Okay so the biggest news is that Osama Bin Laden is finally dead. I will not say "Osama Bin Laden was finally killed" because I'm not really sure that's the way it went down. In all likelihood, soldiers showed up at his "very inconspicuous" multi-million dollar mansion, he realized he was screwed and offed himself. In all actuality he could have had some kind of natural death. Liver failure is a big speculation. But overall, I don't believe one of our guys shot and killed him. Mostly because they don't seem to be able to remember who shot him, his burial was expedited in a manner so that nobody could "tamper with the remains" and dropped him into the ocean. No pictures were released and the only video available for viewing is of a generic house burning. That's like the video of the moon landing. Nobody knows if that was really on the moon or in the desert of Utah.
So I've been getting a lot of questions like, "So now that we got Osama what's changed [in Iraq]?" Well good sir or ma'am. Absolutely nothing. It doesn't mean we're coming home early. It doesn't mean that the insurgency groups are giving up their escapade on killing American Soldiers. And it certainly doesn't mean we're throwing our fists in the air shouting "Yeah! Osama got what was coming to him!" Nope, the only thing that changed was we got incoming (Incoming: Ordnance fired from outside of the base trying to inflict damage to the inside of the base and its inhabitants.) three times more than usual. I still don't expect to be going home early and nothing got easier. Just so we're clear. If we were here for Osama, we would have gotten him a long time ago and then gotten the heck outta Dodge. Now the President of Iraq is calling for our stay to be lengthened by another year.
I got invited to three "Obama got Osama!" parties on Facebook. It made me want to send long and detailed messages explaining that it didn't matter who was in office it would have happened regardless. Obama is no more to thank than I am. But of course who's to say that the timing of Osama's death wasn't planned in the beginning as a revival to Obama's campaign if he runs in the next election? Things go on in our government that would make us cringe. We just have the liberty of not knowing anything about it. Ignorance is bliss... sometimes.
Okay, on to the positive stuff.
I put in my name for the Battalion Competition happening on the 13th. They still haven't told me whether or not I'm eligible to do it, but I hope I am. I've been training for it and really want to compete. Carvajal, one of the guys in my platoon, is also applying for it. If he gets in we'll be on a team of four representing Easy Company. Should be good if we both get in.
Got a package in the mail from an awesome family in the states that adopted our Platoon. Every time we get packages from home our morale skyrockets. If you want to send something, let me know on FB. Or if you don't have me on FB, leave a comment with your email address below this post. I'll send you the address and sending instructions. We love getting packages. Makes us think of home, family and friends.
It's getting hotter! Like a LOT hotter. And it isn't slowing down. The high for the week is going to be 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Back at home folks would be expiring in that kind of heat. Here we still have to get out there, check the trucks, lift heavy things, run places when we're in a hurry and where combat boots, cargo pants and a long sleeve shirt regardless of the weather... I dare you to complain about the heat this summer. ;]
My friend Tamyra makes a nifty comic that I've been following since High School. Today she agreed to make a commission for me and I'm excited to see it when it's all finished.
I really need to get my laptop sent up here... The computer lab started closing at midnight and it's hard to cram correspondence courses when it does that. But then again, the internet is free in the computer lab. If I get my own computer I'll have to pay 100 bones or more for internet to be put into my room... Dilemmas dilemmas dilemmas.
My TC (Truck Commander) Sergeant Carter goes on leave on the 12th. That will make me the last guy from my truck to go on leave. I go in August. And I'm going to either England or New Zealand depending on what's happening.
More to come later.
The Playlist:
I Kissed a Girl - Katie Perry
Undisclosed Desires - Muse
Waiting for a Train - Hans Zimmer
Don't Trust Me - 3Oh!3
Misery - Maroon 5
Lollipop - Framing Hanley
sharydogar@yahoo.com
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