Perspective

Photo by US Central Command

        US Army Major Chris Donahue, Commander of the 82nd Airborne, stepping onto a plane becomes the image of the last man leaving Afghanistan, ending a 20 year war.

        By the time this photo was taken the US had evacuated more than 122 thousand, only 5,500 of them being American citizens. 

        116 thousand were flown out in just two weeks, the largest air lift evacuation and a stunning piece of history.

        Politicians and media have been in handwringing overdrive, criticizing President Biden but have ignored the extraordinary humanitarian achievement. 

        Consider perspective.

        The media view came from crews who were for the most part inside the area of Karzai airport where the frantic were funneled into choke points, desperate to leave. It was scene after scene of a scrum, thousands trying to flee their own nation. 

        American personnel extended courtesy, process and did the best under bad conditions. What reporters did not have access to was the mostly smooth operation of other US troops getting thousands on planes and on the way to safety. It skewed coverage, and fed the criticism that lacked perspective.

      During the fall of Saigon April 29-30, 1975 Operation Frequent Wind evacuated 7 thousand, leaving 450 Vietnamese at the US Embassy. 

      The DAO, Defense Attachment Office had been evacuating US personnel when some refused to leave without their Vietnamese friends, common law wives, children and dependents. Push came to shove and the DAO gave in and flew illegally documented Vietnamese to Clark AFB.  

      Operation Babylift evacuated some 2000 orphaned children. In all some 110 thousand people were evacuated at the time of the US retreat from this ill conceived and poorly prosecuted war, also fraught with fraud and corruption.

        President Ford's exit plan was produced as a middle ground between the Pentagon's desire for a full and rapid pullout while the US Department of State wanted an orderly evacuation. 

        In the end it came down to chaos. If they could, Vietnamese bought their way out buying passports, exit visas and inflated passage on boats. The price of boats tripled as the US left. Later came the wave of the "boat people" thousands more fleeing for new lives.

        

        The politicians criticizing Biden for political points seem to miss the successful evacuation of more than 120 thousand people.

        The media coverage, like the protests or demonstrations or riots following George Floyd's death put more emphasis on the video and emotion. The video was not seen in a larger context or explained with an overview and ditto for the emphasis on inflammatory and hysterical. It was a deficiency of perspective. 

        That is also true for the tragic loss of 13 young US soldiers and Marines and those who have sought to make political gain on the back of the deaths.

         23 US service personnel were killed and 325 wounded in Operation Just Cause, the December 1989-January 1990 invasion of Panama to capture former Panamanian leader Noriega.

        Noriega had been a CIA asset and used his military and political leadership to become a drug trafficker and racketeer. 

        In the tense weeks of negotiations and failing relationship, Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) stopped a group of partying Americans. Marine First Lt. Robert Paz was shot and killed, other Americans were wounded and American witnesses were assaulted. President George HW Bush ordered the invasion the next day. 

        27 thousand US troops and 300 aircraft were sent to contend with 16 Thousand PDF. Civilians and US personnel were hit by "friendly fire," two died and 19 were wounded by the US shooting of their own. At the time politicians and media treated it as a tragedy and not fodder for political gain.

       In October 1983, 242 US Marines, Soldiers and Sailors were killed in the car bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon.

       The very presence of those troops was the source of a rift in the Reagan administration. 

        The US never launched a major retaliatory strike primarily because of the feud between Reagan, Secretary of State George Schultz and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. Schultz and Weinberger were at odds and even admitted  so publicly.

        This was covered by the media and it was commented on by Republicans and Democrats but not with the shrill, opportunistic and venomous lack of perspective that has greeted Biden who oversaw the largest evacuation from a war zone and a retaliatory strike within hours.  Perspective.

        Our political culture is at a low ebb. There appears to have been no division in the Biden Whitehouse about the exit. That could not be said of Ford in Vietnam, or Reagan in Lebanon. 

         In a previous post I faulted Biden for not working to build an international exit plan, sill he has moved more than 115 thousand Afghanis. 

