Good evening. As usual, let's kick things off with Democracy Now!
Marines Killed In Iraq
In Iraq, resistance fighters killed two Marines with guns and rocket-propelled grenades in western Iraq. The attack was followed by a massive US attack in the area, with US warplanes pounding the area with high-tech bombs. The Marine deaths brought the number of U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq this week to 10. In Baghdad, meanwhile, a car bomb exploded near a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol.
War Resister Benderman Sentenced to 15 Months
A US Army mechanic who refused to go to Iraq while he sought conscientious objector status was acquitted yesterday of desertion but found guilty of a lesser charge during his court-martial. Sgt. Kevin Benderman was sentenced to 15 months in prison on the charge of missing movement. He also was given a dishonorable discharge from the military and a reduction in rank to private. If he had been found guilty of desertion, he could have faced five years in prison. Still, his sentence appears to be the harshest yet given to an Iraq war resister.
You gotta wonder if the reality of this invasion/occupation has hit Bully Boy's family yet? Do Jenna & Barbara defend the war or do they, like most people our age, shake their heads and talk about how disgusting the whole thing is?
And did either of them get a job? Wasn't one of them supposed to be teaching in Harlem by now?
Let's go to the e-mails. Bobbie's question had a lot of you weighing in. Some, like Rose, felt that Bobbie might be "one of those people who just don't like sex. There are people like that. There's nothing wrong with it as long as you realize it. If you don't realize it, you'll never understand what's going on." Others like Miko felt that Bobbie needed to think seriously about the partners she's had. "Maybe she attracts a certain kind of guy?" wondered Suzie along the same lines of Miko. Jordan waded in to the fray wondering if the whole thing wasn't rushed and maybe Bobbie needed more foreplay and build up. Mac felt that if the whole thing last three minutes, Bobbie needs to seek out some guys with more stamina. Lou felt Bobbie needed to think about it and ask herself what was missing.
I think everybody had some good advice and that if Bobbie pieces it all together, she'll know what's what. I think Lou's thing is really like the framework and what Bobbie should be thinking about as she asks herself about the input from everyone.
Bobbie wrote already to say thanks for linking to Rebecca's thing yesterday and that she really enjoyed it. She really enjoyed what Rebecca had to say about The Common Ills. No problem.
From the excellent site CounterRecruiter, I want to note this:
The House Armed Services subcomittee recently discussed how the war in Iraq is hurting recruiting, according to an article in Star and Stripes, the "Department of Defense-authorized daily newspaper distributed overseas for the U.S. military community."
"Deep into a four-hour congressional hearing on why the active Army and its reserve components are missing recruiting goals, Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., turned a spotlight on the elephant in the room.
The war in Iraq, Snyder said, is unpopular with many Americans, a fact that needs airing, given the all-volunteer nature of the U.S. military.
It's a fact that needs airing everywhere including in the media which has reported on one poll after another recently about how many people want the troops brought home now but has yet to do one of their stories where they let people speak. You know the type of stories I mean because we saw them when there was more support for the war. A reporter goes to a town and gets various people to quote. So now that those of us opposed to the war are in the majority where are those stories?
I think most of you know I consider Cedric a great bud but even so, you should really read his latest post this weekend if you haven't already. I also want to thank Elaine for her very kind words last night. Ma said to pass on Kat's review of Carly Simon's latest. And don't miss Betty's "Facing Down Patti." Got to hit the door but I hope everybody has a great Friday night and weekend. Peace.
