As much as I hate to re-blog, I talked about this in a past blog entry last summer. Today I was sitting at lunch with several coworkers, and the subject of the war with Iraq came up. Being the only veteran at the table, everyone wanted to know my opinion of the war talk and the administration's policy...not the best questions to discuss over lunch sometimes; and at leave the table as friends.

While we were talking, I mentioned the Iraqi attack on the USS Stark back in 1987 while she was on a deployment to the Persian Gulf that cost the lives of 37 crewmen and badly damaged the ship. The Captain, who was later punished for allowing the attack to occur, directed the damage control efforts so well that the ship both remained afloat and got into port for an ultimate return to service.

The bottom line here is that a United States Capital Ship of the Line was ruthlessly attacked by the man we are now calling the Devil Incarnate, and that super-hero of the Republican Party whom they have tried to name every federal structure except the outhouses in Yellowstone after did nothing other than cluck and wring his hands. Of course Bush 1 was his veep, and he too demonstrated an incredible lack of anything approaching leadership or even outrage as I recall.

Back then we were selling weapons, parts, consulting, technical services and other stuff to Hussein, and why attack him when he said it was an accident. We took his word for it.

Thirty seven American Sailors came home in caskets and we took his word for it.

Back then, he was a customer, now he's a madman. Or so say awol and the 1600 Crew. Now. Today.