I think the war in Afghanistan has been from the beginning very important and necessary.
Initially it was done very well with Special Forces aiding Northern Alliance troops in defeating the Taliban. Also American troops engaging Taliban and Al Qaeda in open battle was an important part of victory.
I am concerned that the fight has become folly lately though. That we are doing nation building wrong, and that we are creating enemies where we don't need to be.
And I think that McChrystal is a great general, everything I have read and heard about him says that he is on the right track. His knowledge and understanding of the situation, above tactical culturally and strategically is above par. I greatly admire the guy. I also admire his boss Gen Patreaus, as well as the National Security Adviser that Obama appointed. I believe that they understand the strategic situation, and the minefield that they are walking in. And that they understand where other powerful militaries have gone wrong.
I don't know what strategic and policy recommendations the generals are making to the president, or if they feel that it is their place to make the policy recommendations that would make the war much more easily winnable.
They must know these two truths:
1 truth is that the war on drugs is not winnable. Whether to fight it as a war can ease at all the pain of drug addicts or their communities is debatable i suppose. I personally don't think there is any net positive effect to having government try to stop people from using drugs that they want to use. But that is arguable I suppose. But I think we can agree that to propose that the war on drugs is winnable is delusional.
2nd truth is that the result of war on drugs in Afghanistan and Colombia gives money/power/recruits/legitimacy to our enemy. To an enemy that otherwise would have none of the above.
So, I fear that the war in Afghanistan will turn our like the war in Columbia, only worse. Worse because the consequences of not winning are graver than those of not winning in Colombia. The war in Colombia has been going on as long as I have been alive, but the only consequence of not winning that war is that the lives of many Colombian civilians are destroyed, and the crime rate in Columbia, Mexico, and the US is higher than it would otherwise be.
The consequences of not winning in Afghanistan are graver, because of the goals of our enemy in the region. The enemy in Afghanistan that we empower with the war on drugs is an enemy that will destroy us if they can. Pakistan is one of the stakes in the war, and Pakistan has nukes.
I guess another consequence of the drug war in Colombia (and the US) is a loss of liberties in the US. I suppose the necessities of those liberties, or whether those liberties would be lost for another reason without the drug war, can be argued.
I fear because of the drug war, that the war in Afghanistan comes to resemble the war in Colombia (with the added danger that radical Islam is far more viable than Communism).
But I do maintain some hope that instead of resembling Colombia, that McChrystal is able to win the larger war. To discredit the Taliban, and Al Qaeda, and to make the unwinnable drug war part of the war, a minor part of the war, and not important to the overall situation on the ground to the majority of Afghans, or to American strategy.
With our current policy that enables the Taliban to enrich and empower itself from our futile efforts at drug control, I fear that might be wishful thinking.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Does our government really do "killing" that well?
Some people like to point out as an example of how well government can do by pointing at our military.
So, about the government being good at killing people, a couple of points.
The material that they are working with 'American Men', already a very killing people.
The budget that they are working with, 'gigantic'.
Also,
The last war that we got into without really having a standing army was WW2.
That was also the last war that we unequivocally won.
WW2 and every war prior to that we did unequivocally win. So really how well is the government doing with that?
So, about the government being good at killing people, a couple of points.
The material that they are working with 'American Men', already a very killing people.
The budget that they are working with, 'gigantic'.
Also,
The last war that we got into without really having a standing army was WW2.
That was also the last war that we unequivocally won.
WW2 and every war prior to that we did unequivocally win. So really how well is the government doing with that?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
25 Interesting things about me.
Well, this is supposed to be really really interesting things. But it isn't, that interesting, it never is.
1- Every year I am more and more prepared for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. Seriously when it happens y'all are gonna want to make it over to my place. I have lots of guns, and a defensible location.
2- I once punched a drunk guy who pissed near me. The guy turned out to be a cop.
3- I think I like conflict.
4- The thing I most liked about boxing was the adoration of the fans. I think that I might me narcissistic.
5- It is about time I changed my profile picture, but facebook doesn't really make it easy. Also, they don't allow nudes. The prudish bastards. I think a Chuck Norris poster is in order, but most people won't get it.
6- I think if my country gets any more socialist it might be time for a revolution.
Fuck dude, 25 of these?
7- I once evaded scores of cops in helicopters, and cars, and they had FLIRs and it was surprisingly easy.
8- I was in Egypt 7 months. After all that time you would think I would speak much better Arabic than I do. But, I spent my time with Europeans, and speaking English, and pretty girls, and not talking Arabic. If I actually learned Arabic, I would have a really cool job now.
9- I hate governments. All of them. I hate people telling me what to do, and setting rules. I am a sovereign.
10- It the robots in Terminator, really are that smart, and that capable of learning, we won't be at war with them, we'll be their pets. We'll be no threat at all to them, and there will be no need to kill us unless it entertains them.
11- Kiran is not scared of the inevitable moment of singularity, Kiran is intrigued, and eagerly awaits it.
12- I have never taken drugs, but I am more and more offended that people think that they have the right to tell other humans what drugs they can or can't take.
13- I really want to be a millionaire, I want to build a castle, with a bomb bunker, and a great view of Reno.
14- I like my small European car it is so easy to park, and it goes so fast. But I feel like I should be driving a hummer, it pisses off people who like to get involved in not their business, and it causes global warming, and I want the oceans to rise and drown hippies.
15- I waste a lot of time on the internet.
16- I hate paperwork, but I love coffee, and I like to write stuff because people read it and feed my narcissism.
17- I wanted to put here a list of the people that I miss. But the list is too long. I should be a millionaire so that I can go visiting the people that I know.
18- I am overdue to visit my mom.
19- My friends that I have on facebook fall into the following categories:
+ People that I know through "Reason" magazine. ("tReason" magazine for those of you who think that they are not true or pure enough)
+ People that I met in Egypt
+ People that I met in Iraq (a whole different species that the ones I met in Egypt)
+ Family
+ Friends from elsewhere.
Reason Magazine was the original reason I joined Facebook.
- 20 I want to go on Safari in South Africa, I want to see lions, and leopards, and Elephants and wildebeests. But the only animal that I want to shoot is baboons. I want to shoot a bunch of them. And maybe hunt one with an axe, or a samurai sword, I don't know.
- 21 I want to go to a gym and do curls, but instead of weights on the end of the bar, I want midgets hanging from the bar. I don't know, I am making stuff up now, I can't think of things about me now.
22- The coolest thing about Obama is how disappointed all of his minions are going to be of him. I mean, I don't really dislike the guy, but I really dislike the people who love him.
they were too stupid to see how stupid and empty his rhetoric was. You want to close Gitmo? Really? What are you gonna do with all the dudes? Send them to Egypt and Saudi Arabia so they can really be tortured? Is that really an improvement? I mean if they had thought it through, and he said: I am going to buy all of the prisoners a house in Detroit, at least it would have been balsy. (probably still crueler than Gitimo though)
23- Yeah, 23 was political too. I deleted it, that would be for another type of post. So now I am trying to thing of stuff related to zombies or cylons.
