Wages

[poliphilo]

At the end of September the army gave Joe two weeks wages and told him to live on them for a month.

I guess we should have jumped up and down about it but, well, I'm not sure we even considered it. I hate authority, but I'm cowed by it. I guess, that's why I hate it.

And if Joe hadn't been living with us he'd have probably ended up on the streets. Perhaps that was the intention- that he'd get himself in such a fix that he'd go running to his Sergeant Major asking to be taken back.

The Prodigal returns.

But that's history now. He's toughed out the lean times, and now they've paid him what they owe. It makes it possible for him to take a grip on his life. And the first thing he's done is sign up for a course in gym work.

There was an article in the paper a day or two back about how morale in Joe's old regiment is shot to pieces. They got sent to Iraq to fight a war that many of them considered illegal and wound up doing dirty police work in and around Basra, dealing with a populace that mainly didn't want them there. No wonder they're not feeling too good about themselves.

I'm not invoking hellfire, but I'd like to see those who were responsible for getting us into this war punished. Bush and his gang. Blair and his gang. We know they lied; so why are they still there? Like I said, I don't want them to burn, I just want them driven from office- with mockery.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Since I live in THIS country, I will do anything I can to call our President to account. I DO believe the war is illegal. And I have friend with sons in that war, one of them on his way back for this third tour. I belong to moveon.org, and a few other 'action' groups, groups I know are a force because they have been addressed by the candidates and the parties.

Every morning when I get up and hear the news I have this overwhelming sense of dejavu. I was listening this morning to a story this morning that suggested the judge in Tom DeLay's hearing should recuse himself - because the political wheels in Texas are turned by money - much as anywhere else, of course - but there is no way that the judge can be 'impartial'. I'm afraid I haven't explained it well...but anyway, it's getting scary to live here.

I'm glad Joe got out, and I'm glad he's okay.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Why is your friend's son going back for his third tour? I understood that one had to re-enlist and/or volunteer for subsequent tours. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm mistaken. If I'm not, and if you are in a position to share, I'd be interested to know his reasons.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I don't know the answer to this one, Laura, I will have to ask her.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

My friend Margaret, who has TWO nephews there, both of whom are there on their third tour, are bomb technicians. They did not volunteer, they did not re-enlist. They were sent. One of them is coming to the end of his enlistment period, hopefully he'll be back soon.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The reckoning is coming. Bush and Blair are now held in contempt by a majority of their fellow citizens- and history will seal that judgement.