that “we need to worry a lot less about how to communicate our actions and much more about what our actions communicate.”

Mullen believes Americans are viewed as an “arrogant oppressor” something I have to agree with. Can that label be diminished as long as we are in their lands, killing their people, is something that remains to be seen.

Mullen seems to feel that “only through a shared appreciation of the Muslim’s culture, needs and hopes for the future can we hope ourselves to supersede the extremist narrative.” In this, he feels that communications is the key, backed by actions confirming the communications.

While this is a very feasible concept, for I believe in communication, but only when ears and eyes are opened, I pray that somewhere in Afghanistan, Pakistan as well as neighboring countries, that there are indeed eyes to see and ears to hear the true intentions of interlopers known as NATO forces.

More to the point is that the intentions of the interlopers are genuine and sincere, for this is the only way that communications will be effective.

And that’s the way I see it!!!

Dick Cheney is a scary person to me. When I look into his eyes there is something wild, untamed in his look. He keeps insisting that it was as a result of the brutality directed at the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and the activities of the CIA that America was not hit again by al-Qaeda. He says these things with fear on his face and frankly, I believe he really believes these statements.

But how can he be sure. It could be just the opposite that what they created with the terror is stronger hate, more determination that may possibly lead to further terror attacks on U.S. soil. However, I do feel that when you are in a leadership position, the best you can do is to follow the rules otherwise you open the door for deviousness and deceit to take root and grow and it has grown and spread.

He has been in constant opposition of the way Obama is handling everything concerning National Security and while he is entitled to his opinions, to constantly sit in verbalized opposition is not really good for the country. Fear was what motivated the Bush Administration, fear is what the Bush Administration used to persuade the public and fear is what Cheney still uses in his effort to imply that Obama is incompetent and naïve about the way of terrorism.

One thing for sure, I do not believe America should be airing their dirty laundry, dirty deeds to the world. It is one thing to initiate an investigation into the workings of the CIA, but it is another to discuss this, repeatedly, over the news, giving a play by play of all things done and of all things planned. Some things, regarding national security, are best left discussed behind closed doors, on a need to know basis.

Secondly Cheney needs to get behind Obama or keep his mouth shut because his words, to me, have the potential to encourage terrorist. After 8-years of high-level intelligence work for the United States, to hear him constantly saying that America is weaker now that Obama is in office gives one pause to think about an attack – and maybe that’s just what Cheney is hoping for just to prove his point.

At what point are comments made against the President of the United States treasonous or traitorous? When you can hold up a picture depicting the president as Hitler, for me that is over the line and frankly should not be allowable – but it is. When you get on national television and rant about how weak we have become, I feel strongly that you are inviting disaster.

Over 100 lives where lost while in U.S. custody, only about one-fifth were ruled homicide. How did the other 75 die? Is this normal? It seems to me that harsh, murderous things were happening in Guantanamo Bay, illegal, aggressive and harmful things and someone should be held accountable because lines were definitely crossed.

With this information out in the open, it would seem you are putting our troops in danger of the same torture and mistreatment perpetrated and verbalized by those in charge at Guantanamo Bay but it seems like no one has thought of that or they just do not care about the increased danger to our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq as they broadcast and rebroadcast the torture that was allowed.

Americans and their “free speech” fanaticism will eventually prove to be their weakness as they continue to let the world witness the divisions and cruelty, their plans of action and any and all plans for national security to be repeated and debated on national television for all to witness.

What ever happened to the concept of the “poker face” – never let your opponent know what you are thinking, never let them see you sweat. That is exactly what America is showing; the fear, the uncertainty, the division, the weakness, according to Cheney, of the nation. Someone is going to step in and take full advantage of the chaos and you will have no one to blame but yourselves.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Tupac Prayer 30×40 Tapestry

Murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, suicide (a crime against self), brawls, beatings, rapes, DUI’s, drug deals, domestic violence, stabbings, shooting, kidnappings, all crimes being committed by soldiers returning from the Iraqi war zone. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is what is being blamed for these behaviors. Why won’t anybody help?

Suicide bombers, road side bombs, ambushes, set-ups, not knowing who to trust, all play a part in the post war stress these soldiers are experiencing after living their lives in a state of heightened awareness, obsession, fear and suspicion for months at a time, in a foreign country where friend and foe have the same faces.

Violence, death, mutilation, brain matter, blood, guts, torture, pain, suffering, screams of agony – though I return whole on the outside, in the recesses of my mind the images dance in my head and I am forever haunted by the experience.

So it is with some of the soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, stationed at Fort Carson Colorado, who are having trouble adjusting to life back in the United States. These experiences are not limited to the Colorado soldiers although they are having a large share of the manifestations of PTSD problems.

Attempting to be “strong” after the experiences they encountered fighting a violent war; being belittled or punished for attempting to seek help; ignored by their commanders; using drugs and alcohol to cope, to forget, if only for the moment.