24- I am vehemently against government sanctioned marriage. I really don't think it is the governments business, ANY governments business who people have sex with. And it is doubly wrong that the government rewards or punishes anyone based on that.
It is true, everytime I get a message from one of my friends saying "congratulate me, I am getting married". I want to say "congratulations on getting laid by someone you like, but damned you for getting the government involved."
- Note that is not an invitation for anyone to talk about MY personal life here.
- BTW, if you are trying to get your sex partner a visa or permission to enter the country, I understand it. I mean screw the government for trying to deny you your guests!
25- I don't like Europeans.
I mean I like some of them a lot. But I figure it is good to end this on a pointless negative note.
Also, Spaniards are excepted. I like Spaniards.
OK, I guess what I mean is that I don't like that our country is becoming like Europe.
1- Every year I am more and more prepared for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. Seriously when it happens y'all are gonna want to make it over to my place. I have lots of guns, and a defensible location.
2- I once punched a drunk guy who pissed near me. The guy turned out to be a cop.
3- I think I like conflict.
4- The thing I most liked about boxing was the adoration of the fans. I think that I might me narcissistic.
5- It is about time I changed my profile picture, but facebook doesn't really make it easy. Also, they don't allow nudes. The prudish bastards. I think a Chuck Norris poster is in order, but most people won't get it.
6- I think if my country gets any more socialist it might be time for a revolution.
Fuck dude, 25 of these?
7- I once evaded scores of cops in helicopters, and cars, and they had FLIRs and it was surprisingly easy.
8- I was in Egypt 7 months. After all that time you would think I would speak much better Arabic than I do. But, I spent my time with Europeans, and speaking English, and pretty girls, and not talking Arabic. If I actually learned Arabic, I would have a really cool job now.
9- I hate governments. All of them. I hate people telling me what to do, and setting rules. I am a sovereign.
10- It the robots in Terminator, really are that smart, and that capable of learning, we won't be at war with them, we'll be their pets. We'll be no threat at all to them, and there will be no need to kill us unless it entertains them.
11- Kiran is not scared of the inevitable moment of singularity, Kiran is intrigued, and eagerly awaits it.
12- I have never taken drugs, but I am more and more offended that people think that they have the right to tell other humans what drugs they can or can't take.
13- I really want to be a millionaire, I want to build a castle, with a bomb bunker, and a great view of Reno.
14- I like my small European car it is so easy to park, and it goes so fast. But I feel like I should be driving a hummer, it pisses off people who like to get involved in not their business, and it causes global warming, and I want the oceans to rise and drown hippies.
15- I waste a lot of time on the internet.
16- I hate paperwork, but I love coffee, and I like to write stuff because people read it and feed my narcissism.
17- I wanted to put here a list of the people that I miss. But the list is too long. I should be a millionaire so that I can go visiting the people that I know.
18- I am overdue to visit my mom.
19- My friends that I have on facebook fall into the following categories:
+ People that I know through "Reason" magazine. ("tReason" magazine for those of you who think that they are not true or pure enough)
+ People that I met in Egypt
+ People that I met in Iraq (a whole different species that the ones I met in Egypt)
+ Family
+ Friends from elsewhere.
Reason Magazine was the original reason I joined Facebook.
- 20 I want to go on Safari in South Africa, I want to see lions, and leopards, and Elephants and wildebeests. But the only animal that I want to shoot is baboons. I want to shoot a bunch of them. And maybe hunt one with an axe, or a samurai sword, I don't know.
- 21 I want to go to a gym and do curls, but instead of weights on the end of the bar, I want midgets hanging from the bar. I don't know, I am making stuff up now, I can't think of things about me now.
22- The coolest thing about Obama is how disappointed all of his minions are going to be of him. I mean, I don't really dislike the guy, but I really dislike the people who love him.
they were too stupid to see how stupid and empty his rhetoric was. You want to close Gitmo? Really? What are you gonna do with all the dudes? Send them to Egypt and Saudi Arabia so they can really be tortured? Is that really an improvement? I mean if they had thought it through, and he said: I am going to buy all of the prisoners a house in Detroit, at least it would have been balsy. (probably still crueler than Gitimo though)
23- Yeah, 23 was political too. I deleted it, that would be for another type of post. So now I am trying to thing of stuff related to zombies or cylons.
24- I am vehemently against government sanctioned marriage. I really don't think it is the governments business, ANY governments business who people have sex with. And it is doubly wrong that the government rewards or punishes anyone based on that.
It is true, everytime I get a message from one of my friends saying "congratulate me, I am getting married". I want to say "congratulations on getting laid by someone you like, but damned you for getting the government involved."
- Note that is not an invitation for anyone to talk about MY personal life here.
- BTW, if you are trying to get your sex partner a visa or permission to enter the country, I understand it. I mean screw the government for trying to deny you your guests!
25- I don't like Europeans.
I mean I like some of them a lot. But I figure it is good to end this on a pointless negative note.
Also, Spaniards are excepted. I like Spaniards.
OK, I guess what I mean is that I don't like that our country is becoming like Europe.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
My time in a New York City Jail
I am becoming more and more concerned about the lack of freedoms in my country. The income tax, drug laws, and gun laws are becoming increasingly offensive to me, and I am not sure why.
Drugs:
I don’t do any drugs, so the constant violation of civil liberties with the excuse of saving us from our own harmful decisions, is a removed outrage, usually with that one.
Taxes:
I don’t pay taxes, so that one is also usually more theoretical. Again, I am outraged that my fellow Americans are victims of that injustice and basic violation of their civil liberties.
Guns:
And I live in a relatively free state in regards to gun rights, so the violations of a basic human right that New Yorkers and Californians are subject to is also usually an empathetic, but not personal outrage.
With all three of those issues my fellow Americans deal with their constitutional rights violated year in and year out.
Recently it became more real to me, despite my best efforts to obey the law, I spent two days and a night in a New York City jail. An uncomfortable and awakening experience. I became closer to the unconstitutional violations that take place every day in my country. And I now wonder how much free-er we are than Middle Eastern countries I have visited, and if the freedom gap between my country and those Arab countries is diminishing. The freedom gap between us and Europe certainly is diminishing.
OK, this thought is a long thought, so I will break it down to subjects of interest.
- My letter to the NRA
- My night a New York Jail cell
- My arresting officers
- NYPD is a corrupt and incompetent organization.
- Letter to the NRA
Here is my letter to the greatest organization defending, or attempting to recover our American freedoms. (If anyone can think of an organization that better fits that description, please pipe up. And don’t bother with the ACLU, because it is not them).
Dear Sirs:
I am trying to contact the NRA legal team.
I have a legal question, and I might need legal defense in an 2nd Amendment issue in New York.
I am a Nevada resident, I traveled to Atlanta, GA for a school, (I am a US Government contractor), and I finished earlier than expected. I approached the airline (United) for the quickest way back to my home in Reno, Nevada. All flights were booked; the quickest way for me to get back was to spend a couple of days in NY. I have a brother in New York, so that seemed like fair deal.
I was traveling with a firearm (proficiency with a firearm is part of my job.) It was only going to be a couple of days, so I was ok with my carry on luggage, so I asked United if they could ship my luggage straight home, if I could stay in NY without it. The answer was "No".
