9/11

View of the majestic World Trade Center, originally uploaded by chadisalem.

Today is the 8th anniversary of the day we learned we're vulnerable. Today Iraq is looking more stable, but in Afghanistan embedded reporter Micheal Yon says 'the West is losing this war'. I try to avoid the political, but nothing makes my skin crawl more than reading about women subjugated to radical Islamic laws. I snarked yesterday about the Hmong and the Montagnards and what happened to them when we gave up in Vietnam, but a few of them, at least, are safe here in the U.S. I worry about the women of Afghanistan - I doubt any will be able to offer them freedom and safety if we leave.

I like Micheal Yon's website because he writes about the soldiers overseas. He has written compelling stories about American and Allied soldiers and they always make me think about my brief experiences in the military. I know I have written about basic training and a little about active duty in my blog - I don't think I wrote much about the soldiers I knew.

Some people seem to totally idolize our soldiers as heroic icons of virtue and sacrifice, and some seem to view them as homicidal sociopaths. While you will find people (soldiers and civilians alike) who fall into these two extremes, the truth is of course soldiers are human beings, and you get all kinds. I met many men and women whom I liked, some whom I regarded as assholes, a few who frightened me, and a few whom I felt honored to have met. Sometime soon I should write about a few from the more interesting categories I have listed.

In the meantime, we haven't had another attack in the United States, and I'm grateful especially to the soldiers who have worked, many at great cost, on stopping those who would harm us, and I hope we do not give up on Afghanistan for the sake of the Afghani people, especially the women and the ones who have been helping us.

Now back to my irregularly scheduled drivel. Ooh look! Cat pictures!