War is Hell...

AP: KABUL, Afghanistan - The U.S. military confirmed Thursday that all 16 servicemembers aboard a special forces helicopter died when it crashed into a mountain ravine in eastern Afghanistan earlier this week, apparently after being shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade. The crash was the deadliest blow yet to American forces in Afghanistan grappling with an escalating insurgency. The remains of those killed were being recovered at the site in Kunar province where the MH-47 chopper went down Tuesday, the military said in a statement.

The loss of life in this War on Terror may be a necessary evil, but that doesn't mean we have to like it. All of those killed were someone's children.

I was lead mechanic on the project when all of the MH-47 helicopters were being built, and I did my level best to ensure it was done well, to keep our Special Forces as safe as possible on their often dangerous missions. Of course, none of that mattered to the RPG that took it down.

I can only hope (and pray) that this war can be concluded as efficaciously as possible, but my fear is that it will be a protracted campaign, much like the Cold War which preceded it...

One o' these days...

...I'll post something new; possibly even witty and insightful.

For now however, I'm still fatigued from sailing my 26' sloop to The Bahamas and back.

Carry on...

UPDATE:

Here are some pictures from the trip.
(My boat is the "Olivia II")

Sloppy & crazed?

It seems as though if it's posted on the Internet, someone, somewhere will believe it:

The Pope is the Antichrist
Seems counterintuitive, huh? EXACTLY!!!

George W. Bush is the AntiChrist
A lot of folks would like to believe it; I find it rather odd that his father has gotten so chummy with my pick:

Bill Clinton is the Antichrist
Or maybe not. But if he manages to "somehow" become the next Secretary General of the United Nations? Hmmm...

Russian President Putin is the Antichrist
Now THIS guy shows real potential as a candidate, what with his pining for the halcyon days of the Soviet Union.

Prince Charles is the Antichrist
Wouldn't it be fitting if the Prince of Darkness is an actual prince? I think so.

Bill Gates is the Antichrist
Y'know...this possibility is a bit disconcerting. I mean, I am composing this little item on a computer, and you are most likely reading it on one. Yikes!!!

David Hasselhoff is the AntiChrist
Much like Jerry Lewis, he is revered in Europe. Perhaps he could parlay popularity into something sinister?!

Ricky Martin is the Antichrist
Oh, all right, probably not...

This weekend in history...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Battle of Midway, fought in World War II, took place on June 5, 1942 (June 4-7 in US time zones). The United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll, marking a turning point in the war in the Pacific theatre.

Fought just a month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, Midway was the turning point of the Pacific Campaign. Skill, daring, and luck all played a part. The attack on the island of Midway, which also included a feint to Alaska by a smaller fleet, was a ploy by the Japanese to draw the American carrier fleet into a trap. With the remaining American ships destroyed, the Japanese hoped to avenge the bombing of the Japanese home islands two months earlier during the Tokyo Air Raid, plug the hole in their Eastern defensive perimeter formed by U.S. control of Midway, finish off the US Pacific Fleet, and perhaps even invade and take Hawaii.

Samuel Eliot Morison, a 20th century American historian, wrote the following in "The Two-Ocean War":
"Think of them, reader, every Fourth of June. They and their comrades who survived changed the whole course of the Pacific War."

The "official" synopsis of Battle of Midway is as follows:

"The Battle of Midway, fought near the Central Pacific island of Midway, is considered the decisive battle of the war in the Pacific. Before this battle the Japanese were on the offensive, capturing territory throughout Asia and the Pacific. By their attack, the Japanese had planned to capture Midway to use as an advance base, as well as to entrap and destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Because of communication intelligence successes, the U.S. Pacific Fleet surprised the Japanese forces, sinking the four Japanese carriers, that had attacked Pearl Harbor only six months before, while only losing of one carrier. After Midway, the Americans and their Allies took the offensive in the Pacific."

I would encourage everyone who appreciates their freedom to (re?)familiarize themselves with this important chapter in history...clicking on the links would be a good place to begin.

You say you want a constitution?

AP - AMSTERDAM - Dutch voters worried about social benefits and immigration overwhelmingly rejected the European Union constitution Wednesday in what could be a knockout blow for a charter meant to create a power rivaling the United States. With four-fifths of the votes counted, the charter was losing 62 percent to 39 percent, an even worse defeat than the 55 percent "no" vote delivered in a French referendum Sunday.

Now that 2 countries have rejected the proposed European Union constitution, it seems likely that another revision shall have to be drafted. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Perhaps a new constitutional convention can be held, wherein the various constituencies can be represented to everyone's satisfaction.

Once all the various concerns have been addressed, if they even can be, hopefully a document representative of the peoples' wishes can be ratified.

Apparently that hasn't happened with the current version.

In any case, I wish them well...