So I went with what was safe in CA. I had the gun in a locked box, unloaded and out of reach. I took a taxi to my brother’s house instead of the train, so it would be in the trunk out of reach. When I returned to the airport, I followed TSA regulations, and I declared the gun at the airline desk to be inspected, but there, the lady called a local police officer, and I was arrested.
I spent two days in a NY jail, a very uncomfortable experience compounded by the fact that I was weary of what would happen to me and to my record, and to my life afterwards. I am a US Government contractor and I cannot have a criminal conviction in my record. I served as a US Marine for 11 years, and I am in the process of trying to join once again. A gun charge may disqualify me from being able to serve my country again.
I met the public defender, and he said that the case will likely be dismissed. Still I am very concerned, everyone I have spoken to tells me not to trust the public defender.
I feel like the case will likely be dismissed. But my future is in the balance here.
If the case does not go well, can I count on the assistance of the NRA?
- My arresting officers:
The cops that arrested me were very apologetic. They said they were sorry, that if I had gone out of La Guardia instead of out of Kennedy, that I would have been smooth sailing. They said that they could not let me go now that my name was in the system. They said that they had also arrested Col. David Hackworth, and felt bad about that one too. There was also nothing they could do about that.
I have since talked to a lawyer, the lawyer had as a client before the former commander of Marine 1, a man that Ronald Reagan saluted. He was charged with the same thing as me.
The Police in the arresting department came in one at a time and said that I had done nothing wrong, and that they appreciated my time in the service. That I was declaring the gun, just like I had done in every other airport.
The cops said that I would go before a judge, and that the judge would most likely dismiss the charges. But I was weary, I have seen judges before take if very easy on repeat offender criminals and throw the book at generally law abiding citizens. (traffic court). I am weary, because I know the criminal justice system fails. I have first hand evidence of that. My friend Brian Straub is in jail wrongfully convicted:
[url=http://]www.helpbrianstraub.com/[/url ]
Everyone from the cops to the public defender were constantly claiming that the charges were nothing, and that they would be dismissed. And I wondered to them why I had even been arrested.
So, I had to spend to days in a cage. Sleeping on a cement floor, and generally not eating because I didn’t want to have to take a crap in the prison toilets. And also because the food was crap. But I am kind of used to crappy food.
There were so many characters in there, and so many people that had no business being in jail in the first place.
Some didn’t belong there because what they did, though illegal, is not wrong.
Some didn’t belong there because though they were breaking the law, the cops didn’t really “catch them” they just arrested them on made up charges because they “knew”
And some didn’t belong there because they actually hadn’t broken any laws, they hadn’t broken any right laws nor any wrong laws.
- The NYPD is a corrupt and incompetent organization:
My guess, about two thirds of the people in the jail (there were lots and lots of them crowded in the rooms) did not belong in jail.
Here is a partial list of characters:
Head injury guy:
One man with head injuries, he had ran from the cops, and one of the cops chasing him slipped and fell on the ice, other cops caught him and handcuffed him. When the cop that fell caught up with the handcuffed and subdued non violent offender, the cop beat him on the head with his nightstick. The man successfully ditched the drugs he was carrying in his get away (the reason he ran was to be able to ditch the drugs). He was charged with trespassing.
Still had the drugs on him guy:
This guy when he was caught smoking some weed, had some crack cocaine on him, and when he spots the cops. He puts the blunt out, and makes like he is tossing it, but stashes it in his mouth, with the crack on one side and the cocaine on the other side. The cops search for the blunt that he pretended to throw. He told them they wouldn’t find it, but they searched anyways. He was just outside his sister’s building, (on his way to visit her, and maybe sell her some dope) and they arrested him for trespassing.
Well there were about 7 or 8 'Still had the drugs on him' guys. This dude thought he was caught though, so he was hinting to the police that he had his drugs still on him. He kept saying to them "you are not going to find the blunt over there boss", "white snow, brown blunt, you would have found it by now"
3 scared kids:
There were three scarred kids sitting together in the corner, with wide scared eyes. The looked so small and young. I asked them how old they were and what they were there for, and they said “drug possession” one of the regulars of that jail asked them if the cops had found drugs on all of them. The said that no, that it was in the car, and that it was their dad’s vitamins. At first I dismissed this as ridiculous, but then not so much. So jail regular, asked them which of them was going to take the fall. If one of them admits that it was his, then the other two walk out scot free. If no one does, they all get charged. I asked them what this b.s. story about vitamins was. They said that it was their dad’s car, and that the dad had a bottle with a mixed bunch of vitamins in it. So, I asked what the cops thought it was. They said the cops didn’t know. I was amazed that the cops would arrest someone without knowing what the drugs were.
The other white guy:
This was a big guy that looked like he had been in a few fights, he was in his mid 40’s, he got caught in his car smoking a joint. His neighbor ratted him out. I guess the neighbor fancies the guys wife. The guy had a record 22 years ago, he used to get charged with assault. The last time he got caught, the judge told him “the next time I get you, you are going away for a long time”. And he believed the judge and has kept his nose clean for 22 years. He has a good job now, but smokes a joint once in a while to calm down. Let the man enjoy his fucking joint!
The shady looking Arab guy:
This guy had the Palestinian scarf thing, and he kind of resembled some of the unsavory characters I have come across in the Middle East. I got to talking to him, I was hoping to get to practice my Arabic AND find out if I could be a hero for catching a terrorist while I was in prison. Turns out he was Pakistani, and that his crime was to compete with the yellow cap company. He gave cheaper rides, and made a bundle and the Yellow cap company didn’t like it. My guess is that they pay someone so they have exclusive rights to the airport. “Capitalism is not a crime”
There were a whole host of drug dealers who were arrested, and the cops didn’t find any dope on them, but they were arrested anyways and charged with trespassing. I guess, they live in government housing or something, and the government can charge them with trespassing at will for just being in their neighborhood.
My guess, 2/3rds of everybody in that jail were there because the cops suspected them of drugs. NO ONE was actually caught with drugs except the one white guy caught in his car smoking a joint. They were all booked with made up charges. Drugs were freely available in jail.
So, my brother who lives in Manhattan, and is a liberal, recognizes that NYC is a fascist state, but says that is necessary for the people to feel safe. He says they elect liberal Senators and Governors, and liberals for president, but that then they elect “tough on crime” Republicans for mayor. They believe that these police tactics make them safe. That NYC is safe now, and it is because of Guliani, and some of the wide spread ignoring of civil liberties. “Government that governs least is government that governs best” is not on their radar screen I guess.
Lots of places in this planet are safe as long as you don’t get on the governments wrong side.
Another thought: Why is something that is considered a constitutional right in the rest of the states forbidden in New York? Why is something that is a basic human right in the rest of the nation, not a human right in New York?
But yes, lastly, I am an idiot. I have known this for a while, nothing can drive this depressing fact home like sitting in jail a place where people who are smart do not sit in jail cells.
I am seriously bitter about this.
Drugs:
I don’t do any drugs, so the constant violation of civil liberties with the excuse of saving us from our own harmful decisions, is a removed outrage, usually with that one.
