Battlefield Tourist

So I have another six days here in Kabul, then it's off to FOB Salerno for the second time. This time I'll be staying a bit longer. Hopefully they'll have things to do that will keep me busy until I return to the states.
Until then I have a handful of stories II'm working on. One I mentioned yesterday with the voter registration. That's actually the story I'm doing today. Tomorrow's a press conference where they plan on making an announcement of types that will answer some questions concerning the prisoner abuse allegations. I might do some sightseeing on Thursday and then Friday do a story about a successful study that shows the cultivation of roses may be the answer to replace poppy's. They think Afghanistan could be a major player in the fragrance world. Hmmm...
So obviously since I am talking about this stuff, life is a bit boring right now. I guess that's ok for the time being, but it's wearing me out. By the way, if you're reading this, there's gonna be a Summer SwillFest at my house in Virginia July 10th. Get in touch for details.

Finally, Ronald Regan.

I first saw Ronald Reagan in the summer of 1980 in Birmingham, Michigan. Then, Governor Reagan, was making a move to become president. Just 12, I was along for the ride.
I remember the crowd and the buildings surrounding the area where the speech would be. On those buildings were snipers. I don't remember the speech itself, although I do recall seeing the Governor Reagan. I remember a lot of red, white and blue.
Really though, the highlight for me was when I saw a TV reporter. I remember distinctly that he was with ABC national news. I proceeded to stick my head and distorted face into two of his stand ups before the photographer chased me away.
I never personally saw Reagan after that. I did buy the hype that the commies were coming up from Central America (afterall, Red Dawn kicked ass!), so I did my duty and joined the marines. President Reagan was now my Commander-in-Chief.
I admit, I liked Reagan than, but as I grew older, I started realizing how blind I was when it really came down to it.. You'll hear people say he was the "Great Communicator" and how his "acting skills would come in handy". These things are true. Ronald Reagan had a great charisma and he was a good actor.
On the political front, he won a 50 year stare down with the Soviet Union that resulted in the fall of the Soviet Empire. What an accomplishment!! For me though, it's what else he did that bothers me. I'm not talking about the fact that he illegally diverted money to prop up an illegal army fighting a sovereign country. What he can remember was done in our national interest, so he gets the benefit of the doubt. What he did do that so bothers me is that while he squeezed the nation for more money to build a huge military, he also enacted huge tax cuts that created the largest disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots" in history. That gap continues to grow today. Reagan's ultimate, tangible legacy. Clinton wiped out much of his huge deficit, but to this day, we're still stuck with the middle class being raped into near extinction.
Fact is, Ronald Reagan was a great president for foreign policy and the established rich. For families like mine; hard working, blue collar Americans, Ronald Reagan made the road to the "American Dream" a lot longer.
In fact, I consider Reagan the man who started the current breed of conservativism that continues in G.W.'s genes today. It appears to be a holdover style of politics that isn't going to cut it in the world of the 21st century.
Regardless, with all of this said, the world is NOT better off now that Reagan is gone. That day came when his second term expired.

In some late news: Just got word I won't be going to Salerno but wil find "something" for me... hmmm