Back to business ...

Okay, the baby pics are posted, the family is all at home and doing well … let’s get back to the lunacy that is … Baghdad. The picture below was taken at Blackhawk, a kind of supermarket for bootleg videos and software. These guys are so good that, if a movie comes out on a Friday, Blackhawk will have it on DVD Monday. Granted, the movie is filmed with a webcam in a theatre, but it’s better than nothing when you don’t have a theatre. Obviously, this merchant skimped when it came to hiring a translator.

My anti-media rant for the day. Many of you have seen stories lately about the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAP). If you went by the mainstream media’s slant on this: The Hummer is worthless, MRAP’s are the savior of the world and the Army and Marine Corps (particularly the Corps) have withheld the MRAP from the troops because they have a monetary interest in the Humvee.

Here’s the truth folks: The Up-Armored Hummer is a VERY capable vehicle. The MRAP is a good next generation choice to EVENTUALLY replace the Hummer. The Army and the Marines HAVE purchased a large number of MRAPs (You can’t walk down a street here without seeing several MRAPs). The biggest deal is: American General motors has the capability to produce more Humvees faster than the MRAP folks do right now. If it’s a choice between having the best possible armored vehicle but not having enough for the effort, or having a darn good armored vehicle in large numbers until the MRAPs can be purchased in large numbers – I’m taking the Hummer. In reality, we have a lot of both! The MRAPs have gone to units who have a larger chance of encountering IED’s. Not everyone is going to get them; in the beginning, you give them to the units with the greatest need. Also, NO vehicle is completely protected against an IED. If the bomb is big enough, it will win. I just hate the so called ‘military experts’ on CNN telling us that the military is holding back on the vehicle that will be the solution to all of our problems. The MRAP is NOT the savior of the forces. Is it better … probably. Is it perfect … no.

Now if you want to see a ‘perfect armored vehicle,’ here it is: This truck was in our parking lot yesterday. The Iraqi Army has taken an Isuzu pickup/flatbed delivery truck and turned it into a redneck’s dream. How’d you like to drive this baby through an American town and watch the stares as you pass. Not only do you have protection in the back for your troops to lay waste to the local populous, you have up-armored the tires as well. Way to go boys – the U.S. spends $25 Billion dollars on up-armored trucks, you guys find some junk on the side of the road and weld it to the truck. The fact that your truck is in my parking lot tells me that it works (or you’re really lucky) – who’s the fool here?

I can’t go any farther today without recognizing the efforts of my sister this past week. She, despite being a lifelong Georgia fan (and alum, soon to be double alum), recognizes my passion for my Fighting Irish. This has led to quite a few heated debates amongst her and I (At one point there was a GREAT defensive lineman who was playing for my old high school whose college choices were: UGA or ND. I’m pretty sure Lisa and I didn’t speak for a while after that one – unfortunately, Travis Stroud went to Georgia and did well there). Well, my beloved sister is a county administrator in a major school system in Georgia. She’s also a HUGE football fan. As she was walking the halls in one of the schools in the county, she bumped into the Notre Dame head coach, Charlie Weis. Apparently, Coach Weis was in town to look at a recruit for the Irish. Lisa, knowing what it would mean to me, walked up to Coach Weis and asked him to sign an autograph for a fellow Domer who is serving in Iraq (that would be me). This is what I received in the mail the day my twins were born:

Above: Lisa and Coach Weis

Right: A note from a friend.

Lisa, as always, you are the coolest. I do wonder how you keep bumping into all of these famous folks (last year her Christmas card was a candid photo with Bono of U2 – she randomly ‘bumped into him’ in Miami). I think she might be paparazzi … she does like cameras … she has been known to drive a bit insane … If she shows up with a photo of Lindsey Lohan, we have problems. Until tomorrow.

-Grease out.