Taxes:
I don’t pay taxes, so that one is also usually more theoretical. Again, I am outraged that my fellow Americans are victims of that injustice and basic violation of their civil liberties.
Guns:
And I live in a relatively free state in regards to gun rights, so the violations of a basic human right that New Yorkers and Californians are subject to is also usually an empathetic, but not personal outrage.
With all three of those issues my fellow Americans deal with their constitutional rights violated year in and year out.
Recently it became more real to me, despite my best efforts to obey the law, I spent two days and a night in a New York City jail. An uncomfortable and awakening experience. I became closer to the unconstitutional violations that take place every day in my country. And I now wonder how much free-er we are than Middle Eastern countries I have visited, and if the freedom gap between my country and those Arab countries is diminishing. The freedom gap between us and Europe certainly is diminishing.
OK, this thought is a long thought, so I will break it down to subjects of interest.
- My letter to the NRA
- My night a New York Jail cell
- My arresting officers
- NYPD is a corrupt and incompetent organization.
- Letter to the NRA
Here is my letter to the greatest organization defending, or attempting to recover our American freedoms. (If anyone can think of an organization that better fits that description, please pipe up. And don’t bother with the ACLU, because it is not them).
Dear Sirs:
I am trying to contact the NRA legal team.
I have a legal question, and I might need legal defense in an 2nd Amendment issue in New York.
I am a Nevada resident, I traveled to Atlanta, GA for a school, (I am a US Government contractor), and I finished earlier than expected. I approached the airline (United) for the quickest way back to my home in Reno, Nevada. All flights were booked; the quickest way for me to get back was to spend a couple of days in NY. I have a brother in New York, so that seemed like fair deal.
I was traveling with a firearm (proficiency with a firearm is part of my job.) It was only going to be a couple of days, so I was ok with my carry on luggage, so I asked United if they could ship my luggage straight home, if I could stay in NY without it. The answer was "No".
So I went with what was safe in CA. I had the gun in a locked box, unloaded and out of reach. I took a taxi to my brother’s house instead of the train, so it would be in the trunk out of reach. When I returned to the airport, I followed TSA regulations, and I declared the gun at the airline desk to be inspected, but there, the lady called a local police officer, and I was arrested.
I spent two days in a NY jail, a very uncomfortable experience compounded by the fact that I was weary of what would happen to me and to my record, and to my life afterwards. I am a US Government contractor and I cannot have a criminal conviction in my record. I served as a US Marine for 11 years, and I am in the process of trying to join once again. A gun charge may disqualify me from being able to serve my country again.
I met the public defender, and he said that the case will likely be dismissed. Still I am very concerned, everyone I have spoken to tells me not to trust the public defender.
I feel like the case will likely be dismissed. But my future is in the balance here.
If the case does not go well, can I count on the assistance of the NRA?
- My arresting officers:
The cops that arrested me were very apologetic. They said they were sorry, that if I had gone out of La Guardia instead of out of Kennedy, that I would have been smooth sailing. They said that they could not let me go now that my name was in the system. They said that they had also arrested Col. David Hackworth, and felt bad about that one too. There was also nothing they could do about that.
I have since talked to a lawyer, the lawyer had as a client before the former commander of Marine 1, a man that Ronald Reagan saluted. He was charged with the same thing as me.
The Police in the arresting department came in one at a time and said that I had done nothing wrong, and that they appreciated my time in the service. That I was declaring the gun, just like I had done in every other airport.
The cops said that I would go before a judge, and that the judge would most likely dismiss the charges. But I was weary, I have seen judges before take if very easy on repeat offender criminals and throw the book at generally law abiding citizens. (traffic court). I am weary, because I know the criminal justice system fails. I have first hand evidence of that. My friend Brian Straub is in jail wrongfully convicted:
[url=http://]www.helpbrianstrau
Everyone from the cops to the public defender were constantly claiming that the charges were nothing, and that they would be dismissed. And I wondered to them why I had even been arrested.
So, I had to spend to days in a cage. Sleeping on a cement floor, and generally not eating because I didn’t want to have to take a crap in the prison toilets. And also because the food was crap. But I am kind of used to crappy food.
There were so many characters in there, and so many people that had no business being in jail in the first place.
Some didn’t belong there because what they did, though illegal, is not wrong.
Some didn’t belong there because though they were breaking the law, the cops didn’t really “catch them” they just arrested them on made up charges because they “knew”
And some didn’t belong there because they actually hadn’t broken any laws, they hadn’t broken any right laws nor any wrong laws.
- The NYPD is a corrupt and incompetent organization:
My guess, about two thirds of the people in the jail (there were lots and lots of them crowded in the rooms) did not belong in jail.
Here is a partial list of characters:
Head injury guy:
One man with head injuries, he had ran from the cops, and one of the cops chasing him slipped and fell on the ice, other cops caught him and handcuffed him. When the cop that fell caught up with the handcuffed and subdued non violent offender, the cop beat him on the head with his nightstick. The man successfully ditched the drugs he was carrying in his get away (the reason he ran was to be able to ditch the drugs). He was charged with trespassing.
Still had the drugs on him guy:
This guy when he was caught smoking some weed, had some crack cocaine on him, and when he spots the cops. He puts the blunt out, and makes like he is tossing it, but stashes it in his mouth, with the crack on one side and the cocaine on the other side. The cops search for the blunt that he pretended to throw. He told them they wouldn’t find it, but they searched anyways. He was just outside his sister’s building, (on his way to visit her, and maybe sell her some dope) and they arrested him for trespassing.
Well there were about 7 or 8 'Still had the drugs on him' guys. This dude thought he was caught though, so he was hinting to the police that he had his drugs still on him. He kept saying to them "you are not going to find the blunt over there boss", "white snow, brown blunt, you would have found it by now"
3 scared kids:
There were three scarred kids sitting together in the corner, with wide scared eyes. The looked so small and young. I asked them how old they were and what they were there for, and they said “drug possession” one of the regulars of that jail asked them if the cops had found drugs on all of them. The said that no, that it was in the car, and that it was their dad’s vitamins. At first I dismissed this as ridiculous, but then not so much. So jail regular, asked them which of them was going to take the fall. If one of them admits that it was his, then the other two walk out scot free. If no one does, they all get charged. I asked them what this b.s. story about vitamins was. They said that it was their dad’s car, and that the dad had a bottle with a mixed bunch of vitamins in it. So, I asked what the cops thought it was. They said the cops didn’t know. I was amazed that the cops would arrest someone without knowing what the drugs were.
The other white guy:
This was a big guy that looked like he had been in a few fights, he was in his mid 40’s, he got caught in his car smoking a joint. His neighbor ratted him out. I guess the neighbor fancies the guys wife. The guy had a record 22 years ago, he used to get charged with assault. The last time he got caught, the judge told him “the next time I get you, you are going away for a long time”. And he believed the judge and has kept his nose clean for 22 years. He has a good job now, but smokes a joint once in a while to calm down. Let the man enjoy his fucking joint!