        A missing perspective in most of the political and media potshots and carping is why did the Afghani military collapse, why after 20 years, American lives and Trillions of dollars did most Afghani people reject the US, and the type of life and government we hoped they would adopt? Do those critics earnestly believe the US has an obligation to every Afghani who wants to leave? And ask that question of some of Biden's loudest critics who also are some of the loudest anti immigration loud mouths. They are trying to have it both ways? Where is the perspective?

        Resolutely, as he promised, Biden brought to an end a bad and fraudulent war. History will recall and reward that. All of the other carping is akin to a statement my mother used..."Your cutting of your nose to spite your face." Look around there are plenty of noseless media and politicians. 

        Another old proverb comes to mind,  "There are none so blind as those who will not see."

        Perspective.

        See you down the trail

 

REQUIRES A SECOND LOOK

   Reminded me of a Sci-fi thriller. Transformer vs Fish Cloud.

     It was an odd and solitary cloud. Please note-I was not the odd and solitary shopper at the big box parking lot to pause and snap a shot, there were others taking note as well. 

       At first glance we thought it was a stuffed animal put atop the ledge at the Vets Hall on Farmer's market Friday.

        No, he was the real deal and seems to wish I'd get out of the way so he can keep an eye on his companion, busy at the market. 

screwing our veterans

      More than 700 veterans, family members and former employees of a Halliburton subsidiary were kicked in the teeth by a federal judge who dismissed a major lawsuit against the defense contractor over burn pit operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

        The Vets alleged the burn pits caused them chronic and deadly respiratory diseases and cancer. 

        Patricia Kime of McClatchy news reports US District Court Judge Roger Titus wrote that the company, KBR, could not be held liable for a military decision. The judge said he didn't have jurisdiction to hold the Pentagon responsible. 

         The suit had tied together cases across the US and included 63 specific complaints and 44 national class action suits.

        KBR operated the burn pits running them near where troops lived and worked. Allegedly KBR burned stuff that should not have been put in the pits; paint, batteries, computers, fuel, plastic, medical waste. 

       Plaintiffs report a range of diseases resulting from exposure, including life threatening conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological issues, cancer and constrictive bronchiolitis. 

       The judge said KBR was just following orders and that it was a military matter.  Victims and family members are furious. 

       It is pretty much par for the course. We put men and women in harms way, sometimes even greater jeopardy because of poor command decisions, and then we leave vets holding the bag. Combine that with the Inspector General's finding of wholesale fraud and waste in both wars-in the Billions, and you are left with corporations that made huge war profits, bonuses for executives and our loyal troops sick and dying and no one is held responsible. 

      It is important to recall that many of these war contracts were no bid deals, engineered by Dick Cheney for his Halliburton and KBR pals.

      It's a damned shame we don't better respect, honor and treat those who serve. It is a continuing stain in our history, but so too is war profiteering. Has been ever such. Another of many reasons war is indeed, hell.
      Maybe the Republican majority in Congress and the Republican president will come to the aid of the distressed vets of Iraq and Afghanistan. What's to stop them?   

     See you down the trail.   

     

POPE FRANCIS, BEN CARSON, BUDDY GUY, GEORGE THOROGOOD, WINE COOL

HARD CHOICE

     Before we jump into high energy personality and wine country cool a couple of ironies that define the complexity of your world.
      How long before American political and military leaders have to address our compliance in pederasty.  American troops have complained they have been told to "look the other way" as Afghani police and military men sexually abuse young boys. The New York Times, among others, reports American troops have been told it is part of the Afghani culture.
       My colleagues and I learned of this cultural practice when we were reporting on the Mujaheddin, the US supported Afghanis fighting the Russians. I was repelled. This is not consensual same gender sex. It's called bacha bazi "boy play" and in truth is tantamount to rape. 
       How long do we look the other way for the sake of cultural respect and political alliances? Is looking the other way immoral? Do we condone child sexual abuse by acting as though it's their culture and we should stay out of it? How many other "blind eyes" and trade offs must we engage in and to what end?
         What brings "boy play" to the front page is the growing number of US Marines and others who are sick of condoning the often violent assaults.