Some of these soldiers that are being held for crimes they have committed, since being back home in the United States, are beginning to share their stories of the fear and the violence they experienced and in some cases perpetrated while in Iraq.

Murdering civilians, the deterioration of unit discipline, frustration, fatigue, impulsive actions based on fear all took place in Iraq – the goal being to return home alive and in one piece.

The Gazette of Colorado Springs interviewed soldiers and their families for months while reviewing medical records, court documents, and military records in an effort to gather as much information as possible to bring some understanding to the high incidents of crime being committed by returning soldiers.

From Iraq to Afghanistan – when will it end for these brave soldiers? After spending up to 15-months in Iraq, sometimes after being injured on a level that in previous conflicts would have been your ticket home but instead of being sent home they are being patched up and sent back into battle. Some have left Iraq only to be sent to Afghanistan at a later date.

Senseless murder brought about by rage, fear, training and lack of guidance in a war zone where everything goes and you did not get blamed for the “wrong” you did unless someone could be absolutely sure you did something wrong.

You get “debriefed,” return back home and are expected to “forget” all that you have seen, all that you have done with an inherent knowledge that some of what you did was, indeed, wrong even in a war zone. Just what are we creating in these kids and when will it end?

For the first time in my life I am beginning to hate. I hate, hate, I hate war, I hate the misguided reasons people fight wars, I hate greed, on some levels I hate those who sit behind their desk while sending kids to fight wars they themselves jump into while attempting to teach their children that fighting is not the answer on a day to day basis – how hypocritical and insincere.

I hate those who believe that “debriefing” simply erases the ugliness of war; I hate those who use praise to encourage mass murder for the cause, any cause. I’m sorry these wars are taking a toll on me.

God gave me the ability to experience, through empathy, the fear, the ugliness, the sadness of watching the life force drain from the body of a friend who has had my back, maybe died in my place and it is beginning to turn my stomach as I experience, in my minds eye, what our children are experiencing up close and personal for months on end.

While my hate is tempered by the knowledge that I have not really experienced the visions that play in my head, I can only imagine what it is like for those who have really experienced the things I have described and I am saddened with the thoughts that even though these soldiers made it back in one visible piece, irretrievable parts of them are forever left on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

As I pray nightly for the madness to end, I pray also no longer to experience this hate, for me and for the world, even though I know that man’s “free will” is taking him to the depth of darkness to which there seems to be no return.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

0br - Direct Oceanfront Condo in great location

U.K.’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, David Wright Miliband, has said that while it is crucial to keep a strong military campaign against the insurgents in Afghanistan, it is imperative that North Ireland-style dialogue begin as well.

On the other hand, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who has been in day-to-day command of the Afghan insurgency for the past three years, is unequivocally against any type of dialogue. Asked by Newsweek would he support talks at some time, Baradar, in a written statement says:

“What would be the topic of the talks and what would be the result? Our basic problem with the Americans is that they have attacked our country. They are offering talks, hoping that the mujadhedin surrender before them. We see no benefit for the country and Islam in such kind of talks.” For the full written statement of Baradar go to:

Mullah Baradar: In His Own Words

Miliband has urged Nato members to support the Afghan government and help it to play a role in working for reconciliation once the fighting stopped but according to Baradar the fighting will not stop until the “intruders” are gone from their land.

This month has been the bloodiest month for the UK and Nato in Afghanistan since the invasion in 2001 and there is no sign that the violence will end soon. In spite of this, Miliband feels strongly that “We need to help the Afghan government to make more convincing efforts to fragment the insurgency.”

Backing these words from Miliband is Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary who recently visited Helmand. Alexander believes talks with moderate Taliban leaders would help bring a swifter end to the conflict.

However, Baradar believes the more deaths of the “intruders” the better, with the intent to “inflict maximum losses on the Americans.” Baradar also states “We shall continue our jihad till the expulsion of our enemy from our land.”

These are harsh and determined words coming from the main person in charge of the attacks in Afghanistan. Mullah Mohammed Omar, the original founder and leader of the Taliban, disappeared three years ago, passing the “leadership” down to Baradar.

While Omar continues to be a high-valued target for the United States, with a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, he has not yet been “turned in” and the current opposition leader, who has instituted this spike in casualties, is Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a leader that may prove himself more dangerous than Omar ever was.

Baradar’s goal seems to be to keep the violence going, relying on guerrilla tactics when possible with the use of improvised explosive devices (road side bombs), ambushes with the mission in mind to keep the Taliban’s losses to a minimum while maximizing the “cost” to the enemy.

Is this “cost” a cost in life only? Development Secretary Alexander has pressed President Obama’s special representative for the Pakistan/Afghanistan area, Richard Holbrooke, to increase the amount of US financial support for the Afghan government. Citing the fact that Britain gives 85 per cent of the total amount allocated for reconstruction while the U.S. gives less than five per cent to the country’s central administration.

This war is “costing” in lives and money. It seems as though we are playing right into the hands of the Taliban and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Mercure Queen’s Cheltenham