The shady looking Arab guy:
This guy had the Palestinian scarf thing, and he kind of resembled some of the unsavory characters I have come across in the Middle East. I got to talking to him, I was hoping to get to practice my Arabic AND find out if I could be a hero for catching a terrorist while I was in prison. Turns out he was Pakistani, and that his crime was to compete with the yellow cap company. He gave cheaper rides, and made a bundle and the Yellow cap company didn’t like it. My guess is that they pay someone so they have exclusive rights to the airport. “Capitalism is not a crime”
There were a whole host of drug dealers who were arrested, and the cops didn’t find any dope on them, but they were arrested anyways and charged with trespassing. I guess, they live in government housing or something, and the government can charge them with trespassing at will for just being in their neighborhood.
My guess, 2/3rds of everybody in that jail were there because the cops suspected them of drugs. NO ONE was actually caught with drugs except the one white guy caught in his car smoking a joint. They were all booked with made up charges. Drugs were freely available in jail.
So, my brother who lives in Manhattan, and is a liberal, recognizes that NYC is a fascist state, but says that is necessary for the people to feel safe. He says they elect liberal Senators and Governors, and liberals for president, but that then they elect “tough on crime” Republicans for mayor. They believe that these police tactics make them safe. That NYC is safe now, and it is because of Guliani, and some of the wide spread ignoring of civil liberties. “Government that governs least is government that governs best” is not on their radar screen I guess.
Lots of places in this planet are safe as long as you don’t get on the governments wrong side.
Another thought: Why is something that is considered a constitutional right in the rest of the states forbidden in New York? Why is something that is a basic human right in the rest of the nation, not a human right in New York?
But yes, lastly, I am an idiot. I have known this for a while, nothing can drive this depressing fact home like sitting in jail a place where people who are smart do not sit in jail cells.
I am seriously bitter about this.
Government cannot and does not create wealth
Here are some random posts in reply to this article:
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=65899465481&h=Ek1F-&u=AvM32
Kiran Hill
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=65899465481&h=Ek1F-&u=AvM32
Kiran Hill
Indeed a lot of people would be out of work. A lot of people would lose some sweet gigs. It is good to be king, and the drug war makes a lot of kings.
However in keeping with the theme that government cannot but be a burden on the overall creation of wealth;
though many would lose their jobs without a drug war, and lose their sweet gigs, many more would flourish, and flourish in a more honest way. And the creation of wealth would increase.
Slaves and slavemasters lost their jobs with the end of slavery.
Kiran Hill
However in keeping with the theme that government cannot but be a burden on the overall creation of wealth;
though many would lose their jobs without a drug war, and lose their sweet gigs, many more would flourish, and flourish in a more honest way. And the creation of wealth would increase.
Slaves and slavemasters lost their jobs with the end of slavery.
Kiran Hill
If the government is adding teachers, and adding cops, the two are not as different as it seems. Both are funded through force.
Cops, as they are now are funded to have authority over you (though that was never the intention in the constitution).
Teachers paid by the government are funded by you whether or not you agree. Whether or not you use their services. Whether or not you agree with what they teach. Whether or not you like their methods or morals.
Kiran Hill
Cops, as they are now are funded to have authority over you (though that was never the intention in the constitution).
Teachers paid by the government are funded by you whether or not you agree. Whether or not you use their services. Whether or not you agree with what they teach. Whether or not you like their methods or morals.
Kiran Hill
As for Japan; Government can conceivably make one choice for others better than they could for themselves. That is, one out of 100. However, when you allow government the power to make choices for you against your will, they will make more than that one right choice.
And more choices will be wrong than right. Hence the failure of the Soviet Union. Hence the success or the more capitalist more free countries.
You can always point to one right choice. But success is a series of right choices, and government doesn't make those, individuals do.
Japan in the long run would have been better had their government not had the ability to do that.
John | February 6, 2009, 12:46pm | #
I would reccomend a book called Dogs and Demons.
http://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Demons-Tales-Dark-Japan/dp/0809039435/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233942280&sr=8-1
It is about Japan in the 1990s. No one borrowed more or invested more in "infrastructure" in response to an economic downturn than Japan did in the 1990s. They basically paved over their entire countryside. No kidding. It did them absolutely no good and left them with anemic growth and the highest national debt of any industrialized country. Anyone who thinks that we can borrow our way to prosperity, needs to explain why such an approach failed so miserably in Japan.
Kiran Hill
And more choices will be wrong than right. Hence the failure of the Soviet Union. Hence the success or the more capitalist more free countries.
You can always point to one right choice. But success is a series of right choices, and government doesn't make those, individuals do.
Japan in the long run would have been better had their government not had the ability to do that.
John | February 6, 2009, 12:46pm | #
I would reccomend a book called Dogs and Demons.
http://www.amazon.com/Dogs
It is about Japan in the 1990s. No one borrowed more or invested more in "infrastructure" in response to an economic downturn than Japan did in the 1990s. They basically paved over their entire countryside. No kidding. It did them absolutely no good and left them with anemic growth and the highest national debt of any industrialized country. Anyone who thinks that we can borrow our way to prosperity, needs to explain why such an approach failed so miserably in Japan.
Kiran Hill
The way I see it in a free country, citizens have certain duties, to protect the rights of others in their society. Some are going to be more busy, and are not going to have time to do their duty, and can pay others who have more time and inclination to help the fulfill their responsibility. Those would be the full time cops.
I think the origin of modern day police departments in the US are private detective agencies of big companies. They were, like todays police notorious for not being to concerned about citizens constitutional rights.
Kiran Hill
I think the origin of modern day police departments in the US are private detective agencies of big companies. They were, like todays police notorious for not being to concerned about citizens constitutional rights.
Kiran Hill
Alexander,
There can't be personal freedom without economic freedom, but there can be somewhat economic freedom without personal freedom. As such, there are places with a little more economic freedom than the US. Taiwan, Singapore, used to be Hong Kong.
(pretty much everywhere that is extremely prosperous, is also very economically free, the two go hand in hand)
Also, I don't think we are less free in the social realm (I mean except for outposts of fascism like NY) I think that on the contrary we are among the most free socially. We are becoming less so more and more.
The Patriot Act
McCain Feingold
This recent absurd stimulus package
are reducing our freedoms continuously. But unlike the rest of the world we still have a 1st A (at least supposedly) we still have a 2nd A (supposedly) a 4th and a 5th A (on the books).
Even with our loss of liberties it will still be our men with guns going over to fix Europe when their governments start throwing brown people in ovens again
Kiran Hill
There can't be personal freedom without economic freedom, but there can be somewhat economic freedom without personal freedom. As such, there are places with a little more economic freedom than the US. Taiwan, Singapore, used to be Hong Kong.
(pretty much everywhere that is extremely prosperous, is also very economically free, the two go hand in hand)
Also, I don't think we are less free in the social realm (I mean except for outposts of fascism like NY) I think that on the contrary we are among the most free socially. We are becoming less so more and more.
The Patriot Act
McCain Feingold
This recent absurd stimulus package
are reducing our freedoms continuously. But unlike the rest of the world we still have a 1st A (at least supposedly) we still have a 2nd A (supposedly) a 4th and a 5th A (on the books).
