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Time to once again open my life up a little in order to share the plethora of wealth I'm about to absorb. I'm going to be back in Iraq through September, so hop on board and check back every couple of days, I'll do my best to update as much as possible. Questions? dtate38@cox.net And check out the site I'm working with: http://www.billroggio.com Support independent journalism!
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
So I had a rough night. Hearing the choppers leave for fire support missions I was supposed to be on is a bummer and a half. Later in the morning I tried to hitch a ride with the Army and missed that ride by 5 minutes. I literally saw the choppers heading toward the firebase as I went to check, joking with a friend, "Hey.. they're heading to Ripley". And they were.
So throughout the day I am in a dilemma:L Send the SAT truck back, stay, stay a few days then send the truck back... what to do. A call to Istanbul made the decision for me. They decided that it would be useless to send it back and we were told to stay at least another week. This of course has made Nadir a bit pissed and there appears to be a mutiny on the horizon. All he talks about is how bored he is and how much he misses his wife. I told him from the start to expect at least two weeks, maybe four. We're in day 11.
Good news is that I get to catch a chopper in the morning for the firebase. Hopefully (I'm told there will be)I'll get pushed out to the action quick. The plan is to get some good video fast, get back to Kandahar and feed, then get back in the field. Being the only TV guy covering the Marines has a great potential for sales... now I need the video. Besides, I can't see many network guys joining the Marines, the conditions are very rural and difficult as previously posted.
Two more mortar rounds came in today. One of these days that Taliban freak is going to get lucky. Just a matter of time. A rocket took out a Norwegion in Kabul yesterday, so they're getting ballsier. Too bad we're knee deep in Iraq before we finished "The War on Terror". Let me elaborate:
Now I try not to be partisan, but I've had enough. I am officially begging anyone who reads this to do their civic duty and vote. Not just once, but persuade two non-voting friends as well. President Bush has gotten it all wrong from the getgo in Iraq. Yes I supported the invasion (as an American, not a journalist), but now it is clear that what we were told and what is reality are two different things. Most troubling is that nearly 800 Americans and thousands of Iraqis have been killed in a war that should not have happened yet. I say this because I do believe it was a matter of time that we did invade. Problem is, is that it was done on the pretext that it was part of the War on Terror, and that is clearly now not the case. There is not a single shread of evidence that suggests that Iraq was helping bin Laden and his goons, which leads me to Afghanistan. This is where the epicenter of terror was and is and the job is far from over. This country is shattered and needs the full attention of the international community to recover, and they're not getting it. A new report out says that Al Queda is at 18,000+ members and growing. The number one reason: The War in Iraq. Not only that, but the world hates America more than ever. All because we invaded Iraq. Pointis, Bush claimed to invade in part because he wanted to fight terrorism, but as it turns out, he has only helped terrorism by invading Iraq. He says his goals are to "rebuild" Iraq's infrastructure. Amazing since we have yet to even come close to rebuilding the roads in Afghanistan.
The people of Afghanistan are counting on the US and the international community and we cannot let them down. Unfortunately, we are... all because we invaded Iraq based on poor intellegence, poor judgement and poor leadership. We must remember where the War on Terror is, and it isn't in Iraq. Do not confuse the two as some of our leaders would like you to do.
So throughout the day I am in a dilemma:L Send the SAT truck back, stay, stay a few days then send the truck back... what to do. A call to Istanbul made the decision for me. They decided that it would be useless to send it back and we were told to stay at least another week. This of course has made Nadir a bit pissed and there appears to be a mutiny on the horizon. All he talks about is how bored he is and how much he misses his wife. I told him from the start to expect at least two weeks, maybe four. We're in day 11.
Good news is that I get to catch a chopper in the morning for the firebase. Hopefully (I'm told there will be)I'll get pushed out to the action quick. The plan is to get some good video fast, get back to Kandahar and feed, then get back in the field. Being the only TV guy covering the Marines has a great potential for sales... now I need the video. Besides, I can't see many network guys joining the Marines, the conditions are very rural and difficult as previously posted.
Two more mortar rounds came in today. One of these days that Taliban freak is going to get lucky. Just a matter of time. A rocket took out a Norwegion in Kabul yesterday, so they're getting ballsier. Too bad we're knee deep in Iraq before we finished "The War on Terror". Let me elaborate:
Now I try not to be partisan, but I've had enough. I am officially begging anyone who reads this to do their civic duty and vote. Not just once, but persuade two non-voting friends as well. President Bush has gotten it all wrong from the getgo in Iraq. Yes I supported the invasion (as an American, not a journalist), but now it is clear that what we were told and what is reality are two different things. Most troubling is that nearly 800 Americans and thousands of Iraqis have been killed in a war that should not have happened yet. I say this because I do believe it was a matter of time that we did invade. Problem is, is that it was done on the pretext that it was part of the War on Terror, and that is clearly now not the case. There is not a single shread of evidence that suggests that Iraq was helping bin Laden and his goons, which leads me to Afghanistan. This is where the epicenter of terror was and is and the job is far from over. This country is shattered and needs the full attention of the international community to recover, and they're not getting it. A new report out says that Al Queda is at 18,000+ members and growing. The number one reason: The War in Iraq. Not only that, but the world hates America more than ever. All because we invaded Iraq. Pointis, Bush claimed to invade in part because he wanted to fight terrorism, but as it turns out, he has only helped terrorism by invading Iraq. He says his goals are to "rebuild" Iraq's infrastructure. Amazing since we have yet to even come close to rebuilding the roads in Afghanistan.
The people of Afghanistan are counting on the US and the international community and we cannot let them down. Unfortunately, we are... all because we invaded Iraq based on poor intellegence, poor judgement and poor leadership. We must remember where the War on Terror is, and it isn't in Iraq. Do not confuse the two as some of our leaders would like you to do.