Another Trick Bag

     Pope Francis and Ben Carson, two men who profess faith as Christians. The Pope embraces the outcast and in an act simulating Jesus, he washes their feet. Carson who speaks of his belief says on the political stump no Muslim should be President.Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist, a Christian denomination that believes in the imminent second coming of Christ. 

       Makes you wonder what Jesus would think, huh?

       It's a hard world and our choices are complex.

A BLUES GUY AND ROCK HARD

coming up-but first

PICK UP DEFINED

   You're looking at a pick up-actually a multiple pick up party.

   After we moved to California our mid western friends would say "What?" when we told them we were going to a pick up party.  

   Wineries stage parties for wine club members to "pick up" their wine.

 Though the temperature was near 90 in the Paso Robles West Side wine region, the old barn was cool and provided a breeze.

 The new public tasting room at Halter Ranch is almost ready to open.

  The Members Tasting room and offices were closed on this pick day as harvesting and processing is underway in the work area and acres of underground caves.

    Storage barns were makeshift check out lines and still
offered a gorgeous view.

       Harvest is underway in Paso. Members pick up and harvesters pick.

FACES OF BUDDY GUY

   It's always a thrill to see the great blues guitarist Buddy Guy.

 The six time Grammy winner and member of the Rock and Roll hall of fame lit it up at Vina Robles Amphitheatre. 

   The 79 year old virtuoso is a beloved legend.

BOOGIE BLUES DESTROYER

  George Thorogood and the Destroyers may be the ultimate bar band. 

 The Wilmington Delaware native is 65 and still kicks it up as much as he did back in the early 80's when he burst onto the scene, touring with the Rolling Stones.

 High Velocity Impressions

  He electrified the audience.  

   See you down the trail.

MISSING TWO WOMEN & SHOTS OF CLASSICS-HOT COLORS AND HOT WHEELS

MOURNING TWO WOMEN

     Noting the passing of two women over the weekend surprisingly stirred a personal sense of loss and a low rage.

     The end of Margaret Thatcher's long decline into dementia is a merciful release and an occasion to recall her greatness in full power.  I met the Iron Lady and heard her address an American audience.  I didn't agree with all of her politics, but I admired her ability to lead, wield power and was in awe of her use of language.  It was not just her English cadence and pronunciation, it was the eloquence, even the elegance of her word choices and sentence construction.  She was an extraordinarily capable person.     

     Though Meryl Streep's performance was brilliant, I resented the Iron Lady film because its focus on Thatcher's declining years was inappropriate, disrespectful and needless.  

     As a father of daughters I have a special fondness for women of her calibre.

     And perhaps because Ann Smedinghoff is the age of my youngest, I was especially grieved to learn of the death of the US Foreign Service worker in Afghanistan.  She, and other Americans, were killed by terrorists as they delivered textbooks to children.  Her father says the family takes comfort in knowing she was doing something she wanted to do.

    I know, hired and worked with young women and men like Ann Smedinghoff.  Products of good homes, education and sound footing, they choose to work in areas where they could "make a difference" or "provide service."  There are more lucrative and less arduous paths, but some in that generation seek a more active participation in doing something good and meaningful.  She and her colleagues died trying to elevate the third century mentality of that cursed land of war lords, tribes, corruption, and ignorance.

     The Taliban are blamed.  They are the jackal thugs of an evil strain of death breeding zealots who are ignorant cowards that even their own demented version of their god would  surely wish to smite and send to an endless lake of fire. The deaths of the Americans, only the latest chapter as the Taliban once again seeks to destroy reason and leverage the stone age on Afghanistan. 

      Two women, one who fulfilled a life of contribution, the other, at the beginning of her service to humankind, taken tragically.  It's just been hard to shake this sense of loss.

CALIFORNIA CLASSICS

CRUISING CLASSIC

   See you down the trail.