Even with our loss of liberties it will still be our men with guns going over to fix Europe when their governments start throwing brown people in ovens again
Kiran Hill
Also, America unlike Japan or Europe is founded based on the idea that the only legitimate use of government is to protect life, liberty and property.
We came to exist because our people were doing fine without government, we had established infrastructure and society without government. When our English government pulled its head out of its ass, and tried to re-establish its domain, and do for its colonies what other European governments were doing for their colonies, we rebelled and said "we don't need you".
And in doing so we created the most prosperous, most innovative, fastest wealth creating country of any country in all of the history of the world.
When the US Government started to build highways and bridges and infrastructure From FDR onward. It was a move AWAY from what had made us so prosperous and free, not towards it. It was a move toward European fascism. FDR was a fan of Mussolini and Lenin, and not of Thomas Jefferson.
We came to exist because our people were doing fine without government, we had established infrastructure and society without government. When our English government pulled its head out of its ass, and tried to re-establish its domain, and do for its colonies what other European governments were doing for their colonies, we rebelled and said "we don't need you".
And in doing so we created the most prosperous, most innovative, fastest wealth creating country of any country in all of the history of the world.
When the US Government started to build highways and bridges and infrastructure From FDR onward. It was a move AWAY from what had made us so prosperous and free, not towards it. It was a move toward European fascism. FDR was a fan of Mussolini and Lenin, and not of Thomas Jefferson.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Letter to a pogue
Hee is a letter that I wrote to a dude in the US Military mail that took a magazine of mine out of the mail for no good reason.
Dear Sir,
I see that you took the rifle magazine out of my mail. For some reason you have decided that I shouldn’t have the piece of gear that I ordered and paid for out of my own pocket to improve my chances of winning a gunfight against the enemy. I am guessing that the whole “winning a gunfight” thing is a little foreign to you. You probably have not been outside the wire have you?I make my living going outside the wire on a daily basis. That is why I bought the Magpul magazine that you took from my mail. I guess from your letter explaining your actions (I honestly do appreciate the decency to at least write a letter explaining it). That the reason you took the magazine out of my mail was because you suspected that I was taking Army property. (Why would I attempt to smuggle Army property from my house in the US, into Iraq?). But the Army does not issue a Magpul magazine, and that is the reason why I bought them. See I can get my hands on all the crappy issue M16 magazines that I want. I could give them to the kids on the side of the road instead of giving them candy if I wanted to.It is strange to me that the Army would pay someone full time, to mess with the property of others in such a way. In such a way that does not prevent any real crime. I bought the magazine because it works better than the issued magazines. That is how Capitalism works, individuals make decisions for what works better for themselves, and they are by a small but significant percentage more right than any central decider. That is why capitalist societies are richer, (like what we are trying to teach the Iraqis and the Middle East in general- Freedom works) and that is why armies form capitalist countries fare better on the battlefield by orders of magnitude.The magazine that I bought, that you took from me, is more reliable, and it has a little window on it so I can see how many rounds I have left. I find that useful especially in a situation where you have to do combat reloads, or in a situation where you just didn’t realize that a mag was half full. The magazine that I bought, I believe, gives me a slight advantage in any fight against the terrorist or militia thugs that want to kill me and the people I work with- they want to kill us because they figure that by doing so they can more easily be in a position to use force to impose their religion, or their standards of their religion, on their fellow countrymen. Where given free will, most of their countrymen surely are not as zealous as the thugs would want.Granted, the magazine that I bought (that you denied me) gives me a very slight advantage. The issue magazines work adequately most of the time, lord knows there are those fighting on our behalf with worse equipment. And the country in general is not as hot as it used to be. Not as hot as it was when I lost many of my friends. Perhaps you had friends in your basic school that opted to go to the grunts, so you know what I am talking about.The advantage that I gain with the magazine that I bought is slight, but don’t you think that the choice should be mine, to spend my own money to for an improvement, no matter how slight?Sincerely Kiran HillPS. I hope that you returned the magazine to the sender after taking it out of my mail, and did not in fact keep it to put in your own weapon to look cool. You know that the Army does not trust you to have loaded weapons on base (even though there have been isolated cases of the enemy making it onto bases, and soldiers losing their lives because they did not have loaded weapons to defend themselves with). I am not really sure why, I have been handling loaded weapons for the better part of 15 years, and never once has one of them gone ‘bang’ by itself. I personally think that loaded weapons are safer, because you know they are loaded. You never can be sure, and never should act sure that a weapon is unloaded. But that is not really relevant to the issue of why you took away my magazine, when I can mail entire m16 uppers, and I can come in or leave the country carrying as many magazines as I want to.
Add a comment
Dear Sir,
I see that you took the rifle magazine out of my mail. For some reason you have decided that I shouldn’t have the piece of gear that I ordered and paid for out of my own pocket to improve my chances of winning a gunfight against the enemy. I am guessing that the whole “winning a gunfight” thing is a little foreign to you. You probably have not been outside the wire have you?I make my living going outside the wire on a daily basis. That is why I bought the Magpul magazine that you took from my mail. I guess from your letter explaining your actions (I honestly do appreciate the decency to at least write a letter explaining it). That the reason you took the magazine out of my mail was because you suspected that I was taking Army property. (Why would I attempt to smuggle Army property from my house in the US, into Iraq?). But the Army does not issue a Magpul magazine, and that is the reason why I bought them. See I can get my hands on all the crappy issue M16 magazines that I want. I could give them to the kids on the side of the road instead of giving them candy if I wanted to.It is strange to me that the Army would pay someone full time, to mess with the property of others in such a way. In such a way that does not prevent any real crime. I bought the magazine because it works better than the issued magazines. That is how Capitalism works, individuals make decisions for what works better for themselves, and they are by a small but significant percentage more right than any central decider. That is why capitalist societies are richer, (like what we are trying to teach the Iraqis and the Middle East in general- Freedom works) and that is why armies form capitalist countries fare better on the battlefield by orders of magnitude.The magazine that I bought, that you took from me, is more reliable, and it has a little window on it so I can see how many rounds I have left. I find that useful especially in a situation where you have to do combat reloads, or in a situation where you just didn’t realize that a mag was half full. The magazine that I bought, I believe, gives me a slight advantage in any fight against the terrorist or militia thugs that want to kill me and the people I work with- they want to kill us because they figure that by doing so they can more easily be in a position to use force to impose their religion, or their standards of their religion, on their fellow countrymen. Where given free will, most of their countrymen surely are not as zealous as the thugs would want.Granted, the magazine that I bought (that you denied me) gives me a very slight advantage. The issue magazines work adequately most of the time, lord knows there are those fighting on our behalf with worse equipment. And the country in general is not as hot as it used to be. Not as hot as it was when I lost many of my friends. Perhaps you had friends in your basic school that opted to go to the grunts, so you know what I am talking about.The advantage that I gain with the magazine that I bought is slight, but don’t you think that the choice should be mine, to spend my own money to for an improvement, no matter how slight?Sincerely Kiran HillPS. I hope that you returned the magazine to the sender after taking it out of my mail, and did not in fact keep it to put in your own weapon to look cool. You know that the Army does not trust you to have loaded weapons on base (even though there have been isolated cases of the enemy making it onto bases, and soldiers losing their lives because they did not have loaded weapons to defend themselves with). I am not really sure why, I have been handling loaded weapons for the better part of 15 years, and never once has one of them gone ‘bang’ by itself. I personally think that loaded weapons are safer, because you know they are loaded. You never can be sure, and never should act sure that a weapon is unloaded. But that is not really relevant to the issue of why you took away my magazine, when I can mail entire m16 uppers, and I can come in or leave the country carrying as many magazines as I want to.
