STOP-LOSS

Just when I thought I'd had enough of assinine moves by this silly government...... something new comes along to upset the apple cart again.

I've always said that if this war would become highly unpopular because they brought back the draft, this war would end a lot sooner. Well, those sneaky bastards have found a way to make sure there is no need for a draft. Hence, the policy of Stop Loss. In other words, when a person's term of active service is up, make them serve long enough to make another trip to Afghanistan or Iraq. 

Every person that joins the military, even if it is for somewhere between 2-4 years on active duty, actually contracts to serve 6 years. Whatever time is left when your active service is done is served in what is called the inactive reserves. You are part of a group of people who, already trained, could be called up if something big happens. Since we are in the middle of something big, there is no real lag between the end of active duty, and that call up.... Stop Loss. Like stopping the flow of blood from a wound. Too many people getting out at the same time, along with the low number of new recruits, means not enough bodies to fight a war on two fronts. 

So, the draft is back, it's just a back door kind of thing, and now this war could go on for 30 years or more..... I see no way out... considering the increase in attacks on both fronts by the people the members of the government of the United States of Amerika are trying to kill.

Makes me sick to my stomach. If they would have tried to keep me in when I was going through the discharge routine in 1981, I would have jumped out the window and started running for the nearest gate..... 

I feel for all you soldiers and sailors who will get new orders instead of that discharge..... Uncle Sam is still good at sticking it to the ones in uniform.... 

John McCain thinks it is alright to bail out Bear and Stearns, but to hell with the homeowners in this country. The almighty New York Times published an article today about how proposed billions in federal aid recommended by Clinton and Obama to help stem the forclosures that caused the collapse of Bear and Stearns aren't the answer according to the Republican's heir apparent.

According to the article, McCain believes it is mostly the fault of the homeowners. They leveraged against rising housing prices, then got caught when the market collapsed and they couldn't make the huge payments ARM mortgages brought their way, or as in some cases, couldn't make the payment at all because they no longer had jobs because of massive layoffs everywhere. 

Hum, lets see...... Bear and Stearns bought up a huge amount of mortgages, thinking the same thing, and they get all the help they need, with the heir apparent's blessing. 

And, some people will vote for this guy, instead of someone who wants to help the people get back on their feet, because the other candidates happen to be a woman and a bi-racial man. Something is wrong with this country, and problem is as old as the Republic itself. All men (read rich, white, male, property owners) are created equal, and the rest of us can live in our own filth..... Thanks a bunch there Johnny...... you scare me more than the Taliban or Al Quada.

On This Horrid Anniversary of Death and Destruction

I am committing to being more vocal in my opposition to the war. I am committed to helping out the peace and justice organizations in this town. I am committed to being more like Pete Seeger.

I was reading dispatches by New York Times reporters who covered the hostilities for most of the five years of troop deployment in Iraq. Funny how we have forgotten about Afghanistan. Their stories of blood, and death and the chaos of war leaves me pale and sad. The stories of four women who went, fought, and came back in Women's Health magazine this month left me crying for the leg one of them lost in a blast. One will be returning for a third tour soon, I hope she makes it back with all her pieces/parts intact. 

I can't stop this war, although I sometimes like to dream that I am the Supreme Benevolent Amazon Dictator and I do have the power to bring the troops home, and give the people of Iraq the means to create a new way of being in the world. Wonder how they would do? Tribal and religious factions could fight for years and leave the country looking more bombed out than it does now. Like Lebanon looked for 20 years. I remember being in the rubble that was Beirut in the 70s. Hard to look at.... harder still to find your way around in. I would like to go back there now. I hear it is beautiful. I think Baghdad will take a long time to heal once our sneaky-shady leaders call it quits and bring home the tanks, weapons, soldiers, and sailors. 

For now, I will think peaceful thoughts and hope that all the soldiers and sailors will be safe for one day. The later will be harder to manifest. War creates damaged and dead bodies. All for the sake of protecting a substance that when used is killing the planet. I'll never understand men and the games they play with people's lives. Bush is no better than Hitler. Just a different wolf in the same nationalistic sheep's clothing.