Add a comment
Monday, July 28, 2008
Notes from Iraq
Some quick notes on my first week back in Iraq
PRE-BITCHING
When I first arrived in Iraq I went to the green zone. There were many people working in offices supposed to be supporting those of us in the field. But a few of the people working in the office didn’t see it that way, and I think that they viewed those who they are supposed to be supporting as a nuisance. I stayed in the Green Zone for a few days, enjoying one of Saddam’s pools while I could, as I was told that where I would be the living conditions would suck, and there would be no pool.It appears the Green Zone doesn’t get mortared anymore. Funny feeling that, I almost longed for it. A weird feeling of hey these new shitheads in the IZ don’t rate, they don’t know what it used to be like. I don't want to give the wrong impression it is actually a good thing that it doesn’t get mortared anymore. I just had a funny feeling I couldn’t shake.
Now I am at my permanent or semi permanent post. I am in a large squad-bay type room with about 30 guys with bunk beds, and no privacy. There are three badly working toilettes with curtains but no doors. So, NO privacy. That kind of gets old. But the AC works and in these months of July and August, that is key.
I am not getting much joy of life out of these living conditions on this job. I see as my purpose while here to practice the Arabic that I know and learn more. I talk to the Iraqis on a daily basis. I want to move on to something more involved with not pointing guns at people in the region. I don’t understand most of what the Iraqis say, but I think that I will learn just by being around them and listening. They often talk to me and I nod like an idiot but I understand little. But I can pretty much say anything I want to say in Arabic.
More than the language, I am also trying to understand Iraq, and understand a bigger picture of why and how peace, freedom, non corruption and prosperity exists, or how it can come to exist where it previously didn’t. It is not fucking racial or cultural.
On a side note, I am having a little trouble with Americans, as it seems I am being seen as too friendly with the Iraqis. Fucking drama.
IRAQI FORCES
I work with Iraqis and I talk to them a little about their country. They don’t know much about freedom and prosperity and about fundamentals of free-market capitalism (as the vast majority of Americans don’t also). But they do tend to know who the shit heads are.So it seems like, to the Iraqi people, the best Iraqi forces are the Army. They are the least corrupt, the least likely to be infiltrated or controlled by zealots, and the least likely to steal from the people. They have often conflicts with police.The police tend to be corrupt, and infiltrated by militia, or terrorists. And terrorists and militia often get police uniforms and conduct their misdeeds in those uniforms.The worst of the Iraqi forces, according to the people that I talk to are local forces called Sahwa. I think that they are the equivalent of neighborhood police. It is said that when they come across terrorists with a car bomb at a check point, they will be easily intimidated into remaining silent about it. But they are brave when hassling regular citizens in their regular lives.It is kind of hard to tell for me, as there are many different uniforms, and lack of uniforms. Some dudes just have an AK and a cotton badge somewhere on their t-shirt, and a scarf over their face. They have dudes in woodland, in chocolate chip desert, in plain tan, in green digital, in blue digital, in blue tigerstripe, in tan digital, in grey. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a dude dressed as a confederate soldier at a checkpoint.
ANGRY COLONELS
So when we roll around Baghdad and wherever, we have gunners, who have half filled bottles of water to throw at cars who don’t stop. This is to get cars that are not a threat a chance to realize they need to stop, and attempt to further aid in distinguishing a threat from a distracted driver. I would think the big armored vehicle with the guy aiming a PKM at you would be warning enough, but it isn’t. So they throw a water bottle as a “hey fucker don’t you see me”. If the guy ignores the water bottle then he is probably a bad guy.Anyways, we are at this underpass, a bad place to be, and this one car doesn’t pay any attention to the gunner, and drives right up on us and the gunner throws his water bottle, and the guy keeps driving, he goes past us, and the water bottle hits his car. The car stops and two guys get out, and I get out. I am all alone as an American, but I have two Iraqis supporting me. So, I look at the guys, and I don’t see any weapons, so I wave them off. But they don’t want to go, so I walked towards them and one of them has something in his hand that I can’t see, so I watch it as the one guy extents his hand. It just turned out to be a cell phone.The one guy is very angry that a water bottle was thrown at his car. He shows me his ID and says he is an Iraqi Colonel. I am like, ‘yeah, but the way you were driving and not stopping, the gunner would have been justified shooting you’. And he asks if it is an Iraqi gunner, and that he wants to talk to him.I am like “Hell No”. That shit would get stupid. Once that argument got underway, I would have to shoot both him and my gunner to knock off the silliness.
BACK TO CAPITALISM
So, I was thinking about it. Why are Iraq and Mexico corrupt, and not Sweden? They all three are socialist countries, that give the government too much power. And the root of all corruption is government power. So I think that part of it might be that actual power in the hands of individuals is what leads to more corruption. In Sweden, whether or not an individual gets fucked over by the government is not in a government official’s hands. So no government official can use that power, so the power can’t be bought. Or can’t so obviously be bought.One of the reasons why Iraq is not beacon of freedom peace and prosperity after our messy involvement, I think, is because most in our own government don’t understand freedom and capitalism. The Army leadership, and the State Dept, are a bunch of authoritarian socialists. Even those that think that they are conservatives are mostly not.They don’t understand that are country is free BECAUSE of the limitations on them, not in spite of them. We come to rid the Iraqis of an evil dictator and to help them achieve freedom and prosperity. To be the only nation in the region that is free and prosperous. (So we come here, and we forbid porn, and alcohol, and sex (only of the straight variety), to Americans here. Something I associate more of the Saudis than of freedom) And we use our troops to confiscate weapons, and to patrol the border to stop smuggling (mostly of gasoline). There is no crime of smuggling in a free nation I think.Mexico and Egypt nominally have elections, and they are not free and prosperous. Israel has elections, and we sure as fuck don’t want Iraq to be another Israel.We come here with ideas of freedom and prosperity for Iraqis. But we take away weapons from citizens? You are not a free man if you are not allowed to defend yourself, WE of all people should know that. So citizenry does not have weapons, only the unapproachable American army, and the almost as unapproachable Iraqi Army has weapons. And the corrupt police. So who can the citizens turn to when they are threatened by terrorists and criminals (here often one and the same). The only people who’s ear they have is the militias. Most of the citizens hate the militias. But who else are they going to turn to?Now the Iraqi government is strong.It seems yes we HAVE won this war.The Iraqi government is strong, and they are turning to fight the militias. And they probably will win, but if they don’t fill the void that the militias fill another militia will have to grow to fill that void. I think that before the when the Iraqis said that the American military needed to stay, it was because they were afraid of getting overrun by other forces. I think now, they just like the money that comes with the military.These are my notes from my observances of my first week back.Many things could change.
MORE COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT BEING UN-AMERICAN
- I don’t think the US Government should be allowed to prevent anyone, specially US Citizens from exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.
- Why is it ok to prevent men and women from living together, but not ok to prevent gays from living together?
- Civilians should not have less rights than the military. It should be the contrary.
PRE-BITCHING
When I first arrived in Iraq I went to the green zone. There were many people working in offices supposed to be supporting those of us in the field. But a few of the people working in the office didn’t see it that way, and I think that they viewed those who they are supposed to be supporting as a nuisance. I stayed in the Green Zone for a few days, enjoying one of Saddam’s pools while I could, as I was told that where I would be the living conditions would suck, and there would be no pool.It appears the Green Zone doesn’t get mortared anymore. Funny feeling that, I almost longed for it. A weird feeling of hey these new shitheads in the IZ don’t rate, they don’t know what it used to be like. I don't want to give the wrong impression it is actually a good thing that it doesn’t get mortared anymore. I just had a funny feeling I couldn’t shake.
Now I am at my permanent or semi permanent post. I am in a large squad-bay type room with about 30 guys with bunk beds, and no privacy. There are three badly working toilettes with curtains but no doors. So, NO privacy. That kind of gets old. But the AC works and in these months of July and August, that is key.
I am not getting much joy of life out of these living conditions on this job. I see as my purpose while here to practice the Arabic that I know and learn more. I talk to the Iraqis on a daily basis. I want to move on to something more involved with not pointing guns at people in the region. I don’t understand most of what the Iraqis say, but I think that I will learn just by being around them and listening. They often talk to me and I nod like an idiot but I understand little. But I can pretty much say anything I want to say in Arabic.
More than the language, I am also trying to understand Iraq, and understand a bigger picture of why and how peace, freedom, non corruption and prosperity exists, or how it can come to exist where it previously didn’t. It is not fucking racial or cultural.
On a side note, I am having a little trouble with Americans, as it seems I am being seen as too friendly with the Iraqis. Fucking drama.
IRAQI FORCES
I work with Iraqis and I talk to them a little about their country. They don’t know much about freedom and prosperity and about fundamentals of free-market capitalism (as the vast majority of Americans don’t also). But they do tend to know who the shit heads are.So it seems like, to the Iraqi people, the best Iraqi forces are the Army. They are the least corrupt, the least likely to be infiltrated or controlled by zealots, and the least likely to steal from the people. They have often conflicts with police.The police tend to be corrupt, and infiltrated by militia, or terrorists. And terrorists and militia often get police uniforms and conduct their misdeeds in those uniforms.The worst of the Iraqi forces, according to the people that I talk to are local forces called Sahwa. I think that they are the equivalent of neighborhood police. It is said that when they come across terrorists with a car bomb at a check point, they will be easily intimidated into remaining silent about it. But they are brave when hassling regular citizens in their regular lives.It is kind of hard to tell for me, as there are many different uniforms, and lack of uniforms. Some dudes just have an AK and a cotton badge somewhere on their t-shirt, and a scarf over their face. They have dudes in woodland, in chocolate chip desert, in plain tan, in green digital, in blue digital, in blue tigerstripe, in tan digital, in grey. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a dude dressed as a confederate soldier at a checkpoint.
ANGRY COLONELS
So when we roll around Baghdad and wherever, we have gunners, who have half filled bottles of water to throw at cars who don’t stop. This is to get cars that are not a threat a chance to realize they need to stop, and attempt to further aid in distinguishing a threat from a distracted driver. I would think the big armored vehicle with the guy aiming a PKM at you would be warning enough, but it isn’t. So they throw a water bottle as a “hey fucker don’t you see me”. If the guy ignores the water bottle then he is probably a bad guy.Anyways, we are at this underpass, a bad place to be, and this one car doesn’t pay any attention to the gunner, and drives right up on us and the gunner throws his water bottle, and the guy keeps driving, he goes past us, and the water bottle hits his car. The car stops and two guys get out, and I get out. I am all alone as an American, but I have two Iraqis supporting me. So, I look at the guys, and I don’t see any weapons, so I wave them off. But they don’t want to go, so I walked towards them and one of them has something in his hand that I can’t see, so I watch it as the one guy extents his hand. It just turned out to be a cell phone.The one guy is very angry that a water bottle was thrown at his car. He shows me his ID and says he is an Iraqi Colonel. I am like, ‘yeah, but the way you were driving and not stopping, the gunner would have been justified shooting you’. And he asks if it is an Iraqi gunner, and that he wants to talk to him.I am like “Hell No”. That shit would get stupid. Once that argument got underway, I would have to shoot both him and my gunner to knock off the silliness.
BACK TO CAPITALISM
So, I was thinking about it. Why are Iraq and Mexico corrupt, and not Sweden? They all three are socialist countries, that give the government too much power. And the root of all corruption is government power. So I think that part of it might be that actual power in the hands of individuals is what leads to more corruption. In Sweden, whether or not an individual gets fucked over by the government is not in a government official’s hands. So no government official can use that power, so the power can’t be bought. Or can’t so obviously be bought.One of the reasons why Iraq is not beacon of freedom peace and prosperity after our messy involvement, I think, is because most in our own government don’t understand freedom and capitalism. The Army leadership, and the State Dept, are a bunch of authoritarian socialists. Even those that think that they are conservatives are mostly not.They don’t understand that are country is free BECAUSE of the limitations on them, not in spite of them. We come to rid the Iraqis of an evil dictator and to help them achieve freedom and prosperity. To be the only nation in the region that is free and prosperous. (So we come here, and we forbid porn, and alcohol, and sex (only of the straight variety), to Americans here. Something I associate more of the Saudis than of freedom) And we use our troops to confiscate weapons, and to patrol the border to stop smuggling (mostly of gasoline). There is no crime of smuggling in a free nation I think.Mexico and Egypt nominally have elections, and they are not free and prosperous. Israel has elections, and we sure as fuck don’t want Iraq to be another Israel.We come here with ideas of freedom and prosperity for Iraqis. But we take away weapons from citizens? You are not a free man if you are not allowed to defend yourself, WE of all people should know that. So citizenry does not have weapons, only the unapproachable American army, and the almost as unapproachable Iraqi Army has weapons. And the corrupt police. So who can the citizens turn to when they are threatened by terrorists and criminals (here often one and the same). The only people who’s ear they have is the militias. Most of the citizens hate the militias. But who else are they going to turn to?Now the Iraqi government is strong.It seems yes we HAVE won this war.The Iraqi government is strong, and they are turning to fight the militias. And they probably will win, but if they don’t fill the void that the militias fill another militia will have to grow to fill that void. I think that before the when the Iraqis said that the American military needed to stay, it was because they were afraid of getting overrun by other forces. I think now, they just like the money that comes with the military.These are my notes from my observances of my first week back.Many things could change.
MORE COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT BEING UN-AMERICAN
- I don’t think the US Government should be allowed to prevent anyone, specially US Citizens from exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.
- Why is it ok to prevent men and women from living together, but not ok to prevent gays from living together?
- Civilians should not have less rights than the military. It should be the contrary.
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